Marilyn, Rain looks beautiful and I know he'll be even better under your care. I'm so happy Emery has best bud again. You're surely right that he wouldn't thrive penned alone. I'm really impressed with your intuition, you always get it right and those animals benefit. Wish I could hug you, but know you don't like hugs ;0)

I'm so glad you found a friend for him and are giving Rain a great home!

They're both stunning!!!! I love, love what you do, Marilyn. I sure wish I lived closer, I can haul feed buckets, muck, and groom the heck out of them. :-)

A while ago someone was looking for a new home for their horse. If circumstances were different.....

Morz, I don't mind hugs. I just don't like for someone to grab me and hold on for more than the time it takes to give a hug. I hug people all the time. I even hug the guys who load my feed in my truck for me.

What a beautiful story. Thank you, Marilyn!

I'm glad they are getting along. They are both very lucky to have you to care for them.

You warm my heart, Marilyn. Thanks for sharing.

Good job,

Just wonderful.

Great story, if only everyone had someone as kind to look after them what a world it would be.

Rain is a lovely horse, and he and Emery are very fortunate that you have given them a good home.

I'm sorry about Snoop. Those decisions are never easy to make.

Rain is beautiful! And what a blessing for Emery, and Rain too.

Such handsome fellers!

Thank you so much for sharing this lovely, heartwarming story with us.

Bless you for doing this. I'm so glad for you and both horses!

Finally a feel good story today. Good job.

So sorry to hear about Snoop. That is great that you found a companion for Emery. Rain is quite handsome. I love seeing them get acquainted. Congratulations!!

Emery and Rain are beautiful, and you are a saint.

What a beautiful story. You are truly a very special person.

Thank you for giving new beginnings to these beautiful horses.

I am always engaged in your beautifully written animal stories. I keep waiting for for a book…and a series…and…? Thank you for sharing your love of animals.

I wrote Bayou Tails, but never finished it. It is about the animals that I rehabbed.

Happy to hear Emery has a new companion in Rain. You are a blessing to these animals.

I hope you can find the time to finish Bayou Tails. My sister and I are both animal lovers and would definitely pick your book up or get it online which is even better :-)

What handsome horses!

I am so happy that Emery has you taking care of him! Rain is also lucky to have you! I'm so glad he's tolerant of Emery!

Such a sweet story and you have a good heart, Marilyn.

I'd love to buy "Bayou Tails" too. As well as memoirs of several of our KT members over the years ... interesting lives.

So happy to hear Emery has a companion again, and it looks like both horses are happy together. They are beautiful. I love hearing about what you do for your animals, Marilyn.

Sorry about Snoop, its never easy ((((hugs)))))

YAY for Emery & Rain!!! all the best for a great friendship!

you are AMAZING!!!!

How many horses/donkeys do you have now, Marilyn? I remember the brown and white one, looked like a hatchet on his side. I hope he's still with you. (forgot his name, but not him)

You are the perfect match-maker, Marilyn. Rain is beautiful and so lucky to have you as his mom and Emery is so lucky too to have such a caring mom. Thank you for your love and care of all of the animals you have and have had.

You are an amazing woman and filled with compassion. I adore horses and wish I had some but that was not to be and so I settled for cats. God bless you and your animals aka buddies.

I am so in awe of what you do, Marilyn. So many horses and other animals have been touched by your love for them! You are indeed an angel in disguise!

I'm sorry for your loss.

Such beautiful horses and what a pretty home they have. I don't have the words for how much I admire and appreciate what you do and have done for so many animals. You are the best and I wish there were more people like you.

Socks, I have 3 donkeys, a mule, and 6 horses. Yes, I still have Bane, the paint horse with the hatchet or tomahawk on his shoulder. Since February, I have had to put down 4 of my horses....Primo, Val, Rita, and Snoop.

Beautiful horses......beautiful story.....and...beautiful you.

What a kind and generous heart you have Marilyn. My horse that I had from the time I was 7 was a Tenessee Walker. His name was Dakota and he lived until he was 22 and died from emphysema. He was as smart as a whip and as stubborn as a mule and I loved him with all my heart.

