Quokkas

Nature 8 Minutes

Ever heard of a Quokka?  It’s been called the most cheerful animal on the planet due to their perpetual smiles!  Read on for more fascinating facts!!

What does the quokka look like?

Quokkas are small, four-legged animals covered in fur. They’re from the kangaroo family and have pouches in their abdomens for carrying their young. Though they’re much tinier than kangaroos; the quokka is around the size of a domestic housecat. They have narrow faces, round ears, big noses, and tiny paws. Their tails are short and skinny. They’re almost always a shade of brown. One of the most distinctive features of the quokka is their smile. Known as “the world’s most cheerful animal,” quokkas have a perpetually happy expression on their face. It can range from a tiny smile to a toothy grin, but it’s always there, and it’s always the absolute cutest.

How do you pronounce “quokka?”

It depends on where you live. North Americans usually pronounce it koo-WOH-kuh, but native Australians favor kah-WAH-kah.

How big is a quokka?

Quokkas are the size of domesticated cats. Their bodies measure between 16 – 21 inches long, and their tails are usually 9 – 12 inches long.

How much does a quokka weigh?

Male quokkas usually weigh about 5 – 10 pounds. Females are slightly smaller at 3 – 8 pounds.

Can quokkas climb trees?

Quokkas love to climb trees! They can ascend as high as 4 – 6 feet, which is pretty good for their size. It’s like a housecat climbing to the top portion of a door.

Are quokkas friendly or aggressive?

Quokkas are friendly and approachable creatures. They’re used to tourists, so they have little fear of human contact, and they’ll hop right up to people who are marveling at them. This is how visitors to Rottnest Island are able to pose for so many “quokka selfies.” That said, quokkas can have a bit of amean streak to them. They aren’t afraid to bite when they’re feeling threatened. And they have powerful hind legs that can be used for kicking just as easily as hopping. They don’t like to be handled, either, and the Australian government has strict rules about this, so trying to pet a quokka might result in injuries and fines. To put it another way, quokkas might be friendly, but they’re not domesticated. They’re still wild animals.

Why do quokkas smile?

They’re famous for their chubby-cheeked grins, but why do quokkas actually beam?

The simple answer is that we don’t know. There’s nothing about their mouth or jaw structure that necessitates smiling.

Most experts agree that it’s just a quirk of the species. Like dolphins, quokkas simply have a natural smile. Some other animals with natural smiles include mata mata turtles and axolotls.

Is the quokka the happiest animal?

Quokkas are often called “the happiest animal on Earth” because of their big grins and friendly natures.  However, it’s important to remember that they’re still wild animals. They can bite, and they can get aggressive when fighting over mates or when they feel threatened. Males often form social hierarchies based on size and dominance. Females will even abandon their babies if the situation calls for it. The life of a quokka isn’t easy just because it’s smiling!

Some quokkas will even hang around stores, parks, campsites and youth hostels where people have been known to illegally feed them.

Why can’t you feed a quokka?

You shouldn’t feed a quokka for the same reason that you shouldn’t feed any wild animal. Their bodies aren’t used to artificial ingredients, and their diets can be completely disrupted with the introduction of foods and snacks that aren’t native to their environment. You can even cause physical damage to quokkas if you insist on feeding them. Marsupials are prone to something called lumpy jaw disease that can infect their bone cartilage and lead to pain, distress, starvation, and death. LJD can be caused by something as simple as sandwich bread sticking to their gums, so never feed a quokka!

Do quokkas bite?

Yes. Quokkas can and will bite when they’re feeling threatened, and they’ve been known to nip at the fingers of people who try to feed them.

What eats a quokka? Predators and Threats

Quokkas are vulnerable to cats, dogs, foxes, dingoes, and snakes. Their natural predators are birds of prey and dingoes, but the rest have been introduced to their environment over time.

