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.

What Lives On Assateague Island? - The Mammals

Lots and lots of creatures live on Assateague Island, and/or in and on the surrounding waters. Despite the often harsh conditions that occur in a coastal environment, a wide variety of animal species have managed to find a niche on, or around, Assateague, which stretches from southern Maryland to northern Virginia in the Atlantic Ocean.  Each of the island's different ecological zones provide habitat for a multitude of animals; these include birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates.  Today, I'll write about the mammals - those air-breathing, warm-blooded creatures like us, who walk upon the ground or swim in the ocean.
   More than twenty-five types of mammals live in or around the island of Assateague; the most well-known are the wild ponies.  They are descendants of feral horses and ponies; the first-known being the blinded Spanish pit ponies that were ship-wrecked on the island from the galleon La Galga, and were noted in a report to Spain by the Spanish ambassador.  The people of coastal Maryland and Virginia were taxed upon ownership of livestock, and they allowed their stock to run free on Assateague to avoid payment of said taxes, and, so, the "wild ponies" of Assateague came about.  The 80-plus ponies living on the Maryland end of Virginia receive only contraceptive darts for care; the ponies in Virginia belong to the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, and are kept on Assateague via a contract with the US government.  The ponies feed primarily on salt-marsh cord grass, but also consume beach grass, greenbriar, bayberry, poison ivy, and many other types of vegetation that are not in the usual horse's diet.
   Other large mammals also roam the parks (the Assateague National Seashore and the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge) grazing and browsing on low-lying vegetation.  They are the indigenous Virginia White-tailed deer, and the non-native Sika deer, a miniature type of Asian elk, who were introduced to Assateague in the 1920s.  On-going research is evaluating the ecological effects of Sika deer on both native vegetation communities and their effect upon other wildlife, including the native white-tailed deer.
   The other other mammals range in size from small rodents, to bats, to furry critters, to large marine mammals - including the bottlenose dolphin and several species of whale that feed in the island's offshore waters.  Besides the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, the Atlantic white-sided dolphin, and the common dolphin are frequently seen around the island - in the ocean and in the channels and bays.
Whale sightings include the fin whale, humpback whale, pilot whale, sperm whale and right whale. Seals are occasionally seen resting on Assateague Island, also; usually sighted are the harp seal, harbor seal, and, rarely, the hooded seal.
   Red foxes build dens in sand dunes and roam the island hunting for mice, birds, insects, and berries. Opossums  and raccoons provide the important environmental service of waste removal, feeding on the island's carrion, as well as insects, larvae, berries and small rodents.  The only marsupial in North America, the opossum give birth to premature young which complete their development in a pouch on the outside of the mother's body.
   Rodents such as the meadow jumping mouse and meadow vole live in grasses bordering both salt- and freshwater wetlands.  They feed on seeds, wetland plants, and in the case of the jumping mouse, insects.  Though seldom seen, both river otters and muskrat make their home in the island's marshes and adjacent waterways.
 A listing of mammals on and around Assateague Island:
Chincoteague/Assateague ponies
Red fox
Whales - fin, humpback, pilot, right, and sperm
White-tailed deer
Bats - little brown, red, and silver-haired
Delmarva fox squirrel
Raccoon
Eastern cottontail rabbit
Dolphins - Atlantic bottlenose, Atlantic white-sided, and common
Sika deer (miniature Asian elk)
Mice - house, meadow jumping, and white-footed
River otter
Rats - Norway and rice
Least shrew
Muskrat
Virginia opossum
Meadow jumping vole
Seals - harbor, harp, and hooded

Local Wildlife

Since I've been out early and late for the past week, I've been surprised at the amount of early morning wildlife I've encountered.  It's been in the teens and single digits for temperatures overnight, so I really didn't expect to see a lot of critters out and about before sunrise.  The number of birds, squirrels, rabbits and mule deer out and about was mind-boggling.  
   This morning, I was driving down a residential street - two driving lanes, and parking lanes on both sides - when I met a herd of mule deer does (no buck) who were strolling, shoulder to shoulder, lined up almost evenly, from curb to curb.  I had to stop and wait for them to part and walk around the car before I could drive on.
   The other morning, just as the first rays of light were spreading in the east, I stepped out of the car, closed the door, and heard the hoot of an owl.  Looking around, I saw the pair of great horned owls that are usually in the neighborhood during the winter.  Then I heard the "neeep, neeep" of several nut hatches, followed by the calls of chickadees.  Then a flock of more than 20 magpies flew over, making comments.  At the next house, I encountered several rufous-sided towhees, and a huge flock of sparrows.
    The cottontail rabbits are still greatly in evidence. My brother-in-law was amazed to see the local bobcat stalk, attack, kill, and eat a rabbit in his back yard garden.  The few times I've seen the foxes this fall and winter, they, too, have been chowing down on the surplus rabbits.  The mink is spotted about once a week around the neighborhood, too.
    One of our previous neighbors, who moved away, contacted me yesterday and told me that a friend of hers had purchased a home on Tamarack recently, and was very surprised to see the bobcat cross her yard two nights ago.  Risa told Tracey about my Wildlife Watch newsletter, and Tracey wanted to be signed up.   I contacted her last night, and added her to the e-mail group this morning.  I hope she appreciates the area's natural wildlife as much as I do!
 

