Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Happy Halloween

" Boo ! "

My research on the origins of Halloween
revealed some pretty interesting stuff.

The Celts first started celebrating the end of summer and their harvest and the beginning of the dark cold winter with the festival of Samhain. Their new year was celebrated on November 1. In this era, 2000+ years ago, winter was also associated with death and the Celts believed that on October 31 ghosts and spirits returned to earth making it possible for the Celtic priests, Druids, to make predictions about the future. During the festival the Druids built giant bonfires to make sacrifices, and the Celts wore costumes, then took the flames from the bonfires home to start their fires for the winter.

By A.D. 43, Romans had conquered the majority of Celtic territory (Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France) and over the next approx. 400 years several festivals were combined with Samhain. Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead, and a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. It is believed that "bobbing" for apples is related to the Pomona addition.

By the 800s, Christianity had spread into Celtic lands and in the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1 All Saints' Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs. The celebration was also called “All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints' Day) and the night before it, the night of Samhain, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween."


For Halloween,
the brothers headed outside and soon

found some pumpkins and gourds.

Vladi was a bit scared of them,...

but Tanji showed him there was nothing to fear,...

Soon, Vladi was off, and

caught his own white (blue-ish) pumpkin.

Back inside,


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Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Besides The Bengal Brothers

Besides the Bengal brothers,
we occasionally take pictures of
other subjects in the yard.

The "yard" has been really coming alive, over the past few years
since we started working to enhance the habitat,
by planting lots of trees and shrubs,
as well as leaving un-mowed areas,
and feeding the birds.

This summer we had

a Bullfrog living in the pond.

He was very bold,...

I was trying to splash him into action,
in the hopes of catching an
action shot of him jumping.

He just sat there watching me.

Splash,...

Splash,...

Finally he hopped over and ate one of the
little stones I tossed to make the splashes.

Finally, he got a little hot (I believe),
sitting on his rock,

and jumped in for a

refreshing swim.

We have a "few" birds that visit us,...

The goldfinches hang out waiting for food

as do the Brewer's Blackbirds,
and red-wing blackbirds.

I think you are sitting a little still,...

California quail (valley quail) showed up this year.
(also pheasants)

Of course another nice sunset.


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Monday, October 29, 2007

t/d Dental Treats

The last time we went to the V.E.T.
we got a bag of Hill's t/d Feline dental food for the
boys because Tanji had some tartar build-up.

Before we even put the bag away
the boys started sampling,...

Baaaaaad boys,...

Mmmm, this stuff is yummy.

T really enjoyed the hard large nuggets.

Vladi tried to get a few nuggets,...

but T was relentlessly chowing down,...

"Hey Tanji, slow down and share some with us."

Uschi munches a few pieces.

I want some more,... Now!!!

Crunch, crunch, crunch.

Grrrrr, crunch.

Do you have some more I could crunch on?

Baby V, enjoyed crunching the big hard nuggets.

Crunch, crunch, crunch.

Later,
Tanji barfed up a big pile chewed up t/d treats.


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Sunday, October 28, 2007

Pond Vladi

Vladi watches out for Goldi-Fin.

I see you,...

You look like a stone fish.

This water looks a little deeper.

I'm just going to dip my toe in.


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Saturday, October 27, 2007

Kennel Perch

Vladi

loves the kennel,

and the perches.

V sees an approaching Tanji,...

Tanji do you want to play with me?

Nope, I just want my perch back.

Tanji never walks down the ramps,

he just leaps off the perches.


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Friday, October 26, 2007

Vladi Day Four Pictures

Today we are posting some pictures
from Vladi's fourth day home with us.

Vladi grooms himself,

and plays in the cat-cup.

Tanji was stressed out,...

so Vladi visited.
(T was still unsure)

T got some encouragement from mom and Uschi.

Vladi also received some praise.

Why won't he play with me?

Mom,... T is ignoring me.

Later,

T & V play with a feather wand.

I think T is stalking V.

Tanji, I think the feather is in this hole,...

Tanji demonstrates proper feather pouncing technique.

Tanji was beginning to relax with Vladi.

and rolls his head under,
showing he is happy.


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