Podcasts about moistening

A bobcat in southern Arizona found a comfy and warm place to rest – but it was inside someone's home – and in their dog's bed. Be sure to tune into the GarrForce Live Cocktail Hour this evening at 6pm ET!

In our second pass on masculinities, Felicia Rose and ALove discuss a couple sources that think masculinity is a construct but don't seem to know how. Between the authors' attempts to describe masculinity, your hosts discuss the limits of objective catagories, how much masculinity needs to be taught and pit licking.December 1 is Felicia Rose's birthday! Make sure to intensify your celebration of the People's Tramp by participating in World AIDS Day by contributing to funds and research that reign in HIV and by buying some spank material from the Screw's favorite dumpster.

Most herbs tend to be drying in nature. They're bitter or they're warming or they're astringent. The dynamic of dryness in terms of the state of our tissues or the state of someone's constitution is common. We live in a culture that is common for people to have an underlying state of dryness. So I tell my students that it's best to learn and know and memorize and integrate all the herbs that are typically moistening, and especially what organ systems they are moistening for. After that, you can assume that most other herbs are drying.  In this week's blog post, I discuss why most herbs are drying, how to determine whether an herb is drying or moistening, and much more. ———————————— CONNECT WITH SAJAH AND WHITNEY ———————————— To get free in depth mini-courses and videos, visit our blog at:  http://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com   Get daily inspiration and plant wisdom on our Facebook and Instagram channels: http://www.facebook.com/EvolutionaryHerbalism https://www.instagram.com/evolutionary_herbalism/   Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyP63opAmcpIAQg1M9ShNSQ   Get a free 5-week course when you buy a copy of the book, Evolutionary Herbalism:https://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com/evolutionary-herbalism-book/   ———————————— ABOUT THE PLANT PATH ———————————— The Plant Path is a window into the world of herbal medicine. With perspectives gleaned from traditional Western herbalism, Ayurveda, Chinese Medicine, Alchemy, Medical Astrology, and traditional cultures from around the world, The Plant Path provides unique insights, skills and strategies for the practice of true holistic herbalism. From clinical to spiritual perspectives, we don't just focus on what herbs are "good for," but rather who they are as intelligent beings, and how we can work with them to heal us physically and consciously evolve.   ———————————— ABOUT SAJAH ———————————— Sajah Popham is the author of Evolutionary Herbalism and the founder of the School of Evolutionary Herbalism, where he trains herbalists in a holistic system of plant medicine that encompasses clinical Western herbalism, medical astrology, Ayurveda, and spagyric alchemy. His mission is to develop a comprehensive approach that balances the science and spirituality of plant medicine, focusing on using plants to heal and rejuvenate the body, clarify the mind, open the heart, and support the development of the soul. This is only achieved through understanding and working with the chemical, energetic, and spiritual properties of the plants. His teachings embody a heartfelt respect, honor and reverence for the vast intelligence of plants in a way that empowers us to look deeper into the nature of our medicines and ourselves. He lives on a homestead in the foothills of Mt. Baker Washington with his wife Whitney where he teaches, consults clients, and prepares spagyric herbal medicines.    ———————————— WANT TO FEATURE US ON YOUR PODCAST? ———————————— If you'd like to interview Sajah or Whitney to be on your podcast, click here to fill out an interview request form.

It’s another great game hosted by Dutch Enthusiast David Fudor. Oakland 5 patron Erik Didriksen teams up with Ken to face off against Neal and Jeff. Topics include Ribbondance, great nap movies, and Sabre metrics of the Hidden Temple. Which team will take the title?   Supporters: https://www.trivialitypodcast.com/the-cream-of-the-crop/ Support us Directly: www.Patreon.com/TrivialityPodcast Please RATE, REVIEW, and SUBSCRIBE on iTunes or your preferred podcast app! Follow us on social media, and support the show on Patreon for great perks! www.TrivialityPodcast.com www.Facebook.com/TrivialityPod www.Twitter.com/TrivialityPod Want to hear your trivia question during an episode? Send us question to the email: TrivialityPodcast@Gmail.com with the subject QUESTION 5 and a host’s name (Ken, Matt, Neal, or Jeff). We will read one listener submitted question per round. [New Episodes Every Tuesday] © Triviality – 2021  

Some might say that there’s a little bit of Australia in all of us. Some might say that but we really wish you wouldn’t. This week’s adult themes include: What Are You Doing 3 – The Doingning, Let’s Go!, Lock it Down Party, Ochre Up!, The Moistening & Municipality Bingo. We’d like to thank our… Continue reading BRORIGINALS – EP 81 – Australia is the Bad Guy →

