My Nature Journaling Club Page 7/18/23
Tag: blog
Hiking A Dry Stream Bed!
Today, we hiked the dried stream bed at Moss Wright Park in Goodlettsville, Tennessee! There were so many cool and interesting things to see! I’m so curious about the holes in these stones!
Bunny Rebounding! Day 11
Bunny Bonding, Day 3 Of Our Rescue
It’s day three with our new baby bunny! She’s eating really really well and she’s up to a weight that’s appropriate for her age. 73 grams!
My elder dog, Mercy, once he realized there was a tiny creature in the room, did not want to go anywhere near it. I can’t decide if he’s sulking about another animal being in HIS sleeping room or if a small squirming ball of fluff just freaks him out.
I learned much more today after continuing to research. It turns out that the biggest contributing factor to losing a bunny in captivity is overfeeding/inappropriate feeding, most often within the first week. I’m going to be giving her two feedings at 5ml each. As she ages that amount will go up a little until she’s weaned but I’m very cautious of any sort of intestinal distress because of that rate of loss.
She is definitely blind, no question about that but that just means that any enrichment she needs with need to be scent and sound based. Some things I can use are herbs that have nice scents like basil or safe flowers like dandelions and lavender. Also, rabbits live to shred paper, it turns out! They love it. So paper balls and toilet paper rolls stuffed with hay (being careful of cheap inks) are also good alternatives.
I’ve thought about appropriate housing for a bunny but until we’re more or of the woods with her, I haven’t wanted to think about it too much. I’m afraid to jinx it! To say nothing of the expense, only to lose her…
We’ve named her Persephone Cottontail in the meantime! I got her some eye drops (being very very careful to only get the straight lubricating eye drops with no extra junk in it) today. Even though her eyes are clear with no mucus or pus, with her being blind, I wanted to just err on the side of caution.
I love love love that she’s started recognizing me though! She’s not even getting as scared when she hears my daughter’s voice. I try to sing quietly and gently to her when I come in the room to help her recognize that it’s me coming in instead of a predator. Her ears stay up when I hold her and she climbs up to my neck and burrows herself in my arms and clothes. I hope that means that she’s starting to see me as safe. 🙂
Anyways that’s where we’re at for today so stay tuned to see how our bunny adventure continues! Until then,
With Peace and A Passion For Bunnies,
Ta!
A New Baby In My Life
A few short days ago, the day before the Spring Equinox (Ostara for my Pagan family out there!), a new baby came into my life. I adopted an abandoned (or orphaned) infant bunny.
She was the only baby remaining from an absolutely destroyed burrow. Staying the weekend with my sister, we had seen the little kit earlier in the day. Because it was a warm day, we just kept an eye on things to see if the mother rabbit would return.
By the time the night had grown late and very cold, we knew we needed to act.
Returning to the burrow was a sad sight. The hay and grasses and the mother’s fur had all been torn away, leaving this tiny baby in just a naked shallow dirty hole. When I leaned down to check on her, she was cold to the touch. She didn’t even respond to me picking her up. This isn’t altogether unusual because rabbits are prey animals but her temperature was.
Quickly, I folded her up in my t-shirt and rushed inside of my sister’s house to get her warm. A cardboard box filled with grasses that rabbits would normally eat in the wild (dandelion greens, clover, etc) as well as the hay and fur from the scattered and ruined burrow became her new bed. We set the box on the hearing vent to help her warm up while we decided what to do.
My sister kindly offered her time and money to go out and buy a multi-species formula and an infant animal feeding kit as well as some pellets. We weren’t sure which of newest little one would need and I spent the night, early into the wee hours, researching.
Somehow I knew that I just had to take care of her. I felt it the moment I held her shivering in my shirt. We weren’t sure if she would live, honestly. Neither of us had ever kept rabbits, let alone a baby one that would need to be bottle fed but we decided that we were going to try our best to save this little girl’s life. I have read that wild rabbits in captivity often die within the first week so we would have to see how things went.
