Random thoughts 6.5.17 middle of the night…………..

Don’t you just love it when you can’t hold your eyes open any longer, you lay down, and can’t find a place in the bed, your eyes won’t stay closed, you toss and turn until you finally give up. you don’t want to do anything in the hobbies you have going …. crochet, find-a-word, etc. That’s why I am sitting at this keyboard.

Random thoughts

1. I wonder how this body will stand up to all the aging that’s going on. To be able to tend the garden that I depend on for uncontaminated food. My brother is so good to me, tilling the garden, provided seed, makes sure I have what I need … he even helps me with providing food for the animals that I have rescued. You all know I cook for them.  No vet visits for several years now.     All are healthy … new rescues only took a month or less to make the turn around.
2. My sister-in-law has become so dear to me. I know she will read this and be embarrassed, but she is my scrabble partner. We used to work more or less together providing care and uplifting to developmentally disabled adults … until I retired. In between each game we walk the property and talk. I can talk with her about almost anything. She too has been really generous with me.
3. I often wonder what will happen to my rescues if I become severely disabled or if God takes me home. Besides them depending on me … they give me so much love and companionship.
4. My daughter and son-in-law have provided me with a Smart Phone on their family plan. They carrier is one of the expensive ones that provides really good reception out this far. A few weeks ago, I was without phone service for several days due to a lightning strike at one of the thingys beside the road on the other side of the block. The cell coverage I had then required me to go several blocks away to be able to call out. If there had been a medical emergency or fire or something disastrous and I couldn’t go that far, I would have had a really bad time. My son-in-law was so disturbed that he provided the Smart Phone. The reception is so good that I suggested my neighbor get one. She is really pleased. She falls a lot and if she can get in the habit of carrying the phone with her she will be able to let us know she needs help.      
5. You remember I rescued a Chorkie? Well she is a riot. Every time I sit at the computer, she starts talking. I have no idea why she doesn’t like it but she stops if I get up. Floridaborn has an Err dog … and this Chorkie sounds just like him.
6. I finally got the roach situation under as much control as I think can be gotten, living in Florida. A few scattered here and there now and then. Spray and a hand held vac have made the difference.
7. Have 3 kinds of Cukes sprouted, several kinds of green beans, including a Giant variety.  The seeds are old and not all are sprouting so when I prepped the tank for the carrots I decided to just sow them and sprinkle soil on top of the seeds. I figured that most of them wouldn’t sprout …. hmmm …. you can guess what happened. It looks like all of them sprouted. They are a green carpet.  Have peanuts in the ground and not all of them sprouted. Has the same issue with the tomatoes, but managed to get 11 growing well, some of them are the paste tomatoes that I prefer. Tomorrow I will seed out some salad tomatoes an hope for some healthy ones.
8. Remember the kittens born in my bed? Mama cat took them out and under the house when they were 4 days old. She brought them out 3 days ago. They are more than 6 weeks old and she doesn’t appear to be trying to ween them.
9. You know … it is hard living alone … but after having someone living with me and having to give them notice to move out … I just don’t want to give up doing things my way again. I guess I have become squirrely in my aging. I just want to do what I want to do without caring about what anyone thinks. I don’t have to worry about my privacy, my entire house is NOW private.

Well the errrrr-Chorkie is becoming more insistant that I quit and go to bed.

 

My Wonderful Night 4.22.17

I sent this via email this morning to a select list of family and friends. Before I post this it will include some excerpts from their replies. As you read them you will see why they are “Select”. God has blessed me overly with the kind of people in my life that “lift me up”.

3:18 AM – dogs and cats wake me up to what I thought was fight on my bed. I came to, ready to hang them by their ears on the clothesline until daylight.  Surprise!!!  

