Here We Go Again

OMG, the heartache I see each day.  Most days its tolerant.  I know the cats are adults, and are as safe as they can be with the shelters I can provide them.  Those are the safe ones.  The not so safe ones are at one location right now, where the tenant, or property owner is throwing the food and water out after they get up in the morning, after I've been there.  The WORST is the kittens I find in shelters, like I did this morning, on Ferndale Crescent and Webster.  I was able to grab four of them, but two were tucked too far into an enclosed shelter.  I couldn't get to them.  They have serious eye issues.

That’s the rotten part about what I do, along with having to get up every single morning of your life at 2 am., and heading out into the dark no matter what the weather is, and feeding over 100 cats a day at 19 different locations (today I pulled over an extra two times in between shelters because I spotted a cat on the side of the road – and you don’t know when that cat had its last meal, so I get out and place food and water down for it).  But the good outweighs the bad.  You can either rescue a cat and save its life, or you can at least feed a cat and know its got something in its belly to last it a day.  I think I’ve rescued at least 20 or 30 cats so far this year, including kittens? 

Say a prayer for these kittens, including the two we are still trying to catch. 

Have a great day.

"There is a soul in each and every animal, and they should be treated with respect." 

The Bee's Knees

Pictures!  We have pictures!  Please click on them to see closer.

My Azealea

"This is a good hiding spot, she will never see me!"

Awe!  She saw me!  :(

But hey!  I am available for adoption!

Janine'e Memorial Weekend

GET THAT CAMERA OUT OF MY FACE!

SAFFY!~  I want someone to adopt me please....  

I think I love my new potential adopter Audrey!

Oh yah!  Another good hidin' spot!

I thought I would post some information on stuff I am always curious about, in other animals, insects, humans, etc.  and today, we feature THE BEE.

Do Bees Sleep?

Do bees sleep, do they sleep at night, and if so, where and how do we know they are sleeping?

As one of the most studied creatures on the planet, it’s no surprise that scientists have asked many questions, including “do bees sleep?”

First, some simple questions and answers, but further down the page, we get into the science, in case you want to read it!

Please note, that all of the research contained in this article relates to honey bees.  I make some remarks about bumble bees later.

Do bees sleep?

The short answer to the first question is: according to scientists, YES, bees do sleep! 

How do we know bees sleep and how do they sleep?

Scientists have looked at how humans and other mammals sleep, and they have found bees do similar things. 

For example, just as humans (and other mammals) take on a very relaxed posture, and go through different phases of sleep (relaxed, light sleep, deep sleep), so do bees! 

So how do they sleep and what do they look like when they are sleeping?
It turns out that when a bee is in deep sleep, their antennae droop downwards, the upper body (thorax) drops as does the tip of the abdomen (or tail), and the wings rest on the body. 

Look closely, and you can see this in the images below. 

Note how in the first image (A), the bee is alert: it has wings up and extended, the whole body is off the ‘floor’, and antennae are facing forward. 

Note the changes in the body posture as the bee falls into a deep sleep - in picture D! 

This image is from the scientific paper; ref:  Eban-Rothschild, A. D. and Bloch, G. (2008). Differences in the sleep architecture of forager and young honeybees (Apis mellifera). J. Exp. Biol. 211,2408 -2416

Scientist also found that body temperature of bees drops when they sleep (it does in humans too!) and that the deeper a bee is sleeping, the brighter the light needed to wake the bee – again, a little like humans.  Finally, certain distinct patterns happen in the brain when bees are sleeping.

Have a GREAT day!

“Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and the wrong. Sometime in life you will have been all of these.”

Thank God its Tuesday!

Well, I had some awesome pictures of kitties this weekend, but now I've lost them some where on my computer when I went to save them.  Bollocks!  Its my new camera!  I might have to give in and get a new cell phone!  This camera crap is too much!