My research taught me a lot! Our little one is an grey cottontail, a very common species in our area. She was between one and two weeks old, based on her size, weight, fur and open eyes. So young and so little…
She took to her bottle surprisingly well and after each feeding (3-4 times each day), I would stimulate her to go potty like her mother would have done in the wild, though honestly I wasn’t sure how long she would need this. My sister and I were elated when she was eating and drinking but then also began to go potty on her own. It was a big relief! Not urinating or defecating can have disastrous consequences for a rabbit and bunnies can drop into dangerous territory in a matter of a few hours.
Each day, after her lunch feeding, we would weigh her to make sure she was gaining weight steadily. A sister-friend who had a rabbit in the past (RIP Lunis. You are missed, friend), sent a very helpful video of tips and tricks to help rehab bunnies.
Something unfortunately became very apparent pretty quickly though. Our bunny…couldn’t see. Her eyes were clear of pus and mucus but there were cataracts over her pupils. She would bump into the sides of her box. It would make things harder but instead of being unsure about it, her impairment only made me more determined than ever to take the best care of her I could! Quickly, I added care for blind bunnies to my research list and got to work!
The kids were smitten with her. Absolutely smitten. And who wouldn’t immediately fall in love with an adorable fluff ball of sweetness?!
My cat, that’s who.
I knew that my other pets were going to be an obstacle. My elderly dog (half blind himself) slept in my room with me after all. It was clear that other than at bedtime, when Mercy went to lay down in his doggie bed, my bedroom was going to be a pet free safe zone for our newest family member. I wanted to keep that space as stress free as possible. She would sleep by my bed so that I could easily get up for monitoring if necessary. During the day, the room would be completely off limits.
It’s a strange, new, but heartwarming adventure that I’ve begun but I’m looking forward to each new day! We’re not out of the woods with her but with love and early intervention, I hope that this tiny bunny will have a long and happy life! I’ve chosen to monitor our adventure here each day with updates on her progress. So make sure you drop us a follow to join this journey with us!
*This case was one that needed immediate intervention. As always, please do not bother any wild baby animals you find and if you find a sick, injured, or possibly abandoned animal, quickly and calmly search to see if your state, territory, or area has local wildlife services that can help. If not then monitor the situation before acting. Many times, the mother will return after hunting or foraging.
With Peace and Passion,
Ta!
This Has Been My TED Talk: Children’s Bodily Autonomy
Alright so I wrote this back in October and it’s taken me this long to pay it. Why? Honestly, I was afraid of the shit talking backlash I’d get from people. Let’s all just go into this with mutual respect and understanding that we all have our own opinions and plans for childrearing, okay? Sweet. Let’s do this.
There’s this bizarre idea in our culture that children don’t have the right to be considered real people. That they shouldn’t get a say in what happens to them and that they don’t have rights over their bodies. I don’t know where that came from but it is so bizarre to me.
Like… No, my kid does not get a say in what time she goes to bed because for her age and developmental stage that is what is appropriate and what has proven for her to be best for her general well-being during the course of the day. However, even in things where she doesn’t get much of a choice, I still give her as much say in it as possible. I take her feelings and thoughts into consideration.
I let her make decisions where I’m able to because if kids aren’t given the chance to learn how to make good decisions then they never figure out how to, and then they start adulthood out with the expectation that they should be able to do these things because they are adults when nobody ever bothered to teach them how.
For example, my daughter had to change occupational therapists a few months ago from the one that she’d been seeing for many many months. Her new OT is good but my daughter just didn’t take to the change and has been very resistant to the therapies since. So much so that not much therapy gets done. After her last appointment she told me that she didn’t want to do OT anymore and I thought about it and was like, “you know, maybe you’re right. Maybe it is time to take a little bit of a break.”