When faced with a predator, the quokka’s first instinct is to run away. They can hop at high speeds for their size, and they can dive into burrows and scurry up branches to try and lose their pursuers. Moms have even been known to sacrifice their children as a distraction to escape. If they’re cornered, quokkas will fight tooth and nail for survival. They can bite with their teeth and scratch with their claws, and their powerful hind legs are good for kicking. It’s only their small size that dooms them. Compared to a dingo or even a dog, quokkas are no match for larger animals.

Are quokkas endangered?

Quokkas are listed as “vulnerable” by the Australian Department of Environment and Energy.

They aren’t quite endangered, but their population trends are decreasing.

How many quokkas are left in the world?

The IUCN estimates that there are between 7,500 – 15,000 mature adults in the wild. The vast majority is on Rottnest Island. There’s also a protected population on Bald Island, and there are a few scattered colonies on mainland Australia as well.

What threatens the quokka?

The biggest threat to quokkas is deforestation. Humans are tearing down trees to build cities; weather changes are having ripple effects on vegetation, erosion, and rainfall. In 2015, a wildfire in Western Australia decimated 90% of the local quokka population. Their numbers went from 500 to 39.

Another big threat to quokkas is humans. People just can’t resist trying to feed, pet, cuddle and capture them, and the smallest of sandwiches can have long-term consequences for their health. There have also been cases of animal cruelty towards quokkas. Since they’re such a prevalent part of life on Rottnest Island, people take liberties with them. One man was jailed when he threw a quokka off a boat to prove that it could swim.

Do quokkas live in groups? Are they sociable?

Yes and no. Quokkas live in colonies, but they don’t really socialize with one another. For example, they don’t groom or play together. They live solitary lives that just so happen to intersect for food and safety reasons.

What do quokkas eat?

Quokkas are herbivores that eat grasses, leaves, shrubs, and plants. One study has suggested that their favorite food is Guichenotia ledifolia, a type of white-purple flower.

Do quokkas mate for life?

There’s no evidence to suggest that quokkas mate for life, but they’ve been known to return to the same mates for several breeding cycles in a row, so they aren’t opposed to monogamy. It seems to be a matter of convenience more than anything. Remember: They’re solitary creatures that mostly live together for survival rather than any desire for companionship.

What sound does a quokka make?

Quokkas don’t make a lot of noise. They don’t have calls or songs to communicate with others of their kind, and they don’t growl when they’re threatened. They might make involuntary sounds of fear or panic when they’re distressed, but that’s about it.

Are quokkas nocturnal?

Quokkas are nocturnal.  Their natural instinct is to sleep during the day and forage at night. However, you’ll find plenty of quokkas that are active in the daylight hours. They know that they have better chances of being illegally fed by tourists if they hang around crowded places at high noon.

Where does the quokka live?

The quokka is native to Australia. Its biggest population is on Rottnest Island, but there are small groups on Bald Island and mainland Australia as well. These are the only places in the world where you can find wild quokkas.

What is the habitat of the quokka?

Quokkas live in trees, shrubs, swamps and other areas with dense vegetation. They don’t like the exposure of wide and open spaces. They prefer environments where they can hide from predators or take shelter from the elements when necessary.

How many babies do quokkas have?

Quokkas have one baby at a time. Since they’re a mammalian species, it’s a live birth, and the baby will require milk after it’s born.

What do you call a baby quokka?

Like kangaroos, baby quokkas are called “joeys.”

What are baby quokkas like?

They’re adorable! Baby quokkas are miniature versions of their parents, and they ride around in their mother’s pouch until they’re old enough to fend for themselves. It isn’t uncommon to see babies poking their tiny, fuzzy heads out of their pouches as their mom hops from location to location. As for their life cycle, a quokka female will give birth to a single baby after gestating it for about a month. Then she’ll nurse it and carry it around in her pouch for an additional six months. At six months, the joey will be encouraged to leave the safety of the pouch. It will start to wean itself off mom’s milk as it learns how to forage for food. At 10 – 12 months, the joey will be considered independent, and it won’t rely on mom at all anymore. It might stay close as part of a colony, but it will be a mature and solitary adult.