Something none of these pets had ever experienced was happening at hip position on and in my bed. The stub-tailed kitty had just had the 1st of 4 babes she would present before 5:30 am. Got everyone but her away from the MESS. … and proceeded to stay awake and try to minimize the damage to the bed as much as possible. When all had been dried and warmed by mommy kitty I placed them in a dry box bed and took them out to the front porch. Once they were settled out there I stripped the bed, placed all in washer and put clean and dry on the bed.  THEN … how exciting … I went back to sleep until just before 8AM.

All babes are variations on mommy’s coloring, 2 with tails and 2 without. Sex?  Didn’t look.

NOW I will finish eating and then will hang the sheets out to dry in the sun.  

I am humbly reminded that tho my life is not without it’s hurdles it is also littered profusely with blessings both great and tiny. Witness 4 very tiny fuzzy things without blemish, that survived birth in my bed, watched over by other 4 legged angels.

reply from my “sis”: Now THAT is a blog post! What a way to wake up! You’re already sick and didn’t need the additional work. Suddenly, your family went from 4 dogs and a couple of cats to 4 more cats.

     my answer: One of the ones with tails has a beautiful pattern and is quite dark at this time.

reply from one of my brothers: What a neat way to see the grace and perfection of God’s hand in the universe..

      my answer: I began teaching the kids at a very young age about the birds and the bees and God’s part in it, by using the cats and kittens and dogs and pups.  They could ask as many questions as they needed until they had their answers … without embarrassment .. and as breeding the 4 leggeds has been a part of their life the education presented itself often and as their minds grew their questions were answered easily.

God is so good at giving us ways and means to teach with … we just have to be in tune with Him enough to recognize it.  There is always some way to correct whatever mistake you made, or an omission, by using what God has given us to do it with.

This is just a sampling of the way my friends and family look at life. And when I remember to think about things, they know that I take life as a series of blessings, learning experiences. I am not the only one that learns from the happenings in my life. Others around me do … we don’t … either of us …. realize it, until much later when it is time to put what we learned to use.

Update 4.25.17. Everything is going well. Mom, kitties, and family are doing great.

Well Yeah!!

Here I was … working at the sink and counter …. putting up food for the freezer, making dog and cat food … dog tired… wishing I was done already … from my computer comes cyberbuddy saying … “I could just sit here and watch you work all day” … How about that for the right thing at the right time? It was just the thing to lighten my load by giving me a chuckle.

Now about the dogs … dang ’em !!… Sunday my sis-in-law and I filled in ,and covered with a good size rock,… the hole one or 2 of them had dug under the Gazebo. There I was thinking that the hole digging there was well and truly taken care of. That’s what I get for thinking…..this morning they dug another hole under it on the other side of the steps. I thought it was my Lurcher as the huge girl has spent the better part of the year digging wherever, whenever, she can. Surprise … it was the Chorkie!! All 6 or 7 lbs of her ….She responds fairly well to a good firm voice! So the wicked witch of the county spoke FIRMLY to her about digging … filled it in and planted another small slab on that spot. DARED her to even look at it!! We will see what happens now. The reason I thought it was the Lurcher was that I saw her backing out of the 1st one. Guess she was inspecting and found she couldn’t turn around and so had to back out.

This is the food chart for making dog food.

Dog Food Stuff              Asparagus Bell peppers (red, green, yellow) Broccoli Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Celery Cucumber Green beans Lettuce Peas Pumpkin Spinach Squash Sweet potato Zucchini Apple ( no core or seeds) or applesauce Apricot Banana (frozen – no peels) Blueberries Cantaloupe Mango Orange Peaches Pear Pineapple Raspberries Strawberries Watermelon (no seeds) Rice (preferably Brown) Flour Oatmeal Dried Beans Cottage Cheese Plain Yogurt Olive Oil Fish Oil Flax seed Oil Safflower Oil Hemp Oil Peanut-butter Honey Raw eggs Chicken Beef Lamb Pork Venison Turkey Rabbit Fish Raw eggs Chicken Beef Lamb Pork Venison Turkey Rabbit Fish NO NO NO avocados garlic onions tomatoes Grapes raisins fruits with pits NO NUTS Macadamia nuts Walnuts

The protein needs to be at least 1/3 of the overall volume. I usually choose 4 or 5 vegetables, 2 fruits, and 2 of the 3rd column to make up 2/3s. Because I usually wind up with the 3rd column sticking to the bottom of the pot I cook the 3rd column separately and also the protein and mix it all together when done. Then I grind it all up and freeze it in daily portions. I make anywhere from 10 to 14 days worth at a time.

