MY ELEPHANT BOYCOTT

On this blog, I have certainly documented my life long interest in all things reptile, with emphasis on my turtle & tortoise collection.  Also I have written -- ad nauseam -- on my love & strong bond for my three cats, which has occurred later in life.  [And that life is getting "later".  Trust me.]

Another interest in the animal kingdom which has long held my attention -- but never in my possession -- have been ... ELEPHANTS.

I think it all began at a zoo in Great Britain, many years ago, where me & my uncles rode on an elephant. Somewhere there is an old, black & white photo of us all riding on the giant animal.  It was love at first ride.

Now days, when ever I visit a  zoo, in any city, I usually go out of my way NOT to view the elephant display ... if the zoo has elephants.  Thankfully, more & more zoos are realizing that it is cruel to feature elephants in confined areas.

It's been about 40 years since I have been to any circus.  It's not a fear of clowns which keeps me away but rather the "preforming animals" -- which includes elephants.  It's not natural for the animals & it too is a form of animal cruelty.

Like many folks, I get solicitations all the time to donate to various organizations. [I got two in today's mail alone.]  Besides supporting -- with $$ -- The House of Mews in Memphis, I contribute to The Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee.  In both cases, I feel my $$ is well spent & well served.

The Elephant Sanctuary is a home for sick & abused elephants, which have been "retired" from "preforming" ... at zoos & circuses.  The elephants roam "free" on almost 2,000 acres of land, their care & needs provided by a dedicated staff, who watch over the elephants, as the animals enjoy life, no longer prodded with sharp "elephant hooks" or being chained in confined areas.

In nature, elephants wander many miles each day, in herds of communicating with each other, led by an elder female. [Males are solitary animals.]  The Elephant Sanctuary has both African & Asian animals; all females.

The above elephant is named Terra & her "companion" is a dog named Bella.  Sadly, I received an e-mail today that Bella was found dead at the Sanctuary.  As best that can be determined, Bella had been separated from Tarra at some point in the night & was attacked & killed by coyotes.  Tarra found Bella's body & carried the dog back to the barn where the elephants spend the night. One of the signs of intelligence in elephants is their grief expressed towards the death of members of their herd.  In this case, the grief was for a dog.

Like so many animals, elephants are facing many difficulties in the wild: being hunted for ivory & meat, & certainly the loss of land as man advances into new areas.  Add to this the exploitation of elephants in captivity for people's "entertainment", & the future does not look bright for elephants.

For my part I will continue to contribute what financial aid I can to The Elephant Sanctuary & I will continue to "boycott" circuses & zoo's which feature these animals.

THE PEANUT BUTTER CONSPIRACY

At several of my news sources recently, there were stories/reports on the poor weather conditions of the past Summer season -- mostly the extreme heat/lack of rain -- causing a MAJOR shortage in this years peanut crop.  Peanut farmers are reporting up to 70% or more of this years harvest will never make it out of the fields.  The peanuts are DOA.

For yours truly, this information on the peanut supply is not the news I want to find out about.  The major impact on the lack of a successful peanut crop -- as pointed out in each news report -- is the impending shortage -- & increased prices -- of PEANUT BUTTER.

I have always enjoyed eating peanut butter & there is always a jar in my pantry. In fact, I probably owe my life to peanut butter. I've written previously how my life was saved by two five-pound CANS of Peter Pan peanut butter which my Mother smartly packed when her & I went to England for several months when I was a youngster. She knew I was a fussy eater & would never be enthused by English food. [Would you ??  "Bangers 'n' Mash" ?? UGH !!]

The news of a potential "shortage" of my favorite "Fall Back Food" -- as when other items in the pantry/refrigerator don't get the mouth watering & the jar of Jiff sitting on the shelf seems to "call" to me -- had me adding peanut butter to my grocery list..

 I was at Sam's Club the other day & "stocked up" -- don't call it HOARDING -- on four jars of the creamy delight.  Since each jar has 40 oz., I bought 10 lbs. of peanut butter ... the same amount that kept me alive in England all those many years ago.

I eat peanut butter on bread, on crackers, & YES ... sometimes with a spoon, straight from the jar.  Naturally, a favorite way to eat is to have a "P.B. & J." -- Peanut Butter & Jelly.  So, while at Sam's Club, I got some more jelly too.

Well, if there is going to be a peanut butter shortage ... let it come.  I'm ready for it.

NO NEWS ... GOOD NEWS ??

I have lived most of my adult life trying to stay informed of the local, national & world news events.  Through the years I have always tried to watch the local/national news broadcasts on television every day. 

The radio in my car/truck would often be set to stations featuring news reporting.  I like to know what is going on around me & in the world, even while driving.

I have also always had a subscription to the local newspaper & when traveling, would buy the paper of whatever city I was in.  Just trying to stay informed, knowledgeable & up-to-date.

