Another loss...Brute Man

At my parents house My dogs that had been born there have always stayed there with their mother whom past last Dec. Today one of her pups past. He was at least 10 years old. He was my baby. His name is Brute. I will really miss seeing his happy face greet me at the door every time I go to my parents house. He was a great companion and member of our family. He will be greatly missed. we love you Brute Man!!!!

CHICKENS!!!!

I have been looking forwards to getting chickens for a few years now. It was never the right time and so we kept putting it off. But this year it was the right time. I have brought my babies home and have now had them for 5 days. Their personalities are ever growing and ever amusing. I can't help but see how they change daily and can't wait to see whats new tomorrow. Chickens are so lovely. They have more personality then I could have ever imagined. I can't wait to see them outside chasing bugs and scratching the dirt. They are awesome. We brought home 8. We know 3 are girls the rest we have no idea yet... So I have not named them. Some other them have personality treats that I can guess are pullet or cockeral.... but only time will tell. I also don't know what breed they are. But I will write a little about each chick. This is the pictures of the first 7 days that we have had them.

Isis- One of our Pullets. I think she is a Leghorn, Delaware, White Rock. She is growing wing feathers very quickly and also has some tail feather sprouts. He personality shines through. She is the first to try everything. She was also the first to kinda be a bully. She I think she will be the top of the peaking order. So I gave her the name Isis.. which means "she of the throne".


Gaia- Another of our Pullets. I think she is a Buff Orpington. She has been a very she girl for the first 3 days but is now starting to show a little more personality. She is a soft orange and a little darker orange mix. And is very pretty. She is soft spoken and really just likes to bask in the warm light. But she gets up and plays with all the others too. She is coming around to us now but on day 2 she had a pasty butt and had to be soaked. So she is a little more put off by us. She is getting her feathers a little slower. But she will squabble with Isis and the Yellow/Araucana chick too.

This little Chick we don't know if he is a cockerel or pullet. We think he is either a Araucana or Americana. He was the 2nd to jump up on our hand. He has an out going personalty like Isis and they kinda squabble a little. If one is sitting on us and the other wants to one will knock the other off. His wing feathers are coming in and he has a good amount today. He is one of our out going chicks. We also had to soak his little but one the 1st or 2nd day. He scared me because I didn't know chicks had belly buttons. His belly button still had a scab on it that night and I really thought something was wrong. So I came out and goggled Chicks belly button and figured out they do have them. But I also read about chicks getting belly button infections and a disease called mushy chick disease which scared me to death. So we put some Anti biotic ointment on it and he seems to be doing great. he is also the only chick who doesn't have a single comb sprout but a more round rose comb which really makes me think he is an Araucana.

This next lil chick again we don't know if he is a cockeral or pullet. He is a red island red. He is very shy. But I think that is because he had a pasty but on day 2 or 3 and I had to soak his but to get it off. So he really doesn't like to be handled still. But he likes to look up sideways. He does this more then any of the chicks. He has the cutest beak. It is half red and half yellow. His wing feathers are coming in kinda slow.


This chick we think might be a Cockerel just because he is the only one who stand like this. Every time we pick him up this is how he stands. It is very cute and funny. He has wing tip feathers. But not many more. He likes to jump up on our hand every so often. But he likes to make himself very tall and stick his had way up and look around very often. He is one of our out going chicks. We think he is a barred rock, dominique, or a americana.. I am leaning more toward dominique.

Mabon- The other Pullet that we know of. She is a little shy but is coming around and will now jump on our hands ever so often. She might be getting a little white bud on her wing feathers which are coming in kinda slow. She was all black when we first brought her home though. She was the only all black pullet they had. So I had to bring her home. She did put up a fight though. They really had to chase her to catch her. But she is very lovely. We think she is a black star or black sexton.



We also brought home 3 Bantoms. I was wonting some silkies. But the two I picked where not silkies. Silkies have 5 toes and our only have 4. But they are cute and we love them. We don't know the sex of either feather footers. They are really pretty. It is now becoming apparent just how small they are compared to the normal sized chickens. They both have single combs as far as I can tell. I think they are Cochins or Brahams.

