Hello everyone --- can you think to all your friends and see if anyone knows a plumber that will donate or work for a reasonable wage.

I'm in desperate need... we have 3 freezeless faucets that FROZE... plus one line that cracked underground I guess, because the faucet wont work at all.  And another line that was pulled on, and broke the faucet.  

When it rains it pours!! then freezes!

Please - have them call me.... 357-LOVE (5683)

Leave message for Lori, regarding plumber help... I'll get back with you asap..

Thank you in advance.... bucketing water is becoming quite tedious! 

Christmas Eve at Safaris, and all through our land...

All creatures WERE stirring, as if waiting on Santa.

The lil skunk paced, wanting one last treat, and the porcupine clattered begging for a corn to eat.

The zebra was ready, getting ready to be fed, then shadow the donkey hee hawed instead... Making me laugh with all my glee, reminding me of what Christmas really should be!

Giving presents of love and need and fun.... not lots of money, and wrapped presents to stun.

All my babies just wanted a moment of just lil ol me.... some love and attention.

Of course the geese flocked up, for treats and figet too wanted a hug. 

Little Outlaw the tiny horse, said dont forget me! 

And wanted to play with the deer with all of his glee.

Then I hear a scream, thinking oh my what is the matter?!  But it was just Missy and Theodore wanting more hot Oatmeal and raising quite the clatter.

It was nightfall, and their true wild selves are revealed.  An amazing sight, and feeling to live here and work in this field.

These animals are my loves, my best friends -they understand me better than any human.  And I hope they feel the same for me. 

Instead of laying around on the holidays drinking beer... come out to Safaris and volunteer!  Get the feeling of this unconditional true love, once you feel it, you'll know its only a gift from up above.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Roar Howl Chuff   Purr ........

A friend just asked me this today, thought you all might wanna know….

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED?

Oh boy is that a loaded question?!

I started it as a hobby, just because I love animals, wanted to rescue.  Had a bobcat as a pet initially, then found others who got exotics, and found themself in a position they couldn't keep...etc.

Found that I had M.S., and DOC said I needed a relaxation hobby….

Moved to the country to start my hobby, initially a cat sanctuary... bobcat, then cougar, then tigers, then lions... then a lion & liger came, and a llama was gonna be euthanized, so I took it too!  Then started with volunteers who did snakes, so started rescuing them, then alligators, then we branched into monkeys...  Started a volunteer program to get some HELP!

One thing, one day, led to another, another rescue, more cages,....then people started knocking on my door wanting to "see my animals"... then they started knocking all the time, so we started "Open house" every sunday... one sunday lead to another... then we had more mouths to feed, starting asking for donations for the animals.

Then we kept rescuing, kept getting bigger, then the government wanted their "take", so for us to continue, and to allow visitors, we had to get licensed by the USDA.  OK no biggie, we wanna do it right… then more animals, more rules, more cages, more inspectors, more government involvement.

Then we thought, ok we're finally at "THIS LEVEL" lets go a step further, and begin educating  people on a real level, hitting schools, daycares, senior homes, local events…etc.   Lets preach what we practice!  This "HOBBY" is now 100 animals, and problem is NOT going away!  Getting more and more calls about people who get these animals, get in over their head, or life changes, or have to move, or "oops, you cant have that in city limits? No one told me?!"   So we started giving formal fun but educational tours telling all the different animals stories, how we got them, the good, the bad, the ugly….  And it started to make a difference!  People honestly had no clue that this was a growing problem, with the internet, black market, lack of education.

Volunteer program advanced into an educational program, instead of them just helping us, we were helping THEM too!  Kids wanting to be veterinarians started to want to come see what it was "really like"… college students began coming for community service hours, then started interning…  then boy scouts wanted to work their eagle scout project at our place to help make better cages, and to do some thing positive.

Now almost 15 years later!  The domino effect.  More animals, more volunteers needed, more money required… to rescue more animals…. Vicious circle!

AND NO you cant get rich doing this!  You give every dime, every minute, no weekends off, no holidays.  No vacations!  Constantly working to raise more funds, to purchase food.  Seeking food doantions, supplies donations, money donations, PLUS working jobs (because volunteers dont get paid, that includes the bosses!) to supplement what income we're lacking. 

The REWARD?!  getting a chuff from a tiger in thanks for their meal and attentions.  Having an abused animal, come around and building trust IN YOU.  Taking a scared sickly animal to a healthy trusting happy animal.

THATS IT in a nutshell.

WORK WORK WORK.... but many happy faces.

Does that answer your question????

