I hope no one has been frozen or blown/washed away!

[FourRingCircus]

The main highway going through the middle of a major town was it's own river and nearly every single bridge was damaged. If not by the water itself then some train cars were picked up and hauled down into a couple bridges. They were chaining bridge parts to poles so that the entire thing wasn't lost and could be repaired instead of replaced.

I live in awe of nature - water can be such a beautiful thing, necessary for life, gentle, peaceful, serene... and other times deadly by nature (drowning) or by force. It's crazy.

My mom is so concerned about the animals. If she's hot or cold, she thinks they must be the same and that I am cruel to not do anything about it (I took two NB kits to their house b/c we had to go up for a quick visit for something about the time one doe was having some issues kindling. I knew if I left them they had no chance so I stuck them in a basket with a soft cloth. I had a heating pad just in case. I checked on them often, and they were comfy cozy together! My mom got warm in the house and said I needed to uncover them, that they must be sweltering. I told her they needed heat to survive, and they were sleeping peacefully. If they were uncomfortable they would let me know! She's already fussing about winter coming and how cold the poor things must get... we live in central NC... it doesn't get that cold here.

 

[akane]

I think last fall after we moved here someone stole one of my rabbits out of the yard when the first cool rain came. I believe the same person repeatedly bothered me about my chickens so for now I will not keep any animals outside. I had someone else freak about me leaving a box of chicks in my truck cab instead of out in the back where they will get a nice breeze. Chicks need to start at 90F without drafts and there were only 3 on a nice spring day. I ended up throwing a light blanket over them so they could not be seen while I did dog obedience class before heading out of town. I also was just arguing with someone who complained that if you were a guinea pig you would not want to lay in sawdust or dirt instead of on fleece. Animals don't care if they get a little dirty or have shavings stuck to them. They are not humans who have been taught aversions to dirt, wetness, and weather. Guinea pigs will sit in their own pee until they feel like moving and grooming themselves back off.