Rikki's Refuge

Friday, March 25, 2011

Good Morning Good News !!!! March 25, 2011

I’m Vincent D. Cat and here to make you happy! You are HEROES! You work hard every day and you deserve to smile every day! Those of you working to save us animals hear so very many very sad things. And there’s lots of very glad things too and that’s what we talk about here! All pawsitive all the time! I want my friends to be happy and smile and know there’s a lot of good - including YOU - in this world!! Be kind and pass it on! Please send me your Good New and Fun Stuff to share, personal or global. Let’s keep it fun and interactive!! After all, if we couldn’t laugh, we would all go insane! Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org

Round the Refuge

Where did spring go???

Saturday is Volunteer Training - check the events further down for all the details!!!

Saturday late afternoon / evening is Volunteer Appreciation with bon fire and cook out. Details here: http://rikkisrefuge.blogspot.com/2011/03/volunteer-appreciation-day.html Please RSVP !!

Come help Rabbit Rotunda Roof Raising on Sunday !!! Check the weather first - it’s raining or snowing, it’s off for the day!!! But if it’s decent - come out and help. Can enough of you come so we can finish the rafters?

Sunday NOON - Tour !!!! Meet all the critters of the different neighborhoods. Our beautiful spring is turning back into winter, so this may be cancelled in the event of snow or rain!!!!

IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT

A couple months ago I promised to send pill poppers to some of you. I have two on my desk so either I miscounted (easy to do with only three limbs and five on some and four on the other) or I missed two of you. If YOU were supposed to get one and didn’t - tell me now!!! Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org

Do you know what the most important part of taking care of the animals is??

It’s feeding them!!! So it’s a great big help when food gets donated. Donate your left overs, stale crackers, blemished fruit, day old bread. Ask businesses to donate to us too. Every time you’re in a store ask if they have any expired or nearly expired product, damaged product, broken bags, returned items. So much stuff is wasted and tossed out. That’s bad!! Collect it for the animals to eat - that’s GOOD !!!!!

Healthways Food Store donated a lot of expiring soy milk. The piggies thought this was pure paradise!!!

Another way to help feed the animals is to do pick ups!! Dennis and the REACH kids picked up $500 of canned cat food AND they came to help unload it. Forming a brigade it becomes an easy job, from wagon to storage!

Earl has been coming out to Rikki’s Refuge to help out for several years now.
The animals love Earl. Especially Taco!

Peek A Boo

Am I the CUTEST dog on the planet?

Make your Clicks count!!!

Vote for Duke in this photo contest

Rikki’s Refuge could win $10,000

Click here to Vote for Duke

♫♫ Oh, the noble Duke of Rikki's
He had ten thousand friends
Who all voted for him
Over and over agains ♫♫

♫ ♫ Oh, A-voting we will go
A-voting we will go
We'll vote for Duke in flocks
And put him on the Bissell Box ♫♫

Bad Ting Ting, Bad,

anybody want to adopt Ting Ting, I'm putting her up for adoption 1 penny .... I ship anywhere

Vinspirational Visions

We all have ability.

The difference is how we use it.

Duke and I believe this!!! Just think of the life that could have befallen Duke. He could have roamed the streets, begging for handouts, never getting anywhere in life. Instead, when he was abandoned in a city park in Baltimore, a mere 6 months old, blind and alone with no friends; he went seeking for help and offering his unique service in return. He sniffed his way to one person after another, he smiled and he flopped his adorable little ears and said can you help me? Soon one person invited him into their car and helped him get to the Baltimore Shelter. There he explained to them about his special needs and asked for help being placed somewhere that he could work for the world. They immediately thought of Rikki’s Refuge and soon Duke was on his way to the life of a Spoke Dog, reaching out to make people happy and to smile!!!