Do male quokkas play any part in child-rearing?

Male quokkas will defend their pregnant mate, but they don’t have anything to do with mom or baby after it’s born.

How often do quokkas reproduce?

Quokkas are known for their rapid reproduction rates. They mature quickly and can give birth twice per year, so in a 10-year lifespan, they might produce anywhere from 15 – 17 babies. They’re unbound by mating seasons, though it’s most common for quokkas to breed between the months of January – March.

Do quokkas really throw their babies?

Despite their sweet and friendly nature, quokkas have a survival instinct that’s pretty nasty: If a mother is being pursued by a predator, she’ll sacrifice her baby to save herself. She won’t actually throw it, but she’ll eject it from her pouch by relaxing her pouch muscles, causing the baby to drop out. The baby will flail on the ground and make noise that attracts the predator.

Where can I see a quokka?

If you want to see a quokka in the wild, book a trip to Rottnest Island. Quokkas are such an everyday part of life that they’re considered a nuisance by local shopkeepers! They run inside businesses looking to scavenge, and they distract customers, cause messes, dig into garbage and poop everywhere. They’re adorable little troublemakers. Outside of their native habitat, you can find quokkas in all kinds of Australian zoos, including the Perth Zoo, Adelaide Zoo, Sydney Zoo, and Melbourne Zoo.

Published by FJB

Published

200 thoughts on “Quokkas”

  9. H/T M – Go Brandon!!!! I expect I’ll be getting an e-mail from him about this.

    Brandon Straka Files Defamation Suit Against Chris Hayes and Ari Melber of MSNBC in “First of Strategic String of Lawuits”

    “Brandon Straka filed a defamation suit against MSNBC, Chris Hayes, and Ari Melber today and stated this is just the “first in a strategic string of lawsuits” he will be filing against various media outlets and individuals for egregiously malicious and untruthful reporting about the details of his misdemeanor charge related to the 8 minutes Mr. Straka spent outside the Capitol shooting a video to document what was happening.

    The suit seeks relief for Hayes’ and Melber’s grievously false statements about Mr. Straka’s conduct and “involvement” with the events of January 6th. On his prime time show All in with Chris Hayes , Hayes stated “We got a guy [showing video of Brandon Straka] who was there, who was involved in the lead up to the insurrection…who breaks into the Capitol”.

    Brandon Straka never entered the Capitol on January 6th, and was never accused of or charged with any act of violence, vandalism, theft, or destruction.

    MSNBC and Hayes also play a segment of Straka’s video and falsely attribute a voice in the video to Straka, misleading the audience by ascribing that Straka shouted, “Take it away from him! Take the shield!”. Hayes states, “the ‘take the shield, take the shield’, that’s him [Brandon Straka] yelling that”.

    Straka’s Statement of Offense states that his voice can be heard repeating only the words “take it, take it”. Straka was not accused of “yelling” these words. Straka’s defense pointed out that throughout the video Straka is heard repeating the words being said by those around him as he documents the activity for the video’s audience. Straka’s Statement of Offense does not indicate that he gave a directive to encourage any act of violence or assault. This was a pure fabrication created by MSNBC.

    On a subsequent MSNBC broadcast of The Beat with Ari Melber, host Ari Melber brought up Brandon Straka to conservative personality Matt Schlapp stating, “He [Straka] was convicted in connection with the January 6 insurrection. He was found to have been trying to help attack police officers…His name is Brandon Straka. He confessed. He confessed to being guilty. He was found to [have been] helping attack police”.

