Category Archives: Animals, Creatures & Critters

Frankly Freddie – The “Tail” of Remington

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Freddie Parker, CDT (canine dog therapist), Inspiring Inspiration, , , ,
Dear Freddie Fans and other creatures,
(I originally posted this on CATNIPblog and wanted all you to know about Remi too.)
 
Lyn is Remi’s human.  Because Remi is a very busy canine dog, helping Lyn (he even carries items to the laundry room and puts them in the hamper for her) and working at the senior center I asked Lyn to write this instead of Remi – who deserves some time off. 

Herrrrrrrrrrrrre’s the “tail” of Remington Royce Glover by his human Lyn

 “I had been “dogless” for a number of years due to my work schedule and life circumstances, but had always held on to my hope of one day having a therapy dog again.  In 2008, I found myself in a place where I could seriously consider finding a puppy that I could bring into my life with that goal in mind.”
 
All Grown Up

“Since I used to be an animal trainer and behaviorist, I had a very good idea of what breeds I thought would be the best fit as my companion and the best possibility of being certified as a Therapy Dog.  After months of searching and meeting lots of dogs, I was fortunate enough to find a woman who raised Goldendoodles (hybrid of Golden Retriever/Standard Poodle).  After meeting lots of her dogs I found what I felt would be the perfect new addition to my life.”

“Remi actually picked me more than my picking him ( I thought I would prefer a female, but Remi had other ideas.)   He stood out from all the other 18 puppies.   I was so impressed with his focus on me, his responses and his wanting to interact and figure out what I was doing with him from the minute we met.  Not to mention, he was absolutely adorable!!”

Remington Royce, 9 weeks old
“I brought Remi home when he was 9 weeks old and we began our life together.  He has, from the very beginning, been the most loving and devoted dog I have ever had the privilege of spending time with.”
 I named him
Remington Royce Glover 
(Remington – inspired by Frederic Remington, one of my favorite sculptors/illustrators). 
Royce – the definition is a perfect description of  my boy Remi: 
  • a name for a male, means sweet and caring. 
  • loyal person with a true heart, a royce loves with their whole heart not letting anything back.
  • knows how to make people happy without knowing they’ve done so.
  •  intelligent and a hard worker
  • great charm, usually having beautiful eyes and a heart stopping smile 
  • the best thing that would happen to a person

He is amazingly smart, learns so quickly and absolutely loves everyone he meets.”
“In addition to all the basic obedience commands, Remi’s repertoire of behaviors include:
  • shake hands with his right paw
  • high-five with his left paw
  • bow to the Queen (me!)
  • do the hokey pokey (turns in a circle)
  • whisper
  • sneeze 
  • back up
  • “stop, drop and roll”
  • He knows most of his toys (and there are many) by name and can pick them out if asked – Caterpillar, gator, teddy, squirrel, snakey, piggy . . . .”
“When I launder his toys, he waits in the laundry room and watches for me put them in the dryer.  When the dryer buzzer sounds to let me know they’re dry, he runs back in and waits for me to open the door of the dryer so he can take them out.”
Remi & Catypillar

 He is “toy” obsessed and will do anything for a stuffed toy.  His favorite toy is his “caterpillar” which he carries everywhere, inside or out.  He has an abundance of toys and knows most of them by name, but his “Catypillar” is definitely the one he prefers. 

“Remi  knows three of our neighbors by name and where they live.  When we go outside, if I say, go see if “so and so” is home, Remi runs to their patio door and waits to see if they are there.  They all love him and if they’re home, they open the door and let him in – they don’t let me in, but …….. (just kidding)”

“Spending time with him and watching him learn and grow into the wonderful boy he is has been so rewarding for me.  As anyone who shares their life with animals can tell you, the unconditional love they offer is amazing. One of the best things about being with him and taking him anywhere is that no matter where we go or who we meet, he is always happy, smiling and excited to be there.”
“Whether we’re walking down the street, meeting children or visiting seniors at the care facility, people look at him and smile!!  Watching  people’s reactions to him is so heartwarming and satisfying.  He just makes people happy – and in a world so filled with fear, stress,  unhappiness  and conflict, I think that is just a wonderful gift for him to give.  I’m so proud of him and honored to be a part of it with him.”
Besides people, Remi has 3 cat siblings that he also loves –
playing with Dashiell, his favorite.

 Remi is certified by the AKC as a “Canine Good Citizen” and a Certified Therapy Dog

“Remi and I currently go to visit a Senior Care Facility every Friday morning – he absolutely loves it and the feedback we receive is that the residents just love seeing him and the other two smaller dogs that accompany us with their owner.  It is so gratifying to see the seniors “light up” and spend time with the dogs.  So many of them tell us stories of the dogs/pets they used to have and recall such lovely memories.”

Remi and his “visiting buddy”, Paulie, at the Senior Center, waiting for one of their favorite people to get to them!

“One resident was very disparaging when we first visited.  She had never been around dogs and had nothing good to say to us, but we’re slowly winning her over.  She now walks by and comments that the dogs are “very cute”.  She still won’t come too close and refuses our offers to have her pet them, but we’re optimistic that will happen!”

“We are hoping to find a way to work with disabled veterans who have served our country and offer them whatever help and joy we can by visiting them at their rehab facility – it’s an ongoing goal for us and one I hope I can find a way to make happen.”

“Watching him makes me want to follow his lead and try to focus on making others happy, rather than worrying about “stuff” in my life.”

“Thanks so much for giving me the opportunity to share my wonderful boy with others.
It means more to me than you know.”

Hugs and love,

Lyn & Remi

If you have a pet whose “tail” you would like to share (even if  they don’t have a tail) email me at peggyjudytime@gmail.com. I have connections and editorial rights.

Frankly,

Freddie Parker Westerfield, Senior editor and correspondent for all things important

Frankly Freddie – Dog Owners are Healthier Hoofers

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Food for thought, Freddie Parker, CDT (canine dog therapist), Health & Healing, Scientific Research, , ,

Dear Subscribers human or otherwise,

My Human has been very lax lately not posting on this MY FAVORITE BLOG but focusing her attention on CATNIPblog which we all know is dedicated to the wrong species.  
She has been a bit under the weather and using that for an excuse not to go to art classes, not to clean her office, not to eat properly, not to do anything she doesn’t want to do.  HUMANS!  I constantly have to remind her it’s time for treats and take her on walks.

My last CATNIPblog post was such an important one that I am referencing it here so all of you who do not have a canine to take care of you will go out and adopt one quickly.

Here’s an excerpt from my post and the salient information:

I take my human out for a walk as often as I can.  She’s a bit delusional . . .  she thinks she’s walking me.  So I constantly have to find proof that she needs to quit patting herself on the back and pat me.

“In a study published in the journal BMC Public Health, dog owners on average walked 22 minutes more per day compared to people who didn’t own a dog.”

“If you look at studies on pet ownership, people who own pets seem to live longer than those who don’t own them,” . . .  

Get a life.  Get a dog . . . like me

Frankly,

Freddie Parker Westerfield, CHT

Certified Human Trainer

If you don’t believe me read this: Dog Owners Walk 22 minutes more per day 

or this: FRANKLY FREDDIE

Sneak a Peek into my ‘stuffy” life

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Food for thought, Health & Healing, ,

No nudes today . . . but lots of raw skin . . .  around my nose.  I have a “code in duh node”, can’t think, can’t breathe and stayed home from life drawing.  I caught it from Freddie.  Yes, you heard right . . . FREDDIE.

DSCN6273
Oil

My husband and I got sore throats on the very same night.  The next day we both had baaaaaaad colds.  We were stymied, since we hadn’t been out together the previous week and the people with whom we had joint contact hadn’t gotten sick.

Freddie was groomed 3 days prior to our getting sick.  After Freddie is groomed he is fluffy and soft as down – it’s even more pleasurable to pet him.

I e-mailed the groomer and asked if he, by any chance, got a cold after he was here.

Seems Freddie is the only one who didn’t get sick.

The picture of innocence

 

Sneek a Peek into my Sketchy Life – another day . . . another nude . . .

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Creative Expressions, Workshops, Seminars & Groups, , , ,

This is the best of the lot.  What?  You didn’t think I’d post my sketches that look like they were drawn by a monkey?  

