YOU CANNOT RESIST CUTE PUPPIES!!!!

Ok, maybe you can resist puppies, but after you hear my story about these puppies, probably not. 

The campus (along with many other places in SE Asia) has a tough time with stray animals, or students with pets that dump them after their term is over. I was horrified to find out that many strays are drugged/killed (and if the rumors are correct), sent to become mixed-meat sausages! Horror! 

Anyway, there was a black lab-looking mother dog that had  a few puppies under the library, fall of last year. She and her puppies were drugged and then carried off in sacks. Two of the puppies survived and hung around on campus. Both were think were drugged, but vomited and survived, but, of course, wary of people. One was semi-friendly with me and would let me pet her and talk to her. Her sister was totally freaked out, like all the time. 

Anyway, after New Year's coming back, I discovered that the friendly one had disappeared. I hope she found a good home. A friendly sweet dog like that deserves a good home. But, then I say her sister was still around. We would see her begging at the food court, walking by the trash bins. Still so shy, and now lonely without her sister.

One morning, cycling over to the boys' dorm to play pingpong, Seyha and I heard a shout from the dean's kids, "Hey! We've got lots of baby dogs here!!!" I just thought they were playing, and parked my bike. Then I saw there girls playing with armfuls of puppies!

We talked with the dean and he said the shy dog had been coming around to play with their small black and white dog, Gina. Then, that Sunday morning, at 6am, he heard puppies crying in front of their house! Turns out the mother was scouting around, looking for people who would be kind to her and her puppies! They ate over a kg of dog food! You'll see how smart she is, since she's really skinny and the puppies are eating solid food. 

Some people think animals don't know anything, but I disagree. I believe it's more than instinct too. Animals are smart and they can tell who's cruel, or who's honest and kind. I think God helped this poor skinny mother dog find a good temporary home for her babies. 

Also: if you're in the area and would like a cute, chubby puppy, please email/call! We're guessing they're about 6 weeks old, eating solid food and ready to be weaned soon. :)

So hot... so  sleepy

Under the water spout for extra cooling

Don't care if you take my picture...

Don't even care if you pick me up... too tired.

Huh? Who's that?

It's mom!!!!

Mom! Mom! Mom!

Poor mommy, being mobbed by her babies. Gina on the right.

So shy...

But we're glad her babies are getting used to being handled. :)

They're totally flea infested too.

But so cute!

Strange Bug-in-a-Sac

Ok, I'll be honest. I don't like bugs. I can tolerate most — but for sure not BIG spiders. For sure not mosquitoes or cockroaches. But these, these are perplexing… are they parasites? Are they pupa / nymph / whatevers of some moth? WHAT are they?????? We 've asked some friends… not much luck.  I've even posted on www.whatsthatbug.com.   Still waiting.

They're these light, papery, cacoon-like pods that we find on our apartment walls. Only about 1 cm long. At first we though it was a moth cocoon — but since then I've found a couple with little worm-like insects in them. EWWWW!!! I say insects, because for sure they've got little legs that they use to crawwwwl around the walls with. When they're scared, they retract back into the pod. Kind of cute. Kind of gross.

Close up! See it's itty-bitty legs?

Ok, my curiousity got the worst of me. I had to know. I cut one open. I'm sorry! Anyway, it didn't seem to be dependent upon the casing, but the little wormy-insect just seemed to give up after it's sack was gone. I think I cut some of it's tail off. We'll wait to see what www.whatsthatbug.com. has to say.


But… at this point, I don't care. When I see them now, I squoosh them.

Owl Baby

My husband found this juvenile (?) owl in the road Tuesday night. I asleep already when he came home, but woke up hearing him say sorry and he had a surprise. I was kind of half awake, then I heard him say "I love you baby... I love you baby" Oh, I thought, how sweet. Then. I realized he was in the other room! What? I got up to see what was going on and here was my 'surprise' — a young Asian barred owlet.

He must have been stunned by a car or motorbike, because he was in the road when Seyha found him, unable to fly far and falling over on his side. For a couple days he was like that, just flopped over or laying on the side that wasn't hurt. We talked with friends on campus who are bird watchers / have bird experience, and the recommended different places and people. Most of the 3 days was spent waiting and praying as to what we should do. But then there was the issue of feeding him!