    Straka’s lawsuit against Melber states: “The Melber Statements are materially false because Straka did not confess and was not found by any Court to have helped attack police officers or to have attempted an attack on any police officer. Indeed, the public record… demonstrates beyond cavil that Straka did not engage in any acts of violence or encourage anyone to commit violence on January 6, 2021. Rather, he was filming events outside the east side of the Capitol in a journalistic capacity.”

    Brandon Straka has stated that this is merely the first in a string of lawsuits which will be strategically issued in an effort to hold the media accountable for malicious destruction of the lives and reputations of conservative Americans with blatant lies, false attribution, conjecture, and obscene exaggeration about the details of petty offense charges relating to January 6th.”

    Link to full complaint: https://01xls.mjt.lu/nl3/qRfXhN8Xkkj-YuNmCOo_uA?hl=en

    Liked by 1 person


  12. “Dear Patriots,

    “Last week we were shown the conversations that took place inside Twitter leading up to the 2020 election and through to the days after January 6th.

    A team of scrambling communists inside Twitter were working overtime to suppress influential conservative voices from being heard and being able to grow. They intentionally prevented the public from getting information about the Hunter Biden laptop story, even labeling the story misinformation. The conversations which were leaked to the public even show that the Marxist decision makers at Twitter were bending over backwards to find a way to twist and contort their own policies to ban Donald Trump… which they did.

    They based much of their decisions about banning Trump and his supporters off of the pressure they were receiving from powerful Democrats, like Michelle Obama who was demanding Trump be banned. Twitter employees were taking directives from the Democrat Party and the FBI about accounts and content to censor and ban.

    But they also were feeling pressured by the fact that other social media companies, like Facebook, had already banned Trump and numerous of his supporters. Twitter execs felt that they couldn’t leave these accounts active if Facebook had already banned them. And so, this became a Democrat Party + FBI + government elites + Big Tech collusion to silence and censor Americans and deprive us from our First Amendment rights.

    On January 8th, 2021, Facebook banned the #WalkAway Campaign- with our 510,000 users and tens of thousands of video and written testimonials. We were never given a reason why.

    A friend of mine, who used to work for #WalkAway, was reading the “Twitter Files” drops that were coming out last week detailing this information. She told me that she cried while she was reading it. Not because any of this information was unknown or surprising, but because it confirmed in black and white what we’ve all known: we’re being attacked from within our own country. This friend said to me, “All the events that we did, and the videos we put out, and all our work… who knows how many people we could have reached and how things could have been different if everything wasn’t being controlled and prevented”.

    For the first time, possibly ever, I truly feel that the levers are changing. Facebook and Youtube and Instagram will continue to be Democrat Party controlled trash- but new avenues for truth and revelation are beginning to open up. We are a part of that.

    Elon Musk buying Twitter has created a shockwave of panic among the left. They are melting down at the prospect of right wing views being allowed back into mainstream conversation without being artificially controlled and silenced. This is just one piece of the puzzle.

    Across the spectrum I finally see conservatives realizing that it’s time to take the bull by the horns. It’s time to run for local office, state office, and federal office. It’s time to build competitive tech platforms for finance, networking, advocacy and activism, and free speech to free ourselves of progressive tyranny.

    I am proud to have worked so hard, day and night, to build what will soon be the world’s first social media platform with a mission. What we were able to accomplish with #WalkAway on Facebook will be amplified 10 fold when we control our own destiny with our own platform. You’re going to LOVE it. Yes, this project has taken considerably longer than I originally anticipated- but great things take time. This is very complicated technology that requires an enormous amount of trial and error to perfect. We’re almost there.

    I’m sure many of you never dreamed you’d find yourselves living in a country where your own government is working in a coordinated effort against citizens based off their conservative values. That people who believe there’s no such thing as gender, indoctrinating kids with sexual misinformation, causing an illegal immigration crisis, destroying our energy independence, and driving our cost of living so high that we can’t function- would be the same people who would be given the power to control our speech and conversation and erase the existence of anybody who opposes their psychotic ideology.