Hello Listener! Thank you for listening.  If you would like to support the podcast, and keep the lights on, you can support us whenever you use Amazon through the link below: It will not cost you anything extra, and I can not see who purchased what. Or you can become a Fluffle Supporter by donating through Patreon.com at the link below: Patreon/Hare of the Rabbit What's this Patreon? Patreon is an established online platform that allows fans to provide regular financial support to creators. Patreon was created by a musician who needed a easy way for fans to support his band. What do you need? Please support Hare of the Rabbit Podcast financially by becoming a Patron. Patrons agree to a regular contribution, starting at $1 per episode. Patreon.com takes a token amount as a small processing fee, but most of your money will go directly towards supporting the Hare of the Rabbit Podcast. You can change or stop your payments at any time. You can also support by donating through PayPal.com at the link below: Hare of the Rabbit PayPal Thank you for your support, Jeff Hittinger.     Last weekend we went to see the Charlottesville Symphony perform Tchaikovsky's 5th, and it was a wonderful performance. I also spent the weekend winterizing my Chickens, Ducks, and Rabbits which is this weeks topic. I know this topic is late for many in the United States, but here in Virginia, we are just getting down to freezing temperatures at night. I hope that you all that celebrate Thanksgiving had a great Thanksgiving. On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving we planned to traveled to North Carolina, but we had two flat tires on the way. One in Lynchburgh, and a second flat about 50 miles later in Danville Virginia. Both were broken tire valve stems. We had the car towed to a Walmart, and luckily the tire center was open on Thanksgiving for a few hours, and they could make the tire repairs so that we could continue on our way. We stayed in North Carolina at a wonderful bed and breakfast called the Dailey Retreat. I highly recommend if you are looking for a bed and breakfast in Greensboro that you check out the Dailey retreat. Our host Jean was very friendly and helpful, especially with accommodating us with a challenging check in. https://www.daileyrenewalretreat.net/ The bed and breakfast was very clean, and the organic breakfasts were delicious! This is the first year that we had a Thanksgiving meal in a restaurant on Thanksgiving. I think I prefer a home cooked meal. We traveled to Greensboro, North Carolina to see a Canadian band "The Dead South" perform on Black Friday, and there performance was outstanding! And now enough about the past week or so, and on with the topic this week. Preparing rabbits for winter - Caring for your rabbits in cold weather The days are getting shorter and shorter…winter is coming! Now is the time to make your winter preparations so your rabbits can stay cozy & dry all winter long. If you own a rabbit hutch and keep your furry friends outdoors year round, when the cold temperatures and biting winds of winter come, you will have to do something to protect them. Winter time when it’s cold can be very hard on rabbits. By cold, we mean if the temperature falls below zero. Keeping your rabbits warm is important. A hutch is a fine outdoor environment for rabbits, and with a few seasonal modifications, your rabbits will not only survive but will thrive during the cold winter months. Remember, wild rabbits survive over the winter all the time, so there's no reason that your domesticated ones shouldn't as well. In the wild they would live in underground burrows where the temperature changes slightly between the summer and winter months. Raising them above ground means they are subjected to extreme temperature changes. For this reason, we need to help them stay warm and dry. Rabbits are one of the more cold resistant backyard animals, but they still need a little extra care when it dips below freezing. Although I live in Central Virginia, we usually get a few storms of icy and snowy weather in the winter. If you live in a colder area, rabbits could be a very good livestock choice for you, as bunnies are pretty easy to take care of in the cold. The one caveat is if it gets super cold, (as in ten degrees below) their ears can get frostbite. If your area gets that cold, you will need a more robust shelter or a rabbit barn for your rabbits in winter more than a basic outdoor hutch or colony. It is also absolutely essential that the rabbits have already spent the entire fall outdoors before attempting to leave them outside in the winter. The reason for this is the winter fur. Without the exposure to the changes of the seasons, rabbits will not have enough winter fur to make it through the colder season outside. In general, rabbits are better equipped to deal with the cold than the extreme summer heat. Rabbits are most comfortable with temperatures in the low- to mid-60’s. But they will usually be just fine with very little interaction from us in temperatures as low as 20°F. Rabbits, like many other animals, put on thick winter coats as cooler temperatures approach and may need extra brushing during the winter due to their thicker coats. Rabbits that are pregnant, old, and/or sick should ideally not be left outside over the winter months. Also, not every rabbit breed grows a sufficient amount of winter fur. Lionheads and other dwarf rabbits, for example, need to come indoors when the temperatures get below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or live in a very well insulated and possibly heated large house. Sadly, some people won’t go out in the bad weather to care for their rabbits so they get neglected. Regardless of the weather, your rabbits should be cared for. Every rabbit set up is different, but we have some suggestions to get ready for winter! Here are some important things to think about before those cold and brutal days: Take Precautions Before the Onset of Winter 1. Shelter and Protection Housing can be evaluated with a few factors: ventilation, size, material, temperature, and protection. Ventilation is the process of moving air above and below the cage to decrease temperature and ammonia odor, which can be damaging to a rabbit’s respiratory system. This can be accomplished naturally or mechanically, but you must ensure that direct drafts are not imposed on the rabbits. The ideal temperature for an adult rabbit’s environment is 45–70 degrees Fahrenheit. Housing for rabbits can be maintained either inside or outside a physical structure. Outside facilities require that the rabbits be protected from the weather and predators. There are numerous materials that can be utilized to build rabbit cages; however, remember that rabbits are gnawers, meaning they will eat building materials. The material used will depend on whether you have an inside wire cage or an outside cage. The outside cage typically includes (three) plywood or pressed board (sidewalls) and roof to provide necessary protection for the rabbits. Or you may have a hanging cage rack system that is covered. Inside cages will usually be constructed from galvanized welded wire. Outside housing The list is endless to what people are doing this day and age to provide their bunnies with the most luxurious suitable accommodation. ⦁ Outhouses converted to bunny homes with outside run attached. ⦁ Hutches placed within an aviary ⦁ Dog kennels with the runs attached (these come in all shapes and sizes). ⦁ Sheds (wooden ones only) Plastic or metal ones can get too hot. ⦁ If you are using a hutch only, then make sure it is a decent size for the breed, and they will need an additional area for their exercise time. Building your own enclosure Remember the bigger the better for your bunny and for you to as it will be easier to clean out and also you will get so much more entertainment watching your rabbits skip and run at great speeds. Plywood and pine are safe woods. Most hutch roofs are made from marine plywood covered in roofing felt. Roofs with a slight slope, to prevent sitting water, will have a longer lifespan than flat roofs. Galvanized wire no bigger than 1 inch by half inch should be size of squares. Never use wiring with large squares as rats and weasels could get in or cats/foxes could injure your bunny through these gaps. Prime welded wire mesh is best. Predator proofing It is extremely important that all enclosures are made predator proof. ⦁ You need to place your rabbits accommodation on cement slabs to avoid a fox digging in or a rabbit digging out. ⦁ Make sure doors are secure with bolts at the top and bottom for extra security. ⦁ Always provide hideouts – safe places to hide when they get spooked or feel threatened ⦁ Tunnels are good for hide outs. ⦁ Place boards at the front of your enclosure to add extra privacy & to help stop your rabbit getting easily spooked. Weather proofing It is essential especially with certain types of enclosures. You need to protect them from the wind, rain and strong sunlight. Covers can be bought for standard size hutches but can be costly. Corrugated plastic sheeting is a good way to protect from rain and is excellent for roofing. Just watch the clear plastic in the summer as this could heat your enclosure up like a green house very quickly. Place sun reflectors underneath to help stop this. Use bubble wrap or plastic sheeting like builders sheets or plastic dust sheets or tarpaulin for protection from wind and rain. Attach to a piece of wood at the top and hook this to the cage to create your own little roller blind. Or by adding some wooden panels to each side of your enclosure and making them an inch wider than the enclosure allows you to have something to attach the bubble wrap or plastic sheeting to. Metal clips keep it in place very securely when it is very windy. Always leave gaps for air flow. Cover a sheet of wood, wider than the accommodation itself, with felt roofing and place on top of enclosures for added protection. Keep weighted down with bricks or slabs. Large beach mats or windbreakers are ideal for protection Venetian blinds or cane/bamboo blinds are another option. Attach bubble wrap to the inside of them in the winter for added protection Do not use fabric that can get damp as this will draw the heat out of the hutch. If large enclosures like sheds/playhouses have gaps around the top area you can stuff them with bubble wrap to stop drafts. Just make sure its out of reach of your rabbits. Location of the hutch Move your rabbit hutch to a place that is protected from the prevailing winter winds. Cold wind will freeze a rabbit far faster than the ambient temperature alone. The cage should be located in a sheltered area that affords protection from the wind, especially north winds. It should have a roof of some kind (many rabbit owners prefer roofing tin since it cannot be chewed) and, depending on the kind of shelter, will likely need protection on the sides. Wooden hutches with wire bottoms and wire fronts are great for cold weather because they offer protection on the top and three sides, though these also run the risk of being chewed by a bored rabbit. For maximum protection, a heavy canvas cover can be made for the front of the cage that will be rolled up during nice weather, but that can be put into place during wind, storms, and at night. Foremost of all considerations during cold weather is to keep your pet rabbit dry. Most breeds of rabbits have thick coats which are exceptional insulators against the weather, but if water reaches their skin they will be unable to stay warm. Keeping the animal safe from precipitation will remove the largest of these risks, but there are still others. Water dishes should be securely attached to the side of the cage so that the rabbit can not accidentally knock it over. Ideally, this dish will also be up off of the cage floor so that the rabbit does not run the risk of stepping in it. Wire-bottomed cages that will not allow waste or spilled food and water to sit within reach of the rabbit are ideal for staying clean and dry. This allows all waste to fall straight through the bars and get completely out of the cage. You may already keep your rabbits' hutch in a shed, garage or outbuilding year round, but if you do not, it is worth considering if you can do this over the winter months in order to make caring for them in the cold a little easier. Remember if you are planning to keep the hutch in a garage, that you should not use the same one that you park your car in as rabbits are extremely sensitive to the carbon monoxide and other toxins present in exhaust smoke. These hints and tips on winterizing the hutch are especially important if your rabbits will remain outside and exposed to the elements during the winter, but are also relevant when the hutch is kept inside as well. 2. Winterizing the Hutch Hutches need to be clean and dry. Rabbits can cope with the cold fairly well, but not dampness. Make sure you cover up your rabbit’s hutch at night to prevent any drafts. ⦁ A hutch can only provide protection if it's in good repair, so, if you haven't already, now is the time to make any repairs to your rabbit's home and make sure it's water tight. Start by checking the inside of your hutch for signs of water stains or damp that may indicate water is getting in. Signs of damp near the top of the hutch may indicate a problem with the roof or walls where as damp near the bottom may be an indication of water rising through the base of the hutch. ⦁ Look for gaps in the hutch walls - Check there are no gaps through which rain and wind can get in. Make sure the wood isn't damp or rotting, and reapply a rabbit-safe wood protecting coating every few years. You can also line the inside walls with newspaper. ⦁ Renew Preservative - The side walls of rabbit hutches also need to be weather proofed. The protective coating will wear and needs to be reapplied every few years - more if necessary. This will stop the damp entering the hutch and also protect the wood from rotting. To renew the stain/paint/varnish, give it a good brush with a stiff brush to remove and dirt and lose paint, sand it lightly, re-brush to remove any dust and then repaint. If you are painting over the same color you won't generally need as many coats as starting from scratch. Most water-based wood preservatives are pet safe. ⦁ Check the roofing felt of the hutch to make sure that it is watertight and in a good state of repair. Any wooden joints and planking should be dry, and show no sign of water marks of staining which might indicate that rain is seeping in from under the roof. ⦁ Make sure that all of the walls of the hutch are also in good condition, and suitably painted or varnished against the elements, as the roof is not the only area which can allow moisture and rain to penetrate your rabbits' home. Check inside and outside of the hutch carefully for any signs of water ingress, such as damp patches or tidemarks. ⦁ Damp and moisture can also enter the hutch from below, so make sure that the hutch is always raised from ground level or a sturdy base such as bricks or a table frame, in order to allow free circulation of air and avoid rising damp. ⦁ Move your rabbit hutch to a place that is protected from the prevailing winter winds. ⦁ Raise the hutch off the floor - Raise your hutch by placing bricks underneath, or by attaching long legs. This will help to prevent damp from the ground affecting the bottom of the hutch, and also stop ground frost freezing the base. It will also protect a hutch in an area that is likely to flood a little (obviously won't protect from severe flooding). Ideally rabbit hutches should be on long legs all the time to make it hard for predators to get near. ⦁ If the hutch is attached to a run, buy a waterproof cover to keep the run area dry. Use a tarp with eyelets so it can be secured in place over the hutch and run. If you don’t want to buy one, make your own by using something like plastic sheeting, tar paper or Plexiglas. ⦁ Put wind breaks up around the hutch and run. ⦁ If you have a Rabbit barn - Line your shed/barn to create a double wall and an extra layer of insulation. If your rabbits live in a shed or playhouse all the time, rather than a hutch, you can add insulation to the walls to help keeping it warm. ⦁ If your rabbits live in a shed then you can use a greenhouse heater to help keep the temperature above freezing. ⦁ Large mesh doors can be partially covered with clear Perspex or plastic, allowing your rabbit to see out and the sun to come in but preventing wind and rain from enter. Look for panels designed for greenhouses. Ventilation is still important though, so leave a gap of several inches for this. You will need to design the cover in order to provide protection from the cold and harsh winds while still ensuring that your rabbits are getting enough air. ⦁ Buy a ‘Snugglesafe Heatpad’. You warm it up in the microwave and it releases heat for a few hours, so you’ll need to reheat it a couple of times a day. ⦁ Add a low wattage heater to your shed, but make sure the rabbits can not get to the electrical cord. ⦁ Entrances should face south, away from the wind. If this is not possible, turn it around and put something in front to block the direct wind and rain Insulation ⦁ Cover the