“Show and Tail”… Game Birds

It’s "Tuesday’s Show & Tail"  time again! Angela, over at West Virginia Treasures, has been hosting this special time for several months, and it is always a lot of fun to see all the interesting posts of the people who join in! This is the 46th week that she has done this. Angela hosts this meme to share about past or present pets, animal friends we’ve known, or interesting stories about animals. If you’d like to join, here is the link to the Guidelines. 

Since we are so far out in the “boonies,” we have a lot of “game birds” that take refuge from the hunters, such as it is.

We have had hunters shoot at our cars and shoot out the truck mirrors, and one time, a couple even shot at Mike! They hit the tree beside him and the ground in front of him! He was NOT a happy camper, and of course, the police didn’t get all the way out here until they were long gone!

Right now, we have a lot of quail and dove that are in our yard and pastures. Yesterday, I went out to feed the horses, and at least 20-30 dove flew up out of the backyard and the trees back there. I hadn’t seen that many before, but when I mentioned it to Robert, he said that he’s seen a LOT of them back there lately. Maybe next week, I’ll have been able to get some pictures of them.

Robert WAS able, though, to get several pictures of the quail that were outside of the front yard the other day. BG was intently watching them, as you can see.

Several years ago, we even had a white quail, probably an albino, that was around for about a year. I sure wish I’d been able to get some pictures of him!!!  Isn't this male, California Quail a beauty!

Tuesday’s Show and Tail… Field Pups

It’s time "Tuesday’s Show & Tail" time again! Angela, over at West Virginia Treasures, has been hosting this special time for several months, and it is always a lot of fun to see all the interesting posts of the people who join in! This is the 39th week that Angela has hosted this meme to share about past or present pets, animal friends we’ve known, or interesting stories about animals. If you’d like to join, here is the link to the Guidelines.

Today, I thought that I would tell you one of the stories from the Unity Thrift and Outreach files. My sister and a few other people work together, volunteering their time to help save lost, abandoned, neglected and abused dogs in and around the Taft, CA area.

Last year, they received a call that there was a pack of dogs that people had let loose in the hills on one side of the town. There were several big dogs running the in pack, including one that looked like a Mastiff, and another that looked, at least mostly, like a Shar-Pei.

One looked to be mostly Rottweiler and another looked a lot like a Bernese Mountain Dog. They were told that the Animal Control officers would be going out to shoot these dogs if they could find them, but that someone thought that there were puppies up in a den on the hill. My sister and her friends searched for them and finally found them, pulling several pups that were approximately 6-8 weeks old out of the hole.

They took them in and fostered them with some of their volunteers. My sister took care of one of them that she named Smoochie. They were taken to the vet for their puppy shots, and after several weeks of socialization and care, they were taken to some No-Kill Dog Rescues on the coast where they all found wonderful homes.

My sister has kept in touch with the people who took “Smoochie” and he is well loved and cared for.

The Animal Control officers weren’t able to find all of the wild parents and U.T. & O recently had to rescue another litter from out there.

A couple of these pups were taken to another Animal Rescue where they were able to get surgery done on one of the pups that had inverted eyelids (A common problem with Shar-pei’s from what we understand).

They were adopted out shortly afterward to good homes. These rescues do home inspections before they will adopt out, and then they do follow-up inspections as well.

I really respect the dedication of people who do this kind of work, going out day and night at times to help save some of God’s creatures that need help.  These pups all have happy stories because of them.

Tuesday’s Show and Tail… J. R., Our Cat-dog

It’s time "Tuesday’s Show & Tail" time again! Angela, over at West Virginia Treasures, has been hosting this special time for several months, and it is always a lot of fun to see all the interesting posts of the people who join in! This is the 37th week that Angela has hosted this meme to share about past or present pets, animal friends we’ve known, or interesting stories about animals. If you’d like to join, here is the link to the Guidelines.

Today, I thought I’d do a quick few notes on our old cat, J.R. We got him for my son, Manuel, who wanted to name him Manuel… he wanted to name EVERYTHING Manuel. I talked him into naming the kitten, Manuel Jr., which got shortened to J. R.

J.R. was raised with dogs and thought he was a dog, I think. He even used to drool a lot when he was petted and would start to purr. He was a really sweet cat, probably because he was neutered very early, so he never learned to wander. In fact, that’s probably why he lasted into old age around here when most of our cats didn’t with the coyote problem we have. (In this picture you can see most of the "Crucified Christ" on the cross marking he had on his side... all but the head.)