                                  Charcoal sketch

I’ve figured out (pun intended) two things:

  1. I prefer drawing women or men with a bit of flesh on the bone.  There are more curves and lumps which make it more fun to draw. Most of the models, like the one today, have beautiful “hard bodies”.  
  2. Everything I do lately points to my limited concentration span.  While others bemoan not having enough time to finish drawing during the 40 minute poses (two – 20 minutes with a break in-between for the model.  Try sitting perfectly still for 20 minutes) I have done two or three drawings.  I would prefer to think it’s not concentration span but it’s because I don’t particularly like “realism” and am not interested in getting an exact likeness . . .
“Ouch.  We monkeys have talent, not to mention  feelings. . . “

It’s all relative

Animals, Creatures & Critters, ,

With all the strife & stress in the world, I go out of my way to look for anything that brings me a smile.  The innocence of babies and animals is at the top of my list.  AND combining the two is the best.

Can’t help smiling at this picture of a newborn gorilla. He looks so content . . . it’s hard not to project my human emotions,  thoughts and intention onto animals . . . especially on those who “look like me” . . . minus the hair and pug nose.

Here’s the story behind the picture of the new-born gorilla:

“(CNN)Some Philadelphia doctors delivered a different kind of baby than usual Friday.”

“A team of veterinary and human medical specialists was called in to deliver a gorilla at the Philadelphia Zoo after the mother, 17-year-old Kira, appeared to struggle during labor.
Usually, gorilla births are quick and the mother does not appear distressed. With Kira, however, staff at the zoo noticed she was growing tired after being in labor and were concerned for her health.”
“The surgeons, anesthesiologists and an OB-GYN were prepared to respond if anything went wrong during labor or Kira’s pregnancy. While gorilla cesarean sections aren’t out of the ordinary, this was the first assisted vaginal delivery for a gorilla since 2000, according to the Philadelphia Zoo. The birth required tools similar to those used during human deliveries.”
“Kira, a western lowland gorilla and first-time mother, gave birth to a healthy baby after a 1½-hour delivery and was fully recovered the next morning. This is the third offspring for 32-year-old father Motuba. The newborn male joins another baby gorilla from the zoo, also fathered by Motuba.”
‘”It was an anxious and dramatic day at the zoo, but in the end a tremendously rewarding one,” Dr. Andy Baker, Philadelphia Zoo’s chief operating officer, said in a news release.”
“I knew all along she was related”

Tree-Climbing Goats – Weird, Wild, Wonderful World

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Food for thought, Scientific Research, Weird Wonderful World, , , ,

Argan trees are an important part of the economy in Morocco.  They bear fruit and the seeds of the fruit are valuable — they can be pressed to yield argan oil, valued in beauty treatments and foodie circles. By some reports, argan oil exports bring in $6.5 million.”

It’s not easy to harvest seeds from atop a 30-foot-tall tree. In the arid parts of Morocco where argan trees grow.  Goats are encouraged to climb, dine and deliver the seeds to earth, where they are collected by humans and eventually turned into argan oil.”

The goats . .  ” go very slowly and they do it. Some goat keepers modify the trees to make them easier to climb, they cut some branches off the trees so the goats can start climbing the trees more easily.”

“They disperse the seeds by spitting them out during rumination.”

However, if there is . . .  “a huge number of goats, they eat all the new baby trees, they kill them, so even though the goats are dispersing the seeds, they are eating the baby trees. So the effect is negative. But if there is a small or moderate number of goats, they will not kill all the baby trees produced by the dispersed seeds.”

“These people who take care of the argan trees get money from selling the argan fruit, so they buy more goats. So there is no rejuvenation of the argan forest because the goats are eating all the baby trees.”

Read the entire article and click here: Tree Climbing Goats Help Plant New Trees 

April Fools’ Day – Something’s Fishy

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Celebrations & Events, Food for thought, Weird Wonderful World, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Creepy, manipulative, terrible hoax or a creative, fun-filled joke?

The positive view is that April Fools’ is good for one’s health because it encourages “jokes, pranks, and belly laughs and brings all the benefits of laughter including stress relief and reducing strain on the heart!

Here are some April 1st pranks pulled on whole populations.  You decide if they are creepy or fun-filled:

P.S.  Click here to find out the science behind WHY WE ARE SO GULLIBLE

Pasta Prank

1957: “Swiss Spaghetti Harvest. The BBC broadcast a film in their Panorama current affairs series purporting to show Swiss farmers picking freshly-grown spaghetti from the family “spaghetti tree”. At the time spaghetti was relatively little known in the UK, so that many Britons were unaware that it is made from wheat flour and water; a number of viewers afterwards contacted the BBC for advice on growing their own spaghetti trees.  The BBC was later flooded with requests to purchase a spaghetti plant, forcing them to declare the film a hoax on the news the next day.”

Welcome To Chicago!

1992: “Airline passengers descending into Los Angeles Airport might have experienced a momentary feeling of panic when they looked out the window and saw an 85-foot-long yellow banner on the ground that spelled out, in 20-foot-high red letters, “Welcome to Chicago.” It was raised above the Hollywood Park race track, which lay directly along the flight path for arriving planes, about three miles from the airport.”

Planetary Alignment Decreases Gravity

1976: “During an early-morning interview on BBC Radio 2, the British astronomer Patrick Moore announced that at 9:47 AM that day a once-in-a-lifetime astronomical event was going to occur. Pluto would pass behind Jupiter, and this planetary alignment would temporarily counteract and lessen the Earth’s own gravity. Moore told his listeners that if they jumped in the air at the exact moment the alignment occurred, they would experience a strange floating sensation. When 9:47 AM arrived, the station began receiving hundreds of phone calls from listeners claiming to have felt the sensation. One woman reported that she and her friends had risen from their chairs and floated around the room. Moore had intended his annoucement to be a spoof of a pseudoscientific theory that had recently been promoted in a book called The Jupiter Effect, alleging that a rare alignment of the planets was going to cause massive earthquakes and the destruction of Los Angeles in 1982.”

Orange-Bearing Pine Trees

1950: “Motorists driving along the scenic Rim of the World highway near Lake Arrowhead in Southern California encountered something remarkable. All the pine and cedar trees lining the road had grown oranges overnight. The transformation turned out to be the work of the residents of the nearby town of Skyforest, led by the cartoonist Frank Adams. They had crept out during the night and strung 50,000 oranges in the trees along a one-mile section of the highway. The fruit was left over from the recent National Orange Show in San Bernardino.”

The Tasmanian Mock Walrus

1984: “The Orlando Sentinel featured a story about a creature known as the Tasmanian Mock Walrus (or TMW for short) that many people in Florida were said to be adopting as a pet. The creature was four inches long, resembled a walrus, purred like a cat, and had the temperament of a hamster. What made it such an ideal pet was that it never had to be bathed, used a litter box, and ate cockroaches. In fact, a single TMW could entirely rid a house of its cockroach problem. However, the local pest-control industry was said to be pressuring the government to ban TMWs, fearing they would put cockroach exterminators out of business. Dozens of people called the paper trying to find out where they could obtain their own TMW. Skeptics noted that the photo of a TMW accompanying the article showed a creature that looked suspiciously similar to a Naked Mole Rat.”

FAT SOX – Loose Weight from the “bottom” up.

2000: “The Daily Mail revealed that Esporta Health Clubs had launched a new line of socks, dubbed FatSox, designed to help people lose weight. These revolutionary socks actually sucked body fat out of sweating feet, promising to “banish fat for ever.” The American inventor of this weight-loss product, Professor Frank Ellis Elgood, explained that the socks employed a nylon polymer called FloraAstraTetrazine “previously only applied in the nutrition industry.” As a person’s body heat rose and their blood vessels dilated, the socks drew “excess lipid from the body through the sweat.” After having sweated out the fat, the wearer could then simply wash the socks, and the fat, away.”

Bob Blowfish sez: “A fish out of water is not a prank, no matter what the occasion.”

In Italy, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, and French-speaking areas of Switzerland and Canada, April tradition is often known as “April fish” (poissons d’avril in French, aprilvis in Dutch or pesce d’aprile in Italian).