The Cats of Cod

Artwork by Wayne H. Morris of New York

photography and art

http://www.facebook.com/WayneHMorris

visit to see more of his spectacular work

Wayne loves to study an animal and capture their essence which he then turns into a whimsical work of art depicting them at work or play. Your pet’s whimsical custom portrait available for only $300 (donated to Rikki’s Refuge). Contact me and I’ll put you in touch Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org Prints available, 8” x 10”, on heavy stock, suitable for framing, $25 each, resolution may vary so you may want to ask first. Specify which print you want and shipping address. http://bit.ly/WayneMorrisPrint

Tabby Air Pilots

Upcoming Events

SATURDAYS DONATION DROP OFF, noon - 2 pm, got something to drop off quick? The gates will be unlocked. No tour at this time, just drop off. Donation Drop Off will be available every Saturday from noon - 2 pm in 2011

SUNDAYS TOUR THE REFUGE - NOON, mini tour, take a walk around and see the animal neighborhoods. Every week on Sunday you can join a mini tour where you can walk around from animal neighborhood to neighborhood, from Piggy Paradise to Horsey Haven and see the animals. One tour only, starts at noon. Please be prompt.

Once a month, we’ll have an EXTENDED TOUR where you can visit the animals in their neighborhoods and have the chance to interact and give them treats. These tours also start promptly at noon, and there’s only one tour for the day, so please be prompt. 3/27, 4/17, 5/22, 6/12, 7/4 Monday, 9/4 Monday, 10/31, 11/12 Saturday, 12/25

LAST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH VOLUNTEER TRAIN SELF SERVICE 8 am - 1 pm, Learn to earn your Self Service Volunteer Badge. 3/26, 4/30, 5/28, 6/25, 7/30, 8/27, 9/24, 10/29, 11/26, 12/31

March 26, 2011 sat, last in month SATURDAY RAISING THE ROOF AT RABBIT ROTUNDA II 8 am till 4 pm, strong individuals willing to listen, learn and take direction, need 6-8 people

March 26, 2011 sat, last in month SATURDAY Volunteer Appreciation Day http://rikkisrefuge.blogspot.com/2011/03/volunteer-appreciation-day.html

March 26, 2011 SATURDAY DOG MUCK OUT DAY - Rake out the old ground covering in the individual pens and give them new, you'll get a chance to socialize with them and feel their appreciation for a clean home.

March 27, 2011 SUNDAY CAT MUCK OUT DAY - Rake out the old ground covering in the cat houses and give them new, you'll get a chance to socialize with them and feel their appreciation for a clean home.

Because I Love YOU

Love,

Vincent
PS: If you love me, click on my star and share?

PS You tell me what you want! Email me at Vincent@RikkisRefuge.org with instructions to change your subscription: additions, deletions or modifications! Subscriptions: Vincent’s VIPs - up to the second alerts about issues at Rikki’s Refuge for those who care and want to be intimately involved. Scheduled as needed. Good Morning Good News - a little something to get you going in the mornings, for those of you who want to keep smiling with us! Scheduled daily. Hairballs - so you know what’s coming up at Rikki’s! Scheduled weekly.

Rikki's Refuge, supported solely by private donations, houses over 1200 animals of 22 species. On line at http://bit.ly/Give-a-gift-to-Rikkis Checks, money orders, cash, items at Rikki's Refuge, PO Box 1357, Orange VA 22960

Rikki's Refuge is owned and operated by Life Unlimited of Virginia, Inc., an IRS 501(c)(3) not-for-profit Virginia Corporation, tax-id 54-1911042. Combined Federal Campaigns #77674, Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign #3163, PetsMart Charities #1377. A financial statement is available upon written request from the State Office of Consumer Affairs.

Learn more www.RikkisRefuge.org and help spread the good word, tell everyone you know about Rikki’s Refuge

Save Your Pet's Life

Too Hot for Spot?

Dog Car Safety Thermometer

Tested and APPROVED by
Vincent D. Cat of Rikki's Refuge

Hello MY Dear Friends, I spend a lot of time traveling to schools and groups teaching humane virtues. This means a lot of time in a vehicle. So I know how hot it can get INSIDE the vehicle, even when it’s nice OUTSIDE. So often I see doggy friends left all alone in vehicles in the parking lot, panting and drooling. That’s cuz they’re too hot.

When mom saw this thermometer just for doggy, we thought it was the best idea we’d ever heard of, so we got some to try out. YES YES YES me and mom, we endorse this product 100%. So much so that we decided to help spread the word and get them into the hands of every dog owner.