We have had to put down several old horses that developed heaves, which is what they call COPD in horses. My favorite breed is the Quarter Horse, but if I had my time to do over, I would have a Tennessee Walker. Bane is gaited and is probably a Spotted Saddle Horse, but he was too traumatized in his past to be a reliable horse for an old lady (me) to ride. If I fall off, I could end up in a nursing home, so I have to be careful. I haven't been on a horse in about 4 years. These horses just eat and stand around waiting to be fed again. But that is all they are expected to do.

Thank you all for the kind words, but it is kind of embarrassing for me. I don't talk about this because I am looking for someone to say that I am a wonderful person. I know a lot of people have followed Emery's story, and I know most of you love animals. He was depressed after Snoop passed on, and I just wanted a friend for him. He spent many years being neglected. He is doted on now and will be for the rest of his life.

Thanks Marilyn, you are awesome.

Marilyn, I am so thankful that you love and rescue these beautiful animals and that you take the time to let us glimpse and connect with an important part of your life.

My condolences for having to say goodbye to Snoop. I like to think of him still in the pasture, hanging out, but no longer suffering. Its wonderful that you found a companion for Emery — that makes my heart happy.

I too wish I lived close by. I would love to meet you and give you a hand, and I love all the smells and sounds of horses, barnes and pastures. You makes these lovely horses lucky and it makes you fortunate, happy and lucky as well. Few of us are likely to imagine your hard work. I can only tell you how much I appreciate your good judgment and efforts.

i would also love to buy your book.

It wasn't really meant to be a book although a friend offered to illustrate it for me, if I wanted to do that. Most of the stories I put on here at one time or another. One of the first was A Horse Named Wizard. I had them in my notes section on Facebook, but I don't know how to access that any more. There were stories about possums that I raised, a coyote (that was more likely a wolf, due to his size), pigeons that I rehabbed, raccoons, armadillos, and maybe more that I can't think of right now. I never did get around to writing Emery's story, but also Val and Primo and Bane, who also came from the kill pens, as did Shadow and Rita. I am going to find them one of these days and write the stories about the horses, and another raccoon, that actually one of my dogs raised.

And Piggy Sue...I need to write her story.

Here is a pic of my dog nursing her raccoon.

You are truly the animal whisperer. Glad Emery has conpanionship and a friend. So heartwarming.

Marilyn, I bet there is a way to get your FB notes and storories back. You can perhaps write to (whoever or whatever department at FB. I imagine that you're not the only one to have been shut out of an account. I have a YouTube account that I got separated from when I had many other intense demands on my time, and the YouTube management changed hands.

Your anecdotes, vignettes or stories need not fit into the pat format of a book. One of my favorite formats is the essay. Are you familiar with the books of essays of E.B. White, author of Charlotte’s Web, Stuart Little, and books of his New Yorker magazine aricles such as One Man’s Meat? Or the book Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard.

One of the best known essays by E.B. White, and one of my favorites, is “Death of a Pig” — poignant and beautiful. So similar to the sort of writing you share here about your animals.

I will try to find a link for online, or will send you a copy. I think you would enjoy and relate to these essays. You can definitely write and publish in this vein — deeply felt slices of life of humans and animals. I prefer this to fiction because it is so true and real.

I had a lot of this post written, real time, on boggy HOUZZ, then it went poof.

So heads up, KT. Compose elsewhere then paste into Houzz, or keep saving. It is very frustrating to type at a snail’s pace then lose it. Henceforth I will compose in NOTES or Word, then copy-pasta to KT.

I wasn't shut out of FB. It is just that on my phone, I don't have the option....no Notes to click on. It used to be listed under "More". (Not even sure if there is a More option any more.) I looked it up on google one time, and I think there is a way. What I need to do is change my pass word and use my computer. I have a new computer, and, right now, I am on it. But when I go to FB, I use my phone. I know it is stupid, and I am not complaining...because all I have to do is try to access it....and all I have to do is change my password, which I have forgotten, and start using the computer instead of my phone....or, in addition to my phone. The truth is, since my husband died about six months ago, I don't give a darn for very much. If it was not for the horses and other animals, there are a lot of days that I probably wouldn't get out of bed. I am not up to par in a lot of ways. I know I need to get a grip on myself, and I will. I have neglected a lot of things....my waterlilies, for one. I have a very large collection of waterlilies. Not as large as in years past, but I have raised waterlilies for more than 50 years and at one time I had 200 varieties. So, I just need to do it. I lost my password to photobucket and I had not accessed it in years, and I was able to get back in. They asked me to tell them what was in some of the pictures....waterlilies, possums, snakes and horses....bingo. I was back in.

