Pet People Talk

Pet Lovers News and Animal Views

Why Guinea Pigs Make Great Pets

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Sure they’re cute, warm and cuddly. But there are some other reasons why Guinea pigs may be the perfect pet!

Did you know that March is “Adopt a Rescued Guinea Pig Month”? What better time to invite one of these little cuties into your family!

Here are a few things prospective guinea pig owners may like to know:

They are a good influence

Guinea pigs thrive on a healthy diet of fruits, vegetables and Timothy hay. I’ve never tried Timothy hay, but most of us could use some more fruits and veggies in our diet. Join your furry buddy for a tomato or cantaloupe snack!

And exercise… Guinea pigs love to romp around. Watch them explore your hallway, a small room or the bathroom. Then once you return them to their cage, get outside and run around your neighborhood.

Guinea pigs are low maintenance

These little fellows and gals don’t require a lot of expensive toys and equipment. An empty paper towel tube makes them happy. Ping pong balls are like mini volleyballs.

Clean and neat!

Unlike my 10 and 11 year old grand kids, guinea pigs groom themselves, and rarely need baths. In fact, frequent bathing puts them at risk for chills and dry skin.

They have an adorable Language

Guinea pigs make all kinds of cute sounds. It’s been said that they grunt, purr, coo, chirp and squeak. And apparently, they react to things around them with various unique little sounds.

They “Popcorn!”

When a guinea pig is excited, it will jump straight up in the air over and over again! This is especially true of young guinea pigs. Sounds remarkably like an excited toddler.

These are just a few of the endearing traits guinea pigs exhibit. There is so much about them online. I imagine just about everything you’d ever want to know about these cute little rodents is available online. Have you ever had a guinea pig pet? What was he or she like? I’d love to know!

How The Magic Zoo Began

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Of course, designing new jewelry is a great joy. But feeling connected to you is even more important to me. After all, without you and your support, where would I be?

Back in 1989, when I was a young mom living in Mill Valley California and just starting out as a jewelry designer, I was a bit clueless.

Do you know what I did?

I created a whole tray of designs that I HOPED people would buy. I really had no idea. I was pretty sure people would like cats, dogs, cows and pigs. Cow jewelry was really popular back in the 80s for some reason. So I spent a week making earrings and necklaces from colorful polymer clay.

Then I took my creations, drove to a nearby town and interrupted people at their work in beauty salons, veterinary hospitals and travel agencies (remember travel agencies?) to show them my jewelry.

I walked boldly inside each business and announced “I am a local artist and I came by to show you my jewelry designs.” Pretty gutsy!

Amazingly, no one kicked me out. And most everyone was curious enough to look at what I’d made. And many of them actually paid me money for my creations!

I was shocked!

In just a few hours, I’d earned enough money to buy groceries for my family for an entire week. I went from being a “hopeful artist” to someone who actually SOLD her work! I was thrilled. And I was hooked.

After selling door to door for a while, I began doing art shows. This photo shows Ed and me in our very first booth in our very first art show…southern California in 1990. Not a very professional looking booth, is it? LOL! I actually wrote the sign by hand, and made a couple of big parrots out of cardboard to (hopefully) attract customers.

But starting in those early years, I always listened to what my customers wanted me to make. There were many surprises, like requests for guinea pigs, snakes and chameleons. I was challenged, and I was learning.

My customers have always been my friends. I’ve never lost sight of how important you are to me and how I could never do what I do without you. So thank you, my dear friends for all your support and help.

Whether you are a new customer or someone who has been collecting Magic Zoo designs for years, I am extremely grateful to you. And please know that you can always call, text or email me for any reason whatsoever. I love hearing from you, and will always reply to you personally.

With much gratitude,

Your Animal Loving Artist,

Merry

Nature Wins Again!

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When we bought our home in 2017, I wasn’t pleased with the man-made pond in the back of the house.

This rocky hole is kind of cool looking, but it came with a pump that doesn’t work properly. And in the rainy season it fills to the brim and without adding our natural pest control, would breed a zillion mosquitoes.

