I tried a quick search. There was a shout out about 10 months ago and she checked in.

But….I seem to she participated after.

Hoping she sees this and checks in.

If she has enough horses and cattle using water, the continuous flow of water will keep the water moving and not let things freeze up. I bet she’s had to increase her amount of feed, though.

I feel like she's posted within the last few weeks.

I sometimes confuse her I think with the lady who rescued possums, but also remember horses. She always worked very hard.

I seem to recall she has posted on a few threads within the last few months. Not much tho, so i hope all is well. This is a hard time for people with animals that need to be sheltered, fed and watered.

Marilyn C posted THIS in the "Quirks" thread Eld started 16 days ago.:

"I am an all or nothing type of person. If I am interested in something, I want to know everything about it. Waterlilies, for instance. Other wise, no interest at all....sports, as an example. "

She does animal rescue, Horses, cats, possums, raccoons, She currently has 6 dogs, ALL rescues. She lives in Texas. Has a LARGE barn with running water for her animals. Link

Looks like she was on yesterday. Hasn't posted in a week or so.

Wasn't MarilynC married to J, a longshoreman I believe he was? Passed away several years ago from a respiratory illness? I like her posts about her horses. I hope she is well and can ck in soon.

Marilyn did rescue possums, as well as horses. Her husband was a shrimper. I hope she checks in with us soon to share how she’s faring in the unpredictable weather. I think of her often.

Thanks for the verification rhizo, I knew his job was something like that.

I hope we'll get an update from Marilyn. She's had a long rough patch -- nursing and losing her DH and settling in at the new location away from the ocean.

In her latest posts, it seems she is doing all ’stable work’ herself with little to no help. How very difficult. Marilyn, I hope you’re coping alright and have found some help.

We've missed you, Marilyn. But I do understand busy.....know you aren't a hugger and here's one anyway ((((hugs)))

Aw, I don't mind hugs....just don't grab me and hold onto me for an extended amount of time. Hug....and let go. Heck, I will hug total strangers. I have nothing against hugs.

We moved from the Texas Gulf Coast to East Texas, August, '19. My husband had asbestosis and pulmonary fibrosis and was on oxygen full time. He could no longer work, so we didn't need to stay on the coast any longer, so I looked for a place in about a 200 mile radius. Found several nice places, and we had a cash buyer for our place on the bayou, but he had to sell his place first. He had a buyer, but they had to sell theirs. So it took almost a year, and most of the places I had found had sold, but this one.

Turns out, this was a poor choice. It had been quite a show place in it's time, but that was almost 50 years ago. Board fences around the entire 40 acres. A 12 stall barn...with feed room, tack room, and office. Also a vet area with a stock, sink, cabinets and wash area for horses. It would have been my dream, back in the '70's, when I was very involved raising horses, and riding all the time.

We had plans to build a house, but my husband, who had worked hard all his life with very little time off, wanted to travel a little. He was born in Florida and moved to Texas when he was 12, because his parents had died. He wanted to go to Florida to visit his niece and nephews he was close to when he was a child. He ended up going 3 times. Then he got pneumonia and he declined further, and his oxygen requirements substantially increased. From there he went downhill quickly and died in March, '21.

Even tho I expected it, it was very difficult. We had been married 55 years ...my childhood sweetheart since I was 12, started dating at 16 and married at 19. For about a year I fed the horses and that is about all. I am glad I had them because otherwise I probably wouldn't have gotten out of bed.

Anyway, I am doing okay now. I am planning on building a small house...tiny house. For one thing, I mostly live in one room now. I moved the bed into the living room when he has his hospital bed in here...and I never moved it back. I also spend a lot of time in the office in the barn. It is 24 x 12 ...has a bathroom. I found out I really don't need very much space.

This place came with a house trailer, but like everything else, it is 50 years old.

I miss Jody very much, but I am adjusting. I don't mind being alone. I have been sort of a loner all of my life. The things I like to do, do not require other people. I raise water lilies and have since 1967. I have had as many as 200 varieties at a time, and have maybe 50 now. This freeze will probably take out most of my tropical lilies, but most of what I have now are hardies.

I have rescued animals all of my adult life...starting with dogs. Then when I moved to the bayou, I rehabbed wildlife, specializing in possums. What is it about possums that makes them special? Baby possums are born after only 12 days gestation....born as an embryo...float on fluid from the birth canal to the pouch and attach to a teat, and the mother drips milk. To raise them, you have to tube feed them.

I also rescued cats ...taking in 2 feral colonies that had to be relocated. And I rescued horses....taking senior horses that were in kill pens ...going to be shipped to slaughter in Mexico. I did this "unofficially"....using my own money.

I wish I could do more....and I did take in another horse a few months ago, but I may have posted here about her, and this year, I took in 3 dogs. I hear about animals that are in need, and if no one steps up for them, I feel like I should. It is very expensive, so there is a definite limit to what I can do...and I have reached my limit ...so the only thing left that I can do is remember a couple of the rescues that I know that do wonderful things, in my will.