Taking her thoughts, opinions, and considerations into mind instead of just saying, “no this is what’s good for you you’re going to do it whether you like it or not” allowed me to see the situation from her perspective. And from the perspective of her desperately frustrated OT.
Bless you, Autumn.
Our kids are people. We are not raising children, we are raising adults, right? We don’t want them to still be children when they go out into the world, we want them to be healthy in mind, emotion, and body as adults. But if we don’t give them those opportunities, then we fail as parents in our ultimate goal: to raise them to be established adults.
I know this has been a bit of a ramble so thanks for sitting through it with me.
This has been my TED talk.
Dazzling Snow Day Daze!
Bear Walker Ale, A Review
The sharp, hollow crack and hiss of the opening can was the sound that met my ears upon opening this new, local brew. Daddy Maxwell had brought two of them home from work and we stood in our kitchen to try this new ale.
I’m always in the mood to try something new when it comes to beer. I only just started even drinking the stuff in the last few years when I was nearly bowled over by my developing partial stomach paralysis (gastroparesis to the medically initiated). To my surprise, a small glass of beer seemed to actually help my stomach digest the food I ate. So from then on, I found myself enjoying a can of Yuengling after dinner every so often. It was the only one is had that I liked but it wasn’t long before curiosity had me testing out different drafts just like I taste test new and interesting coffees. That’s what led me on my journey towards the smooth, almost creamy Bear Walker Ale.
It isn’t sweet like you’d expect when you see ‘brewed with maple syrup’ as the tag line. I expected the kind of sweetness that’s like a Mounty have you a swift kick in the teeth and the subsequent dental bill all in one. Instead, it was a dark, discreetly sweet flavor that brought to mind a smokiness, like Deadpool splayed out in front of a fire. You get the sweetness more on the back and the sides of your tongue, a warm mix of delight for the taste buds.
All of that being said, Daddy Maxwell was not a great lover of said flavor. However, he also isn’t a fan of beers, more specifically ales and lagers in general. I am a lover of many types of alcohols, in contrast,and I can confidently say that if you aren’t someone who enjoys those kinds of tastes, this isn’t going to be the beer for you.
Bear Walker is a product of Jackalope Brewing Co. and is brewed and packed right here locally in Nashville, Tennessee. I’m always down to try a new local beer so when Daddy Maxwell’s co-worker was so stoked for him to try it that she went on her break and bought a six pack to share around the office, I knew I had to try it. Given that it has been nothing but a delightful experience for me, I can say with heartfelt enjoyment a big thank you to Ms.Holly. Without you, this blog post would not have been possible. So, I guess…#sortofsponsored ?
Either way, go out on your next break and grab you one. Have it when you get home and let us know what you think down in the comments! And as always,
With Peace and Passion,
✌️ Drink Responsibly. ✌️
A New Game That’s Brought Us Together: A PKXD Review
So Little Maxwell is always asking if she can download this new game or that new app. I’m pretty particular about what kinds of games I won’t let her play. For example, I don’t let her play the “match-three” style of games like Bejeweled or Candy Crush. Is Bejeweled even still a thing?
She got an ad for another game in one of the apps she was playing one day and begged me to download it. I checked it out and agreed but under one stipulation: she only played with me. I wasn’t entirely comfortable with the fact that it’s a sort of social game that doesn’t have the option of offline play. The game is called PK XD.
Hopping in to the game, I was blasted with the neon and sheer… Well. Childishness. It definitely is made with it’s target audience in mind. It’s bright and accentuated with catchy music and sound effects. There are regular community events and an arcade of mini games that allows each player the opportunity to collect in-game currencies without having to spend real money. In fact there are quite a few opportunities to do so which I was rather pleased with. The game has admins that regularly run my paces through the two floating islands that the PKXD universe consists of.
