Pet People Talk

Pet Lovers News and Animal Views

Birds, Critters and People in Paradise

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A couple of weeks ago my son David and I made a trip to Puerto Rico. It was just for a couple of days, but I fell in love with this beautiful island.

One of the first adventures we had was to drive to the nearby El Yunque National Forest, hoping to glimpse some of the native wildlife. Well this little fellow is not native exactly (it’s an Indian Mongoose, imported in the 19th century to bring the rat population under control) Unfortunately for the native animals, this was a backfire, which, of course, is typical.

But other than some loquacious birds, this was the only critter we glimpsed as it dashed into the underbrush. This is a photo by JM Garg…the mongoose was much too fast for us to grab a camera in time!

Here’s my son David doing one of the things he does best…photographing whatever is around him at the time. This rain forest was so lush and beautiful. And oddly, had very cool temperatures compared to San Juan. At least on this particular day.

Back in San Juan, we spent a little time exploring Old Town, which was a unique blend of old architecture, interesting graffiti, street musicians, modern shops and restaurants with all sorts of cuisine. I especially loved this statue, whimsical animal art which of course I’m always interested in. I think it represented a giraffe, but I could be wrong. Feel free to correct me if you’ve been here!

I had to snap a shot of David in front of this colorful door

Merry Macaws Meet The Magic Zoo

These two made up one of the highlights of this trip for me. I was at first a little hesitant to have them so close (I’ve not met many macaws, and have never held one) but they were sweet and very gentle. And they weighed practically nothing for their size. Yes, I realize they are not native to Puerto Rico either, but that didn’t affect my enjoyment of this little encounter.

The Scarlet Macaw surprised me with a kiss while the Blue and gold looked on in amusement.

This trip gave me just a tiny taste of life in Puerto Rico. But from those couple of days, I knew the people were lovely, kind and very talented, My sort of folks, with music and art a vital part of their lives.

Next trip I really WILL find some native animal life to admire. Have you been to Puerto Rico? What was it like for you?

Your Animal Loving Artist,

Merry

The Magic Zoo Family Update!

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A Couple of Grand kid Brags (Please indulge me)

I am lucky to live with my family…they amuse me, take me with them to movies and on hikes, and laugh at my silly jokes. And of course, support and help me with my life as an artist for The Magic Zoo!

My 14-year-old grandson is definitely brag-worthy. He is already a talented photographer, and I can call on him whenever I need a good shot! (I have an upcoming musical gig, and he took this photo of me underneath one of our ancient alligator juniper trees with my favorite lap dulcimer.)

Cassidy is also a member of our local “Young Eagles” group and is learning to fly small private planes. He just completed a workshop with his fellow young pilots, and informed me he is going to work for Delta when he grows up!

All three of my grand kids were (and the 2 youngest still are) home-schooled. My eldest just graduated junior college and has already opened her own etsy shop! She is an amateur astronomer and knows more about the heavens than probably 98% of the people on this good earth, myself included.

She is also an artist, and most of her work focuses on the night sky. She currently makes lovely note cards, notebooks and beautiful stickers. Here is a link to her etsy store…check it out!

Her store is called “Starry Sky Gallery”

My youngest granddaughter is an accomplished artist as well, but would NOT give me permission to show any of it. Kids…

Would you like to brag a little about your grand kids? I’d love to hear about them! I get excited about the new generation coming up, and what creations they will present to our world.

Love from your Animal Loving Artist,

Merry

Year of Service Pins for Animal People!

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I’ve been a bit out of touch, and I apologize! But in my defense. I’ve been working on something new and really exciting!

You may already know how I feel about veterinarians, vet techs and vet assistants. Plus all the good-hearted employees and volunteers who work in animal rescue. These people are some of the best folks on the planet, and I wanted to create something to honor them in my own way.

Announcing…My Year of Service Pins From Year 1 through 25!

I have had a few year of service pins in The Magic Zoo or a while, but I wanted to cover all the years, starting at Year 1 and going all the way up to Year 25! It was a bit of a project, but I recently completed it (imagine a big grin here)

And judging by the smiling faces below, it was completely worth it! (Note where these ladies are pointing their fingers)

Sliding Scale for Vet Clinics and Animal Rescue Groups

And, I wanted to make the pins affordable. So I’m starting discounts at just 10 pins. But for larger clinics and groups, I decided to have up to a 40% off discount. So the more Year of Service Pins that are purchased, the bigger the discount will be.

