Tis the season

For some reason that she can't explain and I can't begin to understand ... Miss Ruby has disliked the white wooden reindeer that one of my neighbours puts out on their lawn every holiday season. There are all kinds of the overly cute wooden cutouts adorning lawns up and down the road all year long ... yet it would seem that these reindeer are the only ones she objects too.
On a lovely day like this, if the darned reindeer weren't out on display, it would be easy to imagine that the holiday season was still months away instead of waiting just around the corner to pounce.
I'm a middle aged granny so I'm already gathering bits and pieces for the holiday parcel to mail off to my daughter and her family. Extravagance has never been part of the family holiday traditions, but there are some little bits of home that help make the holidays away easier.
As far as my daughter is concerned, as long as she gets fudge, flannel pyjamas and stocking stuffers anything else is just frosting on the cake.
If, like me, you are shopping for stocking stuffers, there are no shortage of great things around that will do double duty by helping the animals as well. In fact many of the things are lovely enough to make great gifts on their own

• ARC offers a wide variety of things ... they have a "store" which features T-shirts, a wide variety of magnets and a selection of very snazzy thermal mugs. They also have a lovely selecition of jewelry to fundraise for the animals ... and of course there is also the fun of their online auction
• The folks at S.H.A.I.D are running their ever popular Pet Pics with Santa, for times and locations http://www.shaid.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4&Itemid=6
• At CAPS, you can choose to shop for T-shirts, ball caps and those great CAPS mugs that coffee just tastes so good in, or you can keep your eye peeled for both their annual calendar and the dates for their pet pics with Santa
• If you are too busy to bake, the LA Animal Shelter is having a huge bake sale at the Zellers end of the Amherst Center Mall on Saturday, Nov 28th starting at ten until two pm or when they run out of goodies .... whichever comes first. AND this year , on Sunday, Dec 6th, they are holding a Telethon at the Amherst Lions Den, from 2 - 6 pm which will be televised on Eastlink Television. There will be music, a silent auction, along with a Dog Trainer / Dog Behaviourist; Veterinarian Advice; Highland Dancers; recently adopted dogs and cats with their owners.
• The 2010 Bide Awhile calendar is available now and although there is no date posted yet, they normally have an open house in December
• The TLC Animal Shelter 2010 calendars are available at the Port Royal Veterinary Hospital ... you can even choose from all cats or all dogs.
• Down in Shelbourne County, P.E.T. PROJECTS are raffling off tickets, which can be purchased online, btw.... on a beautiful painting and the draw for that will be on Nov 24th AND they are holding a Adoption Fair and Christmas Sale on Saturday, Nov 21, from 10am until 2pm at the Shelbourne Fire Hall
• NS Labrador Rescue is holding a flea market at the Enfield Fire Hall from 8 am until noon. There is a $10 fee to rent a table and all interested in doing so should contact Lab Rescue. AND they are also doing Santa pics with pets at the Doggy Bag Treatery in Enfield on Sunday, November 29th from noon until 4 pm. There will be treats for the furkids and apple cider and hot chocolate for their humans
• supporters for Atlantic Boxer Rescue can shop from their store or through their friends at Best Dressed Dog ( Collars for critters). Better yet, you can go to the facebook group for Collars for Critters to find out about their holiday auction
• The Clare Feral Friends are having having an amazing raffle ...with 1st Prize: Handmade Quilt donated by Gary Comeau. 2nd Prize: Oil Painting by Thelma Maillet-Comeau, 3rd Prize: Dozen Lobsters donated by local fishermen. Draw Date: Dec.20, 2009
• If you want a break from all that cooking and shopping, HART is holding its Annual Italian feast at the Annapolis Royal Fire Hall on Saturday, November 28th from 3 to 7 pm.
• the Hants County SPCA 2010 calendars are ready
• The Antigonish SPCA have their 2010 calendar ready and throughout the fall are selling tickets on the most beautiful cat quilt that I have ever seen ... pictures of it are on the front door of their site
• From Nov 28th to Dec 6th, the folks at the Metro Shelter are having their annual Santa Pix with pets AND from Dec 11th to Dec 22nd, they are having their Tree of Lights Festival. If conscientious pet owners are looking for a place to shop, the newly reopened Petcetera is a great place because they feature a Satellite Pet Adoption center for Metro instead of the usual Puppy Mill wares.
• The Yarmouth SPCA now have their own store, http://www.yarmouthspca.com/merchandise.html. They will also be holding their pet pics with Santa on November 28th from 11 am until 3 pm, along with a craft fair, at their shelter on Hardscratch Road.
• The Kings SPCA are running their annual Shelter lottery

If for some reason, anyone or anything has been overlooked, please email me and I'll add it in.

You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give. Winston Churchill