"I Like Growing Stuff"

My grandparents lived in the foothills of North Carolina. Grandpa always planted a vegetable garden. Food always tasted better at their house, fresh good stuff, homegrown.When my Grandma passed away Grandpa came to Indianapolis to live with my mom and dad. Since Larry and me have lots of room to grow a garden, I tried my hand at it, or should I say...thumb? Ya know "green thumb". I was proud to take fresh veggies to Grandpa, checking out the green peppers I grew he said "I like growing stuff". You know I realized then - I do too! So this year, with a new baby baboon to feed, I planted some stuff she loves, peas - green beans - cantaloupe - although the bunnies ate the bush beans, we still had plenty of pole beans. Today me and Liz our baby baboon picked some of the last beans of the season, she loves beans right out of the garden - fresh and tasty - yum! Grandpa has passed away and I always feel kind of sad at the end of the garden season. But I am always amazed at the abundance nature gives for just a bit of effort, great fresh veggies...."I like growing stuff".

Gus the Bobcat

• Mr. Gus the baby bobcat has finally started eating meat! May not seem odd that a wild cat is eating meat but Gus hasn't taken to it very easily. He is a very good baby, I call him, "Gus no fuss" cause he is a good guy except for the meat part.I tried it all- he would spit it out and drink all the milk around the meat. I worried a lot,I always question myself with a new baby animal. Being a parent is not an easy job. And being parents of the wild nature babies is a blessing and a special challenge. Then they teach me what they need and what I am supposed to do. Gee, when we tell you the animals we have our teachers, we know because they teach us too!

OLD FRIENDS / NEW FRIENDS

Larry the animal guy and our website dude, Jessee keep telling me to do my blog so here goes; First I would like to thank everyone for the sympathy cards. Your cards made me realize how much Dolly our baboon taught all of us espescially me. I will miss her. There is a saying"Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold. Now we have two new silver friends, you probably know that Elizabeth, the olive baboon now 6 months old has come to live with us and we can't wait till you guys get to meet her she's to cool. The other silver friend is our beautiful bobcat baby Gussington. Mr. Gus came to us at 2 weeks old. Both babies are keeping the animal guys very busy this summer- we love it! Cher