hutch on three sides with a down filled blanket. Make sure the side that is not covered has the most protection from the wind. Cover the down blanket with a waterproof tarp. Water is the next greatest threat to a rabbit in the winter. Wet fur does not insulate the rabbit and allows body heat to escape rapidly. ⦁ Put old blankets or carpets over the hutch and run, but under the tarpaulin for extra insulation. Make sure the rabbits cannot chew on these as this could result in an intestinal blockage. ⦁ Wrap the Hutches in Clear Plastic - I suggest clear plastic so that there is more sunlight coming into the hutches. Rabbits needs vitamin D just as much as we do. And they definitely will not mate without a good source of it. This can prove a challenge in early spring months. With that said, I did use tarps over many of our hutches. Just about anything can go around the hutches as long as it breaks the winter winds from coming in. Everyday lift the tarps and plastic up during the day, on one side, so that they rabbits can get extra sunlight. If your rabbits do not get enough sunlight, it can make them easily sick as well. ⦁ Stack With Straw - Your other option can be stacking straw around your hutches, but this can get pricey. Straw insulates as well as breaks the wind. Many people prefer this as it is the warmest option. In order for it to work properly, the straw needs to go on the outside of the hutch, otherwise the rabbits will burrow into it and rearrange it for you. ⦁ Use some cheap carpet samples for the rabbits to lay or sit on (make sure the edges aren’t fraying). Keep an eye on the samples to make sure the rabbits are not chewing on them. Nesting ⦁ Add extra straw to the hutch, especially in the area where the rabbits bed. Extra straw is another added layer of insulation for your pets. Straw is only $6 or so per bale. It's not that expensive to add extra if necessary. Because straw is an insulator, your rabbits can arrange it in their hutches the way they wish, and they will burrow into it to keep warm. Change this straw every other day to prevent moisture from building up in the sleeping area. Bedding needs to be warm and dry. Change it as frequently as you can. Cedar and pine shavings are not safe to use for bedding. The aromatic oils can be toxic to rabbits, raising their liver enzymes, and can cause death. Although the studies on this used un-kilned chips, so use caution and your discretion. Straw is safe and warmer than hay but will mold quickly so it must be changed often as moldy bedding can make your rabbit sick. Aspen bedding is a very good choice. Always use extra bedding in the the winter so your rabbit can have a place to burrow in and keep warm. ⦁ If the rabbits don't already have a nesting box, this is a perfect time to add one. Make sure that the rabbit has a nesting box available that is not much larger than the rabbit’s body size. This could be as simple as a shoe box with and entry cut into one side. The box can be lined with straw to provide greater warmth. If the box is too large, it will allow too much room for cold air to get in around the rabbit, especially to its less-protected feet. The box should allow for comfortable entrance and exit, with just enough space for the rabbit to turn around inside it. The rabbit’s body should fit snugly within the nesting materials when it curls up to sleep. This will allow the rabbit a warmer refuge during cold nights or windy days when bitter winds can easily come up through a wire bottom and freeze its feet. If your rabbit urinates in the sleeping area, get a litter tray which fits inside the cardboard box, this will help by making it easier for you to clean out and it’ll make the box last longer. Warning ⦁ Word of caution regarding cardboard box for rabbit to sleep in. I have seen rabbits nibble at the box and tear it apart so that the bedding was too thin to keep them warm. So if it is colder, it is possible for the rabbit to freeze to death during the night. Cold weather can be deadly for any animal, but with just a few precautions and a rabbit’s naturally well-insulated body, the animal can live warm and comfortable in even the coldest climates. We have never once lost a rabbit to the cold or winter months, and I feel like that's something to take pride in. However, it happens. Even to the best rabbit breeders and keepers. Sometimes, winter is just incredibly mean, and there could be other health issues that you were not aware of with your rabbit. Don't beat yourself up too much—just continue to strive for better! Rabbits survive in the wild further north than most other animals, but your pet rabbit relies on you to give it the advantages that allow their wild cousins to live throughout the year. 3. Water Supply RABBITS DRINK MORE WATER IN COLD WEATHER THAN IN HOT. BURNING CALORIES TO KEEP WARM CAUSES THEM TO DEHYDRATE. So be sure to check the water supply frequently. The rabbit's body is made up of 50 to 75 percent water. Water forms the basis of blood and digestive fluids, and is contained in tissue, fat and bones. The rabbit's body can’t store extra water, and needs a fresh supply every day to make up for losses from the lungs, skin, urine and feces. Water is vital for most bodily functions, including: ⦁ Maintaining the health and integrity of every cell in the body. ⦁ Helping eliminate the byproducts of the body’s metabolism, such as electrolytes and urea. ⦁ Moistening mucous membranes, such as those of the lungs and mouth. ⦁ Lubricating and cushioning joints. ⦁ Aiding in digestion and preventing fecal impaction. ⦁ Carrying nutrients and oxygen to cells. ⦁ Keeping the bloodstream fluid enough to flow through blood vessels. ⦁ Serving as a shock absorber inside the eyes, spinal cord and in the amniotic sac surrounding the fetus in pregnancy. Rabbits cannot endure water deprivation for more then 24 hours (even less during hot weather) without serious health consequences. Simply put, rabbits must have access to fresh, clean water at all times in order to thrive. Rabbits should be given pure water to drink, from the same source as you'd use for drinking water. Water in Winter The biggest concern for rabbits in cold weather is keeping their water liquid. It can be difficult to keep your rabbit supplied with water in freezing temperatures. Especially in the cold, it does not take rabbits long to suffer severe dehydration and they must have access to water at all times. While most rabbit owners prefer water bottles with a ball-activated tube so that rabbits always have clean water to drink, these can be hazardous during the winter. The thin metal tube freezes much faster than the water in the bottle, so caretakers may believe that their rabbit still has drinkable water when the tube is frozen solid. Most people choose to carry out warm water twice a day to their rabbits. ⦁ A plain dish, or a dish that uses a 20-ounce or 1-liter plastic bottle for its supply, is preferable. The wider mouth of these bottles does not freeze as easily. If heated dishes that the rabbit can not chew are available, the water can be kept from freezing altogether. ⦁ Place a water dish in a sheltered area inside the cage, enough above the floor to keep it from being stepped in or spilled. Fill the water every day and check it several times during the day, especially in very cold weather. The heat from the rabbit’s body inside a well-sheltered cage can often be sufficient to keep the water from freezing, or will slow the rate of freezing. ⦁ Putting your water supply near a light bulb is sometimes a sufficient low cost solution ⦁ I have an automatic watering system made of PVC pipe which we wrap with insulating foam. The problem is that the brass fittings in the waterer itself freezes. There is nothing worse than broken pipes. After a few years of mistakes, I have found that it was safer to turn the water supply off all together when temps are expected in the 20's and below. In the evening, I go out with several gallons of warm water and fill the reservoir and turn the water back on during warm winter day. One easy way of keeping water lines in an automatic watering system is by using a heating coil which one would usually use to keep pipes thawed. If you are running your water from a main water tank, you might also be able to use a bubbler for an aquarium or a small aquarium or pond heater. This year I plan to run a pump through the water lines back to the reservoir with a heater in the reservoir. ⦁ Invest in a thermal water bottle cover. This will keep the water in the bottle warm longer, so the rabbits will have more time to drink it. Check the water at least twice a day and fill it with room temp water. DIY by wrapping the bottle up with bubble wrap and an old sock or using insulators designed for wine bottles. ⦁ I am not fancy enough to have heated water bottles, so when we shut down the auto water system, or it froze, we must check on our rabbits twice a day to switch out water. Before the auto system, we used water bottles, but the metal spout on water bottles freezes too quickly, so in the winter months we exchange our bottles for crocks. In the event that they freeze, the rabbits can still lick the ice. I would change the water in the morning and evening — they must be changed twice a day in order for your rabbits to remain healthy. ⦁ I have found it easier to fill a bucket up with all the frozen crocks, swap them with fresh unfrozen crocks, and put the bucket with frozen crocks inside to let the crocks thaw. I highly suggest using plastic or metal crocks. Ceramic ones can crack and break easily. ⦁ Crocks stay unfrozen longer than water bottles because the spout on the water bottle freezes quickly. Also, the rabbits can lick the ice in the crock if they really need to. ⦁ If you use bottles then it's helpful to have a spare bottle(s) so you can leave one inside whilst the ice defrosts and use the spare, it's much easier that trying to chop the ice out. The plastic bottles tend to become brittle in the cold and are more likely to crack or shatter, so it's handy to have a back up too. ⦁ If you get caught unprepared, large tuna cans will work. Just make sure to crimp or smooth down any rough edges. ⦁ Heated Pet Bowl - This bowl is heated to prevent water freezing, but will require an electricity connection and you'll need to hide the wire in trunking to prevent chewing. Do NOT underestimate how important it is to water your rabbits twice a day when it is icy. Dehydration can kill your rabbits extremely quickly. 4. Feed in Winter Keep in mind that outdoor rabbits may need more food during the winter months; they use more energy heating themselves so need to take in more energy through their food. Rabbits need more calories to keep up their weight in the winter. You may also want to keep an eye on their body condition to make sure they don’t gain weight. Rabbits in winter can get fat and then have trouble getting pregnant come springtime! The best way to manage this is to monitor your rabbits weight, to see if they are maintaining a healthy body weight. Any changes in diet need to happen slowly. As always, be careful with the treats because sudden changes in diet can kill your rabbit. Offer one new item at a time and slowly increase the amount. It’s a good idea to start around early fall to be ready for winter. ⦁ Feed needs to available at all times. Hay and feed should be slightly increased as they will need the extra calories in the winter to maintain their body weight. Black Oil Sunflower Seeds Black Oil Sunflower Seeds are a treat for rabbits. Black oil sunflower seeds are high energy foods. You can sprinkle them on top of their regular food, or increase their ratio if you mix your own feed. We want it to be a "treat", rather than a "meal", because if they were to feed on too much every day, they would be extremely over-weight. Black oil sunflower seeds causes your rabbit to gain fat in their body. While this is bad for mating, this is wonderful insulation for their body in the winter months. Consider giving them a few extra handfuls of Black oil sunflower seeds each month to help them gain a little weight to keep warm. Rolled Oats Rolled oats are a high energy food. You can sprinkle them on top of their regular food, or increase their ratio if you mix your own feed. Add ACV to their Water Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) will help keep their bodies alkaline and healthy in the cold months. Make sure you use organic ACV with the Mother. In fact, it's a great way to keep them healthy all of the time. I find that we tend to give it to them more in the winter, however. The measurement should be 1 tbs. to a gallon of water. Or you can just top off each crock or bottle with a few drops. This doesn't need to be an everyday ritual, but can be done several times a week. 5. If you find that you have a litter in the winter months... Many good rabbit mamas will tend very well to her babies, as long as she has the proper tools. Make sure you are feeding her plenty of food, because not only is she trying to keep her body warm, she is also going to eat more while pregnant and nursing. Given a good amount of straw, she will do just fine. But make sure you are giving her straw every few days as necessary, as she will build and re-build her nest as her babies grow. If you have good mothers they should pull plenty of fur to keep the babies warm even if it’s below freezing. The greatest danger is to newborn kits. Keep a close eye on any does who are due and make sure she pulls plenty of fur and gets all the babies into the nest box. If you find cold ones you may be able to resuscitate them if you start soon enough. 6. Exercise Rabbits still need exercise in winter so allow them to have a run around, or let them have a short time in the garden but make sure they don't get wet. Your rabbits will still need to stretch their legs and run about during the colder months, so try to allow for this during the warmer times of the day rather than early mornings and evenings. If your rabbits get very wet, dry them with a towel and let them warm up naturally indoors (do not put them by a heater which they can't move away from). Do as much insulating of their run as possible so they can still go in it, and try and move it somewhere where it will get some winter sunshine. Avoid trips into the house in the winter. Bunnies can handle the cold, but they can’t handle extreme and sudden changes in temperature. A cold basement might be the exception to that. 7. Hibernation Rabbits don't hibernate, If you rabbits become lethargic and limp, they are too cold. Get them inside a warmer space immediately and get their body temperature back up, and take it to the vet. If a rabbit is inactive and doesn’t eat, you know it’s an emergency! Closing Do a health check up on your rabbits at least daily over the winter. Be sure to check them for any signs of coughing, obstructed breathing or mucus discharge around the eyes or nose. Rabbits can get colds and will need to be treated. It doesn’t take long to give your rabbits a quick health check. Obviously, don’t let your rabbit get wet, that’s a great way to end up with a sick or dead rabbit. Outdoor bunnies rely on their owners to keep them safe in all kinds of weather. They are silent creatures and can't bark or ask you for help so please keep a close eye on your rabbits. Any changes or anything you may be worried about, phone your vet. With just a little extra care you should be able to keep your rabbits comfy all winter. I can’t say the same for your hands when breaking the ice out of their crocks though! This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. It is not meant to substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, or formal and individualized advice from a veterinary medical professional. Animals exhibiting signs and symptoms of distress should be seen by a veterinarian immediately. https://www.saveafluff.co.uk/rabbit-info/winter-care-for-rabbits http://www.therabbithouse.com/outdoor/rabbitwinter.asp https://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/preparing-rabbits-for-winter-zbcz1601 https://farmingmybackyard.com/winter-rabbit-care/ http://www.crossroadsrabbitry.com/winter-care-tips-for-your-rabbit/ https://bunnyapproved.com/winter-bunnies-how-to-protect-rabbits-from-the-cold/ http://blog.rabbitholehay.com/winterizing-your-rabbit-hutch-for-winter https://www.thecapecoop.com/getting-rabbits-ready-for-winter/ https://www.cuteness.com/article/keep-rabbits-warm-winter-rabbit-hutch https://pethelpful.com/rabbits/Tips-for-Keeping-Pet-Rabbits-Outdoors-in-Cold-Weather https://www.pets4homes.co.uk/pet-advice/caring-for-your-rabbits-during-the-winter.html https://barbibrownsbunnies.com/winter/ https://www.raisingrabbitsformeat.com/preparing-rabbits-for-winter/ Word of the Week - Receipt Brer Fox Catches Old Man Tarrypin A Georgia Folktale retold by S. E. Schlosser Well now, Brer Rabbit had made friends with Old Man Tarrypin, a big turtle that lived in the pond near his house. Brer Rabbit and Old Man Tarrypin liked to pull tricks on Brer Fox, and that rascally fellow got pretty mad about it. Since he couldn't catch Brer Rabbit nohow, Brer Fox decided that he'd get even with Old Man Tarrypin instead. He started walking beside the pond every day, hoping to find the