Cat food stuff       

Cooked poultry	Pumpkin	Cantaloupe	Rice	Sunflower oil
Meat cooked	Peas	Bananas	Oatmeal	Fish oil
Fresh Fish cooked	carrots	Apple	Rice	Meat broth
Cooked eggs, scrambled or hard-boiled,	asparagus or broccoli,	Blueberries
Cheese	green beans	Melon
	winter squash
	chopped greens

Again …. protein is at least 1/3 of the volume. Only use 1 item out of the next 2 columns to begin with … green beans is the best 1st choice. Again cook separately and then mix and grind. Freeze in daily portions

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have decided to share the above information with you as My animals are the talk of the neighborhood for being in great health. They do not see a vet as they haven’t been sick in any way.

I caution you to do your best to find food for them that has not been subjected to GMO’s or glyphosates (such as Roundup) These things are why I no longer buy canned food. They are extremely detrimental to your pet’s health. BTW ….. you should avoid them for yourself as well.

Speaking of which … I have a start on the garden … and the above issues are the reason I do everything I am able to raise my own.

2nd week of March 2017

 Hmmm …. It looks like I have the German Roach population almost eradicated … or mostly under control. It has been quite a battle. I know my brain is larger than theirs and my cognitive thinking is also more advanced … however … these boogers have run me more of a race than the most intense Chess game. another 30 days I should know if I have won.

This morning I started at about 7AM … realized that I was supposed to make pet food yesterday and forgot …. started the dog food for the next 10+ days….. hurrying through some of it so I could grind enough for this morning. It is now 9:30ish and I have fed them and myself, and the cooked food is done and cooling. I had to hurry with portions of it so I could feed them today.

A thought or so on the political stuff. I don’t usually do this nor talk about religion .. but … There are some things on my mind. I cannot remember so much fear of a POTUS since I was 11 or so … maybe 12 since the elections are every 4 years. We have had some doozies that during their terms as Prez did a lot of damage to how we, the people, have to live. Now we have a man that can and prolly will clean it up, at least make it better. NOW understand I have never really liked Trump as a person … but you have to realize that it takes someone with his way of thinking to pull our irons out of the fire. The very fact that the major corrupters are attacking him speaks to their fear. My guess is that he is doing something right … to snatch our country from their greedy hands and put the people of our country back in charge as much as is possible. We gave Obama 2 terms … why can’t we give Trump more than 2 months before crucifying him. It’s stupid to jump in with both feet this early in the game.

And now on to my gardening … decided to plant as much of each as I could find room for. I already have Broccoli, peanuts, Giant Beans, pole beans, Early peas, field peas, Canary Island melons, and tomatoes in the ground. Yes I will plant some more in about 3 weeks .. and some about every 3 weeks or so until mid May. Picked 2 heads off the Broccoli I planted in the fall. I planted them at different times so the heads will come in at staggered times. Oh I forgot I have 6 Sweet potato slips in and 3 more to plant. That should give me quite a few come harvest. Will still be starting slips to plant yet.

The little Chorkie I rescued has become the herd dog. She is the youngest and has appointed herself herd leader. Amazing … there has been NO fighting between them at all. What a sight to watch the largest, Willow, and the Chorkie running down the driveway together and the Chorkie winning the race. Willow is a Lurcher .. an Australian mix that crosses a sight hound and a scent hound. Preferably a Greyhound, Whippet, Saluki, or Afghan as the sight hound. This makes them racers and very fast … and Willow (the largest) is very fast … and the Chorkie is faster. The 3 of them, Lurcher, Dachshund, and Chorkie take great care of the little toy Chihuahua, Lyla, inside or out. Never mind that she explodes on any of them if she thinks she is in danger from their feet. All in all, They make quite a family and conspire to push Mom around.

