Living Animals Means a Life-Long Commitment - Do Not Give Easter Animals

Please, please, please do NOT give a living creature as an Easter pet - unless (a) you have the room and a wonderful place to keep the animal, (b) it's for yourself and you are an adult with the (a) qualifier, or (c) you will agree to care for, feed, and love the animal when what ever child you purchase the animal for decides that it doesn't want the responsibility any longer or that the animal is no longer cute enough.
  Cute little chicks and ducklings grow up quickly.  Bunnies can quickly become a chore to children.  And please don't give a lamb to someone unless they live in the country and already have sheep, and are willing to take in a stranger.
  All of the selling signs of Spring and Easter involve small, cute, cuddly animals.  But they grow up quickly.  If you're lucky enough to get a hen chick, you can have eggs; but a lot of roosters don't join in with human conviviality.  Ducks can make fine pets, and the hens will also lay eggs - of course, the drakes won't do any such thing.  A lamb will grow into a sheep that needs shearing, baths, pasture, and company.
  I have to admit that my parents gave me three different chicks at Easter over the years.  Two were hens and we kept them, and consumed their eggs.  We gave the rooster away and I'm pretty sure he ended up as chicken and dumplings for a Sunday meal.  My Dad was a farm boy and always knew the realities of having any type of critters about.  I was always considered "tender hearted" and I still am.  I don't want to knowingly consume an animal that I have personally stroked, petted, and fed.  (But I will not become a vegetarian - unless forced to by a medical decree.)
  All animals - be it an 'Easter critter' or a cat, dog, bird, hamster, pony, or whatever - are a life-time commitment.  If you spend time with the creatures, they will bond with you.  You become a part of their herd, pack, clowder, flock, or whatever designation a group of the animals is known by.  Most animals are only solitary when hunting - they enjoy companionship.  They feel they belong.  no animal understands abandonment - whether it be in the countryside or at a humane society or at a euthanasia center.  They have feelings they are lost and alone and the person(s) they trusted most in the world just up and left with no warning.
   Any animal is a life-time commitment.  Always keep that foremost in your mind when you see any creature that tempts you to take it home, or give to someone else.

This Easter, give only plush animals, or creatures made of edible items - chocolate, candy, cake, or bread.  Do NOT give any live creatures for Easter.

They are adorable,

but they are also living creatures with feelings.

Spring Baby Photos

June

The first day of June! While in school, I always looked forward to June because it meant that summer vacation would soon begin. That meant that I was free of teacher and school strictures - I could read about anything that took my fancy and I would soon be headed for Chincoteague to spend my time roaming the island, along with Assateague, on foot (and occasionally bicycle). I had learned in grade school that my inquiring mind was not welcome (at that time, anyway) and that if I took my public library books to school, some of my teachers did not believe that I could/would/had read them. I became a secret information junkie - about anything that happened to grab my attention - any type of animal, history, archeology.... Then in 1968 I discovered the Sci-Fi and Fantasy section of the adult area - I was, and still am, hooked for life. I really thank my parents for loving to read, themselves. Yahooo!!!! It's June!

It was 79 yesterday, with lots of storms all around Brigadoon and Boulder, but they never occurred in my precise area. It's grey this morning, and isolated showers are expected early this a.m. and late in the afternoon. We have a cold front moving through this afternoon/evening and are expecting a high between 50 and 55 tomorrow, with rain. I spent several hours with my kits yesterday - Lovey greeted me with desperate howls, while Banichi ignored me. After I fed them and spent a lot of time stroking Lovey, Banichi came and curled up in my lap (where he stayed until I left to come back to Brigadoon). I sort of panicked last night - I kept counting 9 chicks, but they were running around like mad... I finally got a 10 count, and that's how many were there this morning. There's an orangey-red chick that I call Cinnamon - it's a mischief-maker and leader, and always tries to "make a break" for freedom when I open the door for the coop. Pepper and Lucy are settling in - I am "mean" in that if I let them out the back door, I expect them to come back inside through the backdoor. Both dogs want to have free rein as to re-entering the house - they will scratch and /or bark at any of the other 4 doors and expect to be let in. But, I am "mean" and make them come in the door they went out - they understand that now, but will have forgotten it by the next time I house-sit with them.