Linda, Your losing Little Boy has touched my heart and I share in your grief. I am so sorry for your loss of such a beautiful friend and garden helper. I feel like I had come to know him in a way, what with our two 'boys' looking just like brothers. Fat Cat Nemo did have another brother besides Little Boy and his name was Cosmo. They were littermates and we took them in when they were just tiny kittens no one wanted. His death at age 7 came without warning and he died in my arms. I had just let him outside & closed the door when I heard a thud. I opened the door and saw he was flopping on the ground so I scooped him up, but within seconds he was gone. I didn't understand what was happening because he was always so healthy and we had just been cuddling before I let him out. I grieved for a long, long time and even now the tears will come easily like now when I remember his passing. That was 3 years ago and it still is a raw ache in my heart. So what I did to try to heal was I made a memorial garden for him near the back woods where he loved to hunt. I planted a bleeding heart over where his ashes were and catnip for the other cats to enjoy. There are little cat statues in there and my cats like to go there and sit. For all of you who have lost your dear furry friends, I am so sorry. You are all in my thoughts. Celeste

More like plant killer than a helper! I can only imagine what my yard would like like without him...yet, I can't imagine my life with out him! He's my partner in crime! This is Jasper. I adopted him from the Humane Society at the age of 1.5 & he will be 5 in Dec. He is a mix of White German Shepherd & Pointer. I've gotten really good at throwing the frisbee so he doesn't end up in my garden. The neighborhood kids is another story. He is really good at keeping ALL varmints out & 90% of the time misses every plant on his way to them. My most ironic story is before I got him I never had an issue with rabbits. One fall he caught 1 & killed it. Horrifying listening to that squeal & bones crunching. I couldn't get it away from him & like an idiot called him in the house. He comes in WITH the dead rabbit & plops up on my bed! EEEWWWW! I got him locked up & had to deal with the warm & very flippy floppy rabbit. Ever since, the rabbits have taken revenge on my yard! He WAS trained to stay out of everything that was mulched & that got kaboshed when I realized he needed some shade in the heat of summer. I redesigned a corner of my yard to lead a path under the Japanese Maple to give him some shade. Just recently he has acquired a secret admirer that lives on the other side of that fence...a female Yorkie name Nala that tries to escape to be by him. ="" ="" PS: What size should these pics be so they don't appear so big?

I prefer large breeds of poultry, since they cannot fly high, are thus easier to fence in, and tend to be calmer in temperament. Chickens need enough room to prevent boredom. Mine have 1 1/4 acre, and they can be destructive if they get interested in an area. They can dig up trees, and they kick away mulch for fun! Delawares are very quiet, gentle and pretty. I got my new chicks because I really like the adult I bought at this year's Fair. Hens lay on average, 5 eggs a week, each. No rooster is needed. They start laying at 4-5 months and can go on for up to 8-10 years. Commercial layers are killed as soon as production eases up, but for a backyard flock, one egg less per week is not a big deal. I keep mine until they die, or I place them in another home, or something kills them. Chickens taste good and have no defenses, so it is up to owners to keep them safe. They will stay in a fenced-in yard, no problem, unless the fencing allows them to slip through. They need a *secure* coop to sleep in, with perches and nest boxes. No rooster is needed. Hens lay without male influence. I have only had one incidence of mites/lice. A puny Banty pullet moved right into my coop, snuggling under a Buff Orpington. She came from the neighbors, who have animals in appalling conditions. I took the stray to my vet, she was crawling with lice and mites.. We treated her, and dusted all the other birds, the coop and replaced all the shavings (beding material). I bleached the entire area. The hens were peeved at being dusted, but they are clean and have been parasite free ever since. I think having a few hens for fresh eggs is an option every homeowner should have. They are great for recycling (they eat everything leftover) and their droppings are terrific fertilizer. They are also very entertaining! Lisa

Congradulations on your beautiful new daughter!!!! She was born on my husband's birthday. We have 4 children ages 21, 16, 4 & 3, 2 girls & 2 boys, and we have been soooo blessed with them. I agree, ENJOY even the middle of the night times, because time goes by fast!! As you can tell, I would love to have another baby, but DH has put his foot down so we will stop at 4. Thank you for sharing your photos. God Bless, Monique