A Home Furever

Photo By Michele Danz 2015

In this day and age, the media focuses their reporting on the negative events that happen throughout the world, and repeats it over and over for days. When it comes to positive and/or heartwarming stories, only a few make it to TV or in the newspapers. Those positive stories that do receive media coverage have little time on TV and little space in the newspapers.

Since I believe we need to hear more positive stories to bring us up, rather than make us feel fear, worry, and other sorts of negative feelings, I am going to share one that surprised me – pleasantly. I will add that all to often, we hear negatives stories about teens and young adults. This story is about my niece and nephew.

A two day mega pet adoption event occurred recently in a nearby large city. Over 26 animal rescues, humane societies, and animal controls brought more than 700 puppies, dogs, kittens and cats needing loving forever homes. I knew that my sister-in-law wanted another small young dog and preferred to get it from a rescue. The lucky dog would mainly be for her daughter, so I let them know about this event.

On a nice Saturday, we found ourselves waiting in a long line that snaked around large agriculture buildings on the state fairgrounds. Every ten minutes, the line moved a few feet forward. Eventually, we started seeing people leaving with new pets, and the waiting crowd "oohed" and "aahed."

After 50 minutes of waiting, we finally entered the building, seeing the cats and hearing the dogs barking. My sister-in-law and I zipped along the long aisles, looking left and right at the crates holding all sorts and sizes of dogs. If a small dog was spotted, we’d practically pounced to get a look, only to see a sign, “Adoption in Progress” or it was an older dog – seven years or more.

Only a few minutes had passed since we’d entered the building and we had already seen all the dogs. Michele was disappointed. I tried to reassure her that we could still check other rescues and Petfinders.com. Kellilynn spoke up, “You were going so fast, John and I couldn’t see anything. We were just trying to keep up!”

We allowed the two kids to take the lead as we looked again. They found a small male terrier mix that was said to be seven years old and named “Archie.” They wanted to know more about him, so an adoption counselor answered all the questions they had, including the fact that he was older.

Mom-Michele asked her children what they wanted to do since the dog was older. I was impressed with Kellilynn’s answer, “Older dogs need a home too!” And her 14-year-old younger brother agreed.

“Elvis Archibald Avenger” a.k.a. “Archie” was the 128^th dog adopted that day as we left to take him to his forever home.

Fall Creativeness

The season has changed, and Fall is here. A bit of Indian Summer visited for a few days with warmer temperatures, but some cold has blown in. With temps in the 30's last night, the woodstove was finally fired up. Aaahhhh, it's nice and warm in the house, and Pippin O'Chi can run around without a sweater, T-shirt or sweatshirt on. She is running around as a "naked Chihuahua."

With fall comes leaf raking. When you live in a heavily wooded area, leaves are like a crunchy, brown carpet that covers thickly over the grass. Some neighbors can't deal with a single leaf on their grass. One neighbor has been creative lately, giving me an oppportunity to tease him.

Last weekend, I heard him out using his lawn tractor, but the funny thing was when I saw how he was using it. He wasn't mowing the leaves to mulch them. He had his snowblade on the lawn tractor and was pushing the leaves. When I asked him about it, he said, "I can move more leaves quicker than I can raking or blowing them." 

Yesterday, I heard him using his leaf blower. Okay, maybe he needed to get into smaller areas, like corners between the house and porch, to get those pesky leaves out. No way - he was on the garage roof blowing the leaves off the roof. 

Hummm, do you think the leaf blower would get all the leaves out of the gutters if used?

Happy Fall to you all!

Pippin O'Chi

Baby Pippin O'Chi 2015
Photo by Tracey R. Simmons

Meet Pippin O'Chi. Pippin was named Cinca, a feminine version of cinco, which means five in Spanish, as the rescue told me. She was one of five Chihuahua puppies - four from one Chihuahua mother brought to the rescue by a family unable to keep two pregnant mothers. The other Chihuahua mother gave birth and rejected her two pups. One didn't make it. Cinca, although two weeks younger, was adopted by Annie, the Chihuahua mother given to the rescue.

I'd met, the then Cinca back at the beginning of June. I was smitten with this little outgoing puppy from the get go. She was smaller than her siblings, but was the most outgoing - reaching to humans for attention. She was mostly white, while her siblings were all dark.

At the time, I thought she'd make a great playmate for Koda. Chihuahuas like to be in little Chihuahua packs. Koda had a pack, but they were all much bigger. Despite my desire to adopt her, I didn't because I had enough mouths to feed, take care of, and love.

Heartbreak struck at the end of June with Koda's sudden passing.  The rescue Pippin came from still had three of the pups, and they brought them in for me to have puppy therapy two days after Koda died. Pippin was already spoken for, so I never said anything about the love I already had for her. I just sat there allowing the puppies to climb on me and eventually falling asleep in my lap, all the while fighting the tears of grief I had for Koda.

Later I found out the lady who was going to adopt Cinca pulled out of the adoption after her dog got suddenly sick. Cinca was then adopted along with one of her brothers and Annie. After finding out about this, I was upset with myself for not saying something when I'd had the puppy therapy. Fate stepped in, but it was more like God stepped in after hearing my cries. Even after listening to my anger at Him for taking Koda, He worked things out to bring the little one I'd fallen in love with several weeks before to me. Pippin was returned to the rescue along with her brother; and I happened to be on Petfinder.com and saw her again.

On July 25th, Cinca, now Pippin O'Chi became my fur baby, officially mine furever!!

