all EFA Team Treasury: springtime and blue skies in chicago

'springtime and blue skies in chicago' by PetCollage

inspired by the sunny blue skies in chicago today, alexwijnen's lovely print, and all the wonderful efa artists

Springtime (11x14 matted pri... AlexWijnen $35.00	Half Off All Paintings Movin... DistinctiveCol... $23.00
fabric Seaweed Dance batik 1... brizel4TheAnim... $7.95	Retro Owl danacarol $10.00
Yarn Lover, Original Paintin... KimbasCritters $28.00	Knit Catnip Mouse of Soft Pa... VivaLeChat $6.00
Baby Sea Turtle Original ACE... thebluewindmil... $12.00	White feral cat giving you w... schmoomunition... $40.00
Vintage White Jellyfish Naut... localevintage $30.00	Blue - Original mixed media ... kraftikats $60.00
Original Art - Herring Gull urbanimal $70.00	Yellow Lab Puppies, 8x10 Fin... carolscanvas $18.00
Can't find the perfect b... rendachs $55.00	Blue Snowy Hair Clips smiss00 $3.75
Pensive Panda Original Acryl... SavageArtworks $40.00	SALE - Organic Catnip Kitty ... WeeMef $1.25

Treasury tool is sponsored by Lazzia.com A/B image testing.

all EFA TEAM TREASURY: ADOPT-a-RABBiT month is here !

"Items for discerning bunnies and the people who love them"

FEBRUARY is

ADOPTaRABBiT Month !

curated by KnitbyValerie

featuring all EFA members !

Click HERE to visit Treasury

2011 = Year of the Rabbit !

2011 =

Year of the Rabbit

written by Heather of TheBlueWindmill

Jackrabbit

Original ACEO

by thebluewindmill

The 12 signs used in Chinese Astrology are based upon the 12-year period that the planet Jupiter requires to complete its orbit. Each year is associated with an animal, which are rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, cock, dog, and pig.

The Chinese New Year 4709, or 2011 in the Western world, is the year of the rabbit and it starts on Feb. 3rd. Chinese Astrology uses the five elements―Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, and Earth―to determine people’s fortune for the new year. Metal coincides with the rabbit and metal is also related to the colors of white, yellow, or gold; therefore, one can say that 2011 is the year of the white rabbit, year of the golden rabbit, or year of the yellow rabbit.

White Rabbit

Silk tapestry Fur Keeper Box

by brizel4TheAnimals

A perfect symbol of the Chinese New Year: Brizel’s “White Rabbit Tapestry Box” represents the circular pattern of the zodiac as well as its five elements, orange-fire, chocolate brown-wood, green-earth, blue--water, and white--the color of the rabbit itself--metal.

“As fourth in the cycle of the 12 animals representing each Chinese New Year, the rabbit is a symbol of endurance according to Chinese mythology,” writes Mary Margaret Peralta in an article titled, “2011, Year of the Rabbit”.

Chinese Zodiac

Year of the Rabbit is much welcomed after the preceding year of 2010, Year of the Tiger and is predicted to be more relaxed, fun, and peaceful. The year of the rabbit will unfold at an easygoing pace without strict adherence to rules and regulations.

The rabbit symbolizes “sensitivity, compassion, and creativity.” These people are “friendly, outgoing, and enjoy the company of others”. They are also considered “calm, gentle, persistent, shy” as well as “quietly charismatic” and thoughtful. Others will seek out their advice for their wisdom and trustworthiness. Rabbits hold home and family in high regard, and do not do well without them. They are most comfortable entertaining friends and family in their neat and organized homes and they console and comfort those who are wounded or hurting.

Some other characteristics of rabbit are as follows:

Rabbits tend to be peacekeepers, shying away from conflict and stressful situations.

One of the most cautious signs in the zodiac, rabbits are prepared to run at the first sign of danger and are known for taking their time while strategizing their next move.

Rabbits gravitate toward the arts and have “an eye for color and line that is evident in their thoughtful fashion sense”.

Bunny Towel Plush

by AubreyMade

Rabbits, and those born under compatible signs, will likely benefit from luck or good fortune during a Rabbit year.”

“Wishing you and your family

a year of health and prosperity!

Gung Hay Fat Choy!”

Resources:

http://www.chiff.com/a/chinese-horoscopes.htm

http://www.chineseastrologyonline.com/ChineseAstrology2011.htm

http://www.suite101.com/content/chinese-zodiac---2011-year-of-the-rabbit-a248098

http://www.answers.com/topic/chinese-astrology

A Groundhog meteorologist ?

