Bravo to Daisy’s human Momma for her work in raising the baby deer.  She found the baby and has done a great job of raising her – from feeding to teaching her to go to the bathroom on her own – just amazing work!  Here’s an excerpt,

By July 5th Daisy was in her new quarters.  A long row of cannas between the two barns provided her hiding spot during the day, and at night she sought out a corner inside the barn.  And I, like any mother, worried all night long, getting little sleep for the next two months. Our fence was only 6 feet tall.  I worried something could get her since she was still very tiny and unable to defend herself.  She was lonely a lot.  She cried out “naaaaah, naaaaah, naaaaah”, until either she became tired, or went to the cannas to hide.   Sometimes I came to pet her and walk around with her for a while.  Other times I grabbed an old glider cushion and lay on the ground beside her.  She seemed better with her mama around.

Such a sweet little story.

If you’re like a lot of people, watching the survival shows on cable television is interesting, informative, and entertaining. If I was without water, I’m not sure if I’d be smart enough – still – to know how to filter my own byproducts as potable water.  But I do know that I wouldn’t want to drink from a stream without boiling the water first.

Why?  I don’t want a leech to latch onto my throat.  That’s what happened to this teenager from China

I can’t embed the MSNBC video – but if you don’t have a weak stomach and want to see it – click here.

Wow. Thanks for the story MSNBC.com!

Every single year as cold weather begins to creep into the nooks and crannies – from fields and trees to ditches and hidey-holes -  the little field mice decide it’s time to set up house in MY house.  So far, I’ve seen two mice this year.  One running along the front door and one trying to sneak into an upstairs closet.  And so far our mousetraps have caught one.  One down, one to go.

And to all you rodent lovers out there, sorry but I’m not thinking they are very cute and adorable at this time. That will be this spring after they’ve left my house again!

When we moved from one state to a neighboring state, our cats were crated.  We heard about four hours of inconsolable meowing as they rode in the car.  It was pitiful, sad, and nearly drove us crazy.

I feel for my friend Brittney when she moves from New York to San Francisco.  She’s taking her two kitties with her,

I am worried about these two. When I adopted them from a shelter on the Upper East Side I had no earthly idea that I might be moving 2500 miles away in under a year.

But here I am.

I mean, here we are.

I’m scared that one or both of them will bolt in the security line at the airport and take the next plane to Mexico.

The kitties will be fine, Brittney! Good luck with your big move!

I do this too when my back is scratched!

For people who treat their dogs like family – to pay whatever it takes to make sure they have great health care, exercise, and eat right.  A lot of people avoid eating wheat-based products for better health and this same lifestyle can apply to pets.  At Paleo Kitchen Sync, Tessie has a new diet.

When I gave Tessie her first bite of primal food, she gobbled it up so fast it was gone when I looked back, and that never happens with her. There’s so many benefits to be had from switching to this type of diet for your dog like less shedding, more energy, and better digestion. I’m really excited to see if this improves her fur and skin, which has been kind of itchy since the weather has gotten cooler.

Wow! I may have to change the diet of my own dogs to this much healthier eating style!

Last week there was drama in my corner of the world over a news story about greyhound rescues.  A local organization’s spokesperson said these wonderful dogs are “treated like livestock” in a certain state and the  methods of disposing of them included “pushing them off a boat in the Atlantic Ocean.”

What hit the fan was so significant that the television station actually changed the text in the online story after the local nonprofit organization revoked the spokesperson’s membership in the organization. The organization also issued an apology to the greyhound racing industry.

So what is the truth behind greyhound racing?  While I’m no expert, I’ve have heard from some sources that greyhounds really are treated well, that they are a dearly loved breed both at racetracks and as pets in their “forever” homes.  Here’s one link about greyhounds that addresses misconceptions and myths about these magnificent animals.  But then there is the Greyhound Protection League that says otherwise – they maintain, for example, that the business of greyhound racing is responsible for the death of thousands of greyhounds every year.

So who do you believe? I don’t have the answer because there are two or twenty sides to every story.  What we do know is that there really are a LOT of greyhound available for adoptions and they are gentle, sweet dogs.  Definitely a family friendly dog that would make a home a happy place.

Photo from another local greyhound rescue organization participating in my city’s Halloween candy trail.

A little town in Staten Island is being overrun by wild turkeys – a seeming bad move by the gobblers just weeks ahead of Thanksgiving!  What started as a release of nine turkeys in 1999 has escalated into a takeover of the the Ocean Breeze community.  From wpix.com,

Wild turkeys fill the streets year after year, causing trouble for local residents.

People who live in the Ocean Breeze section say on some days, they can’t drive through the streets or let their kids play in the yard because there are so many turkeys all over the place.

About 100 of what might have been the national bird may be on the chopping block soon if residents get their wish!  Look out turkeys!! Time to go into hiding!

Photo by Peter Smith.

I was in a class today watching the computer that belonged to the person in front of me. I tried to concentrate on the instructors, but the hamster videos had me cracking up.

I’m ready for the weekend, aren’t you?

I had never heard of “murmuration” until reading this post.

… shows off an amazing spectacle of thousands of starlings flying in formation to avoid becoming prey. In the phenomenon called ‘murmuration’,  each bird mimics the one beside it in an attempt to get towards the center of the pack, which results in a fantastic visual display.

Go watch the video via the link back to The Christmas Owl!

Photo by pruned.