I will do it . If anyone wants to read them, and not on FB, if I get back in, I can post them here again.

Marilyn, I bet there is a way to get your FB notes and storories back. You can perhaps write to (whoever or whatever department at FB. I imagine that you're not the only one to have been shut out of an account. I have a YouTube account that I got separated from when I had many other intense demands on my time, and the YouTube management changed hands.

Your anecdotes, vignettes or stories need not fit into the pat format of a book. One of my favorite formats is the essay. Are you familiar with the books of essays of E.B. White, author of Charlotte’s Web, Stuart Little, and books of his New Yorker magazine aricles such as One Man’s Meat? Or the book Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard.

One of the best known essays by E.B. White, and one of my favorites, is “Death of a Pig” — poignant and beautiful. So similar to the sort of writing you share here about your animals.

I will try to find a link for online, or will send you a copy. I think you would enjoy and relate to these essays. You can definitely write and publish in this vein — deeply felt slices of life of humans and animals. I prefer this to fiction because it is so true and real.

I had a lot of this post written, real time, on boggy HOUZZ, then it went poof.

So heads up, KT. Compose elsewhere then paste into Houzz, or keep saving. It is very frustrating to type at a snail’s pace then lose it. Henceforth I will compose in NOTES or Word, then copy-pasta to KT.

=====

Marilyn, we have virginia opossums that come to our wooded yard. I feed them chiken bones, kibble w powdered milk and vegetables, milk milk, cheese and any caught mice. I’ve tead a bit about them. They have a very unique metabolism amd only live a couple of years. They have short telomeres. If not given the correct diet, they can develop “Metabolic Bone Disease” and die a miserable disabled death.

They eat things like garden slugs, mice, and carrion. They are too frequently seen dead in the road — probably because they eat the carrion of roadkill, are slow moving and don’t see well, and, sadly, they are sometimes purposefully run over by ignorant morons who have the mistaken opinion that they bite or are harmful. They are absolutely sweet and beneficial.

Small bones are good for them as are trap killed rodents like mice. I also place any dead birds that I find (window or car hits) out for them. If I give them fat or meat, I blend it with powdered milk, sunflower seeds, cheese and sometimes vegetables. Unfortunately, we have raccoons that like to gobble down the same fare. I don’t like feeding raccoons for a bunch of reasons, so I try to shoo them away. But I am mad for Opossums. Sometimes their young joeys come by. Unfortunately, we have bobcats, coyotes, fishers, owls, hawks, and foxes that prey on various small animals. They want to eat too, but I don’t want them to eat my opossums or cottontails.

You are correct about possums. When I was a wildlife rehabber, I specialized in possums. Mainly because I could tube feed and a lot of the others who rehabbed didn't want to do it or were afraid to learn, or something. I used to get all of the possums from the Houston pound. People would try to trap feral cats, would end up trapping possums, and animal control would take them, and then someone brought them to me. Fortunately, the Wildlife Center was built, alongside the SPCA, and they had a lot of volunteers and so they handled the adult possums after that, although I still got a lot of babies. I have had as many as 70 babies at a time. I still got all the possums from Galveston Humane and other more local shelters.

Sometimes I would get possums that had been left in traps for so long that they had eroded their jaws, chewing on the bars. You sometimes could see the teeth sitting on the jaw bone. That takes six months to heal....a long time in the life of a possum. However, the vet at the SPCA started suturing them, so I didn't have to deal with that after the center opened.

