Showing posts with label Pets. Show all posts

Artificial Nest

As soon as my friends on Facebook caught a news story of the local Carolina Waterfowl Rescue needing help from crochet and knitters, they started sending me messages. I sort of felt special that so many people remember that I like to crochet.

As soon as I read the article from the news, I was interested. I contacted them to confirm and make sure they were still needing little nest. I know how places can get an overwhelming amount of support from caring people.

Every year I choose something to donate my talent too. I always feel like God gave me the gift of crochet, so this is my way of giving back. Once, I crocheted fifty tiny baby hats for an orphanage in Haiti. I have also donated crocheted baby hats to local hospitals for their preemies. Last year I donated a box of red hats for "Little Hats, Big Hearts". It's a charity that provides resources and raises awareness about congenital heart defects and hospitals all around give each baby born in February a little red hat to wear. Here is the post.

So I was happy to find something else to donate too. The waterfowl rescue is reaching out to crocheters and knitters to supply them with some artificial nest for tiny birds they rescue. I found some wool yarn at the dollar store and thought it was perfect for this project as it was a natural fiber and natural colors.


I am allergic to wool so I have never made anything with wool fiber but I could not resist. Fortunately, the wool did not irritate me at all while making these. The texture is cotton soft but the structure is hard and stiff. Like a rug. 


They are not made perfect and even have a few flaws, but I think that adds to the nature of the purpose. They only asked that the nest be crocheted using two strands of yarn and stitched tight so the little bird legs would not fall through the holes. I whipped these up in just a few hours and shipped them to their location. I hope they can be of use.


Looking at these make me think of little nesting bowls. Well, that's exactly what they are.


If you crochet and would like to help. Click HERE.



Loui

Meet Loui.


Loui lives in my window shutters. Every year he comes out of hiding and spends the summers working for me. 
He is my bug catcher. 

I had a little scare this Winter. I saw a cold stiff lizard in my carport. It was around the same time I read about lizards dropping from trees in the cooler temperatures as if they were dead, but not really. I even read on The ShipsLog (I think) where he warmed a lizard up and got it mobile again. Maybe he can confirm that in his comment.  

So what did I do? Promise not to laugh? 
Well, I actually warmed an old wash cloth in the dryer, went outside and picked up the stiff lizard, wrapped in the warm rag and put him in a safe place under the carport. I was hoping it would come back alive.

It never did. After a week, I placed him in a little sandwich bag and threw him in the trash just in time for the trash man to dump him in the big truck and off they went. I was sad. I thought it was Loui. 

I got a text the other day. Nick said “Loui is back!”. I was so excited. 

I’m still not sure if the dead one was the original Loui or his brother but they all are named Loui so I guess it don’t matter.

When I come home from work, I walk up to the window and say “Loui Loui” and the little guy will actually leave his work station and walk down close to meet me as he lets out a big yawn. He is not shy. 

I’m sure the neighbors think I'm a crazy woman. From their view, it looks like I’m standing there talking to the bricks. So, I now go inside and open the window and we talk through the screen. 

Weekend at the Beach

Nick and I took a little trip to the beach this past weekend. We kept putting it off while watching the weather. We wanted to go when it was gonna be sunny and warm. We did not make our final decision to go until Wednesday. So Thursday I worked half a day, then we took off on a four hour drive to the coast.

It was St. Patricks Day weekend with lots of festivals, car shows and parades around. We didn’t go to any though. Nick is not a fan of being in crowds. If we have to fight for a parking spot or bumping shoulders to hear a band, we will turn around and leave. So we just stayed in the campground and enjoyed the little peek of sunshine on the beach.


Here are a couple cars we passed on our walk. We saw many old cars everywhere we went because there was a big car show going on in the heart of Myrtle Beach. We also passed many of them on the highway on our way home as they were heading out.





The campground did have a golf cart parade on St. Patricks Day. We were sun bathing when I seen them riding by. I jumped up from my beach chair and ran across the dune to catch a shot of them as they passed by. I barely got there in time. 
“Don't blink or you'll miss it”. 


We had a pretty good time even though the wind made the 72 temperatures feel like 42. 
We took some long walks, went out to dinner and relaxed some on the beach. 

Then this happened. 


Yes this was a pig on the beach. This guy walked his pig every day.  It was hilarious and everyone would stop and stare or walk up and pet it. 

For the record, Here are a few things you do not say when you see a pig on the beach:
“Wow, what a ham!”
“I smell bacon”
“We are having a BBQ, want to come?”
“You can come early”
“Make sure the pig is dressed”

Ok, I know you animal lovers out there do not think any of that is funny but we had fun joking about it all weekend. The pig didn’t seem to mind. His little tail wagged and a smile was always on it’s face. 

The weekend was too short and now its back to work. We will not be going back again until May. I sure hope its a lot warmer then so we really can have a BBQ. 