turtle out of the water. One morning, as he was taking his daily stroll, Brer Fox saw Old Man Tarrypin sitting right in the center of the road. The old turtle looked hot and bothered about something. He kept shaking his head back and forth and he was panting like he was out of breath. "Howdy, Brer Tarrypin," said Brer Fox, stopping beside the old turtle. "What's the matter wid you?" "I was a-strolling in the field beside my pond when the farmer came along and set it on fire," Old Man Tarrypin gasped. "I had to run and run, but that ol' fire was faster than me, so I curled up in my shell while it passed right over me! My shell is hotter than the noon-day sun, and I think I done singed my tail!" "Let me have a look," said Brer Fox. So Old Man Tarrypin uncurled his tail and poked it out of his shell. Immediately, Brer Fox grabbed him by the tail and swung him right off the ground. "I gotcha now, Brer Tarrypin," cried Brer Fox. "You ain't gonna bother me no more!" Well, Old Man Tarrypin begged and begged Brer Fox not to drown him. He'd rather go back into the fire in the field on account of he'd kind of gotten used to being burned. Brer Fox swung the poor old turtle back and forth by his tail, trying to decide what to do. Putting Old Man Tarrypin into the fire was a tempting idea, but then he remembered how the old turtle had curled up into his shell so the fire couldn't touch him. Brer Fox frowned. Fire was no good, then. Brer Fox decided to drown Old Man Tarrypin instead. He tucked the turtle under his arm and carried him down to the springhouse by the pond. "Please, oh please don't drown me," Old Man Tarrypin begged. "I ain't making no promises," Brer Fox retorted. "You've played too many tricks on me, Brer Tarrypin." Brer Fox thrust him into the water and began bouncing him up and down. "Oh, I is drowning," shouted Old Man Tarrypin when his head bounced out of the water. "Don't let go of my tail, Brer Fox or I'll be drowned for sure!" "That's the idea, Brer Tarrypin," Brer Fox yelled back and let go of his tail. Immediately Old Man Tarrypin splashed down and down into the water and thumped onto the mud on the bottom, kerplicky-splat. That's when Brer Fox remembered that Old Man Tarrypin lived in the pond, and there was never any fear of him drowning, nohow! He could hear him laughing from the bottom of the pond: "I-dare-ya-ta- come-down-'ere". Brer Fox jumped up and down in fury. Old Man Tarrypin had escaped him! From the other side of the pond, Brer Bull Frog called out: "Knee-deep! Knee-deep!" Brer Fox glared at the pond, and then looked back at Brer Bull Frog. "It's only knee-deep?" he asked suspiciously. "Knee-deep, knee-deep!" Brer Bull Frog said again. All the little frogs joined in the chorus then. "Better-believe-it! Better-believe-it!" Well, thought Brer Fox, if it was only knee deep, then he'd have no trouble catching Old Man Tarrypin. "Wade-in, wade-in!" croaked Brer Bull Frog. "Knee-deep, knee-deep!" agreed all the little frogs. Brer Fox didn't much like water, but he really wanted to catch Old Man Tarrypin. He approached the edge of the pond cautiously. From underneath the water, Old Man Tarrypin laughed at him, and his words bubbled up to Brer Fox: "I-dare-ya-ta- come-down-'ere! I-dare-ya-ta- come-down-'ere." Well. That did it. Brer Fox ran right up to the edge of the pond. Leaning over, he looked into the water and saw another fox staring at him. "Dat's-your-brother! Dat's-your-brother," Brer Bull Frog told Brer Fox. Brer Fox was thrilled. He didn't know he had a brother. Now that there were two foxes, catching Old Man Tarrypin would be a cinch! Brer Fox leaned down to shake hands with his new-found brother, and toppled right down into the deep water of the pond. All of the frogs laughed and laughed at the trick they had played on Brer Fox, and Old Man Tarrypin started swimming up from the bottom of the pond, his red eyes fixed on Brer Fox's tail. Brer Fox knew that the old turtle wanted to pull him down under that water and drown him, so he learned to swim mighty quick! With much splashing and squirming and kicking, Brer Fox made it to the edge of the pond, where he jumped out and ran away as fast as he could, while Brer Bull Frog laughed and the little frogs shouted with glee. The last thing he heard as he rounded the corner was the voice of Old Man Tarrypin calling: "I-dare-ya-ta- come-down-'ere". Brer Fox never messed with Old Man Tarrypin again. http://americanfolklore.net/folklore/2010/07/brer_fox_catches_old_man_tarry.html BOSS - Black Oil Sunflower Seeds Sunflower, Helianthus, is only one of many plants that rabbits find attractive. The rabbits will eat every part of sunflowers, including the seeds and flowers. https://www.hunker.com/13406359/natural-remedy-to-keep-rabbits-from-eating-sunflowers Helianthus or sunflower (/ˌhiːliˈænθəs/)[2] is a genus of plants comprising about 70 species.[3][4] Except for three species in South America, all Helianthus species are native to North America. The common name, "sunflower", typically refers to the popular annual species Helianthus annuus, or the common sunflower, whose round flower heads in combination with the ligules look like the sun.[5] This and other species, notably Jerusalem artichoke (H. tuberosus), are cultivated in temperate regions and some tropical regions as food crops for humans, cattle, and poultry, and as ornamental plants.[6] Perennial sunflower species are not as popular for gardens due to their tendency to spread rapidly and become invasive. The whorled sunflower, H. verticillatus, was listed as an endangered species in 2014 when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a final rule protecting it under the Endangered Species Act. The primary threats are industrial forestry and pine plantations in Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee. They grow to 1.8 m (6 ft) and are primarily found in woodlands, adjacent to creeks and moist, prairie-like areas.[7] Contents 1 Description 2 Production 3 Diversity 4 Gallery 5 References 6 External links 7 See also Description Close-up of a sunflower Close-up of a sunflower The disk of a sunflower is made up of many little flowers. The ray flowers here are dried up. A field of sunflowers in North Carolina Sunflowers are usually tall annual or perennial plants that in some species can grow to a height of 300 cm (120 in) or more. They bear one or more wide, terminal capitula (flower heads), with bright yellow ray florets at the outside and yellow or maroon (also known as a brown/red) disc florets inside. Several ornamental cultivars of H. annuus have red-colored ray florets; all of them stem from a single original mutant.[8] During growth, sunflowers tilt during the day to face the sun, but stop once they begin blooming. This tracking of the sun in young sunflower heads is called heliotropism. By the time they are mature, sunflowers generally face east.[9] The rough and hairy stem is branched in the upper part in wild plants, but is usually unbranched in domesticated cultivars. The petiolate leaves are dentate and often sticky. The lower leaves are opposite, ovate, or often heart-shaped. They are distinguished technically by the fact that the ray florets (when present) are sterile, and by the presence on the disk flowers of a pappus that is of two awn-like scales that are caducous (that is, easily detached and falling at maturity). Some species also have additional shorter scales in the pappus, and one species lacks a pappus entirely. Another technical feature that distinguishes the genus more reliably, but requires a microscope to see, is the presence of a prominent, multicellular appendage at the apex of the style. Sunflowers are especially well known for their symmetry based on Fibonacci numbers and the golden angle.[citation needed] Quite a bit of variability is seen among the perennial species that make up the bulk of those in the genus. Some have most or all of the large leaves in a rosette at the base of the plant and produce a flowering stem that has leaves that are reduced in size. Most of the perennials have disk flowers that are entirely yellow, but a few have disk flowers with reddish lobes. One species, H. radula, lacks ray flowers altogether. Helianthus species are used as food plants by the larvae of many lepidopterans. The seeds of H. annuus are used as human food. Production Ukraine and Russia were top sunflower producers of the world in 2017. They contributed half of the sunflower seed production globally, which is approximately 23 MMT altogether.[10] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helianthus Rabbits love black oil sunflower seeds (BOSS). They are a great winter tonic! I only feed BOSS to my rabbits in the cooler months, as it is a high calorie, high fat, “hot” feed. So it keeps them warm and shiny, great for a dry winter coat. This helps by putting the oil back into their coats. I am talking about the black oil sunflower seeds, not the striped seeds. The striped seeds have thicker, tougher hulls. Black oil seeds have thinner shells and are more nutritious. Black oil sunflower seeds contain high levels of protein are rich in vitamin E, linoleic acid and provide a good source of fiber. Rabbits benefit from this snack seed as a high source of energy during cold temperatures. I do not recommend using BOSS during the heat of the summer (June, July, and August here in Maine, it may be longer in your area). I feel that if fed during hot weather it will make them shed more and could cause gut troubles by hair blockage. But if you have a rabbit that is stuck in a molt, then this is a great additive to add to your rabbits diet. By adding the extra calories and protein this will get them to blow their coat and get in new growth. If rabbits are overfed BOSS or fed to often this can also trigger a molt so feed in moderation. This is used as a tonic not a feed! Her are the general nutritional components of black oil sunflower seeds, I also listed some of the benefits of each next to the item 28 percent fat – Fat in a rabbits diet functions as an energy source, aids in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K). It also adds luster and gloss to the fur and helps slow shedding. 25 percent fiber – This helps provide the bulk and forage requirements for a rabbit and also promoting a healthy gut. 15 percent protein – Protein is need for the growth, disease resistance, milk production, general health and reproduction. Calcium – Calcium plays a key role in bodily processes, such as heart function, muscle contraction, coagulation, and electrolyte levels in the blood. But you do not want excess calcium in a rabbits diet as this can cause urinary tract problems. B vitamins- A rabbit produces its own b vitamin by bacteria in the hind-gut of the rabbit, their requirements are fulfilled through caecotrophy. So B is not very important to a domestic rabbit. Iron- Vitamin E – helps to remove toxins out of your rabbit’s body this helps to maintain the immune system. Potassium- Rabbit need this when they’re sick as they lose potassium through watery feces. Feeding rabbits BOSS- Rabbits should only be fed BOSS as condition mix or tonic treat, 6 seeds per a rabbit top dressed in the feed hopper or crock is enough! DO NOT OVERFEED! You do not want fat lazy rabbits. Feed with the hulls on this is a good added fiber for the rabbits digestive track. Some show breeders feed BOSS as a daily conditioner one week before a show. I do not think you should add them to a bulk bag of feed because you will not be able to control the amount of BOSS each of your rabbits consumes. Black oil sunflower seeds are not a complete source of nutrition for your rabbit, offering only a few necessary nutrients your rabbit needs. These should only be offered as part of a rabbit’s diet, not the sole source of nutrition. Vitamins A and E are vulnerable to poor or prolonged storage in feeds. Both of these vitamins are needed for the willingness and ability of rabbits to breed. Instead of increasing the pellets, I suggest feeding about a tablespoon of black oil sunflower seeds for Vitamin E and a good handful of dark leafy greens (dandelions, plantain, raspberry,and Kale are fine) for Vitamin A. If the rabbits have never had greens, start with just a couple of leaves and work up to more to help with those unwilling does. One of the things I like about the BOSS is that even rabbits who are “off their feed” will nibble at them. When I got my first Angoras many years ago I tried adding BOSS to their diet and the results could be noticed by coat growth and quality, I can only assume it is from more protein-rich foods. Coat growth in Angoras or any wool breed uses a lot of protein to keep the fiber growing having a little extra to burn is making their fiber thick, dense, and soft. PROS- They are packed with nutrition, amino acids, and calories, so they are a great supplement for almost any rabbit to one degree or another. They do help with shiny coats also. The side benefit is the volunteer sunflowers that sprout. I grew some out this summer (Will be growing a plot of the in 2013) and saved the seed heads, then pulled the plant and gave it to the rabbits as a green treat in the cages. They would not only eat the leaves, but they would gnaw the stems until it was all gone! CONS- Not to many, but possibly too high in protein and calories, which could cause heat issues during summer months. If fed too much too often maybe some weight gain, and molting problems. I believe the positives of BOSS out weight the negatives. Definitely feed with shells as they add necessary fiber and are easy to chew through for rabbits. Black oil sunflower seeds often stimulate your rabbit to gain weight due to their high fat content. This extra body weight helps rabbits maintain their body temperature in the winter, fall, and spring months. Your rabbit may not need to maintain as much body heat in the summer months, so consider cutting back the amount of black oil sunflower seeds your rabbit consumes during those months. https://riseandshinerabbitry.com/2012/11/25/feeding-rabbits-black-oil-sunflower-seeds/   Arthritis due to Bacterial Infection in Rabbits Septic Arthritis in Rabbits Arthritis is the general medical term for inflamed joints. Septic arthritis, on the other hand, is a condition that occurs when bacteria infects one or more of the rabbit’s joints. There is no age, breed, or gender predisposition for septic arthritis in rabbits. Symptoms and Types Sluggish behavior Lameness Anorexia Joint pain and swelling Warmth emanating from the joints Decreased range of motion Signs of infection (e.g., urinary tract infection or dental disease) Causes Pyogenic bacteria causes septic arthritis. There are many types of pyogenic bacteria, including staphylococci, pasteurella, and anaerobic bacteria (which can survive without oxygen). These bacteria may lead to an infection in the body and can also migrate to the joints, where they cause septic arthritis. There are some characteristics that may put an animal at higher risk for developing septic arthritis. These include long-term (chronic) cases of bacterial infection, traumatic injuries to the joints, and immunosuppressive disorders (immune system does not function properly). Some other sources of infection may include dental disease, an infection of the upper respiratory tract, or a wound. Diagnosis A rabbit with a history of upper respiratory tract infection, dental disease, or previous traumatic wound – such as bite wound – may suggest septic arthritis. If septic arthritis is suspected, a number of tests can be done by the veterinarian. An analysis of fluid taken from around the joints (synovial fluid analysis) may reveal characteristics of septic arthritis, such as an increased volume of fluid or the presence of bacteria. These fluid samples are submitted for testing so the type of bacterium may be pinpointed and treated accordingly. Alternate tests include X-rays and a urine analysis. Treatment When treating the rabbits, it is essential to treat the primary cause in order to cure septic arthritis. In most cases, antibiotics are prescribed to fight the infectious agent, although sometimes surgery is required. Living and Management There are a few things you can do to make your rabbit more comfortable and improve its condition. Soft bedding, for instance, can help increase the time of recovery from surgery. And activity should be restricted until the pet's symptoms have resolved. It is also essential to ensure that the rabbit is eating throughout recovery; offer fresh foods such as moist greens and good-quality grass hay. If the veterinarian prescribes medication, follow the instructions carefully. In particular, antibiotics are generally administered long-term. There is also a danger of residual degenerative joint disease -- a chronic condition that causes the cartilage surrounding the joints to deteriorate – as a result of septic arthritis. Prevention Because of the many causes which lead to septic arthritis in rabbits, listing all the preventative measures would be impossible. However, it would be wise to keep the rabbit safe and away from potentially dangerous situations to avoid wounds; also, clean its cage regularly. https://www.petmd.com/rabbit/conditions/musculoskeletal/c_rb_arthritis_septic   © Copyrighted