This includes attempting to attach a paper fish to the victim’s back without being noticed. Many newspapers also spread a false story on April Fools’ Day, and a subtle reference to a fish is sometimes given as a clue.

http://hoaxes.org/aprilfool

Click here to Learn WHY WE ARE SO GULLIBLE

Frankly Freddie – Your Picks, My Treat

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Celebrations & Events, Comments & Replies, Contests & give-aways, Freddie Parker, CDT (canine dog therapist), IDEA!, , , , , ,

Dear Human-beings,

Thank you for responding to my survey. For every response I got a treat.

Here are the top rated areas you’re most interested in reading on CATNIPblog:

Tied for #4

  • Quizes to learn about myself
  • How to deal with difficult people
  • Managing time and commitment

Tied for #3

  • How to improve relationships
  • Nutrition for brain health
  • Finding purpose

No tie for #2

  • Stress reduction – be calmer & more relaxed

Tied for #1

  • Mood lifters – quick ways to feel happy
  • Animal Tails & Tales

Other:

  • How to “read” other people in order to improve relationships
  • Humor – everything is funny seen through the right lens
  • How to deal with old age losses – friends, health, purpose

Peggy & Judy’s pick:  How to live in retirement in the manner we’d like to become accustomed.

Freddie’s pick:  How to get lots of treats without more polls and subscriber drawings.

Maui’s pick:  How to achieve alpha-status over Freddie. 

IF you haven’t already you can still be entered in my drawing, Click HERE:

Frankly Freddie – Catnipblog Subscriber Drawing

Frankly,

Freddie Parker Westerfield, CCT, RET

Freddie Parker Westerfield

Frankly Freddie – CATNIP coming to a computer near you!

Animals, Creatures & Critters, CDT (canine dog therapist), Contests & give-aways, Freddie Parker, CDT (canine dog therapist), IDEA!, Inspiring Inspiration, , , , , ,

Thank you for all your responses to my survey.  I got treats for being supportive.

Peggy and my human are excited to launch their new blog CATNIP

I’m getting excited too cuz I’m being supportive and will get treats for my contest.

catnip-logo-2

I keep asking them Why on earth name the new blog CATNIP and not FREDDIE?

According to humans, catnip makes you mellow. (What they don’t know is it drives cats wild with desire.) Peggy & Judy want to help you find your mellow but if it drives you wild with desire for more CATNIP they’ll be pleased.

Peggy and my human each worked for over 210 dog years as Licensed Marriage & Family Therapists.   That’s a lot of years.  They decided to share what they’ve learned and the tools they’ve taught rather than have all their stuff blindly dumped into a shredder after they’re gone.  

So . . .  continuing to be supportive . . .  I’m sponsoring a contest to help them be successful bloggers, like me. 

Everyone who subscribes to

CATNIP

  by Saturday, March 18, 2017 will be entered into a drawing and I, Freddie the supportive one, will send the winners a WONDERFUL prize.

Click here to enter!!  http://CATNIPblog.com 

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE to CATNIP so Peggy and my human don’t think I’ve sabotaged them (as retired psychotherapists they are sometimes a bit paranoid).

It’s easy – just enter your e-mail address in the subscribe box at the top right hand corner of the CATNIPBLOG site.

Freddie Parker Westerfield, CDT RET
Freddie Parker Westerfield, CCT RET

Frankly,

Freddie Parker Westerfield, Certified Canine Therapist, RET

P.S. I made them promise to have fun doing CATNIP.  I know them . . . if it isn’t fun they won’t do it.  So if you pay attention you’ll see some of their original drawings, stories, poems sneak on cat feet into the CATNIPblog.

 P.P.S.S. Neither Peggy nor my human are very smart when it comes to technical stuff. Ronna Skinner, graphic designer extraordinaire (not to mention Peggy’s cousin-in-law) helped get the cats Peggy drew, safely perched onto the letters where they can play with “CATNIP”  to their hearts content (and not bother me)

Ronna
Ronna

Frankly Freddie – I need your help

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Celebrations & Events, Contests & give-aways, Freddie Parker, CDT (canine dog therapist), ,

I’m trying to be very supportive, however, I think my human is sniffing catnip.

I was really glad she and her friend Peggy Arndt got together because Peggy gives me treats.  I was glad when they told me they were collaborating on a new blog where they were going to share the materials and techniques they used to help clients when they were psychotherapists because as a retired Certified Canine Therapist I want everyone to know how to make themselves feel good.

Now I’m upset.  They are calling the blog CATNIP because they think catnip makes you feel mellow.  If that isn’t bad enough they are dedicating CATNIP to Peggy’s cat Maui.

Personally, I think catnip makes you crazy and the blog should be dedicated to me.

Maui
Maui (not Freddie)

Now that they are both retired they seem to not be doing much of anything except wandering around*.   So they don’t go too far astray, I created a survey for them to help them be successful bloggers, like me.

Please fill out my survey for their CATNIP blog!  

(You can choose as many areas of interests as you want and when you’re done click “vote”)

Frankly,

Freddie Parker Westerfield, CCT, RET

Freddie Parker Westerfield, Published Author

 *Thank you for your kind response to this most delicate matter.

Am I Addicted to Dairy Crack? (parenthetically speaking. . . )

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Creative Expressions, Food for thought, Health & Healing, Mind-Body, Personal Reflection, , , , , , , ,

I’m baaaaaaack . . . sorta . . . missed all my art classes, missed church . . . cancelled The HeART of Spirituality workshop cuz I’ve been feeling puny.  (And when I am feeling puny I eat,  watch the cooking channel, download recipes and read all I can about what not to eat in the hopes that I will follow that advice.)

The only constructive thing I’ve done is work on the NEW BLOG Catnip with my good friend and colleague Peggy Arndt.  

(Peggy is a retired psychotherapist too AND an artist and author.  I’ve never caught Peggy feeling puny and eating since she’s within a pound or two of the same weight she was when we were in high school together.  If I didn’t like her so much I’d hate her.)  

Between the two of us we have amassed decades of information on neuroscience and behavior and relationships . . .  and eating . . . and addictions.  We’re going to share all that on a new blog called CATNIP (but I digress . . .)

While I was researching for CATNIP this article caught my eye . . .   here are some excerpts:

DSCN5582
cow by judy

The Case Against Dairy Crack

By Barbara J. King*

“The average American eats more than 33 pounds of cheese a year.”  (Thirty-three pounds is about the amount of weight I’d like to lose.  I need to stop eating my American share of cheese.)

“This is according to Neal Barnard, physician and president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. And that’s a problem, he says, because it’s helping to make us overweight and sick.”

“Loaded with calories, high in sodium, packing more cholesterol than steak, and sprinkled with hormones — if cheese were any worse, it would be Vaseline …”

Some foods are fattening. Others are addictive. Cheese is both — fattening and addictive.”

“Barnard explains that dairy protein — specifically a protein called casein — has opiate molecules built in. When babies nurse, he notes, they’re getting dosed with a mild drug: “Milk contains opiates that reward the baby for nursing.”‘ 

“It’s no different with the cow’s milk — or other mammalian milk — from which cheese is made. In fact, Barnard says, the process of cheese-making concentrates the casein”

dscn6854
Non-dominant hand, one-eyed, fat-tipped marker, puny drawing

“Call it dairy crack.”

 “Dairy proteins appear to trigger inflammation, apparently by triggering the release of antibodies, which leads to the constriction of the tiny muscles in the airways. By avoiding dairy proteins, the trigger for the [asthma] attacks is gone.”

“. . .  Barnard notes that vitamin D may play an important role in protecting us against some types of cancers. Citing prostate-cancer data, he suggests that because dairy products are high in calcium and calcium intake can slow down activation of vitamin D, cancer risks may increase with cheese-eating.”

“The National Dairy Council (or cows who would rather be milked than molded into meat patties) does not endorse Barnard’s descriptions of cheese . . .  and points to research from Harvard School of Public Health that shows no association between cheese and long-term weight gain.”

“However, if one’s goal is to lose weight, there is something to be said for not teasing yourself with occasional doses of the very food that caused the problem in the first place. (I might add sugar and refined carbs to the list . . . might?) Better to end that bad love affair. If a person is concerned about asthma, migraine, rheumatoid arthritis, or other sensitivities, one soon loses all desire for the food product that caused the problem.” (So far THAT argument hasn’t worked with me.)