It's Groundhog Day !

by Lucy of Luniquejewellery

Will Mr Goundhog see his shadow this year ?

February 2^nd is Groundhog Day in the U.S. and Canada. But what exactly is a groundhog?!

The groundhog is species of rodent also known as the woodchuck, whistle-pig or land-beaver. They are found in parts of the U.S. and Canada and their natural habitat is farmland and woodland edges. The live mostly on the ground but can also climb trees and swim.

These chunky, cuddly-looking animals are mostly herbivorous, only occasionally eating small insects, and can live for up to 6 years in the wild.

First Groundhog Day

As the name whistle-pig suggests, groundhogs are very vocal animals! They whistle, squeal, bark and chatter their teeth to indicate danger and communicate with other individuals.

Their main predators are snakes, coyotes, wolves and humans. However, they reproduce relatively quickly, giving birth to between 1 and 9 young, so the population remains strong.

Although groundhogs are usually solitary, several individuals may share one den. They will build a separate ‘winter burrow’ in which to hibernate. And it is when they emerge from hibernation that people look to them for a weather forecast!

According to folklore, if, on the 2^nd of February, a groundhog emerging from its burrow sees its shadow (i.e. it is sunny) they will retreat back to their burrow, indicating another 6 weeks of winter. However, if it is a cloudy day, the groundhog leaves its burrow and that is a sign that winter will end soon.

Phil of Punxsutawney

The most famous weather man/groundhog is Punxsutawney Phil of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. He has even starred in the classic comedy film Groundhog Day with Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell!

For anyone who hasn’t seen it, here’s the storyline- a weather man, also called Phil, is reluctantly sent to cover a story about Punxsutawney Phil. On awaking the 'following' day he discovers that it's Groundhog Day again, and again, and again. First he uses this to his advantage, then comes the realisation that he is doomed to spend the rest of eternity in the same place, seeing the same people do the same thing EVERY day.

So, what will the groundhogs predict this winter? We will have to wait and see… For now I leave you with words of wisdom from Bill Murray in Groundhog Day- “This is one time where television (or in this case a blog post) really fails to capture the true excitement of a large squirrel predicting the weather.”

"How long did Bill Murray

spend trapped in the film Groundhog Day?"

Film Fan Bangle

by LuniqueJewellery

FEB 2011 EFA COTM: RSPCA, Queensland flood crisis

February Charity of the Month

Introducing the Queensland RSPCA

by Nadya of OcelotEyes

My furry best friend, a cocker spaniel named Charlie, was adopted from the QLD RSPCA last year. I live in Brisbane, Australia, and as everyone by now will know, much of the state of Queensland has been devastated by flooding in the recent weeks.

These floods are now known as one of the worst disasters in Queensland's history and they are still affecting even more of the country: parts of New South Wales and now Victoria. I read the news daily with a heavy heart, learning about all the people affected, homes and businesses destroyed, families evacuated but what about the animals, the lost pets and the wildlife?

Wendy from the RSPCA gives a helping hand

to locals caught in the rising flood waters

in North Rockhampton. Picture by Kelly Watt

The QLD RSPCA is one of Queensland's foremost organisations doing literally life-saving work for our animals - both pets, and wild ones, as well as community initiatives to raise awareness of the plight of animals. When one thinks of the RSPCA, they immediately remember their animal shelters, where lost, abandoned, abused and neglected pets can be healed, de-sexed, and find new homes.

One of their recent community initiatives is to raise awareness of puppy mills, including a petition to the government to close puppy factories, which has now attracted over 20,000 signatures! Their "Wildlife Ward"' continues to receive animals even after the floods - from kangaroos with broken tails, to baby lizards, to helpless rainbow lorikeets whose nectar has been washed away by the rain - though they are currently being placed with veterinarians and carers until the RSPCA can get back on their feet.

2011 Queensland Floods: RSPCA

+ Rockhampton Animal Evacuation Shelter

A little history, from the RSPCA's 'About Us' page: http://www.rspcaqld.org.au/aboutus/ "The Queensland Society for the Prevention of Cruelty (QSPC) to Animals was established in Brisbane in 1876. After lapsing due to a lack of funds, it was re-established in 1883. Its first Queensland Inspector, Mr Marlowe, was installed and by the end of September 1884, had issued no less than 350 'cautions', mainly for ill-treatment of working horses. These cautions resulted in numerous prosecutions.

