ReadLarryPowell.com

ABIGAIL -- A LOVE STORY...

Your initial thought may be “that is an upside-down cat.” But her human, my longtime friend Ann Godwin, posted the photo with this entirely accurate caption: 
“Abigail truly relaxed.”

When I saw the photograph I thought, “Someone needs to run a ‘Most Relaxed Cat in America Contest’ and pay off with a big chunk of dough.” Ladies and gents, Abigail is clearly your winner today!

She’s the spotlighted kittycat in this weekend’s edition of our long-running feature, “Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap.”
I have known Abigail’s human Ann for decades. We worked at The Dallas Morning News for years and years — long before Abigail was born! [LARRY FYI: In our exchange regarding this relaxed cat, Ann included a note to my funspouse, the animal nut Martha. Ann wrote, “I am so glad Martha is still on the job of taking care of you. You know the old saying: Behind every man there is a much better woman.” Yeah, I mighta heard that a time or two since the wedding in 1991.]
So, what’s the story of Abigail? It’s a love story, as you’ll read in Ann’s explanation. She writes, “Abigail was a stray kitten not much more than six months old. She had taken up residence on my front porch and quickly became pregnant. After having her kittens, I had all of my neighbors looking everywhere in their backyards but we could not find them.

“So after about four weeks, I asked Abigail to bring her kittens to me. I had a box with a blanket on the porch and after a few days found one gray kitten in the box and, later, a neighbor showed up with the other five/
“I found homes for the kittens and took Abigail to be fixed and the rest of the story is nothing but LOVE ❤️😽❤️😽❤️.”

Well, clearly there's a little love in the explanation of that photo of Ann and Abigail.
Ann wrote, “Abigail doesn’t like it when I am playing on my phone, so she gets between me and the phone.”
And, that, ladies and gentlemen, is a love story.
[PLEASE SEND photos of your sleeping dogs, napping cats, snoozing gerbils or out-like-a-light in-laws hogging your recliner to [email protected] and we’ll spotlight their stories in our weekend feature, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. You’ll be encouraging people to give wonderful animals a great home. And you’ll be suggesting to us skeptical insomniacs that we, too, can get some sleep if — as Abigail demonstrates —they’ll just turn upside-down in a cat bed (available in most major stores), stick at least two paws in the air and twist their necks just right. I swear that might work; I concede it might not. Insomnia is The Beast That Never Relaxes. Loving cats continue to show us the way, but we cannot follow!]
--- Offer cat, canine & critterful contemplations by clicking 'comment' below; email [email protected], put 'sleeping tips' in the subject line.---

FROM TEXAS TO OKLAHOMA; FROM CATS TO BANJOS; IT ALL INVOLVES SAVING ANIMALS

EDITION OF FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2021 [PetPowellPress] Welcome to the last edition of the month of April 2021. Suggestions, please, for how to make the year go slower in a much more enjoyable and pleasant way. Fewer human crises; not so much obnoxious politics; everybody just chill. 
Extra introspection? Extra extrospection. I looked it up — “extrospection” is a real word. Unlike the concept of “banjotrospection” in which you stop the flow of time by staring into a banjo.
Let’s move along at a reasonable pace. Yes, that is a banjo clock — from the past. Found it on line. Slowed me down. Read on. Twang, pluck, twang. My cat Stevie Ray, named in honor of the Oak Cliff guitar genius, heard the word “banjo” and went to the pantry to hide. He prefers the cello and Diana Krall. Took a while to settle him, but he’s OK now. We have a no-banjos/no male-singalongs rule.
BIG NEWS FROM AUSTIN
ABOUT HB 1818
If you’re keeping up with animal news from the Texas Legislature, you probably already know that the Texas House passed HB 1818 which, according to the Texas Humane Legislation Network, “would help stop the pipeline of puppy mill animals to retail pet stores in Texas.” 
This was one of the THLN’s top priorities in this session. The House vote was 85-54. HB 1818 has to get through the Texas Senate next. 
THLN Executive Director Shelby Bobosky, noted the proposed law would protect not just animals, but families and consumers, too. She said, “Currently, we see hundreds of Texans every year purchase animals who are sick, make their families sick, and cost them thousands of dollars in vet bills or balloon payments to retail pet stores. HB 1818 would protect consumers from unknowingly purchasing sick and ill-bred puppies and kittens, while also cracking down on cruel puppy mill practices."

In a note to supporters, THLN said, "We want to extend a huge thank you to Rep. Jared Patterson for his hard work o the floor and for being instrumental in the passage of this bill in the house.” [Rep. Patterson is a Republican from Frisco.]
  THLN also thanked its supporters for letting the Texas Reps know how they felt about the bill. Follow its progress via thln.org.
Read more about this bill on Legiscan HERE.
WHO SAVED TATE,
THE CODE RED DOG?

AND NAYLA’S DEADLINE!
Perhaps you saw the story of Tate, the nearly un-social Lab who, with the help of a Fort Worth Animal Care & Control staffer, was conquering her fears of humans and her distrust of even a friendly hand.

Word from Kristen Barg Morrison at FWACC is Tate has been rescued. The people taking her in are Angels 2 the Rescue, of Mariana, Ark. Read about the Angels HERE.
She was to be euthanized on the 28th at 8 a.m. but bought some time via the work of the shelter good hearts. You may have seen the video we posted of the staffer nurturing Tate.

Was Tate the last “Code Red” dog in Cowtown? Nope. Rani Parkinson posted this appeal Thursday morning for Nayla (#47491104). 
She wrote, “I’m heartbroken. This little girl is scheduled to be euthanized tomorrow 4/30 at 8am. She doesn’t make friends easy … but it’s so worth the effort to befriend her. I can’t lose another friend.” 
She’s maybe 6 or younger, weighs 40 pounds is spayed an heartworm negative. Owner-surrender on April 7 for “biting the neighbor. She’s now Code Red for ‘reactive at kennel door. Snapping, lunging, alarm-barking’.”
And Rani writes, “I’ve spent time befriending her through her kennel and this most recent time I told her we were getting her out of that kennel! She’s very treat-motivated which makes earning her trust that much easier. She needs space, time, and lots of treats to trust you, but it was soooo worth the effort. Once I got her out of her kennel, she walked well on leash, had no issues with me petting her and visibly relaxed. I moved her to a quieter room in the shelter and she easily went in her kennel and let me remove the leash with no issues.” 
If you think you’re the right rescue or the right person for this dog, email [email protected]. You’ll be saving her life in a dramatic fashion.
NOW, LADIES AND GENTS,
LET’S GO TO FERRIS

Ferris is, as you probably know a small town south of Dallas along I-45 and it has a small shelter. It also has a helping hand — or, some helping legs, i.e., the non-profit 4-Legged Helpers who work to get attention for animals in the smaller shelters on the southern side of Dallas.
The Helpers sent word Thursday that Ferris needs some help placing these “3 great dogs….This is a very small shelter in a small town where there are no walk-in adoptions.” Hence, the Helpers are turning on the spotlight for these pups. And to help the Helpers help the dogs, call or text Laura Macias at 214-949-2726 or email [email protected].
This is Lacy, a “fully-vaccinated, female Aussie/Dogo Mix.” Yep, found as a stray. The bio says, “She is just as cute as can be!  ADORES people, and loves other dogs - both male and female.  She is very friendly and lovable.  Truly great with anyone. She has had all her vaccinations …  Look at the adorable spots and pretty eyes!
Isabella, aka “Izzy” is a Bulldog mix who also is fully vaccinated and she is described as “SWEET, SWEET, SWEET. ABSOLUTELY the most pleasant, good-natured dog you could meet anywhere. CHUNKY & ADORABLE.” [LARRY TIME-OUT: “Chunky & adorable”— they’re so human,” typed the sometimes chunky and adorable writer. I’m not alone on this planet, my fellow chunkadorians] Time in for Izzy: “ADORES all people, and all other dogs, both male and female.  Just the sweetest most gentle lovable soul.  LOOK AT THAT CUTE FACE.”

