This video is marvelous!  My friend Wendy of Inbeaute Photography is kept by two cats.  She forwarded this video to me and I am delighted to share it with you.  A caveat: Cats do love tuna, but it does not meet their nutritional needs.  If you want to give your cat tuna, check with your vet first.  Sit back with your favorite cat, a cuppa joe and enjoy.  This video is just under 7 minutes.

Harmony,

Janet Roper

Back to the Blog

I can’t help wondering if something like this was the inspiration for Elvis’ song “You Ain’t Nothing But a Hound Dog.”  Enjoy!

Harmony,

Janet Roper

Back to the Blog

The Book of Animal Ignorance by John Mitchinson and John Lloyd is a great read when you just don’t have much time to read.  It is full of short little articles about things you don’t know about animals.  The writing is incredibly witty and funny, and before you know it, you’ll be sharing all the new things you learned about animals with everyone around you.

Luckily, if you don’t have a lot of time to devote to reading, you can read a few pages at a time, which is the average amount devoted to each animal.  Either way, you’ll enjoy this witty collection of animal facts!  Click the link above to find out more and read reviews, or click here to go to the same site.

Harmony,

Janet Roper

Back to the Blog

Today’s animal lesson is from a little donkey who had a big dream.  Watch the video and find out what happens!

Harmony,

Janet Roper

Back to the Blog

Ho, ho, ho!  ‘Tis the season to play holiday music and Christmas carols.  Being a musician, I started wondering just how many times are animals mentioned in seasonal music?  Here’s a smattering of what I discovered.  I’ve sometimes mentioned my favorite arrangement, and all the music is available at iTunes.

Reindeer was the top contender:

• Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.  So many arrangements of this to choose from!  My favorites are Jewel’s and Bing Crosby with Ella Fitzgerald.
• The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an open fire).  The song asks if reindeer really know how to fly.
• Up On the Housetop.  Reindeer pause….
• Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer
• Here Comes Santa Claus.  Vixen and Blitzen and all his reindeer are pulling on the reins.
• The Holly & the Ivy.  Doesn’t mention reindeer, but the running of the deer

How about a horse?

• Jingle Bells Dashing through the snow On a one-horse open sleigh,
• Jingle Bell Rock. Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feet
• Sleigh Ride.  Horse is not specifically mentioned, but certainly implied!

Frogs and Bugs?

• Nuttin For Christmas. I hid a frog in sister’s bed;……I made Tommy eat a bug

Sheep are mentioned a lot.

• While Shepherds Watch their Flock by Night
• Little Drummer Boy.  The ox and lamb kept time
• The First Noel.   …in a field where they lay keeping their sheep
• Do You Hear What I Hear.  Said the night wind to the little lamb

Cattle

• Away in a Manger.  The cattle are lowing

How about some mice?

• Twas the Night Before Christmas. No creature was stirring not even a mouse

Now for some birds.

• Winter Wonderland. Gone away is the bluebird, here to stay is the new bird

What’s a Christmas song without a hippopotamus?

• I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.  Title says it all!

And the song which includes an entire menagerie…..My favorite, absolute favorite rendition of this is done by The Muppets….of course!

• The Twelve Days of Christmas.
  Eight maids a milking, (cows or goats implied),Seven swans a swimming, Six geese a laying,
  Four calling birds, Three French Hens, Two turtle doves And a Partridge in a pear tree.

I hope you enjoy these tunes!  If you know of any others holiday songs mentioning animals, pass them along, please.

Harmony,

Janet Roper

Back to the Blog

Folks, the only way I can think of to explain this post is that it’s COLD here in MN, we got a couple of inches of snow last night so everything looks very holiday-ish, and I’ve been in the mood for Christmas carols.  Hope you enjoy Scooby, a cockatiel and a nameless dog doing their unique renditions of “Jingle Bells.”

Harmony,

Janet Roper

Back to the Blog

We in Minnesota know the snow is coming, there’s no way around that.  Watch this dog video to see how the dog handles all the snow!  Perhaps we can learn a lesson or two from the dog?

Harmony,

Janet Roper

Back to the Blog

Here’s a copy of  a fun email I received the other day.  It’s been around awhile, so you might have already seen it, but I think it perfectly captures the personality of each dog and the cat!  Enjoy.

How long does it take a dog to change a light bulb?
1. Golden Retriever: The sun is shining, the day is young, we’ve got our whole lives ahead of us, and you’re inside worrying about a stupid burned out bulb?

2. Border Collie: Just one. And then I’ll replace any wiring that’s not up to code.

3. Dachshund: You know I can’t reach that stupid lamp!

4. Rottweiler: Make me.

5. Boxer: Who cares? I can still play with my squeaky toys in the dark.

6. Lab: Oh, me, me!!!!! Pleeeeeeeeeze let me change the light bulb! Can I? Can I? Huh? Huh? Huh? Can I? Pleeeeeeeeeze, please, please, please!

7. German Shepherd: I’ll change it as soon as I’ve led these people from the dark, check to make sure I haven’t missed any, and make just one more perimeter patrol to see that no one has tried to take advantage of the situation.

8. Jack Russell Terrier: I’ll just pop it in while I’m bouncing off the walls and furniture. (how true)!

9. Old English Sheep Dog: Light bulb? I’m sorry, but I don’t see a light bulb!

10. Cocker Spaniel: Why change it? I can still pee on the carpet in the dark.

11. Chihuahua : Yo quiero Taco Bulb. Or ‘We don’t need no stinking light bulb.’

12. Greyhound: It isn’t moving. Who cares?

13. Australian Shepherd: First, I’ll put all the light bulbs in a little circle…

14. Poodle: I’ll just blow in the Border Collie’s ear and he’ll do it. By the time he finishes rewiring the house, my nails will be dry.

How many cats does it take to change a light bulb?

Cats do not change light bulbs. People change light bulbs. So, the real question is:
‘How long will it be before I can expect some light, some dinner, and a massage?’

Harmony,

Janet Roper

Back to the Blog

My cat Billy loves to help in my office.  He helps me when I’m on the phone, when I’m on the computer, he sits on top of the bookcase ‘just in case’ a rogue mouse should be up there.  The other day he was helping with the printer.  I think he saw this cat video before I did and thought it was a terrific idea.  Enjoy!

Harmony,

Janet Roper

Back to the Blog

This summer I did quite a few posts about dead and dying turtles.  So it was quite a pleasure to discover a video of  this feisty turtle.  Hope you enjoy it!

Harmony,

Janet Roper

Back to the Blog