So, apparently, if you're a cat, this is a pretty tough neighborhood...

Amber got beat up in our own backyard, in a fight that started on the deck out back and moved to the front of the house under the living room windows. I tried to get out to break it up without letting Samantha and Katya out. Amber got chased across a couple of yards with her assailant in hot pursuit. Wednesday night when I got home from work, I noticed the aft end of her tail was not moving.

After a round of x-rays it looks like there's no break -- there's a bite wound that's causing some swelling and impinging on the nerves. As of yet, no permanent damage, though there's still the possibility we could end up with a bob-tailed cat if things don't get better.

This, after I spent my June vacation earning my kitty wound-care merit badge treating an abcess on Samantha's left rear foot. Twice a day I had to soak her foot in an epsom salt solution for ten minutes, apply antibiotic ointment to the gash on her foot and give her a dropper full of oral antibiotics for good measure. I don't think it needs saying that she wasn't very appreciative of my efforts.

And, I don't know why, but it bothers me that they both apparently got beat up while running away.

Basswood Honey

My favorite tree around this time of year is Basswood -- their bloom is just finishing up now and they have a sweet, light herbal/spicy scent. Our village has a ton of them planted as street trees and they bloomed first. On our street there's one that blooms a week or two later than the rest, and it's really the bee-tree. You can hear it humming as you approach. Seems like the ones in the village don't attract the bees as much for some reason.

Got some basswood honey at the farmers market last week and I'm planning to make a metheglin with it -- basically a spiced honey wine. The scent of the flowers comes through in the honey and I want to see what it'll do as wine.