In Episode 103 of CasterQuest Hosts Mandy and Erik discuss Chapter 88 “Listening”- of “The Wise Man’s Fear” the second…

What is up Riot Gang?! This week, Rob Boyland of Boyland Sauce Co. came back to bring us our 2nd hot sauce challenge called, "The Moistening, Part 2". For the most part everyone survived, right up until the dried Ghost Peppers came out. Then things got interesting. We also did our 2nd "Podcast Spotlight". This time we talked to Pappy and Big C of, "Bolts With the Boys". They have a post-game hockey podcast based around the Tampa Bay Lightning. Super cool guys. You shouldn't miss this one. Enjoy!

From a constitutional perspective, it appears that most herbal medicines have a drying effect upon the tissues. Whether it's from increasing urination, exocrine gland secretions, sweating.... there are many ways that herbs lead to fluids leaving the body and this ultimately has a net drying effect. Thus, knowing your moistening materia medica is critical for success as an herbalist and a formulator, especially in our modern world where there is a great prevalence of constitutional dryness. Cross comparing different traditional models of dryness, we see that in Chinese Medicine it is referred to as Yin Deficiency. In Ayurveda dryness is governed by the Vata Dosha, which also tends to be cold and tense. From the perspective of our western herbal energetic model, this would be classified as the Dry/Atrophy tissue state, characterized by weakness, emaciation, withering tissues that are malnourished and loosing function. I remember one time Michael Tierra commented in a lecture that Yin Deficiency is likely one of the most overlooked patterns by western herbalists and will usually be an obstacle to cure. If the herbs you are giving aren't working and should be working then it's likely you have an underlying Yin Deficiency to correct.  In regards to herbal formulation, knowing your moistening remedies is critical because most herbal remedies are drying in nature. There are often times you want to give someone a certain herb, but the moisture quality of the herb may not match that of the person. It doesn't mean you can't give that herb to them, you simply need to formulate it in a way that will bring it into greater balance for that person.  This is a formulation principle we see in the Unani-Tibb system (Arabic medicine) called corrigents. This is oftentimes seen as just adding certain herbs to formulas to make them taste better, but in actuality the principle of corrigents is adding remedies to an herbal formula to correct its underlying energetics or constitutional actions. In this episode, I share some core concepts of dryness in the body, how and why to use moistening remedies and a few of my favorite examples.  ———————————— CONNECT WITH SAJAH AND WHITNEY ———————————— To get free in depth mini-courses and videos, visit our blog at: http://www.evolutionaryherbalism.com Get daily inspiration and plant wisdom on our Facebook and Instagram channels: http://www.facebook.com/EvolutionaryHerbalism https://www.instagram.com/evolutionary_herbalism/ Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyP63opAmcpIAQg1M9ShNSQ ———————————— ABOUT SAJAH ———————————— Sajah Popham, founder of Organic Unity and The School of Evolutionary Herbalism, is committed to creating a new paradigm of plant medicine anchored in herbal, medical, and spiritual traditions from around the world. His work integrates the science and spirit of herbal medicine, creating a system that is equally holistic, healing and transformational. His unique synthesis bridges herbalism not only east and west, but north & south, above & below, into a universal philosophy that encompasses indigenous wisdom, Ayurveda, western Alchemy and Spagyrics, Astrology, clinical herbalism, and modern pharmacology.  Sajah's vitalist approach utilizes plants not only for physical healing and rejuvenation, but for the evolution of consciousness. He never allopathicallyl focuses on just what a plant is “good for” but rather who the plants are as sentient beings. Sajah’s teachings embody a heartfelt respect, honor and reverence for the vast intelligence of plants in a way that empowers us to look deeper into the nature of our medicines and ourselves. He lives in southern Oregon with his wife where he teaches at his school, makes spagyric medicines, and practices his healing art. For more information about his products and programs, visit www.organic-unity.com & www.evolutionaryherbalism.com  ———————————— ABOUT THE PLANT PATH ———————————— The Plant Path provides unique perspectives for the modern practitioner of herbalism that doesn’t just want to “fix what’s broken” in the body, but seeks to serve others with deeper levels of healing and transformation with herbal medicines. A unique synergy of clinical herbalism, alchemy, medical astrology, and herbal traditions from around the world, The Plant Path focuses on giving you a truly “wholistic” perspective on herbal medicine so you never fall into the trap of allopathic herbalism.

