Puppy Stolen From Tampa Florida Home! $1000 Reward!! Please Help Find Smiley!!!

Smiley an American Pit bull terrier -American Bulldog puppy mix was taken from one of my bestfriend's fenced in Tampa home on 5-12-08/2A.M. You have to be pretty low down and dirty to stoup so low to make a buck! She has been frantically trying to find Smiley a 5 month old male pup weighing around 50lbs. Another pup taken from her was sold within hours to a loving family. Smiley has not been found and she would appreciate anyone with any information on Smiley to contact her. She has been distributing flyers in her area, and surrounding areas, to no avail. Smiley was also my favorite out of the liter, very much resembling the famous dog on "The Little Rascals."

Even though I'm from PA, I am hoping to bring her story to everyone! The more eyes out there peeled the better. She loves Smiley and wants him back and so does the pups mother. A reward of $1,000 has been posted for the safe return of Smiley. If you know of anyone in the Florida area, please pass this along even to the shelters and rescue leagues. She is very concerned because this breed is often portrayed as mean, but it depends strickly on on the owners upbringing. Smiley's breed is often bred, sold, and abused. Please help my best friend find her precious dog Smiley!! Information below, along with her unfortunate story is also posted on her MySpace. Thanks for reading "Literally In The Moment," and being a part of my animal crusade! Information she sent to me on her distributed flyers is here:

Missing Large Puppy – Please Help Bring Smiley Safely Home!
$1,000 Reward + Danny Trejo (bad guy in Con Air and 200 others) will send you a Personally Autographed T-shirt & Picture!
Be a Hero help find “Smiley” APBT mix taken 05/12/08 2am Tampa, FL
White with Black markings, 1 ear, patch by tail, under eyes (like eyeliner)
Male 5 months old on 07/03/08, est. weight 50 lbs 2’+ ft high and growing
The other missing pup was found. Had been sold by Publix on W Hillsborough.
Has a good home near by off Old Memorial Hwy, Tampa, Florida.
If you bought this puppy please Let Us Know he is okay!
Call 813-230-3128 or doglostflorida@yahoo.com or see all info at www.myspace.com/doglostflorida

$2,500 Reward For Dog Fed Glass Abuse!!

As an avid animal lover, a story a couple days ago grabbed my attention. Scooter a mixed breed dog of Mt. Pleasant, Pennsylvania, was deliberately fed glass. An x-ray revealed ground pieces of glass all through the poor dogs digestive system. Owner Maryann Stull is outraged, leaving her dog for four hours in his kennel, while going to a graduation party.

She found blood though her house and in her dogs’ bedding. Thinking Scooter had a bad cut, she took him to Veterinarian, Dr. John O’Laughlin. “This really had to taste good, “ said Dr. O’Laughlin. Glass was found in Scooter’s lungs, stomach, and chest cavity. In addition, Scooter had to undergo stitches for deep cuts to his tongue.

Stull has since set up surveilance cameras, and refuses to leave her dogs outside without supervision. Scooter is still recovering, but may be at risk for future complications.

Anyone with any information on this cruel and intentional act is to call Fayette Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals at 724-438-3121.

Story links and video here:
Reward Offered After Dog Fed Glass
Connellsville dog recovering after fed glass filled burger

Mothers And Daughters ~ A Love Hate Relationship!

As a young toddler, my daughter took temper tantrums. She would scream and throw herself to the ground, when she couldn’t get her own way. Like many parents I wanted to give my baby daughter the best, better than I had. I worked hard to make sure she had nice clothes, the latest toys. Looking back now, I realize that growing up poor made me a better person. I valued life more, looking up to my mother a single parent raising three daughters. We took care of our things, because we didn’t have a whole lot. While momma worked hard to keep a roof over our heads, food on the table, and we respected her deeply for it. We were poor, but very rich in love.

My daughter has never wanted for anything. I’m guilty as charged for supporting her selfishness. Although I’ve tried to instill in her values, which she refuses to accept, I keep on trying. Her early teen years have been a real turning point. With the recent death of my mother, I thought she might grow in maturity. To grasp the frailty of life, a wish maybe that we two could become closer. I couldn’t have been more wrong, we’ve drifted even further apart. Coping with the loss of my mother, and trying to keep my life in prospective. Her “I hate you,” “fuck you,” “die now,” attitude has left my wish in shambles. Giving birth is the easy part. Compared to raising a know it all young teenager, who's still a child in a woman’s body.

