Merry Christmas from under the blazing Hawaiian sun! For the dog, cats, chickens, guinea pigs, rabbits and everyone else here, I got presents: lickable cat treats (the American version of a Japanese favorite), snacks for our dog, carrots for the plant-eaters, and for the chickens, their very favorite: grapes!
Cats and Iroha
First, the cats get the fish-and-clam flavor. Natsu, treat time! Shimako arrived — and ended up getting all of it. Fuyuto, come out from up there! Then the scallop-and-fish flavor, which caused a huge fuss. Fuyuto, it’s almost gone again! Most of the cats were busy playing outside, so only three came; the others will get theirs later.
Iroha got dried sweet potato treats made for dogs. Sit… wait… okay! Iroha lay down to eat, spat it out (don’t tell me you don’t like it!), and chewed with a furrowed brow, as if to say, “What is this? I’ve never had it.” In the end, Iroha seemed to enjoy the chewing.
Grape soccer
For the chickens: grapes! I threw a few whole, and grape soccer began, with one “player” running around with the first grape instead of eating it. So I started squishing them instead, juice everywhere.
Sonata seems to feel retired: he completely forgot about sharing food with the hens and just ate grapes himself. He’s so big I don’t even have to crouch; I hold out my hand and he takes them. Grey gave his to a hen. Poor Prince kept getting his grapes stolen. I threw some to the smaller team too; many were tasting grapes for the first time. The hens bit my thumb so hard it really hurt, and even the ducks are scared of them. Thanks to Heart guarding the doorway, though, the big hens and the roosters stayed out of the little ones’ room. Wonderful as always, Heart.
Carrots, and a picky Pen-chan
The rabbits are staying here temporarily, since the things holding their roof down blew away. Christmas carrots! They dove in from every direction, so Miffy got a special carrot of his own. Rabbits really do love carrots.
Guinea pigs’ tummies get upset easily, so their carrots were cut into small portions: first the little twins (not so little anymore!), then Kumato, Haruhana and Shiroi, who all hid so I couldn’t film them. Then Ohana and Danko got theirs, while Fuyuto looked on.
Finally, grapes for Pen-chan: our fourth Christmas together. Not that Pen-chan cares, as long as there are grapes. Then: too hot, going home. I tried again in the shade, and… maybe they were too sour? Pen-chan walked off. The bar gets higher every year! Merry Christmas, Pen-chan — and Merry Christmas to all of you.