Terrapin Station

Repellent

Saw an ad on TV just now for the Bell and Howell Solar Animal Repeller. Here's a link to the site. I think it's disgusting.

I understand not wanting animals to tear up your trash or dig in your garden, but hey, here's an idea: don't go live where they live and expect them to stay away from that stuff. Go live in a concrete canyon if that's how you feel about animals, ok? Or, secure your trash so there's not a problem.

Sorry if I sound a little loony on this subject, but really. The birds and squirrels who share our living space are one of my great delights. I'm not always thrilled when birds, raccoons, or possums go down our chimney, but then, we've been saying for years that we need to cover that up. So really, our bad there.

If you had this gizmo, you'd have no birds in your trees, no squirrels in them either, no bats in your belfry. (Bats eat mosquitoes, did you know?)

It's true that the other day I came in my driveway to see 2 turkey buzzards sitting on the roof of my house, and I parked and ran straight out into the front yard (by that time there were three, sitting on the ground) and hollered at them, "GET GONE!" a la my Memamma. And Boudreaux chased them madly, barking. I don't have to be thrilled with all the animals that come to my house. But I give them a sporting chance...(Boudreaux can't catch anything). They are beautiful, flying. Just a little repellent, sitting on my roof. I do have a superstition or two.

Turtle is my totem

This is the ornament for the Choctaw Nation this year. It features "LUKSI" which is Choctaw for "turtle" - who teaches us persistence, patience, protection, self-sufficiency and long life.
The pattern in the center is a snowflake made with Choctaw Stickball Sticks.
Polished dimensional brass with red & green cloisonné. - Per my cousin, Jamie Pritchett, who does a lot of graphic design work for the Choctaw Nation. 

All the miracles...

I have been having some medical tests to determine why I have such a lot of pain in my right shoulder and arm.  It turns out there are some issues (treatable ones) with my spine.  Researching it, I found the above video, which I think is gorgeous and shows so beautifully the miraculous way our spines are designed and function.  And the music is awesome too! 

This morning, we saw a show on the Science Channel called "Weird Nature" (from the BBC).  It was amazing to see the specialized ways in which animals have evolved to survive and thirve in their environments.  But what is MOST amazing to me is that we have such wonderful, clear, close-up film of things like this, available at 6 in the morning or just anytime on YouTube.  I wish, I wish, that my Bigdaddy could see it.  He died in 1991 and he loved shows like this...but I know that 20 years ago there was nothing like this.  I still remember how, in first grade, we used to watch those Disney movies of flowers opening in fast-motion photography, and what an amazing thing THAT was. 

I said to Ken, "I NEVER want to take this for granted...being able to see these things."

Watch this one: 

What's striking you as miraculous today?

Dog Post Alert

Boudreaux has posted at the Dog Blog. 

Remembering the Sweet Cub

I am one of the lucky folks who actually got to meet Cub Poppy Forbus in person.  She and her pal Angus came to Denton with their Typist last summer for the Dog Days of Denton celebration. 

Josie and Boudreaux and I joined them, though we were not foolish enough to try to put all those dogs in one car; and it was a very fun and zany day.  You can read about it here. 

We will miss you, friend Cub.  Run free! 

Quincy's Meme

The Typist tagged me for Quincy's meme.  She was first tagged by Law And Gospel, who writes: Dave over at Here I Stand posted on a sad note, that they had to put Quincy, the family dog, to sleep. Certainly, we pray for Dave and the family because we all know that pets are people too. Their stories are our stories. One thing that can guarantee good conversation is a sharing of the antics of our animals. So, in honor of Quincy and all of our animal companions past and present, I thought I would post a couple pet antics from our house and create a new meme.

1. What is an amusing anecdote about a pet friend in your life (past or present)? 

My Boudreaux is a shoulder dog.  ESPECIALLY in the car.  This is his favorite place to sit!  Here he is with his Gran. 

2. What is a gift a pet gave to you when you really needed it?  Josie and Boudreaux are the loves of my life.  It's hard to choose just one thing, but their smiling faces would have to be it.  Sometimes the chiropractor tells me (just before a manipulation), "Think happy thoughts!"  and those faces are what I call to mind. 

3. Share a picture of one or more of your pets - extra points for amusing photos.

Josie's GlamFur Shot from Dog Days of Denton.  This is the image on my checks!!  That totally makes me smile.

Boudreaux rolling in the grass after a bath.

God bless, Quincy.  God, bless Quincy's people. 

Some Photos from Blessing of the Animals at Annunciation

A good day knitting scarves in the front yard. 

The dogs thought it was a good day to play in the leaves. 

Later that day we went to the Blessing of the Animals:

Afterward, we stopped off at Home Depot!

What A Great Day!

Laffin'

Dogs that Blogs

Not to be outdone by St. Cass, I offer comments from the younger of my two Maltese dogs.  Josie (the elder) is three years old; Boudreaux (called "Boodie") is 5 months.  Here is what he knows:

1) Josie thinks she is in charge because she has been here longer.  I let her think this.

2) Her long, floppy ears and beard are great to grab onto for a little game of tug-o-war.  She's cool about it. 

3) Josie's grandmother was a Champion.  So she looks like the Maltese "breed standard" - everything is symmetrical, her gait is perfect, her eyes are close together, her head is held just right.  I look more like a DOG.  My ears are always flopped different ways, and when I run it looks like my back legs are oars plying the water.  Think: "galumph, galumph."  Daddy says I have Jack Elam eyes.  Mommy says, no I don't!  not really.

4) Josie is the Mommy's dog.  Don't get between Josie & the Mommy unless you're up for some excitement.

5)  I am the Daddy's dog.  Daddy especially likes that I don't kiss all the time.  He doesn't like doggie kisses much.

6)  A fun thing if you are bored is to take the puppy pee pee pad and drag it all over the house and shred it.

7)  For that matter, ANYTHING you find is subject to shredding, chewing, spreading on the hall floor.  They tell me Josie didn't do this.  I say, what was she wasting all her time on!?

8)  I refuse to go potty inside on a pee pee pad!  that is what FOOFY DOGS do.  Not me!  I'm a dogly dog.  I go outside.  Except when it's raining, and then I am a chicken liver and I go in the dining room.  :)

9)  Speaking of chicken livers - I have this yeast infection in my ears.  So I have to get medicine and earwash.  You should hear me SCREAM when they put it in!  The first time, I screamed so much that they were frantic and took me to the Dog Emergency Room (because the regular vet was closed.)  But I just don't like how that feels, and I think if I have to suffer, they should, too. 

10)  Oh!  I am just learning to walk on the leash.  Josie was somehow born knowing this, so Mommy doesn't know how to teach me.  When we'd go out for walkies, I'd just sit on the ground so she'd have to drag me.  It makes a white dog really dirty when you take it for a drag...but yesterday we got all the way down the street before I gave up.  There's light at the end of the tunnel.

Have to go, Mommy just said something about a Greenie...?  Wahoo!

Wednesday Cat Blogging

THIS IS NOT MY CAT:

But I thought you would like to see it.  :)  I have no idea why.