And that brings us to Jackson, a Boxer/Retriever boy who is “extremely lovable:” and, the bio reads, “VERY CUTE - actually smiles for the camera. Closes his eyes when he smiles. Sweetest thing ever. The shelter dog-tested him with the other dogs above and he is great with these wonderful girl dogs.  ADORES PEOPLE.  He is fully vaccinated…”

Again, call or text call or text Laura Macias at 214-949-2726 or email [email protected].

MEANWHILE, IN BURNS FLAT
THERE ARE SOME DOGS IN NEED…
As you Dear Readers know, we have long been writing about the efforts of the Burns Flat, Okla., resolute and resilient rescuer Terry Lynn Fisher. She runs into some odd and unhappy cases and works hard to give them happy endings. Here’s the contact point for Terry Lynn: email [email protected]. 

We’ll start with this dog. We’ve mentioned him before. He’s the starving, bewildered dog who was found cowering from the cold inside the open abdomen of a cow that had apparently been killed by predatory coyotes in a pasture not far from Burns Flat. As Terry Lynn says, “This one still weirds me out.” The farmer who was checking on his cattle found the dog in its impromptu shelter and got him to Terry Lynn. 
The dog is now named “Angus,” but if you adopted him, you could change that. Terry Lynn says, “I’ve had his shots given and started heartworm prevention. He is ready to go to his forever place — or rescue — he’s under a year old, friendly and playful.”

Then there are these two dogs — you can name them if you take them. Terry Lynn describes them as “the sweetest dogs ever.  Friendly and loving.   We’ve had them way too long and they are starting to get a little kennel crazy. I don’t do adoptions. Only hold to place with rescue. 
“Both are two or under. Both are well-behaved. I’ve had them totally vetted, as well. … They need somewhere to go where they’ll have a chance to find a home.”
That brings us to Phoebe. “This beautiful girl is a doll,” Terry Lynn says. “Just over a year old, from what owners said. So full of love.   Her people actually dumped her out in the country a while back.  After two weeks my son realized where she came from.   We went to the owner.   They claimed she ran away.   Then surrendered her. She has had puppies that they sold.  When they were done they dumped her.
“She loves everyone and everything. A smaller girl. She needs out of jail ASAP. If you have room please let me know.”
We’ll close with Yagger. Terry Lynn writes, “This sweet boy came from a home from which I’ve taken multiple dogs. They just let them roam and when they get picked up, the people just go get another one.  
“This boy is under two.  I went ahead and had him totally vetted.  He is friendly and very loving. He has been here way too long. If anyone has room for this sweet boy, please let me know.”
As we noted, to help any of these dogs, email Terry Lynn at [email protected].
CONTEMPLATIONS
CAT NAMES, DIALS AND BANJOS
We’ve named many cats in our rescue lives at readlarrypowell.com. Inspiration comes from many points. I was looking at the beautiful cats available via the SPCA of Texas Thursday and at spca.org found this guy John B. Bigglesworth — and that is a name I’ve never seen given to a kittycat. But it seems to fit this 8-year-old “brown with white domestic short-hair Tabby.” He was, his bio reads, “rescued from inhumane conditions.” God bless the rescuers and the rescued! He’s said to be, at his age, gifted with “lots of love and companionship left to share with some lucky human.” We don’t have a cat with a name that long, unless you count our Oak Cliff foundling (I plucked him out of a mimosa tree when he was half-a-handful big with a giant yowl), Stevie Ray Treeboy. Nope still shorter than Mr. Bigglesworth’s moniker. …  
SLOWING THE YEAR 2021? Surely nobody wants to get out of 2021 as quickly as we wanted to get out of 2020! Heck, to slow my year, I even disabled speed- dial on my push-button landline. 
Thank you for indulging a reference from the distant past when things things were slower. Today you connect by pushing one button, but, by cracky, there was a time when you had to laboriously use a rotary dial to, indeed, dial all the numbers yourself. And as it turns out, there is a video on youtube that explains just how to use a dial telephone. (Keep reading.) Some of you will have used dial phones before you graduated to push-button landlines before you got a little bitty phone with buttons and computer chips and magic satellite connections on which you can watch movies or read books. On a dial telephone you could do three things: Call out, answer a call or get a blister on your dialing finger if you worked in a newspaper office and had to make a lot of calls to get the facts for a story on deadline. Here’s a video explaining the dial system.
IN TODAY’S OPENING, I mentioned the musical instrument “banjo.” So, we’ll close today’s edition with a LINK to some international banjo music. Click HERE for what is described as “3 Hours Scottish Banjo Music for Stress Relief, Relaxation, Sleep.” That’s my dog Wendy — I just read the title to her. That is my dog Wendy’s grimace.
—- Offer banjo notes or opinions by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing [email protected]. —-

OLD TIMES, SAVING ANIMALS IN AND OUT OF SHELTERS, CONTEMPLATING A SURPRISE...

EDITION OF THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 2021 [PetPowellPress] Before the Pandemic — that’s the phrase that launches this thought…. Before the Pandemic there were only two things that dominated concerns in the Greater Constantly Growing Metrosprawl: Bad weather and the Dallas Cowboys. As the NFL Draft approaches Thursday, and as bad weather alerts dominated Wednesday’s forecasts, it was almost like old times again! Weather and the Cowboys.
 Good luck with the weather, with the draft and with anything else that pops up on your personal radar. And, if you have an open spot in your home, adopt an animal from a shelter or rescue group and add something sparkly to your existence.
That dog in the photo lives outside of the Metroplex. That is Stella who owns the home of Bobbie and Jim Malsch in the Greater Shreveportroplex — you know, right down I-20 from D/FW and where a lot of Texas money goes to visit Northern Louisiana casinos. 
As the TV weather people became somewhat concerned Wednesday, Bobbie posted Stella’s photo and explained, “Our meteorologist says rain is coming.” Weatherdogs are rarely wrong. 

Now, today’s non-meteorological report.
TATE AND THE FUTURE:
A DOG GETTING A BREAK?

Is this dog going to benefit from a miracle?
The opening paragraph of her appeal this week (I first saw it Tuesday night — late Tuesday night) read, “Tate is set to be euthanized tomorrow morning, 4/28. She must be tagged for rescue or adoption by 8 a.m.”
Humans may be the pre-shelter villains in this story, but time appeared to be the enemy. After noon on Wednesday the 28th, I checked the appeal site and read this from Kristen Barg Morrison at Fort Worth Animal Care & Control: 
“UPDATE: She has a potential adopter coming to meet her. Not safe until she’s out of the building. I’ll update as soon as I hear anything. She will not be euthanized today.” (To help Tate, contact the shelter at [email protected].)
In a moment you can click on a video of Tate interacting with a staffer. She’s A46965671 at the shelter. The 2-year-old, 67-pound, spayed Lab, found as a stray on March 24, is heartworm positive. But that’s not her biggest problem.
She was “Code Red” because of “human-directed aggression, unable to handle, lunging/growling/bite attempts.”
Bad signs. Until a staffer made a decision to give her a chance. According to the post, “The shelter staff member that took her outside said she growled at first and snapped at the leash but as soon as she was leashed, her whole personality changed. She is very reactive at her kennel door. She was dog tested today and did well!”
And when you click on the video HERE you will see that she’s not a big snarling dog, not a bad girl. You’ll hear the staffer say to her, “You’re just scared, huh, girl!” Sweet words. 

