Saturday, June 26, 2010

Artists, Cats, and Other Things - In Plain View


There are times when the little thing is not quite dead, and times when it is very much alive, flying around the room, battering against the windows, trying to get out, or if a non-flying creature, running around desperatelly trying to hide in every nook and cranny.

If it’s still alive, I swing into action – close the door, grab a towel or a box, and race around trying to catch it before said cats do. All the while with the dogs sitting on the bed barking encouragement. I even have a butterfly net stashed in the corner of my bedroom for such occasions.

I usually manage to rescue these creatures: birds, mice, squirrels, even baby rabbits. If they are badly injured, the rescue includes a trip to the Humane Society or even out to the Wildlife Sanctuary in St. Adolph.

However, once I woke up and spotted two tiny creatures squirming around on the bedroom floor. Two tiny newborn mice. They were each about the size of a thimble, hairless and blind. And they were alive! Obviously the cats didn't know what to do with them.

I called the Humane Society and the Wildlife rescue people to no avail. They would have nothing to do with mice. Even my vet was no help. He could only offer to euthanize them. I felt that the gods had put these helpless creatures in my path and it was up to me to do something about it.

So I checked out the Internet and – of course- there were websites that told me what to do.

I went to the nearest pet store and bought some canned kitten milk, improvised a feeding bottle from an eyedropper and a rubber squeezebottle cap over a small metal dye applicator tip, and began a feeding regimen that consisted of feeding warmed kitten milk to these tiny things every 4 hours , day and night for the next two weeks.

Sadly, one of the mice didn’t make it, but Victoria did. When her eyes opened, I started her on adult mice food. She thrived. She especially liked oatmeal.  And I bought her an aquarium to live in, with toys and a running tube made out of a flexible plastic duct tube actually intended to catch sawdust from a table saw.

Victoria lived for 2 and a half years. This is, apparently, a very long life for a wild mouse. She provided endless entertainment for my cats, needless to say. They would sit beside the aquarium for minutes on end, peering in at her, trying to convince her that they intended no harm. She was really their pet.
By the way, does anyone want an aquarium?

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Now that the June Studio Tours are over, some of the artists are onto SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!


For example, Aliza Amihude has taken a break from making that fascinating, and "out there" jewellery, and has turned her attendtion to her other interest in life: Song, dance, and other things.

She and her troupe: Aliza and the KGB (Klezmer Gypsy Boys) will be playing at the Rachel Browne Theatre, 211 Bannatyne Ave,
Winnipeg, MB during the International Jazz Winnipeg Festival

Monday, 28 June, 2010 @ 8pm.

Tix $12 in advance, $15 at the door

Buy tix online: http://www.jazzwinnipeg.com/



Here's info about the band:

Aliza and the KGB deliver Klezmer music with a Gypsy heart. Aliza Amihude's expressive voice and
theatrical presence blend perfectly with Eli Herscovitch's smooth clarinet and sax playing like bagel with
cream cheese. Timothy J. Butler, Daniel Koulack, and Ariel Posen make up a world-class string section.
The KGB's repertoire includes original Klezmer and Gypsy melodies, jazz standards translated into
Yiddish, French swing tunes, and Russian folk songs.

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Wayne Arthur Gallery
186 Provencher Blvd

Invites you to
"ART ON THE BOULEVARD"
Paintings by the Norwood Art Group (NAG)
Opening Sunday, July 4, 1 to 4 PM
and continues to Saturday, July 31
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 11AM to 5PM


For more information
Call Bev at 477-5249

About the Show:
Come see the work of multi-talented artists featuring contemporary original paintings in watercolour and acrylics.
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