Posted on 01/11/2013 9:35:24 AM PST by Slings and Arrows
PITTSBORO, N.C. - LIKE her name, Siglinda Scarpa seems to be from another world. And not just Italy, where she was born. But one in which you can hear the animals speak, and everyone gets along.
Ms. Scarpa, 72, lives in a wooden house painted robins egg blue, in the middle of an open woodland, with old oaks and pines rising over sandy soil. With its second-story porches covered with the canes of Lady Banks roses, Carolina jasmine and wisteria, the house could be something out of a childrens book.
Some people come here to adopt a cat from the Goathouse Refuge, the animal sanctuary she runs, tucked back in the woods. Others come to buy her pottery or ceramic art, which is displayed in the sunny showroom on the first floor of this whimsical house: abstract pieces that evoke storms brewing in the sky; clay roasting pots shaped like squashes, with frogs or artichokes on their lids; or teacups molded like the face of a cat, the lines of cheek and jaw, nose and mouth drawn by a knowing hand.
For there are real cats everywhere.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Hey Gabz!!!
She has 42 of her own; the shelter she owns/runs has another 300.
Glad you liked.
whoops! sorry...looks like it’s me who needs her eyes examined.
She deserves a medal.
;D"
LOL!
I won't expect you to take care of the cats, if you let me have some playtime with the snakes. Snakes are people too, you know.
You know what, you might still meet the right one, but if not, God has other plans for you.
In times like these, having a place that’s removed, and learning how to take care of yourself off the grid, is very wise.
Amen-I am from a ranch family, and I live in a rural area because rural areas are barely on the grid, after all. People who can’t do without all the stuff don’t stay here very long.
I would gladly welcome playmates for the snakes.
Along with all the other critters in my care, they don’t often get their full time of snuggles and slithers.
The Boas especially are very annoyed about this.
They would stay out and play all the time if I let them but I have to allot about 3 hours for tree climbing fun per snake for the big ones and 45 minutes of hug-cuddling for the small ones.
Sometimes I consolidate chores and clean house or feed the dogs/hubby with a snake wrapped around me.
[multitasking at its weirdest] ;D
Hubby has a chest cold and I just made him some hot tea with lemon and passed by Bob’s house to see him draped conspicuously and dramatically on his deck.
He wants out but hubby isn’t feeling well and I don’t think Bob can understand that..so he’s moping.
I think you would really enjoy it.
We all love to cuddle and hug our pets but sadly, they lack the physical ability to truly hug us back.
Snakes have no such limitations.
They can hug quite wonderfully.
[and they give pretty good neck massages, too]
:)
Quite a few of my snake friends let their scaly pets interact with their furry pets but I tend to be a bit conservative in that regard, mostly for the safety of the snakes.
An accidental nip/scratch/misstep by the furred pets could be quite dangerous for them.
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