Smoke gets in your eyes
There is a forest fire burning about 12 miles from here. Unless it jumps the lake, which I hope it doesn’t, the town should be safe. I always cry though for the loss of animal life. The forest near the lake is teeming with deer, coyote, squirrels, raccoons, possums and porkies. I know, because I have seen that life in those woods.
The smoke was thick tonight and it sent the horses and the cats into a tizzy. Both Racer and Traveler were on high alert and did not want to be stalled. I left them out in the open pasture. They won’t be able to get away from the smoke, but at least they can move around and still go in the stalls if they need to.
The cats have been antsy since this afternoon when the smoke settled low to the ground. I have had several territorial disputes as they take refuge in the tiered cat beds, a place where apparently the smoke hasn’t gotten to. I finally took out all the carriers I had stored in those holes so that cats could go in and out at will.
My friend Dusty told me that if we have to evacuate, the best way is to plop each cat into a pillowcase! RIGHT! I can’t imagine that the cats are going to be that easy to catch as nervous as they are, much less how easy it will be to plop them in a pillowcase. Bless Dusty, I love her to death, but she doesn’t have feral cats.
All my cats are used to the cat carriers, most of them sleep in them at night because I leave them out 24/7 so if we have to evacuate, the horses will go to Lisa’s and the cats will go in the carriers and go with us…
“Excuse me Sir? Is there room in your hotel for me, my husband, our German shepherd puppy and seventeen cats?”
Nineteen, if I manage to catch the two barn cats. I can hear the manager’s door slam in my face now! 
I can’t imagine the fire would reach us but boy the smoke has. I have had a bloody nose now most of the day. I just hope some idiot didn’t start this fire- because if they did, and if they get away with it, what would stop them from starting another? 