Will & Avery: Part of the Family Now

 

Back in November, I introduced you to the newest residents of The County Line. So, I figured it was time for an update. 

Will and Avery have made themselves at home, and they have been growing like proverbial weeds. My Facebook feed reminds me every so often of how quickly time marches on. Kinley's 12th birthday has come and gone, but my Facebook memory feed still offers glimpses of her first few weeks of life. It's hard to believe - whether we're talking human sisters or cat brothers. 

 

Before anyone thinks we are abusing the cats based on photos I took from their igloo during a snow storm, here's proof we are not:

I sent these to the kids, telling them it was the very definition of a "cat nap."

They take up a little more space in Randy's arms these days. (They were not particularly cooperative for this photo op. They are cats, after all.)

They still like their igloo - snow, rain or sunshine.

Our farm cats have also become accustomed to watching the 'Cats (K-State Wildcats) on TV with their favorite human. Just like Big Cat used to do, they know that the leopard print blanket is their spot. 

Sometimes, both come in for an evening cuddle. Just as often, it's only one brother. But last night, both came in to watch our 'Cats knock off the Jayhawks in an ESPN Big Monday game. If that's what it takes to win, maybe Randy will have to work harder to find both Will and Avery when the 'Cats are battling on the hardwood. They may be named in honor of K-State football players, but we'll take a little basketball magic, too.

A Snowy Weekend

When Will and Avery joined the family this fall, we purchased an igloo shelter. Over the weekend, it lived up to its name. 

Will and Avery didn't seem to know what to think about this fluffy white phenomenon. And, honestly, it had been awhile since we humans had seen this much snow, too. An informal yardstick measurement revealed about 7 1/2 inches of the white stuff. 

Before anyone gets too worried about Will and Avery, they also had plenty of inside time during the snowstorm.

This looked like the very definition of a "cat nap" to me!

They served as lap warmers for TV viewing for one of our home's occupants. It wasn't me.

Besides the quantity, the lack of wind was another unusual phenomenon for this snow. On the first day, it pretty much stayed where it fell, which should be beneficial for our farm fields.

Notice the Cats Crossing sign on the electric pole.

It was not so conducive to driving to Manhattan for the final regular season football game. So, instead, we gave away our tickets to friends who live in Manhattan and watched "Farmeggedon" - K-State vs. Iowa State - from home. (Unfortunately, K-State lost.)

I did take time to wander and take a few photos during our "staycation."

 I was wishing we'd changed my decorative flag from fall to Christmas to better suit the scene.

We had already put out our Christmas floodlights. But only the green one was working at the time.

The next morning, floodlights were no longer needed.

 Sunlight on snow always transforms the scene.

It was pretty - especially since I wasn't the one shoveling or feeding cattle.

“Snow brings a special quality with it—the power to stop life as you know it dead in its tracks.”

Nancy Hatch Woodward

"When snow falls, nature listens."

Antoinette VanKleef

"A snow day literally and figuratively falls from the sky—unbidden—and seems like a thing of wonder."

Susan Orlean

 

Meet Will and Avery!

Meet Will and Avery! They're "purr-fect," don't you think?

Since Randy lost Big Cat, he'd been in search of a new yellow kitten. What could be better than one yellow kitten? Evidently, it's two yellow kittens. The Hutchinson Animal Shelter had a 2-for-1 price special. (Genius marketing, don't you think?) So these two brothers came home to The County Line - appropriately, on Randy's birthday at the end of October.

The Animal Shelter had named them Mac and Cheese. But they were just going to have to get used to new monikers. We started a family text regarding names for our new friends. Kinley and Brooke suggested Milo and Charlie. Pumpkin and Spice were other suggestions. But Eric's suggestion of Will and Avery won out.

For the uninformed, those are the names of the two K-State quarterbacks - Will Howard, the veteran, and Avery Johnson, the true freshman. 

Brent, who is always good for some humor, texted: "Just hope it doesn't end up like the OU guy I know who named his kid after Lincoln Riley." (For you non-football fans, Lincoln Riley was the coach at OU and abruptly departed for what he thought were greener pastures at USC.)

Also from Brent: "Shouldn't Will be an existing cat that everybody loves, but isn't as exciting to play with now that we've got the quickest kitten in the world to play with?"

I must admit: I laughed out loud at that one. But, then Avery looked a little more like a true freshman quarterback during his appearances at the October 28 game vs. Houston and again against Texas last Saturday. And Will had another great game. So Will and Avery it is!

The whole family at the October 28 K-State football game!

There is a long-standing tradition of using K-State football player names for animals around here. Brent's bucket calf and steer names can provide a retrospective of prominent K-State football players of the 1990s.

Getting new kitties doesn't mean we forget about Big Cat. He was a fixture around here for a long time. In fact, my birthday gifts for Randy reflected his love for our old friend. As I wrote in October, Randy buried Big Cat under the lilac bushes. I got him a memorial marker to add there. 

I also got him a Christmas ornament to hang on the tree featuring a photo of our friend. 

 Will and Avery have already begun their jobs as County Line models.

Of course, they can't replace Randy, the County Line Super Model. But they are nice accessories, don't you think?

Maybe they don't need to be models. They can be neck warmers instead.