This week we are going to explore rabbits and water.   Now about three weeks ago I installed an new automatic rabbit watering system with 1/2 inch PVC and nipple waterers all hooked to a float system hooked to a garden hose. The result of my efforts is a bit of an experiment involving some creativity in providing a constant source of water for my rabbits, while not requiring that I tend to their water needs manually every day. Before I explain that system, we are going to discuss water and other systems to water your rabbits. Hello Listener! Thank you for listening. If you would like to support the podcast, and keep the lights on, you can support us whenever you use Amazon through the link below: It will not cost you anything extra, and I can not see who purchased what. Or you can become a Fluffle Supporter by donating through Patreon.com at the link below: Patreon/Hare of the Rabbit What's this Patreon? Patreon is an established online platform that allows fans to provide regular financial support to creators. Patreon was created by a musician who needed a easy way for fans to support his band. What do you need? Please support Hare of the Rabbit Podcast financially by becoming a Patron. Patrons agree to a regular contribution, starting at $1 per episode. Patreon.com takes a token amount as a small processing fee, but most of your money will go directly towards supporting the Hare of the Rabbit Podcast. You can change or stop your payments at any time. Thank you for your support,   WATER IS THE MOST IMPORTANT NUTRIENT Although it seems almost like an afterthought when you consider rabbit care, potable and abundant water is vital for a rabbit to remain healthy. Rabbits should have constant access to water. The amount they drink varies greatly depending on the environment and their diet. A medium sized rabbit will drink around 50-300ml per day. Rabbits fed fresh foods or allowed to graze on grass will obtain much of their water requirement from this and may drink up 50% less than rabbits only fed on dry foods. Rabbits may also drink more in hot weather. Rabbits require a lot more water than comparable species. For example, in one day a 5-pound rabbit drinks as much water as a 24-pound dog. In fact, the average rabbit consumes between 50 and 150 milliliters of water per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight per day. The rabbit's body is made up of 50 to 75 percent water. Water forms the basis of blood and digestive fluids, and is contained in tissue, fat and bones. The rabbit's body can’t store extra water, and needs a fresh supply every day to make up for losses from the lungs, skin, urine and feces. Water is vital for most bodily functions, including: ⦁ Maintaining the health and integrity of every cell in the body. ⦁ Helping eliminate the byproducts of the body’s metabolism, such as electrolytes and urea. ⦁ Moistening mucous membranes, such as those of the lungs and mouth. ⦁ Lubricating and cushioning joints. ⦁ Aiding in digestion and preventing fecal impaction. ⦁ Carrying nutrients and oxygen to cells. ⦁ Keeping the bloodstream fluid enough to flow through blood vessels. ⦁ Serving as a shock absorption inside the eyes, spinal cord and in the amniotic sac surrounding the fetus in pregnancy. Rabbits cannot endure water deprivation for more then 24 hours (even less during hot weather) without serious health consequences. Simply put, rabbits must have access to fresh, clean water at all times in order to thrive. Rabbits should be given pure water to drink, from the same source as you'd use for drinking water. This may seem boring to humans used to a wide range of beverages but it is the most natural and healthy option. Be wary of vitamins added to the water which may encourage your rabbit to drink excessively and are generally unnecessary if your rabbit eats a healthy diet. If you do use them and find your rabbit empties it's bowl/bottle after vitamins are added then refill the with plain water until the following day. Excess water and excess vitamins can effect your rabbits health. The only exception to this rule is for sick rabbits at risk of dehydration when a small amount of pure unsweetened apple or carrot juice added to the water may encourage drinking. What kind of water is best? Most people offer their rabbits tap water. It is fresh, contains important minerals, and is generally safe to drink if you live in the US. If you suspect or fear bacteria or excessive amounts of chlorine, nitrate, or lead in the water (either due to the region you live in, a recent warning, or old pipes that may leak), filtering it before offering it to your bun can help reduce any risks. Water that has been sitting in the pipes for a while is also more likely to be contaminated, so letting it run for a minute or two before filling the bowl is a good idea. Also, using water from the “cold” tap is better, because there is a greater probability that hot water contains pollutants from the hot water tank. If you live in a region with “hard” water full of calcium and have a rabbit that has kidney or bladder issues, you might want to filter the water or switch to bottled water instead. Volvic, Pure Life, or Deer Park are generally low on calcium and nitrates and are widely available brands. If you are worried for yourself or your bunnies, testing the water is easy. Your water supplier might do it for you free of charge. Just give them a call! If not, there are testing kits available online as well as online service providers. According to the EPA, you should receive an annual report about your water in the mail. You might also be able to read about it online. Some pet stores offer special water or nutrients that can be added to water. These are not recommended, because they are unnatural and contain way too many (synthetic) vitamins and minerals to be considered healthy. Unless your vet recommends one due to health issues, these should be avoided. Rain water collected outside, either consumed from a puddle or brought inside in a bowl is not a good idea. This water contains dirt and harmful substances that have not been filtered. Well water is slightly better, because it mostly contains ground water filtered by layers of rocks and soil. However, it is difficult to control and keep harmful substances out for sure. Water Temperature Rabbits are very sensitive to sudden changes in temperature, so it’s best to offer water at room temperature. Rabbit Water Bottles A 600ml water bottle should provide adequate water for two small-medium rabbits for 24 hrs. If you've got multiple rabbits or the drink a lot, I'd suggest multiple bottles rather than bigger ones. It's also a good idea to consider a second bottle in summer, to provides a back up in case the water runs out and also if the bottle is knocked off. This is particularly useful if you work or are out during the day and unable to check on your rabbits. There are two common types of spout on water bottles. The standard type are composed of a metal tube with several balls inside. Gravity locks the ball in the end of the tube until the rabbit it licks it pushing the ball up and allowing water to fall past. The most popular brand is Lixit (32oz $5 via Amazon). These bottles are cheap and readily available, but they can be prone to leaking and some rabbits also find them frustrating and will bite & pull at the ends. The other variety have a non drip sippy spout. These are also quieter so great if your rabbit is near your bedroom at you don't want to be woken in the middle of the night. This style bottle are generally made with wider tops that make filling and cleaning easier too. They do tend to be more expensive to purchase but are very durable. Ferplast sippy bottle ($15 Amazon) are the most readily available. Attaching a Water Bottle Most bottles are sold with a simple wire with hocks bent at the end to attach them to the cage/hutch mesh. Whilst these work they can be difficult to get on and off and position correctly to secure the bottle. A bottle spring, which is a spring with a hook each end which can be pulled back to slide the bottle in and out, makes changing water easier. Bicycle Water Bottle Cage If you need to attach a bottle in an area when there is no mesh the you can use bottle holders designed for cyclists. You will need to take a bottle with you to test to get the correct size. Keep in mind that attaching the bottle on the inside where you rabbit has access means that they are susceptible to chewing. Bottles can be cleaned using a bottle brush. A more thorough cleaning can be done using sterilizing tablets sold for use on babies bottles. This type of cleaning should be done on any second hand bottles before use. In winter water bottles are prone to freezing. There are a wide range of insulated bottle covers available designed to prevent this. They all do basically the same thing, just double check they will fit the style of bottle you have. The Scratch n Newton Snug ($15 via Amazon) is a little more expensive than some but it's the most versatile I've found. It will fit round and square bottle of various sizes easily and it comes with a piece of stretchy elastic with hooks for attaching the bottle to the hutch mesh (which I find much easier to use than the standard bent wire bottle attachments). If you are on a budget, you can also make your own using bubble wrap and an old wool sock. Although the covers protect the bottle, the spout can also freeze, so check the bottle regularly to make sure water still comes out. Check the sipper tubes regularly to ensure that the water flow is unobstructed and free-flowing when touched. Check also for leaks underneath the bottle; a leaky bottle is often a sign that the sipper mechanism is clogged. Algae requires light for growth so you can prevent build up by placing an opaque cover over it. This does have the draw back of making it difficult to see the water level at a glance. Even though nothing can fall into a bottle and soil the water, it is much more difficult to clean, so bacteria and algae will often develop and soil any fresh water that gets added immediately. Water Bowl In the wild, rabbits will drink from water sources on the ground, so a water bowl is the most natural way of offering water to a bunny. A water bowl is undoubtedly a more natural way to drink and many rabbits will use them in preference to a bottle. The downside with water bowls is very easy for them to become soiled with bedding and litter, and can also be knocked over. Studies have shown that a rabbit with access to both a water bowl and a water bottle will prefer the bowl. It’s much easier to drink out of, because the water doesn’t come out one drop at a time. Also, a bottle forces the rabbit to tilt the head up in an unnatural position, making it highly uncomfortable. Bowls work best if your rabbit is indoors or you have room to place a bowl away from lose bedding/food or you are available to change the water regularly during the day. You can also provide both a bottle and a bowl so your rabbit has the option and a back up if they knock over their bowl. Which is what I started with in the beginning. Using a water bowl presents several problems. If a rabbit’s dewlap is constantly wet from leaning over the water bowl, it could develop a skin infection. Breeds with pronounced dewlaps should definitely use a sipper tube. Water bowls are also more prone to contamination with fecal material or urine. The bowl must be checked, cleaned and replenished several times per day (as necessary). If you use a bowl for your rabbit’s water, choose one that heavy enough to prevent the rabbit from tipping it over. Heavy ceramic bowls are the most rabbit-proof as plastic ones are often picked up and thrown around as toys. Ceramic might not be the snazziest colored bowls but they are easy to find, chunky and come in a range of sizes. One is 5" across and holds about 550ml but you can upgrade to dog sized if you need to hold more water. Be wary of placing ceramic bowls on a high level eg a second floor where they can be nudged over a ledge or down a ramp and get broken. Some rabbits love to throw their bowls around or manage to quickly fill it with bedding, hay, or other material. In those cases, try placing the bowl on a slightly elevated surface away from bedding and hay. Choosing a heavy water bowl filled with water should prevent the rabbit from throwing it around. Or you could also get a bowl that can be attached to a cage wall. The really good ones come with a special holder, so you don’t have to unscrew the whole thing when you need to clean and refill the bowl. If you do find you rabbits knocks their bowl over (or throw it) then a bowl that clips to the side of the cage (called Coop Cups - usually sold for birds) might work better for you. They either come with hooks or two plates that fit each side of the mesh and screw together. The bowl lifts out of the fixings so it's easy to change the water. it is recommended that your rabbit's water bowl should be made of ceramic or metal, because plastic bowls can scratch easily, and those scratches can become homes for unhealthy bacteria. PROBLEMS WITH MANUAL WATERING OF RABBITS Manual watering can be effective provided the rabbit caretaker is diligent and consistent in the task of providing ample clean water. If you are responsible for the care of more than a few rabbits, you will soon become aware of the time consuming task of providing quality water on a daily basis. Many pet-store types of water bottles must, on a daily basis, be completely disassembled and carried to a sink to be washed and refilled before being reassembled and hung back in place on the rabbit's cage. This process, when repeated more than a few times, can becomes tedious. Similarly, crocks or bowls must also be removed daily to be cleaned and refilled. The task of keeping bottles and crocks free from slime molds and bacteria can be a challenge. They become prone to contamination from dirt and bacteria each time they are handled. If the bottles are clear or translucent in color, photosynthesis will occur and they will eventually grow algae if not regularly cleaned. Even if a bottle-brush is used, it may be difficult to consistently ensure the bottle is 100% clean. Crocks and bowls must also be similarly sanitized. Furthermore, all of these manual methods provide a relatively limited supply of water. If they are amply sized, they may be adequate. However, the rabbit is dependent on the consistency of you to remember to refill the reservoirs. Even the most diligent rabbit caretakers may encounter an intervening factor that may break their consistent routine. Although it is a good practice to have a back-up water bottle on the cage as a reserve water supply, this does make for additional water containers to deal with. When one must care for more than a few rabbits, it may be time to consider a more fail-safe method of providing continuous clean water. An automatic watering system can overcome all of the drawbacks of manual watering. It is less time consuming, more sanitary, less likely to be contaminated, and more consistent. HOW DOES AN AUTOMATIC WATERING SYSTEM WORK? An automatic watering system feeds low pressure water through tubes or pipes to miniature valves or drinking fountains (founts) that are attached to each cage at the proper drinking height. The rabbit licks or nibbles the small pivoting rod, which is the actual valve stem or lever. This opens the internal o-ring seal, and clean, fresh water will drip or dribble into the rabbit's mouth. When the rabbit is finished, the spring-loaded stem returns to position, which seals and closes the system off from contamination. I started with the traditional rabbit water bottles until I could build the system that I wanted. The first watering I used was a combination of bottles and bowls. The first winter I swapped bottles and bowls in the morning and in the evening. As you can image with a few rabbits this was labor intensive, but not to troublesome. As I had more rabbits I used a five gallon gravity fed nipple water system. In the summer it worked great. In the winter I wrapped the lines with reflective tape, and added 36 feet of electric heat tape used to keep pipes from freezing. I then wrapped it in pipe insulation. It worked, but I did have to reconfigure it because the nipples froze. I had to undo some of it and make sure that the heat tape was close to the nipples, but not too close that the rabbit could chew on it. PIPING METHODS The water delivery can be accomplished through common 1/2” PVC pipes or with flexible vinyl tubing. Both utilize opaque tubing or pipes so that daylight cannot enter and cause algae growth. For the same reason, clear tubing or pipes are never used. The flexible tubing offers the benefit of being able to be assembled much quicker and reconfigured readily as needed. The tubing can be easily cut with scissors and slipped over barbed fittings. This method is best for stacking cages, cages of irregular sizes or locations, or cages where the setup may need to be moved or reconfigured. By far the quickest method of installing an automatic watering system is to use a flexible tubing along with the Fount and Bracket assembly. The Barbed Fount slips through the bracket and inserts into the tubing. The bracket snaps onto the cage 4 to 6 inches above the cage floor, such that the fount protrudes into the cage. In this way, a complete system can be set up in a matter of minutes using only a pair of scissors. If the tubing is difficult to slip over the barbed fittings, particularly in cold weather, the tubing can be brought to room temperature or warmed slightly to make the job easier. I have used boiling water to soften the tubing to get it over a larger T. When finished, inspect the installation to ensure that no rabbit can bite the tubing and it cannot be easily bumped into or tripped on by the caretaker. If the tubing makes a very sharp 90° turn, use an elbow connector to prevent it from kinking. The PVC pipe uses tees. This system works best in permanent setups that are not likely to be moved or changed regularly. It is considered the more heavy duty of the the two piping methods. Using the PVC pipe is a fairly straightforward process. The pipe will be cut into sections and glued to Tees. It is recommended that each joint be cleaned with PVC primer, then glued using clear PVC glue. Use the glue dauber to thoroughly wet the inside of one end of the tee, but not so much that it runs. Then use the dauber to apply glue using at least four complete revolutions around the end of the pipe to be inserted. Care should be taken to ensure that all of the tees are oriented in the right direction. A very quick adjustment must be made as the glue will set very quickly. The most recent for me is a 1/2 inch pipe with nipples into the cages. I used a toilet tank fill valve assembly to autofill a five gallon bucket with water. Don't make the filler hole too close to the side or you won't have room to install the toilet filler. Install the toilet filler valve with the parts that come in the package, just like you would for a toilet. From there, I used PVC pipe to go into the rabbit hutch. The waterers seem to be 1/8 male tapered pipe threads, so I used a drill bit and tape to thread some PVC end caps. The waterer nipples are then screwed into these, and it seems to work pretty well. I drilled and tapped the end caps at a bit of an angle to make it easier for the rabbits to drink from them. I'd say it's about a 15 degree angle...and they seem to still seal well. The bucket is on the roof above the hutch to give head pressure. There are shut off's so I can drain the bucket or lines as needed. So far, the rabbits seem to take to it pretty well. And it makes keeping them well watered almost no effort at all. STARTUP AND TROUBLE SHOOTING THE SYSTEM When first turning on the water for the system it is a good practice to open up the drain valves at the end of each row slightly to allow air to escape. The next step is to walk along the row of cages and depress the stem on each fount, holding it long enough to allow any air bubbles to escape. Check for any leaks and correct. If a fount is found to be dripping, press the valve stem all the way in and let go quickly so as to reset it. If the fount continues to leak it may be necessary to disassemble it and check to make sure that a piece of pipe or other debris did not become lodged against the o-ring. If you should have more than a few leaks, take each leak separately on a case-by-case basis and try to resolve it. PROPER AUTOMATIC WATERING SYSTEM MAINTENANCE Approximately once a month, it is a good practice to open up the drain valve at the end of each line and allow it to flush for a couple of minutes. In doing so you will allow any settlement or other debris that has been captured in the pipe or tubing to flow out of the system. It is also a good idea to randomly check a few founts on a daily basis to ensure the water is flowing freely. If the fount has too much pressure, it may drip on its own or spray water when it's pressed; adjust the water pressure accordingly. Look for any founts that might be dripping or leaking, and correct them. It is also a good practice to periodically clean the tanks with a diluted bleach solution. Over time, the founts should develop a hard water mineral buildup, which can be cleaned by soaking them overnight in a vinegar solution. IS THERE A DOWNSIDE TO AUTOMATIC WATERING SYSTEMS FOR RABBITS? Although the problems with automatic watering are few and far between, it is not a panacea. It will require some time in planning, sourcing water to the site, and initial trouble shooting, as well as periodic maintenance. Like any automated system, one cannot set it up and simply forget it. The maintenance of the system includes daily visual inspections, periodic adjustments, and periodic line flushing. Of course, the payoff for all of this is hours upon hours of labor savings over time. Plus, it drastically reduces the risk of a rabbit being without water, or having unsanitary water. Surprisingly, the acquisition cost of an automatic watering system is often not much more than the cost of new water bottles or crocks. With the proper mindset toward system maintenance, automatic watering has relatively few drawbacks or risks compared to manual watering. http://www.therabbithouse.com/equipment/rabbit-water.asp http://bunnyapproved.com/water-bowl-and-bottle-options-for-rabbits/ https://www.petcha.com/rabbits-need-water/ http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/rabbits/tips/rabbit_water.html http://www.waldeneffect.org/blog/Watering_your_rabbits/ https://www.kwcages.com/a-guide-to-rabbit-watering-systems http://tonybluegoat.blogspot.com/2015/03/how-to-build-automatic-rabbit-waterer.html?m=1 Word of the Week: Kindness Plant of the week: Bindweed FolkTale: THE DANCE FOR WATER OR RABBIT'S TRIUMPH THERE was a frightful drought. The rivers after a while dried tip and even the springs gave no water. The animals wandered around seeking drink, but to no avail. Nowhere was water to be found. A great gathering of animals was held: Lion, Tiger, Wolf, Jackal, Elephant, all of them came together. What was to be done? That was the question. One had this plan, and another had that; but no plan seemed of value. Finally one of them suggested: "Come, let all of us go to the dry river bed and dance; in that way we can tread out the water." Good! Everyone was satisfied and ready to begin instantly, excepting Rabbit, who said, "I will not go and dance. All of you are mad to attempt to get water from the ground by dancing." The other animals danced and danced, and ultimately danced the water to the surface. How glad they were. Everyone drank as much as he could, but Rabbit did not dance with them. So it was decided that Rabbit should have no water. He laughed at them: "I will nevertheless drink some of your water." That evening he proceeded leisurely to the river bed where the dance had been, and drank as much as he wanted. The following morning the animals saw the footprints of Rabbit in the ground, and Rabbit shouted to them: "Aha! I did have some of the water, and it was most refreshing and tasted fine." Quickly all the animals were called together. What were they to do? How were they to get Rabbit in their hands? All had some means to propose; the one suggested this, and the other that. Finally old Tortoise moved slowly forward, foot by foot: "I will catch Rabbit." "You? How? What do you think of yourself?" shouted the others in unison. "Rub my shell with pitch,[1] and I will go to the edge of the water and lie down. I will then resemble a stone, so that when Rabbit steps on me his feet will stick fast." "Yes! Yes! That's good." And in a one, two, three, Tortoise's shell was covered with pitch, and foot by foot he moved away to the river. At the edge, close to the water, he lay down and drew his head into his shell. Rabbit during the evening came to get a drink. "Ha!" he chuckled sarcastically," they are, after all, quite decent. Here they have placed a stone, so now I need not unnecessarily wet my feet." Rabbit trod with his left foot on the stone, and there it stuck. Tortoise then put his head out. "Ha! old Tortoise! And it's you, is it, that's holding me. But here I still have another foot. I'll give you a good clout." Rabbit gave Tortoise what he said he would with his right fore foot, hard and straight; and there his foot remained. "I have yet a hind foot, and with it I'll kick you." Rabbit drove his bind foot down. This also rested on Tortoise where it struck. "But still another foot remains, and now I'll tread you." He stamped his foot down, but it stuck like the others. He used his head to hammer Tortoise, and his tail as a whip, but both met the same fate as his feet, so there he was tight and fast down to the pitch. Tortoise now slowly turned himself round and foot by foot started for the other animals, with Rabbit on his back. "Ha! ha! ha! Rabbit! How does it look now? Insolence does not pay after all," shouted the animals. Now advice was sought. What should they do with Rabbit? He certainly must die. But how? One said, "Behead him"; another, "Some severe penalty." "Rabbit, how are we to kill you?" "It does not affect me," Rabbit said. "Only a shameful death please do not pronounce." "And what is that?" they all shouted. "To take me by my tail and dash my head against a stone; that I pray and beseech you don't do." "No, but just so you'll die. That is decided." It was decided Rabbit should die by taking him by his tail and dashing his head to pieces against some stone. But who is to do it? Lion, because he is the most powerful one. Good! Lion should do it. He stood up, walked to the front, and poor Rabbit was brought to him. Rabbit pleaded and beseeched that he couldn't die such a miserable death. Lion took Rabbit firmly by the tail and swung him around. The white skin slipped off from Rabbit, and there Lion stood with the white bit of skin and hair in his paw. Rabbit was free. http://www.sacred-texts.com/afr/saft/sft20.htm   News: https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/08/game-of-thrones-daenerys-coat-michele-clapton-interview-viserys Game of Thrones: The Surprising Inspiration for Daenerys’s Stunning Winter Coat The show’s Emmy-winning costume designer, Michele Clapton, tells all. by Joanna Robinson For several seasons of Game of Thrones, we’ve watched Emilia Clarke’s Daenerys Targaryen, Mother of Dragons, the Unburnt, and Breaker of Chains, kick around the dusty corners of Essos in cool and light gowns befitting a desert queen. Since she came to Westeros, she’s been dressing much more sensibly for the blustery cliffs of Dragonstone. But in Season 7, Episode 6, winter officially came for Daenerys’s wardrobe—and it was fabulous. Though much ink has already been spilled about the dramatic white fur coat Daenerys wore beyond the Wall, costume designer Michele Clapton reveals to Vanity Fair a surprising fashion inspiration that most fans might have missed. Cosplayers hoping to emulate Dany’s frosty look have their work cut out for them. Clapton explains that the coat is made of “fake leather strips, a long pile high-quality fake fur and a short pile white fake fur, and towards the hem we used rabbit fur. It is all stitched together in strips and then mounded onto a corset-style base.” That white fake fur—which moves bewitchingly on the wind throughout the episode—contrasts with a dramatic gold panel that runs all the way down the queen’s back. That contrast of white and gold prompted some fans to wonder if Dany’s coat was meant to be a clever homage to her soon-to-be-lost dragon, Viserion. In the novels, Viserion (named for her brother Viserys) is sometimes called “the white dragon.” As George R.R. Martin wrote, in the voice of Dany: “The cream and gold I call Viserion. Viserys was cruel and weak and frightened, yet he was my brother still. His dragon will do what he could not.” http://www.phillytrib.com/lifestyle/comic-reveals-her-dark-secrets-in-autobiography/article_c655dd7f-12a1-5f43-b23c-1ead5fed90e1.html “Rabbit: The Autobiography of Ms. Pat” (Dey Street Books; $25.99) reveals comedian Patricia Williams’ remarkable life journey, from growing up in a tough Atlanta neighborhood to becoming an in-demand performer. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-insurance-provided-by-ethiopian-livestock_us_59a03b47e4b0cb7715bfd4ed The Insurance Provided by Ethiopian Livestock 08/25/2017 11:40 am ET Livestock plays a vital role in the lives of millions of rural poor smallholder farming families in sub-Saharan Africa. The importance of animals to farming fortunes really cannot be overstated. On small farms all over Africa, animals fulfill a number of roles - providing drought power to plow the land, manure to fertilize the soil, transport to carry goods to market. Animals also supply milk and meat, an essential protein and nutrition source for families. Indeed, for rural poor families, animals act as a form of ‘on-the-hoof family savings’ – they may also be sold to provide households with funds to cover costs such as children’s education, or when cash is needed for a family event, such as a wedding or funeral. When we think of animals, we don’t usually think ‘insurance’, but here, livestock is a form of household insurance that may also be sold when harvests fail to produce sufficient food. http://www.dailyastorian.com/ear/20170825/in-one-ear-bunny-brigade In One Ear: Bunny brigade Bunnies here, bunnies there, bunnies everywhere By Elleda Wilson The Daily Astorian Published on August 25, 2017 12:01AM Once again, Portland has been out-weirded. Valdez, Alaska, is in the news for an unusual problem: It’s been overrun by rabbits, the Alaska News Dispatch reports, although no one seems to know how or why it happened — it’s not exactly a rabbit-friendly environment, after all. One of the stranger rumors of how the rabbit bloom came about is that groups of rabbits were set free in the 1980s to entertain tourists. Maybe even several times. That one kind of takes the cake as far as theories go. No matter how they arrived, the rabbits are there to stay. Some residents hate them, their poop, and their veggie garden raids, and some love them, coddle them and feed them all winter. Since the city code doesn’t yet address feral domesticated rabbits as “deleterious exotic wildlife,” it’s a full on bunny bonanza in Valdez. For now.   http://mymetmedia.com/mettv/denver-goes-down-the-rabbit-hole/ Denver goes down the rabbit hole By Avery Anderson on August 24, 2017 Take an unexpected trip down the rabbit hole with “White Rabbit Red Rabbit” the most unique and original theatrical production currently in Denver. Although the title makes one think of “Alice in Wonderland” and her adventures that is not what this production is. This show by Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour is a conversation between the actor, audience and Soleimanpour himself. As the show unfolds he tells the story of a red rabbit and white rabbits and how they relate to the audience. Soleimanpour has never seen his play performed as he does not have a passport and is forbidden to leave the country. Luckily though, his work was able to make it out and is now traveling the world. Frequent theatergoers might be shocked at the unconventional instructions of the show. Usually patrons are instructed to turn off their phones and stay in their seats; Not at “White Rabbit Red Rabbit.” The audience is asked to leave their phones on as they will need them and are called up during the show to help the actor perform. The largest difference between Soleimanpour’s play and others is that once an actor has performed in the show they can never do it again. Meaning that every performance has a new actor who has never seen the show or read the script before. Once the whole audience is seated, the actor for the night is handed a sealed envelope with the script inside. When the show begins they are able to open the script and perform as they read. Pipedream Productions is staging this interesting and ever changing show with some of the best local talent that Denver has to offer. Those who have already performed include Anthony Adu, Adrian Egolf and Emma Messenger. Still to take the journey are Andrew and Kelly Uhlenhopp, Chloe McLeod and many more. The show ran for nine months in New York City with actors such as Darren Criss (American Horror Story), Nathan Lane (The Producers) and Whoopi Goldberg (The View). Emma Messenger was able to perform this show beautifully the night I attended. She kept the audience engaged and incorporate her iconic satirical humor and facial expressions, making the audience laugh and feel at ease. If you want a night at the theater with a full scale production then this is not it. “White Rabbit Red Rabbit” is, in essence, an improvised script reading. There are some set pieces and a couple of stage direction notes for the actors, but it is up to the performer to create the world with just one glance. If you want something that is unlike anything you have seen before then take a trip down the rabbit hole. © Copyrighted