After I moved here, I started feeding a wild possum in one of my other barns. She had babies in her pouch, and I left food out for her every night. I always left her cat chow and yogurt with fruit in it. I used canned fruit to go in the yogurt because that made it soupy and kept my cats from eating it. I seldom saw her, but once in awhile I did. She used to come close to midnight. One night there were two of them. Now there is a different one....looks like a young female. (You can tell by the shape of their heads). She comes early....just after dark, so I get to see her, but I usually try not to bother (scare) her. I make sure my dogs are all put up before it is time for her to come. When my cats kill voles, I give them to her. And once my dogs, sadly, killed a baby rabbit and I left that for her also.

People may wonder why you have to tube feed baby possums. They are born after only 13 days. Born as an embryo, actually. They float on fluid exuded by the mother into her pouch, and attach to a teat and she drips milk. So, they don't take a bottle like orphan pups or kittens would. Of course, they can learn to eat from a dish, but when they are really small, they need to be tube fed. Of course, you can't raise possum embryos....I am talking about when they get old enough to survive with care. Before their eyes are open.

Female possums only have 13 teats, so she can only carry 13 babies. In all the years of rehabbing possums, I only saw one female with 13 babies. Ten is a large litter...seven is about average.

I never wanted to rehab wildlife. When I went to school to be a vet tech, part of our OJT was with a wildlife rehabber. I got talked into raising a little possum by a friend of mine. She first gave me one that had metabolic bone disorder....from being badly raised. I tried and tried but could not reverse it. Then when she offered me another one, I took it because I knew she wouldn't put in the care to raise it right....and that is how it started. People used to bring me possums that they had raised that were literally walking on their elbows....if they could walk at all. It was so frustrating for me. Give me an animal and I get to watch it die. Thanks.

Sorry to go on and on.

I do hope you will write that book or at least keep your stories coming here.

Marilyn, I’m so sorry about your husband I didn’t realize because I don’t come here often or often enough. And I can surely understand how you are without as much of your usual energy and passion (although I would not know from your beautiful writing). You are wise to know that it’s going to take you a while regain your stamina and passion, and that you must allow yourself (as you are doing) all the time you need. I’m glad that your animals bring you joy as well as force you to keep putting one foot in front of the other during this daunting time in your life. Frankly I do not know how people can just keep plugging along because I couldn’t.

I am astonished that you had 70 baby possums to care for that one go because from what I’ve heard or read it is just so demanding to care for one possum and get them the right nutrients in food and attention and all that goes into raising such a small creature. That is so interesting about the infant possum or fetus like possum not being able to nurse.of course. They are so tiny any underdeveloped. They are beautiful animals, very misunderstood and with complex needs. I guess our wild opossums would be fine without my putting supplementary food out for them. But we live about 1/3rd mile from a highway and I have seen one of our triplets dead by the roadside. So if my putting yogurt, milk, fruit, nuts and kibble out for them helps keep them away from the highway, I am glad to do that.

We’re in New England and it can be bitterly cold and we can get deep snow. They sometimes seem to “stay home” during those cold snowy spells. We put their food by an overturned boat close to shrubs. There are times when I have wanted to put something like a heating pad outside to keep their food warm but that would cost a fortune. Sometimes I mix up leftover soup bones nuts fruit and whatever and it’s there for them unless the raccoons beat them to it. I’ve seen three Joeys one year. In cold climates, they don’t have a large litter. I’ve toyed with the idea of putting together a shelter for them, but skunks of raccoons might use it instead.

They love black oil sunflower seeds (which have calcium), but the deer mice also like them and those mice and other rodents are a big part of the deer tick (Xodes scapularis) / Lyme Disease host system.

Over the years I’ve managed to get a few blurry photos of the various opossums.

I have wondered if the are able to catch live mice, or if they only consume dead ones that they find. You probably know.

I understand now about your FB account. And sometime when you find the time and energy, it would be good to get back to your stories and photos. I have never used FB.

Your local possums are lucky to have you make them a space in the barn and a nice meal. You are such a kind compassionate person with an interesting and rich life. I send you comfort and warm wishes.

PS I really like that you ”go on.” ;-)

Marilyn, I pour over your posts whenever I see them. You did the right thing, and I just love what you're doing for the old horses. If you do write your book(s), be sure to tell the story of the great flood, though tragic, I feel like all was not lost, and there were some miracles. I remember the photo of the horses swimming. I was glued to Gardenweb, hoping and praying all the pets made it ok. I know some didn't, but there was heroism involved, and a great tale. For those of us who have never lived in your area of the country, that kind of weather event is so dramatic/scary, and your stories put us there....