This little brown chick is super cute. He is very she. The night we brought them home he had a pasty bottom and had to be soaked. Then we had to soak his bottom again yesterday. But he is doing good. Very shy though. I guess I can't blame him. He has been here 4 days and has been soaked 2 times. His feathers are coming in pretty fast on his wings. Next to Isis he is the most feathers.

This little chick is coming out of his shell....lol.. he is coming around to us more now. He hasn't had to have any soaks but he was very shy. In the last day he has started getting closer to us and even jumped on Johns hand yesterday. He is getting his feathers alot slower then the brown bantum.

But like I said above everyones personality is growing. Last night I was watching them play with a piece of lettuce. One chick would grab it and run like they were playing touch foot ball or something. It was awesome to watch. They also like to run across there enclosure and flap there wings like they are trying to learn to fly. That is great to watch too. They also play like leap frog or something. But like surprise leap frog... One will be standing there and laying and surprise another will land right on top of the other. You will here a chirp from the one who got landed on and a chirp from the one who did the landing. They are full of energy. I have started introducing veggies. They have had lettuce, tomato, & potato skin. I Have also given them apple. They seem very interested in all of it. I think I am going to try orange and kale tonight. We are also getting them organic chicken feed which we have to special order from tractor supply co. It is the Blue Seal brand. It is $28.99 a bag right now. So it is about double the price of regular. But I want them to be healthy and not a ton of extra additives being added to their food. But I will update on everything to do with them. I am so happy to have them in our lives. I will also put up brooding info, disease, foods.. I might start a chicken blog actually... as soon as I come up with a good name!!!

Moejo Handsome

We have brought a new baby into our lives. Not so much a baby.. But a one year old neutered Tabby mix. He is so sweet and gorgeous. I fell in love with him as soon as I seen him. I was out by myself one day in Morgantown. Stopped by Petco to get some food for the animals and found 1 little kitty waiting to be adopted from Friends of the four legged and furry... I feel for him.. He would come over and lick my fingers and rub up against me. So I called John and told him. He was at work. He didn't even blink and said ok. Which is kinda uncharacteristic of him. Considering we already have so many animals sharing our home. We have never taken in an adult cat. We have always took in kittens that we have found around our area in need of a home. I called John and had him call the Preston Co. Humane Society which was the cats original place. He had been placed in another smalled adoption group. So my husband tracked done all of that info and called and talked to them. They were really nice. They are a new adoption group and are stilling growing. We desided to think it over for the night and the next day I had to go to Morgantown to see my baby. So John and I left early went and seen him then went to eat. We descused it a little more then I finally called Fotflaf. A couple hours later they met us at Petcos adoption center and we brought our baby home. There was an $85.00 for. But it covered his neuter, vaccinations, Leukemia/ AIDS test, etc. The night before we brought him home we had decided we was going to call him Mojo. Which we found out was kinda funny the next day because they had been calling him Moe Handsome. So his Offical Name Turned into Moejo Handsome. We call him Moejo....

For the most part he is getting along with most of the other animals. Romeo, which is the kitty who takes up to everyone was of course the first cat we introduced to Moejo. They hit it off well. Storm & Dewy are doing good. And Beltane for the most part is pretty good. But Copper on the other hand is taking some time. He is grumpy and kinda has a habit of chasing Moejo Down. So we have to watch them pretty close. The dogs actually we were kinda worried about. Sophie would look through the cage and twist her head to the side like... hmmm.... a new play toy and this one moves!!!! But all in all the dogs have done great with him. And he has taken to our home, the animals , and us very quickly. He even played with us the first night we brought him home. We have yet to really introduce him to the ferrets though. He looks at them like they are moving food.. so..

Some more catch up!!!! Food

Whole Wheat Cous Cous Mix- Neither of us liked this!



















Trader Joes pasta mix w/ White bean sauce & Spinach














Brussels from Vegan Lunch box, w/ soyrizo which we later mixed into the roads end vegan mac














Another Shepards Pie.. This one was awesome!!!!!


































Pasta w/ Vodka sauce & vegan Garlic bread



















Mushroom Sammies














This Vegan StrawBerry Tofutti Cream cheese icing cake was made for Mine & Johns 7th year together!