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OUR CREATURES, GREAT &
SMALL
A PAMPERED POOCH...
OR A FURRY
FRIEND'S FANTASY???
FROM LINDA MORRISON CASTLE:
INTRODUCING ...."TEDDY OF CASTLE GLEN"
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| TEDDY CASTLE IN A SERIOUS MOMENT |
Teddy was about 9 weeks old when
this was taken, and we'd had him one week . He's already bigger! He's a busy guy when he's awake.
He has an overbite (Stan thought we should call him Bucky) and was discounted. When the breeder said maybe his lower
baby teeth would need to be filed I immediately thought that he was the one for us! Unfortunately the vet said the filing
wouldn't be necessary.
He's already getting the idea of "hurry-up" outside on the grass so we
think he's exceptionally smart..... Linda
| TEDDY IN A MORE LIGHTHEARTED MOOD |
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Now at about 3 months, Teddy is really growing!
Mostly "long", but can "tall" be far behind?
Karen
Berkey Sutherland proudly presents Tiffany Blue. "She is a sweetheart of a bird until she is laying eggs-she has no mate- so the eggs just disappear
magically after a month. ( I take them out.) In preparation for the eggs, she busily shreds any paper at hand
and carries the pieces back to her cage in her tail.
I do not trim her wings so she is able to fly - I let
her out of cage for an hour or two daily. She loves to be petted; she kisses freely and makes wonderful noises." (Editor's
note: Tiffany's talents first came to our attention in 2008 when she helped process Karen's RSVP form for the 45th
reunion. It was gnawed completely around the edges, requiring a note of explanation.)
Sandy Smith Champlin introduces her newest family
member: "Hi!
My name is Vista Grande Junior Miss but you can call me Missy. I am told I came into this world March 24th, 2010 amid much
fanfare. I believe it too because there were lots of bright flashing lights. The next couple of days brought many visitors
with more flashing lights. My Mom, Sensational, assured me this flurry of folks would soon die down. By day three I got to
meet my brother, Bux, and two distant cousins, Lover and Rumor. We all live on a ranch in Anza, CA. Mom said it is really
different from the grassy hills of Madison, IN, and Little King Farm where we all came from last September.
My
days are full of of fun, running, bucking, rearing up and learning new stuff from my two legged Mom and Dad. They say it is
really important. Next year I am going to join my brother and cousins on the miniature horse show circuit, whatever that is.
For now I like checking out anything new and testing it for strength. My favorite thing is knocking over a wheelbarrow
when it is full of the stuff they have cleaned out of the barn. That always brings a big response.
So
long for now, I hope your days are as full of fun as mine." - Missy
And, Sharing Two-Legged Parents
with Missy ... SAMPSON!
More on the Champlin Menagerie:
"Here
is a picture of our Sampson. He is an 11 year old Peach Molluccan Cockatoo. He has lived with us since he was four months
old. We removed a couch from our motorhome and replaced it with a birdcage bolted into the floor for safety. He has traveled
with us over 50,000 miles from one end of the country to the other. He is a terrific ice breaker when it comes to meeting
new people. He always attracts a crowd where ever we go. He has been to numerous Nascar tracks but is not fond of the helicopters
overhead or the fireworks.
As can be seen in this picture his T-stand comes right into
the kitchen where he shares breakfast and dinner with us. While I prepare his own food consisting of fresh fruit and vegetables,
he is much more interested in what is on George's plate. He frequently refuses to touch his food as long as there is anything
left to share with George. He has a pretty good vocabulary which he shares with us. People always ask him to talk but when
strangers are around he is too busy listening to them.
He loves to accompany us down to the barn when we put the
horses up for the night. In fact, he was there for Missy's birth, but I had to run him back to his house (cage) because we
did not need to keep track of him and the foal. He loves to set up our cat, Sabrina, by letting out a loud squawk just as
she is walking by his house. This always results in a mad dash that sets area rugs askew.
This pet section is such a nice idea. Missy and
Sampson are honored to be included.
Sandy
THE "REAL" SABRINA
(Visitors to our Bruin Den page have no doubt enjoyed the commentary of the somewhat "uppity" but beautiful,
pious cat, Sabrina. This cat was
nameless for a long time but
Sandy mentioned several times "that looks so much like my Sabrina." Thus, the name stuck with the beloved
icon.) Thanks again to Sandy Champlin for the information
shared below.
Sabrina is most pleased to be invited to join the page of prized animal friends.Sabrina just turned
13 although one would never guess it. Her stalking, hunting and playfulness skills are those of a kitten. She tolerates Sampson
and only lets him think his squawks startle her when she is actually trying to set a personal best speed record from the family
room to the living room!