I'm Not a Dog Hater

I was called a dog hater the other day. This kinda pissed me off actually. It was said after I refused to take home a stray pit bull. Are you kidding me? OK before you start the "pit bulls are sweet" lecture, Let me just say, I know too many incidents where a very sweet loving dog chewed someone up regardless of what kind it is. So Lets keep those comments to yourself. I'm not dog prejudice.

I have been called a dog hater by others before too.

I do not hate dogs. I love dogs. I like to watch them play, and I like to hug and pet them and when I get my hands on one, Its hard to put it down,  But I choose not to own one.

I have my reasons.

1. My daughter has a real bad allergy to pets. She can stand being around them for a few minutes but then she turns into a sneezy snot machine. If a dog licks her skin, it will break out. I have allergies to them too but not as bad. I just feel like bugs are crawling all over me after I play with one.

2. I do not want the responsibility of finding someone to care for it when I go on a trip. I like my husband and me time alone.

3. Vet bills. Yes these can get expensive and I can't even afford my own doctor bills much less a pet.

4. They smell. I do not care how clean you say your pet is, they stink.

5. They die, then your heart broken. Face it. They do not live as long as humans. It happens.

Does this make me a pet hater? Why would I be labeled this?

Maybe its the look on my face when I see a pet owners dog slobber on their chair. Or that a dog licks itself then gives them a big snoopy kiss on the face. Yuk!

Because I do not like the way they smell and the allergic reaction my daughter has to them, I wish not to sit beside one at a restaurant. If I move, people will call me a dog hater and I'm shamed!!!! This bothers me too.
They do not get it. Is it really becoming a dog world?

I saw a dog in a grocery cart at Walmart the other day. Eeeesh. Though this grosses me out, I can't say anything or I'd be called a dog hater and shamed once again. But I really do not want my food packages to sit where I dog has been.

Sadly, this cartoon is how a lot of people feel. Its ridiculous.

At a family dinner, my family knows the reaction my daughter has with pets, and they still will bring their dogs to dinner. Then they hold them at the table, play with them and then handle the food!!!!!!! They also stink and I really do not want to smell it at the dinner table. No one notices the problem here since they all have a pet. They are used to it. My family of three are not even respected a little on this issue. I'm pretty sure all the act is on purpose.

I'm out numbered and can't say anything. Besides, its not my home. I have to just grit my teeth and hope for the dinner to end quickly and hope my sister doesn't start squeeking that toy! over and over and over.

Do I sound like a dog hater????
I grew up with a dog. But it was treated like a dog. It was loved, petted, talked to, played with and spoiled rotten but it was not treated like a child. It did not get to sit in the chair at the table or the front seat of the car. It did not wear a tutu or pajamas or get to go shopping with me.

Maybe I'm just being an old fart. But I'm not a dog hater.

For the record: 
If I had a pet dog , I would want a Boxer. Those are my favorite.
If I had a cat, I would want a Blue Scottish Fold. I love those!
I also like guinea pigs, and always wanted one of those too.
Sadly my situations prevent me from either.











Crochet Pet Leg Warmers

It all started when my sister texted me a photo of her dog wearing a pair of baby socks. She thought it was so funny. In return, I sent her a picture of a funny dog wearing a pair of knitted leg warmers.

After we both had a chuckle, she asked if I could crochet her dog a pair of leg warmers. "I suppose I could", I said. She gave me the approximate size of her dogs legs and I told her I'd see what I could do.

Before I knew it, I had created a pair of leg warmers. I laughed at them for a minute because I think its rather silly how people dress their pets, but Im pretty sure I'd do the same thing if I had one . All I have is a fish and I'd make him something if he'd wear it but he would just get it wet and then it would be ruined....Ok that wasn't funny but, I do love my pet.

She asked me to make her four but most pet leg warmers are just worn on the front legs because the back legs are so curvy and used for ear scratching and such.

I liked the way they turned out. Here is her Shiz Tzu modeling the pair I made for her. I think she likes them.
 

They were so fun to make that I made a pair or two for my shop. If you cant crochet and would like a pair, just let visit my Etsy shop and let me know what color and size. If you can crochet and would like to make a pair for yourself, then im sharing my pattern for you today.



DOG LEG WARMERS
(Make 2)
chain 4
Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc next 2 (3), ch1 turn
Row 2: sc across (back loop only) (3) ch 1 turn.
Row 3-11: repeat row 2, ch 1 turn
Row 12: repeat row 2, ch 1 but don't turn.
Row 13: sc each stitch down the ribbed band. (12) ch 3 turn.
Row 14: dc in each sc (12) ch 3 turn.
Row 15-18: Repeat row 14. Finish off at end of this row and leave enough yarn to seam together.

Seam the legwarmer together and turn right side out.
That's it.
You can make them as long and wide as you need by adding more or less stitches to the ribbing and length.

You are welcome to sale what you make with my pattern but please link back to my post. Please do not sale my pattern. Id also love to read any comments from those who tried my pattern out.

I've shared this at:
inspire-me-monday at create-with-joy
tuesday-pin-spiration-link-party at thestitchinmommy
judyscardmakingandpapercrafts
link-and-share-wednesday at oombawkadesigncrochet