Let me know what you think of this idea! Here’s another question…How many of you need pins that include higher numbers than 25? Do you know of volunteers and employees who have been helping for over 25 years? It wouldn’t surprise me, and I would love to know! (I don’t want to leave anyone out if I can help it)

All I can say here, is pass the word around that Merry from The Magic Zoo wants to acknowledge some of her very favorite people!

With Love from Your Animal Loving Artist,

Merry

Happy Valentine’s Day!

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For many years, I’ve created the occasional piece of animal jewelry with angel wings. And of course, since this is Valentine’s Day, I thought this sweet Valentine Cat would make a nice greeting! I hope you have a wonderful, loving day with your special companions, both human and animal…

A Very Special Winged Dog

This topic is on my mind not only because today is Valentine’s Day, but because a couple weeks ago my brother Jeff asked me to make a design representing a beautiful dog that his good friend recently lost to a tragic accident. She was a young and healthy dog, so this was a very traumatic loss for Jeff’s friend.

I created this pendant, a happy and very large dog looking joyful and flying to her new adventure. (You may be able to tell the breed, but since this is to be a surprise for his friend, I didn’t want to mention it in my blog post.)

This is my original model, which has not yet been cast in Sterling Silver, but is shown in the original state, after having been created by me in polymer clay.

As with all my winged animal jewelry, I hope this brings some comfort to this grieving pet owner.

Tell me…What other winged animals should I make?

So far I have depicted the following animals with wings in my jewelry:

Rabbit, ferret, Labrador, Yorkie, dachshund, cat, bichon and greyhound.

I’ve thought about adding to this collection, so maybe you can help me with your own suggestion(s) of what animal you would like to see as a charming angel.

So…if you could choose a dog or cat breed or ANY animal to be represented as an angel in one of my jewelry designs, what would it be?

If I have enough requests for a particular animal, I just might add it to my collection.

As always, thank you so much for being my customer, and have a very Happy Valentine’s Day!

Love and Happy Valentine’s Day,

Your Animal Loving Artist

Summer News From Magic Zoo Merry!

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My 2024 summer has been a bit wild, and I’ve been doing a lot of traveling. But I’ve also been thinking about you! In fact, I’ve got some new designs I’m pretty crazy about.

This little fuzzy, playful looking Maltese puppy pendant is one of my new favorites. I’m so happy to share it with you now!

It’s kind of cheeky the way it looks over the shoulder, inviting you to play, Maybe toss that ball for a good chase? That’s what it reminds me of, anyway!

My other new designs will be appearing soon. But each one has to go through a rigorous photo shoot, and that can sometimes take a while. I promise I’ll get them up soon. I don’t want to tell you what they are yet, but they both involve popular breeds complete with angel wings!

Here’s What Else I’ve Been Up to!

Also new in my life… I have re-ignited a second, “shadow career” as a folk singer. Because you’ve been with me for a while, I thought you might be curious about this other side of things. This past April I played at a talent show in my nearby town of Mountainair and after that I landed another gig (one I’m getting paid for!) at a much bigger show on August 24th.

So, at the ripe old age of 73 I’ve been working hard to get my voice back in shape (Did I ever tell you I was an “up and coming” folksinger in my 20s?) I’ve been practicing hard over the past many months, because I need to play for an entire hour later this month. That, my friend, will be a good workout for these vocal cords!

It is my first paying gig as a musician in over 50 years. And I will be appearing with my beautiful mountain lap dulcimer, the exact same one I used to play at gigs 5 decades ago. The sound on this old instrument has really mellowed over the years, and I’m looking forward to sharing it with my fellow traditional folk song lovers.

So who says an old dog can’t at least re-learn some “new tricks.”

Tell me what you are doing in your spare time! Any hobbies you’ve been enjoying for your entire life, or maybe just came back to after a few (or many) years?

I’d really love to know. Oh, and I’d love it if you comment here and tell me to “break a leg” at my gig on August 24th!

Your Animal loving Artist,

Merry

P.S. Don’t worry, I’m not off to star on any big stages anytime soon, anyway. As far as I know, creating animal jewelry will forever be a part of my life!

Adventures in Georgia and New York!

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Back in New Mexico…

I’ve just returned home to brown and pale green New Mexico, comparatively sparse in people and plants but so rich in space and mountain views.

I’ve been in Georgia and New York, where people, gigantic deciduous trees and flowers are the constant backdrop of life. My brother Alex Hutton and his wife live in NY, in a “big small town” called Larchmont, where he creates art in a large corner of their living room, lit up with east coast light. His painting of cranes was one of my favorites.

This was a trip planned months ago, and was an “almost” sibling reunion, minus our brother Jeff who wasn’t able to join us. Darn!

