Some people, like my friend Julie and her daughter, Heather, rescue kittens and cats.  I used to belong to the Seneca Siberian Husky Club, which rescued Huskies, and other people I know belong to organizations that save streams for fishing and protect other forms of wildlife.  Cousin Paul and Lois have a neighbor just up the hill, Don, who has done an admirable thing.  He rescues potbelly pigs.

He's got four:  Bart, Lisa, Ethel and Elmer.  In my cousins' home, conservation is key and very little goes to waste.  To their credit, they set aside nearly everything that might otherwise go into the garbage disposal, or fruit that is over ripe, and it gets saved for the pigs.  I've christened the container next to the sink "the pig bucket."  It contains orange peels, bread heels, onion ends and other delicacies. Lois and Paul deliver at no charge, and if the hungry swine don't see them approaching, they simply holler, "Here, pig, pig piggy!"  Often, the pigs trek from their shelter to the fence single-file, like school kids from Mr. Werner's fifth-grade class leaving for a field trip.

Lois dispenses the foodstuffs equally to the appreciative pigs.  Paul, on the other hand, enjoys taunting Ethel, or even chasing her, explaining that she has a mean streak.  It's hysterical to watch.  I will vouch for one thing:  if anyone tells you that you eat like a pig, it is quite an insult.  

Frog Angel paid a visit, and opted to stay on the safe side of the fence.



Frog Angel, meet Lisa.  Lisa, meet Frog Angel.  Lisa, I said "meet," not  "eat."
Lisa is a doll, and very friendly.


See the video




Here, pig, pig, piggy!




Last Saturday, I was invited to see the Arizona Sundogs play at Tim's Toyota Center with Kim and Rob.  The CHL team, a level below the AHL, plays an exciting brand of hockey, and their comeback bid fell short as they lost 5-4. 


An Arizona Sundogs' player can't fight off a smile during the National Anthem, sung by 12-year-old Frances Off-Key.


A rarity.  Four Sundogs in the penalty box at the same time.  The Odessa Jackalopes scored twice after three minor penalties and a major misconduct for wearing these hideous uniforms.  The Sundogs usually wear very classy sweaters in red or black, or white on the road.  These convict-style jerseys are the first I've seen that are worse than the Rochester Amerks' jailbreak stripe jerseys.   Note the flags on the shoulders.  Some players had two of the same, others had a different flag on each shoulder.  I thought it was perhaps a promotion for one of the gas stations:  Match the player's number to the flags on your card, and Win!  No purchase necessary.  But no.  The flags denote citizenship, and the players with two different ones have dual citizenship.  Kinda cool.  I missed the first goal asking about that.

(But you gotta admit, that would be a neat promotion for a gas station, too!)


A few random photos.

Car Crash



This undetermined year and model pedal-car was involved in a storm-related one-car crash outside the home of Paul and Lois Janowski on Jan. 22.    The young boy who usually drives the vehicle was safe in his home, and no insurance claim was filed.



Bird tracks in a dusting of snow last week.



Look, Ma!  I made a snow angel!



The rare southwestern tree frog in it's natural habitat.



Yours truly... truly appreciative of the hospitality shown by my cousins and our Western family .  Happy to report that no young whippersnappers called me "grandpa" this week.


All photos copyright Kerry Gleason 2010.