RIP Ripley

Ripley passed from this earth on May 5, 2016.   She didn't eat and was sleeping 23 hours a day, so we had a vet come to the house and ease her across the Rainbow Bridge.   I held her and cried the whole time.

Six weeks later (and many tears), we stopped in at the Inyo County shelter in Big  Pine and hubby bonded with a 6 month old lab mix who we named Bodie.   We were on our way to a 4 night stay at a cabin in June Lake that didn't allow pets, so Bodie stayed, was neutered, was given and flea & tick bath, and was dewormed.   We picked him up on our way home.   I only stopped once and he spent the entire trip on hubby's lap.

The minute he got into our house, he ran down the hallway and jumped up on our bed and he has slept there EVERY. NIGHT. SINCE!   He is the goofiest, friendlies, silliest thing and the grand kids all love him!   We are lucky to have him.  I made a sign that says, "Ripley's Garden" and I put it in the pine tree where my hollyhocks grew that Spring and where she liked to hang out.   I miss her dearly, but we now have Bodie in our lives...

Things in hand~Ripley's paw~Sunday Stills Challenge~121613

I don't have many photos of Ripley because she just will NOT stand still!  Little bugger!  This took several takes with my cell phone and she was gnawing on my hand every time!  She is a feisty one, although she's asleep on the couch right now.  HA~ Maybe this is a good time to get a couple of photos of her?  SSC for December 16, 2013...To visit SSC, please go to:   http://sundaystills.wordpress.com/

Daisy is gone, too...sigh...

Daisy, our petite orange and white tabby, is gone.  She whittled down to just skin and bones over the summer.  I wanted her to die peacefully in our yard and she did.  I found her one day after school.  She went peacefully.  I am thankful for that.

Daisy was an incredible hunter.  She brought home baby rabbits, lizards, mice, rats, and even a baby hummingbird once!  YIKES!  Absolutely NOTHING was safe around her.

We still have our two outdoor male cats (they are pretty worthless).  And, we have Abby, our black cat, who doesn't go outside AT ALL.  Still, I miss my Daisy girl.

RIP Daisy...

Rommel and Patches update

Rommel and Patches are both gone.  Rommel was our beautiful German Shepherd.  He died while we were away on Christmas vacation to visit hubby's family up in Napa.  Actually, Rommel lasted until we got home and we at least were able to say good-bye to him and love on him as he passed.  He had canine lupus, a disease which basically turned his immune system against him.  He was 9 years old...Patches, our calico cat, was on our bed and she just fell over, the breath slipped out of her, and she expired.  She had been an outdoor ranch cat at the horse ranch up in Lancaster and had survived living outdoors for several years.  So, at least with us, she had nearly 5 years of peace and quiet, since we kept her indoors.  We don't know how old she was, but she was OLD when we got her.  While I really miss having a German Shepherd, hubby and I don't think we can handle another dog right now, since we have Ripley and Atticus (our son's Weimeraner).  That's two big dogs who follow us everywhere and eat us out of house and home!  Plus, we have 3 outdoor cats and Abby, our black cat, who stays inside.  She doesn't even attempt to get out of the house.  She usually sits with me as I blog and she jumps up on the windowsill to watch the birds outside.  And, hubby and I are getting older, so it is hard to have big dogs.  I know that sometimes Atticus gets in my way and with my bad knee (arthritis), I sometimes fall down!  I can't afford to tweek it and make it any worse than it is!  He is usually at my feet as I blog (he's asleep right next to me now) and it wouldn't be fair to either him or Ripley to bring in another dog right now. Daisy, my orange and white tabby (female) cat is ...let's see...16 years old and Loki, our white male (neutered) is 17!!!!  Daisy occasionally comes inside for a meal, but mostly stays outside and catches gophers and mice and rats in the yard, and an occasional sparrow.  She's still pretty spry, but I notice she is very light.  She seems to be in good health.  Loki is doing okay for his age, but seems a bit senile at times!  (crazy cat!)  He'll wander out among the birds and take a nap in the sun (a "sun nap") while they look on.  He doesn't seem to bother them and they ignore him!  So, all are pluggin' away at this point.