This staffer, as you can see, has a sweet way with Tate. When she trusts one, she may trust two — and then she’ll be a dog who trusts your heart to be on her side. Special thanks to that staffer for giving Tate a patient break in a tough spot. 
[LARRY ASIDE: Now all we have to do is find the person who failed to socialize this girl, then made sure she was facing death by just letting her go out into the world with no tools for getting along with people or for giving people a way to confidently trust her not to bite out of fear. Bless Tate and keep her tranquil.]
HOW DOES A HANDSOME BEAGLE
WIND UP IN A BIG CITY SHELTER?
First, this Beagle wound up on the list of dogs at Dallas Animal Services. How is that possible?
Purebred, apparently. Congenial. Handsome lad. Yes, of course!!! ANOTHER DALLAS STRAY! 
We learned of him from our former colleague at The Dallas Morning News, the top-of-the-line reporter Tracy Everbach, now a Ph.D., and a celebrated journalism professor at North Texas State University. 

Here’s how this year-and-a-half-old, tricolor Beagle boy wound up in the big city shelter. He was captured by teamwork. Christine Robbins was joined by Tracey and her husband Jake Batsell in a combined effort to capture the pup in their Northeast Dallas neighborhood near Northwest Highway at Abrams.
Tracy says the rescue occurred on Monday as the “adorable Beagle puppy” was “running around the neighborhood. … No collar, no chip.” Christine kept the lad for a couple of days “but he did not get along with her cats so she surrendered him to Dallas Animal Services. She felt this was the best way to get him back to his owner after no responses to postings online. She also hopes that if the owner doesn't come, [that] a rescue group will get him out.”
 His intake number was A1118972 on the DAS website. Go to bedallas90.org/pets.
(Should he not appear in the list, it’s possible he’s already been adopted or claimed by rescue! The shelter has plenty of dogs and cats that need homes, just in case you are still looking and the Beagle Boy is already saved.)
GYPSY IN MESQUITE;
SHE'S GOT POTENTIAL…
There’s some irony in this dog’s name. It’s Gypsy but she wasn’t a stray.
Nope, Gypsy, was surrendered on April 24. She’s a few days over a year old, weighs 52 pounds and isn’t spayed. Our tipster, the Mesquite Animal Services volunteer dog biographer Debra Chisholm, says Gypsy “walks nicely on a leash.” And, she writes, “In the shelter yard she was quite the investigator of all the interesting smells.  Gypsy did her business in the yard.  She is high energy, has a friendly and outgoing personality and has a sweet nature.  She will sit for treats and takes them gently.  In her excitement she will jump on you so obedience classes would help her fit in with an adoptive family better.  Owners stated that she was OK with the other family dogs, and good with their 5-year-old child and also that she's very loving.  It seems she would do best with a person or family with an active lifestyle who would exercise and play with her regularly as well as teach her some commands.”
When you contact the shelter about Gypsy, use her ID 47614283 in phone calls to 972-216-6283 or email [email protected].

CONTEMPLATIONS
A SURPRISE IN A SURPRISING ERA
Some of you may know the name Tina Fairbanks because of her work with animals or because of her legendary Oscars parties on the West Coast. In our North Texas Metrosprawl she was known for her work with rescuing animals, particularly with Paws In The City. We last saw her before the pandemic when she was in town for a visit and worked us — Martha, me and our pal the current Paws in the City President Mark Verma -- into an evening of laughter and stories. We all went our separate directions and expected to catch up again quickly, as we’d done for years. But time moved on and the pandemic took over and none of us had heard from Tina for months. We got no responses to emails and messages. Finally, this week, Mark was able to get in touch with Tina’s beloved husband of 49 years Bruce and learned that Tina had suffered a fatal heart attack in September — her contact info was locked in her computer. Bruce, bless his heart, has been letting people know when he could find a way.
We have, here two stories regarding the great Tina and the great Bruce. 
This LINK takes you to a San Francisco Gate story about Tina and the famous Oscars parties on the West Coast. She was great at this -- she and Bruce were a team!
And, here’s the LINK to her obituary in The Carmel Pine Cone, the newspaper in the little, famous California town that Tina and Bruce called home after years of living in San Francisco. Before you click on that link, I’ve taken the liberty of creating a visual display of the obit below. It may be quicker than scrolling through the pages of The Pine Cone to find the obits. Tina would appreciate that, I think.
One more thing, and I hope you’ll see the charm that we all found in a conversation with Tina. Every time I’d see her, I’d ask Dear Tina, “Hey, how ya doin’?” and with that smile and the twinkle in her eye, she’d declare, “I’m still upright and takin’ solids.” Then we’d all laugh. I like to remember all of us laughing with Tina.
Here’s that obit. Click on it to make it expand so you can read it. I hope.
— Offer advice or opinions by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing [email protected]. —

CATS IN DENTON COUNTY NEED HELP; DOGS IN SHELTERS NEED HUMANS (NO KIDDING!); CELEBRATING INKY POETRY

EDITION OF WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2021 [PetPowellPress] The challenge of writing a first paragraph is this: ____
Yes. That’s a blank spot. Maybe I’ll fill it in later. In the meantime, we’ll just move along with today’s report.
FIRST, A WORD REGARDING
A DENTON COUNTY CAT CRISIS
Our longtime pal and animal advocate Della Wallace sent a message Tuesday about trying to find some help with cats and kittens near Little Elm. She wrote, “My friend has stray cats who are breeding on her property. There are kittens who need homes. She lives in Denton County near Little Elm🐾🐾🐾” 

If you know of someone or some organization that can help with this challenge, email me at [email protected].
IN AN ATTEMPT TO DRAW
ATTENTION TO A DOG….
OK, so I thought I might find a dog at Dallas Animal Services who was wearing the name of a newly-retired football star, i.e., Sean Lee. I did find a reference to a star when I clicked on the DAS adoptables HERE.  This is a female Husky (#A1113136) who wears the name “Tina Burner,” in honor of the revered musical star Tina Turner. This 47-pound, year-old dog differs from a pro football player and a music star in that you can get the dog without having to pay a huge contract! Dogs are free at DAS.Email Dallas Animal Services at [email protected] or call 214-670-6800.
Speaking of injured football players, this dog (A1055009 at DAS) is named “Dak” and is listed as a 2-year-old, 85-pound Rottweiler. [LARRY NOTE: We’re not exactly certain about that breed designation. Based on appearance, there’s as much Rottie in that dog as there is NFL quarterback in my athletic skills.]

One more free dog: I was going through the endless list of DAS dogs Tuesday and the face of Lanie (A1116030) brought me to a sudden halt. She’s bewitching! She weighs 62 pounds and is listed as an “American Pit Bull Terrier” though she looks more like an HCD to me. What? Oh, “Happy Couch Dog.” Not such a rare breed. But deserving of a great human companion.
Yes, there are cats available at the same price — $00.00. Bailey (A1018765) is a 3 year old — the bio doesn’t mention this cat’s gender, but if you adopt Bailey, you can either take a look for yourself or get one of the staffers to confirm any suspicions. Cute cat. Looks calm and ready for a lap in  arecliner..
THE STAR OF MESQUITE
GETS ANOTHER CHANCE
The rotten part of this deal starts long before Mesquite Animal Services got this beauty and long before she was adopted.
We’ve posted her before. Her name is Star (#47560106) and the Mesquite volunteer dog biographer Debra Chisholm has her story. She writes, “This precious girl Star was recently adopted. She tested heartworm positive at the shelter but unfortunately the adopter was not given the information.  Our shelter director called the adopters to let them know of Star's heartworm situation, stressing the need to treat the condition and gave them the option to return her.  They opted to bring her back to the shelter.  So now she is in need of a rescue to tag so that a rescue can treat the condition and get her ready for a new home.”
Star came in as a stray with two other dogs on April 16. She’s about 2, weighs 47 pounds and hasn’t been spayed. [LARRY ASIDE: And there’s the evidence that the rotten part of Star’s life began when she was not being treated responsibly by the human who’d either dumped her or from whom she’d run away.] She’s friendly, not timid, and, once she’s done with her treatments, may be “an amazing family pet.” Use her ID 47560106 when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email [email protected].

