Phoebe, A New Zealand Rescue

Who would not want a "tongue-lashing" by this little beauty.

And to think that she was rescued off her "death-bed" by author Tui Allen seconds before that dreaded needle was to put her "to sleep."

Ripple - A Dolphin Love Story, by Tui Allen, Free February 21 to 25

Tui Allen’s novel Ripple, is free for five days. It is a wonderful tale about a dolphin and her pod.

Ripple just acquired her 30th five-star review bringing her total reviews to 32. With this book, Tui hopes to reach as many peoples as possible to get word out about the sentience and true nature of these incredibly intelligent creatures.

“Too many people worldwide think they are some kind of large fish,” Tui says.

She has sailed the Pacific in a wooden boat and observed these wondrous dolphins personally. From her New Zealand home, she passionately works toward their survival.

With compliments from Tui, your free copy awaits you here:

http://www.amazon.com/Ripple-Dolphin-Love-Story-ebook/dp/B005O8J5YA/

Learn more about this extraordinary lady on her website:
www.tuiscope.co.nz

A "Vicious" Dog???

She came to the Animal Shelter described as "vicious."  We learned that she had been dumped because she "wouldn't fight ." Apparently, she had been used as a "lure" in dog fights. Her neck festered with deep bites, and she cowered in her corner when anyone approached her pen. Mind you, this was a Rottweiler, a breed associated in everyone's mind with "vicious."

It took a long time for her wounds to heal; even longer for her to trust anyone...except a volunteer board member/handler. Every day, the two of them would walk through the adjacent woods and get to know each other. Pretty soon, "Paine," as she was called then, became accustomed to a gentler life. It was also noted that she adored kittens. Cautiously, we let her pass from cage to cage and give the curious little felines a good lick. But no one wanted to adopt her, most believing the stories connected with her breed.

At long last, Julie (feebly renamed for Pasha's story), took her home. The rest, indeed, is doggy-history. Today, Tootsie greets visitors, chases squirrels, and lords over her basket-full of adopted cats. She proudly rides the four-wheeler with her 'daddy,' suitably garbed in a camouflage coat.

Happy days, indeed, for dog and rescuer alike...



Now, here is another "vicious" breed...The Pitbull. True, his jaws are bone-crushing, and his impresisve size and weight are fear-inspiring--to those who have a reason to fear.

But it is not the dog that is naturally mean--it's the mean people who get a dog like his, and then train him to be like them.

Take Rudoph here--smiling, happy and content. But (yes, very true) don't mess with the ones he loves and protects...

Celebrate the Small Things - Our Weekly Blog Hop

Time for our Weekly Blog-Hop--and for celebrating the small things...

This is our Valentines-Day--Week hop and celebration.

Well, there will be not much hopping here. Still, I celebrate these small blessings:

1) That I haven't retreated into my shell completely (yet);

2) That I am not as wrinkled (yet); and

3) That I still know which end is up and which is down, hopefully meaning that I am not totally confused (yet).

Blog Hop Participants

This is a Blog Hop!

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1. Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh	2. Suzanne Furness The Word is. . .	3. Julie Flanders
4. tara tyler	5. J. A. Ward Writes	6. Lara Lacombe - Romance With an Edge
7. Leave it to Livia	8. Life, yoga and other adventures	9. Charity Pence
10. Ink in the Book	11. My Baffling Brain	12. Scribbles From Jenn
13. Tyreans Writing Spot	14. Writing Off the Edge	15. Father Dragon Writes
16. Christi Corbetts Blog	17. Lexa Cain	18. Alys B. Cohen ~ Author, reader, dreamer
19. Michelle @ Writer~In~Transit	20. Breakthrough Blogs	21. One Magic Bean Buyer
22. Swagger Writers	23. The Write Game	24. Writers Mark
25. City Muse Country Muse	26. Entertaining Interests	27. Cassiopeia Rises Two
28. Tizzy @ Creative Therapy	29. Clare Dugmore Writes	30. Reading, Writing and Everything in Between
31. Effectively Human	32. Jen Naumann Author	33. Mary Pax
34. Beauty By Shaq	35. that girl from around the bay	36. Diana Wilder - About myself, by myself. . .
37. Heres The Story	38. Pasha, From Animal Shelter to A Sheltered Life	39. S. K. Anthony
40. Agenthood and Submissionville	41. Defending The Pen	42. Queendsheena

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This was last week:

I often wonder if we are really grateful enough for what in our daily lives appears to be “no big deal."