If you would like to read about some of my animals, I will make a second post about them.

Marilyn that is so interesting!! I would love to hear more stories about your animals and your interesting life.

It’s so good to hear from you! You did sound quite depressed after your husband’s passing (of course!) so it does my heart good to hear a lighter tone in this post. I’ve wondered how you’re managing all the work by yourself but it seems like it’s been going ok. Can you manage in the freezing temps alright? Does your neighbor still come over to help from time to time? I hope so.

i just love hearing about your animals so anytime you feel like writing about them, I and everyone else on this board are all ears (eyes)! Thanks for posting, Marilyn.

I have a good neighbor but they don't help me unless I ask, and I don't ask unless it is an emergency. Fortunately, I only had to ask once. Oh ...they did help me when we had that very bad freeze, where we stayed frozen for 5 days, and the power was off. Jody was hooked to 3 oxygen concentrators, and using oxygen canisters as well, and he was running out of those. Had a generator, which was almost new, and it started giving me problems. They brought over the oxygen tanks they used for welding.....two of my neighbors have ranches and pipe fences. That was a very stressful time.

I don't need help taking care of the horses or working in the barn. I can still pick up and carry bags of feed. I have a nice big feed room, but to get in it, I have to step up, and while I can carry a 50 lb bag of feed, I can't do it and step up. So I put my feed barrels in the wash area....which is a concrete floor with rubber mats...and I can back my truck up there fairly close.

I hire what I can't do myself and it is hard to find dependable help, but I have a new guy that I can count on.

My neighbor tells me to call if I need help, but I would never make a habit of doing that. He has his own place to take care of, plus he is a ranch manager for other people. But I know if I had an emergency, I could call, and he would be there.

Marilyn, it is really good to hear from you and to know you are still able to do the things you love to do. Well, like most of us in the mid70’s, most things anyway.

Hope this winter is kind to you and your animals. And good luck with plans for your Tiny House. It sounds perfect.

I'm sure your animals got you thru the roughest times. They needed you and keeping busy is what you do best! Do you still have donkeys? I'll never forget Jodi in the flood! He was a super hero! You could write a book. I think you were at one time!

You are a kind wonderful person to care for and take in the animals you do. I think if my Mom had lived a different life she would have done the same thing.

Marilyn, I love reading your posts. I am not a hugger at all, but I'd hug you if I could.

Count me in. I'm interested in your animal stories.

Every animal has a story, and it would take a very long time to tell each one. I don't mind telling their stories, but I keep hitting the wrong key and losing my post.

I wrote some of the stories and called them Bayou Tales, but I never got around to writing them all. Some of you may remember Emery, the old horse that I walked 12 miles home because he wouldn't load in my trailer. He had been abandoned, after being starved for years ....his owners just moved away and left him behind. I heard about him, went to see him, and I wasn't going to leave him.

This pic was made on our walk home. We took two days to do it, due to his poor condition.

This is a recent picture of him. I got him 7 years ago, so he was in his 20's then. I honestly didn't think he would rally like he has. His upper teeth were worn completely to the gum line. He was kept in a little pen in the woods. He had literally nothing to eat.

He hadn't seen another horse in years. One of the first things I did was get a companion for him. Animal control had picked up a 30 yr old horse, abandoned at the auction. He didn't have a coggins test, so couldn't sell. They gave him to me. I had him 4 years and had to have him put down, due to his very bad arthritis, and someone gave me anther horse to be Emery's companion. Emery is a very needy horse. He stays very close to his companion at all times. They eat in separate stalls, but as soon as he finishes eating, he goes and stands next to Rain, his friend.

My other horses are too rambunctious, and might hurt him, especially one mare that I have.

Emery is at least 30 years old. He shines, not because I groom him....I seldom do. That is from inside out ...his good health.

He is beautiful.

This is Tyke. One of the dogs I took in this past year. She belonged to a woman who lived in a house trailer on the property of an old man I know. He has a lot of dogs, and asked for this one when the woman moved away. The puppy didn't look this bad then, but I saw her a few weeks later, and she looked near death. I asked if I could take her, and try to save her. I said I would give her back when she was okay. Actually I had no intention of giving her back. The man is in his 80's and can't take care of the dogs he has. He just pours dog food on the ground, and that is it. I knew if I got her in good health, he would give her to me. He likes me and he liked Jody. They used to have coffee together.

At 4 months old, she weighed 4 lb. Her mother was a purebred bull terrier and her father was her half brother.

I didn't know if I could save her. Her gums were completely white. But I wormed her and got the fleas off of her, and she is the best little dog! So happy. So smart, and not a bit of trouble.

This pic was made when she was 7 mon old. She is 11 months now, and just had her spayed...and yes, I am keeping her.

I am just loving seeing and reading your posts Marilyn. Please pop in as often as you possibly can. So many of us miss you here and I, for one, worry about you. Love all of the animals for me.