http://www.epicprogress.com/daily-trump-damage-report-292017/ Happy Nazis, Trickledown 2.0 (The Moistening), wall costs, unbelievable White House product sponsorship opportunities, and which minority is next on the hit list? All this and more in today’s Daily Trump Damage Report for Thursday, February 9th, 2017.• Trump feels strongly that the state should be able to take all of your property without having a criminal conviction. At a meeting with Sheriffs, the orange menace espoused a penchant for making civil forfeiture easier, while simultaneously indicating that he doesn’t understand what it is.• White Nationalists are extremely invigorated and excited by the successful nomination of Jeff “Klampet Keebler” Sessions. White power online news sites and prominent KKK Grand Wizard and former Republican candidate David Duke hailed Sessions becoming the nation’s new Attorney General as a great step forward, in hopes that the Justice Department will begin targeting “thugs and illegals” – not-so-dog-whistle dog whistles.• Trump hypes a “phenomenal” tax package coming in a few weeks, offering no details. We do not need the details to know that it will offer a gargantuan tax cut to the richest 100 families in America, a sizable tax cut to the upper 3%, a rounding error of a tax cut to anyone making less than $200k a year, and lastly is formulated to bankrupt and default the United States government within 4 years.• Trump’s border wall is now expected to cost $21.6 billion in non-alternative fact dollars, and take 3.5 years to build. For the same cost, America could purchase a measles vaccine for every child on the planet, buy two USS Ford aircraft carriers, purchase the planet’s music industry, buy Iceland with enough money left to plop 7 Burj Kalifa skyscrapers on it. Net migration from Mexico was 0 for the past several years.• Inspiration for Disturbed’s rendition of the Sound of Silence and current White House adviser Steve Bannon would like you to very much know he is super-duper friends with Reince Priebus and would never, ever stab him in the back to save himself from the ire of Trump.• Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Gorsuch’s anti-Trump comments may help him succeed in making it to the bench, which call into question whether or not this was the whole point of the comments.• John McCain schools Trump’s perpetually humiliated press deceiver, Sean Spicer.• The chief information security officer at the White House has been removed, and we are not sure if he was fired or resigned. No comment has been issued as to whether or not a replacement has taken over. Trump and staff continue to use unsecured email servers and unsecured smartphones proving that he is significantly dumber and more careless than he ever accused Hillary Clinton of being.• CNN’s host Chris Cuomo says that being called “fake news” is the journalist equivalent of the “n” word. It isn’t. He apologizes later. Trump and surrogates will use the mistake to raise the blood pressure of the authoritarians who empowered them.• Why is the White House Press Corps not asking about Trump being owned by Russia, or the corruption surrounding their intelligence agencies activities on Trump’s behalf?• In Trump’s’ call with Vladimir Putin, he did not know what the START nuclear deployment treaty was. Told, he said he did not like it. He then said he was like, popular, and stuff.• A federal appeals court bodyslammed Trump’s Muslim ban, and reminded the White House counsel that they do not have power to interpret law or executive orders.• Fourth broken seal of the actual apocalypse and singular incarnation of the abstract concept of falsehood, Kellyanne Conway breaks a pile of ethics rules by telling people to “go buy Ivanka’s stuff!”, using the office of the President to hawk the shoddy Chinese-made merchandise of the spoiled orange oligarch’s daughter.• Chuck Cooper withdraws from consideration for Trump’s next solicitor general, leaving the door open for the nomination of Kellyanne Conway’s husband, George Conway. The solicitor general is responsible for arguing the US government’s case before the Supreme Court. Conway has only ever argued once before the Supreme Court. George, a monster befitting the spouse of Kellyanne, represented murder-product producer tobacco giant Philip Morris.• First they came for the Muslims. Next, they came for the Mexicans, and Trump is now preparing a vicious deportation executive order.• Trump signs three new sweeping executive orders on law enforcement. In it, he directs Sessions to figure out how to maximize punishments for non-violent drug offenders and use actions he seems necessary to guard against cartels which “are destroying the blood of our youth and other people.”• An insider continues to reveal the secretive goings on inside the Trump White House, demonstrating that Trump likes his administration the way he likes his women – funded by Russian intelligence and prone to leaking.