My Weekend

It was a quiet weekend as far as going out and feeding in the hood.  The weather was great - warm - and there were very few people walking the streets.  For a while I thought that the bootleggers house was closed down - this is where you can buy beer, cigarettes, and who knows what else, through a window.  Second Street is very popular at four in the morning due to this...  And then it was not.  It seemed no one was pulling up with their music blaring, and tap rap tapping on the window for their drug of choice. But I think they are back in business.  And with the warmer weather, there are more people up partying until 4 and 5 a.m.  So there were more cars than normal, but not as much foot traffic as there has been over the years.  I saw homeless Will who told me a few new jokes, none that can be repeated here, but I got a good laugh for sure.

I've had no appointments scheduled at the clinic to do TNR, which is very much needed, but will have some in June so I guess I have to settle for that.

There have been no sightings of the three missing cats that I rescued, and either adopted our or had fostered.  Both places are in the country, and its been a few weeks now, and I am assuming the worst.  I will never see Chewy (rescued from Central), or Marti (Simon) (rescued from Melville) or Sammy (rescued from a Chili farm as a kitten with his siblings) again.  There are too many dangers in the country, far more than the city.  It hurts my heart to think about it, but I have no hope for them, lost in the wilds not knowing where they are.  I just pray they had sudden ends, and did not suffer.

FRITZI!

On a good note, Fritzi went to his new home, and from the few reports I've received, he is adjusting.  He joins two younger pit bull dogs, a brother and a sister, a few fish, and a bunny that could be his twin.  His human family has promised to take good care of him.  I for sure checked the windows and screens before I left, something which is now top priority for me.

TUCKER a/k/a CHEETOH

CASHEW
(with his new scarf his big sister finger knitted for him!)

Four of Buffy's babies have gone to their perspective new homes to begin the bonding process before their surgeries mid-June.  All four are doing very well from the reports I am getting.  I will get those pictures downloaded this evening and share those tomorrow.  I miss them terribly.  That's Buster, Cashew, Tucker and Fritzi (the kitten).  Poppy and Saffy are still with me, and Poppy is actually going to be adopted by a very sweet girl named Audrey.  Audrey came over to meet her on Sunday, actually to meet both of us!  Meeting people to adopt these babies is almost like you are interviewing for a nanny or babysitter position.  You must know and trust the people that you are entrusting a tiny kitten's life with!  Saffy is up for adoption still, after someone backed out.  She was a bit young, and had to have her mom's approval, which didn't happen.  Sweet girl nevertheless.

Lolly and Pop are doing fabulous, getting more accustomed to being indoors now.  And handled by a human!  :)  We also have Saffy and Dixie still available for adoption!

PARSLEY!

We also have Buffy, Parsley, Hermie, Connor and Jule.  All need to be seen by a vet.  Connor was brought to his 4th appointment on Friday.  It didn't go so well.  He is still troubled by several issues, including a mass they saw inside his ear.  The vet will do an estimate and send off as he will have to have a biopsy done on this mass to see what it is.  If its a polyp, it can be easily removed, if it isn't, there is no telling.  Either way, he is a very expensive little boy, as this checkup cost me another $230.  Grand total so far, $1K + with all the medicines included.  I don't know how long I can go on but his sweet foster- Joanne, is doing everything she can to raise money for him, and has started a GoFund Me page.  Thanks JoAnne, for caring.  Here is the link to that.

CONNOR!~

https://www.gofundme.com/help-connor-the-cat-get-well

That's all I have for now, I have to scoot off to my OTHER full time job.  :(

Have a great day!

"Destroy what destroys you."

Happy National Take a Picture Day!

Well, its not really.  Its actually 

AVIATION MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN DAY!!!

On May 24 we honor the men and women who have worked behind the scenes making and keeping aviation possible.  

Woo hoo!

But I did get my new camera yesterday, so I am psyched.  Sort of.

Here are a few pics. Look at this little angel.  Its Mookie!