The siblings converged in Pooler, Georgia – just outside Savannah. My sister Holly lives there with her husband and a somewhat roly poly Australian Shepherd named Lula. She was a sweet dog, and seemed to take to my brother Alex and to myself easily. Do dogs recognize a sort of family scent? We wondered about that.

We spent our days exploring Savannah galleries, an historic graveyard and eating way too much delicious southern fare.

One of my favorite memories of our visit was the three of us sitting outside a Publix supermarket on a wrought iron bench, yelling out memories of our childhood while a thunderstorm crashed and lit up the sky. Holly told me she would never view that bench the same way again.

Off to the Big Apple

I flew back to New York with Alex and his wife Elaine. We spent a couple of days exploring galleries and one incredible place called the Noguchi museum. Ever heard of it? Me neither. It houses awesome sculptures created by artist Isamu Nuguchi from huge blocky stones. This is my brother Alex and me “investigating” one of them.

Upstairs in this same museum were some outrageously large and gorgeous pots made by famous ceramicist Toshiko Takaezu.

My New York adventure finished up with a few days visiting my late husband Ed’s sister Susan, her husband and her family. The last time I’d seen her I was there was with Ed, for his niece’s wedding 10 years ago. So it was somewhat bittersweet. But also full of joy as I met that same niece’s little ones, now age 7 and 2.

Susan’s husband is Laurence Pringle, best selling children’s science book author, with over 120 books about animals under his belt! Here we are holding one of his books about a little bat named Otis. (Larry signed it for me since I’ve just had a great grandson join our family. The little one’s name, of course, is Otis).

Here I am communing with Susan and Larry’s little Havanese named Molly. She was the inspiration for my Havanese jewelry! We were instant best friends, and she spent much of my visit perched in my lap or very close by getting her belly rubbed.

This entire trip was a gentle reminder of how important family is, and how spending time with loved ones fills me with joy. And since I am who I am, strung throughout my visits were a weaving of art and of course animals.

Tell me about your summer visiting plans, and what you like most about seeing family and their pets!

Your Animal Loving Artist,

Merry

March Snow, Minnie the Husky, and Other Thoughts

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This weekend was pretty dramatic…Over a foot of snow in just a couple of days!

Yes, it was mighty pretty and magical looking for a while up here in the Manzano Mountains of New Mexico. Trees were bent with snow, ice encased yucca plants, beautiful, frosty patterns formed on the windows. And of course a power outage just to spice things up a bit.

But like the darkness follows the light, the mud always follows the snow. I’m not talking about a little dirt here and there. Or “just make sure to wipe your boots before you step inside.”

No, this mud is deep, thick, full of clay, sticky. This is he-man mud. It is slippery, gooey, covering the sides and back window of my Ford Explorer as I plunge through unavoidable puddles while driving through 12 miles of dirt (now mud) roads on the way to town. The very car I painstakingly washed just last week. The very car I drive to town most every day to deliver Magic Zoo packages to the post office!

On the other hand, Minnie the Husky was more than thrilled with this latest weather drama. Minnie ADORES the snow, and sure as heck doesn’t mind the mud, either. She punches her nose right into the snowy rabbit footprints, following them closely, never mind the human who is trying to keep up with her (sometimes) long, low yanking of the leash into bushes, under barb wire fences, etc. Here she is behaving herself pretty well.

As I used to say to my children when they were young, “It’s a good thing you’re cute.” And Minnie is that for sure.

I love having a dog in the family. I am amused and touched when I return from a long weekend with friends to find her overjoyed to have me, part of her pack, back home again.

But I’m glad she lives in the other part of our big rambling house, where her shedding fur, lost nuggets of food, abandoned bones, round doggie bed and big dog crate reside. I get all the privileges of canine companionship and (mostly) none of the drawbacks. And she is not much of a barker. Except, of course, when the family is intensely focused on a movie and Minnie feels ignored and just can’t help herself.

Generally, life in the country has been fun, loud, messy, rarely frightening (the time when a black bear decided to invade our property for a few troubling days back in 2019) but mostly calm and always quiet if I choose to ramble down to our ravine, or go on a rare solo walk through the junipers and pinon trees.

This is early spring, unpredictable and wet. The time of year when I can’t imagine being hot and irritated by mosquitoes and pollen.

But it is mid-March so winter, like a tantrum-prone child, is making her stormy exit.

Hot days will come soon enough. And so will the wild flowers.

How are things in your neck of the woods?

Your animal loving artist,

Merry

Axolotls and Scottish Fold Kitties

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Could they possibly be related?