KP2 - Hawaiian Monk Seal

I am an avid animal lover. I also love to read books or watch movies about the human/animal bond and relationship. Currently, I am reading a book by Terrie M. Williams called The Odyssey of KP2.


KP2 was born May 1, 2008 on North Larsen's Beach, Kauai. His mother, KP22, did not bond with her new pup. She did nothing to protect her new pup from an aggressive male who attacked KP2; and she even turned on her own pup, attacking him...

Hawaiian monk seals are critically endangered with about 1,060 left in the wild. They are facing extinction if humans, who have created the problem, don't step in to do something to help. After much political red tape, wildlife biologist Dr. Terrie M. Williams is given the permit and approval to study this nearly blind orphaned monk seal.

This book is the incredible journey Dr. Williams and her team, including animal trainers - Beau Richter and Traci Kendall, take to study and learn from KP2. This is also the story of a charismatic monk seal who loves humans. Can KP2 help save his own species?

This is a great book to read. This is not a dry research kind of read; it is a story told with care and love for the Hawaiian monk seal and the need to help with their survival. With the purchase of The Odyssey of KP2, you are helping, because part of the proceeds from this book go directly to help the research of the Hawaiian monk seals.

Learn more about KP2
To see video of KP2

Adopt a Homeless Pet

     In the United States, approximately 7.6 million companion animals enter the shelter system each year. Of these animals, 3.9 million are dogs and 3.4 million are cats. Only about 649,000 of those animals are strays returned to their owners. This number could be higher if more people would microchip their pets.

     Only about 2.7 million animals (1.4 million dogs and 1.3 million cats) are adopted/saved each year. I say saved because they are saved from being euthanized - a.k.a. put to sleep, in other words killed.

     The sad fact is 31% of the 3.9 million dogs who enter the shelter system are euthanized - killed each year. That fate is higher for the 3.4 million cats - of those 41% are euthanized each year.

     One rescue site said one pet every 6 seconds is euthanized. That is 9,000 dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens euthanized each day. This is so disturbing to me as an animal lover.

     I wanted to do something to help promote adopting homeless pets. My newest adoptee from a rescue is pictured above. Her name is Pippin. She helped give me the idea which I was able to photograph. Please adopt a homeless pet today. They will thank you with unconditional love the rest of their lives.

July Farming Days

Torrential rains keep hitting the Midwest. The tomato plants should be producing wonderful tasting tomatoes, but they can't ripen because of the amount of rain and lack of sun. The leaves are dying from the bottom up. These plants actually look like plants at the end of the growing season rather than in the middle.

There is a volunteer pie pumpkin plant that is doing quite well. I have allowed it to grow beside, up, and over the top of the chickens' fenced area. The seed was from last year and must have been flipped just outside the protective fence by the chickens. The big leaves are creating a natural shade. Baby pumpkins are starting to grow.

Is there a difference between pie pumpkins vs. Jack O' Lantern pumpkins? The answer is yes. Pie pumpkins are small vs. what most people know of - the carving pumpkins. Pie pumkins have more "meat" and are not as watery as carving pumpkins. There are various websites which can provide more information if you desire to learn more.

Once again, I have a broody Golden Lace Wyandotte chicken. Since I have three Golden Lace, I cannot tell them apart. This means I do not know if it is the same chicken being broody.

When I encountered this broody behavior back in May, I wasn't sure of the situation and what I was seeing. I am a newbie chicken owner, as of a year ago this past May. Anyway, this chicken growled at me.

Two of my Golden Lace Wyandotte chicks 2014
Photo by Tracey R. Simmons

The chicken books and magazines talk about 'breaking up' a broody chicken. It means separating her from the others. This keeps her from laying on the other hens eggs. If she is allowed to sit on the other hens eggs, she may not get off the nest to eat or drink and this can lead to her death. During this broody time, this hen will not lay eggs.  Once separated, it will take a few weeks before her body will start producing eggs again.

Off to "broody jail" this chicken goes, but she can still see her sisters on the other side of the fencing. Hopefully, she will start laying soon.

Hoovey

BELIEVING MAKES IT POSSIBLE, FAITH MAKES IT REAL.

When promising high school basketball player Eric “Hoovey” Elliott collapses on the court, doctors discover a life-threatening brain tumor. Hoovey will survive the high-risk surgery, but at what cost? Can he relearn to walk, read, even to see clearly? The road is long, and meanwhile overwhelming medical bills threaten to undo everything his parents, Jeff and Ruth, have taken a lifetime to build. With seemingly no one to turn to—but with tenacity and love born of faith—an entire family regains its footing. Hoovey learns to read again, to dribble and shoot a basketball and, finally, stepping out in faith, he’s back on court for another shot at his dream . . .

• RATING: PG
• DIRECTED BY: Sean McNamara
• WRITTEN BY: Howie Klausner
• STARRING: Patrick Warburton, Lauren Holly, Cody Linley, Alyson Stoner

My Review

This is based on a true story. Eric loves sports, but loves playing basketball more than any other sport. When a brain tumor threatens his life and his dreams, how will he handle the difficulties? This story is about how a family can love one another and be there for each other no matter what. It is about when one person is feeling low,  how another person can say or do something that makes a positive difference.

This movies is out on DVD. It has the Dove "Family-Approved" Seal for all ages.

I recommend HOOVEY to anyone wanting to watch an inspiration story of overcoming life's obstacles. Since my blog will have a lot of animal information/stories, I am going to use Paws Up instead of stars or thumbs up for my rating scale. Five Paws Up will be the best rating. I give this movie 5 Paws Up.

Hoovey - Official Trailer