Nature With Rosie

Rosie and I had a "nature day" this past Friday.  Just a quick reminder that Rosie is an elderly Irish Setter, who, at 14 + years, has out-lived her brother, her parents, and, as of last week, all four of her puppies.  Rosie has problems walking these days - her hind legs have no feeling, thanks to a compressed spinal cord, but once she gets her feet under her, she can keep walking for miles.  But - her left hind paw turns over as she walks, and she scrapes her toes raw, so we avoid walking her on asphalt and concrete surfaces these days.
   Friday, it had gotten a little warmer after snowing, and the roads and sidewalks were snow-packed, so we walked to my sister's instead of driving.  Her toes just slipped on the snow-pack, and didn't abrade, so we footed it.  The amount of small wildlife we saw was amazing.  Several bunnies were along the Garnet spur, and they all went dashing into burrows under a huge juniper bush.  Rosie had to spend a lot of time investigating each and every path.  When we turned onto Topaz, several squirrels chittered at us from one of Bernie's cottonwoods.  As we approached the next home, we were greeted by an eight-point buck and six does.  Rosie whined, but sat quietly and we watched them cross the street in front of us.  We passed lots of small birds singing in the trees, and saw tracks of squirrels, a raccoon, and other dogs in the snow.
   When we reached my sister's home, we went in by the Creek gate, and I took the leash off Rosie's harness.   Her first item of business was following the trail of a single deer that had jumped the gate, and then gone diagonally across the back yard.  The only areas clear of snow were right up against the line of firs trees along the irrigation ditch, so I set my chair up there.  Rosie began playing "safari" - looking for lions and tigers and bears (oh, my!) under the drooping boughs,  She spent about ten minutes doing her reconnaissance mission, and then felt it was safe enough to go wallow in a deep snow drift.  After several back-scratching rolls and wiggles, she heaved a deep sigh, and came back beside me.   She chose a sunny spot on the grass, and stretched out to absorb the sun's rays.
   I sat in the chair and watched the sky, listened to birds, and thought about how nice my life is.  (I was also hoping that it would stay this nice...)  Looking at the sky, I noticed that the lowers clouds were racing from the west to the east, and I watched a jet's contrail get twisted into a double helix before it was totally blown away and apart.  The higher, larger clouds were slowing moving to the northeast, and formed a darker backdrop for the lower, faster clouds.
   I then noticed there were very few birds singing in the back yard, so I started scanning the boles of the firs.  The fifth one I gazed at had a pair of great horned owls, a male and a larger female, near the top branches.  On the other side of the yard, there was the usual gaggle of chickadees, sparrows, juncos, robins, and one rufous-sided towhee.  Then a murder of crows flew over, followed by a few magpies...  All in all, the normal sightings in the Githens Acres neighborhood.
   Rosie and I walked back quietly - she was a little tired, and (I think) starting to get chilly.  I kept on thinking about all of the creatures that I had been allowed to view.  Got Rosie home, and she immediately curled up in her bed, so I threw her coverlet over her.  Then I stepped back out the front door and had a squirrel greet me.  Creatures in life are nice.