    It’s Orwellian stuff.

    As a #WalkAway myself, I can tell you: people ARE being pushed away, every day, by the extremism of the left. People will not tolerate this.

    I am SO EXCITED to launch our own platform, rebuild our community, and get those glorious stories circulating once again of real people sharing their real testimonials about why it’s time to #WalkAway from the insanity of the left.

    The Machine tried to destroy me, and they tried to destroy all of us. I guess they just didn’t realize who they picked a fight with- because I NEVER give up. NEVER. [NF: He is a REAL Nebraskan! We do not quit!!!]

    All my love,

    Liked by 1 person

  13. haven’t read part 6 yet!

    Troublemaker10
    Troublemaker10
    December 16, 2022 4:16 pm

    1. THREAD: The Twitter Files, Part Six
    TWITTER, THE FBI SUBSIDIARY

    Full thread…👇https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1603857534737072128.html

    Liked by 1 person

  16. OAN Newsroom Correspondent Roy Francis
    UPDATED 12:25 PM PT – Friday, December 16, 2022

    ENTIRE ARTICLE: “Douglas Jensen, one of the first people to enter the Capitol building on January 6th, was sentenced to five years in prison on Friday. The Iowa construction worker was found guilty of the seven charges back in September, which included obstruction of an official proceeding and assaulting a police officer.

    A) DoJ: Douglas Austin Jensen, 43, of Des Moines, Iowa, sentenced to 5 years in prison in connection with 5 felonies & assaulting USCP Officer Eugene Goodman during 1/6 riot.

    — Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) December 16, 2022
    Judge Timothy Kelly handed down the sentence on Friday which included five years in prison, 36 months’ probation after his release, along with $2,000 in restitution for damages to the Capitol. “You, by your own actions, put yourself at the forefront of that mob” Judge Kelly said. “We cannot, as a country, have what happened on January 6, 2021, ever happen again.”

    12.16.22 2:00pm. Douglas Jensen, one of the first 10 rioters to breach the Capitol on 1.6.21 has been sentenced to 5 years in prison after being convicted on 7 charges including assaulting a police officer pic.twitter.com/RvPy7LFn1k

    — AC Newsroom (@AlphaControlUSA) December 16, 2022
    A video from January 6th, shows Jensen running after Police Officer Eugene Goodman inside the Capitol. The officer ended up filing a document in support of Jensen’s sentence. In a sentencing memorandum, prosecutors said that “Jensen was a ringleader during the attack on the U.S. Capitol, working to rile up the crowd and encourage others to follow him into and through the building.”

    Before being escorted out of the courtroom, Jensen blew a kiss to his wife, who returned one to him.”

    Liked by 1 person

  19. well she’s an ass…

    Liked by 1 person

  20. Liked by 1 person

  21. Liked by 1 person

  22. 12/16/22 • COVID

    “Opposition to Childhood Vaccine Mandates on the Rise, More Parents Say They Want the Right to Choose — A growing number of parents oppose vaccine mandates as a precondition for public school attendance, and interest among adults in receiving COVID-19 booster shots is waning, according to a national poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation.”

    EXCERPT: “A growing number of parents oppose vaccine mandates as a precondition for public school attendance, and interest among adults in receiving COVID-19 booster shots is waning, according to a national poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF).

    The results of the latest KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor survey, released today, show more than one-third (35%) of parents now believe they should be the ones to decide whether their children receive a slate of childhood vaccines.

    The poll encompassed a nationally representative sample of 1,259 adults who were interviewed between Nov. 29 and Dec. 8. According to The New York Times, the KFF is a “nonpartisan health care research organization.”

    “It’s unfortunate that it took a wave of injuries and deaths from vaccines that never should have been released into the market — much less mandated — to draw long-overdue attention to the issue of vaccine safety,” said Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., chairman and chief litigation counsel for Children’s Health Defense.

