Helping Helo

I'm sure you have all heard about Helo, the poor husky who was allegedly involved in the death of a baby in McKeesport. The newspapers and television are plastered with the beautiful dog, who has become a scapegoat for the mother's neglectfulness. He was adopted out to a wonderful new family, and then taken away again per instructions from the  Allegheny County District Attorney, and sentenced to DEATH.  An appeal is in the process, but he needs our help. Helo is NOT to blame for this tragic event; Here are the primary reasons why:


1.) He has a broken leg, and was being denied veterinary attention. Instead of  having the leg properly set by a professional, it was being restrained in some sort of home made sling. This is pure NEGLECT. Any animal who is in pain is likely to be touchy, and may overreact to provocation.


2.) Helo was not being fed properly, and appears to be very skinny. Huskies are natural hunters, and the baby probably sounded like a small animal to Helo. He didn't know any better, and was simply following his instincts to obtain nourishment.


3.) Helo was new to the household, since he was purchased by the baby's mother only a month before the incident. The woman had several other dogs, so as the newcomer, it is very likely Helo was at the bottom of the pecking order. Becoming part of an established "pack" is difficult for dogs, and is certainly no time to bring a baby into the mix.


4.)Helo did not chase anyone down. The baby was laying exposed on the floor, like a squeaky toy. There was only ONE set of bite marks, verifying that Helo was not trying to rip the baby to pieces. Once he realized the baby was not a toy, he backed off.


5.) There are new reports coming out that at his own home, Helo was given a naked baby doll to play with as a toy. Hmmm...no wonder the poor boy was confused!


 I could go on, but PLEASE check out the Facebook page, Helping Helo, for up to date information on this case. You can make donations, check on the case's status, or offer other means of support to Helo's cause.


I already wrote a letter to the D.A., and am planning to protest if needed.


Please sign this petition as well. We have soo many signatures, which is wonderful, but we need as many as we can get. Your signature DOES matter.

We love you, Helo!

Meet Cosette

Cosette at four weeks old. She was close to death, and needed a lot
of care to recover.

  

 About a month after we moved into our house, I was driving to school and as luck would have it, saw two cats and a tiny gray kitten in the middle of the road. I waited for them to cross, and then kept driving, because I figured they belonged to one of the neighboring farms. Something made me stop again though, and as I looked back in the mirror, I saw that the two adult cats had run into some nearby bushes, but the kitten had wondered back on the road.


I decided to get out and scare the kitten off the road, but surprisingly, she was not scared of me. In fact, she waddled right up to me, which is strange for the semi-feral cats in our parts. Upon looking at her, I saw that she had a terrible cold, which can be life-threatening for kittens. Her eyes were plastered shut with discharge, and her nose was full of mucous. Her breath was raspy, and I knew I had no choice but to take her to the vet. It was getting cold out, and she would die if I left her there.


I sat her on my lap, hoping she was not rabid, and she purred the entire time I held her. I made a quick stop at my parents' house to find a cage, and the only thing I came across was an antique wooden  Coca-Cola box. I figured my mom wouldn't care when she found out what it was for. 


I decided to name her "Cosette", since it means "little thing" in French; we call her "cozy" for short. The vet confirmed that she was only four weeks old. Kittens should not be away from their mothers until at least eight weeks, but she luckily took to solid food very quickly.


Bringing her back to health was no easy effort, and she did end up losing sight in one eye. My regular vet was on vacation when I found Cosette, and she needed immediate medical attention, so I took her to a different vet. The first antibiotic she was prescribed actually made her eyes swell up worse, so I had to go back and try a different one. Luckily, the second one worked wonders, but her one eye had already become inflamed, causing the membrane to fuse it permanently shut. 


She required oral antibiotics twice a day, eye-drops three times a day, and nightly steam-baths, to open up her nasal passages. We even placed a tiny dot of Vick's on her nose, and it seemed to help. I didn't think the poor thing was going to make it, but she recovered with a vengeance. Now, she is the spunkiest, most playful kitten I've ever seen. I would even consider her a holy terror. She bosses all the dogs around, and gets around fine with one eye. My vet may try to open her bad eye when I get her spayed, but I'm not sure I want to take the risk of the eye getting infected by opening it. 


She also eats everything in site; I have never known a cat who eats peanut butter, mangos, blueberries, corn, pizza crust, dog food, vegetables, and crackers. She is a little miracle, and I thought I'd share her story with y'all. 

Bring on the Bubbly

So we've had this bottle of champagne in the fridge since New Year's, and we have not been able to figure out how to open it. It had this weird plastic cap, and a corkscrew wouldn't work.


What did we do? Bust out the tools. Kevin obviously wanted this champagne very badly, note the determined grimace on his face. I think the Batman shirt gave him super strength as well. 


So if you guys have ever run into this problem, grab a wrench and some stemware, and prepare to drink up.

Where the Wild Things Are

One of the best parts of living in the woods is having the chance to see wild creatures. We regularly see deer, hawks, turkey buzzards, and the occasional raccoon. We even saw a bear out in a distant field one time. However, the other day, when I was driving home, a red fox ran right in front of me! It was thrilling, and I felt so lucky to be able to witness his grace and agility firsthand. I feel so at peace when I'm in the woods, and wish more people could learn to appreciate and coexist with Mother Nature and her creatures.