(Maybe every time I feel puny  I should picture myself eating 33 pounds of VASELINE . . . )

Read the entire article and click HERE.

*Barbara J. King is an anthropology professor emerita at the College of William and Mary.  Barbara’s most recent book on animals is titled How Animals Grieve, and her forthcoming book, Personalities on the Plate: The Lives and Minds of Animals We Eat,

The Cheese Trap, How Breaking a Surprising Addiction Will Help You Lose Weight, Gain Energy, and Get Healthy by Neal D., M.d. Barnard, Dreena Burton and Marilu Henner

Sneak a Peek – getting in the mood for Valentine’s Day

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Creative Expressions, Food for thought, Painting, puttering & drawing, Workshops, Seminars & Groups, , ,

No further explanation needed . . .

dscn6852
20 minute pose, Water-color pencil
dscn6850
20 minute pose, water-color pencil
dscn6851
15 minute pose, water-color pencil
"She's got to be kidding"
“Getting into the mood! She’s got to be kidding . . . an explanation is definitely needed . . .”

doodlewash SEALS the deal

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Creative Expressions, Prose & Poetry, , , ,

Hug a seal
give it a kiss
all love is real
not hit or miss

day-10-hugging-a-seal-head-in-water-1
Charlie O’Shields’ water-color

Charlie O’s watercolor “Hug a Seal” is charming (Charlie is charming too . . . as is evidenced by the stories he writes to accompany his water-color paintings).

Check it out (there’s a sweet video of a seal hugging a dog) and click here DOODLEWASH

Learning to Walk

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Celebrations & Events, Video, Weird Wonderful World, ,

Baby Hippo Fiona is the cutest ever!  Mama Bibi and dad Henry probably not so much . . .

baby-fiona_wide-0495d60b84dcba6d79deffd4cb35a7eb3292b228-s800-c85

“A baby hippopotamus, born prematurely at the Cincinnati Zoo, has struggled to stand, eat, gain weight and breathe.”

“But on Sunday morning, the zoo announced “encouraging news from hippo headquarters.”‘

“Baby hippo Fiona, now in stable condition, has taken her first wobbly steps.”

“Fiona was born at the zoo on Jan. 24, six weeks early. She weighed 29 pounds, when baby hippos are normally 55-120 pounds, the zoo says. She was too weak to stand and couldn’t nurse on her own.”

Read all about Fiona, click HERE!

A Frankly Freddie Thanksgiving

Celebrations & Events, Creative Expressions, Food for thought, Freddie Parker, Freddie Parker, CDT (canine dog therapist), Fun & Frivolity, Prose & Poetry, , ,

Dear Human Beings,

Time for my ANNUAL Thanksgiving ‘Ode To Tom’ and tell you what I’m thankful for:

  • I’m thankful that I was not born in a country where they eat dogs.
  • I’m thankful you are all my best friends!
  • I’m thankful for all the treats I get even if I don’t get as many as I deserve
  • I’m thankful I am soft and fluffy so people want to pet me
  • DSCN4217Freddie Parker Westerfield,  Poet Laureate

A Turkey’s Tale

by Freddie Parker Westerfield

A turkey named Tom lived on a farm

His story is such, so they say

Waking at dawn

he’d peck at the lawn,

searching for bugs,

nibbling on slugs

of which he was particularly fond.

Then on Thanksgiving day

Gobbledy gobbledy gone!

So if  YOU took Tom from off his farm

in the middle of the night

please give him due thanks

for gracing your table.  (It’s  fitting and only right).

And for all the bugs and many slugs

which make him an organic delight

P.S.  I was told to tell you that my Human-being wishes you all things to be grateful for in your life, like she’s grateful for me.
dscn6769

My BEST FRIEND Shari sent me this picture.  I think she might be a Turkeytarian . . .

 

Brand new and nude – Puggles

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Creative Expressions, Prose & Poetry, Weird Wonderful World, , , ,

If this isn’t the cutest, weirdest little critter I don’t know what is!

A Puggles Pome

Puggles are the puggliest

Their little snout the ugliest

Cuddle them quick

for when they’re grown

they’ll claw you

and won’t give a lick

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“Sydney Zoo is celebrating the arrival of the first baby echidnas, known as puggles, in almost 30 years.  The tiny (cute), and incredibly rare Australian mammals, hatched in the summer weighing between 250 and 500 grams.  Echidnas, sometimes known as spiny anteaters, lay eggs – which hatch after 10 days.  They’re then carried in their mother’s pouches for up to two months.”

See more puggles’ pictures, click here!

 

My Sketchy life – dinosaurs and dames

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Creative Expressions, Painting, puttering & drawing, Workshops, Seminars & Groups, , , , , , , ,

Many, if not most, of my posts over the years have regaled you, my loyal readers, with bits of  what I find interesting and curious.  (ex. Two of my all time most viewed and informative posts were about Butterfly fish and the Singles Scene  and Stoned Fish.)

Since I’ve been taking life drawing classes there are not many articles that  go along with drawings of nudes that meet the G-rating of my blog.  

In class the teacher has been talking about the skeleton of the body and today I found a very interesting article about a discovery of a new species of dinosaur in Australia that is in keeping with this instructional focus!!!!

dscn6726

“Paleontologists have discovered a new species of dinosaur in Australia. The wide-hipped, long-necked, four-legged plant-eater was about half the length of a basketball court, and its shoulders stood as high as the hoop.” 

This model was a slim-hipped, long-necked, two-legged vegetarian who was the full length of my paper and her shoulders alternately drooped and stood high, depending on the pose.

dscn6727
Charcoal, 2 minutes sketch
dscn6728
Charcoal, one minute sketches

Check it out (the dinosaur, not the model): http://www.theverge.com/2016/10/20/13351870/new-dinosaur-species-savannasaurus-australia-discovery-titanosaur-sauropod

“Savannasaurus skeleton is one of the most complete sauropods to be discovered in Australia. Based on its skeleton, it was probably about 50 feet long, with a long neck and a wide, round body — weighing in at 40,000 pounds, as much as three African elephants combined. Dinosaur fossils in Australia are exceedingly rare, and this discovery could help scientists understand how these massive creatures spread across the planet millions of years ago.“

 . . . that would take one humongous piece of paper to draw it . . .

Laughter is the best medicine

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Creative Expressions, Fibromyalgia, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, MCS, Food for thought, Health & Healing, Pain and Pleasure, Prose & Poetry, Video, , , ,

The weather is changing

my body rearranging

Help! I’m in a fibro flare

Everything hurts

including my hair.

Sharon Bonin Pratt is a writer, an artist and a dear friend.  I think she also is psychic.  I’ve been not feeling great and the subject of her last post was just what I needed.  AND it’s dedicated to ME!!!!  What an honor!

Shari inspired me to look for a smile (SEE THE VIDEO).  

Here’s a sample from Sharon Bonin Pratt’s Ink Flare:

“Who can laugh without relaxing? Isn’t that why some of us (not me of course, and certainly not you, but other unnamed folks) pee their pants when laughing raucously? Losing all control is not a bad thing, even if you must change your whitie-dities, because when you’re having that much fun – who cares about all the rest? Oh, and it’s contagious! In a good way, not like the flu, but like having enough cup cakes for everyone in the world. So now I not only feel good inside my own world weary bod – I feel good because everyone around me also feels good. Motto for today: Spread cheer – laugh out loud.”

Read her entire post –  Sharon Bonin Pratt’s Ink Flare

Cuddle Fish

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Scientific Research, Video, ,

squid-a368418e138de40e19da6a204f5a12a278df598b-s800-c85

“The team spotted this Stubby Squid off the coast of California at a depth of 900 meters (2,950 feet). The stubby squid (Rossia pacifica) looks like a cross between an octopus and squid, but is more closely related to cuttlefish. This species spends life on the seafloor, activating a sticky mucus jacket and burrowing into the sediment to camouflage, leaving their eyes poking out to spot prey like shrimp and small fish. Rossia pacifica”

 

RATS! We Inhaled

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Creative Expressions, Health & Healing, Painting, puttering & drawing, Scientific Research, Workshops, Seminars & Groups, , , , , , ,

At Judy Formato’s Painting on the Patio (POP) art group the topic of marijuana came up.  