Every vehicle should have one. Not just to protect YOUR doggy - but to help other doggies too. If somebody parked near you sees YOUR vehicle advertising that it’s TOO HOT FOR SPOT we hope they’ll stop and think and not leave their doggie in their vehicle.

These are wonderful gifts for all your friends. Fabulous to have for your shelter volunteers. An absolute must for all transport drivers. And if you have a few spare bucks to spend to help doggies, keep some in your vehicle and stick them on vehicles where you see doggies left alone in a vehicle.

I recommend you buy at least one to keep your doggy safe!

Love, Vincent

Technical Details: The hard part of the thermometer is almost 4 inches in diameter and at the thickest point almost 1 1/2 inches thick. The clingy soft plastic extends about an inch all the way around. It really sticks well to glass. Hot or cold. Just press on and peel off when ever you want, over and over. It’s the same kind of material they make stick on window decorations out of. Attach to a stationary window, or be sure to remove before rolling window down!

This unique thermometer with its fun artwork is designed to raise awareness of dog car safety and bring attention to the possible hazards of leaving pets too long in a vehicle or any enclosed area during any season.

The thermometer provides pet owners with real time information to make intelligent choices when traveling with their pets. It also serves as an educational tool by raising awareness.

Clings automatically and works instantly!

Please join us in our quest to keep all of our beloved pets
happy, healthy and safe.

SIMPLE AND EASY TO USE, NO ASSEMBLY OR SET UP REQUIRED

Peel off package - press on inside of vehicle window!

Works instantly! Clings automatically!

Alerts you to the temperature inside your vehicle!

Quick & easy to read for your pet’s comfort!

Buggz from Rikki's Refuge says:

Your pet may love to go for a ride, but…
ON A WARM DAY, LEAVE YOUR PET AT HOME!
Cracking the vehicle's windows is not enough.

BE SAFE, NOT SORRY!
Even if it's cool when you park, vehicle interiors heat up in minutes.
BY THE TIME IT'S TOO HOT, IT MAY BE TOO LATE!

"Every pet owner needs to be aware of the dangers of any enclosed area, especially cars and trucks on warm days. On an 80° day, temperatures in a parked car can reach 120° in ten minutes. Awareness is the key and this thermometer will certainly help."

—Murt Byrne, DVM
New Mexico
Veterinarian of the Year, 2009
Santa Fe, New Mexico

"Few things are as tragic as the loss of a pet to heat stroke. If you travel with a pet, you need this thermometer!"

Dr. Eric Delmar, DVM
Graduate University of Georgia

Here’s what the Inventor has to say:

Living in the desert southwest of New Mexico and working for our local veterinarian, I am constantly amazed when I hear stories of pets being left in vehicles and succumbing to hyperthermia/heatstroke. Suddenly, one day, I had an epiphany! What if there was a device that could raise awareness to this issue? Thus the research began and I went to work developing the IS IT TOO HOT FOR SPOT? static cling window thermometer. This thermometer is designed to give pet owners real time information to make intelligent choices when traveling with their pets. This visual aid also serves as an educational and safety tool for non pet owners. We are happy that the idea is being embraced by a cross section of individuals, from pet owners, breeders, pet shop owners, automotive supply stores, pet safety instructors and veterinarians.

Please join us in our mission to keep all of our pets happy, healthy and safe!

—Denice Pruett/Inventor & Owner

Fido Friendly Magazine Endorses Too Hot for Spot Safety Thermometer

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Good Morning Good News !!!! March 24, 2011

Round the Refuge

Hi folks. Been one of them great busy days !!!! I only got a few secs here but did want to stop in and say hello!!!

I got a friend here in Orange, Virginia who wants to start a plant business. She’s got the know how and the entrepreneurship and she needs a partner and some equipment. Interested? Have a big wood chipper, band saw, wood mill and or 40-45 hp tractor you’d like partner with, sell or even give to somebody to start up a biz?? If so let me know and I’ll put you in touch!!!

If you’re interested in working on Rabbit Rotunda Roof II, I believe it’s been changed from Saturday to Sunday - contact me so we’re sure to get you in on the right day!!!

