TREES, LEAVES, AUTUMN, DOGS, CATS AND HUMANITY: IT'S FRIDAY

EDITION OF FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2019 [PetPowellPress] The signs of autumn are here. There’s the sticker I got from my pals at Ben Franklin Apothecary in Duncanville Thursday. I also actually got the flu shot — my second ever. First one was last year -- after I had pneumonia the previous year. I moved the sticker from my cheap hoodie to my expensive keyboard so you’d know I’m not contagious with either the flu or pneumonia (got that one last week).
Now, you also see this beautiful autumnal tree photographed lovingly (more on that in a minute) by our Eastern Seaboard Bureau Chief Andrew Fisher, the veteran newsman and not-quite-enthusiastic arborist. You can see hints of fall color across Indian Lake in Denville, N.J.
 Since I grew up in Northeast Texas, I’m familiar with Pine Trees, Oak Trees, Sweetgum Trees Pecan Trees, Peach Trees -- I’m sure I’m leaving some out. And, there are Maples in Texas (the Lost Maples State Natural Area, for example). So, what is this Denville Maple?
 Andy reports, “It’s called a Silver Maple,” and then he adds some personal information. “Not a Sugar Maple; my relatives in Vermont have several dozen of those, and into her 90s, my Aunt Edith would sit in the ‘sugar house’ every spring and create that peerless Grade-A maple syrup. This Maple tree just produces leaves. Lots and lots of leaves.” (Hence, the "not-quite-enthusiastic arborist.)
Naturally, keen on my state nicknames, I asked, “And you turn them into a mash that becomes ‘New Jersey Garden Tea’?
”
Nope, he says, “I just go to Starbucks for a pound of Yukon Blend.”

[LARRY FYI: The Eastern Seaboard Bureau is providing our Napping Cat for this weekend’s edition of Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. Be sure to visit and celebrate the joy of animals the trust their humans to let ‘em catch a few winks. And, of course, keep watching the Texas leaves — they’re bound to change colors before the wind knocks ‘em off the branch. Surely.]
LET’S TALK SMALL SHELTERS
AND DOGS ON THE CLOCK
Yeah, these ARE NOT in Lancaster. These dogs are in the Wilmer/Hutchins small shelter zone. We got the tip on them from Laura Macias and Leighann Hayden, the guiding lights of 4 Legged Helpers, the non-profit that focuses on smaller shelters that get little life-saving attention. 
“Just added 3 more dogs,” Laura’s note said. “This is so sad. None of these dogs stand a chance without your help.”
For these animals, call or text Laura at 214-949-2726 or email [email protected].
That opening photo may be the saddest shelter-dog photo in memory. The dog is laced as “Noah, M, Bulldog.” But that’s just for convenience. The bio reads, “This may be a Girl. Did not receive information when we received the picture. We can find out if someone can help or is interested. Please? Regardless if boy or girl, this sweet, sweet dog is hoping and waiting.” 
[LARRY ASIDE: So, you see, that’s what happens when a city can’t devote any money to staffing a kill-shelter with anything more than the bare minimum strategy of keeping the animal alive until you can kill it. That’s an awful way to run a shelter, isn’t it. Surely it affects the hearts of people who are responsible for voting on budgets and employment. They claim to have hearts…well, moving along before we start lecturing on the difference between right and wrong, life and death and dumba…whoa, Larry, let’s not get accurately disgusting. Somebody help me off this soapbox.]

Also waiting (in order of photo appearance:
Autumn, with her paw in the fence. “This silly lovable precious little girl is wearing a collar but sadly no one has come for her. She is just as cute and sweet and cuddly as can be. Just wants to be loved.”

Beau is the baby Beagle/Terrier mix who, also is “very sweet and just adorable. This baby loves everyone and everything.”

Derek and King are a couple of neutered German Shepherds. “These two gorgeous dogs are just as beautiful as can be.  Very smart and very sweet.  They were found out together but their owner never came for them.  Please help. Available together or individually.  They are good dogs that are buddies, possibly brothers, and are very sweet.”

And Blue, the bully (mix?) Is an “awesome boy,” his bio reads. “He is just adorable. Very sweet and such a beautiful dog.”