So, I am celebrating:

1)   Running Water (hot and cold to boot)

2)   Indoor Plumbing (you laugh)

3)   Weekly Garbage Collection

To most, this must seem silly (or at least, an unfounded celebration). But to someone who grew up in war-ravaged Europe where the infrastructure lay in ruins, this was a big deal for many years. Somehow, that deep-down feeling that these "little things" are not an entitlement, but a luxury, stayed with me. I really enjoy having them. Really!

I am glad this struck a chord in many of you--but now, I would like to add to my list for celebrating small things:
This morning, I slipped into my shoes...My toe struck something squooshy...well, there was nothing but to reach in and fish out whatever it was...Pasha's favorite fuzz-ball!!!! Talk about being happy and celebrating that sweet cat's adherance to human sensibilities...

“ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL” (borrowed from one of my favorite authors, James Herriott)

Never mind that this started out mainly as Pasha’s blog, featuring his shelter cat and dog buddies. A lot of other animals are being loved and cared for by their owners; and sometimes, they too need rescuing. Unfortunately, most shelters are not set up for large and/or exotic animals. Thus, my interaction with them is limited.

So, I asked friends over at my Goodreads group "All About Animals" to contribute to our pleasure (and education) about these “other species”— in this case, horses (although we can never forget about our good friends, the cat and the dog).

 

 

 

Janet Foster, the horses' owner, 

is the author of "The Weeping Rose"

with photos by her sister, Barb Foley. 

Spot and Merlin live in great splendor

on a farm where their roomy barn keeps them cool in the summer and sheltered during inclement weather. Right outside, a large corral allows Janet, their owner, and her two grown children, grandchildren and their friends to help with exercising them. Of course, having practically grown up around them, the kids are fearless and know just how to approach these magnificent animals. They definitely have their likes and dislikes (the horses—but I am sure, the kids do, too).

Merlin for instance, loves to play with a large ball. He’ll toss it this way and that and if you stand in the way, he throws it at your feet expecting you to toss it back. You want proof?  Here is a brief clip http://youtu.be/G4riaQv66Jg

All this frivolity is watched over by Snowball, the enigmatic cat, 

while Barb's puggle Rufus looks on.

But don't mess with his bones 

Bear, Janet's dog,  can't look on--he is blind--yet much loved and looked after.

Check us out on the Goodreads Group called "All About Animals," and join the group free for fun, education, loads of great book suggestions and making new friends.

Slight Miscalculation

I used to live in Boston--and their snow emergency this weekend reminded me why I had moved to San Diego; like Scarlett (Gone with the Wind) I had vowed, "By God, I shall never be 'cold' again...." (By the way, never say never.)

I moved to Arkansas. My research had shown an average temperature of 56 degrees...No problem; I could handle that. But I was never good in math; thus, I didn't realize that this average was obtained by 110 degrees in summer and 16 degrees in winter...a slight miscalculation on my part.

To my surprise, the foothills of the Arkansas Ozarks do get snow. Hence, these visitors to my birdfeeder...

Buffy-The Lawnmower-Kid Revisited

As I told in the book, Buffy was found as a tiny kitten, hiding out in the housing of a lawnmower (not a good idea). Pasha and I took him in as (it turned out) our last foster kitten until he was old enough to be returned to the shelter--ready for adoption. But he was a sly fellow .... read how that little squirt contrived his way into the home (and the heart) of another shelter volunteer by misbehaving at the shelter (it worked for him).

Then, he was Buffy, named by his Savior...who still inquires about his well-being.

  

He was renamed by his "forever"-Savior to Spunky,

and it is no misnomer.

I just visited him in his forever home (the same belonging to Tootsie, the sweet Rottweiler). There he was, fat (or should I say corpulent?), and sassy, happily watching the goings-on outside--from the safety of his couch. Oh, did I ever mention we was supposed to be an outside cat? Yeah, right. Think again. Not this smart little guy. He decided from the get-go that he liked 'the good life--inside.'

Spunky's all-time favorite place, though, is here--especially on hot summer days.