We also learned that he was determined to escape (I don't blame him) and would fly / flop into the balcony window in the morning around dawn (when I get up). After the first night we had to put a box over his basket to keep him from continuing to injure himself.


Look at this pissed off little bird! Oh, if looks could kill! Sorry little bird, we want to make sure you'll be ok!


We fed him chicken chopped up small, and sometimes some water from a soaked Q-tip. We really learned alot about how God cares for us... and how sometimes you have to give someone what they need, rather than what you 'think' they need. On the 2nd day, we also gave him a little gecko/lizard I found that was stunned/stepped on. He at it in a big gulp, gulp, gulp!

The pictures below are from tonight. After Sabbath sundown, we went to the market and got some dinner and also some chicken meat again. We were praying because we found out Friday his bone wasn't broken, and they gave him a pain killer injection to help him be able to stretch it out more. Those vets weren't owl specialists, but we were relieved he'd be able to get back home soon! So, when we got home with our groceries and baggie of chicken, we fed him some, and checked out his leg. After some more chicken, we tried perching him on the basket, which he did fairly well, only a little wobbly.


But then — he flew around the room! And did quite well landing on some furniture. My husband and I talked and believed he'd be ok to let go. We said a little prayer for him and took him on the short bike ride to the trees Seyha had found him by.


It was so dark, and neither of us thought to bring a flashlight. I kept trying to do the pre-flash trigger on the camera, but took several ground/ tree shots. I know it was a little emotional for my husband... he really did a lot of asking and driving around for this little bird. He'd even get up in the middle of the night to check and see if he was still hungry or thirsty. But we're both happy he can go back to his family and be free, just how God meant him to be.



By little owl! We love you! God cares for you and so do we!

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care." (Matthew 10:29) I think this counts for owls too... and even all the birds that have been falling from the sky. And the dying fish too!

But, I also believe those animals dying in vast numbers is part of Bible prophecy — not that God wants to kill His creation, but I believe they're tired of living in this world of suffering and sin. I believe Jesus is coming back soon! Are you ready?

"for the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery… Therefore shall the land mourn…the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away." (Hosea 4:1-3)

"And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died…" (Revelation 8:9)

May God transform the heart and mind of every willing, humble heart. May He prepare us to meet Him soon! :)

Krabi Holiday!

Here's some photos of our trip to Krabi! This first set is from Seyha's birthday, Sunday the 9th. We took a boat trip out to Koh Phi Phi (pronounced "Pee Pee") that included several beaches, lagoons and snorkeling. It was really a fun-filled day, and I thank God for the amazingly beautiful weather! (The day we had arrived it was a bit over cast). Hope you enjoy a glimpse of our trip! :)

Swallow caves where people gather their nest for "bird nest soup" Ewww!







Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you… it was very sweet, the tour even surprised my husband with a little cupcake (though hopelessly trying to keep a candle lit on a speedboat!)







Seasick at Maya bay...




Some beach where we ate lunch. They even had some vegan dishes for us! :)
Open-water snorkeling! Seyha didn't like all the awkwardness of the gear and preferred to go without. The fish were so colorful and fast!

Helpless piece of bread thrown overboard. Devoured in seconds!




After taking some sea-sickness medicine, I fell asleep on Bamboo Island. When we got up I saw a cute shell we were laying on only to discover it was a scared and patient hermit crab! What a cutie.


Back from our adventures! Sunset view from our hotel in town.

Next day we kayaked for a few hours at Bor Thor (I think that's the name). We had a great time making friends and seeing the caves and islands. Lots of mangrove trees and monkies too!




















Way, way up on these high cliff walls, you can see an old painting. Our guides said it was a mini map of the islands that pointed the way out to the sea.


Monkies!







Lots of pics of our guides and friends we made on the trip! :) We met people from Canada, Malaysia, Holland, Ireland, Mexico! What a diverse group!







On our way back from the kayaking trip. So many beautiful little islands! I'll post more when I can. :)