Wilted Daisy

Yesterday afternoon, I picked Daisy up from the vet after her womanly surgery. She looked soooo sad. Our little ball of energy moped out of the recovery room, gently and consciously taking one step at a time until she made it to me. She may have been happy to see me, but it definitely did not show in her face.

After parading through the guantlet that is the vet waiting room, not even cognizant of the other beasts seeking her attention, she trudged to the truck, careful with every step along the way. I put her in the front passenger seat so I could keep an eye on her, but it wasn't long before she tried to find a way to climb in my lap. She was confused, groogy and probably had to relieve herself, so the ride home was a restless one for her.

Last night our goal was to keep Shadow away from her. Out of compassion and habit, Shadow did sneak in a good ear licking. Daisy did n't seem to mind.

This morning our poor wilting Daisy was still moving very slowly.

Daisy gets deflowered

A few months ago, the boys brought home two stray dogs. Right after I got home that afternoon, both dogs mysteriously escaped. (Hmmm, I wonder how that happened.)

Fortunately (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) the boys were able to recapture one of the dogs. A few hours later her name became Daisy.

I went to the city animal control people to report the dog as found, Sue and the boys searched the neighborhoods for lost dog signs, and after 30 days sojourning with us, Daisy legally became our property.

So we got all her shots updated, had her examined by a veterinarian, and now she is a member of our family, and a favorite wrestling partner of our cripple dog, Shadow.

Today Daisy went to get spayed. I'll pick her up this afternoon, and I can't wait experience our life as we try to keep Daisy calm as the other dogs try to resume their ongoing wrestling match.

In the spirit of Bob Barker I have to include this parting thought,

"Help control the pet population. Have your pets spay or neutered."

Oh! The Possibilities...

I have learned something vitally important about my city:

Chickens are ALLOWED!

Here is the law:

PART II. Chapter 6. Article IV. Sec. 6-105. Fowl.

(a) Generally. The keeping of fowl such as roosters, ducks, turkeys, geese, peacocks, guineas, or other such loud fowl within the city limits, in any pen, coop or enclosure that is within 150 feet of any residence (other than the owner's), business or school shall be prohibited.

(b) Chickens. No person shall keep more than two hens in an area zoned residential within the city, and shall be no closer than 50 feet to the nearest inhabited dwelling, other than that of the owner.

(c) Secure pen or enclosure. Any fowl kept within the city limits shall be in a secure pen, coop or enclosure, and such structure shall be of such construction and strength to keep such animals from running at large.

(d) Exceptions. Public park lands and lakes shall be exempt from the fowl ordinance, as shall property or acreage annexed into the city after January 1, 1999, for a period of 12 months from adoption of an annexation ordinance.

I can't wait to build my chicken coop.

The Cry of the Urban Chicken Farmer!

In the Wall Street Journal, Some City Folk Are Mad as Wet Hens When Chickens Come Home to Roost.


More chickens. This time in the Wall Street Journal.

Urban chicken farmers, unite!
This is your moment!
Free yourself from the tyrrany of mass produced chickens and eggs!
Loose the chains of the mega supermarkets!

Raise your own chickens!

On a related note, the documentary movie Food, Inc. is now out in theaters. Go watch it!

Happy Breakfast

Breakfast often makes me happy, but this is the first time I've experienced the breakfast itself being happy.

From the keen eye of my youngest son:

For the Birds!

I have brought up the subject in my household, of "urban chicken farming" in the past. I think it would be pretty cool to have a bunch of chickens. The fresh eggs, insect control, free fertilizer and hours of tortuous chores, I mean entertainment, for the boys. Who wouldn't want some chickens? My grandparents raised chickens in their back yard for years and they lived in the city. I even have the perfect place for them in the backyard that's already cordoned off so the dogs can't get them.

It seems I'm not alone in this idea. In the Dallas Morning News this morning, Folks in Dallas, elsewhere hatching plans for backyard chicken farms. I probably have a romanticized view of what it means to be an urban chicken farmer. My image is something like this:

There is NO WAY Sue is going to let me have chickens. Something about how I can't take care of the stuff we already have. She'll point to the garage, or the back yard, or how the kids don't like to clean their rooms, or anything other objection she can raise, related or not. So for now urban chicken farming is just a suprious idea floating around in my head. It probably will never amount to much more than that.

Family Vacation (Blackmail) Videos

These videos need no comment:

LILLY'S LEEK DANCE

SISTER DANCE 1

SISTER DANCE 2