He would follow us out if we went on a walk, but if we got toward the edges of our property, he would start to meow… like he was telling us that “It’s NOT safe out here!” “We NEED to stop and go BACK!” “YOU ARE BEING STUPID!” It would get louder and louder until we were back on our property and safe.

He was one of OC’s best friends from the time she was a little puppy! He seemed to think the pups (her and her brother) were his own babies and would snuggle them. When they would get too rambunctious, and run up to him and almost knock him over, he would sit up and bat them on their ears with both paws… bat, bat, bat… but with his claws sheathed so he never hurt them. He and OC would clean each others faces for years until he passed away…

Proverbs 12: 10 The Treatment of Your Animals Shows What’s Inside…

I do another blog that is a Bible Study from the book of Proverbs, and today’s verse is one that is just so close to my heart that I wanted to share it here as well. I don’t think very many of you follow both blogs, so hopefully this won’t be a re-run for you.

Today’s verse talks about the way people treat their animals as being a way to judge their character. I find this interesting because we see more and more animal abuse and neglect as the incidence of other forms of crime, abuse and neglect rise.

Proverbs 12: 10 (NKJV)

10 A righteous man regards the life of his animal,

But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.

righteous: Morally upright; without guilt or sin Upright: Adhering strictly to moral principles

regards: 1. To give heed; pay attention 2. To take into account; consider. 3. Obsolete: To take care of.

         Synonyms: regard, esteem, admiration, respect

These nouns refer to a feeling based on perception of and approval for the worth of a person or thing

mercies: 1. Compassionate treatment 2. A disposition to be kind and forgiving  3. Alleviation of distress; relief 4. humane and kind, sympathetic, or forgiving treatment of or disposition toward others

wicked: 1. Evil by nature and in practice 2. Highly offensive; obnoxious

cruel: predisposed to inflict violence, pain, or hardship, or to find satisfaction in the suffering of others

By using the definitions of the main words of the Bible Text, we see that people that are morally upright, or adhere strictly to moral principles, will pay attention to the care of their animals. They feel that there is worth in living things, and that they have feelings and need love.

By contrast, those people that are evil by nature and in practice, and that are predisposed to inflict violence, pain, or hardship, or to find satisfaction in the suffering of others, just don’t seem to have the capacity within themselves to give humane and kind, sympathetic or compassionate treatment even to their animals.

This is SO SAD! I feel that one of the main ways to change people is to change their hearts, and only love, and in particular, the Love of God and His forgiveness in lives, will do that. When we ask Jesus into our lives to wash us from the sins we’ve repented of, and to become the LORD and Savior in our lives, then HE will change us from within, and when He comes again, Romans 8:21-23 tells us:

Romans 8: 21 – 23 (NKJV)

21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.

"Tuesday’s Show & Tail" Email Pics & Prayer Request

Hurray! Time for the 23rd Segment of Angela's "Tuesday’s Show & Tail." This meme is hosted every week by Angela over at West Virginia Treasures, and it is always a lot of fun to see all the interesting posts of the people who join in! It is a meme to share about past or present pets or furry friends we’ve known or just pics of animals with stories to tell. If you’d like to join, here is the link to the Guidelines.


I got these pics in an email that a friend sent and I thought each one had such a story to tell in itself. I wanted to share these stories with you… and then I noticed that the Lord seemed to also tell me something through the "random" way they had been ordered in the email! Sooo... you can look at the story each picture tells, or share with me the lesson God showed me through each picture, or BOTH!

Even if we are like a dirty old street mutt, God will come down to our level to love us…


He says that he wants to protect us with his wings over us like a hen does for her babies… even when it looks like we don't belong.


Sometimes, life seems to be running away with us and we have no control,


But by prayer and the Sacrifice of Praise, God can take control of the situation...


He will go with us as we travel down life’s roadway, because He LOVES us!



And He wants us to learn to love and treat others, the way WE want to be treated…


Then, we need have no fear for He will take care of us


No matter how small or insignificant we feel, He is bigger and has it under HIS control!

P.S. My Grandnephew, Brady (less than 1 year old) has been in the hospital with pneumonia, asthma, and has been having multiple seizures for several days now. Please pray for him and his family... my niece is so tired and stressed... This pic was taken on the way to the hospital and he had a high fever...