Ripley and her bone!

And, it's HER bone!  I bought 3 rawhide bones, one for each dog.  NOT!  GUESS who got 2 of them?  Yup.  The princess herself!  She's so proud that she STOLE this one from our German Shepherd! And, I was thrilled that she actually stood still for a nano-second, long enough for me to snap one photo...then she was gone!  That was it...she wouldn't hold still at all after that!  Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle...sigh...

Canine companions~Sunday Stills Challenge 032011

Two of my doggie companions. That's Atticus, the gray weimeraner, who is actually our son's dog. I believe he is focused on one of the cats down the hallway. Unfortunately, with their busy work schedules, he and Claudia just didn't have time for their two dogs, so we got Atticus. Our daughter took their small dog. And, yes, that's RIPLEY! Can you believe it? For 5 minutes, she's been konked out on hubby's chair! She's usually going through the trash or ripping something up, but I guess she wore herself out overnight! It's cloudy here anyway and nobody or nothing has any energy today! Sunday Stills Challenge for March 20, 2011.

Ssssttttrrrrreeeetttccccchhhh!

I woke Daisy up and she did a LONG STRETCH and went back to sleep!

Shots updated

Ripley finally got her shots! I just had to wait a couple of weeks until my Christmas break. Now, I need to take our son's dog, Atticus, in for a nail trim! Oye vei! It's always SOMETHING, isn't it? Oh, and Abby got spayed (THANK GOD!). What a difference! That's Abby and Daisy, sort of together on top of my chair! And, that's the elusive Patches on the chair with hubby. She hates all the dogs and will only come out to the living room when they are OUTT! Finally, that's Atticus, our son's dog, YES, IN MY CHAIR! All our animals seem to love my chair and I have to constantly shoo them away!

Shots? No shots...sorry

So, yesterday morning, I bundled up Ripley to take her in to our local animal services clinic for her annual shots. Now, it is about a 12 mile drive out there. I looked them up online as they had just moved into a new building, and headed out with THE PRINCESS. She sat quietly on the passenger seat the entire way (I did not have her buckled in, but I held on to her leash with my right hand!)...next time I'll just put her in the back, but it was full of STUFF! Got there...lovely, nice new building, and they were CLOSED. Yes, CLOSED! For the ENTIRE HOLIDAY WEEKEND! Workers were busy polishing the floors. Eh? Did they even say they would be closed for the entire weekend on their website? No. Nope. Nyet! ...sigh...so next Saturday, I'll have to pack her up in the car (I'll have it cleaned out by then) and trudge back all the way across town again...

His Highness, Prince Loki~Camera Critters and Pet Pride 110610

Here he is in all his majesty. He THINKS he rules the place! HA! Loki has been with us now about 13 years. We adopted him from a PETCO weekend adoption. I just fell in love with his blue eyes! He's a very mellow cat who prefers to sleep all day and then get up and feed himself, then go back to sleep! Awww...what a life!

This is why I have so few photos of Ripley!!!

...sigh... I give up!

Peek a boo Daisy! Camera Critters and Pet Pride 103010

This is Daisy, one of our three outdoor cats. She used to be an indoor cat, but one day, I let her out years ago and she's remained outside ever since. She does come in on really hot days and really cold mornings, like this morning. Right now, she is curled up next to me on the couch, on a pile of blankets! Daisy is about 12 years old now. She's very petite, light, and she's as quick as a mouse. Speaking of mice, she is my prime hunter! She kills mice, rats, gophers, birds, and twice even caught wild baby bunnies! (I'm ashamed to say...) She's even caught hummingbirds...sigh...but, for the most part, our yard is clear of "critters", thanks to her! She like to greet me at our front gate and let me know that she's ready for her afternoon snack! Camera Critters and Pet Pride for 103010

"C" is for cat~~ABC Wednesday 080410

I snapped this photo of my CAT Daisy a couple of days ago. She plunked herself down next to the water bowls for the birds. They were actually a few feet away from her and she wasn't even interested! Go figure! ABC Wednesday for August 4, 2010.

