adventuring with cats

I've been reading a book here lately called "Radical Simplicity."  The guy talks about simplifying our lives, solitude and enjoying nature.  The more I read, the more it intensified the longing to get back to Good Medicine Camp.

GMC is a spot on our hillside, not far up the ravine from the pond.  I found a rare flat spot on the right that would allow me to pitch some form of shelter and watch wildlife making their way down to the pond.  

With the aid of my boy scout handbook (1918) edition, I created various shelters with my big blue tarp and baling twine.  My favourite was my tepee!  You can see pictures of it here.  Jeffie, Bindi & Squeeky loved it.  They would play outside in the snow and run in to warm up by the fire.  They would either curl up on the evergreen bows I'd dragged up from the yard or crawl onto my lap and keep my legs warm. 

But, thanks to the coyote, wild dogs & the stupid neighbours dogs, we haven't made our daily trips in a couple years.  It's become too dangerous to take the cats.  Yeah, there's no limit to immediate escape routes, but I still worry when they go up there alone.  Anyway, the cats miss those times and so do I.  How do I know they miss it?  Because every time I go near the barn, the 3 of them run for the lower pasture and look back to see if I'm coming.

So, now I'm looking at creating a hobbit hole on the front part of the hillside.  I wanted a hobbit hole a couple years ago, but I think now I can pull it off.  It's a great location and gives a full view of the valley.  The grass & weeds are too high now, but come Fall I should get to work on it.  Looking forward to posting pics when the work begins.  : )

And if that falls through - there's always another tepee.  : )