Man Sentenced To 5 Years In Prison For Taping Dog’s Mouth Shut

The puppy underwent reconstructive surgery after her muzzle was painfully bound with electrical tape.

It is good to see a judge hand out the stiffest punishment possible by law in Charleston, South Carolina.  The animal abuser will also be serving 15-years in a federal prison on an unrelated charge.

Circuit Judge Markley Dennis, in sentencing Dodson to the state’s maximum punishment for animal cruelty, said he wished the penalty could have been harder.

“I’m not trying to be mean,” Dennis told Dodson, according to Charleston’s Post and Courier, “but I wish I could give you more.”

William Leonard Dodson, 42, was handed down his sentence on Friday, one day after he was sentenced to 15 years in prison for an unrelated federal gun charge. He will serve both sentences concurrently, The Associated Press reported.

Full article here from the Huffington Post and above from the Charleston newspaper and Associated Press.  Just use the embedded links.

Cady is ready for St. Paddy's Day

Cady wearing her green for St. Patrick's Day 2017

The start of spring in the mid-west

One of the things I like about walking my dog at different locations is that you get to see the seasons start and end while having fun with your 4-footed kid.  Here are a few mid-west flowers and some bones we discovered this morning.

When Does Spring Begin?

WHEN DOES SPRING BEGIN?

Meteorologically speaking, in the Northern Hemisphere, the official spring season always begins on March 1 and continues through May 31. Summer begins on June 1; autumn, September 1; and winter, December 1.

Specifically, the Northern Hemisphere marks the spring equinox on Monday, March 20, 2017, at exactly 6:29 A.M. EDT.  

Astronomically speaking, the equinox (March 19 or 20 every year) marks spring’s beginning in the Northern Hemisphere (whereas it announces fall’s arrival in the Southern Hemisphere). The equinox happens at the same moment worldwide, even if our clock times reflect a different time zone.

Cady's Spa Day

Cady enjoys going in for a grooming, bath and nail trim which I refer to as her Spa Day.  After I pick her up we go for a big walk and I take a few photos of her.  The groomer always sends her home with a new bandana.   Here she is in a Spring color themed hearts bandana.  I like to post several photos of her as she always manages to make a silly face,  close her eyes or turn her head while I take the photos.

Eyes tightly closed

Who's over there

Make your own vanilla extract

Annual Orchid Show - Missouri Botanical Garden

The annual orchid show at the Missouri Botanical Gardens runs until March 26th and is open daily from 9am-5pm. Regular admission is $12 for adults plus $5 for the Orchid Show. Children under 12 are free. This gives you access to all of the gardens grounds.

This years show features Vanilla with 19 Vanilla species and 4 cultivated Vanilla varieties that represent one of the largest collections of vanilla orchids in North America.

The first Orchid specimens were given to Henry Shaw in 1976.  The oldest orchid species still in the collection date from the 1890s. They have over 6000 orchid plants made up of wild-sourced and hybrids many that are rare or unusual specimens.

Below are more of my photos from the Orchid display that is designed anew each year.