Early Spring Flower Photos

The delicate Crocus is one of my favorite Spring flowers. Crocus flowers have been blooming everywhere here. I picked this purple and white beauty one evening walking Sierra. This crocus was blooming along a creek near a huge maple tree. I put the crocus in the leaves of my poppy plant, which is also coming along soon! I love the fine lines on the petals!


First daffodil has graced my flower bed with white petals and yellow center! Great to have flowers which come back on their own every year!



More yellow growing by our pool. Nice too see yellow and green after our long cold, snowy Winter! I've many tulips, lilies, dianthus, and poppies coming! I can't wait for them to bloom. What Spring flowers are blooming in your area! The baby bunny in my header I took late Spring last year! I was surprised how close the bunny let me come, to get this great shot!

Our Newest Critter ~ Possum or Opossum Photos!

Living out here in the country has many advantages, but also some disadvantages. My husband has a business, and over our long cold Winter he's had some critter guests move in underneath the trailer building. My husband was especially concerned about a skunk who has been spreading his lovely perfume everytime someone walks near the trailer. The skunk smell is literally coming up through the floor inside the building!

So needless to say my honey went out and purchased a humane cage to trap the skunk! He didn't realize that there were also Possums living under there too. So far he's caught a feral cat twice and two possums. The photo above is the second possum he caught, the first one was smaller possibly the spouse or baby to this one! The other critters were caught with food bait, but this guy just wondered in on it's own, maybe smelling it's buddy from the day before!

I approached the cage with caution, and this cute thing was sleeping like a baby. He wasn't even a bit concerned at my presence! He was just so cute sleeping there, I almost wanted to pet him, but didn't dare!


The possum was not at all pleased to be awakened from his deep nap! My husband had tied a rope to the cage to pull the cage out. The possum was growling and hissing not happy to see us at all! I told my husband to release him in the same spot as the other one, just in case they were related!

I'm always putting everything together as lovers, family, kids, even when it comes to animals! The possum was banging his head and nose against the cage, especially when the truck started moving. He bloodied his nose a bit trying to escape!


We relocated our big possum buddy in a nice wooded area, where the other one was released the day before. I was very apprehensive to get too close, as these are wild animals and you never know what they'll do. At least he was free and not a nuisance to our close home area! Still no sign of that dang skunk, but you can sure smell him! I've since quit feeding the feral cats near my home, because I don't want to attract other wild animals!


On another note the weather has finally broken here in Pennslyvania. The big snowmelt, and rain of last week is but a memory. A chance to dry out we're having the most beautiful early Spring weather after the hardest of Winters in many years. As I said we ran out of wood, and had an electric bill of $240.00 last month. I know my sister paid over $600.00 for her electric bill this cold Winter! We cut a lot of wood last Fall, but ran out due to the coldest of Winters. I was pissed that we had other logs, but they were buried under over 20 feet of snow!

So now we've a break in the Weather I've been bugging my husband to cut some wood. Above is the first pile I stacked today. The sun feels wonderful and it's a great way to work off some Winter weight! At least we'll have some ready to burn, in case the weather turns cold once again. I wouldn't put it past this global warming!

One last note, I've been following the Tiger Ranch story for almost two years now. Yesterday Linda Bruno was back in court again. with allegations that she violated terms of her probation. Just when you think it's over, the saga continues on! They were saying that the Defend Tiger Ranch site was soliciting for cat litter, and T-shirts. The website was taken down as of last night!

Linda Bruno is to have no contact with animals, and is said to still have two horses and not paid any of her restitution. Her lawyers say Linda wasn't aware of any wrong doing. There's still much controversy for and against this case. I'm still receiving comments on my Tiger Ranch posts from the past, read all the controversial comments and my Tiger Ranch posts!

To be continued another court date is scheduled for May!

Edie Poodle Dog Rescued In Her Last Hour! Edie's Video Will Inspire Your Heart!

Edie's video is a must see, and be sure you grab a kleenex!! If you're an animal lover you'll be inspired by Edie and her rescuers. Millions of shelter dogs are euthanized every day, most are evaluated and judged to be put down by their indifferent behavior. Edie a poodle dog, was to be put down because of her defensive behavior. Eddie was rescued an hour before she was to be euthanized.

Edie appeared scared, cautious, and her fur was terribly matted! You'll be amazed at what a little love, perseverance, and patience brings out in poor Edie. Her rescue is captured in video by rescuers Eldad Hagar and Bronwyne Mirkovich! Eldad Hagar is the founder of Hope For Paws Animal Rescue Organization. Eldad and Bronwyne shot this video to create awareness of sheltered animals all across the world.