Several of the woman, who shall remain anonymous, (we are all well over the age of 50 or 60 or 70) admitted to inhaling in their youth.  It was a pertinent topic (for those of us well over the age of 50 or 60 or 70) relating to pain medication for maladies that come with maturity.

Is this a coincidence, or what? . . . I came home to read this new medical marijuana “MIND” study:  

Researcher Staci Gruber is “. . .  trying to determine the long and short-term impact of medical marijuana on cognition, brain structure and function, quality of life, sleep, and other clinical measures. 

“People drive two to three hours sometimes to get [here for] the study,” Gruber said. “They’re really committed. They really want to know what effect this will have on them.”

“As they wait for long-term results, MIND researchers have made a few interim discoveries. They have found, for example, that marijuana could possibly ease symptoms for people with bipolar disorder and that a medication for strokes and Alzheimer’s disease may reverse the cognitive effects of chronic recreational marijuana use.”

Perhaps our POP group could volunteer – we can drive and are VERY committed women.

I think we qualify.

Oh, by the way, here’s what I painted at POP.

Water-color on Yupo paper
Water-color & pencil on Yupo paper

DSCN6660

I wonder why they don’t use rats for this study – they use them for all the others?

 

Frankly Freddie – Dog Days of Summer

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Food for thought, Freddie Parker, CDT (canine dog therapist), ,

My human has been laying around the house all week.  You’ve probably noticed she’s not been commenting on her blog or responding to e-mails.  She overdid it at her last workshop and has been dog-tired ever since.  

Humans are cute, not very smart and take a lot of patience on our part.  Just when I think she’s trained she gets loose and I have no idea where she goes or what she gets into.  All I know is she comes limping home. 

unnamed-1
Picture by Rona H.

She looks a bit dog-eared.

Usually she can pick up the scent and find her way back but if you see her loose on the street don’t call human-control, just bring her home in time for my dinner.

Frankly,

Freddie Parker Westerfield, CDT, RET

Freddie Parker Westerfield, Published Author
Freddie Parker Westerfield, Certified Canine Therapist, RET

Frankly Freddie

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Video, , ,

Dear Linda B.,

Thank you for sending me a video of Jumpy the dog.  All us canines can do all this, we just don’t want to.   We prefer to conserve our energy for healing rather than performing. 

Sincerely yours,

Freddie Parker Westerfield, CDT, RET.

Freddie Parker Westerfield, CDT RET
Freddie Parker Westerfield, CDT RET

Baltimore, the Snowy Owl

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Scientific Research, Video, ,

No energy to write my usual pithy posts . . . but here’s a Snowy Owl worth the visit:


“We followed a young owl named Baltimore’s PRECISE route from a beach in Maryland to an island in Canada.”

Frankly Freddie (parenthetically speaking)

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Creative Expressions, Food for thought, Freddie Parker, Freddie Parker, CDT (canine dog therapist), Fun & Frivolity, Scientific Research, , , , , ,

Dear Human Beings,

Do NOT, I repeat do NOT, believe everything you read.   This article is a case in point:

New research shows why dogs don’t like hugs.

Staff writers

“PET owners beware — new research has revealed that dogs don’t like hugs from their owners, which can make them (the owners?) more stressed out.”
“According to new research published in Psychology Today, Stanley Coren from the University of British Columbia, said dogs respond differently to humans who seek comfort from hugging others.”
“Coren, who studies canine behaviour, analysed a random sample of 250 pictures of humans hugging their dogs that he could find online through Flickr and a Google image search.” (skewed data – he left out Pintrest and Instagram where the animal pictures are more photogenic)
“In using photos where the dog’s face was easily seen, he looked whether the dog appeared to be anxious or distressed, relaxed, or showed a neutral response to being hugged.”
“He found that around 82 per cent of the photographs showed “unhappy dogs” receiving hugs from their owners or children.”

Freddie Parker Westerfield, Published Author
Freddie Parker Westerfield, Published Author

He said that dogs show signs of distress when they bare their teeth (called a smile when humans do it), turn their heads away from something ( just being bored and looking around), or they partially close their eyes (doesn’t everyone close their eyes when ecstatic?).
Another sign of anxiety is when a dog’s ears are lowered or “slicked against the side of his head”. (Stanley, it’s just our coiffure)
He also said that licking lips or licking a person’s face can also be a sign of anxiety, like yawning or raising a paw. (I lick when it’s tasty)
Coren said the fact that dogs don’t like being hugged can be explained by their behavioural nature.

As “cursorial animals”, (cursorial?  I swear I never curse) they are designed for swift running. When stressed, a dog’s first instinct is to run away.
It is believed that when they are restricted from moving with a hug, it can increase a dog’s stress level and potentially cause them to bite their owners. (or bite researchers)

It’s not the hugs that stressed the dogs out it was having their pictures taken WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT to be displayed for all the world to see.

Freddie Parker Westerfield, Pulblished Poet
Freddie Parker Westerfield, Blogger

So hug away you human-beings and always follow-up with a treat for us dogs (you got your treat with the hug)

Frankly yours,

Freddie Parker Westerfield, CDT RET, CDB

Canine Dog Therapist, Retired and Certified Dog Blogger

 

Puppy Power!

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Celebrations & Events, Inspiring Inspiration, Mind-Body, Video, , ,

SoulPancake and Puppy Chow teamed up to share the #PowerofPuppies at a preschool, retirement home, and gym to transform an otherwise ordinary day. Share http://bit.ly/pwrofppys with someone who needs the power of puppies in their lives! For every video view, Puppy Chow will donate one pound of Puppy Chow Natural to Rescue Bank® (up to 500,000 pounds or until April 23, 2016).

 

 

A fish face to love, not to eat

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Creative Expressions, Prose & Poetry, Weird Wonderful World, ,

A video of a diver in Thailand rescuing a porcupinefish caught in a net got my attention.  I posted it on The HeART of Spirituality to get your attention. (verrrrrrry clever)

It’s not for survival

when I take a drink

It’s for my revival

she says with a wink

This  is the black-blotched porcupinefish. These fish not only can swallow water and raise their spines to make themselves look bigger and fiercer, but they also harbor in their bodies a neurotoxin that contributes to self-defense.

Porcupine Fish
Porcupine Fish sez: “Here’s looking at you, kid.”

Take a look at a Porcupine fish being rescued while its fish friend watches.  Who said fish don’t have feelings!

Click here for the video!

“Some species are poisonous, having a tetrodotoxin in their internal organs, such as the ovaries and liver. This neurotoxin is at least 1200 times more potent than cyanide. The poison is produced by several types of bacteria obtained from the fish’s diet.[4] As a result of these three defenses, porcupinefish have few predators, although adults are sometimes preyed upon by sharks and killer whales. Juveniles are also preyed on by Lysiosquillina maculata, tuna and dolphins. Wikipedia

And read about the nanofish cleaning out YOUR body here!

plus another pome . . .

 

 

Happy Easter Klatch Hatch

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Celebrations & Events, Creative Expressions, Food for thought, Fun & Frivolity, , , ,

 Better to give life than eat it.

This watercolor by Kathrin Werner made me smile.   Happy Easter and beyond!

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Watercolor by Kathrin Werner

Kathi also has the best blog series – She’s created an alligator with attitude named Benni:   

benni_berghc3bcttewz

“As the landlord had forgotten to tell the other guests that Benni was a vegetarian, hardly anybody did sleep in that night.”

and you can brush up on your German when you read her blog:

“Außer Benni schlief keiner. Der Hüttenwirt hatte vergessen den anderen Gäste zu sagen, dass Benni Vegetarier war.”

Click here: KathrinsWorld

 P.S.  She even has an ETSY shop

 

 

Keeping the Beat

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Scientific Research, Video, , ,

“Snowball’s public debut also caught the attention of two scientists at the Neurosciences Institute in La Jolla, Calif. John Iversen and Aniruddh Patel were interested in the evolutionary origins and neuroscience of rhythm and music. At the time, there was no documented evidence that nonhuman animals could dance — or, in more scientific terms, that they could “entrain” their movements to an external beat. “We saw this video, and it really knocked us out — it was the first time we had ever seen this,” Iversen said. “As scientists, you love these kinds of moments.”’