    Kennedy told The Defender: “This latest poll is encouraging for those parents, physicians and scientists who for decades have been calling for an investigation into the relentless promotion by FDA, CDC and Big Pharma of inferior medical products without rigorous safety testing.

    “As more parents begin to question the forced, routine administration of vaccines on healthy children, perhaps we will move closer to protecting children and holding vaccine makers and government agencies accountable for the harm these products cause.”

    26% of parents today: ‘Risks of childhood vaccines for measles, mumps, and rubella outweigh the benefits’

    According to the KFF poll, 65% of parents of children under age 18 “think healthy children should be required to be vaccinated to attend public schools.” This represents an 11% decline from an October 2019 Pew Research Center poll showing 76% of parents supported public school vaccine mandates. More than one-third of parents surveyed (35%) “now believe parents should be able to decide not to vaccinate their children, up from 23% in 2019.”

    https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/childhood-vaccine-schedule-mandates/

    Liked by 1 person

  23. Rustybritche
    Rustybritche
    December 16, 2022 4:50 pm

    I guess, i don’t understand any of this, people are jumping up and down and screaming about him making money, but how can that be any less ok than for DeSantis to take from 7 donors I million dollars each, and is that ok.
    He does nothing to earn that money He just sits back and allows other people to take care of everything he will need when he decides that its ok for him to run against President Trump in 23 and now people are screaming and jumping off the train and running to Desantis and Bannon Gorka and a few others are saying some unkind things which are not true He has a brain and regardless The Pictures was beautiful and looked veery much like him and so sorry, but I think this is great.
    and I will not stop being a supporter of his now or eve Please God protect this man and his family.

    Liked by 1 person

  24. “Euthanasia, Even Among Children, Is on the Rise — What’s Driving the Trend to Market Death? The growing worldwide trend of euthanasia and/or assisted suicide, especially among children and young people, has critics asking troubling questions about the real motivation behind a spate of new laws.”
    By Children’s Health Defense Team

    EXCERPT: “In a recent CHD.TV episode of “Good Morning CHD,” three Canadian doctors — Drs. Charles Hoffe and Stephen Malthouse and Chris Shaw, Ph.D. — discussed Canada’s disturbing normalization since 2016 of “medical assistance in dying” (“MAID”) and their government’s possibly imminent endorsement of the practice for “mature minors” who request death without parental knowledge or consent.

    “Physician-assisted suicide,” “assisted suicide,” “assisted dying” and euthanasia — each with slightly different legal connotations — all refer to medical interventions to expedite death, with the main distinction being “who performs the final, fatal act.”

    Last year, 3.3% of deaths in Canada occurred under MAID, representing “a growth rate of 32.4% over 2020,” and “steady year over year growth” in all provinces, including in the 18- to 45-year age group. Among the first 100 patients to avail themselves of MAID in the province of Ontario, more than 5% were younger adults ages 35-54. In the Netherlands and Belgium, other countries that allow euthanasia, those under age 60 account for 12.5% and 15% of those euthanized, respectively.

    What the Canadian doctors were discussing on “Good Morning CHD” was a consequential 2021 modification to Canada’s original MAID law, eliminating the criterion that previously had made it a requirement for a candidate’s death to be “reasonably foreseeable” — and making decisions about eligibility far more subjective. Even for those with “reasonably foreseeable” deaths, the bill eliminated a formerly mandated 10-day “reflection period” and downgraded the requirement for independent witnesses from two to one.

    The three doctors and other critics of the more expansive policy warn that it will “nurture the country’s growing culture of death” and open the door to even more widespread implementation of a practice that is already ethically contentious, particularly since the Canadian government has pledged to consider eligibility for minors as young as 12 if deemed “capable of making decisions with respect to their health.”

    Extending MAID eligibility to youth — which could be on the horizon as soon as 2023 — would mean that “before children in Canada can drive vehicles, they may be allowed to consent to physicians taking their lives.”

