October 2015 - View from the Front Porch

30 10, 2015

A Plethora of Cats

By judythemorgan|2015-10-29T17:53:57-05:00October 30th, 2015|Miller Farm Friday|2 Comments

By Chicken Wrangler Sara

We caught another cat last week.

We set both live traps expecting another possum. We got a cat.

It chose the smaller of the two live traps and so was quite crowded. Not only that but it rained that night so the cat looked like a drowned rat. Rachel discovered it and moved it into the garage.

When I finished my Friday morning routine (early meeting, homeroom class, food pantry and piano lesson) I went outside to check on the cat. It looked very pitiful. I felt sorry for it.

I set up the extra dog kennel and proceeded to extract the cat from the very small live trap and put it in a dry, large kennel. It was not happy with the move. In fact it scratched me repeatedly. Then it jumped down and ran out into the back yard.

I wasn’t about to let it get back under the shed so I went after it and caught it trying to get through the chain link fence. More scratching and hissing ensued. I tossed it into the kennel and quickly shut the door.

Rachel took it to the animal shelter and told the whole story. Then she called me. It turns out that a person who is scratched by a stray cat, i.e. me, is at risk of contracting rabies.

The cat is put into quarantine for 10 days and I wait to hear from the animal control officer as to whether the cat lives or dies. If it dies, I must get a rabies vaccine. I will hear something early next week. It has been quite a learning experience.

Here is the lesson:
• If you catch a stray cat in a small live trap, do not move it to a larger kennel no matter how pitiful it looks.
• If you move it, it may scratch you.
• If it scratches you and draws blood, you will have to report to an animal control person. The animal control person will fill out paperwork and put the cat into quarantine for 10 days.
• If the cat dies, you will have to get a rabies vaccine.
• If the cat lives all is well

Unless the cat returns to your house then you may be tempted to strangle the cat which would probably result in more paperwork.

26 10, 2015

Editing? 24 Commonly Misspelled Words to Check

By judythemorgan|2015-10-08T14:40:04-05:00October 26th, 2015|Make Me Think Monday|1 Comment

Last week, I discussed how using a wrong word could make readers cringe. Read that post here. Today we’re looking at the problem of misspelled words.

Word processors, phones, and pads/tablets have spell checker apps and most word processors offer an auto correct feature to assist in editing. Still, misspellings slip into our writing and Social Media posts. When that happens our readers can think we aren’t trying to write well or do sloppy editing.

Truth is, most of us struggle with all the confusing words in the English language that are exceptions to spelling rules. Spelling bee champions seemed to be the only ones who can whiz through words most of us couldn’t even look up in the dictionary.

Check out this sentence and see how many words you can find misspelled. (HINT: There are a lot.) Ignore the fact the sentence does not make sense. We’re looking for spelling/misuse errors.

You’re acknowlegment of my atempt to accomodate enough wierd camoflage equiptment just shows a concensus would only inadvertantly embarass any seperate liason by the comittee in trying to guage an miniscule withdrawl.

Did you find fourteen spelling mistakes? What about the grammatical errors? There are some tricky English words whose spelling you just have to learn.

Here’s a list of twenty-four most commonly misspelled words that make me crazy. Should you want to see longer lists of the most commonly misspelled words in English, check here or here.

accommodate 13. consensus
acknowledgement 14. argument
commitment 15. deductible
dependent 16. embarrass
harass 17. liaison
separate 18. withdrawal
equipment 19. gauge
lightning 20. minuscule
achieve 21. committee
definitely 22. surprise
weird 23. camouflage
existence 24. privilege

Most spell checkers should catch these for you. Maybe not.

Consider the possessive adjective Its vs the contraction it’s. Too often my spell checker in Word advises me to write “it’s” when the context calls for its.

You shouldn’t rely on your grammar/spell checkers. I highly recommend mastering correct spellings of troublesome words yourself just to be sure.

23 10, 2015

Turtles and Squirrels and Cats! Oh My! (Part 3)

By judythemorgan|2015-10-22T20:32:23-05:00October 23rd, 2015|Miller Farm Friday, Uncategorized|0 Comments

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

You’ve read about the turtle that Sadie thought was a chew toy. You’ve also read the saga of Alex the squirrel who has been moved to a transition spot before being released into the wild.

You may have forgotten about the cat. Or you may have thought it was only there for dramatic affect. Well here’s the story of the cat.