And I have THREE of them with me at the house.  They are pretty much all adopted out, but will be with me for at least another week to two weeks, until they get just a tad bigger, and then they will be spayed/neutered in June.  

We have Mookie and Dixie and Bear.  All angels.  It will be so hard to see them go.  And all three are just the most cuddliest.  Lots of kittens don’t like being held too long.  These kittens do, and don’t want you to let them go.

CLICK on PICS to ZOOM!

BUSTER!

Kitty on Melville

Kitty on Central

On top of the sadness I have been overcome with the past week, with three cats that I’ve either adopted to, or fostered out, have gone missing – Chewy, Simon are lost in Caledonia, and Sammy is lost in Hilton – I received the news last evening that the couple that were going to adopt Chewy, who rename her Fiona, will no longer be adopting her, even if she is found.  They are/were as devastated I think as I am at her loss.  They feel this was a sign that they should not be adopting any more cats – they have their one and that is it.  They are an older couple, and felt they were ‘too old’ to be adopting another cat.  I so would like to dispute that with them, as there are many cats that need ‘older couples’ to love them, but I have to respect their decision.  I may rename Chewy to Fiona.  I think that suits her, and she deserves a beautiful name.  Please Dear Lord, let them all return back to us from where ever they are. 

I did something to my shoulder yesterday here at work, trying to get a dolly loaded with stuff into an elevator.  I heard my already sore shoulder ‘pop’, and so did my co-worker.  I could barely move my arm after that.  It was a very restless sleep and a very painful morning pouring food and water with that arm.  My right arm.  Ugh.  Lord, please let me get through the day. 

I have new kittens under my belt.  Meet Lolly and Pop!  Thanks Melissa for fostering!

Speaking of fostering, lets get BUFFY, HERMIE, and PARSLEY adopted!

Parsley!

HERMIE!

Buffy - I must get a better picture of her!

I have tomorrow off, and I am THRILLED.Lots of gardening to do, and kittens stuff!  Plus, will have visitors picking up their wares from the Spring Auction.  Busy busy busy!~

Have a great day!

Father, We ask you to help us find 

Fiona, Sammy and Simon,

 our dear pets who are now lost.

We know that you placed animals on the earth

for many reasons, 

including companionship for man.

We therefore ask you to help us find our lost companion, and pray that You will keep him (her) safe and protect him (her) from harm until he (she) is found.

We join our prayers with St. Francis, St. Anthony of Padua, and all the saints, and pray in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Every Day

Our lives are a large collection of single days one right after the other. The sun rises, the sun sets, and it rises again. And in the end, the lives we chose to live will be determined by how we choose to spend each day.

Unfortunately, I embraced very little in my younger days. I survived each new day, but made little effort to make the most of it.  Instead, they just came and went… and many were wasted.

But over the past few years, my views have changed. I ‘ve started to view each day as an important gift. I try to embrace each one individually and discover the potential it holds. After all, some may get more days than others, but each of us have been given this one. And we ought to be making the most of it.

Every day, we go through the motions of living.  We wake, we brush our teeth, we have something to nourish our bodies, if we are lucky enough we have a job that keeps us busy on workdays, and then we go to sleep.  And we get up, each day, and do those things all over again.

Every day, for me, I do all those things, but also drive to the Beechwood neighborhood to feed a lot of cats.  And I mean a LOT of cats.  I go to 19 different stops to get out of my car, and walk to a shelter I've set up for a colony of cats that 'reside' there.  And at every single one of those 19 places, I am always expect the worst when I arrive.  Did the City remove my shelters from the vacant lots, did the City remove my shelters from the abandoned houses that are now being paid attention to?  Did someone buy this house and are now fixing it up?  I have felt dread at each of my spots every single morning since I've been doing this.