Happy Holidays!

Lori

WOW it was cold out today! But all the animals are fine.  Days like today are the hardest.  Freezing cold.  Icy outside.  Frozen waters. Frozen critters...  and volunteers stay inside where its warm.  So there was only a couple of us to take care of everything. Let alone the ice does not allow the hardhitting volunteers to even get here.

We increase the food for everyone a bit, made hot mac n cheese for the monkeys! They scarffed it up!  Missy (the babboon) filled both hands and her jaws with mac n cheese, as if we were gonna take it back.

Checking everyones heaters... thats a job in itself!  THEN going around with a spike pole and hand breaking every ice covered water, and pulling out the ice.

Abby the wolf was trying to dig herself a warm nest hole, even though she has a house, wolves just dont like (prefer) the human made houses.

The horses and donkeys were aweful frisky today, probably just cold, and wanting more food, lil beggars.

Well I'm warming up, and getting ready to hit it again tomorrow, pray for it to warm up!!!
Lori

This is a wierd blog.  Not about the animals, but all about the animals at the same time.

My depression equals my realization of my choices and my world.

I have had a great life of many experiences, fascinations, goals, achievements, dissapointments, and riches of all kinds. 

My life seems that of a cat.  Many lives. Many choices.  Many searches, many finds, and experiences -that would make many jealous.

I've worked so hard for what "I WANTED" never really knowing what all I really wanted.  To succeed? to make my family happy? to have a good job? to be smart? to be beautiful? to be talented? to be like my father -an amazing  mind and heart of gold -his natural engineering mind? his mechanical genius? his love of animals? or to be like my mother, kind, wise, an beautiful throughout and in -her 20 years ago of beauty, brains and power?  or to be like my brother, talented, successful, happy?  or be like my brother of 10 years ago, of ego, party, good looks and gorgeous partners? Or to be all for myself, and just try to focus on a cure for my M.S. rather than saving everyone else?

What is important?  What your head says? What your heart contradicts? What your upbringing tells you? What from your experiences that give you strength?  Where your talents take you? Which talents? Educations? Training? Things others tell you will make you rich? Things youve learned that could have made you rich? Things others dont agree with but have made you who you are? 

My questions have rattled my brain for years, searching for happiness, a level of status, proving myself to others, seeking happiness in areas that dont make me happy, but are fun at the moment, seeking friendships that are good for my heart, ones that are good for my growth, ones that make me laugh, ones that make me feel beautiful and playful.... then I found that none of my human friends made a bit of difference.  And were NEVER there when you need them. 

But my animals ALWAYS were.... and always will be... but that is only as long as I can afford to pay for their lives.  Which many of my human friends were of the same demeaning, only around while I was providing.  Then gone, when I cut off the free ride.

This last month, has make me look deeply into myself.  My fears.  My goals.  My loves...

And nothing is what it seemed, at all.  Friends werent friends, friends only looking to cover their own backs, regardless of who they take down.  Enemies werent enemies, but reaching to help.  My dream, my mission, my goals.... allowed someone to get hurt and die.  ALL THIS REALITY of conflicting emotions.

ALL I WANT TO DO is to continue my promise to the animals, for they have never turned their backs on me.

But in doing this wholeheartedly, at the level I must be.... I cannot make others happy.  Including some I've promised many things.

I've seen the most important man in my life, next to dad, be my soulmate, best friend, lover, husband,,,, but he is trapped in this life of MINE.  He has given up his own life for me.  And I can tell its taking a toll on  him, and on us.

My depression has kept me in at the computer, updating charts, manuals, recruiting new help, feeding the animals, bettering their cages, their lifestyles ---all these things are my top priority.  MY husband, hes not into it, he tries, but prefers to nap while I do paperwork, watch tv, while I do my emails, sleeps in instead of outside helping me.  

I can tell over all we've been thru, he's wanting more to play with the guys, ride his bike, so do things outside of the animal world.  He's at the movies with them tonight, while I'm making charts, paying bills...etc.

He wants to travel, play, see comcerts, enjoy life... I cant leave this. 

I feel he is becoming trapped in my life, and miserable.

I feel I need to give him the opportunity to RUN, and live, becasue my life has been spoken for.

I'm going to discuss this with im tomorrow.  I HAVE TO PLACE SAFARIS 1st, there are too many lives at stake, that count on ME.  For me to be free to have a personal life.

I feel I've deceived him, by doing things with him, more than I should , and enjoying playing with him... but my conscience tells me that he's dragging me down.  I've never thought of getting rid of a perfect husband, for his happiness.  I just feel miserable for wanting different goals... and mine cannot be overlooked.