    As Hoffe wryly commented to his two colleagues, “It is amazing the lengths that the government seems to be going to — to reduce the population.”

    https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/euthanasia-medical-assisted-suicide-children/

    Liked by 1 person

  25. 12/16/22 • BIG PHARMA

    “FDA Approves ‘Absurd’ Drug for Kids as Young as 8 to Delay Diabetes — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a monoclonal antibody injection for adults and children 8 and older who have stage 2, Type 1 diabetes. The drug’s wholesale cost is $193,900 for a 14-day supply, and it comes with a risk of unknown side effects.”
    By Dr. Joseph Mercola

    EXCERPT: “Story at a glance:

    — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Tzield (teplizumab-mzwv), made by drugmakers Sanofi and Provention Bio, for use in adults and children 8 years and older who have stage 2, Type 1 diabetes.

    — Tzield is a monoclonal antibody injection that neither treats nor prevents Type 1 diabetes. The treatment is intended to delay the onset of stage 3, Type 1 diabetes by only about 25 months. The drug’s wholesale cost is $193,900 for a 14-day supply, and it comes with a risk of unknown side effects.

    — Tzield may cause cytokine release syndrome (CRS), an acute systemic inflammatory syndrome that includes fever and multiple organ dysfunction.

    — Lymphopenia, a reduced level of white blood cells, occurred in 78% of patients treated with Tzield.

    The FDA approved the first drug that delays the onset of Type 1 diabetes. The American Diabetes Association called the approval a “historic moment” for those living with the condition. I call it absurdity on steroids, as this drug does not treat or prevent Type 1 diabetes. It only delays its onset for about two years.

    Meanwhile, the drug’s wholesale cost is $193,900 for a 14-day supply, and it comes with a risk of unknown side effects. Type 1 diabetes is a serious condition, but marketing this drug as a savior of sorts is at best misleading and at worst downright dangerous.

    What is Type 1 diabetes?

    Type 1 diabetes affects close to 2 million people in the U.S. It’s far less common than Type 2 diabetes, and affects only about 5% to 10% of people with diabetes. It’s believed to be caused by an autoimmune reaction, during which the body mistakenly attacks and destroys cells in the pancreas known as beta cells.”

    More: https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/fda-drug-tzield-type-1-diabetes-children-adults-cola/

    Liked by 1 person

  29. Just got my e-mail from Brandon – the press release has already been posted so I won’t post it again.

    Patriots-

    “Today is my birthday- YAHOOOO!!! And though the timing is purely coincidental, perhaps the best gift I could get this year is a gift I’m giving to myself and to all of the American people… I’m standing up and FIGHTING BACK against the mainstream media that has sought to destroy me and so many others.

    Today I filed a lawsuit against MSNBC, Chris Hayes, and Ari Melber. But believe me, this is only the beginning. My legal team and I will be serving at least a dozen more “journalists” and individuals who have maliciously slandered, libeled, and conspired to defame me (and by proxy, many many others).

    I won’t be taking any more shit from the mainstream media. I’m fighting back for all of us. LET’S DO THIS, PATRIOTS!

    See press release and lawsuit details below- and please forward to all your friends.”

    Brandon Straka

    Liked by 1 person

  32. ROFLMAO – that little shit!!! I just looked outside and LM is back on the patio – that little sneak is standing inside looking out around the edge of the doggie door….I could see he was getting set to jump at something. He’s hiding behind the doggie door and stalking birds! He is clearly no dummy!

    Liked by 1 person

  33. I called my Sis to tell her about LM and she had talked to our cousin who lives on a ranch out in western NE. She sent Sis a picture – they had planted a bunch of cedar trees as a shelter belt that are about 10-15′ tall – Sis said she could only see about the top 3 feet of the trees. Much worse wind out there, too. I posted a picture a long time ago of the ranch north of Scottsbluff.