Lyla 3 lbs Teacup toy Chihuahua	Ginger 6 lbs Chorkie	Lexie 22 lbs Tweenie Dachshund	Willow 50+ lbs Lurcher

 

My Friday morning random thoughts

Today is garbage pick-up day; recycle and non-recycle. Since I have been re-organizing and cleaning the out-buildings, I had a lot of non-recycle. It makes me sad that our area does not re-cycle Styrofoam. Most of my pick-up consists of recycle. I compost everything that can be composted. I have to thank my brother, again, for helping me to set up my compost station. At any rate my non-recycle, non-compost, consists of so little that if I don’t close the can lid with the strings hanging out the men think the can is empty.

I have cleaned and organized the larger of my out-buildings for the 1st time in over 3 years. This building has my spare fridge and the small deep freeze plus a lot of work counters that were here before me. it is now clean again and ready for a project I have yet to dream up.

Attached to the backyard side of that building is a covered slab with another work counter. I have the defunct upright freezer out there serving as a pantry. Needless to say …. I have had to empty, clean, and spray it before putting everything back in it. Wow! did I ever find a load of stuff in there that was severely out of date and will be sent to the compost bin today.

So after I open and empty all of it to compost I will have containers to wash and put away or throw away as needed. . After that I will clean and reorganize the area for future use again.

The menagerie hangs about with tongues hanging and tails wagging … waiting for something to drop … either to eat or to play with, …. making a mess of the yard. The new rescue, Bella, is settling in quite well. She is still a little skittish but is calming a little more each day. It is probably a good thing that I rarely know what previous owners have done to these little ones … I might be blogging from prison. I don’t turn a hair at justice done, … but traumatizing defenseless humans and animals is NOT JUSTICE!! ……….and violence to either teaches them nothing but fear … thus NOT changing the behavior.

Have made calls to try to work on the issue of no medical 1st responders in our area. Have been told to attend county commission meetings and tackle it there. So will see when the next one is and how to get a turn to present an issue. I’ve been told that our State turned down federal funding for whatever reason and so now we operate emergency stuff n State funding alone. I won’t argue with the State’s decision except if it is going to curtail our ability to be safe …….. then I take issue with that.

The feeling I get from all these home organization issues getting done is not easy for me to put into words. The closest I can come so far is “I am taking back my life”. This little CLEAN/Organized corner is mine. …. and on to the next one.

To this end my sis-in-law and I have scheduled 6 hour scrabble play every Sunday. It is free, (cheaper than therapy), and gets us together for catch-up from the week. My brother brings their dogs so they have an outing and a free run in my yard with all new smells each week. My dogs love having visitors of their own.

I have 37 broccoli plants growing strong and well in varying stages of maturity. Hopefully this will mean they don’t all need harvesting at once. The Kale is doing as well in the same stages. BTW am still picking on last years Kale. It is leggy and either today or tomorrow will stake them. Have also several successful slips of sweet potato of a Georgia variety that grows the size I like. Have them putting on roots in water for planting in a few more days, and several other pieces putting out growth to make more slips. By this time next month I will have started the tomatoes to be ready to pot out by the end of March.

Random Thoughts This Thursday

Tomorrow is Inauguration Day. Hope it all goes smoothly. Among all those remarks about Pres. Elect Trump, it cannot be said that he is slow of the mark. Approve or not, he has been a busy beaver since the election.

I don’t like the cookie recipe I just made. I will make it again but next time instead of balls I will flatten them and cook them at a higher temp. I always use the recipe the 1st time out and if I make it again I make changes that I think will make it more to my taste.

