SPCA: Kira

Kira is an independent cat who likes attention on her terms. Since she can be a bit picky, a home without children would be best, but Kira is a sweet cat with the softest fur ever, and she's waiting at the SPCA Annex just for you!

Kira is 2-3 years old, and makes a wonderful pal (when she's in an affectionate mood :) ) So if you want a pretty kitty with a little bit of attitude, look no further, Kira's the one for you!

As a reminder, here's the SPCA's website: http://www.spcaonline.com/ And Kira's at the SPCA Annex, with a whole bunch of other awesome kitties.

Dog Breed of the Month: The Mini Schnauser

Intelligent, loving and happy, the mini schnauzer is playful and gets along well with children. They are affectionate, keen, and docile. Like many smaller dogs, this breed needs to be socialized well and have a strong pack leader.

The mini schnauzer is good for apartment life and will be calm indoors as long as they get enough exercise, like a long walk.

Mini schnauzers have a wiry coat that should be combed daily. The breed sheds little hair, so it's good for allergies.

Mini Schnauzers live about 15 years, and are prone to certain health problems including liver disease, kidney stones, and diabetes. They gain weight easily, so they should not be overfed.

Energetic and loyal, this breed makes a good watchdog (as is definitely the case with the two schnauzers who live next door to me. Yeah, they are really loyal to their owner)

source: http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/miniatureschnauzer.htm

Wild Things update

Here's an update on that wonderful wildlife sanctuary, Wild Things!

In addition to the many baby animals they get this time of year, WT has had several fawns, two of which are being bottle-fed by me and my mom in the picture.

(Note: that's not Pepsi we're feeding them, it's a special fawn formula. We just recycled the bottles.)

Remember, if you see a fawn hanging about without it's mother, leave it. chances are, the mother will come back. Fawns are very good about staying put while their mom goes off for a while. But if you know that the fawn is an orphan, or if it becomes continually starved and cries for hours, than call a wildlife rehabilitator.

Once again, here's Wild Things' website: http://www.wildthingssanctuary.org/

Happy Independence Day!

Ah, Independence Day. A day to celebrate what makes America America: Freedom.

So naturally, today's animal would have something to do with America. And what better American animal--American bird--than the Bald Eagle?

My mom took the picture of the US flag to the left and I touched it up. Pictures of the eagle can be found here.


The bald eagle is the only eagle unique to North America. It ranges from Alaska to northern Mexico, and is the USA's national bird.

Eagles are famous for their excellent eyesight. They have a wingspan of 72 to 90 inches, and can fly at an altitude of 10,000 feet. In the wild, bald eagles can live as long as thirty years and in captivity they can live as long as fifty years.

Fish-mainly salmon-- are an important food source for the bald eagle. They will eat other animals, but fish are the staple of their diet. They will even eat dead or dying fish. Their hunting ranges vary from 1,700 to 10,000 acres. Ranges are smaller where food is in abundance.

Once they are paired, a male and a female bald eagle will stay together for life. They build nests in large trees near bodies of water. The female lays one to three eggs every nesting season, and the eaglets hatch after 35 days of incubation, and reach maturity at four or five years of age.

So, the bald eagle.
Y'know, Ben Franklin didn't want it to become our national bird. He wanted the turkey.


Sources: http://www.rlrouse.com/bald-eagle.html
http://www.baldeagleinfo.com/
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/www/critters/eagle/826572782.html

The Ground Hog

Also known as woodchucks, these furry little critters are found in Alaska, southern Canada and the eastern United States. The ground hog in this picture made it's home in my backyard.

Ground hogs rarely venture far from their burrows. An intricate network of tunnels, these burrows have an average of three or four holes, and den pipes will be anywhere from 15 to 20 feet in length.

Breeding season begins mid-February when ground hogs come out of hibernation. After a gestation period of about a month, a litter of 2-9 pups is born. They will stay with their mother until midsummer, when they go out to dig their own dens.

Ground hogs are vegetarians. They will eat flowers, leaves, soft grasses, carrots, peas, and more. They will eat as much as three fourths of a pound of food a day. When they are about to go into hibernation, they will really kick into eating overdrive.

Most groundhogs live only a year or less, but some lucky ones can live to be three or four years old.

Now, you may have heard of Ground Hog Day. That is the day when Punxsutawney Phil the ground hog is brought out and everyone crowds around to see if Phil will see his shadow. If he does, winter will continue. If he doesn't, then spring is just around the corner. Though it's a fun idea, I think it's a little silly. spring will come when spring will come. It has nothing to do with a ground hog in Pennsylvania on February 2nd.



sources: http://animal.discovery.com/convergence/groundhog/meet/meet.html
http://www.terrierman.com/lifehabitatgh.htm

Dog Breed of the Month: The Great Dane

What dog weighs up to 200 pounds, is 30 to 34 inches in height, and is referred to as the "gentle giant"?

The Great Dane, of course!

Charming and affectionate, they are playful and good with children. They make great watchdogs, since they are both courageous and loyal.

Great Danes grow fast, so they should be taught from an early age not to lean on or jump on people. They need firm guidance, and an owner who will be a true 'alpha'.

Great Danes live for about ten years. They are prone to a number of health problems, including hip dysplasia, bloat, and heart disease.

To show how big these dogs get, here's a picture:
Up to the elbow of 15 year old me. That's a BIG dog.

Great Danes need a lot of exercise. Though they will do okay in an apartment, a long daily walk is essential.

The tallest dog on record, "Giant George" is a Great Dane. To learn more about George, go to his website http://www.giantgeorge.com/ .

Great Danes are sweet, lovable dogs. If you're looking for a gentle, large companion, the Great Dane is the canine for you.



Source: http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/greatdane.htm
http://www.giantgeorge.com/

Ugliest Dog Contest

At a fair in North California, Yoda the Chinese Crested-Chihuahua mix won the title of World's Ugliest Dog. Yoda is a 14 year old rescue

To read the entire article and see pictures of Yoda the dogs that Yoda beat out, click here











Personally, I think Yoda is kinda cute. But that might just be me.

Happy Father's Day!

This is to all the fathers out there, but especially to my daddy.

Dad, Thanks for being there when I need you,
For taking splinters out of my foot,
For helping me learn to ride a bike without training wheels,
For giving me rides on your motorcycle,
For teaching me about God,
And for helping me follow my dreams.

You are my hero, and I love you!

FFPandC's new look

Thanks to my sister's new blog, I have discovered how to make an image on the top. (YAY) So I put in one of my favorite pictures that I took while in FL, then I adjusted the color scheme to fit it. Hope you like it, readers!

Robin's Nest Updates

Sooooo sorry I haven't posted in forever! I've just been busy.

But here's the promised update on the robin's nest.
Apparently, the robin didn't like our traffic through the door, so she abandoned the nest. Sadly. Fortunately, she didn't abandon her eggs, because she hadn't laid them in there yet.

I expect that our robin created another nest somewhere else, and is happily raising her little babies.

When we discovered that she abandoned the nest, we took it down to see what it looked like. A robin's nest is truly an amazing thing! just look at it!










Isn't that weaving just incredible?
Let's take a look at the middle where the eggs would have been laid:










I would say that's just about perfect for 3 or 4 eggs to lay in.
This is the bottom of the nest:










See how she packed mud on there to make it sturdy? Truly amazing.

I am continually amazed at how God's creatures know exactly how to make a home, even on the thin ledge above a door!