The note also included a bio of the small shelters. It reads, “If you recall, both Wilmer and Hutchins are VERY close to the Dowdy Ferry area.  Wilmer Shelter is one of those storage-type metal buildings where there are no public adoptions. It's on property no one can even enter with a huge locked gate.  So dogs here stand ZERO chance.  None.  No one sees them.  There are no public adoptions. 

“Yet in spite of this, any dog coming into this shelter is always, and we mean always, the best.  They are SO grateful.  Always so sweet, so loving.  Always great with other dogs. SO DESERVING.  It's one of those things where after seeing this time after time, you just begin to realize they KNOW.  They just KNOW they are in a kill shelter where no one sees them.  You have never seen happiness like you will see when one of these dogs gets saved.  THEY ARE SO VERY GRATEFUL.  We hear repeatedly from people, that dogs that they have rescued and saved from Wilmer are the best dogs ever.”
MEANWHILE IN BURNS FLAT,
WEATHER AND HEARTS ARE COLD…
We periodically issue an appeal for “cold weather” supplies for the Burns Flat, Okla., shelter. The temp there at 5 p.m. Thursday was 36 degrees — just as autumn gets to New Jersey before it gets to Dallas/Fort Worth and winter gets to Burns Flat before it gets to the Metroplex.
But, there may be nothing colder than the hearts of some people who dump animals in both Texas and Oklahoma.
Terry Lynn Fisher, the warm-hearted constant rescuer in Burns Flat, has the story on these two dogs and the more than 30 cats they were found with.
She writes, “I received a call concerning some animals that had been left when tenets moved out of a home north of my town...  We went out to check things out and found these two wonderful dogs, along with over 30 cats. The dogs are timid but very sweet.  I honestly feel they have been looking out for the cats there and they are the only reason the coyotes have not killed all the cats.
“Look at the video. The love this dog has for the cats is unreal. Both dogs are like that with all of them, even the tiniest ones...These boys need a safe place to go.. right now, they are still at the property. I go out and feed and water each day.”

Email Terry Lynn at [email protected].
CONTEMPLATIONS
TRADITION, FOLIAGE AND TWINKLE LIGHTS
Before we get to the SPCA’s NorthPark tradition, allow me to draw your attention to the “Fall Fix,” a spay/neuter campaign sponsored by the SPCA of Texas and the Dallas rescue group, Paws In The City. Helping animals is a great tradition to adopt, don’t you think? On Thursday we got a news release from Victory Albrecht at the SPCA of Texas about the “Howliday Tradition” at NorthPark, Dallas’ legendary shopping center. It’s the 29th (that’s a tradition-length timespan, wouldn’t you say?) — let me restart: “The 29th Annual Home for the Howlidays” opens November 21 and runs through December 23 at NorthPark. The SPCA Adoption Pavilion will be in its 29th year at Northpark — it opens on Nov. 29 (Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving) — for the past 5 years the event has “also featured a wonderful auction of custom-made, luxury dog houses and cat condos thanks to a wonderful partnership with AIA Dallas and TEXO, The Construction Association.” You can read the entire news release HERE.
And remember, you can also see adoptables at spca.org — you can adopt your dog or cat before someone else adopts the sweetheart at NorthPark…
BACK TO AUTUMN — Check out the vivid autum colors -- I may need to look up the definition of "vivid" --in that photo from the East Texas Fall Foliage site HERE. [LARRY ASIDE: There are a number of foliage-monitoring sites online — you know, so you can drive out of DFW and see autumn from the windshield. I would have posted a photograph of the Bald Cypress in our front yard (previous owner planted it years ago). It is changing colors — but that’s not because autumn has arrived. I think the tree may be dying —it got cool temps and dousing rain too late to survive the viciously hot North Texas summer. We’ll see. If it’s still vibrant at Thanksgiving, I vow to wrap some twinkle lights through the spindly limbs and celebrate a Thanksgiving of Tree Survival. …
A SPECIAL NOTE TO STUDENTS WHO’VE HAD TO CHANGE SCHOOLS: Those of us who went to the same school for our entire careers cannot imagine how tough this tornado has made things for you. But, vow to learn from the experience; don’t mourn the change. You’ll make new friends, maybe. Have experiences you may have missed. Once you leave the stability of a school and go into the “real world” you’ll see that, as the Greek philosopher Heraclitus of Ephesus said around 500 BC, “The only constant in life is change.” Bless your hearts and gain knowledge and friendships. They’re both vital to a happy life.
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