New rescue dog is a go getter. She is a regular size long haired Chihuahua mix. Cute as a button but is definitely the boss and reminds us of watching the Australian sheep herding trials. She makes sure she is the last one in and rounds up the other 3, one a time, and sees them in the door. Going out and in play she races the Lurcher the length of the driveway … and most often wins the race.

Haven’t had the nerve to weigh myself yet, but have gone from size 14 to size 10 in 3 months, since the daughter moved out. Eating more but seems I hardly ever am still. Re-arranging things cleaning things up, organizing … have also had scattered, beautiful, days when I could do the same outside.

Don’t know what to do about an issue that has arisen in the neighborhood. It seems our area no longer has 1st responders or EMT’s. Closest crew is a good 20 minutes away. There are a lot of us sexy seniors in the area and that could be the difference in life or death or paralysis or brain damage. We have competent fire crews within 5-10 minutes, but not medical any more.

The cats are getting along with each other now. The one I have had the longest had a stroke a few weeks ago and I was afraid she might not recover well from it. She reecovered enough that she has spent the last 3 nights outside, climbs to the roof and jumps down in her usual fashion.

Had to change Rx plans again. It seems I have to do it every year. Have been swapping back and forth between 2. Just when I think I can just let the one I have been using ride for another year the company throws a wrench in the works, Went back to the year before last company yesterday. Yeesh!!!

Like I said … Random Thoughts ………..Am making headway in getting the German Roaches under control. It has been a battle.

The freezers and refrigerators are now full.

Cooked 10 days food for dogs and 12 for cats yesterday. All are looking much healthier than they used to.

Brain is tried now.

Rambling thoughts and Blessings

   Yea!!! Lost another few pounds … that makes aprox. 10#s this month … since she moved and my depression is getting better. I knew I wasn’t eating that much … I have no problem with portion control. It’s the metabolism … the activity … the cessation of keeping my head down and staying out of the way.

My home is looking better, the yard is looking better, I am getting more organized each day.

Becoming a co-dependent in order to have peace is just NO way to lead a life.

Did I tell you about the great Chihuahua rescue? Poor little girl was one of 8 survivors of a puppy mill/meth explosion a few blocks away. She suffers from many things emotionally and her sinuses were burned if the fire. She a teacup size, jut barely 3#’s and stands about 7″s at the shoulder. She is lilac colored tri-color named Lyla. Not the name I chose, she came to me with it. I didn’t rescue her from the “mill”, but from the young family that did. They weren’t able to take care of her and I was called. I have to say (since our family grew up with this breed) that she is amazing in that she has no fear. She does not hide nor shiver. She does have huge dog syndrome in that she will stand up and cow the Rotty mix and the Lurcher. The danger she presents to humans is that she is so cute she can wrap you around her little paw.

The Garden …. it is fall and much of it has finished for the year. They are mostly perennials and will appear again as soon as the weather warms up to the temperature for each one. I do have “Cole” crops ready to go in today. They have their second leaves now, so it is time.

The dogs have completely crossed over to home-cooked food, and the cats appear to be crossing over as well. It’s amazing what cooking for them has done for their health. On top of which, for the cats I only have to buy chicken leg quarters or go fishing. 2 leg quarters will make 2 weeks worth when combined with rice or oats, and will feed 3 cats for that time. As for the dogs it takes 5 leg quarters a month, combined with 3 bags frozen vegetables. 2 fruits, and 4 cups rice (2 raw makes 4 cooked) with oats, if I want to add them. I have been cooking for the dogs for a year now and their health has improved steadily, in fact I hadn’t realized they were not well until the food caused the improvements.

I started cooking for my animals because of the Monsanto GMO’s and Glyphosates in our foods and those of all our animals. I just don’t understand why the government won’t make them label their foods. We have the right to choose. I choose not to buy anything that doesn’t list all of their ingredients. On top of which, it turns out a lot cheaper for me to feed them.