Critters and Rosie

I wish I could take a really good photo of the new moon and evening star hanging over Mount Sanitas right now...  The sky is shades of blue with the black silhouette of the mountain below it, and a few small puffy grey clouds just above the ridge.  It's gorgeous.
   Our temperature got up to 78 degrees this afternoon, but a slight breeze that began at 11 this morning turned into a good wind this afternoon.  It blew all of our balcony furniture over, and one of the glass pendants on one of the wind chimes was broken while beating against the balcony railing.  It was so gusty outside that Nedi went outside, but stayed for less than 60 seconds before heading back in.  The weather this morning was fantastic - wore shorts and a T shirt while out walking Rosie  - and was extremely comfortable.  The cottontail rabbits were chasing each other in weaving patterns from one side of the street to the other, and back again.  I saw more than two dozen of the little critters this morning on my way to Rosie's house from the bus stop.
  Once Rosie and I arrived in my sister's acre-sized back yard we saw even more rabbits, and frightened a young buck away from the apple tree closest to the patio.  There were a few butterflies in the yard, and lots of small birds and squirrels darting about.  Abruptly all the small birds fell silent, as a jay started a warning call.  The squirrels flattened against the tree trunks.  Suddenly there was a great deal of crashing sounds in the top of one of the cottonwoods - I looked up to see a pair of red tailed hawks "playing" in the tree tops and over the back yard.  It was such fun to watch!  One hawk landed on the smallest, top-most branch of one of the fir trees.  The hawk was so large, and the twig so small, that the hawk had to keep adjusting its wings to the bobbing motion of the branch.  And, it seemed to me, that as that bird was concentrating on keeping its balance, the second one deliberately flew into it, chest to chest.  The bird on the branch fell backwards and had to do a loop-the-loop to get securely upright in the air.  It seemed as if I was watching two brother fledglings trying to out-perform the other.  After a 30 minute acrobatic air performance, they left the area, as a flock of magpies came in, screeching and clucking.  The magpies "talked" in low murmurs most of the time, and the other small birds returned to the area.  A few minutes later, the squirrels were all out, chattering to each other...  It seemed magical.  By that time, Rosie was ready to go have her brunch, so we headed back to her house for her meatballs and chicken breast.

My Sister's Backyard

My sister Kathy, and her husband Jim, have a large backyard.  It's about an acre in size, has an narrow irrigation ditch running near the far fence line, and they have a garden plot, a raspberry patch, and a wide variety of trees.  Several of the trees are cottonwoods, and there are elms, pines, a weeping willow, and a few apple trees.  The apple trees are a remnant of the apple orchard that stood where the neighborhood was built, and the irrigation ditch was also a part of the orchard.
  I've spent a little over two hours a day for the past three days in that backyard.  The first hour with Rosie, the elderly Irish Setter, and the second hour with Emmett and Nicodemus, two Jack Russell terriers.  The first hour with Rosie is always quiet and contemplative - her "walk" is really a short stroll two ways to my sister's yard, just for a change of scenery for Rosie.  We usually see several neighbors along the way, and also greet other dogs and dog-walkers - Rosie is very social, but no longer has great stamina, due to her age (14).  Once we reach my sister's yard, we usually stroll around the perimeter, and then Rosie lies down in the sun and soaks up her vitamin D.  Me, I read, or visit with my sister if she's home, or watch the birds and wildlife, or just sit and think.
  When I return with Demus and Emmett, it's another story.  Emmett spent the first five years of his life in a wire crate in a basement; since he was rescued, he loves being outdoors - even though he was afraid to walk on grass at the beginning.  Nicodemus, on the other hand, just wants to play ball - I throw, he returns it; easy.  Emmett is constantly sniffing, looking, rolling, chasing, and exploring the entire yard. Demus and I do the ball thing...
   For many years, a chickadee pair has used a woodpecker hole in the apple tree as a nest.  The tree is next to the TV room and the dining room, and is beside the back deck.  Three days ago, I was interested to see a small brown bird disappear into the hole - it was definitely not a chickadee, and my fleeting impression of it was "a wren."  Another bird returned and sat on the apple tree branch, among the leaves and sang a bright, rolling song.  I've never gotten a good look at the bird(s) since, but I keep hearing their songs , and seeing them in the leafy branches.  I finally called my sister last night, and asked what type of bird they had in the old chickadee hole.  It is a wren.  That made me feel a little better about my identification skills.
  Also, yesterday, while the wrens were serenading Rosie and I, I glanced behind Rosie and saw a large cottontail rabbit emerge from the rose bushes.  I immediately clipped the leash onto her harness in case I needed to restrain her (which I did) and we spent 30 minutes watching the rabbit move back and forth across the yard, eating dandelions and washing it's face.  Once the rabbit had gone back to ground, I released Rosie and she decided she had to trail it's scent.  With Nicodemus and Emmett, later, the rabbit never showed.  (I wonder why?  Hee-hee!)

