Jeff Self

Ok, when Carol and I got married, we considered having children, but of course with my wiley background questioned our abiity to be good parents. So, we thought, "hey, lets get a dog and see how we do with that first!"

Well, we found out our parenting skills would probably be adequate. After working at Child Protective Services for 10 years, we came to the conclusion that having children was probably not in our future. It's good for some people and not for others. That's cool.

So, here is our son Trip!

Now the reason I bring this up is to get back to the parenting skills. I have a Cedar Elm in my back yard which has alot of Mistle Toe growing in it. Trip being the 6 month old pup he is, absolutely cannot do anything without having a taste of everything he passes! Knowing that Mistle Toe is poisionous, I make sure to pick it up everytime I am outside, which is pretty often. Being so small, he has to pee alot.

Checking myself on what would be good or bad for Trip, I found the following information from a charity we support and wanted to share it with any and all of you who are also parents of the animal persuasion and this would actually even apply to young children as well. I think Carol might have picked a few things up off the ground for a taste when she was little, too. Don't tell her I mentioned that though!

Here it is. Check your house and property for dangerous plants.

"It’s Not Easy Being Green: Popular Plants Poisonous to Pets

As gardeners across the country say goodbye to summer, green thumbs and amateurs alike are scooping up houseplants to spice up the fall and winter months. They're also taking off their sunhats and dragging outdoor plants inside to protect them from upcoming dips in temperature. Plants are popular for their decorative, restorative and air-clearing properties, but many species are toxic to our curious furry friends. Soil and leaves attract dogs and cats, who like to chew on vines and romp in the dirt. The ASPCA’s garden gurus set the record straight on some of the season’s most poisonous best-sellers:

• Although most common in springtime but sold year-round, lilies—including stargazer, tiger and Easter lilies—are pretty on the outside but wreak havoc on the insides of our kitty companions. “Even with very small ingestions, severe kidney damage can result,” according to Dr. Steven Hansen, veterinary toxicologist & ASPCA Senior Vice President.
• English ivy creeps its way into our hearts, but its precious vines contain triterpenoid saponins, which can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, hypersalivation and diarrhea if eaten by dogs and cats.
• Two of the hottest plants to hit office cubicles across the country are peace lily and pothos. Both are hearty and tolerate a fair amount of neglect, but for cats and dogs, they can cause irritation of the mouth, lips and tongue (peace lily) and swelling of the GI tract (pothos).
• Oleander, a pretty shrub used as an ornamental plant in warmer regions, can also be cultivated indoors in cooler climes. One of the most poisonous plants to pets and people, it can lead to GI irritation, abnormal heart function, hypothermia and even death.

Keep the nibbler in your life safe from toxic foliage by placing all plants out of reach. Or better yet, choose a nontoxic alternative to brighten your home, soothe your soul and protect your pet. As always, if you think your pet has ingested something poisonous, please contact your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center’s 24-hour hotline at (888) 426-4435. Watch our plant safety video for more information, and enjoy a safe and spicy change of season!"

The article "Its not Easy Being Green is provided by the ASPCA.The ASPCA has no liability for the information provided within this article. Copyright © 2008. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). All Rights Reserved.

Good Luck!

Jeff

Its a pretty interesting event and something that anyone who is in Austin should check out at least once.

They are many artisans, live music, food, and a ton of great things you can buy all while being on Fabulous 6th street. Here is a link to the web site. Check it out and round up the family for a trip downtown.

http://www.oldpecanstreetfestival.com/

One booth in particular will be the AFS Student Exchange Organization. My wife and I are actually hosting a student right now from the Philippines. He is a very nice 15 yr old boy. He's smart and probably a bit overwhelmed being exposed to so much that our culture has to offer. He is taking it all in stride and will have lots of stories to share when he returns home. This is his first time out of his own country and he has barely even been out of his own village in the far south of the Philippine Islands.

Check it out while you're there and have a good time.