Coming to Volunteer Appreciation day Saturday? Please RSVP now!!!

I hear more thunder out there!!! So so so much rain last night. Happy Ducks!!!

Ron donates lumber for Cat House Number One Expansion

Ron, Director of Serving Cats, teaches building skills

At Rikki's, there always a cat right when you need one

Bissell MVP Contest

Vote daily Wednesday March 23^rd thru Tuesday March 29th for Duke

quick, simple, free

Your daily vote could win up to $10,000 for Rikki’s Refuge

Click here to Vote for Duke: http://bissell.promo.eprize.com/mvpcontest/gallery?id=133010

Click here to Vote for Duke

Always happy, even with congenital eye defects, Duke is a Spokes Dog, inspiring hope in handicapped animals and humans everywhere. Duke is as sweet as he is cute!!!

VERY IMPORTANT TO VOTE DUKE THIS WEEK !!!

Vinspirational Visions

While most are dreaming of success,

winners wake-up and work hard to achieve it.

The Cats of Cod

Artwork by Wayne H. Morris of New York

photography and art

http://www.facebook.com/WayneHMorris

visit to see more of his spectacular work

Carmen Tina, Stewardess

Tabby Air’s New Flight Attendant

Music and Motion

Never, Never Trust the Dog!

Because I Love YOU

Love,

Vincent

Learn more www.RikkisRefuge.org and help spread the good word, tell everyone you know about Rikki’s Refuge

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Good Morning Good News !!!! March 23, 2011

Bissell MVP Contest

Vote daily Wednesday March 23^rd thru Tuesday March 29th for Duke

quick, simple, free

Your daily vote could win up to $10,000 for Rikki’s Refuge

Click here to Vote for Duke

Always happy, even with congenital eye defects, Duke is a Spokes Dog, inspiring hope in handicapped animals and humans everywhere. Duke is as sweet as he is cute!!!

I know he’s a dawggie, he can’t help it, he was born that way!!! Please vote for him anyway.

Round the Refuge

So much Good News since I talked to you !!!!! We won $1,000 in the Shelter Challenge for week 9. Yippeeee See what your clicks did!!!! You made 4,000 dinners for us!!!! That’s a lot of nums.

The Animal Rescue Site has decided to share more this year than before. So that means that we got named WINNER for Week 9 and then have to let somebody else win the rest of the prizes. Oh well. I’ll be a good sport and not merooowww.

It gives me an idea for next challenge that starts on April 4^th!!! If we get the most votes in weeks one, we can either go on to be top three in the nation - and then win more money. Or we can pick who we want to win and start voting for them !!! Gotta work out the details but maybe we can help others win too who need help!!! isn’t that wonderful???

More Good News!! Most of the skunk smell is off Tess after three baths today!

And more Good News!!! Lots of work done on Sunday. Rabbit Rotunda II saw a lot of progress.

It’s got a terrific roof structure that is gonna hold up with any snow now!!

KiKi and Beauty greet Dave and want to know how long till lunch break. They love to eat his lunch.

Dave and his bro hard at work.

Mary came to help.

And so did Andy

And more Good News!!!! Andy and his lovely wife Patty want to adopt a kitty!!!! They adopted a doggie Starr from us five years ago. She was really shy and scared and they fell in love and they took her home and now she’s really happy. They have two other doggies too. And now they want a kitty!!!! Yeahhhh!!!!!

And even more Good News!!! Katarina was so busy Sunday, she did two tours!! Lots of people want to come and learn about the animals and shy it’s good to save them!! The whole world needs to know about this.

And Good News for our Volunteers!!!

March 26th is

Volunteer Appreciation Day!

Duke kisses new volunteer Robin

If you have volunteered at Rikki's Refuge you have helped save the lives of all the animals. Come out to the refuge this Saturday and let the animals say thank you! Of course, our favorite thing to do as volunteers is feed the animals we love their favorite treats. So, we will have plenty of treats on hand for you to give them. All the animals are going to love all over you as soon as the see you coming with those treats.

