New meow!!

We adopted a new cat last night, though it might be more fair to say she adopted us. I've seen her wandering the yard and sauntering up and down the easement driveway for the last few weeks, since some time in July. I'd make kissy noises when I saw her, and she wasn't too sure if she liked me or not, so I just left her be.

Well, last night I come walking into my office because I hear a cat crying, and it didn't sound like one of mine. Of course I'm like WTF? Some of the cats were hanging out looking out the window, totally unconcerned. I look out the window, and there is that lovely little kitty meowing outside my window! So I make kissy noises- she meowed back. I went out onto the porch and made kissy noises- she meowed back. I step down off the porch and kneel down making kissy noises- she meowed and ran right up to me and snuggled right up purring hard. Well then, it was like she was saying "about time you came out, take me in please.".
So of course I did. I scooped her up, with her nuzzling and purring the whole while. Carried her into the house and past the other cats, everyone was fine. Deposited her into one of the boys bedrooms, shut the door- and went to get the hubby. He was a bit surprised to say the least.
So I grabbed a divided dish and dumped in a can of wet food on one side, dry food on the other- and a big bowl of water. By then she was already meowing again, like hey, you didn't just lock me up and forget about me, right? And wow she tucked right on into that food! Grabbed a litter box and put it in there. Kept checking on her till it was time to settle in, and then I settled into the room for the night. She just curled right up next to me and went to sleep, peaceful as can be.
Woke up this morning to find that why yes, she did use the litter box just like she is supposed to. Called the vet first thing when they opened and got her in this morning- she tested out fine, got kitty shots.. And lo and behold! We thought she was only a couple months old because she was so tiny, turns out shes a year or two old and just tiny, lol. She also got a flea pill because she had some rough skin action going on- but no fleas that we could tell. She was just fine at the vets, very affectionate. During the ride there and home, she just pretty much settled in the carrier like she had done this a thousand times before.
We put her back in the bedroom when we got home, but it kind of broke my love's heart to hear her meowing for company, so we moved her to the great room. And again the other cats didn't seem to care one jot that I was walking around with a new meow. She's been far happier now with a little company, curled up by my loves feet and is snoozing the afternoon away. 
We are guessing it's likely that she's an abandoned cat, possibly from summer visiting folks that brought out their cat for the holiday weekend and went home without her. No feral is this people loving and house friendly naturally.

Here's our new meow..

First time I've had a tortoiseshell since I was a toddler- and first time ever having a long hair cat. We don't know her name yet though. We will just keep throwing names at her till she responds to one, lol.

Took a nice walk out in the back 40 today- I wanted to see what the local milkweeds were up to, and it looks like pretty much none along most of the walk. Good thing there are several here close to the house! You bet your butt I'm gonna be spreading that seed around before they have all disappeared. I also collected several large clumps of moss which are currently in the wet spot by the solarium pond- those will get transplanted outside in the upper FOH garden next time we get a few days of rain. There were a few black eyed susans that were ready to deadhead, which I did. And I grabbed a handful of blackberries for seed sharing. Also got to get some lovely pics of a few critters while out and about.

 An Eastern Box Turtle. He wasn't quite sure what I was about, but held still for a couple pics.

 This cute little frog I have no idea what he is. I saw the jump and looked, expecting a grasshopper. But nope, some adorable tiny tree frog. He didn't come up when I looked at the basic frog list, or at least didn't look like any of the frogs on the basic list... So I still need to figure out what he is.

I'm pretty sure this is a Spicebush Swallowtail. We get a lot of these guys around here.

I did see one Monarch while out and about today, made me happy to see it. But in general, not as many butterflies as we have had the last two summers.. So yep, I'm stepping up my flower game to help promote butterfly happiness. In some of my seed swaps recently I've been choosing some pretty flowers they like :) And of course, the milkweed. I've been needing to get more on the ball with flowers anyway for the bees too.