Needless to say the tantrums have fallen on deaf ears, and I’ve finally quit catering to her whims. She's now responsible for cleaning her own room, washing her own clothes, and picking up after her lazy self. I’ve also come to the wonderful realization, that my life doesn’t solely revolve around her happiness. She has tried to bring out the worst in me, and it’s not in me to be the ruthless naive teen she is. To her I’m the most wicked uncool mother, but some things are plainly taught not bought. She came up in my face once saying "I’m gona knock you out,” I lifted my hand to her cringing arms and said “Come On!” She may be as big as I am, but I can still kick the tarnation out of her little butt.

There is a silver lining to all the madness, my prodding and yammering has inevitably kept her on the school honor roll. I can take great pride in the fact that I’m raising not only a beautiful, but intelligent smart ass!

Crack The Sky Rock Band Hits Pittsburgh 2008!

Rock Band Crack The Sky will play at the New Hazlett Theater in Pittsburgh next weekend July 19, 2008. We caught Crack The Sky in their "From the Greenhouse 89 Tour." when they came to Pittsburgh, shortly after the release of their album From the Greenhouse. Love this band they have a Pink Floyd like quality, especially in my favorite song From the Greenhouse. The vocals, guitar, and drums carry a euphoric rock excellence, that I’ve always been swept away with. Unfortunately we’re unable to make the concert due to events overlapping in our own area. I’m sure they'll be rocking the house down, and wish I could be there! Lyrics such as these still resonate even today. From an old Crack The Sky fan, here is my favorite song “From The Greenhouse,” still have my old concert T-shirt! Rock On!!



Crack The Sky Website
Crack The Sky History Information

Three days here without rain! Have a nice summer weekend!

My Gardner Snake Buddy!

Living out here in the country, I’ve yet to get used to snakes. I don’t mind sharing my space with all creatures big and small. Yet when my immediate close proximity is invaded by a slithering snake underfoot, I get totally terrified. I gasp and stop my stride in mid air, taking great lengths to avoid stepping on one, even if it’s a small garden snake.

Our garden snakes live and hibernate under our huge cut log wood piles, and are often seen sunning themselves when the weather turns warm. Due to all the rain we’ve had, I’ve found them everywhere including my flowerbeds, by the pool, and in the backyard. Photo of my snake buddy above taken when hanging out clothes in the backyard today, he scared the crap out of me! I'm sure I scared him too, approaching him in my abrupt manner. I keep forgetting he suns himself there! Snakes blend in well with their terrain, and are hard to see until you are almost upon them. He crawled into the dog box and let me get a nice close shot.

The Gartner snake, or garden snake, or gardner snake is a Northern American snake, completely harmless, and typically found in American gardens, which is the origin of it’s name. The garden snake varies in species adapting to many different ecological habitats, on land or in wetlands close to streams. Living in a damp, wooded area, snakes are drawn around our home!

The San Francisco gartner snake in an endangered species, sporting red and orange patterns and a red head. Don Robertson has a wonderful site on these stunning rare snakes.

Gardner snakes eat slugs, earthworms, insects, leeches, lizards, spiders, amphibians, birds, fish, and rodents. Ribbon snakes, mine strongly resembles an Eastern Ribbon Snake not sure exactly what he is, eat small fish, tadpoles, salamanders, small frogs and toads, and insects. They swallow prey whole like many other snakes do! Maybe the reason why our toads have disappeared this season. Ribbon snakes rarely bite, but will emit a foul musk from their anal glands. My husband picked one up not too long ago, and it urinated on him, thus the foul musk!! I love living in the country, I see things here I never saw in the city. I’ve embraced a deep, profound love and respect for all living creatures!

Happy 4th And Have A Rockin Summer!!

The rain remains mainly on PA plains much to my distain!

I can't beelieve it's raining again! We had just two days of sunshine yesterday and the day before. I swear it rained a week before that hard, and we are expecting rain for the next week ~ everyday. I see California is on fire over there, take our rain pleeeeze! We've had enough to put out all your fires! Not to mention all the mud!

Our garden is taking off, we spent almost two days pullin all the weeds which has also overtaken our garden. Mowing the grass in the swamp fields has been just wonderful. Our pool is overflowing, and it has been too cold to swim. Last weekend we had a party for our softball girls, and they did swim in between the rain! For tomorrow the 4th ~60% chance of rain. Don't you love it.??? Oh well, we did relish yesterday! Fun working in the garden, and it was a perfect summer night! Photos of our garden for your perusal:

I had a blast scraping the mud off my shoes when we were done. Our garden is worth it though. We have zucchini, cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, pumpkins, radishes, carrots, beets, green beans, onions, and garlic. My hubby rototilling! A big garden to maintain, we need to lay down some newspaper, or black plastic. The weeds are tremendous, I still didn't get them all! You can see the muddy tractor marks through the yard! Beautiful here in the country, my paradise.! Especially when it's not raining! :0