Our Sweet Little Weasel...

Hurray! Time for another "Tuesday’s Show & Tail." This meme is hosted every week by Angela over at West Virginia Treasures, and it is always a lot of fun to see all the interesting posts of the people who join in! It is a meme to share about past or present pets or furry friends we’ve known. If you’d like to join, here is the link to the Guidelines.


This week, I thought I’d share a few words about a little dog we had for several years. We called her Weasel because she was a little Chihuahua/Doxie that was a light cream color with dark points on her nose, and tail, and she always sat up like a little weasel. My son, J., found her when we were walking home from his school when he was in the 2nd or 3rd grade.

The school was on the outside edge of town and we would walk through the edge of the hills behind the houses for several blocks until we came to our street and then down to our house, about 4 blocks down from the hills.

One day, as we walked, this tiny pup (probably about 5-6 months old and really skinny) crawled out from under a bush on her little belly. She wiggled and wagged her little tail, still crawling, and just begged us with her little eyes to “please love me… I’m hungry and scared and need someone to love me…”

All my sons have been very compassionate about animals, but J. more than any of the others, and he was hooked from the minute he laid eyes on her. No WAY was I leaving that little thing, so I told him that he could have her. He took care of her and fed her up, and she was his, heart and soul for the 5 or 6 years that she was with us.


She ended up contracting Valley Fever (this area is bad for that for all of us who live here in this lower part of the San Joaquin Valley) and her little lungs filled with the fungus. We had to make that most difficult of all decisions for our sweet little Weasel. We still miss her when ever we think of her, but were blessed with the love we shared during her short little life.

Our Golden Tuffy…

It’s Tuesday again and time for another "Tuesday’s Show & Tail." This meme is hosted every week by Angela over at West Virginia Treasures, and it is always a lot of fun to see all the interesting posts of the people who join in! It is a meme to share about past or present pets or furry friends we’ve known. If you’d like to join, here is the link to the Guidelines.

I had a couple of ideas about a couple of other horses we’ve had, but found I’ll have to find their pics and get them scanned before I can share them with you, so today, I’ll tell you about my son’s horse that we have out here now. We call him Tuffy, though he has a really long fancy registered name, which my son forgets half the time, because he’s known him as “Tuffy” for many years.


One of our dear friends, Tom Cain, bred and raised some of the top line quarter horses in California for many years. Tom was a friend of my Dad for many years and they’d met up at Fess Reynold’s place, where Tom worked in the 50’s (when those 8MM films were taken that I shared a few weeks back.) He lived about 5 miles from where we live now, and had 5 stud horses and about 30 mares. Over the past 20 years or so, Tom and my son, Mick (Little Bear’s Dad) got to be really close, and Tom taught Mick a great deal about training horses. This is a portrait of Tom’s life that I did last year, just after he passed away. The original is 12 x 14 and it is done in graphite (pencil).



Tom was getting quite elderly and couldn’t do as much as he used to, so Mick helped him a lot and was able to learn so much from him. Tom raised some of the most beautiful horses, but they were priced in a range that was WAY out of our league, so even though Mick longed for one, he never expected to ever be able to afford one.



About 16 years ago or so, Tom sold Tuffy (after Mick had helped green break him) to a woman that wanted a beautiful horse to train for Dressage work. They started him on that, and then she sold him and the next people wanted him to learn to do Quarter Horse Western Riding work. This confused Tuffy and, as with most ALL horses, if you ASK and show them what you want, they will do anything for you, but if you try to force them and they don’t understand, they start to fight back!


This is what happened to Tuffy, and eventually, no one could do anything with him, so his price dropped down to $2500 (about a quarter of what he originally sold for). Tom got him back, about 8 or 9 years ago, and made arrangements with Mick to take payments, and this beautiful golden boy came to be owned by my proud son.


Mick worked with Tuffy patiently for a long time, and he could ride him and do most anything with him, but then when his job required him to move a couple of years ago, he brought Tuffy here. He isn’t sure if he will ever be able to afford to keep him where he lives now, but he also doesn’t want him to go to anyone who isn’t VERY experienced and willing to gain his trust, because you still can't move fast around his head, etc., so right now, he is being a good companion horse to my Cory.


Tuffy is 21 years old now, but is still a gorgeous horse… one of those palominos that sheds out in the spring as bright gold as a a newly minted gold coin. His winter coat, which he is in now, is a slightly dappled dark cream color.