My brother needed to borrow my jeep for a week or so, and brought it back in better shape than when it left here. God blesses us with brothers and families to help us elderly females. This brother of mine is always handy to help me with things. I know I mentioned that in one of my earlier blogs. My other brother is about 2 hours away and was a huge help when I lived down there. Like I said, God blesses us senior sisters with brothers.

Behavior

 Some time back I wrote on here about a TV program called “Parenthood”. I will have to find a way to get updated on that program if it wasn’t canceled.

At this time I am watching a program called “One Tree Hill”. My daughter was surprised that I have continued watching it, however, like “Parenthood” this program is surprisingly filled with facing issues. Yes it is about high-schoolers and their issues but it also handles the parenting, teaching, and coaching issues in the diverse situations that occur in a small town high-school and parenting diorama.

Being as much as a great-grandmother, these issues are important to me. Behavioral issues in any situation are of great interest to me. I have faced a lot of them, both from the behavior and from the behaviorist.

Surprise!!! I grew up being a real BRAT! Having raised my children to be individualists, they presented issues, too. Still do. vApparently they took a page from my book and their children are individualists as well. The oldest great-grands are 1yo now and show every sign of being (or at least thinking they are) smarter than their parents etc.

Before I retired I was a Certified Behavioral Health Tech specializing in Psycho-social Rehabilitation for Developmentally Disabled Adults. Maybe I am addicted to the interest in behavioral issues.

Back to “One Tree Hill”. I am into the 4^th season, and the writers are approaching the issues involving the end of senior year as they approach moving into the responsibilities of becoming an adult.

I have to insert here that personally, the years being covered here were ones I absolutely hated. I was not attractive, (5’7”, 93#) was more educated on most high-school subjects than my teachers and consequently spent a lot of time doing my work in the dean’s office.

See!!!

Didn’t I say that I was a BRAT!!!

Anyway, if any of you have teenagers and think your problems and issues are unique, watch “One Tree Hill”. It is an education on “my issues are not nearly as horrible as theirs”. 

Now!

My current issues are the pressing need to know how to educate a teenage canine that is super-intelligent …. or at least more intelligent than me, apparently. Taking all tried and true advice. I just cannot get her to “COME” when asked to. I have tried all tones of voice and phraseology. Rewards don’t work either. It isn’t fear of me either. I rescued her with abandonment issues so have used positive reinforcement, consistency, praise and or reward for learning. Never exposing her to anger. Oh yes … there are times that I want to bang on her.

Like at 11pm when she won’t “Come”, and stands out at the back fencing “talking” to the other dogs in the area until they are all barking and keeping owners awake.  She is gorgeous, and loving, and a great companion for the dachshund. I just hope we all survive until she is old enough and has learned enough.

The Blue Funk

Haven’t posted in a while. Haven’t thought that what I would post would be acceptable to my readers. You see …. I appear to be unacceptable to many members of my family. And some of them are, for some reason, afraid of how I might perceive them.

Well, I will soon be 75 years old, probably not much wiser than I have ever been, …. however, at least wise enough to know that I don’t have to live up to other people’s standards and also old enough to know I don’t want to.

The people in my life that judge me most harshly are my children and all but one grandchild, ….. and there are 11 of them. I’m not sure about many of their reasons, but the one that pops into my mind the most is that I do NOT feel that I have to live up (financially and materially) to their standards. I feel that moral value is the important standard.

I do a lot of re-purposing, compromising, and doing without material “beauty”. God’s creations are plenty of beauty for me. I do a lot of gardening, that is my therapy for the most part. I hope to, in the near future, achieve the skill to feed myself from my garden. As it is now, it is only surprises now and then. The herbs are very productive, and I use them regularly in my practice.

 

When I rented the place I live in now, I sacrificed indoor space (very small kitchen, dining, living-room and a small bedroom) for 2 large screened porches, several outbuildings, a carport with a long curved driveway on a good sized piece of land, fenced and cross-fenced and cross-fenced again. Tell you anything regarding my priorities?