Linda, I am doing okay. I have been worried about you! All of my animals are doing well....as for myself, except for missing Jody, I am okay alone. My health is very good. I have lost weight .. eating very low carb, and I honestly feel better than I have in years. I have a lot more energy....as I told someone recently, too bad I am too old to enjoy it! But it greatly helped my depression, which I have dealt with for many years. So don't worry about me....I am as happy as if I had good sense.

Lisa_fl, yes, I still have donkeys. These were given to me after the Harvey flood. No one claimed them, and animal control gave me a jack and a jenny. The jenny was pregnant and this is her baby, who just turned 7 yrs old.

Their names are Frosty, the baby jenny, and her mother, I call her Mama, and the jack, I named Tramp, but I call him Papa most of the time. I had him gelded....$250 vet bill for a free donkey, but most donkey jacks aren't gelded, and there are so many unwanted donkeys. They are one of the most abused animals in the world.

Thanks so much for persevering with the balky computer to show us your animals!

You're amazing to do so much, let alone without help. I'm 82, with some resemblance to Emery's 'before' photo, but I was never as strong and healthy as you!

If you could finish Bayou Tales I'm certain it would find a publisher, especially as you have such wonderful photos. Think of how much good it would do. A book could multiply the help you can give as one person.

My heart is warmed by your caring for so many animals in need, Marilyn. Thank goodness that this world has people like you who can step up and take them in.

Chisue, what I wrote was in my notes section of Facebook, but I can no longer access it. That is where the photos are too. I had copied a few of them for a member here, but I got busy doing something and didn't finish. I found those in my sent emails.

Supposedly there is a way to get back into Notes. I need to try it on my computer because I haven't been successful using my phone.

So wonderful to hear from you, Marilyn_C!

Thank you for all the love and wise care you give to your animals. There must be a way to get to, rescue and back up in a safe place all your facebook files. I have never used that pkatform, so know nothing about it. I would buy your Bayou Tales in a heartbeat.

I am so glad to hear how well you are doing and how strong you’re feeling. I might have saved some of your previous posts. I hope most of you waterlilies make it through this cold winter.

I'm amazed at how much work that must be, Marilyn! A tip on the disappearing text. Rather than writing directly into this forum or on Facebook you could write your piece as a document, eg in Word, and then you can copy it into a post. If it doesn't post correctly you still have the text. And you have the makings of a book already saved.

^^^ Yes! And make multiple backups of you efforts — say to a portable hard drive AND to a USB stick. Maybe back up every so often to an USB stick that you can keep in a safety deposit box.

Thank you, Flora. It is the pictures I wish I had saved. I could write the stories over almost word for word. I didn't really write them for a book....mostly wrote them for my friends. I originally wrote them on the old Meeting House forum. Altho no one uses the forum aymore and it was moved to FB, I can still access the old Tapatalk forum. I may go find the stories there, altho the pics won't show because they were uploaded for posting on Tinypic. There was a story about a horse named Wizard, some pigeons, some possum stories, a dog that raised a raccoon, the raccoons in general, a raccoon named Ninny, a possum named Woaches, a possum named Pickles, and one named Shirley. Yet to write is Emery's story, Piggy Sue's story...a feral hogs that I raised as a pet ( had her spayed, etc), Bane's story (my literally crazy horse), and probably some more. I also wrote my own life story because that was something we did on that original forum.

I really don't have anyone to share my stories with because I have almost no family. One daughter...no grandchildren. No immediate family. It isn't like anyone will remember me after I am gone, and I say that not in a sad way....just matter of fact.

Anyway, I have 3 or 4 of the original stories, with pictures because I shared them with sjerin. I wish I hadn't got distracted by something else and shared the rest of them while I could still get to to them.

Petalique, my hardy water lilies will be okay, but I will lose some tropical varieties. I know at least 2 of them are very tough and produce tubers easily, and they will come back. In '21, it stayed below freezing for 5 days, and that took out the majority of my tropical lilies, which was sad to me because they were ones I had hybridized, so unique and irreplaceable.

I lived on the coast until 4 1/2 years ago, and different plant zone, and losing lilies over the winter hardly ever happened.

@marilyn_c You remind me of The Moons, a family who has videos on YouTube, except you do everything alone. They mainly rescue horses, but also any animal in need of a home; dogs, cats, chickens, and just recently added two turkeys to the menagerie. I think what you're doing is wonderful and I hope you're able to keep doing it for a long time.

It is always nice to see your posts. love your stories, and would definitely stand in line to buy your book!

Marilyn I'm so thankful that you are happy and healthy and pray that you remain that way for many, many years to come. I'm doing fine. The Hospice nurse comes to check on me every week. All of my vitals are perfect and I don't feel any different now than before being diagnosed with the lung cancer. I pray that God grants me this kind of living for more years to continue loving my two cats and enjoying making my cards.

Linda, I am glad you are doing well under the circumstances and hope you continue for a long time. Thank you for the update. I think of you often.