Then around 5 pm, we'll start up the grill and have a lovely vegetarian cook out. Come enjoy the day with your favorite animals and your favorite animal lovers. Please let me know if you can come so we'll know how much to bring for the cook out =0) E-mail me at katarinagalvin@yahoo.com

I have so much more Good News to tell you and I’m so tired I can’t think!!! Some of that Good News is that mom and me stayed up all night with three sick friends and they all are feeling good today and look great!!! Yeahhh.

Jessie the dawggie my big black old lady lab friend had a problem and like a small seizure and mom was scared it was her heart cus she’s real old and real fat, but not as fat as when she came!!! Lucky lucky, Doc Meredith said it was just a little seizure and Jessie seemed in really good shape, just watch her and if it happens more we’ll have to try and find out why. She’s eating and back to her normal self.

Buster is an old man diabetic kitty with no teeth. He’s real funny. He love to chomp down on hoomans chins when they hold him. They always get real scared and jump and then he just gums them!!! Last night a couple hours after his night time insulin shot I had to run get mom cuz Buster was looking sick and hanging over the water bowl. Uh Oh mom was afraid his blood sugar was gonna be messed up. She couldn’t even get blood cuz he was so dehydrated. So she gave him fluids and about an hour later he ate some tuna and was feeling feisty and looking better. She who opens cans is a stubborn one and wanted to know what his blood glucose level was anyway. She’s a worry wort. So they fighted and struggled and mom got his blood but he got more of her’s!!! His blood glucose level was fine, a little high but probably from the stress of the fight. Mom’s probably was too!! And her good news is that the claws marks on her belly and chest are healing up nicely and don’t hurt nearly as much tonight as they did last night!!!

This morning Buster has the sniffles so that’s what was going on, coming down with a cold, that always messes up his diabetes. He’ll be fine.

Mikey’s Good News is that he’s feeling a lot better and breathing pretty good today. Mikey is a feral guy with asthma and he has trouble breathing if he gets sniffles. He needed the inhaler and to be on the vaporizer last night. He don’t like the inhaler and the Good News is that mom’s finger, or what’s left of it, is healing nicely. Mikey has really healthy teeth!

All them made us real tired and I think I’m gonna fall asleep before I finish the Good News, so I say nighty and try to write you early tomorrow morning!! OK??

Vinspirational Visions

Whatever you can do or dream you can begin it.

Boldness has genuine power and magic in it.

I’m going to get under my lectic bankie and dream about something really good now!!!

The Cats of Cod

Artwork by Wayne H. Morris of New York

photography and art

http://www.facebook.com/WayneHMorris

visit to see more of his spectacular work

Stelly prefers to ice skate

On this Day

Well yesterday March 22, in 1903, Draught caused Niagara Falls to run dry. Well history is not repeating itself this year!!!!

March 22, is World Day for Water - so it’s a day early - it’s POURING buckets and buckets out there.

Because I Love Somebunny

Love,

Vincent

Learn more www.RikkisRefuge.org and help spread the good word, tell everyone you know about Rikki’s Refuge

Volunteer Appreciation Day!

March 26th is
Volunteer Appreciation Day!

If you have volunteered at Rikki's Refuge you have helped save the lives of all the animals.

Come out to the refuge this Saturday and let the animals say thank you!

Of course, our favorite thing to do as volunteers is feed the animals we love their favorite treats. So, we will have plenty of treats on hand for you to give them. All the animals are going to love all over you as soon as the see you coming with those treats.

Then around 5pm, we'll start up the grill and
have a lovely vegetarian cook out.

Come enjoy the day with your favorite animals and
your favorite animal lovers.

Please let me know if you can come so we'll know
how much to bring for the cook out =0)

E-mail me at katarinagalvin@yahoo.com

Monday, March 21, 2011

Good Morning Good News !!!! March 21, 2011

Round the Refuge

I love you, my awesome friends, you all are so special. Thank you Melissa, Deb from Indiana, who worked with India and Me throughout the night reminding our friends to vote. The shelter challenge is a planet wide contest, and we have friends in every time zone across the planet, so reminding them to vote as they woke up and came on line can win the final few needed votes.

You all did a fabulous job turning your clicks into dollars!!! YOU won week 9 with the most votes and that brought in a $1,000 check today!!! Yeahhhh. That will feed 4,000 meals at Rikki’s Refuge. What a huge amount of food. With 1,259 of us to feed every day ..... we need all the help we can get.