“Iversen and Patel tested Snowball in controlled experiments, altering the tempos of his favorite songs and observing how he responded without any training or encouragement. Snowball danced in bouts, rather than continuously, but frame-by-frame video analysis confirmed that he adapted his movements to the match the altered beats. Soon after, other studies by separate research teams showed that numerous species of parrots could entrain to a beat, as could elephants. Monkeys, on the other hand, did not display much rhythmic talent in the lab.”

“Snowball (TM) is a Medium Sulphur Crested Eleanora Cockatoo that dances to the Back Street Boys and other songs that he rates as having a “very good beat.” He came to Bird Lovers Only Rescue Service, Inc. (a 501c3 not for profit bird rescue and sanctuary) in August 2007 and continues to make us laugh with his fancy footwork. We are currently raising funds to build a bird habitat for Snowball and other birds like him.”

"She has too much time on her hands . . ."
“Unlike other ANIMALS we  dance only in A-list private labs”

Click here to read the entire article Beasts that Keep the Beat and watch a seal “keep the beat”.

DOODLEWASHing & Hairy Bird pome

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Creative Expressions, Fun & Frivolity, , , ,

Hairy Pome by judy

Have you not heard
of the elusive Kingfisher bird?
When it is hatched
it sports a moustache
Thank goodness there’s no beard
that would be weird

Watercolor by Charlie O', Kingfisher Bird
Watercolor by Charlie O’Shields, Moustached Kingfisher Bird

Read more about this birdie at doodlewash

Charlie O’Shields

DOODLEWASHing & monkey pome

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Creative Expressions, Fun & Frivolity, Prose & Poetry, Weird Wonderful World, , , ,

Want to monkey around?
just blow with your nose
to create a sound
that tingles the toes

However, it’s said
if a monkey you bed
your kids will be hairy
swing from the trees
blowing their noses
and hang by their knees

Whoops, WRONG picture
Whoops, WRONG picture.  Sorry Charlie O’ . . .

“Unfortunately, like many of this unusual creatures, this species is classified as endangered. Though an odd face, they’re generally good natured with each other, but due to extensive loss of vegetation, there are only about 1,000 of them left. The government of Borneo has instituted strict penalties for those who kill them in an effort to protect what’s left of the dwindling population.”

If you want to see the PROBOSCIS MONKEY’S picture you will have to click here: DOODLEWASH

DOODLEWASHing & a shrimpy pome

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Creative Expressions, Fun & Frivolity, Prose & Poetry, ,

The Peacock mantis shrimp
is no wimp.
Its rear sways
while the front prays
that its glow
doesn’t go.
4 inches is enough
to strut it’s stuff

Watercolor Peacock Mantis Shrimp by Charlie O'
Watercolor, Peacock Mantis Shrimp by Charlie O’Shields

“Some mantis shrimp species are rather romantic, meeting their dream shrimp and staying together for life, which is up to 20 years. These lovebirds share the same burrow, protect their eggs, and help each other in hunting. When particularly aroused during mating rituals, the mantis shrimp will start to fluoresce. This means, you guessed it, they have glow-in-the-dark sex, which more than qualifies them as an uncommon creature.”

Click here to find out why the shrimp is no wimp: doodlewash

DOODLEWASHing – What’s all the Stink About?

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Creative Expressions, Fun & Frivolity, Prose & Poetry, ,

“Along with its spiky reddish-brown hairdo, it’s quite a sight to behold. It’s also a bird that you are better off viewing from a safe distance due to its other key characteristic that has earned it’s rather insulting nickname. But it’s an accurate one, as the stinkbird actually does smell like poop.”

judy’s stink bird pome

The Stink bird, if you will
is a walking, pecking still
Its cow poop smell
is just a cover
for a liquor lover.

Stink bird by Charlie O'
Watercolor Stink bird by Charlie O’ Shields

Wanna know why it stinks?  Ya gotta click here:  DOODLEWASH Sinkbird  

doodlewashing & wailing (the wailing part is me)

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Creative Expressions, Fun & Frivolity, Prose & Poetry, Weird Wonderful World, ,

Found a grrrrrrrrreat new blog doodlewash.  The artist CHARLIE O’SHIELDS is good AND his subjects are weird and wonderful critters (at least the ones I’ve seen so far) My kinda guy!  To make it even better the information he posts about the animals he draws is fascinating.

As those of you who follow my blog know I’ve been in a slump – physically, mentally and creatively.  The minute I saw Charlie’s drawings and read about critters . . . well . . .  it inspired the poet in me.

judy’s jerboa pome

Long-eared jerboa
picky diet of insects
nibbles on their feet
but spits out their toa

Long Eared
Watercolor, Long Eared Jaboa by Charlie O’Shields

“Caught on video for the first time in 2007, this little creature may look like an odd little rodent, but it’s really quite distinct. There’s no other animal of its exact type on the planet. Looking a bit like a mouse-sized kangaroo, it’s humorously long legs give it the ability to jump over 3 feet (1 meter) high.”

To read the part that inspired my pome ya gotta click here: DOODLEWASH

The First day of my Birthday Season – I’m Wrinkling in Strange Places

"Don't quote me", Animals, Creatures & Critters, Birthdays, Celebrations & Events, Food for thought, Fun & Frivolity, , , , ,

(Oh yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees – days and days and days and daaaaaaaaaaays of celebration.  You can send me gifts in lieu of flowers or cake per my birthday season RULES, #3).

To celebrate I slept-in late . . . 

Oh nooooooooooooooooo – I have vertical ridges in my fingernails.  So, of course, I googled “fingernail ridges”:

“There are many reasons for ridged nails but the most common is aging,” says Dr. Phoebe Rich, M.D, clinical adjunct professor of dermatology at Oregon Health Science University. “As we age the nail matrix becomes atrophied  in areas resulting in longitudinal ridging of nails. I tell people they are like wrinkles in the nails.”

It’s bad enough that my face is wrinkling . . . my neck is wrinkling . . . and now! my fingernails are wrinkling!

images

The next thing I know I’ll wake up and I will look like a Shar-pei.

P1020543_2

Bob Blobfish sez: ". . . I p"
Bob Blobfish sez: “I’d be upset too if I woke up looking like a Shar-pei”

 

Giant Tree Lobster – pass the butter

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Scientific Research, Video, Weird Wonderful World, , , , ,

Giant Tree Lobsters were thought to be extinct until discovered on a remote island near Australia.  And it’s not a hoax . . .  like the Tree Octopus.

To read about their “romantic” come back and take a look at what they look like full-grown click here: Meet the Tree Lobster, back from the brink

Take a look at the birth! . . . meditative and remarkable!


Green when young, and about the size of an adult human’s hand when full-grown, Dryococelus australis is more commonly known as the Lord Howe Island stick insect, or the tree lobster.
Courtesy of Rohan Cleave/Melbourne Zoo

“The nymph that comes out of the egg is about three times the size of the egg itself,” says Paige Howorth, the San Diego Zoo’s curator of entomology. “It’s just folded up in there like an origami piece or something — it’s amazing.”

It has been claimed that the males and females snooze together, cuddled up in pairs, with the male wrapping his six legs protectively around the female. But Howorth says assuming that the sleep position connotes affection would be premature.

“I don’t know if it means he loves her,” she says, laughing. “I’m not willing to say that.”

How to cook a turkey FAST and painlessly (for you not the bird)

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Celebrations & Events, Food for thought, IDEA!, Mouth Watering Deeeelicious, Really Good Recipes, , ,
It’s that time of year again for “Cooking with Judy”  Here’s my yearly Thanksgiving post — cuz it’s tooooo good not to be shared!  

img_00131 I have a reputation, among those who know me,  to have an “interesting” sense of humor.  Even though How to Cook A Turkey with 500 degree heat sounds like a joke IT IS NO JOKE.