Daisy and the fence~Camera Critters 073110

Daisy is one of our cats. She used to stay inside, but one day years ago she went outside and she's loved it there ever since. Loki (our white cat) and our gray one are also now full-time outdoor cats. Daisy likes to take catnaps in the fences between our front yard and our neighbors'. I caught her out there napping yesterday morning. Sometimes when I'm watering, I'll accidently spray the fence and if Daisy is there, she lets me know that she does NOT appreciate that!!! Isn't she a cutie pie? Camera Critters for July 31, 2010.

Loki and macro lens~Camera Critters 060510

I got a new macro lens for our anniversary this week (#38!!!) and so I wandered outside one afternoon. My old cat, Loki, was lounging on the patio table, so I tried out a couple of pics with him! He obliged and went back to sleep. Camera Critters for 060510. Now, if only Ripley would stand still!!!

Daisy on the Roof ~ Pet Pride for 052210

I don't know why I'm always taking photos of the darn cats instead of Ripley! Maybe it's because THEY at least stand still! (unlike Ms. Ripley!)...anyway, here is one of my cats, Daisy, up on top of our porch overhang. She loves to go up there and spy on the birds who are feeding below. Smart kitty! We used to have coyotes run down our street and all of our cats have learned to hop up to the roof for survival's sake! Pet Pride for May 22, 2010. If Ripley would ever hold still for 2 seconds, I would take a picture of her, but that doesn't happen except when she is asleep and snoring and who wants a photo of that?

Burros at Shiloh Horse Rescue~Camera Critters and Sunday Stills Challenge 050910

I know this isn't about Ripley. Believe me, she can't stand still long enough for me to get a non-blurry photo of her! Little bugger! Are all black labs so energetic? There was one night this past week that she jumped up on our bed (she usually sleeps on the floor right next to where I am on the bed) and curled up next to me and slept there all night. Of course, I couldn't turn over!!! But, I digress...anyway, Shiloh isn't JUST a horse rescue. There are assorted burros, pigs, a llama, an alpaca, and lots of dogs. Oh, and a brand new litter of kittens! These are some of Shiloh's BURROS. They lined up at the hospitality center gate, awaiting their BREAKFAST!

"F" ~~ABC Wednesday, 022410

"F" is for face. And, this is the face of little Daisy, one of Ripley's cat friends. Daisy has lived with us longer than Ripley, but Ripley LOVES to chase little Daisy up onto the porch. And, Daisy, in turn,loves to stare down at Ripley and laugh...."Ha, ha! I'm up here and you're NOT!" Daisy only weighs 6 pounds. She has always been petite. Hubby and I brought her home from one of the weekend adoptions at PetSmart many years ago. Let's see...she must be about 12 years old by now! And, she is a good mouser! We used to have..er.."critters" all around our yard, but after Daisy settled in, I haven't seen many critters. Once in a while I find a dead mouse out front. Anyway, "F" is for Daisy's face. I mean, WHO can resist this face? ABC Wednesday for February 24, 2010.

Abby~Camera Critters 011610

Abby, our little half-Oriental shorthair female cat, is now settling in and pretty much ignores the dogs. Sometimes she and Ripley will play together and Abby will take some swats at Ripley. Sometimes Ripley chases her down the hallway, but Abby always comes back for more! I cleaned out my kitchen bookshelves over the Christmas holidays and soon we will move them into the spare bedroom and set up my office there. But, on this morning, Abby moved up onto them (before they were cleaned and dusted!) and had fun swatting the dogs and investigating!

Loki and the Leaves~Camera Critters 010910

The dogs found SOMETHING in our back yard last weekend and I wandered over to investigate. It was Loki! He was taking a "sun nap" in a pile of leaves under the Chinaberry tree. Or, maybe he was hoping that a bird would fall out of the tree? Camera Critters for January 9, 2010.