Colorado Critters

I have been thoroughly enjoying watching the wildlife back in Colorado.  There are still a huge number of cotton-tail rabbits running through most neighborhoods, but our local fox population disappeared a few years ago when the coyotes moved in.  Recently, coyotes have been rare in my usual neighborhoods in north Boulder, but there has been an increase in the number of black bear sightings.  The bears have wreaked havoc on chicken coops and small goat and sheep pens on the west side of town.
    I've seen several pairs of rufous-sided towhees out and about, as well as a couple of bald eagles and pairs of great horned owls.  A swallow has built a nest on an outside lamp built against the corner of the walls, and I've delighted in watching the parents bring food to the youngsters.  Of course, we have all kinds of finches, sparrows, nuthatches, chickadees, vireos, crows, ravens, and magpies around us, too.  Then there are the hummingbirds.  Spending most of my life on the east coast, I was familiar with ruby-throated hummingbirds only - now I'm able to identify five or six different species.   And, in the early morning, the songs of the bluebird and the meadowlark are emotionally moving and satisfying.
   I'm currently at Rosie's home, but will have Tessa over for the afternoon.  I'll need to check up on Seek, and give her supper and some loving; and, near dark, I'll also need to get Chocolate and Blackberry into their hutch for the night.  I'll also be feeding Tessa, Lily and Lyra (and the carp) their dinners.  Plus, the Grand Jury has called me in for a meeting tonight...  So today, this afternoon, and evening will keep me hopping.
   I'm also going to spend a few hours with Lovey and Nedi.  I was home for an hour this morning, but I need more time with them, and I think they can use more time with me.  When Beatrice uses my computer, she gets lots of loving from both kits.  If I'm not at home, Lovey sits on the sofa, watching TV with Bea.  Since the kits were used to running in and out at the old apartment, they aren't very pleased with being cooped up inside in the new one.  Each morning, I let them out onto the balcony so they can explore the new scents and sounds.  As we now live on the main US Highway that runs through Boulder, I can not let them go out and play.  Well, I could, but I'm afraid my cats would be road pizza in no time - just because they are not used to so much traffic, and are unused to so many people wandering around the building.
   I don't think that Lovey would/will attempt to jump from the second floor balcony to either the ground, the next balcony, or the mesh covering the stairwell.  I'm not so certain about Nedi.  I frequently find him doing one of those cat "measuring stares" at the next balcony and at the mesh metal curtain that covers the side of the stairwell.  I'm just not sure that he wouldn't try it at some point...
   Enough about me and my critters.  I hope that today is a wonderful day for you - and I hope you'll be able to relax and enjoy the coming weekend!

More Wildlife Babies - Photos

Fawn

Rabbits

Opossum

Pine Marten

Armadillo

Fox

Raccoons

Bits and Pieces

Most of the snow in my back yard has melted and evaporated away - there are a few swathes of white stuff on the grass, but it's less than a fifth of the entire area.  I'm certain that there are still snow piles higher than three feet in Lynn's back yard, even after yesterday's sunshine.  Maggie Mae's yard was turning green again, nicely, yesterday, but she doesn't have the snow piles from the walkways that Lynn has.  Blue sky, bright sunshine, and I got a slight sunburn yesterday, not wearing my hat - oh, well, it'll just turn into more freckles.  The squirrels and birds are in great evidence this morning, and my neighbor Rodney has been out "walking" Harvey, his Giant Belgium rabbit, in the back yard.  Harvey is a dark grey color, and he wears a neon-green small dog harness when he's outside - and Harvey loves my cats and my toes.  Lovey pretty much ignores him, when Harvey's outside, but Nedi finds him fascinating - especially as he is now 4 times Nedi's size, but doesn't bark or hiss.
   The Colorado Department of Transportation, or CDOT, hasn't been able to come up with enough funds to widen and "improve" US 36 between Denver and Boulder.  They chose to go into a partnership with an Australian company, and make one lane of US 36 (in each direction) a Toll Lane. When this was first announced, there were several lawsuits against the "privatized toll road," but the agreement was air-tight.  It has now been announced, that if a driver purchases an electronic pass for use on US36, the cost to drive one-way will be $7 per trip.  If one does not purchase a pass, but uses the toll road, the cost will be $14 for a one-way drive.  People are now upset all over again.  I just won't be using the toll lanes, and I will plan on my drive taking longer - period.  Several of my friends, who constantly run late and are always looking for the fastest route for driving, have gotten very upset about the announced costs, and can't figure out why I'm not upset, too.  I just shrug and tell them that I give myself plenty of time to be at my destination on time, or, even, early. They say there are just too many variables in their lives...  Excuses, excuses....
   I hurried home last night to view Gotham, and wasn't happy when it turned out to be a re-run.  Then I couldn't find anything else worth my while to watch - other than Timothy Dalton in The Living Daylights.  Once that was over, I crawled into bed with Lovey and thought I'd continue to read White Fire, but Lovey had other ideas, so I put my book aside, and loved, and scratched, and petted the girl, while she bathed my face and marked me with her chin.  Then Nedi joined in, and I had him kneading my right arm and nursing on it.  They both finally gave huge sighs, and curled up and went to sleep, lying on top of me.  It was a nice home-coming.
 