The turkey comes out brown, beautiful and MOIST.
 I’ve done this every year for over three decades and it’s never failed.  (One time I did a 20-plus pounder and parts were not completely cooked so I zapped the parts in the microwave)
 
I’ve shared this with many others and it has failed only once — the woman bought a ButterBall Turkey . . . and has never eaten turkey since. To see why, keep reading.
 
Ingredients:
10 – 18 pound turkey* and a sense of adventure
 
Directions:
  • Pre Heat oven 500 degrees (this is not a typo)
  • Clean the bird
  • Throw it into a covered container – put on lid or aluminum foil
  • Do not add ANYTHING to the pot and/or the bird.
  • Do NOT baste or look at until time is up  (you will hear burbling, don’t worry, by the time you hear burbling the turkey is dead)
  • Bake (and I do mean BAKE), 7 minutes per pound, unstuffed at 500 degrees FARENHEIT
  • 7 1/2 minutes per pound, stuffed
*WARNING: Do NOT buy any *turkey that has ANYTHING injected under the skin (especially butter!) or the fire department will join you for dinner after you scrub the black soot from your ceiling.
Q & A (I won’t bother you with the Q-part)
  • Yes, it comes out brown and beautiful.
  • No, it is moist and delicious
  • I always put the stuffing in a casserole rather than the turkey – others have stuffed the bird and said it was great.
  • Yes, it will smell like Thanksgiving not like a house-on-fire.
  • No, PETA would not endorse this because it is more humane . . . for the cook
  • Yes! 500 degrees.  It is not a typo
  • Yes, 7 minutes a pound
P.S.  A typical turkey will take a little over 1 hour to bake. The first year I made the turkey this way I had the critter sitting out raw and naked as a J-bird when the guests arrived.
When they found out nothing was in the oven everyone nervously inquired what time we were going to eat.
Made me smile.

 

Frankly Freddie – I found a cure for my human!!!

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, MCS, Food for thought, Freddie Parker, CDT (canine dog therapist), Health & Healing, Life Altering Conditions, Mind-Body, , , , , ,

My Dear Human Beings and other critters,

My human has been too tired to go on walks.  All she wants to do is sit around and I’m getting bored keeping her distracted by petting me.  She blames Fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue but I’ve long suspected that she just needs a new career that is exciting.  I found the perfect cure – FOR EVERYTHING THAT AILS HER .

11796206_835121679964536_7560255879812816373_n
The CURE

There’s a woman in England who  (instead of moping around like my human being)  got a pair of feathered fans to do a routine in a bar that was holding a cabaret night.

She said: “It was nerve-wracking but exciting . . .  I felt alive. . . . Even though she’s not completely cured, her chronic fatigue only flares up every two or three months – lasting at most for a couple of days. “

She’s got big plans for the future . . . She said: “I have signed up with the alternative model agency Ugly, in London and hope to start appearing in magazines and adverts.”  (I didn’t tell my human being about “Ugly” because I’m not sure what kind of magazines and adverts want “ugly” . . . )

Freddie Parker Westerfield, CDT RET
Freddie Parker Westerfield, CDT RET

My human thinks all this is just a ploy to get her to take me on walks.  I told her if she didn’t believe me to read this:  

Woman Bedridden With Depression And Fatigue Turns Her Life Around With Burlesque Dancing

 

 

Great Wildebeest Migration LIVE!

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Inspiring Inspiration, Organizations & Resources, Video, Weird Wonderful World, , , , , ,

Oh my goodness!!!!!!! Go on Safari in Kenya without leaving home for the next 5 days!!!

“The live broadcast HerdTracker is a web-app that plots the precise location of the great wildebeest migration in real time to a Google Map and in a Twitter-style timeline. “The initiative is the result of collaboration between HerdTracker and the government of Kenya’s makeitkenya.com.
To watch the broadcasts, register your email address on discoverafrica.com/herdtrackerlive. Then on, you will receive reminders for the live broadcasts, which will be hosted on periscope.tv/herdtracker.”

Mara River Crossings – Great Wildebeest Migration by HerdTracker

What to expect:
1 The annual migration consists of wildebeest, zebra, eland and gazelle
2 Spot big cats, like the lion, leopard or cheetah
3 Get a glimpse of elephant herds
4 Keep an eye out for the endangered black rhino
5 Lastly, watch out for the massive crocodiles that wait for the migration to cross the Mara River

Parrot this! (mimic mindlessly)

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Food for thought, Health & Healing, Lessons of a Therapist, Mind-Body, Pain and Pleasure, , , ,

“Fear is just excitement in need of an attitude adjustment”

~ in a very wise fortune cookie

Polly the Parrot sez:
Polly the Parrot sez: “Polly wanna fortune cookie!”

Frankly Freddie – National Human Day

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Celebrations & Events, Freddie Parker, Freddie Parker, CDT (canine dog therapist), Fun & Frivolity, IDEA!, Ya Gotta Have Heart, ,

Dear Human-beings,

Although it’s officially National Dog Day I am celebrating National Human Day.  (Have to toss humans a “bone” every so often)

Human-beings are weird critters but we canines love you anyway. We try to take good care of you but, as you know, humans can be stubborn, arbitrary and difficult to train.  That’s why most of us prefer to adopt those of you who are already toilet trained, like to walk and can open the refrigerator.  But humans who drool, roll around the ground and babble can be fun playmates even when they are as old as my human-being.

Freddie Parker Westerfield, Pulblished Poet
Freddie Parker Westerfield, CDT, RET

Do me a favor and click on The Greater Good – Animal Rescue Site.  It’s free and every click helps all my buddies.  (There are also some Greater Good Sites that help Human Beings.)

And since It’s Freddie’s National Human Being Day treat yourself to a walk, a nap and something to chew on.

Frankly,

Freddie Parker Westerfield, CDT, RET

“Eat, Pray, Love” – Advice from Penelope the Pig

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Creative Expressions, Food for thought, Freddie Parker, CDT (canine dog therapist), Fun & Frivolity, Inspiring Inspiration, Lessons of a Therapist, Spiritually Speaking, , ,

Penelope and I met a few years ago.  I went for a carton of milk and there she was, an albino pig, in a grocery store.  She was in a dangerous situation – it was only time before she ended up on the meat aisle. (OIY VEY)  So for $9 I took her home with the milk.

I gave her a bit of color and a bow and she went to live in my therapy office.

Very few clients ever commented on her.  I always suspected new clients didn’t quite know what to say and my long-term clients knew me well enough that they didn’t need to say anything.
 
Penelope retired the same time as Freddie Parker but she still has a lot of good advice: 

How to Live Life to the Fullest

by Penelope the Pig, CPT, RET

  • EAT greedily all the delectable things life gives you.

  • WALLOW in what’s soothing & cool.

  • SNORT at those who are not loving.

  • CELEBRATE how delicious you are.

  • PRAY you will not be eaten before your time.

May you all PIG OUT on LOVE,

Penelope the Pig, CPT, RET

Certified Pig Therapist, Retired 

Frankly Freddie, How to Break Your Cell-phone Habit

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Freddie Parker, CDT (canine dog therapist), Fun & Frivolity, IDEA!, Psychology, ,

You can get a collar at your local veterinarian. If you need a canine to get you an appointment I’m available for hire.

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Frankly,

Freddie Parker Westerfield, CDT, RET

P.S.  If you have withdrawal symptoms try doggie chews.

Freddie Parker Westerfield, CDT RET
Freddie Parker Westerfield, CDT RET

Thanks Sharon M.!!!!!!!

Nala – love in a teacup (poodle, that is)

Animals, Creatures & Critters, CDT (canine dog therapist), Health & Healing, Inspiring Inspiration, Video, , ,

“This black teacup poodle named Nala is making everyone smile at a nursing home in Minnesota. She scurries from room to room, even riding the elevator by herself, to see her friends.”

Thanks Linda B.!!!!!!


Read more at http://nethugs.com/inspirational/angels-of-the-morning/#FHqRAPmRrshWCGtG.99

” . . . bear this matter in mind”

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Creatures & Critters, Inspiring Inspiration, Spiritually Speaking, Ya Gotta Have Heart, , ,

” But to blessed animals the utmost kindness must be shown, the more the better. Tenderness and loving-kindness are basic principles of God’s heavenly Kingdom. Ye should most carefully bear this matter in mind.”  Baha’i World Faith

A 400 lb. black bear wandered into a residential neighborhood in Florida.  Black bears half this size have attacked and killed humans across the nation recently … twice in Florida.  Wildlife officers sedated the bear to safely relocate him, and that’s when things began to go horribly wrong.”

