May
Flowers... and Pasture... and Good Surprises!
Things are blooming,
aren't they? Seems like we just mowed our lawn three days ago
- oh - wait... we DID just mow our lawn three days ago, and
last night found my foster son mowing up a storm again! The
mixture of rain and sunshine brings the rapid growth and blooming
of nature all around us, and little surprises, like baby kittens!
If anyone knows
my husband, Craig, they also know he is not overly fond of cats.
Although you will find him twice a day giving subcataneous (under
the skin) injections of fluids to 14 year old Tuffy, our cat,
he would rather have them inside than out. That is why he went
out of his way to construct a "kitty apartment" for
them out in our barn a few years ago - complete with heat lamp
for the cold winters. Well... last weekend we spotted a cat
crossing one of our paddocks towards the neighbor's with a kitten
in her mouth. She hopped up into their little speed boat, dropped
the kitten, and hopped out. I let the neighbor know immediately
that there was a kitten in the boat, and we all went over to
peer over the edge. There were not one, not two, but THREE kittens
in there! To my husband's relief, the mother cat didn't belong
to us. Our neighbor promised to look after the kittens. Unfortunately,
after we left the mother cat was on her way back across the
paddock with another kitten and was attacked by the neighbor's
dog. The dog killed the kitten - the mother cat got away but
we fear she may have been killed in the scurmish. The neighbors
called us - obviously upset - and told us that they had moved
the kittens over to our "kitty apartment" to keep
them safe. I didn't dare tell Craig - he found out for himself
the next day as he was turning horses out and heard their cries.
There are two long-haired and one short-haired black and white
kittens - a great surprise for the little ones Zach and Rachel
- and they are about 4 weeks old. Anyone interested in adopting
a kitten (my husband insists you do!)?
The horses are
happy and healthy and enjoying the salad growing all around
them. We are expecting another shipment of horses soon, so hopefully
you all will consider coming over to see them, groom them, or
just hug them!
I hope you enjoyed
the pictures of my daughter (so many of you ask about the kids)
and the other pictures I have enclosed during the past week.
Chief is also a happy camper, being reunited with Cricket and
the rest of the gang. Janimal enjoyed his first trail ride at
Duck Egg County Park last weekend, and Zach, my six year old,
rode him through many of the trails independently. Janimal loved
the sights and sounds of everything around him, and even crossed
three large creeks without a fuss! He will be a great addition
to our day camp horses this summer. Many of you are also asking
about summer day camps - and the dates for those and times will
be announced as we move closer to the end of the school year.
The availability of added days depends greatly on receipt of
grants we are currently applying for. If you would like to sponsor
a child for day camp on Wednesdays during the summer, please
let me know!! We will add other days besides Wednesday and Saturday
as we are able.
Any response to
the calendar idea would be greatly appreciated... and donations
are still needed to cover recent expenses related to emergency
medical treatments. Donations have slowed down at this point,
but we are offering the extra incentive of a t-shirt or cap
for any donations over $50. Please consider giving! We are also
hoping to purchase a Spiral Wishing Well for use at the race
tracks and/or local Kwik Trip Store. We need businesses who
would be willing to pay $10 a month to advertise on the Wishing
Well so that we are able to afford the retail cost of the well.
Let me know if you are interested in having your name appear
in print on the well for $10 a month!
We need shippers
to haul from Michigan and Indiana to ASAP. Three horses are
waiting for a ride either to Chicago or to Wisconsin. If you
can help, we can reimburse the gas... call Sue at 608-792-5126.
We also need foster homes willing to provide care for horses
for a month at no cost to ASAP. If you are able to provide some
pasture for the horses, contact me. Thanks so much for all you
do. And.......don't forget about the breeding to a Freisian
Stallion from Cinderella Farms in MN that is being offered.
Contact Sue for the opportunity to win this great prize worth
$$$.
Until Next Week,
Take care and have a great Memorial Weekend!
Keep praying for world peace,
Susan