Cats and Wildlife

How nice to sleep with my kits last night!  Then they were upset with me when I wouldn't let them outside to roam before I headed back to Cooper and Lola's.  Lovey and Nedi got to go out once I returned from walking Rosie, and I haven't yet closed the patio door.  We're up around 91 degrees, and I have both fans running, as usual.  Bob, the neighbor's cat from three doors down, has been in and out since the first hour that I returned.  ...  But I've paid all my bills, and had a nice nap about noon.  I'll have to check the bus schedule to see when I need to leave to go feed and walk everyone again this evening.
  I took some fresh organic catnip to Pounce and Tipsy yesterday.  Found out that Pounce doesn't have the catnip gene, but Tipsy does.  Tipsy was hysterically funny as he got "high" for the first time.  He rolled in the greenery; he ate it; he started swiping all the food bowls, and made them travel all around the area.  Then he flopped over - but suddenly jumped up, and ran like a rocket around all four floors of the house (I could hear him on the stairs).  It certainly was a most spectacular reaction to catnip.
  We have a treed momma black bear, along with her two cubs, about a mile away from my apartment, up on University Hill.  They were first spotted early this morning.  Police and Department of Wildlife folks are keeping sight-seers at a distance, and are pretty sure that the family will head back into the Foothills around dusk this evening. ....  Alexy has been enjoying watching the hummingbirds at her nectar feeder on the back porch. ....  Getting out and about so early, I've been able to observe multiple cottontail rabbits, does and fawns, a single fox, and tons of squirrels and various birds.  What's funny is that the raven family that lives nearby has apparently passed the word that I'm not a menace - I can walk through a murder of them, and, as long as I cluck my tongue occasionally, they completely ignore me.  But if someone else approaches, or a vehicle starts to drive by, the entire flock is a-wing.

Gray, Damp Wednesday

At least I made one of my regular bus drivers laugh this morning - as I came on, I whispered to him, "My shirt was clean when I put it on this morning.  Now it has muddy pussy prints all over it."  I thought he'd snort his sip of coffee out through his nose.  Then he laughed and thanked me for keeping my voice down...  and a few minutes later added, "You know, you're crazy."  Yep, that's me Crazy Betty (or Betts), the Critter Sitter.  I had put on clean clothes after my morning shower, but Nedi, my little black cat didn't want to come inside this morning when I was ready to leave for work.  I picked him up off damp grass and found he had mud all over his feet - which he promptly placed against my chest and pushed off, only to run ahead of me to the patio door.
  Today is gray and dreary - but not cold; I'm wearing cotton shorts and a T-shirt, and I was very surprised to see people wearing long-sleeved shirts and sweaters out and about around 7 a.m. It's in the mid- to uppers 60s and cloudy, but it's not breezy or cool in the least.  Ah, well...  I took care of Blackberry and Chocolate this morning - let them out of the hutch to run around in their open pen, fed and watered them, cleaned the hutch out, and put in fresh wood shavings for their bed.  Then I lured them back inside the hutch with half of a Gala apple apiece.  Paulina is due home this afternoon, and I know she'll be happy and excited to see the bunnies, but I cringe to imagine her reaction to the fact that Courtney, the goldfish, died while she was away.   After the bunnies, I walked Rosie - and discovered open puddle of still wet blood beside the road and another large smear on the grass.  There was no sign of anything injured  anywhere nearby...  If a critter was killed, I hope it happened fast - and that either a human removed the body, or either a raccoon or coyote was able to remove and consume the remains.
  I re-read Kon-Tiki yesterday, so I'll be headed for the library to get copies of Aku-Aku and The Voyage of the Ra, so I can feel complete.  I also received my autographed copy of Linda Fairstein's new book, Death Angel, yesterday.  And I need to purchase a copy of the sixth book of Michael Scott's series, The Empress, so I can complete that story.  Tomorrow I will get my eyes tested for the first time in nine years - I know I need new glasses, as the lenses of these are terribly scratched up.  I've got a coupon for "buy one pair, get one pair free" and, as klutzy as I am, I figure that's the best way to go....
  Have a good hump day!