All of those that I don’t measure up to were raised much like this. My values are in the land and my animals. I only have to love and nurture them. Love and nurture are enough for me. I don’t ask for any more than that. Can I get it? Not even the love. Love appears to have a price tag or string on it. Measure up or do without.

So, more thoughts. My dogs. You all have read about my Lexie. I also rescued a female Whippet/Weimaraner mix pup. She is something else. She a little over 18 months old so has quite a ways to go before she settles down. Just now she is going thru the pre-teen stage of “I heard you and don’t care”. She is beautiful tho, and not a mean bone in her body. However, I wouldn’t want to see her in action if one of us is threatened.

The garden is coming along. My friend Bill has been putting small logs around all beds so that when he weed-whips he will do no damage. And he really likes the look he has achieved as well.

The hummers are back. In 2 years the black and white ones have multiplied several times over. Yes, you read that right. I have hummers that are black and white instead of green, gray, and ruby. I have both and the 1^st year they didn’t get along. This year they are.

My wildlife is back now that there is water in the pond. The water level has a long way to go. to get even near what it was when I moved here. But some is better than none. I will be glad if/when the water level comes up where it is supposed to be.

UPDATE Re: Crazy d*** dog

Back in march I wrote about my Doxie and about my car keys. Gonna update a little here.

 

Keys: Haven’t turned up. Have different ignition. Obviously I didn’t mislay my keys… or they would have turned up by now. Did I mention that they are attached to a BRIGHT yellow clip on key thingy?

6 keys and that bright thing. I figure that if any of the dogs ate them, maybe the clip would be in pieces but….the keys? Surely I would find the keys after their ablutions.

 

Dog(s): Aprox. 2 months ago I stopped at the usual corner fast-food/gas station to find a Loooong legged, wriggling, half grown pup that had been abandoned. This is beside a very busy rural hwy, and she was checking out cars frequently from the middle of the hwy. I brought her home and notified the usual sources that she had been found. Took her to the vet to be scanned for a chip. Not one. I didn’t tell them I thought she might be a Whippet mix, but a tech came out and took her lead saying “you need to get in front of her as Whippets don’t take charge, they follow”. Inside, I told her I thought she might be a mix and she said not a bit of it. Until I was around 7, my grandfather (mother’s father) had Whippets around us. I remembered their loving, gentle nature as a child would. As an adult I am learning each day about the many facets of this breed. The best thing about it is that she came for Lexie at the right time in her grieving for Beamer’s death. It took a while but her name finally came about. She is named Willow.

Cats: My cat family is now down to one. Gradually the Maine Coonie’s have all gone over the bridge. Don’t worry. Just when it seems I have reduced the pet food bill, God sends me another one that is need of my heart to sneak and cuddle up in.

 

Snakes: I have some wonderful snakes; black, corn, rat and eastern indigo …. that call my place there refuge. As a consequence I have NO poisonous snakes. Do I touch them? Not ever. They are protected by me. Touching them would not protect them. Find a mothball or any other threat to them here…not ever. When the dogs think one might be a good toy, I break out the hose and scoot the snake into safety. You didn’t know how to do that? You use the shower feature on your hose nozzle and just barely splash the tip of the tail. Continue until the snake is in a safe place. DO NOT shower the snake, only the tip of the tail. And as the dogs are generally not keen on hose showers it keeps them out of the way until the mission is accomplished, or if one of them gets a bit close just a quick splash in the face sends them back a ways.

I know my 2 legged family and friends don’t quite understand it, but the best parts of my life, the most everyday, enduring parts, are with the 4 legged, and wiggly bellied creatures God sends me to hold and protect. I haven’t one creature here that has not been abused somehow …. well, maybe the frogs and bugs. And lets face it… my animals don’t talk back, nor argue with me. I cannot say the same for family and friends.