THEN WE HAVE THE RETURN OF ARTHUR — not a tale of a king, but a story of a dog. Debra says this 1-1/2-year-old, 35-pound Pittie mix had been at Mesquite since January 29, “was getting a bit ‘kennel crazy" — oh, and his underweight condition was due to parasites — rid of those little buggers now. He was recently adopted. 
But, then, he was returned on April 23 — the new human said he didn’t get along with cats and “wasn’t good with big dogs.”
Arthur is #46536322 at the shelter. And he’s a healthy fellow. 

MESQUITE IS ALSO trying to find a happy place for a 10-year-old dog. This guy is Oliver -- he’d been surrendered by his family. He’s not neutered and he weighs 57 pounds and the old Lab gentleman is very uncomfortable in the noisy shelter and needs a quiet place to enjoy life as an adored companion. As his initial bio read, “It is unfortunate that this calm and gentle boy has ended up in a city shelter and it is obvious he has not had the best of care.” Oliver is #46926621.
Remember, use the ID numbers when you call the shelter to ask about adopting or rescuing at 972-216-6283 or email [email protected].
CONTEMPLATIONS
FOOTBALL & POETRY
Bless Dallas Cowboys' retiring linebacker Sean Lee. The team will, no doubt, find another linebacker. But where will the medical community find such a dependable all-pro patient with readily available insurance? He was always fun to watch — when he was able to play. Clearly loved the game. I wish he could have played forever. But none of us can — I quit in the 9th grade. I never dream of playing again. The big guys had begun to hit a lot harder in the 9th grade. I wasn’t that mean. …
April is National Poetry Month — have you read a poem since you got out of high school? Some Ogden Nash, perhaps? Maybe re-read The Odyssey by Homer? The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost? Limericks you can’t read in Sunday School? Rod McKuen?
HOLIDAY INSIGHTS, the online calendar, notes that while April is National Poetry Month, April 28 is “Great Poetry Reading Day.” We are proud to celebrate “Great Poetry Reading Day.”

So, here, feel free to read this aloud. Yes, verily, PERFORM IT for you office (if you still have one). We found this work in the files of our late Cocker Spaniel, Inky, the Cocker Laureate of the State of Texas. (That's him before a recital at an awards ceremony.)
So, from the mind of a short, very hairy dog, we present
“ARE YOU LICENSED FOR THAT?”
by Inky
I am the foundling Inky
a Cocker Spaniel of note
I have a literary heart,
so pomes is what I’ve wrote.

Some may be long
Some may be punchy
Some I write at breakfast

and digest them at lunchy.

I’ve rhymed purr with grrr
and woofyou with mew

I am one poetic Cocker,
nothin’ ol' Inky cain’t do.

I’ve made words rhyme

to make an honest dollar

My poetic license tag
dangles from my collar -- and I don’t mind ending a poem with a run-on sentence that almost resembles iambic pentameter and represents the rebellious poets who bend words and lines for the sake of a grin. Sake of a grin. Amen. Sake of a grin.
[LARRY NOTE:Thank you, spirit of Inky, the Cocker Laureate of the Great State of Texas.]
-- Offer poetic encouragement by clicking on 'comment' below or by emailing [email protected] and put "Blank verses rules!" in the subject line. ---

BREAKING THE CODE, SAVING THE CRITTERS AND CONTEMPLATING THE WORLD

EDITION OF TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 2021 [PetPowellPress] This is, according to the online calendar Holiday insights, National Morse Code Day. The folks at the calendar, however, note that researchers have found no documentation citing the origin or the creator of Morse Code Day. 
Lots of people know that “Dot dot dot dash dash dash dot dot dot” is Morse Code for SOS. So, even I, the former Boy Scout, can send out the traditional distress message.
 But, as my personal feline counsel The Senator points out cleverly, “After you send it and someone responds, can you read their answer? And more importantly, can you tell them where you are or why you need help?” 
Then The Senator, a veteran of successful communications (he has demonstrated success with the Mew Code), says, “Why don’t you just pick up your cellphone or yell ‘Help!’? Outside of a Boy Scout Troop 22 camp-out in the early ‘60s, where’s the last place you were that could communicate only by a series of long and short flashes — dashes and dots — on a flashlight? And what if it’s daytime, knucklehead?”
Well, having encouraged my ol’ cat The Senator to remove some of the communications romance of a bygone era, we’ll just — —  — — —  …—  .  — — —  —. Yeah, “move on.” 
I snapped that first photo of The Senator as he was feigning sleep to avoid more code talking. He was prone on the faux fur comforter on the couch in front of the big TV — note that he is able to change the light striping in his own fur to blend in with the comforter. He claims to have been injected with chameleon DNA in an experiment when he was with a super-secret government agency assigned to dealing with “first contact” space aliens. “Space aliens?” I asked, and he replied. “Now you know why I live with you.” Yeah, when Washington needs a sense of humor, he’s in Texas. That second photo is of mind-melding about two years ago.
THE UPDATE ON LUCAS,
THE PUP WITH PARVO…
During the noon hour Monday I checked in with Laura Macias, the 4-Legged Helpers person who has been dealing with the details on saving the life of a this guy Lucas, the parvo-stricken dog we first wrote about last week. 
Lucas is the “very sweet,” young, 54-pound (at the time) fellow from a “small rural shelter just south of Dallas that is closed to the public.” He’d become ill and was rushed to the Alvarado Vet Clinic where the diagnosis was “parvo.” 
Here’s what Laura told me at noon Monday: “Lucas is leaving the vet today!!! He is doing great — eating and drinking!!! Yay! He survived. He is eating good and even pooped this morning!!!!” 
He still has bills to pay, as does the non-profit that stepped up to save his life, 4-Legged Helpers. 
Lucas may be available for adoption within a couple of weeks! 
To ask how to help, call or text Laura at 214-949-2726 or email [email protected]. Donate via PayPal at [email protected]. On Facebook, go to the 4-Legged helpers Inc. page. 
 When it came to funding Luca’s help, Laura says, “We got what was needed, thank God! We are still close to closing as we don’t have any excess.” [LARRY ASIDE: As you may recall, 4-Legged Helpers is a non-profit that focuses on helping animals in small shelters that have little or no foot traffic and, usually, not even an adoption system. The organization helps connect rescuers with those who need rescuing.]
“One of our fosters who has no job or money right now, needed emergency help on his dog who was pooping blood. So we got her into an emergency vet and paid for her, also. We couldn’t let her die just because he lost his job.” [LARRY ASIDE: Having a heart is not always an expense-free situation. That’s why the 4-Legged Helpers — none of them professional fund-raisers — are scrambling for donations.]
ONE MORE NOTE ABOUT
4-LEGGED HELPERS & A
SITUATION IN LANCASTER
You may recall that several weeks ago, the Lancaster Animal Shelter opted to tell the 4-Legged Helpers that the facility wasn’t going to need their help any longer when it came to placing animals. Another group was reviving its relationship with the shelter.
Things change. As the ol’ Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, “The only constant is change.”  The non-profit 4-Legged Helpers are back in the Lancaster shelter during a time of population crisis. To help these animals, get in touch with 4-Legged Helpers: Call or text Laura Macias at 214-949-2726 or email [email protected].
It is springtime and as you know springtime is puppy time. And dump dogs and cats time (year-round in Dallas/Fort Worth)….
On Monday we got a boatload of notices from 4-Legged Helpers about dogs needing help in Lancaster. The note read, “The City of Lancaster TX Animal Control reached out to our group needing help networking to save the lives … Puppies, dogs and a kitty.”
That cat is called “Callie” — for now, names sometimes change — and she is an orange and white "Tiger Tabby” at Lancaster. The 4-Legged Helpers bio reads, “Precious, loveable little girl that is very sweet and very affectionate. Purrfect little lap kitty. This sweet little meow meow needs you.”

