What Pets Can Do: Health and Healing

@avmcbellar, I can only imagine the joy the kids experienced getting to see and pet your "super sized" bunnies! Travel can be tiring so the diversion for adults and children had to be a great unexpected diversion!

Until the 1st haircut in 3 mos on Tues (due to quarantining and concern about stylist's large family coming and going), my succession of "bad hare" weeks had me looking like a cross between Phyllis Diller and P.M. Boris Johnson! lol Best to you and all to keep staying safe and well!

My hubby and I are in our late 70's and apart from the last couple of years have always had a dog. After our Garbo passed away at age 18 we couldn't see getting another. However, as fate would have it, we both got sick. Hubby with a heart attack, prostate surgery and an emergence of his PTSD from when he was in Viet Nam. Me with breast cancer and now PMR. I decided it was time to get another dog as our home felt lonely. I knew I didn't want a puppy as it might just outlive us, so looked on the internet for shelters for a small dog. Hubby was against getting another dog, but I went ahead anyway. Finally saw Lexi, a jack russell mix, one ear up and one ear down. Fell in love with her picture. It was a two hour ride to get her. She's six years old and looks like she has had a ton of puppies. What a sweetheart she is. Rolls on her back to be petted every time someone approaches her. Tail always wagging. Loves her toys but most of all is a great therapy dog for hubby who adores her. She sleeps with him when he takes his nap and brings his blood pressure down while petting her and talking to her. She immediately fit in with our life style and has her own routine and has adapted to ours. We adore her.

@fiesty76 OMG how hilarious! I remember Phyllis Diller. No worries, I don’t go often for a haircut either. Not worth the risk to me.
We are planning for another trip to visit relatives this year if all goes well by summer with this pandemic. Last time we visited(2018) we only had 1 bunny and 1 dog. Now we added their companions so more fun for the little kids in Colorado. It was a nice getaway to a cooler climate. I had let the bunny roam the field in an orange vest attached to a leash. He enjoyed it. In fact a wild rabbit came out too. Probably was curious seeing a huge grey and white rabbit, lol.

My daughter has a Jack cross! Hers looks like a chicken!
They are Great as is all Animals! They are our Spirit Guardians!
Sundance(RB)

@ncgal, What a heartwarming share! Your Lexi looks snug as a bug and very self-satisfied in her new forever doggie home with you. Bet your reluctant-to-adopt-again hubby is so happy you overrode him this time! Would that all waiting for adoption charmers could find such loving homes!

@avmbcbellar, Wouldn't it be great to know what the wild rabbit thought of your "super large" bunny? Bet it was wondering how yours had so obviously had hit the jack pot on munchies!

Ahhh, I yearn for a visit with my little family in Boulder,CO and am also hoping for a trip later in the year. Strangely I am having to accept that what I used to give no thought to about those solitary long drives many yrs ago between CO and TX now, decades later, gives me pause. A nine hr+ drive vs one hr non-stop plane ride is quite a contrast but I'll be reluctant to board a plane for some time. May suggest a family meet half-way between.

Sunday, daughter is driving our 15 yr old to Albuquerque for a Pfizer trial on Monday. Wish hubby was going but a business presentation has put the kabash on that. He will "be parent-in-charge" of 11 yr old and their two wonderful kitty additions. The trial will require several follow-up trips and daughter doesn't yet know when they'll learn if g.s. got the vacc or a placebo.

A salute to all who are making Covid vaccines a reality!

@fiesty76 indeed, would have been an interesting thought. I was surprised to see the wild rabbit in the late afternoon when rabbits are more active while dark. It had a few wild munchies then moved on after coming closer to our Flemish Giant. Nothing bothers our rabbit, not even our small dogs. We can tell when a rabbit gets comfortable. It will be relaxed all sprawled out or its ears down. Rabbits tend to sleep during the afternoon with their eyes open. I can tell when ours are sleeping because their noses stop twitching. They are always on the alert. Their ears go up when they hear potentially threatening sounds.

I also enjoy the countryside in Colorado. A nice place to travel to see lots of dear. During our last visit a red tailed hawk flew into the backyard constantly calling. We decided to take him to a wild bird rescue outside of Denver. Unfortunately he did not survive at the rescue center. We later learned he was a young bird that died of starvation. Apparently he was not a good hunter. What a shame!

It certainly is a long drive to get to Colorado. Like you, we prefer the long drive as opposed to taking an airplane. After a long drive my husband makes a stop overnight at a RV Park. By 6 am the next day we are back on the road again. The trip usually takes 3 days. All the animals stay in the truck cabin. The dogs in front with me and the rabbits have the entire back with plenty of water and a HUGE litter box. The animals are no problem at all. They travel well.

Good idea to have family meet you half way. Cuts down on a lot of driving time. That would not be feasible for us because we visit lots of family members and not all are able to see us at the same time. Some are retired and some work. We also want to see the little ones.

Thank you for all your support in helping your 15 year old partake in the Pfizer trial. I am sure your husband will be just fine with his responsibilities during that time. It may be a good learning experience for him anyways. It is all for a good cause and is greatly appreciated. Safety comes first but I have hope we will be able to travel this summer.

@avmcbellar, What fun to learn that rabbits can sleep with their eyes open! I used to wonder if some of my students could do the same. lol

Just as I was a vocal proponent of state school board members and district superintendents spending full days in classrooms "teaching", I heartily agree that it is a much encouraged endeavor for all dads to be given the "opportunity" to be solely in charge of children, pets and home chores from time to time. Nothing like "walking in another's moccasins", right? Smiles

Despite the arctic storms creating havoc across the nation now, this quote brings me courage and comfort: “The promise of spring’s arrival is enough to get anyone through the bitter winter." — Jen Selinsky No idea if frigid temps slow down or kill the airborne Covid virus but with additional vaccines going out, we can all hope that summer will find us in a much better place!

I have been following the webcam on the Mayo Peregrine Falcon nest, and since yesterday, the first of the 4 chicks has fledged. I have seen him this morning on top of the nest box and on the roof area, and even seen him flapping and lifting off in the breeze. I watched an online presentation yesterday and the Mayo staff will be watching closely and watching for the young falcons who might end up on 2nd Street below the Mayo building, and will be returning them to the safety of the roof if that happens. The young birds are at risk because of their inexperience and their parents will be checking on them and teaching them how to hunt. This is a risky time for them because they haven't learned how to make a living in the wild and what the dangers are for them. Here is the webcam, and right now 3 are left in the nest box.
https://www.earthcam.com/usa/minnesota/rochester/falcon/?cam=falcon_mn

This is sweet story about a kitty who helps children understand that wearing glasses and eye patches isn't so scary after all and she knows just when to come in and help.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/good-news/meet-truffles-the-special-kitty-who-wears-glasses-to-help-kids-feel-better-about-wearing-theirs/ar-AAMfGDW?ocid=uxbndlbing