My husband and I just haven’t had the extra hours or days to properly maintain it. Besides, I reckon since we live in a dry state, a pond just doesn’t fit into the natural order of things.

I often dream about filling it in and building an extra room on top of it, maybe my dream Magic Zoo studio where I don’t have to negotiate a spiral staircase 10 or more times every day.

But then, there are the…

Autumn Visitors

In October, especially during the drought we’re now having, this watering hole draws birds from near and far. They gather on the rocks, trees and plants nearby, and swoop and hop to the water for sips. Not just one or two birds. More like dozens.

Northern flickers, white tailed pigeons, spotted towhees, little cuties with stripes around the eyes. Tufted little grey birds, mountain jays, robins. I’m not the best at identifying the different birds, but their abundant appearance in autumn (almost) makes up for the late summer mosquitoes.

Our photos show just a few…

These early October mornings, Ed and I enjoy their birdsong and grateful sipping while we exercise on our mini trampoline outside our bedroom door. The birds are not skittish, except when Willow the tabby tries to “frolic” with them. (I put a stop to it when I catch her at it.)

So for a couple months, at least, I get to be a close-at-hand bird watcher. Knowing we have a rare water source for both migratory and year-round birds makes me a little more tolerant of it the rest of the year.

What Happens in the Winter?

In November and up through March or April, the water freezes, which leads to remembrance of ice skating as a child in Ohio. Not that you could ice skate on a “pond” just about 6 feet wide. You really have to use your imagination. But I have plenty of that.

Then there are the spotted Tiger salamanders that lay their eggs in our pond in the late winter or early spring. Yet another reason I can’t bear to fill it in.

Do any of you have a man-made pond? What do you like or dislike about it? I’m curious!

Autumn in the Mountains

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I just can’t get enough of Autumn. And we’ve really been treating ourselves to it this year!

Two weekends ago we headed north, to the Sangre De Cristo mountains about 3 hours from where we live. I’m not great with directions or exact locations. Except to say I really, truly enjoy most anywhere in nature we happen to land. Especially when the leaves are sporting their blushing, neon, boisterous fall colors and the mountains are pausing in that last crystalline sheen before being covered in white.

One of our more amusing encounters was with this cheeky little burro. As we glided down into a small valley community, this little fellow appeared right on the road. We stopped, he stared at us. It seemed like a dare. Do NOT interfere with me. I own this place!

As a matter of fact, he was in the process of leading 6 or 7 horses (nearly twice his size) into the brush just behind our van. In other words, he was the alpha.

We drove through the village, a step back in time. I imagined how it would be to live here without fences, surrounded by aspen, pine and the meanderings of the little burro and his herd of horses. The air was thin and fresh, the light New Mexico magic. For a brief time I forgot all about elections, covid 19 regulations and how to make our website work more efficiently.

Of course, even my real life is awfully pleasant. But there is just something about the really high elevations, and of course the riot of fall colors. Our land is mostly juniper and pinon, with one deciduous tree that turns golden in October.

I would love to hear what an autumn hike in your neck of the woods is like! Tell me about it!

Your Animal Loving Artist,

Merry

Our Pecos Wilderness Hike

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Last weekend Ed and I decided it was time to shower ourselves with nature. After 5 plus months of sheltering at home with the occasional grocery shopping trip (with masks, of course) the idea of strolling through nature other than our own 20 acres was exhilarating.

“The Pecos Wilderness is where we’ll hike,” Ed announced earlier in the week. I had never been there, but anything dubbed “wilderness” sounded mighty fine to me.

We left a little after sunrise on Saturday morning with homemade breakfast burritos and a thermos of hot coffee. It was a 90 minute drive through dry country hills, foothills and ever increasing mountainous vistas. New Mexico is like that. You can start out in dry juniper country and end up in aspen and pine within a couple hours or less. Maybe not from everywhere, but luckily from where we live.