To review, we had an uninvited guest living under the shed. The dogs were quick to discover the scent yet were unable to flush the critter out. So we began to set traps – live traps, that is. At first they remained empty.

Then one Sunday morning, Beekeeper Brian went outside to discover …. a cat in the trap. This was not what we expected.

We moved the cat out of the backyard so the dogs would not go crazy. It sat on the side of the house all day Sunday. I put some water in the trap and the neighbors gave it some food. The girls really wanted to keep it, but I wasn’t sure that the cat would stay next door. Our yard was so much more interesting.

I planned to take it to the animal shelter first thing on Monday. Only to discover our animal shelter is closed on Mondays.

I called animal control. They do not pick up animals unless they had set the trap. So I took the cat to a nearby Humane Society. They only took in animals from out in the county and the neighboring town.

I was not happy. Neither was the cat. It had been in the cage for more than 24 hours. I took it back home and put cage in the shade beside the house again.

The neighbor girls gave it more food and tried to convince their mom to let them keep it. The mom was convinced they had taken in enough animals from Miller Farm. Remember, they were the ones who adopted Annabel/Rosie – the stray dog we rescued.

Tuesdays I work from 7:30-3:30 then teach piano lessons until almost 7:00. I do have a 42 minute break after lunch and planned to take the cat to the animal shelter then.

This meant the cat went to work with me. I tried to place it in an inconspicuous spot so the kids would not be distracted. It didn’t work. In every class there was at least one child who wanted to adopt the cat.

To each one I gave the same response – the cat would be at the animal shelter. They were welcome to adopt it from there.
During my break I took the cat to the animal shelter. They did the paperwork, and I returned to work.

The next day one of my students announced they had a new cat. Fortunately, that student lives far enough away that the cat won’t find its way back to our shed.

19 10, 2015

Using the Wrong Word Can Make a Reader Cringe

By judythemorgan|2015-10-04T20:09:46-05:00October 19th, 2015|Make Me Think Monday|1 Comment

Have you ever used to instead of too, its instead it’s, or they’re in place of their? You are not alone.

Sometimes such word errors are simple mistakes.

Other times our mistake is because English has so many confusing words that look alike, sound alike or, worse yet, look and sound alike yet have different meanings. Then there are other words that look and sound different but are similar in meaning. It’s no wonder we make mistakes.

Unfortunately, when we misuse words, our readers cringe. That’s not a good thing.

Check out this infographic for the ten most commonly misused words.

Infographic-Confused-words-and-used-mistakes

SOURCE: http://gohunters.com/blog/commonly-confused-words/

You’ll find a complete list of commonly misused words here. What would you add to the list?

16 10, 2015

The Continuing Saga of Alex the Squirrel

By judythemorgan|2015-10-12T22:05:38-05:00October 16th, 2015|Miller Farm Friday|1 Comment

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

When we left Alex, she was becoming a little grumpy about her living quarters in a small dog kennel with small blankets and a water bottle. She growled at Rachel whenever she approached the kennel.

Rachel thought perhaps she was just being territorial and needed a larger cage with a “home” in it. So she called a friend who brought a rabbit cage with a small wooden box inside.

Rachel can open the door and feed Alex.

And Alex can climb and play.

She has teeth coming in (Alex not Rachel) and so chews on her box and the clothespins holding the cloth. This also means she is eating more solid food and squirrel formula. She is about ready to be moved outside and then set free.

I’ll miss her just as I miss my children who have moved on.

However, Alex will not come home, bringing laundry and a voracious appetite. She is actually going to her real home.

A home she is much better equipped to handle after time with Rachel on Miller Farm.

12 10, 2015

GRAMMAR GURU or GRAMMAR POLICE?

By judythemorgan|2015-10-04T20:09:02-05:00October 12th, 2015|Make Me Think Monday|2 Comments

Me, I’m neither a grammar guru or a grammar policeman. I haven’t the linguistic knowledge to recognize every error or the guts to call someone out for fear I’d be incorrect.

Some people correct others’ grammar during casual conversation or on social media (especially FB) while remaining oblivious to why people find the habit annoying. From their perspective, they’re only helping.

No matter how you go about correcting someone’s English, unless you are a teacher grading a student’s work or a copy editor, you can come off as acting superior aka a Grammar Nazi.

The Urban Dictionary defines a Grammar Nazi: One who uses proper grammar and spelling to subtly mock or deride those who do not; an exhibitor of grammatical superiority.

