My Cat Emmy

I remember the first day that I got my cat Emmy.  My mother and I were looking around Pets Mart and we both spotted her in one of the cages in the back.  It was pet adoption Satrurday, and my mom promised me I could get a pet.  Emmy was small, only a few weeks old, and she was this cute ball of gray fluff.  I knew I had to have her from the second I saw her.  We brought her home and she instantly became a part of the family.  After about five years of having her, a tragedy happened.  I came home sick from Highschool one day and couldn't find Emmy anywhere.  I was nervous because anytime anyone came in the door she would run up and rub against their legs.  Just as I was about to call my mom, I heard a soft wimper coming from outside my back door.  I ran to the door, knowing it was Emmy.  As I opened the door, I immediately burst into tears.  As Emmy limped in through the door,  I could see her back left leg , which was aparemtly broken, just hanging on by a thin layer of skin.  She was bleeding everywhere, and was in horrible pain.  I ran to the phone and called my mom.  She said she would be home as soon as she could and would take Emmy to the vet.  I was scared that I was going to lose my cat, and friend.  I sat on the floor next to Emmy, trying to comfort her.  Even though she was in such pain, she slowly eased her way on my lap, andstayed there until my mom got home.  The Vet ended up amputating her leg.  Now, a couple years later, Emmy is as happy as a clam.  Even with three legs, she flies through the house as fast as can be everytime I come through the door.

How Animals Love

I have always wondered how animals have such a big heart.  Unlike humans, animals never judge anyone, and they love without limits.  Humans, however, judge too quickly, are many times scared to love, and they often betray one another.  I think its so cute that everytime I am sick, crying, or just feeling crappy, my two cats, Emmy and Fat Boy, are always there by my side.  It is as if they can feel what I am feeling and they just want to turn my day around.  That is one of the greatest things about having a pet, they are also one of the best friends you could ever have. :)

"Frog-Oh-Spheres"

The mall-retailer Brookstone sells an item called "Frog-O-Spheres" in which dwarf frogs and snails stuffed into tiny tanks and die slow and painful deaths.  Many customers who came and visited the store were horrified and disgusted in what they saw there.  The employees neglected the ones that were sick and dying and put them in the back of the shelves where customers were less likely to see them.  Instead of calling the vet and getting these creatures help, they chose to prolong their suffering.  When customers bought a "frog-o-sphere", the employees neglected to tell the customers what the frogs and snails need to survive.  We need to stand up for these creatures and urge the stores that sell these types of "torture chambers" and not participate in the cruelty.

Animals- Not Meant For Entertainment

Every year millions of animals around the world in places such as zoos, are abused by their trainers.  These trainers are training these animals so people like you and me can go see them perform, ride on them, and just sit and watch them.  As innocent as this may seem, its not so innocent in the animals eyes.  These animals are cramped in cages and hooked on chains for most of their lives.  They aren't out in their natural habitat like they should be.  They don't get to experience their lives and have freedom the way they were created to.   Speak out to others about what is happening.  Maybe if we all stand up for them together, we can really make a difference.  <3

Dairy Products

So one of my favorite things to eat is ice cream.  I love the stuff.  But, to my dismay, I am lactose intolerant.  I get very very sick when I eat the stuff.  So, I have been thinking of going without dairy for life.  Which, in my case, means giving up one of my favorite foods.  I have been recently researching going without dairy, and have come across many benefits of it.  Did you know that dairy products are linked to allergies, constipation, obesity, heart disease, cancer, and other disease?  They also contain considerable amounts of cow's blood and pus, pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics.  Yucky!!  Also dairy farms across the world keep their cows in very cramped and filthy environments.  They treat these animals, not like the living beings they are, but like they are milk machines.  It is common for a cow to produce more than 100 gallons of milk  per day, which is about ten times more than they would produce in nature.  This constant milking makes the cow's utters so saggy and large that they many times drag on the ground, causing painful rashes and infection.  Lets save the cow's milk for what it was originally intended for- it's babies!!

Bob

I can remember the first time I realized how much I appreciated all of the living beings on this planet.  I have always been intrigued by humming birds, butterflies, and even ants.  Groing up, I remember I would avoid stepping on ants as the cruised across the sidewalk, and would be devestated when I would step on one.  I always recognized that even though some of the creatures may be as small as an ant on a sidewalk, they are still living organisms trying to make the best of the life they have been given, just like us.  Who knows how much they can feel, think, and appreciate?  I remember one day, when I wasd about ten, my sister and I were sitting at home watching television.  There was a bumblebee flying around our heads constantly.  Unlike most kids, who would most likely get out the fly swatter  and kill the bee, me and my sisiter took a liking to "him".  We decided to name him Bob.  Being so young and naive, we didn't realize that Bob could not survive in our house forever.  The days went by and Bob continued to stick around and be our little friend.  One morning, my sister and I realized we hadn't seen Bob in a while and became quickly concerned with his whereabouts.  We found his dried out body in our kitchen window.  He was probably longing for the life he needed, outside.  We had a funeral for Bob in our backyard, and burried him in a matchbox. Bob would seem like just some bumblebee to many people, but to me he was a friend.  And I was devastated to had lost him.  I am so glad that I was raised to love the animals and creatures around me.  I feel this characteristic trait has made me the person I am today.

Famous Vegetarians

I thought it would be fun to list a couple of famous vegetarians and why they decided to stay meat free. :)

Alicia Silverstone: "Since I've gone vegetarian, my body has never felt better and my taste buds have been opened up to a whole new world. It's one of the most rewarding choices I've ever made and I invite you to join me in living a healthy, cruelty-free lifestyle."

Carrie Underwood: "Ever since I was little I loved animals.  They depend on people to take care of them. If you told me I could never sing again, I'd say that was horrible, but it's not my life. If you told me I could never be around animals again, I would just die."

Sir Paul McCartney: "If anyone wants to save the planet, all they have to do is just stop eating meat. That's the single most important thing you could do. It's staggering when you think about it. Vegetarianism takes care of so many things in one shot: ecology, famine, cruelty."


Pamela Anderson:"Chickens, pigs, and other animals—they are interesting individuals with personalities and intelligence. But if farmers did to dogs and cats what they do to animals they're raising for food, they could be prosecuted for animal abuse and locked up."
 
Shania Twain: "I think there's something odd about eating another living anything."

Yummy Vegetarian Dish!!

So I was looking up recipes on the internet, and found this delicious one!!
Please try!  Its totally vegetarian and healthy, so no animals were harmed in the making.  Which is a total plus!!
Basil Pesto

. 3 garlic gloves, peeled
1/3 cup pine nuts
3 cups firmly packed fresh basil leaves
1/2-3/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup soy Parmesan cheese
• Place the garlic and pine nuts in a food processor and process until minced. Add the basil, salt, and pepper and process until the mixture is ground into a paste.
• With the machine running, pour the oil into the feed tube in a slow, steady stream until well blended.Transfer to a bowl and stir in the soy cheese.
• Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Makes 2 cups

I am a very big fan of pesto, so when I saw this I knew I had to try it.  I put it over warm pasta noodles, and had myself a feast!!