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“The tranquilizer dart sent the bear into a panic and he ran towardsthe saltwater Inland Waterway, evading officers.”Fh1NPrUuj_QkrgJGB7LMOEhn6UNBQjiAT7ZnqYvLav3OcNsMML7XF5mqF2pE2-WWtlRjTpJi0N7wPyeQ0NUkNc5MJIXfO7hptRB4_2sU0WsEBhmXi0C1dhKMBG36fAMRWLmqWhiM5sBxRdKh3vAy7Z12DZAQGAI=s0-d-e1-ft“As he swam further and further out, he became drowsy and started to drown.But Adam Warwick, a biologist with the Wildlife Commission, wasn’t about to let that happen.
Adam went into the water after the bear… yeah, after a bear … to stop him from going under.”40axVLexcJTvHeifCV1gu-jxGopjgf4DcKea0A9UrFKmXGFIRtniErAGR-tbfHMuGsZU9c2M4QH4XbmiuWMiQmKyRxE3hMeBCNhxwpAQ5UKd6fqEr9tBv8BlQHvAqNu-Dm8zprLp-ZwvdWghNq0OoccREirBxyM=s0-d-e1-ft“ It was a spur of the moment decision. I had a lot of adrenaline pumping when I saw the helpless bear in the water dying. “HAmEt5lRE48RGDSEaJzTvdiArNlbls91Gcq56uJrLm4wadHGCFAPYZPnFBUocfv0jcmww5NdSMY3bZfyWnq2YriOMG4NUt2HYAOB4Ko31KZ14IBUEIdBzL0_fq_XjZ4CjVOSEc4mB2bS9ZNilyJOMt-NmjYX1eU=s0-d-e1-ft“He knew the very high risk, considering the powerful bear was scared and could have easily became aggressive to defend itself, killing him with a single swipe or bite. But the bear somehow seemed to know it was in good hands.”sAGKW1wlXLw8kNmaphgZc2yHjRk13eBVsIaOMo7ksQy1oAaO7gj-4FMqQ9-gmL_VxvvEZxVxhCzPkcze3x2PGMV_iADgUsq3jlKDtb_-7rAUPFlBF-fLyWebQsWcPqkRpwytEM45mJSSuvdlE4XuwBN7pEPYcY4=s0-d-e1-ft“It seemed to become calm when under the man’s control? Adam’s determination finally got the 400 pound wild creature safely back into shallow water.”vte4GprBuWFbo40-9xMrBeNs0uP8dy2wrxKdfV98_K1XgTLL05cZSKA-_vHJUxYHiAN_16ukZyXJtbbe1LjZzXEuS8-u-Tme4X6n4gQL1JKD6QTXFd1Enc8dVeiccn459laHcMn5zV292d5CnRVH5z7bAlt10zQ=s0-d-e1-ft“Adam suffered only a scratch from the rescue.”Oz21XB48nnCHA5OOTH-xwltIfLb9E2K9yO6UjpYLGYL7UufsXi2iqSOAIE-5b3vxFC76Li-G8rGHWXXyn9iu1CeOHgN8dkZYImVE7MPRdq28FXBXaKwiLkqFIo3Xzu2IGEs6QMnHwzAQsqQsUZXku0CbpeZ7K4w=s0-d-e1-ft“Once they reached the shore, other team members came to help.”IMOvW4YSw6Uzno8H20E6aTs9y9egWXtLPdDquq9YygdrEFl2GZNcQET-CyNpl8Dd3E04pkR7k8sMeejdkBeCA-KpwZVtdavZpe2tukIm4sXSd8kxuKE8cQKvzd7k3x2JTjXbN8CY9wAq0z0DYZSB7yCqxPSU8XQ=s0-d-e1-ft“The team was able to use a tractor bucket to transport the poor guy back to his home in Osceola National Forest.”unnamed-3“Adam rode with him back home … a sight you don’t see on the highway every day (neither had a helmet).”vF6bhPUyG4lDCge6kSr0SHQP0ztyyIiPZp4iGU9ypd1tFJ4Ailuwg7-KR6ewamvT-sogAwX7SWFECvAc_joeR3oWNja93k_mXhGfsKp7YOglSViyfsBlRsVumq2qiAlkP0G4rD5kWnko5UuFTh-jgC8yIPGBZDpb=s0-d-e1-ft“… where he is safe and happy again and has one honking’ story to tell the grand kids.”

64cSblYYT0ZmtyEFNfyj6NJBDE5LRqyn-Og0xuNbmbr5s89yFB-CYRo-E_j5HJ25wC9Hzkm9T1Ka_CHVPMkCnHIaysQILfV2R62F62Zkp8crUtSvpKoFTR7f_3QF9wJOTtJLWvSr0Qjq0OtF5q3Wnc2cZqihiBwj=s0-d-e1-ft“Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take,

but by the moments that take your breath away”

Thanks Linda B. for sharing this!!!

 

From the Ridiculous to the Sublime on July 4th

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Celebrations & Events, Food for thought, Music, Spiritually Speaking, Video, , , , ,

You’ll have to go elsewhere if you want beer, back yard bar-b-ques and fireworks for the Fourth of July.  More interesting (to me) is Benjamin Franklin’s letter to his daughter, in which he explains his choice of the turkey, a “bird of courage” for the National Bird instead of   the an eagle, a bird of “bad moral character” and “a rank coward” to represent the majesty of our great nation:

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“For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly. You may have seen him perched on some dead Tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the Labour of the Fishing Hawk; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a Fish, and is bearing it to his Nest for the Support of his Mate and young Ones, the Bald Eagle pursues him and takes it from him.”

“With all this injustice, he is never in good case but like those among men who live by sharping & robbing he is generally poor and often very lousy. Besides he is a rank coward: The little King Bird not bigger than a Sparrow attacks him boldly and drives him out of the district. He is therefore by no means a proper emblem for the brave and honest Cincinnati of America who have driven all the King birds from our country…”

“. .  . For the Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America… He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on.”  Franklin Institute  Read more: American Myths, Smithsonian Magazine

I leave you with the sublime

Download “Amazing Grace” by Condoleezza Rice and Jenny Oaks Baker on iTunes: http://apple.co/1LElsTB

All proceeds will be donated to the Wounded Warriors Project.

Thanks Lyn!

Frankly Freddie – If your shadow is square you’re a hedgedog

Animals, Creatures & Critters, Creative Expressions, Food for thought, Freddie Parker, Freddie Parker, CDT (canine dog therapist), Fun & Frivolity, Weird Wonderful World, , , ,

Dear Chris, Maws & Paws, My personal Groomer – Human Being,

The next time you come please do not make me look like a hedge-dog*. 

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Cutting dogs’ fur into perfect cubes, is the latest dog hairdressing trend to sweep Asia.  “It is not known where the inspiration for the trend originated, but the look has been cropping up at dog shows around Asia in recent months.”

“Hairdresser Tain Yeh, who runs a parlour in Taipei told the Daily Mail: “It came about because people were always looking for more impressive haircuts, and somebody came up with the idea of shaping the dog like a hedge.”’ (HEDGE!, sounds like the Organic Green Revolution has gone to the dogs) . . .  “The dogs don’t mind, (humph!, we are just too polite to complain) and the owners keep coming back for more. This sort of haircut needs a lot more maintenance than the regular type.”

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“She warned that the look isn’t one which works for all dogs and has this advice for any British dog owners seeking to emulate the slick cubes: “It is also not suitable for all breeds. The dog needs to have plenty of hair to play around with so that you can shape it around the face and body.” (I’d love to get my paws on a pair of clippers and trim human-beings to look like a poodle . . . or a HEDGE . . . or a  . . .)

If you don’t believe me read it here: Japanese People are Grooming their Dogs into Perfect Cubes  

*Frankly, I prefer the round look when I’m groomed

See you soon Chris!

Freddie Parker

P.S.  Chris, please bring treats

On my way to work