Now we sit with paws crossed till Wednesday morning when they announce who the state winner is. We started the day three hairs ahead - let’s hope we were able to maintain it!!!!

Helping to feed everybody is why I need YOUR help tomorrow, Tuesday, in the mid afternoon. We’re expecting a donation from Purina of 10 pallets of nums. Paws crossed it’s good nums. Some for the doggies and lots and lots for the kitties. Not cuz they love ME more but cuz there are more of us kitties!!! Can you come out and help us unload?? We form a fire brigade and pass the food off the truck into our storage trailer. Over and over and over !!! Please come help us.

So much good help and so many good volunteers yesterday. I wanted to share the pictures with you this morning but mom has to take the puter cuz she’s got to get Duke’s photos ready. He got chosen, as the only doggy, to run in Zoe’s line of handicapped or service animals in the Bissell contest. Somebody else had been scheduled to run this week and she got really sick from her handicap problem so she had to step down. Lots of nominations were looked at and the vote fell in favor of Duke. So now mommey has to get his pictures ready. He and me did a photo shoot this weekend and I think if she who opens cans picked a picture of Duke with me standing in front of him - it’d be the winner!!!!

SO cuz she who opens cans is gonna be she who fixes up pictures - I’m not gonna get time to download my weekend pictures till later. So instead of writing Goon Midnight Snack time - I’m gonna write now and show you the pictures tomorrow. It that ok?

Dave and his brother and Mary and Andy worked on the roof at Rabbit Rotunda II and really got an awfully lot done for four people. Dave said Gee if only 8 or 10 had been here think of what we could have done. So please think about helping next SATURDAY.

Katarina was real busy all weekend. We were really short staffed. Only 3 people. Yikes. It takes five to keep up well. Four for a day or two and you can catch up. But we’ve been four for almost a month now and then Sean had a few vacation days off for a family event and that made three. Yikes!!! Thankfully a new guy starts today. He was gonna be part time fill in, but he gets promoted to full time on his first day!!! Paws crossed that he keeps loving us no that he has to clean up our poo. Two interviews for people who sound good on Wednesday to be back up on call people to help out. Paws crossed they work out.

So Katarina was helping out here and there. Scooping a cat box and getting a volunteer started. Washing dishes and giving a tour. She had enough tour people to make it two tours yesterday. We hope many of them will come back as regular volunteers.

Gosh it’d be wonderful to have enough money to have like 10 or 12 people working every day!!! But we don’t!! So we really need YOU to volunteer to help scrub floors and clean litter boxes and pooper scoop. And if you really can’t stand the poo, well there are dishes to wash and grass to mow (there will be real soon) and things to build and fix. So what ever you can do, we need you!!!!

This is how I feel when I get a can of Fancy Feast

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/ars/article/NOM-NOM-NOM-Kitty-Luvs-Sour-Cream474/

This Saturday, March 26th, we want YOU to come and buy OUR collectibles and other wonderful stuff! Rikki’s Refuge Animal Sanctuary has a booth at a huge, INDOOR craft/yard sale event at the Locust Grove Middle School (31208 Constitution Highway, Locust Grove, VA 22508) from 9:00 am until 1:00 pm. About 10 miles from Rikki’s.

All sales from our booth go directly to help feed, medicate and shelter the 1200 plus creatures at Rikki’s. You can purchase something great (for yourself or a gift for a friend) AND help keep Vincent D. Cat in Fancy Feast and the dogs in kibble – how great is that? Cash, please.

We have a large cardinal collection, a small bulldog collection, a huge collection of hand carved stone animal totems (frogs, buffalo, coyote, bears, seal, large white buffalo and so many more!), some housewares, catnip sacks, handmade fleece rope dog toys, jewelry, candles, statues, chimes and trinkets galore.

We also have a nice collection of size 12 and size 14 clothes (only $3.00 per item and many still have tags) and a few stuffed toys for the kids. We also have some Christmas ornaments, a pair of black end tables and a bit of this and a bit of that. Whew!