As we approached The Sangre De Cristo mountain range, the space around us grew. I watched a raven riding the winds, patrolling his territory and dreamed of flying above this part of the country, taking in the grass, flowers, mountains and deer from from several thousand feet.

But getting up to 10,000 feet by shank’s mare (walking) was as close as I got, and that was plenty amazing for me.

Here are some of the critters we saw on our hike:

  • A hummingbird that came to greet us when we parked, most likely mistaking our 1990s van for a gigantic red flower.
  • After an hour of hiking, a couple of grouse muttering sweetly to keep in touch with each other as they grazed
  • At 8,000 feet, A hummingbird moth I encouraged out of hiding for a photo op
  • At just under 10,000 feet, a family of humans hiking back from a mountaintop lake

Plus vistas of aspen, increasing in girth the higher we climbed. Three different varieties of rose hips, wild raspberry and blackberry plants, fern, maple trees, various wildflowers in hues of purple, yellow and red, thigh high emerald grass and monstrous pine trees that smelled of butterscotch.

Our journey up was accompanied by the musical splash of the creek, mini whitewater sounds that followed us most of the way.

We were heading for the closest of the 3 mountaintop lakes, but a thunderstorm and rain at about 10,000 feet turned us back. I was kind of proud of myself, negotiating fallen logs, boulders and slippery edges without mishap. Luckily, as an afterthought before we left home I’d found my sturdy walking stick to bring along.

I loved every minute of that hike. We’re planning to go back in October, once the maples have turned red, and hike all the way to the lakes. The 5 mile hike we just completed will become a 10 mile hike. I can’t wait!

Have you had a recent trip to commune with nature? Tell me about it!

Your animal loving artist,

Merry

Have I Called you Lately?

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If anything good can be said for the covid-19 epidemic, it is that opportunities for connecting with family and friends have been increasing in all sorts of interesting ways.

This past weekend I spoke with my sister. She told me that in her experience with kids and grand kids, family members are enjoying each other more than ever. Whether it’s working on puzzles or baking cookies, doing old fashioned things as a family will (I’m pretty sure) reap great rewards in the future.

And you know what I’ve been doing? Well, some of you reading this may already know! I’m calling you up on the phone. Every day I call from 25-40 customers just to chat for a few minutes.. MOST of you I have never spoken with before.

Sometimes I leave a phone or text message (or both), but I even enjoy that!

Here is what we mostly talk about: Cartoon Merry on phone

  1. Who I am (When I say I’m Merry, The Magic Zoo artist, 99.9 remember me! Pretty cool, eh?)
  2. What they ordered from me (even 10 or 15 years ago!) and how they mostly still wear it!
  3. How covid-19 is impacting them in their community (Amazingly, from Alaska to Florida, the experience of most people is pretty similar)
  4. If I can do anything for them now. And yes, I’m sure to tell them I’m offering Free Shipping on my site the entire month of July.

Sometimes we discuss politics, the weather, their pets, how they still wear my designs, etc. I make calls all morning long. The rest of the day I feel so connected with my Magic Zoo friends. And you know what?

You are SO NICE!!!

Here I am, a “sort of” stranger, calling out of the blue.

Maybe you purchased a charm or a pair of earrings as a gift over 15 years ago. Sometimes I have to tell you exactly what it was just to jog a memory.

But the reaction then is always friendly. Sometimes I get a little chuckle out of someone when I tell them that I realize how random my call is. I mean, who does this sort of thing?

But for me, The Magic Zoo has always been about YOU. I love people and I love animals. That makes my life both interesting and really fun.

And besides, I want you all to survive this crisis, and to survive well.

And I’m here if you need something special created for you or for a gift.

If you haven’t heard from me yet, you can always call or email me!

Your Animal Loving Artist, Merry

Roadrunners Running the Roads

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Roadrunner CrossingThey aren’t called roadrunners for nothing. Truthfully, every time I’ve seen one they’ve been running down a road. My husband once saw one running around in a National Park near Albuquerque, but I didn’t personally witness this. Besides, “parkrunners” just doesn’t have the same appeal (or alliteration).