The shelter is “100-plus percent full and sadly any could now be euthanized or taken to another kill shelter,” read the note. [LARRY ASIDE: Whether 4-Legged Helpers will be allowed to help Lancaster animals in the future is still up in the air. But that really doesn’t matter when you have a bunch of animals that need to be saved no matter the politics or personalities.]
The dog with the great mug is Brice (#2181), a Bulldog mix who is the “longest resident at the shelter. Very loving — came from a house with other dogs, but kept getting out of the yard and owners received citations multiple times. … “ Of course he was found “out as a stray.” His bio says the “short and cute” dog with “that precious little face” loves all girl dogs and all people. He’s a very sweet little man.
Matthew (#21184) is a healthy male American Bulldog mix who may be deaf. He gets along with everyone and is heartworm negative. “The shelter staff believes he is deaf,” the Helpers write, “But this in no way should prevent anyone from seeing what a complete love this sweetie pie is. … He is so cute and cuddly and just so very much wants to be loved!”
This Earhound with the airplane ears is Riley (2198), an Aussie Shepherd/Lab mix who “shows his little teeth when he smiles.” He has been labeled the “sweetest guy ever” and the Helpers say, "We are serious. Just a complete cuddly love. Adores everyone and everything. Extremely friendly —so badly wants to please and he has been there so much longer than most of the other dogs. … Shelter already had him treated for heartworm working with a local vet tech school.”

This dog with the very serious face is the very beautiful Brooklyn (#21195), an American Bulldog or maybe a mix, her bio reads. She is aid to have “absolutely beautiful marksings (fawn and white with pink nose) and she is just as sweet and friendly as can be.” She gets along great with other dogs and, the bio reads, is healthy. “She was found in a known dumping area but looks very healthy and well-cared for.” [LARRY ASIDE: For crying out loud. Somebody dumped this girl? Were they done with breeding her? Was she too loving for their plans tomake her a fighter? You know, you jerk if your able to read this, abandoning dogs is against the law in Texas. I hope you either change your ways or get to do some time for being a creep. If you didn't dump her, then I apologize and ask, "Why were you letting her roam?"]
Bo is the dog with the radar ears (#21145). Why is Bo in the shelter? The dog that ‘adores people and loves other dogs”? Hmmm. The report is, “He was picked up in Hutchins and is now at the shelter waiting ….”
Misty (#21159) is described this way: “Extremely loveable. Young, cute, loves everyone and everything including every dog and person she meets. … She is everything anyone would want.” Clearly she’s affectionate enough to smile while working on convincing someone that she’s the perfect lapdog!
Trina (#21182) is a female Red Heeler who gets top marks in the affection department. Her bio reads, “Very sweet little girl that very much likes people :-)  She is incredibly cute and everyone knows how incredibly intelligent Heelers are and this girl definitely is super smart.  Perfect dog for someone just wanting one dog.”
There are more and then there is this family available “to rescue.”
 Jasmine is the beautiful Rottie mom of these four Shepherd Rottie Mixes. 
They are the boys Cruz and Thomas and the girls Tiana and Tristan.
How did they wind up in the shelter? “The Human Factor,” without a doubt.
And we’ll close with Daisy.

She is a Spaniel/Beagle mix.
 
And she’s the Mommy of these three.

They are, (from left) female Clover, brother Leif and sister Flower.



Again, to help save these animals, call or text Laura Macias at 214-949-2726 or email [email protected].

CONTEMPLATIONS
ASSORTED THOUGHTS & NEAR-THOUGHTS
I’m sure I’m sensitive about Rottweilers in shelters because I lived with the world’s most gentlemanly Rottie boy for more than a decade, our late fellow Texas Earl the Cheeseman. The fact that I adore that dog Earl so darned much probably explains how, when I look at the Jasmine note in the previous item, I am inclined to write this: “If the person who dumped or mistreated the Rottie Jasmine in any way will get in touch with me, I will be happy to gently explain where you went wrong and why you need to rethink your philosophies of life. I’d like to use the 2021 model of the Readlarrypowell.com Two-by-Four of Enlightenment to emphasize a few points, but that would be wrong. And there’s enough wrong in story of Jasmine and the Pups already. …
Wow. Maybe you’ve seen the story or heard the story already: the great Dallas radio personality Ron Chapman has died. When I was a newspaper columnist in Dallas, I’d run into him at assorted events — the legendary radio guy always got the spotlight! Such a nice guy and when I needed an item for my column, he’s give me a quote or point me toward something. You can read about his Radio Hall of Fame career HEREand listen to a little bit of his on-air personality on KVIL-FM. He had been the big star earlier on legendary KLIF-AM, “The Mighty Eleven Ninety.” Radio still matters, don’t you think? … And a story in The Fort Worth Star-Telegram points out that the last song he played on the air as he left DFW radio was by The Byrds: CLICK HERE.
—- Offer ideas or consider life by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing [email protected]. —-

FOR MONDAY, OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP THE YOUNG AND THE OLD AND THE UNIFORMS

EDITION OF MONDAY, APRIL 26, 2021 [PetPowellPress] Welcome to our first edition of the last week of April. Here’s our report. No extra charge for investment advice. Also, we have none. But we do have dog and cat stories.
YOU CANNOT ADOPT
THESE TWO PUPS — YET
For some entertaining reason I was really tickled Sunday morning when I checked in on legendary foster mom Patty Sprong’s Facebook page and found this delightful message about these two little pups.
The siblings are in the care of the rescue group Humane Tomorrow, one of our favorite forward-thinking non-profits.
Patty wrote, “OK guys, we are giving first dibs to our friends and awesome adopters. Humane Tomorrow will have ADORABLE puppies available in early May. Mom was a Golden/Aussie mix and dad was a black Standard Poodle! Support rescue, save a life, and get an adorable dog.”