The Society dropped the word 'Animals' from its title after nine years, as it had widened its activities to include neglected and ill-treated children and later the care of neglected aged people, also providing vocational guidance for children with disabilities and care for the people with emotional disabilities. In the 1890s and in the early part of the 20th Century, the RSPCA was the sole agency responsible for children's welfare, protecting children from cruelty and all forms of ill treatment by removing them from moral or physical harm where necessary.

Echidna saved from flood waters

The Society maintained an active involvement in the protection and welfare of children until the 1970s, when it once again became solely dedicated to shelter and welfare of animals. The Society became the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Queensland (RSPCA Qld) in 1982 and subsequently on December 23, 1999, was incorporated under the Associations Incorporation Act 1981. The Society is regarded today as the State's leading authority and agency on animal welfare, offering a range of services designed to alleviate situations that may cause distress to animals."

"The RSPCA's shelter facilities, which now form such a large component of the Society's operations, started humbly with a few cages in a vet surgery. The RSPCA has been based at Fairfield since the early 1900s and took over the old Brisbane council pound in Fairfield in the 1960s. This refuge, built in the 1920s, still serves on the site of the RSPCA's state headquarters. The Society plans to rebuild the facility, along with several regional shelters, during the coming years.

Lucky dog rescued from cane fields in flood

RSPCA branches and shelters are situated throughout the eastern part of the state and include the Brisbane shelters of Fairfield and Pine Rivers, with regional shelters in Bundaberg, Cairns, Noosa, Kingaroy, Toowoomba and in an amalgamation with the NQSPCA in 2001, a shelter at Townsville. Branch Committees are based on the Gold and Sunshine Coasts and in Brisbane, Gympie, Townsville, Mackay and Rockhampton.

From one Inspector and several supporters in its fledgling years, the Society has grown to its present day level of around 190 staff throughout the state, generously supported by more than 1,200 volunteers. All who work directly or indirectly with the RSPCA are dedicated to increasing the opportunities and improving the quality of life of each animal in their care.

The RSPCA remains an independent animal welfare charity, striving to educate the community on its responsibilities and continuing to protect and enhance the welfare of animals."

The small dog pens in the adoptions area.

Their animal shelters in many flood-affected towns were closed, and after the rising waters came to Brisbane, RSPCA Qld Shelter at Fairfield (western suburbs of Brisbane) was severely damaged. Thanks to their staff, volunteers and emergency foster carers, all animals were safely and swiftly evacuated before the shelter became engulfed by water, submerging the field and garden, filling the kennels and catteries.

Due to the volume and depth of this floodwater (nearly three metres - over nine feet - in some parts) extensive damage was caused to the shelter, forcing Queensland's leading animal welfare charity to limit operations while the massive undertaking of clean up and recovery began. Without their vital veterinary services, they are dramatically crippled to provide services required to help all creatures great and small.

Flood Waters rising Wednesday midday 12th January 2011.

Food storage and laundry area.

After the waters receded, I went to volunteer to help with the clean-up. Walking through the neighbourhood where the animal shelter is, was absolutely surreal. There are lines of brown river-muck on the houses, fences, and trees - higher than my head. Some houses are being demolished altogether, parts of roofing and walls and furniture all thrown onto the curbside. And the smell!

But it was a great experience working with the volunteers that day - in just a few hours, the difference that a whole bunch of helping hands working at once, was fantastic to see. A rescued cat was even able to be reinstated into its freshly cleaned and repaired outdoor enclosure, and was having a cat-nap in the shade by the time I left to go home, as though nothing ever happened.

Flooding throughout the dog pens and

the food storage shed to the left.

Unfortunately, the QLD RSPCA does not receive government funding from the Premier's Flood Appeal, so they rely on donations from kind-hearted people. Thus, I'm very happy that the QLD RSPCA was chosen as the EFA Charity of the Month for February!

Every little bit helps the animals, and together we can make a difference - to help the RSPCA get back on its feet, and start helping, rescuing, re-homing, saving and rehabilitating animals once more !

ViSiT RSPCA, QLD

Facebook Page

Flood Crisis Appeal HERE

General Aid Appeal HERE

Vet Service Appeal HERE

To make a DONATION to RSPCA, QLD

please send funds to their paypal account:

paypal@rspcaqld.org.au

Once your payment has been sent to them,

please email them a payment notification

(events@rspcaqld.org.au)

so they can retrieve the money

and issue you with a donation receipt.