Dreaming of Spring Gardening in the Middle of a Wisconsin winter part 2

[Callender Girl]

Jim, I hope I figure out the limit some day. I once spent more than $6,000 at the state university veterinary teaching hospital that was treating my first Keeshond. Holly was a fairly young dog and that bought her about nine more months. I didn't regret a single dollar; she was, as they say in rescue, my heart dog.

Of course, I had a job back then. I'm planning to contact a nearby cat rescue when it opens this afternoon and see if it will take Calypso's kittens. When I was a kid, we used to just feed stray cats that wandered in. But, now I know the dangers of disease and predation -- plus the likelihood of roadkill on a nearby regularly traveled road. Plus, if the cats aren't neutered, the problem just continues.

My day will be shaped by the weather. I need to work outside but there's so much mud.

I'm sure Ollie understands!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Barb, you posted an hour after I went to bed.
cloudy here, we had a good downpour after midnight. 52f at 8 AM.
a friend of mine from Madison area just had her cat to the vet for urinary blockage. $4ooo.oo
not a typo.. then it had to be put down anyway..
there has to be a limit of what people should/will do for pets.. this was not a lap pet, just a friendly ferel that stayed..
don't know what to do first today. I think I will have a cuppa joe..
still haven't had a dry day to ride Ollie..
that sounds gay, doesn't it ? lol

Hopefully they told them how much it would cost before treatment. Veterinarian care is getting more expensive. I'm thankful it's still more reasonable around here. The downside of it they don't have the ability to do certain tests or provide certain treatment. Some dogs I would have sold my soul to save. With their limited lifespan I have to be practical in most instances. Hate having to be practical.

 

[jvls1942]

no sun today. I lit a fire in the shop stove.
with no windows, I have no idea what the conditions are outside.I'm in my own little mini climate.
I moved all of the machines around. even the heavy planer..it gives me more walking space.
I tossed 2 buckets of trash. there will be more.
my plan is, if it isn't a tool, it goes.
anybody need a cockatiel nesting box ?
I also have florescent light fixtures still in the box. I will never use them, I switched to LED

I

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

No windows Jim? That might drive me crazy not being able to see what's going on outside. Did you have a cockatiel Jim? I'm getting out of the house bird business. Unfortunately the parrot will probably outlive me.

Barb how's the kitten situation? Hopefully they have stopped multiplying.

 

[jvls1942]

No windows. when I'm in the shop, I don't care what is going on anywhere else.
a lady caught a cockatiel on her pasture gate.
she didn't want it . so Annie took it. the bird was free, but the cage cost $10.oo
then Annie figured it needed a friend. so she found one. except the people had two and didn't want to let just one go. so now we had three. somewhere along the way Annie found a guy who had some. She went to see if he would take one of hers.
I wasn't along with her, I don't know what transpired. but the guy was a better salesman than a buyer. Annie came home witn about a half dozen more.
long story short, we eventually ended up with 29 birds. some were babies that were born here that she couldn't sell/give away..
we ended up with a few large bird cages and lots of mess. luck was with Annie. she found a lady from Antigo who I suspect was not mentally balanced. the lady took all of the birds.
the pet stores sold cockatiels for almost $100.oo/ea. they would give us only $5.oo/ea. as much as we wanted to get rid of them, we refused such a lopsided deal.
we would rather give them away..
fyi, in case you don't know, cockatiel babies are the exception to "all babies are cute"
they look like hairy grub worms with beaks..
the perfect description of ugly..

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That must of been noisy. I had one cockatiel bought at Wal-Mart back when they sold birds. The screech split my eardrums. They are great little birds otherwise. Probably should have gotten another instead of an Amazon parrot.

So the shop is your secret laboratory Jim?

 

[Callender Girl]

29 birds, Jim? Wow!! Not surprised about the pet store "deal." Many years ago, my then-husband and I had an arrangement with the local Earl May store; we bred a certain kind of cichlids and they would just give us store credit for the ones they "bought" to sell.

It seems the universe wants me to have more critters, even though I'm trying my best to resist.

I didn't buy any goslings at Bomgaars yesterday.

But late in the afternoon, a neighbor -- who works at the local prison -- stopped by with a goose in the covered bed of his pick-up truck. It had flown into the yard at the prison, was tame enough to be easily handled, and Matt asked if I would take it. I said no, put him in touch with the head of the 4-H poultry project and wished him well. If no one offers to take the brown Chinese goose (beautiful bird!), I told him I would if he quarantines it at his place for 30 days. I don't need more vet bills and don't have room for it right now. But I might in a month, right? I'm such a pushover for homeless critters.

Thankfully, we're holding at six kittens. The nearby cat rescue group won't take them because they only take cats from their own county. The president of the group suggested contacting the Fort Dodge shelter (which is overflowing with animals and is holding an empty the shelter event to try to move out some residents) or posting on Facebook. So, for now, I have 12 cats to care for.

Clever Ozzie has figured out how to open the bathroom door. I woke up this morning to find George with one of Ozzie's squeaky toys in his mouth, and Ozzie happily sitting on the bathroom counter beside the door knob. This situation just keeps getting more entertaining.

BTW, I was at Bomgaars to buy PLANTS, not animals. They sell the Chef Jeff veggie plants, and there's usually some heirloom tomatoes among those. I got a few but am saving my pennies and garden space for my trip next week to Seed Savers in Decorah and its annual plant sale.

Today, the friend who is supposed to stop by next week to let out the dogs midday while I'm in Decorah is coming out to get instructions for dealing with all the critters. I hope this goes well!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

If you were closer Barb I'd take a few off your hands. I have 8, so what's a few more. Unfortunately cats are so disposable.

A goose? Chinese are loud. Kinda hope he ends up yours. I have some on order coming in two weeks. I wanted some whites. My 10 want to hatch their own, but I've been picking up the eggs. Maybe next year for them. Now that they seem to be mingling nicely with the rest of my birds they may keep that Fox from coming in my shed.

 

[jvls1942]

somehow I got this picture to work,, I think.
this is the cutting/pastry board that fits tightly onto
the sink. it is about 12" wide x 15 inches long.

 

[Callender Girl]

Lisa, if you were closer I'd be happy to hand off a few felines. As for the goose, I hope it gets a good home SOON. Because if not, I know I will end up with One More Critter -- and I'm pretty full up right now.

I've read that Chinese geese are loud; this one proved that true as Matt was handling it so I could get a good look at the Goose Who Should Not Be Mine. How many more geese did you order, Lisa?

Serious storms here in the early morning hours -- no TV or Internet for a while. So, I'm already fretting about all the outdoor critters; there was still standing water from the last storm. I can't believe after all this rain, we're still in a declared drought.

Jim, the cutting board is LOVELY and congrats on getting the photo to work!