I agree that you can get really good results if you first build up the plant's energy reserves, and then cut it back hard as you're starting into it's most robust growth period. This is a pretty ugly tree I think someone from church brought to me to 'fix' So I cut it back hard then bare-rooted & root-pruned before putting it in the gritty mix and waiting for it to start back-budding A guy from Boston or NY (I forget now) contacted me through the forum while the tree was regaining it's feet & said that he had forgotten to water his fiance's scheff while she was away & he was desperate for help. He was sure it was dead, so I offered him the plant you see above. She said aye, and soon I'd shipped it to them/her. As you can see by the picture she sent, it was still recovering from all the indignity I heaped on it and filling out nicely If you're willing to follow some suggestions, you can probably have a pretty good start on what you're looking for by summer's end. Al

Some shelters around here have started adopting a policy that no animal leaves the shelter until it has been altered at the shelter. That eliminates the problem of people saying "Oh, yeah, I'll get it done..." and not doing it. But obviously, not all shelters can afford this. Still, I think it's a wonderful idea, and the extra cost they charge me to adopt the animal is still less than paying my own vet. I've never adopted a cat (never had to, the furry little buggers seem to find us OK on their own), but this is what happened with a dog we adopted. We had to wait a week to pick her up, too, so that really let the shelter know that we were seriously interested. As far as hunting cats - I am tempted to say that organized hunts for ferals in rural ideas is probably a good idea. I don't believe that TNR works, given the constant influx of new animals. Open season is a terrible idea, given the many reasons stated above. But a picked group of hunters (probably DNR, DFW people?) targeting known feral colonies - well, it might be necessary. I think we all know that there just aren't homes enough out there, or people with enough patience to rehome ferals (I know it can be done, I have done it several times - but then again, I have had cats locked in rooms for months at a time, screen doors inside my house, etc.) There do need to be stricter leash laws for dogs and cats - and the money, people and will to enforce them. The fact that too few people in charge care about escaped cats and dogs is a big part of the problem.

Well this was an eventful weekend! Yesterday (Saturday) I found another loose Husky running around my fence. This one was a female and much more people-friendly. She kind of ran off when I first came out, but after a treat and a water bowl was put outside she came right up. I leashed her, she had a collar but no tags. She immediately rolled over and made the "I'm a good dog" face at me, then walked fine on the leash. No aggression whatsoever. She looked VERY similar to the male Husky seen previously. I took her through my backyard and put her in my laundry room with a bowl of water. On the way she lunged for my dogs, I wasn't sure if it was to play or to eat them, but either way I had planned on keeping her separated from them. I called AC and they came and picked her up. During this time I watched for anyone to walk by who might be looking for her. I let the AC officer know she looked like the Husky that was out before and they should check with that family. I never did find out where they lived - I'm regretting that now. The AC officer also mentioned that the dog matched reports of a Husky that was attacking local livestock. I'm in a neighborhood, but there is farmland 1-2 miles away. Again I feel bad about calling AC, but it is far outweighed by knowledge that she won't get hit by a car, go hungry and she has a real chance of finding either her owners, or better ones! I left for visiting friends that evening and was out until about midnight. When I came home there was a note on my door saying that my dogs were keeping the entire neighborhood awake all night and had been since I moved in. AC and the police had been called multiple times and they were considering legal action. And my dusk to dawn light was too bright and keeping people awake. It was signed "Residents of X lane". This greatly upset me as I try to be a good neighbor and considerate of people around. Any time I hear my dogs bark I bring them in or do the "hush" command. Since the note was pretty anonymous I went around to each house on my street this afternoon to talk with everyone - apologizing profusely for bothering anyone and letting them know that I would fix the problems by not letting my dogs out at all after dark (even though they are never out past 10pm and even then are supervised) and turning off the light. Not a single one said they had a problem with my dog barking or the light or admitted to writing any note or discussing it with other neighbors. One did admit the light came in through the edge of her bedroom window and I immediately agreed to unplug it/put it on a timer for early night hours only. She also said she had heard my dogs sometimes, but it didn't bother her, and denied writing any note. The pit bull in a pen in the house behind me was the only real problem anyone had - it barks constantly and I've only seen it out of the pen once in the 7 months I've lived here. There was only one person that wasn't home, but she had a dog herself so I can't imagine she'd complain about mine. I plan to follow up with her later. The thing that really bothered me was the note mentioned AC and the police had been called but I haven't heard anything from either them and I just had AC at my house the day before for the Husky! My mother suspects that it's retaliation from calling AC on the Husky. I'm scared to leave my dogs outside anymore (they have a dog door so they can come in at any time, but they have access to the outside while I'm at work too) and I'm scared to call AC if anything else happens again. I guess I just can't wait to get out of this neighborhood - which won't happen for several years. My plan is to lay low for a while and hope it blows over. I just can't believe that some people could be so petty, stupid, and just plain liers.

The only time I recall giving money to beggars or other people, was either when I'm with my dd or years ago when I went to Nogales, Mexico to go shopping. So many poor, old women sitting in the streets with baskets for money. I went with a couple, the guy was Mexican American and he refused to bargain down the price of anything like so many people do when they went over there. Things were so cheap already, I couldn't do it either. I did give money to some of those old women. A few years ago, Lauren, my dd and I had just eaten at Red Lobster in Lexington. We came out and there was a young woman in the parking lot asking for money to get home to visit her sick mother or father in the hospital (I can't remember which now). I told her no and walked to my car. Lauren was upset with me that I didn't help her out. Something about that woman told me she was lying and seemed very familiar, like I had met her before. Later, I remembered a young girl at the hospital I was doing clinicals at, who was pregnant. She came in demanding pain medication. There was nothing wrong with her, not in labor, nothing going on other than her long drug history. I don't know if it was the same person but I'm glad I didn't give her money. I have helped other people, people who didn't ask for it. Like the older woman in McDonalds who ordered a cone and left her wallet somewhere. I paid for her cone and she was so embarrassed she asked me to wait for her to go get her wallet to pay me back. (I didn't) I think she had just gone shopping in the Dollar Store across the parking lot from there and thought she left it in there. Been a few years now so my memory isn't that good. lol. My dd is a sucker big time and I worry about her. Every time we go somewhere and she sees one of those collection things for the humane society she always wants me to put money in there. We were in Nashville during Spring Break last year and she wanted me to give money to all the street singers/guitar players out there. I did give her a couple dollars to give to one we all enjoyed listening to, but if it were up to her I'd be giving to everyone on those streets! I usually just give our stuff to the Salvation Army in town and last year I gave a bunch of stuff I was thinking about selling to the Humane Society here in town to sell at their yearly rummage sale. At least I know it's going toward something good and not going to support someone's drug or alcohol habit.