Most of these dogs are frightened and defenseless creatures, often thrust in a new and totally different environment. On many occasions the dogs are dropped off at shelters by owners, who just simply don't want them anymore. The dogs are taken from a familiar enviroment and thrown into a strange new place coming in contact with strangers.

How would we feel to be taken from our home, and put into a jail like setting? How would we be expected to act? Others come from abusive homes, and don't know whether to trust another human again! Majority of shelters are overcrowded and understaffed. Many shelters do the best they can. Yet if they could just take that extra time to evaluate new animal arrivals, it could save a sweet life like Edie's. How many Edies are passed over, simply because the dogs are plain scared, and need a hug to know it's ok!

I've had the pleasure of meeting animal lovers, rescuers, shelters, and animal groups on facebook, along with featuring Dogs on Death Row here on my blog! Hope For Paws Animal Rescue is trying to make a difference, one animal at a time. The animal crusade goes on everyday, and there are thousands just like Edie who are desperately waiting for just one more chance, and a little human compassion!

View all Eldad Hagar's videos, they speak a thousand words in the faces and demeanor of the dogs. The videos will leave you speechless, victorious, and full of animal inspiration!

Become an Avian Advocate!

Have you ever heard the smack of a bird flying into your window? Spring migration season is upon us, and birds will soon be making their way Northward! A billion birds have a collision with windowpanes every year. The Wisconsin Humane Society with help from the Jeff Rusinow Family Foundation, are giving away Window clings.

To help with the prevention of birds flying into your home or office, these Window Alert clings will be available free from March 1, 2010 - April 30, 2010 while supples last! Order your free window alert clings on the Wisconsin Humane Society website, and read more about how you can help birds flying toward lighted buidings at night.

Read the story about Peabody, a white throated sparrow who collided with a lighted building. Learn how you can help in the prevention of bird collisions in your home, workplace, and protect birds at night all on the Wisconsin Humane Society Website.

I love to hear the songbirds in my front and backyards, bringing back life to the world around us. Now the snow is finally slowly melting, and I know the birds will be back in no time to build their nests. The hawks like the one in my photo above will be returning to our woods to roost!

Now if I could only keep those pesky blue and red birds from fighting their own reflections on our car and truck mirrors parked outside our home! We use small rags to cover our mirrors, otherwise they scratch the mirrors up!

Dried Tulips Resemble Asian Flair

Within

Time strips life from us
Our true beauty still remains
If we search within

©Jo A. T. B.

We still have a lot of snow here on the countrysides of PA. We ran out of wood last weekend! It's melting slowly, and has finally stopped snowing! My Valentine tulips however are fading beautifully. They resemble Asian flowers now, taking on a whole different perspective.

I played around and added some backround color. Haven't had much time to dable in my manipulative photo art. Too many things going on at one time! Hope you like my haiku! We're headed for a meltdown the end of the week! Stay warm and Literally In The Moment!

Desperately Seeking Spring ~ Valentine Red Tulip Photos 2010!

Hoping everyone had a good Valentine's Day. My Sweet Valentine of many moons presented me with a beautiful red tulip plant pictured above. He included a nice cat card, and my favorite chocolates ~ dark chocolate M&M's, and Hershey's special dark chocolate kisses. I've been basking in dark chocolate Heaven since, and gazing into my deep red tulips pining for Spring! Dang he still loves me!

Along with many Pennsylvanians I'm more than ready for an early Spring, wishing for mild Winters we're accustomed to here! We're expecting 4-6 inches today and tomorrow on top of the almost 3ft of snow we already have since the blizzard of Feb 6, 2010, and it's snowed everyday since! Snow keeps freezing into ice as temperatures remain in the teens, and roads and sidewalks remain very slick! I'm glad to have my silky Cuddl Duds, and Land's End winter boots. We've put our winter clothing to very good use in this record breaking snow and cold, in fact this is the 2nd snowiest snowfall per month in history!

The snowy weather is taking it's toll on everything and everyone! Our snowplow is broken, moving icey snow in piles of up to 4ft -5ft. Our huge wood pile stock is almost depleted, and we'll be lucky to burn what we have the rest of this week! The artic blast has continued for almost two months, leaving many folks with high heating and electric bills. Snow piled on homes and buildings are on the verge of collapsing, and our schools were closed all last week! Mail and garbage pick up has been delayed, boo hoo!