Sunday In Boulder

I've been around long enough to know that none of us are immortal - I've lived through the deaths of two grandfathers, my parents, and my husband.  But I have to admit I got a little teary-eyed when I stepped into Paulina's greenhouse this morning and found Courtney, the goldfish, floating on her side in the tank.  I buried her beneath a rose bush.  I took care of Blackberry and Chocolate, and released them from the hutch so that (a) I could clean it out, and (b) they could have 3 hours of freedom inside their large pen.
  Then I sat down and called both of Paulina's parents - I left a message for her mother, but her Dad answered the phone.  I asked if they wanted me to try and find a goldfish that looked approximately like Courtney at Petco, or did they want to have the "death discussion" with her - it was up to them.  Her Dad said they'd "just deal with it when they got home."  As far as I know, Paulina hasn't had any family or friends die in her short 8 years of life.  Her parents are allergic to both cats and dogs, and Blackberry and Chocolate the bunnies, were her first pets.  They arrived for Easter this year.  Then she won Courtney at the Boulder Creek Fair on Memorial Day weekend.  In my experience, the goldfish one won from the fair usually didn't live more than a few days - Paulina has had Courtney for 9 weeks.  Ouch.  Courtney was fine at 8 p.m. last night, when I gave her three flakes of food; but she was dead at 6 a.m.   - I feel guilty, even though I shouldn't.
   Waiting for the bus to pick me up and bring me home from Paulina's this morning, I was bored, because I had forgotten to bring a book to read.  Then I realized there was a bike race going on a block from where I was standing.  In the 20 minutes I waited for the bus, I counted 637 bike riders go by...  I wonder how many entered the event?
   With all the storm warnings last night, all Boulder got was high winds and about a quarter-inch of rain.  But 8 tornadoes were reported in the county, and 2 1/2-inch hail fell.  Trees were uprooted, and empty 18-wheeler trailers were flipped... It was a mess.

Twenty Wildfires Burning in Colorado

We have 20 wildfires over 100 acres in size burning in Colorado right now - four of the fires are fully contained, and, while still burning unconsumed fuel, are considered to be "out."  Two of the fires in the Rocky Mountain National Park are burning mostly beetle-killed pines and are being left to themselves, unless there is a serious flare-up.  There are numerous small fires every day that don't get mentioned by the media, unless lives or homes are lost.  It seems that most of our local, and imported, fire fighters are working 24/7.
 The largest fire is still the West Fork Complex, made up of the Papoose fire, the Windy Pass fire and the West Fork fire.  These three fires have now ravaged 75,150 acres, and there is still zero containment.  The East Peak fire has grown to 12,966 acres, or 19 square miles, and is now 10% contained.  All of the other wildfires have also grown; the Wild Rose is up to 1,070 acres, the Collins has increased to 380 acres, and the East Fork, Brush Creek and Derby Creek fires have all increased to slightly over 400 acres.  It's enough to make one breathless.
  I got up early this morning, took care of my kits, took care of the Redwood brothers, walked Rosie, watered flowers for folks visiting Turkey, and came home for breakfast.  That will be my morning routine through the seventh morning of June, excepting this Saturday and Sunday morning.  And next week, I'll add Maggie May into the mix...  The good ol' summertime...  Everyone travels.
   Lovey, Nedi and I are doing well.  Rosie still misses Remy, and now she is afraid of thunder and lightning, which she wasn't, during Remy's lifetime... That's a little peculiar.  Courtney, Chocolate and Blackberry's family made it home last night, as did Rosie's.  They were both very happy reunions.

Warm, Warm, Warm!

Lovey is laying between my chest and the keyboard, so I'm having to reach over and/or around her to type.  I could make her move, but I'd rather be close and uncomfortable than chase her away.  Besides my kits, and Rosie, Courtney the goldfish, and the bunnies Chocolate and Blackberry, I add Sasquatch and Tugger to the mix today.  Luckily, Rosie's people and Paulina will both be back tomorrow evening, so I'll be back at home, with twice a day runs to the Redwood brothers (Tugger and Sasquatch).   Next Saturday and Sunday morning, I'm free and clear - then I add Tugger and Sasquatch (again), Maggie May and then Tinkerbell, while watering flowers for another client from now until July 4...
   I wouldn't say that we are having a problem with mother deer here in Boulder, but some folks would.  A young mother, who has an injured hind leg has a new set of twins, whom she usually leaves in a yard on Agate Road.  It's a high traffic area for people who walk, jog, run, and ride bicycles.  It's also a high traffic area for people who walk dogs.  This young mother is very protective of her babies - she will make a stand to keep them safe.  The other day, she attacked a dog (on a leash) who got too close - the lady, who had been talking on her cell phone and not looking around for wildlife, dropped the leash, and the dog ran for the doe.  The doe knocked it over and walked on it, which terrified the owner.  The owner of the house went out and frightened the deer away.  The dog and the woman were unhurt.  But this has caused an uproar in the neighborhood...  and I am not happy with the folks who ignore the law and allow their dogs to roam loose, either.  I am firmly on the side of the deer.  I believe that the woman was at fault for not really taking in/seeing her surroundings...
   Wildfires in Colorado continue to pop up, thanks to lightning, sparks from train wheels on tracks, and idiotic people.Yes, we had snow in April and May, and ran in May.  However, we are still in an extreme drought condition.  The Black Forest wildfire, while contained, has now had the homes destroyed count upped to 511.  The West Fork Complex fire (which has three fires - West Fork, Papoose, and Windy Pass) has now burned over 40,000 acres (or 62.5 square miles) and is still not contained in any way.  The East Peak fire has burned 10,000 acres and 9 homes, and has no containment. The Wild Rose fire, near Rangely, is at 850 acres and is 10% contained. The Lime Gulch fire is up to 600 acres and is 15% contained.  The Rife Gap fire has 0 containment and is estimated at 300 acres. The Bull Gulch fire, northeast of Cotopaxi, is 30% contained.  The Disappointment wildfire has been extinguished.  The Wild-Hacking Complex fire is 15% contained.  The Collins fire, 17 miles southwest of Meeker is uncontained, as are the two fires in northern Eagle County, The Derby Creek and the Brush Creek fires....  With high temperatures, no rain, and winds expected for the next week, I'll just cross my fingers, as usual.