Future Cat Lady

 I have a real problem with rescuing critters, and I fear in old age  I will become a cat lady. You know, the kind you dread standing behind in the grocery store line, because she has 50 cans of Fancy Feast, smells like cat piss, and insists on showing the cashier pictures of every single one of her dozen or so furry friends.

I knew my rescuing was a problem when I found myself reaching down to save earthworms from the sidewalk. I have a habit of posting cute puppy pictures of dogs needing adopted from the kill shelter  on my friends' Facebook pages. I have five dogs of my own for God's sake!

However, it wasn't until a few weeks ago that I realized I needed therapy for this little problem. Kevin and I were driving and watched as a deer got hit right in front of us. I started bawling my eyes out, and Kevin was trying to take a work call and console me at the same time. I made him turn around and get out of the car to see if the deer had a pulse. Yes, I would have put it in the back seat and done CPR, but sadly and luckily, it was already dead.

KitchenAid Mixer = Happy Birthday to Me

My birthday isn't until Friday, but my parents surprised me with an early gift today...my very own KitchenAid mixer! My mom must have known I've been plotting to steal hers. 

I am beyond excited to try it out, and think my first creation will be whole wheat blueberry scones.I can't wait until summer, when our black raspberry bushes start blooming, because then I'll be making raspberry EVERYTHING.  

Shabby Chic Tables

Please ignore the dangerous exposed outlet...this picture was
 taken a long time ago, when we were replacing cover plates!

Love the simplicity of this charming little piece

As Kevin and I were cleaning out the basement of our house, we found these awesome little tables, and I fell in love with them. They were damp and covered in dust and dirt, but with a little elbow grease they look brand new; well, brand new in a rustic sort of way.


I have always adored worn, rustic, blocky furniture, and would never dream of decorating my house in a sleek, modern style. Anything plastic, shiny,  particle-board, geometrical, vinyl, or modern-looking should burn. Anything chunky, worn, dated, and antique should be loved and cherished.


Apparently my preference of interior decor has a name- shabby chic. Shabby chic is a style of design where decorations and furnishings are chosen for their rustic and worn charm. It is similar to cottage-style decor, and pastel colors are preferred. Run a quick google search, and you'll see this has become all the rage lately. If you like this style, check out this shabby chic blog, for some great decorating ideas.

The 15 Scariest Food Additives

You guys have to check out this wonderful article about dangerous food additives. There is such a large portion of the population that is unaware of the health crimes that are committed against American consumers every day, by exposing us to  known carcinogens, rat feces, human body parts, etc. Please, for your own health and wellbeing, take the time to read this.


THIS is one of the main reasons the country lifestyle is so supportive of good health. We have room to grow our own produce, and therefore we know exactly what is going into the food we eat.


However, you don't have to live in the country to be healthy. Simply make yourselves aware of dangerous additives, and look at labels before purchasing products at the store. You will be amazed at how much trash is in the food we are told is "safe" by the FDA.

The Runaway Mushroom

So, on Valentine's Day, I realized just how much I really love Kevin.


Remember the fabulous meal I posted about? The one I slaved over for hours, preparing?


Well, as I was turned away from the table, removing the lava cakes from the stove, Kevin tried to feed the mushroom caps from his plate to Toby. Yes, he tried this classic trick, and failed miserably.


I turned around to see Kevin looking guilty as hell, and then saw Toby standing over the mushroom, which lay in two pieces on the floor. Toby kept looking at me, and then down at the mushroom. 


Kevin and I burst out laughing, and even though he didn't like my mushrooms, we had the best dinner together.

Green-Neck

Green-Neck: noun, eng. orig. - A Green-Neck is someone who embraces life in the wilderness, and enjoys interests associated with rednecks such as shootin' guns, four-wheel drive vehicles, country music, coon-dogs, etc. However, a Green-Neck is also environmentally conscious, and embraces recycling, organic eating, and supporting animal rights.

Example of the differance between a redneck and a Green-neck:

Upon seeing a freshly killed deer on the side of the road, a redneck  would check to see if s/he could take it home and cook it up.

A Green-Neck would also approach the deer, but would check to see if it could be ressusitated, and if necessary, would then give it mouth to mouth.
 (Yes I almost made Kevin do this the other day when we saw a deer get hit, but lucky for him, the poor thing was already dead)

Happy Valentine's Day

It's Valentine's Day, and love is truly in the air. I must say, this is one of my favorite holidays. We went out last night to beat the rush, and I'm cooking a fabulous romantic dinner tonight. What's on the menu? Chopped salad and crab-stuffed mushrooms for starters, and then steamed asparagus and pumpkin-basil sauce pasta (compliments of Country Living magazine) for the main course, with molten chocolate lava cake and strawberries for desert. Mmmmm...it's almost done and smells fantastic. Soooo much better than fried possum ;)

Lessons From the Fur-Kids #2

                  Lesson #2: Know How to Relax :)


Sorry again for not posting y'all, we were still having internet problems, but we got them all fixed. That just goes with living in the country...we really are lucky we have internet at all!