I love my Stacy... more than any man ever in my life.  But I cannot focus and feel guilty for having to work all the time - and not have a happy marriage with him.  He deserves more than this hard work.... when it's not his love.

When I try to do things to make him happy, I'm neglecting a job for the animals.

Its tearing me up inside.....

Confused & Lost, but know what I need to do..........

Lori

Hello everyone....

Just got in and cleaned up.  Today was black friday for us..... black poop friday!!!  Oh boy we deep cleaned, locked out the lions, and twister, scooped poop, pulled out tree  limbs, raked leaves, got the leftover deer bones.... oh boy oh boy.... our backs are killing us.  There was only 3 of us again to feed, clean, deep clean, scrub, clean out barn, clean out garage, all monkeys.... eeeeeeeeeeek!   I need a calgon bath!  We literally spect 4 hours cleaning the 2 cages, locking them out, keepin them occupied, so we could clean clean clean,,,,

Then we had to go pickup dog food tonight.... almost out.

We're hoping we have a ton of animal lovers come out tomorrow, and see what we talk about so much.  Get a taste of this life.

We're looking forward to people again! 

See you tomorrow, bring a camera, plan for a fun day!!   Pack a lunch if you wish!

For the animals

Lori

Hello

Its Thanksgiving... and I'm so happy to be home ( I live at Safaris ).

I used to cook for everyone (humans), turkey, ham, yams, stuffing, potatoes, and pies.... but never really felt thankful.

Today we cooked hot oatmeal with bananas brown  sugar and cinnamon -for the animals!   In addition to their regular healthy diets of fruits, veggies, monkey biscuits or kangaroo dry, or canned dog food (whichever critter it was...).

Gave treats of panera bread to the piggies goats monkeys raccoon kangaroo bears, and even the crazy fox LOVES their bagels! Oh yea and the porcupine will chase you down and rattle for a bagel or 2.  (yes porcupines rattle like a ratttlesnake -defense mechanism).

It was about 30 deg  warming to 45 degrees outside this morning, and the emus wanted a bath! SO I had to spray them down, make them a puddle, and spray them as if it were summertime!  They danced around, crawled, layed in the ice cold water, flapped their wings, it was soooo cute.  And in winter! Who'd have thought?!

The piggies followed me around beggging for another bagel or donut.  And of course fidget the goose just wanted a hug... and I needed one too, so it was perfect.  Chompers the goose, who still thinks he's a dog hung out by the wolves (of which he thinks are his friends, little does he know... and thank God for the double fences!).

WHen we fed the big cats, a friend donated a deer carcas, so we cut it up and fed it to a few of the cats.... 1 deer doesnt go too far with 27 cats!  But my 1000 pound baby Rocky got the rib cage.  He strutted it around showing it to all the other cats who "just got beef"... didnt even start to eat it, just showing it off for at least 20 minutes!  Then Bookie, one of the lions, begged and paced for a treat, so he got the head (yes they like the head too), and he was so excited, he shook it like it were still alive without a body!  Then strutted around with it. 

I hadnt spoken to may family yet, no volunteers came except me, my husband and Diana.  So we just took our time, and it was so peaceful, so heartwarming. The animals were so  happy.  SOOO THANKFUL!

That is what Thanksgiving is all about! 

Not the $50 ham from Hamlet, ooohh lala, or the china you dusted off for the occasion, or the special outfit you had to buy just to show the family how nice you can look.... that is sooo superficial.  It means nothing.  And I know you rich folks, say only poor folks say that.  But I have the nice clothes, and the family silver and china... and without the grandma here to make it Thanksgiving, and the big family get togethers to share the love.  It still holds the dust, and fills my cabinet space... with little meaning.  Except the memories of my grandma.

BUT the animals gave me the reception, the hugs, the kisses, the squawks, hee haws, chatters, chuffs, and gobbles (the turkeys were pardoned!).  I wore ugly sweats, no makeup, hair in ponytail, and they loved me none the less!

THAT fills me with happiness and the joy of Thanksgiving.

I'm inside now, listening to the lions roar, and the wolves howl... saying thank you back at me.

Until you've felt THAT feeling, you have no idea what Thanksgiving IS.

Have a great day everyone - if you ever wanna experience this, come on out.  You can visit, volunteer, spectate.... and still get the jist of that feeling.

We are open this Sat & Sun 12 noon to 5pm.  A musician will be playing beautiful music from 1-4... see my last blog for specifics there.

Happy Thanksgiving !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lori