Love the two horses having companionship. Best thing I've read all day.

marilync,

Here is a link for the well loved essay by E.B. White, ”Death of a Pig.”

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1948/01/death-pig/309203/

Hey Marilyn! So good to hear from you. So sorry for the loss of your horses. It's sad that they get to that point but it's natural. Sounds like you got a good one with Rain, so pretty.

I have been thinking about you and how you are doing and getting along.

It would be great to see you again if you are ever in the area please let me know!

Raven, I can arrange to come to your area any time. It would be fun to get together with our friends there like we used to.

Petalique, thanks for that link. I will read it this afternoon. Yes, possums catch mice....very much like cats. They wait and pounce. I agree that possums are very misunderstood creatures. I always say, I am like a possum....a misunderstood scavenger. :)) It was very time consuming taking care of so many possums...I used to post on a forum called The Meeting House, and there was a thread that we did every night called The Evening Post, and I go back sometimes and read it, and I honestly don't know how I managed taking care of all the animals, plus for 8 years I took care of a friend, who lived 20 miles away....going there at least once a day. When you live out in the country, every time you have to leave and go somewhere, that pretty much takes care of the whole day. But as for feeding, I fed about five quarts of yogurt per night, plus cat chow, plus a little fruit, plus often boiled chicken necks, and sometimes chicken hearts. Also when I had time to gather some...snails....and even those big tree roaches. ;)

Mrs. S, I will write about the flood. It was an awful thing. I appreciate so much the kindness shown to me by so many people. We had lived on the bayou for 20 years, and never flooded.

Never had any water on our property, which I believe was the highest on the bayou. And actually, the hurricane is not what hurt us. The storm went inland, turned around, came back....after the hurricane had passed. Stalled out and dumped about 50+ inches of water.

I had moved my horses to what I thought was a safe place. I didn't know they were in water so deep that only their heads were above water. It was only when a boat came to get us out of the house, that I saw the horses, which were just down the road a little ways. I guess it is good that I didn't know what was going on with them. I probably would have drowned trying to get to them. The current was so strong. Some guys came in a boat and roped them and towed them to high ground. A kind lady let me take them to her place about a mile down the road, and they were there for about 2 months, while we rebuilt the fences and moved the downed trees that had pushed the fences over.

I lost Tue Lo, my little Arabian mare. She was the shortest of my horses. She was 30 years old. And I lost two of my donkeys, Hobo and Moses, who were in the barn, and there was about 8' of water on our property. The barn wasn't near the bayou....and we had no idea we would get so much rain, plus all the rain upstream that caused the bayou to rise. The flooding was very widespread. From there....Galveston area...to Louisiana.

I loved the house we had. It was an old house that we moved in and remodeled. I was happy that when we sold the place, the new owners kept the house. They raised it on 8' piers. Maybe higher. I haven't been back to see it, but was told, plus, I drove by and could see it from the road. They painted it blue. It really does look pretty.

We moved to East Texas two years ago. My husband had a terminal illness, and could no longer shrimp....he was a commercial shrimper. We needed a place more set up for horses. Where we lived, we had gumbo soil, and seemed like after the hurricane, it didn't stop raining for 18 months. The mud was horrible and it took me a couple hours a day just to take care of the horses. So we found this place, which used to be an Arabian horse farm. It is on the top of a hill....very sandy soil. No mud. Twelve stall horse barn, plus two other barns, one that we built and I will probably turn into a house.

The place needs a lot of upkeep, and it is difficult since my husband died. Just having him to tell me what to do to take care of things or helping me find someone to work. I was used to my husband being able to fix things....I remember the first time I had to fix a fence, and it took me about an hour to do something that wouldn't have taken him ten minutes. But, I would not be happy living in "town", so I will stay here and do the best I can. It is very lonely without my husband....married for 55 years. I miss having him to talk to....we went to school together, knew all the same people, all the shared experiences. It is tough. I find myself talking to the animals...which I always have done, but different now....I talk to them like I expect them to answer. Ah.....the joys of old age!!!