what’s 4 more?

Good Monday morning! Time for a quick catch-up and yes, a rant. 

The weather lately has been such a relief. Cool days and even cooler nights certainly make the days spent outdoors much more pleasant. 

Today the weather turns back to typical August with several days predicted to be in the mid-90”s. And so it goes - what is that old saying?  Everyone talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it!

Bailey has had her last her injection for heartworm and will be retested in a month - she’s doing well, looking well, and can brag about two stylish shaving spots on her back.

Each morning Nelly comes running to greet her and they walk side-by-side  This warms my heart, Bailey and Azzie were always snuggled together, I’m hoping that she will find in Nelly another friend to curl up with. 

Daisy- you had asked to see pictures of the gals putting together their own shop after the antique Mercantile closed in town. I just took a couple, but it was filled with terrific things!  It’s in a little building next to one of their homes, and I’m hoping they do well. 

August means back to school here, even for college students – so a couple of weeks were spent sorting, packing, and getting ready for university studies. After their sophomore year, students are no longer permitted to live on campus, so my son is sharing a house close to campus with friends. That brings changes - parents could be found moving in furniture, appliances, silverware, dishes, food, and other odds and ends to make them comfortable. We tried to squeeze in fun as well – before loading up the car, we had our traditional first day of school breakfast - McGriddles from McDonald’s!  

We’ve been doing this since elementary school-some things never change. And I’m glad. 

Got him settled in, hugged goodbye, fought back the tears (at least until I drove away) and then made a necessary trip here for a Pink Drink. 

So now it’s back to getting caught up-today I’m making pizza sauce to can and there’s still trips to Goodwill to make from the basement cleaning. 

Now about that rant-

Believe me when I say i know there are a multitude of reasons that people have in their minds - 

Life changes, financial, allergies, impulse buying, escalating cost of care - I get it, but for the life of me, I will never understand why people dump animals alongside the road.

In the many years that we’ve been on the farm, there have been 4 dogs and too many cats to count that have found their way into our lives. My philosophy has always been they are more than welcome to stay: spay and neuter, provide food, shelter and love. For years, the joke has been, “What’s  one more?!”

Sometimes I wonder how they find us, have they been wandering, or did someone leave them here intentionally knowing what my philosophy is. And that’s OK too - although I certainly wish someone would secretly drop off a jersey cow, mini horse or donkey! 

And so my point is-look at this face - 

My daughter and I were on our way into town, when we saw a little black “something” in the road – at first I thought it was a black squirrel - but slowing down, we found that it was a black kitten. We pulled over picked it up walked to the nearest house to make sure someone hadn’t lost it. No one claimed him, then, walking back to the car, three more popped out of the soybean field! We checked a couple of more houses, and then scooped them up and brought them home. Maybe 5 or 6 weeks old – I doubt they would’ve survived long on their own. 

What’s 4 more?!

So now we hear the happy chatter of kittens always ready for breakfast, lunch, and dinner - and being quite vocal about it, but also the cutest little bundles of fur! When they’re old enough, they will be spayed and neutered and join Kipper, Nelly, Tinker Bell, and Barnum as part of the gaggle of barn cats that call this home. 

Here’s the thing, and certainly only my personal opinion:

Dumping an animal is absolutely heartbreaking, cruel, and unnecessary. I will never understand what kind of a heartless person thinks that is OK to do. To leave an animal by the side of the road, unprotected, scared, alone, and then to drive off, not giving them a second thought. Pets are not meant to be tossed away when they have lost their cuteness or when they need a little extra care as they age.

There are so many ways to rehome a pet: ask friends and neighbors, stop in and speak to someone at a vet clinic, ask at a humane, no euthanize shelter, put an ad in the paper, advertise on a neighborhood app, check with people at work. 

And so that is my rant for the day – shaking my head, I will never, ever understand. 

Rant concluded. If you’re still reading, thanks for letting me vent. 

Now it’s time for me to start making that pizza sauce and there are Fuji apples that need picking!