Summer Is Here! - Sixteen Wildfires Burning

When I arose at 5 this morning, it was already 63 degrees outside, and we're expecting a high in the low 90s, and the forecast calls for 90s through Wednesday.  Oh, boy.  Rosie is feeling the heat, and prefers to sprawl on the tile floor in the den; Lovey and Nedi are pretty somnolent and nap a lot; the bunnies lay flat on their sides and pant - I try to get them out of their hutch and into the open pen and shade as much as possible; and I try to be certain the goldfish is out of direct sun shine, and has good air currents...  But it's very warm, and the back of my throat feels itchy, thanks to all the particulates in the air.  I have the drapes drawn, the windows open, and all the fans running in the apartment... Hopefully it won't get too warm - and I do know that they (Lovey and Nedi) both are laying in the bath tub and in the bathroom sink to stay cool.  
  A quick aside:  Congratulations are in order for Her Royal Highness, Queen Elizabeth II.  After all her years as a thoroughbred owner and breeder, the Queen won her first Ascot Gold Cup yesterday.  Estimate, a 4-year-old bay filly by Monsun, won the 2 and 1/2 mile race on the turf under the training of Sir Michael Stoute, and the riding of jockey Ryan Moore.  Estimate won the race in a time of 4 minutes and 20.51 seconds, and by 1 3/4 lengths.
   Most of the state of Colorado, including Boulder, is under an Air Quality warning, thanks to the wildfires.  Three of the 16 fires burning have 100% containment, but will continue to burn until all available fuel is consumed.  The fires that are completely contained are the Black Forest, the Royal Gorge, and the Ward Gulch - Rifle Mountain Park wildfires.  The Big Elk Meadows fire in Rocky Mountain National Park is 95% contained, but will probably continue to burn through beetle-killed pines until the first snow fall; the Fern Lake fire is uncontained, and is also expected to burn until the snow flies.  The other fires:
The West Fork Complex fire is the worst, at the moment; the entire town of South Fork is under immediate evacuation orders, and  the road over Wolf Creek Pass is closed.  Over 18,000 acres are burning there in Mineral County, and Windy Pass is also burning and closed to traffic.
The East Peak fire has burned 10,000 acres and is uncontained.  The town of Walsenburg is under pre-evacuation orders.
The Wild Rose fire is estimated at 1,000 acres in Rio Blanco County and is uncontained.
The Lime Gulch fire in Jefferson County has burned 600 acres and is only 5% contained.
The Rifle Gap fire is burning near Horse Mountain and has no containment.
The Bull Gulch fire is still burning without containment in Fremont County.
The Papoose fire is burning near the Rio Grand Reservoir above the town of Creede.
The Disappointment fire is burning in Moffat County and has no containment.
The Wild-Hacking Complex fire  is at 400 acres, and is 15 % contained.  Fire fighters hope to achieve 75% containment by the end of the day; this fire is located 25 miles north of Dinosaur.
The Collins fire is uncontained and is located in the Shell-Piceance Basin.
The Derby Creek fire is uncontained and is located 17 miles north of Eagle.
    Most of these fires were caused by lightning; the Black Forest fire was not, and is being investigated.
** Gee, I can't imagine why the air smells of smoke....  **


 