A couple days ago we were heading for Albuquerque and a roadrunner ran right in front of our car before sailing gracefully (and pretty close to the ground) after he made it across. So they can glide kind of like a turkey. And since I’ve never seen roadrunner roadkill, I’d wager they have a pretty good record on beating the cars.

Whether coyotes ever get the better of them I couldn’t say. But we do have coyotes in our midst so it’s not impossible. But from the looks of them they don’t have a lot of meat on their bones so I bet they’re not too worthwhile a catch.

Roadrunners in Downtown Albuquerque?

Last weekend we were in Albuquerque and I had to blink twice to make sure what I saw was what I was really seeing. A roadrunner hanging out in a strip mall! Yes, right in the middle of Albuquerque. One of my friends tells me he sees them in Albuquerque quite often. Funny, that.

One of our fellow “country bumpkin” artist buddies told us he lost a small population of horned lizards to a predatory roadrunner one season. When the roadrunner moved on, the lizards moved back onto his property. They are good hunters, but I like my lizards so hopefully the roadrunners will stay on the roads and off our twenty acres!

A Few Cool Roadrunner Facts:

  • They belong to the cuckoo family
  • They can measure up to 24 inches tail to beak
  • They can weigh as little as 8 ounces and as much as 24 ounces
  • They can run up to 20 mph!
  • It is believed that roadrunners mate for life
  • They are the state bird of New Mexico (I love that!)
  • They can eat venomous snakes (also a cool fact)

Roadrunners are long-lived for wild birds…up to eight years. I imagine one could get kind of attached to a roadrunner in the area and get to know him or her after a few years.

Well, another interesting critter in New Mexico. You just never know what you might “run” into here. (Unintended pun, but I kind of like it.)

Have you ever seen a roadrunner, and if so, where?

Grand kitties, Pack Rats and our New Mexico Winter

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I love my Grand kitties, Firework and Willow. (I’m holding the fluffy one, Firework) They not only decorate our 20 acres with their striped and furry prowling but I have noticed a substantial reduction in the rodent population most likely due to those very same prowls.

In fact, since winter brought with it occasional snow falls and dropping temperatures, we emptied a nearby shed full of stacked firewood to keep our house warm. How does that relate, you may ask? The answer…a pack rat family had set up housekeeping in that very wood pile!

We disturbed their cozy home by dismantling it, but happily the pack rats have either:

  • Picked up and relocated
  • Been consumed by either Firework or Willow or
  • Been chased far away from our house by those same kitties

If you read my post-Halloween offering about my pack rat adventure last November, it may be easier to track with me on my “relationship” with these annoying but really kind-of-cute rodents.

We had one other pack rat problem since that late autumn incident, but our walls have been silent ever since. (Have you ever heard a pack rat gnawing at who-knows-what inside your walls? It is not only sleep-depriving, but extremely concerning.) They have even been known to gnaw through electrical wires, creating fire hazards. Yikes!

Willow and Firework live with my son and daughter-in-law and the three grandkids, just a hop skip and a jump from our house. But those kitties have made our 20 acres (and beyond) their home. In fact, they have followed our family on 2 mile-plus walks up the dirt road and towards a nearby canyon. Even in the snow! (They sometimes have to be carried back)

Their mom was a feral cat from town, but the kittens have been loved and cuddled since birth. So, they were taught to hunt and hike from Mom, and their early contact with humans was one of love and gentleness from the very beginning.

This has resulted in the perfect kitties…gentle, sweet dispositions with humans and ferocious hunters of the small prey. So far, the wild birds have seemed safe, although I felt putting out birdseed would be akin to creating a deer blind for our little hunters so I had to forgo that pleasure this winter. Hunting cats can be a mixed blessing, but I wouldn’t trade these two for anything!

A Yorkie Puppy is Forever!

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14K solid gold yorkie pendantDo you have a Yorkie puppy? Yorkie jewelry has been with The Magic Zoo since my first Yorkshire Terrier clay design way back in 1989.