She is an accomplished traveler also with 50,000 miles under her paws. She goes to her
travel space between the bed and the nearest wall as soon as the engine starts. She stays there until she hears the leveling
jacks go down. Then she knows we have stopped for the night. She comes out for a stretch and drink of water. Then she goes
up to the front to look out of the window and observe the other RVs jockeying into their spaces for the night. After everything
has quieted down she sometimes shows interest in exploring so we put on her harness and leash for a short walk.
Whether
we are on the road for one week or seven she is always happy to come home to where she reigns as Queen Sabrina.
LESLIE TUCKER WALKER'S FURRY COMPANIONS
Leslie's son, Ryan, posed with
Chip (aka "Couch Potato Chip") in 1996.
We found both Sadie and Mollie at the local animal shelter. In Sadie's case she had only been
there half-an-hour, and we claimed her just before another family who wanted her. She's about 10 years old and
sleeps in her comfy bed in our bedroom. Mollie, on the other hand, had been in the shelter about 2 weeks
when I happened to wander through. I immediately knew she was the dog for us, and so rescued her from possible euthanasia.
As adorable and sweet as she is, I can't imagine why she wasn't adopted earlier. She is happy to be submissive to Alpha
Dog Sadie, and they get along fine.
Sophie, above, is
a genuine rescue. She was living in a forest about ten miles out of town and, weak, emaciated, wormy and full of fleas,
she began to visit a dear friend whose woodsy home offered some refuge from the November weather. My friend fed her
and told me about her, saying she needed a forever home. I didn't hesitate, and now Sophie is healthy and round,
sleeps in her bed in the warmth of the sunshine through the window, and likes to wake me up with a soft paw on my arm and
the lovely sound of her purring.
Penelope, the beautiful round shape on the black and white spotted
pillow, belongs to our son Matthew. We are keeping her for the three years he is living in England. I have already
written to him all the reasons why she should stay with us forever. I think he will agree. She's a bit prickly
and will scratch and bite if we aren't alert, but also loves to be stroked along her soft tummy and sleep on our bed.
She's the one who taught our big dogs how to behave around a cat. With lots and lots of respect!
LINDA AND BRUCE WRIDE WITH SILKY
Bruce and Linda Wride posed
with their toy poodle, Silky, in 1993. In the picture above the navigation bar, Silky, at twelve years
of age, was sitting on the hearth when the sun came through the skylight. In the picture below the navigation bar,
she is decked out in her visor (complete with tiny sunglasses). She is also the "Princess" in "The
Princess and the Pea" at the top of the page.
To say that she was "the
light of our life" (after our kids left home) is an understatement.
SUSIE AND ANNIE BAILEY CARTER
"HIKER CHICKS!" This
picture is about 3 months old with me and my dog Annie Bailey Carter--Bailey for short. She's a rottweiler mix that
I adopted from the Castaic Shelter when she was 8 weeks old. She was picked up as an abandoned puppy. I've been
trying to get a few good pictures of Bailey to submit to the PET page but I keep going back to this one. This is what
we do.
Here we were hiking the upper Fisherman's Trail at Castaic Lake. Next Monday we'll be hiking
the trail at Piru Creek and dodging the rapids. Life's great with Bailey.....
Susie Cottler Carter
(Update) Here we are at Piru Creek. Lucky
for us, we missed the rapids.
BILL AND MAVIS TOBIN PROUDLY
PRESENT:
CHIPMUNKS, AND TIGER, AND BEAR,
OH MY !
Our first friend, Tiger,
joined our family a few years ago. We had completed the mourning process for what many had described as the "Devil
Cat" when we decided we needed a new offspring in our lives. A search of the newspaper ads found a litter available
and we headed down to check em out. Tiger and Bill immediately bonded.
The second friend is Bear. While Bill and
Tiger had bonded, Mavis was busy bonding with Tiger's non-identical twin . . . Bear. Well that was in 2002 and both
are still mated to their original choices despite our occasional "disappearances" for weeks at a time. Tiger
is usually warm to whomever comes over to feed and clean the litter boxes but to this day Bear hides under a bed somewhere
shivering until the "unwelcome stranger" finally leaves.
The third friend has only recently joined our household
and sadly he has now brought several family members with him. The Monk family now seems to reside on and around
our backporch picking up the leftovers from several bird feeders. This particular Monk family member is CreaseMonkey....
we named him for a "crease" on his back fur.
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Precious Pets Page 2
Music: "Joy to the World" Wilson Girls' Glee, December, 1960
Music:
"Joy to the World" Wilson Girls' Glee, December, 1960
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