Ten Colorado Wildfires; Kudos to Jockey Mike Smith

I laughed myself silly last night - Bea and I watched The Return of the Pink Panther and Revenge of the Pink Panther.  Three and a half hours of almost non-stop comedy left me limp, but smiling.   Rosie was between us, on the sofa, and we were all laughing hysterically.  It was fun.  Rosie is definitely missing her family, and I'm missing spending time with my kits.  Right now, both Lovey and Nedi are out playing in the early morning sunshine.  And, I'll soon be heading back to spend the rest of the day with Rosie... she is very interested in Chocolate and Blackberry, Paulina's young rabbits, but so far she hasn't made any overt moves toward them.  And she and Boo are interacting a little more each day, which is good for both of them.
   Thank goodness for our professional jockeys!  During the Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park, jockey Mike Smith was riding Itsmyluckyday.  They were about to make a move on the leaders, when Mike felt there was something wrong with the colt's hind end - it just didn't feel right.  He pulled the colt up on the backstretch, and the horse seemed fine when he went back to his stall.  X-rays of the colt's pelvis, however, showed that the ilium had broken.  Because Mike Smith pulled the colt up, there is a very good chance that Itsmyluckyday will be able to return to racing within the next 6 months.  - And, it's official:  Animal Kingdom, winner of the 2011 Kentucky Derby, has been retired from racing.
   We have more wildfires burning in Colorado, and the Denver metropolitan area, which includes Boulder, is under an Air Quality warning.  Anyone who suffer from asthma, COPD, emphysema, or any types of breathing problems, are being warned to stay inside and not exert themselves.  This is due to the large amount of particulates from all of the wildfires burning throughout our state.  -  (1 & 2) The Big Elk Meadows fire is 95% contained and has burned 604 acres.  It is expected to burn until the first snow, as is the Fern Lake fire.  (3) The Royal Gorge fire is completely contained.  (4) The Black Forest fire is 95% contained, and has cost $8.5 million for fire-fighting so far.  Hot spots are still flaring up, and homes are still evacuated.  (5) The West Fork fire, near the Wolf Creek Ski Area, has burned 3,875 acres, and is less than one mile from the edges of the Rio Grande National Forest.  (6) The Ward Gulch-Rifle Mountain Park fire is 95% contained, and has burned 485 acres.  (7) The Lime Gulch fire, in Jefferson County, has burned 500 acres so far, is uncontained, and homes have been evacuated in a 3 mile radius from the initial report of the fire.  (8) The Wild Rose fire is burning in Rio Blanco County, and has burned 850 acres.  (9) The Bull Gulch fire is burning about one mile east of Table Mountain.  (10) The East Peak fire, near East Spanish Peak (and originally referred to as the Scout Camp fire), is burning in Huerfano County.  It has burned 350 acres, and was first reported by members at a Boy Scout Camp out.  The Camp has been evacuated, but there is no news as yet, as to whether the camping area burned over or not.

Old Photos Found

My sister has found the cache of old Swedish and Mom's family photographs that I had asked her to keep.  I'll be scanning them them soon, and placing all our family photos on memory sticks to give to the family.  I am busily working on Sarah's baby quilt, too.  Walking back from Kathy's last night, I saw Mariyah and her two daughters in their yard.  I was invited to meet Paulina's new pets, a pair of rabbits - so I met Chocolate and Blackberry, and played with them for a bit.  I was able to tell the family that both of the new pets are girls, and we spent quite a while talking about children and pets.  It was fun.

Please Do NOT Give A Pet as a Gift...

My cousin Sarah just brought up the fact that she is seeing a lot of advertisements trying to get people to purchase animals for another person as a Holiday gift. Both of us beg you NOT to do so.  A lot of people out there buy gifts for friends and acquaintances, and for those they would like to impress favorably.  The majority of people, and kids, in the world today want to choose their own pet. Kittens, puppies, baby bunnies, etc. all look cute and act cute when they are young, but they also entail a lot of work and money.  If you think someone would like a pet added to the family, first ask.  Second, propose to pay the adoption fee for any critter the giftee would like from any Humane Society, Rescue Group, or any animal aid society.  There are thousands of wonderful animals languishing in shelters around the world, and/or being euthanized on a daily basis because someone could no longer care for the, or no longer wanted them.  Many pets that are given as Holiday gifts - for Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, or Kwanzaa - end up at the animal shelter, on death row, for one reason or another.  And the reasons given are as numerous as the drops of water in all the oceans - someone in the household is allergic; food and/or veterinary care is too expensive; the new pet doesn't get along with older, established pets; the new owner says the new pet "just wasn't what he/she wanted;"  the puppy chews on things; the kitten climbs the curtains;  (I can continue ad infinitum) ....
Brand new pets are cute and cuddly and will usually be greeted with "ooohs" and "aaahs" of immediate appreciation.  Then reality sets in.  There are annual shots, spaying and neutering, training, licensing, food, kitty litter, toys, and all sorts of other expenses that raise their head.  If the new owner is conscientious, there is also the matter of time - one needs to bond with the new pet, and have the attachment grow.  With today's lifestyle, a lot of that is impossible.
Please, whatever you give as a Holiday gift, do NOT give a living creature.  Please ask the recipient prior to giving; and please adopt an animal from a shelter or rescue.  Don't be the cause of more suffering for the pets of our world!

Warm Fuzzies

A nest of baby rabbits (cotton tails)

 

A gray joey and mother

 

The foal is Jetsa Joak, the dam is Shesa Sheik

Baby Critters

Calf

Chickens

Goats and adult rabbits