As for communicating with other players, there are predetermined, pre-selected scripts and responses, even Emojis with sound effects like laughing or crying, that the player can select but speaking freely with players one-on-one outside of that doesn’t seem like an option that is commonly used if even available. I found myself put at ease a little more by this realization. Little Maxwell isn’t really reading fluently yet but I doubt it will be a long. I like knowing that anyone she might become friendly with in-game is relegated to the many, though very PG, communications.
The more I played with her, the more I’ve come to really enjoy the game itself. What I love the most though is the fun and engaging quality time that I get to spend with my daughter now, doing something that we both really enjoy together! As a gaming family, we are all often enjoying the latest video game, table top or board game. But, though they may enter set with other family members like when I play Diablo with my sisters and Dad and Minecraft with my brother and bestie hetero life partner, those don’t always necessarily include little Maxwell or her dad. So it’s always nice when we have a game that we can play together especially when it’s one that she so adamantly enjoys.
It’s very easy to add each other 2 your friends list and once you are linked as friends, the game gives you the opportunity to jump in to the servers that your online friend is playing from so you can literally play together. We have had a very big time helping each other decorate our houses and bouncing around the parkour Pet Week course. Visiting other people’s homes to see how they’ve decorated as well. The game boasts a sort of trophy/achievement system by way of stickers that can be collected from literally anywhere and anything. Today, I unlocked a hidden sticker no I received by drinking milk 10 separate days. Another I got from adding items to my house or even finding hidden pets throughout the world.
While it isn’t the most graphically complex game I’ve ever played, I can definitely recommend PK XD or anyone looking for something to do with their kids that don’t be mind-numbingly dull. There is no end to different events, achievements, and fun things to do when you’re spending time with the people you love.
What do you think? Are you going to give PK XD a try with your little ones anytime soon? Let me know what you think in the comments!
With Peace and Passion,
Ta!
Words Go Up, But Thoughts Below
Asar, Lord of the Duat, take him into your shining fields.
Anpu, Protector of the Dead, guide him through the winding dark paths and places.
Setekh, Warrior of the Way, protect him as his spirit finds its way.
Nebet-Het, Mother of Mourners, be with us as we grieve.
Aset, Lady of Life, give his spirit breath again into his next life.
Hewet-Her, Comforter of Comforters, hold him fast as he travels into the lands of the West.
Tehuti, Writer of All Wisdom, give me the knowledge and strength to comfort and give guidance to my family in this time of loss.
Today, after a painful battle with a rare form of cancer, we buried my grandfather. I ended up at home alone after the wake and found myself with a terrible problem. No matter what I did or tried, no matter how much I wanted it, I could not make my brain focus on anything. I wasn’t overcome with sadness, nor were constantly shifting thoughts stealing my attention. There was no depression and all I thought about the wake itself was that I hated to leave my grandmother Ruby to go home alone. I didn’t want her to have to go back to an empty house that would never feel like a home again.
National Novel Writing Month was in full swing but the words wouldn’t come. What was wrong with me? Maybe it was the headache that was working itself out. Maybe it was fatigue. Grief? All I had in me was busy just processing the day, trying to let go of all of the hundred conversations and people. The casket, the coffee. The bowl of mints, the director’s nametag and my mother’s tears.
I found myself writing out, instead of my poor NaNo novel, just an unpunctuated, long single stream of thought with no rhyme or reason. Then, my hopes and prayers for my granddaddy as his spirit passes on. It gave me a sense of…peace. Something like happiness but less than joy. Like he was standing there watching the proceedings and seeing how there wasn’t just tears but there were smiles and humor too. Seeing how the family shored together despite differences and even, in some cases, not even knowing one another. There’s support there and there’s love. I could see him there. He’d probably be wearing navy and looking kind of sheepish with his hands in the pockets of his slacks, his watch on and his chin scruff and he’d be smiling because I think he’d be happy with what he saw.
Afterwards, I still felt like I’d been hit by a truck but on the inside, it felt like finding peace.
Little Journeys Everywhere 