Welcome to Episode 13! This week we are joined by Rob Boyland of Boyland Sauce Co who talked to us about the science behind hot sauce and then we put ourselves through the test as we sampled all of his hot sauces and then tried the dreaded ghost pepper. Our musical guest this week was My Memory Remains out of Wisconsin. It was a very entertaining day. Check it out!

This week Herr Glücker returns from the fatherland and regales us with tales of Aston Martins, Nordeschleifes and Toyoda's. In addition we're accompanied by Rick Radcliffe and Jason Connor strong auxillary members of the Hooniverse podcast. We talk cars, we meander, quote the Simpsons and likely make people a littel uncomfortable but we're OK with that. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/hooniverse/support

This week Herr Glücker returns from the fatherland and regales us with tales of Aston Martins, Nordeschleifes and Toyoda's. In addition we're accompanied by Rick Radcliffe and Jason Connor strong auxillary members of the Hooniverse podcast. We talk cars, we meander, quote the Simpsons and likely make people a littel uncomfortable but we're OK with that.

This article on the programmable variability of claw machines springboards us into the Gaming Hut for an examination of pass/fail cycles. A corpse with the distinctive dagger of medieval Teutonic justice lies near the threshold of the History Hut, where we convene to discuss Vehmic courts. How to Write Good has us spitballing classic characters […]

When Monster Kid Radio crashes a film screening, Derek brings his recorder, and Creature from the Black Lagoon (dir. Jack Arnold) has been shown twice since just before the launch of the MKR podcast. The best thing about these Monster Kid Radio Crashes is catching up with people who hadn't seen the movie before, like Ray Jelinek when the movie played the 99w Drive-In, or Tom and Kiri Daufel when it was shown at the Joy Cinema.  makes a quick appearance at the drive-in showing while filmmaker/author/master storyteller Edward Martin III showed up at the Joy. Be sure to visit our complete website at . Voicemail: 503-479-5MKR (503-479-5657)Email: monsterkidradio@gmail.com (.mp3s of every episode of Monster Kid Radio is available for download at our barebones behind-the-scenes website at ) Hellbender Media - The opening and closing song "Theme from The Moistening" (from the album Invisible EP!) appears by permission of Invisible Dracula - All original content of Creature Casts Among Us by is licensed under a . Gotta represent.

In Creature Casts Among Us #002, Derek presents a collection of short interviews collected from previous years' conventions. We'll feature an interview Dr. Gangrene conducted with the late Ben Chapman, and interviews Derek conducted wth Ricou Browning, Tom Weaver, and Julie Adams. Be sure to visit our complete website at . Voicemail: 503-479-5MKR (503-479-5657)Email: monsterkidradio@gmail.com (.mp3s of every episode of Monster Kid Radio is available for download at our barebones behind-the-scenes website at ) Julie Adams - Dr. Gangrene - Classic Horror Film Board - The opening and closing song "Theme from The Moistening" (from the album Invisible EP!) appears by permission of Invisible Dracula - All original content of Creature Casts Among Us by is licensed under a .

In the first episode of this Monster Kid Radio spin-off show, Derek welcomes 's Chris McMillan to discuss their mutual love of Creature from the Black Lagoon (dir. Jack Arnold), the top three reasons they love it (not named Julie Adams), and a few other topics Gillman-related along the way. Be sure to visit our complete website at . Voicemail: 503-479-5MKR (503-479-5657)Email: monsterkidradio@gmail.com (.mp3s of every episode of Monster Kid Radio is available for download at our barebones behind-the-scenes website at ) The opening and closing song "Theme from The Moistening" (from the album Invisible EP!) appears by permission of Invisible Dracula - All original content of Creature Casts Among Us by is licensed under a .

Silver Sound Showdown Music + Video festival is an annual music video festival and battle of the bands where the winning director and winning band get paired up to make a music video. We’re joined on the podcast by festival director Cory Choy, and last year’s winners - director Nick Snyder and Lisa Moore of the Montreal band Blood and Glass. We talk about the festival, this week’s music videos, and what's twerking in Katy Perry’s new video.

Discover authentic Italian coffee in the comfort of your own home.

Discover authentic Italian coffee in the comfort of your own home.