Everything is clean and in great shape – no junk here!

We are supposed to be at spot #10, but if we have been moved, just ask the Lionesses who are hosting the event where they have moved us – or look for our purple Rikki’s Refuge banner. ---Kathy Doucette

We didn’t get very good pictures of the Super Full Moon Saturday night but some folks did!!!

This is the sunset at the North Pole with the moon at its closest point.
And, you also see the sun below the moon.

That is probably the most spectacular one I’ve seen. But here are lots of other beautiful ones too.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/beautiful-pictures-of-the-supermoon-from-around-th

Is Lake Superior, Minnesota covered in ice or snow?? But gosh is that spectacular. just imagine the set up and the waiting and the timing and all the work that went into getting these wonderful pictures.

And don’t you forget WE are just as beautiful!!!!!

It was really nice to see Kerri from Magpi Studios last weekend too. It was a surprise visit and here’s what she shot!!

http://magpistudios.blogspot.com/2011/03/day-at-refuge.html

Bissell MVP Contest

Vote daily Wednesday March 16 thru Tuesday March 22nd for Sugar

quick, simple, free

Your daily vote could win up to $10,000 for Purr Angels

Click here to Vote for Sugar

Sugar is a therapy cat for my 12 y/o Asperger's Syndrome son. He teaches my boy it's ok to have emotions and taught him about body language. He is 4.5 yrs. old and neutered. His organization is PURR ANGELS.

Vinspirational Moments

Life is a rope that swings us through hope,

always believe today is much better than yesterday and

tomorrow will be better than today!

Life gives answers in three ways,

it says YES and gives whatever you want,

it says NO and gives you something better,

it says WAIT and gives us the best.

I’m taking this to mean yesterday all my friends were voting for our success!!! Tomorrow will bring wonderful donations of tons and tons of delicious nutritious nums. And Wednesday will bring the announcement that Vincent is the Virginia State Varmint !!! But if not ..... what will be waiting for us !!!!

The Cats of Cod

Artwork by Wayne H. Morris of New York

photography and art

http://www.facebook.com/WayneHMorris

visit to see more of his spectacular work

Marco’s favorite winter sport is sledding

On this Day

We have a lot to do today!!! March 21, is Memory Day - so we have to remember all the good things in life and all the good things we’re so thankful for. Rikki’s Refuge is the first good thing that comes to my mind. Without them I’d be ... well ... this is Good News so let’s not think about that!! The next if Fancy Feast, num num. And of course all my wonderful friends!! My HEROES who make life here possible. I love you all so much. You all give me so much to be happy for every day!!!

March 21, is also National Common Courtesy Day. Sometimes it seems like that’s sorely missing doesn’t it? I can be standing in line at the grocery store, clutching my cans of Fancy Feast, struggling to reach up and get it on the check out counter and the guy behind me is more likely to shove me out of the way and say, “hey you little runt, who let you in here anyway, I’m an important hooman, I have opposable thumbs and I need my beer now, so get out of my way” than he is to say, “can I help you set that up there?”

You know it takes so little to be a hero instead of an ... uppps mom’s coming, if I say words like that she washes my mouth out with soap. But you know what I mean, don’t you? Just a little bit of kindness goes so far.

And March 21, is National Dance Day - oh that should be Wednesday!! I hope I get to do the happy dance and I hope I get voted the Virginia State Varmint !!!! Paws crossed we win the Shelter Challenge. YOU all worked so hard to be HEROES, you deserve to win!!!

The 24^th Species

Rikki’s Refuge’s Human Habitat

Counseling services

http://rikkisrefuge.org/Vincent/CFC2011/Services-028.pdf

Because I Love YOU

and I need YOU

and I Thank YOU

so Very Much

Love,

Vincent

Rikki's Refuge is owned and operated by Life Unlimited of Virginia, Inc., an IRS 501(c)(3) not-for-profit Virginia Corporation, tax-id 54-1911042. Combined Federal Campaigns #77674, Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign #3163, Pet smart Charities #1377. A financial statement is available upon written request from the State Office of Consumer Affairs.

Learn more www.RikkisRefuge.org and help spread the good word, tell everyone you know about Rikki’s Refuge