I guess it may be common knowledge that newspapers -- & national "news magazines" for that matter -- are facing decreased readership, mostly due to the advent of the cable/satellite television 24-hour news programing & -- of course -- the Internet.  People no longer need to wait on news & information to be printed & delivered.  It's already with them, often on display as the news is actually happening.

After 15 years of living in Arkansas & subscribing all that time to the local newspaper, I have allowed my subscription to expire.  For the first time in almost 40 years ... I am not receiving a newspaper delivered to me each morning.  And I can't say that I miss not receiving it.

In Arkansas, the newspaper was always delivered into a yellow "paper box" located next to the mailbox down at the road.  That box is now leaning up against the back wall of my shed, as shown in the photo above.  No deliveries there.

The last several years I have had "issues" with content in the Arkansas newspaper. Sometimes it would be articles, along with the point or position being presented in the article. Other times it might be editorial comment & political position of the paper.  Saying I disliked the "homer" position taken by the feature sports writer, would be describing it mildly.  All of this made it easier for me to "give up" the daily newspaper.

While there are many reasons for going negative on the local newspaper, the two major reasons which finally made me decide to discontinue reading the paper -- & paying for it -- were:
**  The local news section -- which always presents movie reviews in the Friday paper -- listed a movie review to be found by going to a website & gave the URL.  And it wasn't even the newspapers web site !!  I didn't buy the newspaper to tell me where to find information online.
**  When it became too obvious that most of the news & reporting I read each day ... was "information" which was already 24-48 hours old.  And I had read that information -- online -- 24-48 hours previously.

I will not write that I possibly won't re-subscribe to the Arkansas paper at some point in the future.  Heck, if the price is to my liking -- which it certainly isn't now at $180 a year -- & I am offered "a deal", I might have it once again delivered to me.

For now, however, no news(paper), is good news.

WE ALL EAT WELL

The weather in central Arkansas has just been ideal; sunny days with low humidity, gentle breezes & temperatures in the low to mid-80's.  It's the kind of weather most people would wish for year round.  I do.

This balmy weather makes me keep thinking I brought the tortoises inside too soon.  I could have taken advantage of the weather to keep them outside for an extra week or two. Although I have a good set-up for the tortoises inside, keeping most animals outside -- weather permitting -- is usually best. 

In reality, it's just as well I have the tortoises all inside now.  The nights can get cool, despite the much admired daytime conditions.  I still have a lot of plants to bring inside for the Winter. Having moved the tortoises inside now, is just one project I will not have to do later, which is usually at the last possible minute, right after some weather forecast predicts temperatures falling into the 30's.

Once brought inside this year -- into their NEW enclosure, which I have previously written about -- I quickly realized the need for multiple feeding stations.  The tortoises have all gown so well & gained such good size, that one or two animals can easily block their cage-mates from getting to the food offered at a single location.  Good "table manners" are not practiced in the reptile world.

 I now feed the tortoises -- as shown above -- on two separate plates.  Also, the plates are spaced well apart for each other, giving everyone a  fair chance to chow down.

 The above photo shows the Black Mountain Tortoises being joined at the "salad bar" by a Central American Wood Turtle.

 On the other side of the enclosure, the two Red Footed Tortoises are mowing down the greens.

In another container, in another part of the compound, I have two small (3") Cherry Headed Red Foot Tortoises. [Similar, but more colorful, compared to "regular" Red foots.]  Due to size & space, these little guys have no problems sharing their food supply.  However, in a few years, as they get bigger, there will certainly be "issues" at feeding times.

When it comes to MY FOOD ... the above photo shows the "goodies" my Mother sent me when she got back from her most recent trip to England. [Note: The homemade cookies on the left & the "Allsorts" candy in the top right, are no longer ... ah ... around.]  Along with the small bird magnet & some literature of places she visited in England, there is a candy -- still "available" in the house, but for how long, it is not known -- called "Eclairs" & some cookies with the foreboding name of ... "Digestive Biscuits".  [Leave it up to the British to think that's a mouth-watering name for a cookie.  Who did the market research on that name ??]

The weather is fine in central Arkansas.  And everyone is eating well.

DEAD, DOWN & GONE

The Japanese Black Pine Tree which recently died for some unknown reason, has been removed from my property.  I tended to the deed the other day with my yard cart & prunning saw. [I hate using the chain saw.  I don't trust it ... or me.]

 All that remains is the stump in the ground.  It too will be gone shortly, as the termites & wood eating ants soon do a number on any of the stumps on my property.

The last evidence of the tree is the above photo, where it was soon burned -- being dead & dry -- in my "fire pit". 

I am working on two more trees -- much larger than the pine tree -- which will soon be meeting the same fate & the same fire pit.