I think red tulips are as pretty as red roses! I looked high and low in search of the perfect backround for these lovelies, and it finally dawned on me the snow on my front patio! The light contrast of white snow against bright red tulips was so captivating!

On the bright side, Spring is almost on the horizon hopefully only a month away! I'm longing to see my gorgeous tulips growing around my home! When my tulip plant fades, I'll save the bulbs to plant in my flower garden in the Fall. Aren't these red beauties just stunning? I'll be admiring them for awhile!

My camera is up and running for the moment thank goodness! Thanks for visiting, keep safe, and stay ~ Literally In The Moment! xo xo xo ~

Fourth Largest Blizzard Blasts Pennsylvania Region ~ Cool Record Snowfall Photos Feb 6, 2010!

We're still digging out from the 4th largest snow storm in history, which hit Pennsylvania and many other boardering states Febuary 5, & 6th 2010! I measured 20 inches of snow here in the country and notice the amount on my snow gage patio table pictured above! The storm has literally paralyzed cities, here in our region!

I like many other Pennsylvanians had already hit the grocery stores, as soon as we heard of a storm coming. I did my grocery last Thursday, and my store was absolutely packed, and of course the two day meat sale was going on! When a storm is remotely imminent Pennsylvanians hit grocery stores first, and many store shelves are almost cleared bear. We're always well prepared to be hunkered down, and for good reason as many roads are still impassable!



Plowing our driveway of almost 2 feet of snow was a feat in itself. Our friend had his utility truck stuck in the icey slush which was underneath the piled up snow! Took two trucks to pull his truck out, which was a very common occurance all across residential, and state roads. In fact they called for a state of disaster and in many counties including ours, where only emergency personnel and workers were allowed to drive on public roads! Anyone caught driving would pay a hefty fine! We remain in state of emergency as I type this post!



I call these my weeping pines. Alot of the snow had already fallen from these babies! Hundreds of trees in surrounding cities were pushed beyond their brink with snow, and downed thousands of powerlines. Some folks were under water conservation, because waterplants had no power! There're thousands of people without power in our county and counties statewide! We were fortunate to have all our power and utilites in working order!



The snow piled up and was blown to almost the height of our 5 ft fence. The snow was so deep I had to take the photo from the side of our house! Snow is above knee deep in most areas!



The tree above bending all the way down to the ground on the road behind our home! The snow this time around was a heavy wet snow! We only shoveled the back entrance to our home, which was backbreaking enough. I'm still sore from lifting heavy shovelfuls of snow! I tried to build a snowman, but the snow would not pack together!



I took a brisk walk after we finished our driveway and sidewalk! All my neighbors were digging out! I came to the tunnel at the end of our road and shot my photo ~" snow tunnel vision!" Isn't it gorgeous! I love walking here, becoming one with all the tranquility. The sun graced us with her beautiful presence on this gloomy day!



Snow piled along the road up to 3 and 4ft with a glaze of icy slush beneath! Reminded me of driving up to the Laurel Mountains a couple weeks ago! Trees majestically filled in with layers of snowfall, giving the landscape a whole new vision of beauty. The white snow adds more definition and dimension to bare tree limbs!



Our tree with the child swing was picture perfect when I made my way back home. Sun hitting the treetops and the sky turning a stunning blue! The fallen snow also had a pretty blue tint to it!



A fun one for all you basketball players this is my "Snow Dunk," photo! Gave me a smile as I walked beneath it!




My honey on the roof was worried about the amount of weight stressing our roof! He decided to do this after we shoveled off the sidewalk! So gave me more shoveling to do! Check out the guy and the blue sky! The last time we had a snowstorm like this one was in March of 1993.

The last photo here is my favorite I call "Snowlimbs," I took on the way back from my walk as the sunbeams lit the light blue sky. Chunks of snow were falling off everywhere from everything! I find beauty in everyday, it's all right before my eyes!

Everyone was in a rush to get their plowing done, our temps went down in single digits last night with windchills of zero. Another storm is only a couple days away, and we're going to be in the arctic blast for some time! All this wonderful mess is hard frozen now!

My camera is on the verge not sure what the problem is, may have to beg hubby for a new one for my birthday at the end of the month! I've taken hundreds of pictures, so my camera has done very well. I genuinely wore it out!

Hope you enjoyed the visual world through my eyes! Thanks for stopping by! Until next time stay warm, safe, and Literally In The Moment! xxoo ~ Jo