Before I get much further into this blog post, what do you think Axolotls and Scottish Fold Kitties could possibly have in common? Let me explain…

First off, a little history of the amazing Axolotl. This aquatic salamander, besides being adorable, is super interesting! And…it has the nearly unpronounceable name of Axolotl. After several weeks of trying, I STILL have to look up the pronunciation online!

This amphibian is only native to the freshwaters of Lake Xochimilco and Lake Chalco in Mexico. But…Lake Chalco was completely drained as a flood control measure. So that body of water no longer exists. And Lake Xochimilco is just a bare remnant of its earlier existence. Needless to say, these salamanders are very endangered in the wild.

But, they are flourishing in the pet trade as well in the laboratory.

They are beloved as pets, largely because they are so darned cute. The wild version of this little fellow looks a little different (I don’t think a white salamander would last too long in the wild), but all of them retain the feathery gills of their extreme youth into old age.

Scientists study them for the many unique abilities they have. Their “super power” is in regenerating not just tails, but limbs, central nervous systems and tissues in the eye and heart. They’ve also been known to restore some parts of the brain.

They are also masters at accepting transplants from other axolotls, restoring these transplanted organs to full functionality.

I briefly entertained adopting one of these little fellows, but found out they have some temperature requirements that wouldn’t work well in changeable New Mexico. So instead, I designed an Axolotl pendant and earring set! Here is the original clay model for the pendant. It is currently at my caster’s shop and will be available on my website soon, along with the earrings (not shown)

The Scottish Fold Kitty

Another pet I fell in love with recently was the Scottish Fold cat. Their adorable folded ears are the result of a mutation. And cute as they are, this mutation affects the cat’s cartilage throughout it’s body. So again, not a pet I would be willing to take on due to health concerns. But they are so sweet looking and so popular I finally agreed to make some jewelry depicting them! Below is the earring version. I’ve also designed a larger pendant with the kitty sitting in the iconic “Buddha position” these cats often adopt. I forgot to take a photo of the pendant before sending it to the caster, so that one will have to be a surprise!

All four of my new models are currently at my caster. Thus, I’m waiting anxiously to see how these little ones come out.

Being an animal jewelry artist is a little like being pregnant. Although I don’t have to wait nine months to see the final result (more like two weeks) it’s still a little nerve wracking. Luckily, the final result usually turns out well.

So wish me luck on these new ones, and I hope to be showing them to you soon on my website!

Your Animal Loving Artist,

Merry

P.S. So really, the only thing Axolotls and Scottish Fold Kitties have in common is that they are my two latest designs. LOL and sorry for the trick!

Autumn in the Mountains

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Minnie joined us for this year’s October pilgrimage to the mountaintop, her first “autumn in the mountains” trip with her new family. Look at that smile! She was one happy husky.

This location is called “Fourth of July Campground,” and the origin of the name is a bit obscure. I once read that in the pioneer days of New Mexico the foot of this mountain was a favorite picnic spot, presumably holding some charm on that famous summer holiday. But to me and my granddaughter Ada, the gorgeous fall foliage has something to do with brilliantly exploding fireworks.

It was a darned long hike to the mountaintop, and towards the end my son kept encouraging me by saying “the top is just around the corner.” His trick would have worked if there had only been one or maybe two “corners”. But by the 8th switchback, I’d caught on. and I was pretty sure I’d never get to the top. (Although, of course, the grand kids had been up there waiting for us for almost an hour)

We were approaching 9,000 feet above sea level and since I figured I was this close now, I kept trudging. And the views were getting more and more spectacular. I looked down at the patches of orange oaks and red maples we’d passed, giving me some satisfaction on how far I’d come.

I Made It!

Yes, that’s my barefoot grandson Cassidy taking a photo of his dad on the mountain top. And yes, he made the entire hike barefoot, all 1 3/4 uphill miles of it.

My granddaughter Ada and her visiting childhood friend Serena are relaxing on a rock, overlooking that spectacular view.

We spent 15 or so minutes taking it all in, then headed back down, a trickier trip than the ascent. Maybe it was just 73-year-old me, but those little rocks and pine-needle covered trails were a slippery challenge. But worth it? Absolutely!

The Great Tomato Rescue

It’s been an interesting week. Last Monday we got the news that a freeze was in store that night. Our family still had over a hundred tomatoes in various stages of green and “almost ripe” on our 10 plants, so I did some internet investigation on how to save them.

Turns out that pulling them up by their roots and hanging them upside down in a warm room is supposed to allow them to ripen over several weeks. So Diana and I set to work, feeling very much like pioneer women. Our mudroom, laundry room and my “parlor” (above) are festooned with upside down, hopeful tomato plants, covered in mostly green fruit. So, we shall see, and fingers crossed. We had to make an attempted rescue.