My early designs concentrated on their beautiful shiny coats of gold, brown and black. I loved forming the silky coat strands with my fingers, stretching the clay as thin as I could. I laid the pieces one by one on top of the Yorkie face with the button eyes and black nose I’d so carefully formed by hand.

Why Yorkies?

Yorkies have always appealed to me…a tiny dog with a huge personality. Kind of the “Rocky” of the canine world! I’ve heard that Yorkshire Terriers are kind of like kids. In other words, their personalities are largely based on how they are raised.

Here are a couple of varying opinions of this breed:

  1. He is a typical, tough little terrier or
  2. He is delicate and should be treated tenderly and pampered endlessly

But anyone of either one of these camps would most likely agree that Yorkies are often in motion, very curious and smart! Their intelligence can go in a couple different directions. For instance, they are easy to teach, but some of them seem to use their smarts primarily to cause mischief. Ever see a Yorkie in an “argument” with a dog 4 or 5 times his size? That’s a scary proposition!

I’d think that you’d want to socialize this little gal or guy early on, just to prevent any such frightening encounters. Also, I’ve heard tell that socialization can prevent their shrill yipping from making your home life unpleasant when the doorbell rings or someone knocks at the door.

Yorkie Puppy Jewelry

Like all of my wearable art, the Yorkie designs evolved over the years. My original Yorkie, even in the sterling silver and gold, had a sort of “show cut” look about him. They were carefully crafted and, to my eyes, a good representation of the breed.

However, I noticed these more “serious” Yorkie pendants and charms were pretty much ignored by customers who actually loved Yorkies and had them for companions.

It was confusing to me, until I noticed…

Those little Yorkie pets my customers had did NOT have anything like a show cut! They were a bit on the scruffy side, more like a little puppy.

Thus the Yorkie Puppy design was born. It was an instant hit, and my Yorkie puppy pendant, charm and pair of earrings became my best selling design. I was pleased and surprised.

Do you have a Yorkie who is a big part of your life? Wearing a 14K solid gold yorkie pendant, charm or pair of earrings is one delightful way to keep her with you all day long.

 

Petroglyphs Inspire Animal Jewelry Artist

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petroglyph inspired goatsI’ve been taking a class in my newly adopted hometown of Mountainair New Mexico. Although I’ve been an animal jewelry artist for over a quarter of a century, in all that time I’ve never learned to work in earth clay, which is somewhat amusing since everything I design is originally created in clay. (Polymer clay)

But getting my hands “muddy” in clay that comes from the ground is another thing entirely. Clay from the earth doesn’t respond the same, it dries and cracks if you take too long, and even if you are relatively fast, it has a tendency to dry out quickly. It is a humbling experience.

But I am learning from some of the best clay artists around. We meet every week for several hours, and I can create (really, it’s more like play) whatever pops into my consciousness! I’m not concerned with creating my next best seller, I’m not worried about how long it takes me, I don’t give a damn if it comes out so poorly that I just wad it up and start over again.

So for my siblings’ Christmas gifts I created these petroglyph-inspired goat magnets in raku clay. Personally, I adore them. In fact, I didn’t really want to give them away! So I did the next best thing…I took a photograph of them.

I live in an area saturated with ancient native American artwork. Just a mile or so away down the canyon near my home is a cliff with pictographs, artwork created with some kind of natural ink and depicting everything from a woman giving birth to what looks like a Spanish soldier sitting atop a horse. My effort in creating these primitively inspired goats is really in honor of those early artists who were so capable at capturing the essence of an animal or a person. Their creation of the mysterious symbols that decorate the world here in New Mexico with pictographs and petroglyphs add beauty to an already gorgeous landscape.

I feel so fortunate that creativity in my new environment is part of life for so many here. The artists who live in Mountainair (and beyond) are some of the best, most lively and interesting people I know. What I’m learning from each generous teaching spirit is helping me look at my own work in a new way, and inspiring me to be more creative with my art and in my life.

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