Felicity’s Safe Haven

Ghillie Suit Gardening – Felicity’s Safe HavenShe’s still outside.According to the trail cam, Felicity is spending most of the night in the garden now. She comes for breakfast, disappears for a while, then returns — sometimes with Freya or Farron, sometimes alone — and settles down like she belongs here.And you know what? I’m glad.

For all the second breakfast demands, the staring contests through the lounge door, and the expertly timed cat food raids… I’m actually happy she feels safe here. In this garden there are no roads to cross, no unkind humans, no golden eagles, bears or coyotes or anything else that might want to do her or her cubs harm.She’s found herself a safe base. A place where breakfast (and sometimes second breakfast) is provided, where there’s long grass to hide in, water to drink, and a slightly exasperated human who keeps complaining but still puts food out every morning.The Wildlife Cafe has officially become more than just chaos.
It’s become a sanctuary.Felicity may be running a protection racket, but she’s also a mum trying to raise her cubs somewhere safe. And for now, that somewhere is here.So yes, I’ll keep moaning about the cost and the early mornings and the cheek of it all.But secretly?
I’m glad they're here.

Mango Joins The Crew

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Ghillie Suit Gardening – Mango Joins The CrewMystery solved.The “fox cub” lurking in the long grass this morning was not a fox at all. It was Mango — a ginger and white cat with clear opinions and zero tolerance for nonsense.He emerged from under the swing like a site inspector who’d just been called to a disaster zone, then proceeded to walk gingerly through the demolition site that is currently my garden. He inspected the broken squirrel house (courtesy of Cyril’s latest temper tantrum) and the shattered bug hotel (also Cyril). The look on his face said it all:

“What the actual fuck is going on here?”

Cyril has now broken so many things that I’m starting to wonder if his wife and kids really are in a refuge somewhere miles away. The squirrel house is in pieces, the bug hotel is destroyed, and Mango is walking around like a health and safety officer who’s about to shut the whole operation down.We now officially have three cats on the books:

• Panther (the original part-timer)
• Fat Ball (the bold house invader)
• Mango (the judgemental site inspector)

The Wildlife Cafe is rapidly turning into a feline retirement village with occasional fox and badger guest appearances.Mango, welcome to the madhouse. Just don’t expect order. We don’t do that here.

Mango’s VerdictMango, the latest recruit to the garden’s ever-growing feline division, has made his feelings perfectly clear.After a thorough inspection of the demolition site (formerly known as my garden), he strolled up the mown path, past the long grass full of foxes and badgers, and wiped his feet on the way out.Not a word was spoken, but the message was loud and clear:

“This place is a tip. Sort it out.”

Welcome to the crew, Mango. You fit right in with the rest of the judgemental bastards.

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The Fox In The Grass

 

 Ghillie Suit Gardening – The Fox In The GrassI opened the back door this morning, completely innocently, just to fetch the watering can for some seaweed tonic.The moment the door clicked, a little ginger head popped up in the long grass like a meerkat who’d been waiting for the dinner bell. Ears up, eyes bright, full “Ah good, breakfast time again” expression plastered across its face.It wasn’t Barry Junior. It looked like one of Felicity’s cubs — possibly Freya or Farron — doing its best impression of “I’m hidden, you can’t see me” while failing spectacularly.They’re not even pretending to be wild anymore. They’re just lying in ambush in the long grass, waiting for the sound of the back door like it’s the starting pistol for room service.I’m watching them.
They’re watching me right back.This garden has become a very polite staring contest with occasional food-based extortion.The Wildlife Cafe is currently closed after the morning breakfast rush. No extra snacks were provided, despite the very hopeful little face staring at me through the grass. I’m trying to set some boundaries, even if they’re clearly laughing at them.Felicity has trained her children well. The next generation is already fully operational and knows exactly where the soft touch lives.I give it two weeks before they start knocking on the back door with tiny clipboards and order forms.