The available date is May 8. These kids are 5 weeks old and, according to a Humane Tomorrow note, will be available on May 5. That will be a wonderful story.
But there is also this sad wrinkle in the story of these babies: “Mom was hit by a car and killed and puppies were orphaned.” [LARRY ASIDE: That sort of rotten stuff happens -- but it darned sure doesn't have to. Humans allegedly are smart enough to take care of their dogs, right? God bless every canine and feline who needs a wary and alert human being.]
Humane Tomorrow’s website is HERE  You know, in case you want to demonstrate to this responsible rescue group that the best thing for those two puppies would be for you to adopt them!
TYLER, THE BOXER MIX,
IS A ‘BIG CUDDLEBUG’
Who among us would not love to be referred to as a “big cuddlebug.” I’d sign up for cuddlebuggledom.
This guy is Tyler, who was featured on the Mesquite Shelter Rescue Network page via Jamie Dotson over the weekend.
The site says he’s a year-old Boxer/Pittie mix who weighs 55 pounds and arrived as a stray on April 19. The bio reads, “Tyler is a big cuddlebug thats loves to be petted, sit close on the couch and will give kisses. He walks well on a leash but is distracted at each step by all the smells on this path. He takes treats gently, and knows the sit command. … Tyler does limp on his left arm. He was taken to the vet for evaluation and found this is an old injury with new bone growth over it. It is recommended that he see an orthopedic surgeon for further review. He does not appear to be in any pain and it doesn't slow him down. He is a happy go lucky boy with a constant tail wag and a love in his eyes hoping he will find his forever family that can help him with his arm, will schedule that appointment with an Orthopedic surgeon, and give him the loving caring home he so much deserves. Don't pass him up, he has such a big heart to share.” 
To ask about Tyler, use his ID #47571694 when you email [email protected] or call the shelter at 972-216-6283.
FORT WORTH’S
NEW SHELTER FACILITY
Perhaps you saw in news over the weekend that Fort Worth Animal Care and Control has opened a new facility to help find homes for unwanted animals. Here’s the LINK TO THE CULTUREMAP.COM STORY.
As long as we’re talking about Fort Worth and animals, you’ll note that I’ve posted a photo of a fellow named Fuzzy Wuzzy. He’s #46529056, an 8-year-old Chow mix who came in way back on January 28. He’s currently at the stage labeled “CODE RED,” according to his bio on the shelter’s adoptable dogs list HERE. Only cost ya 49 lousy bucks to save this dog’s life.
That adorable cat is Lucy, a “large” 5-year-old Tabby (#47616654). She arrived on Sunday, according to the info about FWACC’s adoptable cat population HERE. How much does it cost to adopt a Fort Worth cat? $14,000 a cat. I’m kidding. Twenty-five dollars -- a bargain. Most cats are a bargain at any price.
[LARRY ASIDE: God bless the taxpayers of Fort Worth for ponying up the dough for the new shelter and having enough influence to get it built in a relative hurry. In Dallas, as I recall, voters had to wait for entire generations (of humans, not just dogs and cats) before the city would replace the old antiquated “processing shelters” with the big new facility.]
CONTEMPLATIONS
SUITING UP, OSCARS & A GENRE
I like to listen to the Texas Rangers radio broadcast and Martha wants the TV on when the locals are playing. She’s a relatively recent convert to the Sacred Sport of Baseball. On Saturday, she was watching the Rangers tangle with the Chicago White Sox and she suddenly said that she liked the Chisox’ striped uniforms. I said, “You shoulda seen their uniforms in the ‘70s.” And then I go to Google and summon up these odd uniforms with shorts instead of pants and wacky jerseys, too. Those were unfortunate. I also don’t like the Rangers baby blue suits, but I can’t see them on the radio (104.3 FM, Eric Nadel and Matt Hicks — the winning team in the stadium). …
Missed the Oscars Monday night. Used to never miss the Oscars. Once upon a time I saw motion pictures in theaters. Now I don’t. When I can comfortably return to the theater and take out a loan so I can have popcorn and a Diet Coke, then I’ll know we’re getting back to normal. Tickets will probably coast $50 each. Only a matter of time until theaters start charging for parking. …
Let’s close with a song that expresses the joys of a particular genre of motion pictures. Click HERE . Giddyup, y’all.
—- Offer film tips or lotto tips by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing [email protected]. —-

BELLA, A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY

This was the photo that caught my eye. An executive cat.
Wait. Let me rephrase. That’s a cat in the executive office.
Her name is Bella. She’s got a position in life. Honestly, in that photo she has the look of a boss who just heard an employee say something surprisingly smart! [LARRY ASIDE: Haven't we all see that look on our boss' face!]
And, Bella’s hard to catch cat-napping, but we think we got a couple of photos taken just as she was in the early state of nodding off on the job. That's one on the left. 
So, Bella is our spotlight feline for this weekend’s edition Let Sleeping Dogs Lie & Napping Cats Nap. And here's one of her in a favorite snoozing place. 
We spotted that opening photo of Bella on the desk on Facebook last week and it came with this touching message from Jennifer Parker Aleman, the Executive Director of Traditions Senior Living & Memory Care Center in Sherman.
Jennifer captioned that photo with this passage: “I went back to work in a senior living community with this girl. Her name is Bella and that’s my desk. LOL. GOD put the cat lady in a community with a CAT... How PURRFECT is that!”
[LARRY ASIDE: Anybody who thinks a cat can’t be a God thing hasn’t lived with that particular angelic species of God’s creations.]

Bella is described as “part of the community of Traditions.”
How’d she come to be regarded so highly? 
Jennifer explains, “She used to belong to a resident. That resident passed away many years ago. The community allowed her to stay as their community cat. She must have been a young cat because she’s lived here as the community cat for over 8 years.”

When I sent Jennifer a note asking for a napping photo, she said that it could be tough. “I’ll try to catch her sleeping,” Jennifer wrote. And she also said, “And, yes! She gets lots of attention from everyone.”

While that opening photo shows Bella going through paperwork atop Jennifer’s desk, the Executive Director says, “She likes to sleep IN my desk. I’ll try to catch her!” (That's the napper in the 3rd photo -- stealthy photography at its quietest.)
So, yes, that MAY be Bella actually sleeping in the desk — we’re not quite certain, but for a cat who serves such a grand purpose, it’s close enough.
Of course, catfans recognized right away that one of Bella’s duties is to check on the fluffiness of the pillows on the chairs. And sometimes she sits in the community
room and listens to see if the acoustics are proper.
Sometimes she likes to stop for a moment and chat about happy moments with a fellow staffer! (That's the last photo.)
Now and then you’ll catch her in thought or about to nod off. (left) 
Sounds almost human, doesn’t she!
[LARRY NOTE: THANK YOU, DEAR READERS, FOR YOUR RESPONSES to our request for photos of your slumbering dogs, cats, gerbils, birds, etc., so we can celebrate the joy of having an animal around the house who is so comfortable with you that he or she will nod off! What a tribute! And, remember, in showing off your slumbering critters you inspire others to make room in their hearts. You also inspire insomniacs to believe that they, too, can catch some sleep if they can just find the right desk. And don’t tell me you’ve never nodded off at your desk.]
— Offer catjoy or sleeping tips for dogs by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing [email protected]. —-

WALKING FOR CRITTERS; ONE BAD BITE & A BIG STRAY; ROLL OF FILM--WHAT'S THAT?

EDITION OF FRIDAY, APRIL 23, 2021 [PetPowellPress] For Thursday’s edition — the one that started with the Mockingbird story — I carefully typed in the dateline “Thursday, April 21, 2021,” but, of course, Thursday was the 22nd. When I saw it and tried to correct it after 7 p.m. Thursday, the system I use to post readlarrypowell.com was down across the nation! The good thing about this is … wait. I can’t think of a good thing. OK, April 22 was Earth Day. I was focused on Mars. 
The 23rd, according to Holiday Insights, is Lover’s Day, National English Muffin Day and Take a Chance Day — there’s a punchline in all that but I can’t write it. I’m focusing on dogs and cats. That dog is a Border Collie/Lab mix currently in the Euless Animal Shelter. Picked him because it’s been so cold lately and his name is Winters. That cat? She, too is in Euless. She’s a young Calico/Tabby mix — her name? Has nothing to do with weather. She’s Willow. We focused on Euless because of the next item.
TRINITY GAP RESCUE WALK-A-THON
TAKES STEPS FOR ANIMALS SATURDAY
We got this reminder from the longtime dedicated supporter of the Euless Trinity GAP Rescue non-profit, our pal Karen Lee of barkleyworld.com.
According to the reminder, the “Trinity GAP Rescue walk-a-thon this Saturday, April 24 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. It is virtual; we are asking everyone who walks to send your pix to [email protected]  so we can post. We have so many dogs in need right now, so we need your help to reach our goal of $14,000. Every $5 or $10 donation adds up!
 Donate at these sites: https://www.paypal.com/donate... or website:  http://trinitygaprescue.org/. (That second link is where you can click onto the Euless Shelter animals needing homes, i.e., Winters and Willow. Hint. Hint.)
The 2021 Trinity Gap Rescue Walk-a-thon theme is “Spread the Love” and that $14,000 will help a lot of animals get in a really good adoptable condition at the shelter — or in foster homes.
MAX IN MESQUITE,
ONE LOUSY MOMENT…
Why is Max in the Mesquite Animal Shelter? Our source, the volunteer dog biographer Debra Chisholm reports that the “delightful boy,” came in on March 31 because of a bite — he bit a child in the face “while trying to take a marshmallow from the child’s mouth.” Was a minor bite, but, still, it was a bite, Debra says. “Though the details are not known, it is possible there was some teasing goin on and Max just attempted to grab the treat from the child. In any event, it may be a good idea for Max not to go into a home with young children.” 
One of the shelter staffers who’s been Maxie’s caregiver says he “has shown no food aggression and that he is a very sweet boy.”
During his photo session, the 2-year-old, 62-pound pup “raced and bounded... He is a lively, spunky fellow... He knows the sit command is is happy to do so for treats — which he takes gently.” He’s #A47011803 — use it when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email [email protected]. Obviously he's an Earhound...
Our pal Judi Brown, also a volunteer biographer at Mesquite, had the privilege of meeting Maggie Sue, a beautiful year-old, 74-pound Great Pyrenees who — get this — arrived as a stay on April 17. [LARRY ASIDE: How does a dog this big “stray?” OK, I’ll ask that later. When I find the human who hasn’t been looking for her. I’m sure there’s a good reason].
Judi writes, “Not only is she beautiful but she has the playful, fun-loving, delightful qualities of a young puppy. She’s very loving and friendly. When she’s not exploring the yard and romping around she comes back for cuddles and to have her ears scratched. You are rewarded with kisses. She is very sweet. Being a puppy she sometimes gets over exuberant and jumps on you. She will get down when you tell her to but soon forgets and jumps up for more hugs. For this reason she would probably do better with children that are older that she wouldn’t inadvertently  knock over. She could use some manners training. She chases balls but does not retrieve them. … Maggie Sue has so much to offer an active family with a good-sized yard. Then, just imagine how nice it would be to cuddle with her in the evening.” Maggie Sue is #47563599. Cite that number when you call the shelter at 972-216–6283 or email [email protected].