Because its taking away an innocent animal's safety and security.  Their only home.  They have enough problems with predators, fleas, mites, lice, pregnancies, fights with other cats, the weather, cars, and not enough to eat.  How can we remove their shelters?  But it happens over and over again on my route.  Not today, but the day is coming.  And I just dread my journey to help them, daily.  Fear of the unknown.  Today its raining, and if their shelters were removed, I would have to scramble and place their food in the rain, find a spot under a tree. Grab a piece of wood in the back of car and try to lean it against something to place the food under it to keep it from getting wet. 

This is what I do every single day, on top of all the other things we do as humans.  Today I go to Walmart to purchase another $100+ worth of food to last another four days - what is donated is just not enough. 

I want to open a shelter here in the city to house my stuff, to have volunteers come and help me, to have a part-time veterinarian to help with the medical needs for the cats I would bring them to here.  I want a safe spot, SOMEWHERE!  for these poor animals!  That's my dream.  I'm always dreaming. 

.No sight of Chewy/Fiona, no sight of Sammy.  I just know they will show up somewhere, the waiting is the hard part

SAMMY as a little boy

I still need to get an update and pics from foster mom Carol, who is busier than ever with her business, on Parsley, Hermie and Buffy.  I have been neglectful for going myself to see them.  And I still don't have a camera or new phone to take a picture with.  But I'm working on it.  Buffy will go in for spay when her babies are done.  Same day.  Wonder if they will recognize each other, or even see each other!  At some point, Buffy, Parsley and Hermie need to find a loving home.  Someone with a big heart who will give them time and patience and let them come around on their own terms.  You will never receive love like that when the do. 

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE!

Do you all remember the kittens from last year, particularly TEDDY?

TEDDY is on the right!

Well get a load of Teddy now!  With his canine sibling pal!  Click on link below!  :)

  https://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.buscemipainter/videos/10216369044161836/

That's all I have today. 

Please consider adoption!

"Find time each day to feed

your soul by embracing gratitude, laughter, hope, and faith."

Lost and Found

I begin today’s post with a heavy heart.  I found out yesterday morning that a kitty that is being fostered got out a window the night before last, and has not come back.  This kitty was supposed to go to a new loving home yesterday.  I am so sad not only for me, but for the cat finding its way in an unfamiliar territory, and for the would be adopters.  I also learned yesterday that a kitten I adopted out last year to a nice couple got out unexpectedly and has not come back.  Please say your prayers for Chewy and Sammy.  Chewy is in the Caledonia area, and Sammy is in the Hilton area, both country locations.  If enough of us pray to St. Anthony, they might be found sooner rather than later (hopeful thinking).

CHEWY

CHEWY

SAMMY Today

I also am experiencing two of my Parsells locations that I’ve fed cat at  for so many years being dissolved.  On Friday, I had a note taped to the shelter at Parsells #2 to remove my stuff from the ‘front of the house’ so I moved everything to the side.  This morning there was a note to remove everything from the property.  I wrote a note back after getting back home, and will place it tomorrow on the shelter, hoping for a little mercy from the person writing the notes.  It says:  “Hello – I have been rescuing cats from this location for at least 5 years now.  Last year I removed 15 cats that went to shelters, were adopted, or went to barns in the country after your new neighbor moved in and wanted everything out from his once vacant property.  I am trying to get them all fixed so that there aren’t as many reproducing.  Right now there is a mother cat and kittens I am trying to catch.  Please allow these shelters until I can.  They need these.  Thank you.”

I am praying this person allows me to continue to feed the six or seven cats that depend on this food, and have nowhere else to go. 

On a brighter note, Cashew went to his new home, and Fritzi and Buster went to their new home together.  Tucker will go to his new home today but will be joined by Saffy and Poppy who remain unadopted as of today (and not for the lack of interest!  I have so many applications to wade through), because I didn’t want Tucker to be alone while mom goes to work as a teacher, and the children in the house are gone all morning, so they have each other to play with.  Mom will be getting out of school soon, and the latter kittens will for sure be adopted soon.