Then the Eclipse!

My granddaughter, the amateur astronomer, took this photo of the full annular eclipse through her eclipse glasses. I found that event really beautiful, especially compared to the eclipses I remember as a child, “viewing” them through a pinpoint of light on a white sheet of paper.

Here are a series of “mini eclipses.” I took this photo on our property, each leafy shadow a tiny image of our eclipsed sun through pinon foliage.

Do you have special traditions you enjoy in the autumn? I’d love to hear about them!

And be sure and stop by The Magic Zoo to see my new banner! Diana’s beautiful friend Rachel and her family came to visit us this week, so I took advantage of her and her lovely daughter for some Magic Zoo modeling this week.

Your Animal Loving Artist,

Merry

Let’s Celebrate National Dog Week!

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Less than a year ago our family adopted a lovely husky-mix named Minnie. Minnie came to us from a kind gentleman across the mountains who had way too many adopted dogs in his care. His “herd” of pups consisted of canines dropped off near his property by less than responsible people over a period of some years. But Kevin took care of them all, fed them, neutered them and became their kindly “step dog-father”

Canine Visitors: How it all Began

When we first made Minnie’s acquaintance, she visited our property with two of her dog buddies in the early summer of 2022. Here they are, with Minnie leading the pack on the far right. They were a rambunctious trio, running amok on our land, chasing our 2 cats while barking and wagging their tails wildly. We had no idea where they came from, but my son David took them to the local shelter to see if they were chipped.

They were, which led us back to Kevin, the kindly dog whisperer across the mountains. David drove them back to their adoptive home in our truck and returned the escapees to his care.

But when that bright-eyed, part husky Minnie made her visit with her two buddies, my youngest granddaughter (who had begged for a dog since she could talk) fell in love with her.

I was a little hesitant about the topic of dog adoption, mostly because of the cats. How would that ever work? I tried to talk Annabelle into a more “sedate” dog, perhaps a smaller, less active pup. Annabelle would have none of it. It had to be Minnie. It really was puppy love at first sight.

Daily conversations were held about the responsibilities of dog ownership with her parents. Annabelle swore she would buy her food, take care of her, take her on walks. Meanwhile Kevin, Minnie’s current caretaker, was actively looking for a new home for her.

A Thanksgiving Visit

The months passed, Autumn arrived. Still no firm decision about adopting this dog.

Then Kevin called us and asked if we could take Minnie on a “trial run” during the week he was out of town for Thanksgiving with family.

Annabelle was ecstatic. David and Diana, maybe still a little hesitant, agreed to the trial visit. I thought it would be a good way to see if this could possibly work. I hate “maybes” and thought her visit was a way to make a firm decision on one side of the fence or other.

The other two grand kids? Thumbs up about the visit.

So Minnie’s arrival was prepared for. David purchased a large crate for night sleeping. Dog food was on hand. Dog toys were purchased. I spoke to one of my friends who is an expert dog sitter, and she gave me some tips. Diana had spent the past 2 weeks researching husky behavior and training on YouTube.

She arrived about a week before Thanksgiving, when we planned to share our feast with some friends of Diana’s.

As you can see, Minnie was so laid back by Thanksgiving Day that she willingly became a card table for our grand kids and their friends.

Minnie’s personality was playful but sweet. She talked more than she barked, and she LOVED playing in the snow. I believe she adopted us before David and Diana made the decision to adopt HER.

She actually wagged her tail at the cats, but they would have none of her. It became more of a truce than a friendship, but better that than attacks from either side.

Success!

This long story can be shortened to that one word. Of course, there was lots of training going on, and Minnie, still playful and exuberant, has settled into our family life very well. She responds to commands. She waits for her dinner patiently.

She still has periods of late-puppy zoomies, but now she is a year old and has graduated to being a pretty well-trained pup. She speaks, shakes hands, sits to wait at the door, and isn’t as prone to jumping up on people. (My main worry)

She also loves belly rubs, rides in the car and of course her 2 daily walks.

Most warm afternoons she snoozes in the backyard, sometimes partly resting in one of the holes she’s dug. Overall, I think this has been a lovely success story. And the side benefit for the adults? At least 2 miles a day required walking down our beautiful country road.

By the way, I’ve designed a few new pooches this year! Stop and check them out when you have a chance!

One last thing…do you have a dog? Tell me his or her name, and what you feel their most endearing quality is. I know it may be hard to pick just one. So it’s OK if you need share 2 or 3.

Your Animal Loving Artist,

Merry

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