New Additions

It's been rather quiet around here the last couple days. The snow is starting to melt and it's all slush, muddy spots, & icey patches. Happy January, right?

For Christmas I go a new set of pots and pans from my mom- all black with colorful butterflies. I am determined to keep them meat-free, but haven't found the inspiration to break them out yet. It's coming, but I have barely felt like even cooking lately. Their time will come.

Most of the excitement around our house has been the arrival of a new puppy. She's a black lab mix & spends her time sleeping or chasing around the other dogs. At just over six weeks she is already bigger than my elderly pom. He tolerates her in his typical way; unconcerned, as long as she isn't laying on top of him. Our dogs really are a part of our family and serve as a constant reminder that I have chosen the right lifestyle and diet. We have three now (my sister has another two). Two are shelter dogs; my 4 lb. mini pomeranian (who is about11-13 yrs old) and our bull boxer (originally said to be a boxer/beagle mix when we brought him home). The newest addition is the first girl dog I think we have ever had and the product of a golden retriever mix farm dog who spent some time with a neightbor's pure black lab. She cuddles and chases the bull boxer. It's amusing for me to watch my brothers melt over her, clicking pictures and taking turns cuddling with her.

We have always been an animal family. Hamsters, birds, a guinie pig, and couple of rabbits, a couple of goats, 2-3 frogs, and cats. What is strange to me is that growing up we were always a cat family, starting with a stray runt born in our garage that couldn't keep up with his mother and siblings. He was so small when we found him that he had to be fed soaking a peice of rag in milk and letting him suckle. After him there were years without a cat or anything until one December my sister brought home a bischon puppy. Between my siblings and I, we are now up to five dogs and two cats, mostly rescues. I can't imagine not having them in our lives. Sometimes I hear stories though and I wonder how people can possibly hurt this beautiful, loving companions that enrich our lives so completely. My pom was abused and it took him and I years to work on undoing some of the damage. He's missing all of his front teeth now and his eyesight is going, but I'm glad to know that for the last six years he has a comfortable and sometimes spoiled existance.

"Would you kill your pet dog or cat to eat it? How about an animal you're not emotionally attached to? Is the thought of slaughtering a cow or chicken or pig with your own hands too much to handle? Instead, would hiring a hit-man to do teh job give you enough distance from the emotional discomfort? What animal did you put a contract out on for you supper last night? Did you make sure that none went to waste and to take a moment to be grateful for its sacrifice?" -- Anonymous