Kamikaze Swallows

 It's not safe to be a barn kitty in the dry lot these days.  

The barn swallows are raising their broods 

and have become very protective of the area around the barn... especially where the cats are concerned. 

 Poor Pete, who loves nothing more than to just lie in the sun in the dry lot has no peace these days.

No matter where he goes, he is attacked by these kamikaze birds!

And though it looks as though he is taking part in these attacks... this is only a defensive posture.

He hides out beneath the fence boards - safe from the swooping, angry birds.

The same drama plays out every single year.  

Over the years, the victims (cats) have changed.  As for the swallows?  I have no idea.

Soon we will have fledglings joining their parents in the aerial acrobatics!

It's also not safe for humans to spend any time outside right now.  Our air quality has hit dangerous levels of gasses and particulate matter secondary to smoke that has blown down from the Canadian forest fires.  Because of this, we have had to wear N-95 masks or respirator masks when out doing farm chores.  I had started painting our flower wagon project on Tuesday, but had to put that project on hold until the air quality is safe to be outside.  Hopefully we get some rain to clean the air!  Here's what the wagon looks like at the present time...(note the smokey sky!)

Hopefully, when we get it finished, there will still be some flowers left at the local greenhouse!

PS:  Our littles are spending today at the farm.  Sadly, we will not be able to play outside.