TinaLee's Country Candles

Grab a fork, I'll share! Only thing is, you'll end up with a mouth full of wax. That's right, this is a candle, not a cake, and let me tell you, these things are great. I am fairly obsessed with candles, and they are a necessity on cold winter days like the ones we've been having. 

These candles are made by TinaLee, and you can view her website here.

I buy from her at the Country Market, but you can order them as well. She also has super-cute mason jar candles that are country as can be, and smell heavenly. Her entire line of smell-goods burn long and clean, and retain their luscious scents until the very end. 

Oh, and sorry for not posting yesterday! I got home late last night, and our internet service was down because of the snow. I sure as heck wasn't going to venture into town either, because I would have never gotten up the driveway again. So have a great weekend everyone.

This Little Piggy

O.K. , so this month is turning out to be terrible. I turn 24 in about two weeks, and I'm having a quarter life crisis. TWENTY FOUR! That's friggin old...I think I'll celebrate by scoping out the local nursing hopes.


On top of that, my best friend in the whole world just accepted a job offer in Vermont, and she is leaving on the 22. Now it's true I'm a hermit, but she's like my sister, and I will be lost without her.


Ok, I know I'm navel gazing right now....and I'm proud to say I'm lint-free, however this does relate to country living.


I have decided the only thing that could possibly make me feel better is to buy a teacup pig. Yes, a pig. I must have one, and I will call her Penelope. However, Kevin seems to have this ridiculous notion that we have too many animals. 


So, I either need to convince him to buy me one, or make him believe one happened to follow me home. Does anyone want to help carry out this scheme? 

Country Living Magazine

For all of you who view my posts on a daily basis, and who envy my close calls with bats, Polio, and deceptive moss, I am about to give you access to something that will change your poor little city folk lives! 


It's called Country Living Magazine, and is absolutely the best source for craft ideas, country decor, down home recipes, gardening ideas, etc. I love this publication, and recommend it to anyone who enjoys cooking, folk-art and crafts, and well, life in the country.


You can view the website at CountryLiving.com, where you can get a taste of all this magazine has to offer.

Polio and Well Water

When we moved to our house, we had to figure out the water filtration system all by ourselves; this was a daunting task for two people who were used to city water. My mom kept telling us to get the water tested before we drank it, but we figured if it was good enough for the dogs it was good enough for us.


About a week after moving in, I came down with a sore throat and muscle aches. A few days later, Kevin experienced the same symptoms. I figured it was the common flu, but I thought it would be funny to scare Kevin,


I texted him and told him I was pretty sure we both had contracted Polio, since it can be transmitted through infected drinking water. He started telling all of the guys at work about it, and  was apparently Googling symptoms all day long.


It wasn't until that night that I informed him Polio has been virtually eradicated in this country since 1979, and that he was vaccinated as a child. I got a good laugh when I found out how he had been made fun of at work. I know, I'm horrible.

Batttter Up!

            So, how would you city folks like to wake up to THIS?

Yep, welcome to the country. Despite my hopes that he would turn into Rob Pattinson, he remained a creepy little rodent. I don't mind bats at all, but I have a phobia of rabies, so I was a little unnerved.


 At first, all we heard was a horrible squeaky chattering noise, and I thought a raccoon had somehow gotten inside. Then, this guy swooped right up by our heads to try to get out the window above the bed. We both dove under the covers to hide.


After arguing about who was going to play superman, I ended up holding a clothes basket up to shield the bat, while Kevin went out to the shed to get a net.


We ended up getting the little guy outside without getting bitten, and it was pretty neat watching him fly away. I really wanted to keep him as a pet, but Kevin wasn't too keen on that idea, so I didn't push the issue.

Lessons From the Fur-Kids

                     Lesson #1: Know when to admit defeat.

Hillbilly Jack

For all of you who have never had the pleasure of meeting Hillbilly Jack, let me introduce you. This fine gentleman has a number of YouTube videos, and all are absolutely milk-out-the-nose hilarious. I am, however, worried, that I may someday turn into a creature such as him. Maybe a little interaction with society would do me good. Then again, I think becoming an animal hoarder is more likely to be in my future. Whewwww, that's a relief. 

Neighbors

One reason we moved to the country was to get away from annoying neighbors. It is far too easy for neighbors to become stalkers, and stalkers are really not my thing. They would creep on me by waiting for me to walk outside, and then tell me all about their wonderful (but oh so ugly) kids. I hate kids even more than neighbors, and they couldn't figure out that I just didn't care.

I'm happy to say that we have very few neighbors out in the boonies. However, as luck would have it, the man who lives closest to us has a tank. Yes, an army tank.  It makes for a great conversation starter, but I'm just waiting to come home to a demolished house.

During the summer, this neighbor likes to  spend his Saturday mornings joy-riding his tank in the field right above ours. It obviously had working guns, because I get 'Nam flashbacks, and I've never even been to 'Nam. I do enjoy firearms though, and am hoping to someday ride in this machine.


Until then, I am stocking up on earplugs, and have added building a bombshelter on my honey-do list.