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!