Connor will be going to his checkup some day this week thanks to Kristin who lives and works around where he is being fostered, and where the vet is located.  He is still overgrooming himself so we want to make sure all the little bugs are gone.  :0

I have neglected Parsley, Hermie and Buffy throughout this and have to catch up with their foster mom.  They REALLY need a new home.  Lets help to find them one.  Need new pictures, that is for sure.

That’s it in a nutshell.

Have a nice day.

St. Anthony, perfect imitator of Jesus, who received from God the special power of restoring lost things, grant that I may find Chewy and Sammy who are lost. At least restore to me peace and tranquility of mind, the loss of which has afflicted me even more than my material loss. Amen.

Chain Gang

The Pretenders...  anybody remember that band?  Chrissie Hynde?  Loved that era, loved the music...

It was a quiet morning out there.  Came very close to a skunk.  I didn't know he was hanging around inside a shelter, but out he ran, before I could stick my face down into it.  There are many a mornings where I have to skip a spot, because of a person hanging around, or a car with its lights on parked nearby - I don't want people to see me.  It COULD be dangerous for me, and it could potentially bring attention to my hidden spot where someone can destroy the shelter I've built.  There have been many occasions where someone is parked with its lights on, and come to find out they are slumped over the steering wheel, most likely drunk and passed out.  At least I hope that was the case with most that I've encountered, and not dead!  Some I call the police about, some I just wait.  This morning, a car pulled up next to this car with someone slumped over the steering wheel - the car was half pulled over, half in street - and must have woken the person up.  It actually happened right on the corner of my street once!  The car was running, I called the cops, but before they came, the person must have woken up (after I tapped on the window to see if he was dead) and drove to church parking lot across street and turned off car.  Cops told me later, they could have gotten him with DWI if the car was still running.  Did you know that?   I did not.

George from Garson

George has been missing from Garson Avenue.  For about two months now as a matter of fact.  I just hope someone saw him and took him home to be loved and cherished like he should have been years ago since I started feeding him.
The story from yesterday -- I found out the red kitten's name - mind you this is Harvey and Huey's sister!  Her rescuers named her Miss Macaroni N. Cheese.  I LOVE THAT!  :)  And Harvey and Huey's adoptive parents send Kristin these recent photos of them.

HARVEY and HUEY Today

They've gotten SO big, and their eyes look so much better!  Sick kittens are very hard to deal with, I certainly know that for a fact.!

For those of you not on Facebook, here are some pics I posted yesterday of Fritz whom I just rescued on Monday!  Thanks Amanda for these great shots!  And for offering to foster! 

FRITZ!

Amanda said he is so sweet that he has made himself right at home, and she is not even keeping him segregated!  He gets along with EVERYONE!  He is available for adoption!  :)

Chewy a/k/a Fiona is going to her new home this Sunday.  We are all very excited!  Amanda, myself, and her new parents Tommy and Alla, and of course, Fiona herself!  It will be some adjustment for all involved.  And one less kitty for Amanda to care for, and one more cat saved from the streets!

Dixie and Cashew

BEAR strikes a pose

The kittens are a handful.  One of the black kittens had to be brought to the vet yesterday.  She fell off of something she had climbed up on Saturday, and was sort of walking funny.  I thought maybe she had a little sprain, or just spooked herself.  I kept an eye on it until yesterday, when she was still favoring her leg, and brought her to the vet.  She has calcivirus.  Boo.  So now I am segregating her, but decided she is so young, and sweet, and cuddly, I couldn't leave her alone, so have put her siblings in with her and am treating them all.  The other kittens - the doctor suspects - are older and their immune system was stronger so didn't catch it.  Its true what they say about mothers milk.  All in all, I am taking precautions.  As if I didn't have enough on my plate.

One day at a time, right?  Have an AWESOME day!

PS, one more look at our Connor boy...  (still waiting on pics of Hermie and Parsley... tap tap tap!)

CONNOR

“My imperfections and failures are as

Much a blessing from God as my

Successes and my talents and I lay

Them both at His feet.”