CONTEMPLATION
SEARCHES, MEMORIES & KIOSKS
I periodically get an email that announces something like “YOU APPEARED 3 SEARCHES THIS WEEK.” Note to sender: Until you’re wearin’ a badge, pal, I ain’t paying attention. Well, unless, also, you’re searching for me because I picked the right numbers in Lotto Texas. … 
I took my last big collection of boxes and “stuff” from our previous home in Dallas to a storage unit I’ve had since the early 2000s. On Thursday, as I shoved tools, books, a table my little brother made and my shop vac into the thin open space in the unit, I realized, “That’s the last time I’ll deliver anything to that storage unit.” From now on, I swear, I’m just going to be pulling stuff out and either tossing it, sending it to someone who needs a collection of books about space adventures or selling it on eBay for tons of money. Hah. One man’s trash is still another man’s trash. …

Most mysterious item I found in the packing process? A roll of Kodak film, exposed and ready to be developed as soon as I drive it over to the Fotomat kiosk on the nearby mall parking lot. Cue the spooky music. No telling what's on that film. Honest. I shot a lot of lousy photos in my time. I think I have 3 grandchildren who have never seen a roll of film or heard the term, either. They're not alone in this.
—— Offer advice or objection by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing [email protected]. —-

A MOCKINGBIRD MEMORY; HELPING LUCAS; QUEEN, RUSTY & STAR; RECALLING HAMMY

EDITION OF THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2021 [PetPowellPress] For nearly 3 decades, the morning sounds of my Oak Cliff yard were not gunfire or car chases, they were the constant songs of The Mockingbird. 
I don’t know which bird one particular Mocker was mocking in the 2000s, but it must have been “The Bird With No Sense of Harmony.”
Anyway, I was at the old house on Wednesday going through some old papers and I went outside to get something from the car. When I turned around, a Mockingbird (The State Bird of Texas, you know), was sitting in the lawn not 8 feet from me and glaring. He had one of those, “Where ya been, bub?” looks on his face.
I said, “Hello, Mr. Bird” and he did not reply, neither with song nor tweet. He did sort of shake his head before he flew off to roost in the top of a tree I always meant to cut down so he’d move on. Yep, Mockingbird won. He got the yard, the tree and he can sing whatever he wants. 
I do miss him, though. The birds I have now are little outdoor chirpers. Nobody’s state bird. I’m not sure they sweeten the morning coffee with the enthusiasm of the State Bird of Texas.
[LARRY EXPLANATION: That is NOT a photograph of the Legendary Texas Mockingcat. Nope, that’s William Powell, my office cat who prefers to sleep-in once the bed is rid of its humans. He is a rescue from the feral colony in the neighborhood of the Mockingbirds at our old house. And, if you’ve seen cats and Mockingbirds interact, you know there’s a chance that the cat sounds retreat before the bird is done terrorizing him. Or, as William once spat, “Songbird my dented skull!” In retrospect, he may not have said anything about his skull. Three-letter word as I recall. Started with “A.” I love an office cat who asks, “Pardon my French.]
CHECKING IN ON
LUCAS THE PARVO PUP
You may have seen our report Wednesday about 4-Legged Helpers stepping up to try to get Lucas some help in his battle against parvo.
We wondered how he was doing, so we checked with Leighann Hayden, one of the Helpers and she reported Wednesday evening that he’s still being cared for at the Alvarado Vet Clinic. “Ate a tiny bit of food this morning, which is a huge improvement,” she told us.
Still is going to need some help with the bills. The 501c3 4-Legged helpers are helping with the collection of donations from the heart for a dog who looks like he might just be a St. Barnard fellow— a little bit. 
To ask how you can help contact 4-Legged Helpers’ Laura Macias by texting or calling 214-949-2726 or email [email protected]. The PayPal site is [email protected]. Via Facebook, go to the 4-Legged Helpers Inc. page. And if you want to mail something, contact Laura for the mailing address.
QUEEN’S BIG CHALLENGE
AT MESQUITE SHELTER….
Now here’s a dog who arrived in a bit of a pickle at the Mesquite Animal Shelter. Our tipster, volunteer dog biographer Debra Chisholm, writes that Queen was surrendered “on April 4 after having been adopted from the shelter in September, 2019.”
 She was in bite quarantine. Why? “Queen served her time,” Debra wrote, “after having bit a pre-school child in the face and arm in the family’s home. Not enough details are known about the circumstances, but obviously it would be a reasonable idea for her not to go to a home with a young child.”
The 4-year-old, 40-pound girl is spayed. And, Debra writes, “She is a real live-wire with lots of energy. …She will sit for treats and takes them gently. Queen is a friendly girl with an outgoing and spunky personality.” She’s #42564830 at the shelter. Use that ID when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email [email protected]. [LARRY ASIDE: I used two photos of Queen so readers can see how she’s a lively dog and also a dog who will sit and listen to her human.]
Debra also has been working with this handsome, 4-year-old, 65-pound intact mixed breed. “I have named this precious boy ‘Rusty,’” she writes. “He’s a mixed-breed who arrived as a stray … on April 15. … He walks very nicely on a leash. When I led him through the bay past the other dogs, he was very fearful and intimidated by those who were barking at him.” 
And there’s this: “Rusty knows the sit command, but doesn’t appear interested in treats — at least the ones we offered! Rusty has a mellow and low-key personality and is nervous and shy in the shelter environment.”
Learn more about Rusty or go ahead and confirm you’ve fallen for him by using his ID #47560051 when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email rescues@cityof mesquite.com.
And this “blue-eyed beauty is Star. Deb says she’s a mixed breed who “arrived as a stray with two other dogs” on April 16. She’s about 2 and weighs 47 pounds — yep, not spayed.
“She is energetic, spunky and has an outgoing and confident personality.  Star could never be described as timid or shy!  … She seems to have been well cared for.  There's a lot to like about Star and she has the potential to be an amazing family pet.” She’s #47560106 at the shelter. Use her ID when you call 972-216-6283 or email [email protected].
CONTEMPLATION
A NOTE FROM THE PAST
While at the old house in Oak Cliff on Wednesday, I was going through vintage papers and I found (not in a folder, but hidden on a shelf in the patio room), a note from the 20th century. In fact, the records will reflect that this note was written on a blisteringly hot day in 1995 — that’s when I found a 3- or 4-year-old starving brown dog in Kiest Park. Turns out his hair was dying from malnutrition. He became a big ol’ lovable black Great Dane/Lab mix.
Martha would traditionally come home from work, then go out into the back yard with the dogs. We had some: This particular day I’d been walking with Baby Jane Doe, a Shepherd mix I picked up as a puppy at a bus stop in Oak Cliff, and Claire, a wacky kind of giant Schnauzer-looking girl Martha adopted from a rescue group.
The dog I found was so thin he looked like something desperate cooks would throw into a soup to give it a tiny hint of a flavor. Hence, his name.  Hambone Jack. My son Bart contributed the rest of his name, so he was "Hambone Jack, The Canine King of the Blues."
When Martha came home this particular afternoon, she found this note taped to the back door:

“HELLO. 
My name is Hambone. 
I linked up with a dude and two chicks while strolling in Kiest Park shortly after sunrise. They were hot.
 I’m enjoying the backyard. 
I hope you can find a good home for me. I know I’m third behind two mongrel puppies, but I have my finer qualities and a full set of huge canine testicles.
Your Friend,
Hambone.”

Yep, got the incredible Hambone Jack, The Canine King of the Blues, in 1995 and gave him a home and all the human hearts. He went Back to Heaven on Nov. 12, 2010. When he arrived Up There, he was lighter by two huge…well, you know to what I refer. Miss that guy every day.
He took my reading chair.
But I took his picture in the bluebonnet field that used to be on the eastern hill alongside I-30 at Ledbetter — highway progress has obliterated the flowers. Ah, but you can see in that bluebonnet photo a piece of trash flying behind Hammy. The flowers may be gone from that area, but, well, to quote a folk song, “The answer my friend, is blowin’ in the wind.”
Spay, neuter and “Don’t Mess With Texas.”
— Offer joy or triumph by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing [email protected]. —-

ON SAN JACINTO DAY, YOU CAN HELP SOME ANIMALS IN TEXAS

EDITION OF WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 2021 [PetPowellPress] God bless Texas. Here we are — April 21, aka San Jacinto Day in Texas.
New to the state, are ya? The day celebrates the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836, final battle of the Texas Revolution. Gen. Sam Houston led the Texas force of about 900 to a resounding victory over Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna and about 1,300 soldiers on the battlefield at what is now the City of Houston. 
Didn’t you learn all that in 7th grade Texas History in your school? (Hmm.) More in Contemplations, including a note about the captured leg. That wasn’t in my Texas History textbook. FYI: There are 254 counties in Texas. In this edition we’re going to Abilene, Texas, which is in two of ‘em, Taylor and Jones.
TUX THE DOG
NEEDS A SPOT TO GO
The note came via Butch Burgin, veteran critter advocate, and it took us quickly to Abilene because, well, that’s where this dog Tux is waiting. And waiting. 
Tux was first posted on March 26 on the Saving Abilene Animals Facebook page HERE.
Butch asked, “Please share Tux. Still in the Abilene shelter — re-post from 3 weeks ago. Still hoping for a forever home. Abilene is 150 miles west of Fort Worth.”
 [LARRY ROAD NOTE: Relax, it's all paved between here and there.]
Her note reported, “He gets so excited to see any visitors that he bangs his tail on the concrete wall, causing his tail to bleed. Would love a forever home.”
 And the earlier reported noted that Tux was picked up as a stray — nobody came to claim him.
Tux is a 42-pound Pittie mix —his age isn’t listed, but he looks “all grown up.” 
He’s #A46909836. He came into the shelter on March 16. The number to call at the shelter is 325-698-0085.

When you go to the Saving Abilene Animals link the thing to remember is that’s not the shelter but it is the non-profit that works to help Abilene’s shelter animals find good places to live.
Animals? 
What? Does Abilene have more than dogs to adopt? Yes, indeed. Here are a couple who were on the city’s available animals ist on Tuesday. That duck is Mc Quackers.
As of this writing, he’s the only duck on the pond in the city’s shelter.
There are several cats: We chose to highlight this 8-year-old girl who is known as “Frank the Cat.” Frank (#46626552) came in on February 10 and is in foster care.
THE BRINDLE GIRL LEXI,
AT 11, NEEDS A HOME
The tip on this girl came from veteran Mesquite Animal Shelter volunteer dog biographer Judi Green and, as you can see from the photo, this girl is, indeed, a “Brindle” Pittie. Judi says Lexi, who weighs around 40 pounds, came in as a stray on March 16. “She’s just as sweet as can be,” Judi reports. “When I sat down she came to me and put her head on my lap. She loves to be loved on. She looks up at you with pleading eyes as though she’s begging you to take her home and give her a soft bed, toys and lots of love. She has lots of love to give you. She does have a skin condition. She is missing some hair on her neck, legs, tail and her back. She has been seen by a vet and we’re told this condition is not contagious. She is being given antibiotics. She also has some small growths, possibly tumors, on her mammary glands. But then she’s 11 years old!”

Judi thinks Lexi “would thrive in a quiet home where she could have soft blankets, some toys, and lots of love.” 
Lexi is #46911366. Use that ID number when you call the shelter at 972-216-6283 or email [email protected].
LUCAS IS IN A PARVO BATTLE

AND HUMAN CASH WILL HELP
We got the appeal for helping with Lucas from Laura Macias of 4-Legged Helpers, the non-profit that works to highlight animals that need homes and help, mainly on the southern side of the city. 

The note from Laura reads, “Look at this poor cute guy. This is Lucas. He is a young very sweet 54-pound boy that was at a small rural shelter just south of Dallas that is closed to the public. Appears to be a St. Bernard mix.  Was just pulled Friday but he is sick.  Not eating according to the person caring for him. 

“Lucas was rushed to Alvarado Vet Clinic Tuesday morning and diagnosed with parvo. Initial vet estimates are approximately $2,000 to try to save him.”

To ask how to help, call or text Laura at 214-949-2726 or email [email protected]. The PayPal donor site is [email protected]. On Facebook go to the 4-Legged Helpers Inc. page.
CONTEMPLATIONS

SAN JACINTO DAY IN TEXAS
I had a great 7th Grade Texas History teacher, Mrs. M.M. Knight. It was the first class of my day as I made the transition from elementary school to junior high. And, in a quirk of scheduling, there was not one girl in that Texas History class. Never again happened in any of my classes except gym, which I did not enjoy nearly as much as Texas History. I scored 100 on my final. And, at one point, I could name all 254 counties in alphabetical order. Not sure that’s possible in 2021. And, yes, I remember Six Flags Over Texas when it was a Texas-themed park and not a roller coaster convention. Things change. I was born 2 blocks inside the State of Texas — that hasn’t changed -- Arkansas is still on the other side of the line.
In the opening paragraph today I mentioned a captured leg — it belonged to Santa Anna. You may have read about Texas’ attempts to reclaim the leg from a museum in Illinois — that was about 7 years ago. Here’s a museum story about the leg and HERE’S A STORY about Santa Anna and the invention of gum. Neither the leg nor the gum came up in 7th grade Texas History in 1960. Heck, there wasn’t even a Six Flags Over Texas until 1961.
Let’s just close this edition with a link to a song by Little Texas. HERE’S THE LINK to a song with a message.
— Offer a salute to Texas by clicking on ‘comment’ below or by emailing [email protected] and put Native Texan By Two Blocks in the subject line. —