I’m not saying proper spelling and grammar aren’t important. Quite the contrary, proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation are very important.

However, consistently pointing out linguistic shortcomings to gain a twisted sense of superiority is very much like junior high put-downs. If the error offers no impediment to understanding, there’s no real reason to give unsolicited correction.

My recommendation, if you tend toward these Grammar Nazis tendencies, is to resist the urge to fix. It’s not attractive when you publicly shame people for grammatical gaffes in conversation or typos in social media. On the other hand, if you are the aforementioned teacher or copy editor, by all means, mark every error you find and provide the proper form.

While I’m saddened by the increased loosening of rules where grammatical errors are accepted in social, public communication in society, especially when it applies to public forums and social media, I’m not about to become a Grammar Nazi. I make too many errors myself.

I will admit to having certain pet peeves where spelling, grammar, and punctuation are concerned. I’ll be sharing those in blogs over the next few weeks.

What about you? Are you a grammar purist or a police officer when you read or hear a grammatical errors?

9 10, 2015

Turtles and Squirrels and Cats, Oh My! (Part 2)

By judythemorgan|2015-10-07T14:12:35-05:00October 9th, 2015|Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

I recently found two baby squirrels under a tree in our backyard. One was no longer alive but one was.

I immediately called in animal rescuer Rachel. She had recently rescued a baby squirrel in a friend’s backyard making her the resident squirrel expert.She brought it inside and began the process of rehabilitation and posted on Facebook: What is it about my house that screams to animals, “An animal lover lives here!!!! You should stop by!!!”Today I found yet another baby squirrel, this time in my backyard. Thankfully, I got her before Bella did. Here’s to saving the world, one orphaned baby squirrel at a time!

Next she contacted her friend who had taken in the other baby squirrel. The friend was having to take care of an orphaned calf and was not able to take in another squirrel. So Rachel researched the best formula options and began feeding the squirrel with a syringe.

She named it Alexandra and it seemed to revive. Then it started wheezing and sneezing. Thus began the search for remedies for sick squirrels. She treated Alexandra and we hoped for the best.

It was touch and go for a couple of days then Alex seemed to turn the corner and began to improve. Before long she was holding her tail up and developing quite a personality.

She got comfortable with Beekeeper Brian and did what all babies do – fell asleep on his chest.

Alex needed a safe place to stay so Rachel got the extra dog kennel and put rags in it. Alex seemed happy – especially when she was getting her bottle.

Then one day she started growling at Rachel. I didn’t know squirrels could growl. Alexandra was apparently no long enamored with her life in captivity. Now what? She was still too little to set free.

Stay tuned for the rest of the story…

5 10, 2015

Fall’s Color Change

By judythemorgan|2015-10-04T20:34:43-05:00October 5th, 2015|Make Me Think Monday|0 Comments

I spent two weeks in Ireland last month. The timing was troublesome because I truly love watching summer give way to fall here in the Rio Grande Forest.

Actually, I dearly love everything about this time of year…the way the shadows lengthen and the crispness that fills the air replacing the warmth of summer days.

Ireland had fall color and it was lovely, but I fretted that my time there would mean I’d miss my most favorite season in the Colorado mountains. On the other hand, I was not willing to forfeit an opportunity to spend time in my beloved Ireland.

I truly panicked when the leaves in the higher elevations began to show their shades of yellow, red, and orange early this year. I knew for sure the color change in my little mountain town would be over by the time I returned.

Much to my delight the Aspen trees waited for me! I was blessed to return to green leaves that are just now slowly changing.

Every day since my return I walk Toby and Buster or sit on the porch sipping tea and say with Emily Bronte… How about you? Do you enjoy the shift from summer to fall as much as I do? Is Mother Nature showering you with her color displays this fall?

2 10, 2015

Turtles and Squirrels and Cats, Oh My! (Part 1)

By judythemorgan|2015-09-28T10:24:21-05:00October 2nd, 2015|Miller Farm Friday|0 Comments

A blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

Miller farm has been inundated with wildlife in the last few weeks. This would be expected if we were out in the country. However, we are in town.

We suspected something had taken up residence under the shed in the backyard based on the way the dachshunds were circling and sniffing. Bella went under the shed to try to get it but came up empty. We felt pretty certain that it was a possum – or a cat. We have several stray cats in the neighborhood.

We were wrong.

Rachel saw Sadie chewing on something and went to investigate.