    Liked by 1 person

      1. I’m sure at some point I visited the ranch but I would have been very, very young and I don’t remember it. I don’t remember my uncle, can’t even think of his name at this point.

        My Mom was a live-in caregiver for Rhoda Eskwith, a woman with MS whose only movement left to her was her head (she used a pencil in her mouth to type). She had never been out west and paid for Mom to take her out to the ranch for a visit – they were living in Baltimore at the time. Rhoda was ecstatic, crowing that she was a cowgirl now because she got cow shit on the wheels of her wheel chair. Quite a woman, was Rhoda. She was very instrumental in getting Baltimore to pass a law for the handicapped accessibility.

        Mom used to tease her that she needed to go on a diet, she was getting too heavy for Mom to lift. Quite a character!

        Liked by 1 person

  34. I am adding a short daily prayer to the board. I would invite each of you, if you wish, to also add one or maybe two of your own liking. I do not want to stifle anyone but please limit yourself to one or two religious postings. here’s one I found that I liked.

    Like

  39. Traditional Southern Holiday Recipe is Cheese Straws.

    These Crispy Southern Cheese Crackers are the same dough, but easier to slice and bake for drop in company.

    RECIPE

    Ingredients:
    1 lb extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
    1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes.
    2 cups all-purpose flour, Gluten-Free Flour, Almond flour, etc. can be substituted
    1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
    1 teaspoon kosher salt
    2-3 dashes of hot sauce
    6-8 Tbsp heavy cream

    Directions:
    Add the flour, salt, and cayenne pepper to a food processor. Pulse several times to mix. Add butter and hot sauce. Run processor for about 10 seconds until the mixture is the consistency of coarse meal.

    Add the shredded cheese and pulse until it is mixed. If you have a small food processor, you may have to divide the mixture into two smaller batches.

    Add the cream by the tablespoon until the mixture starts to pull away from the sides of the processor. It should take 3 to 4 tablespoons of cream if you had to divide the mixture or 6-8 tablespoons for the full batch.

    Next, turn the mixture out onto a clean surface and press into a ball. The mixture may still be crumbly. Cut the ball in half, and shape each half into a log. It helps when shaping the logs if you wrap the log in wax paper or parchment paper. If you had to divide the mixture up, you will have two balls. You should end up with four logs about 12 to 14 inches each. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and chill for several hours before you slice them.

    When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

    Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the logs as evenly and as thinly as possible and arrange the slices on the baking sheet. They will spread slightly so leave a little bit of room between each slice.

    You can add a little extra salt on top, or add a little paprika for color. You could also prick the wafers with a fork to add some design if desired.

    Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the slices are golden brown and crispy.

    Notes:
    If after baking, you have some thicker slices that aren’t crispy, put them back in the oven at 200 degrees for 30 minutes or longer, or until they crisp up.
    The dough logs can be stored in the freezer, so you always have some on hand to bake up quickly whenever you need them.

    This entry was posted in Community, Home and Garden, TLH Taste and tagged cheese crisps, cheese wafers, holiday appetizers, holiday appetizers for a crowd, homemade cheese crackers, southern cheese crackers, southern cheese crackers recipe on December 12, 2017 by Sharon Rigsby.

    About Sharon Rigsby
    I’m the blogger behind Grits and Pinecones®, a southern cooking and hospitality blog. I’m all about creating recipes that are quick and easy, and perfect for sharing with your family and friends. Nothing fussy or complicated, just “go-to” dishes for the every-day home cook. I’m a 6th generation Floridian, a retired association executive and I’ve enjoyed cooking for as long as I can remember. Please join me in my culinary adventures at *www.gritsandpinecones.com!

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    1. Sally Q asked for a cheese straw recipe and asked if it could be made low carb – and it can! These are easier because you don’t have to load a cookie press!

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      1. I just learned that some people roll out the dough, cut into strips, sprinkle with seeds and/or seasonings, twist into cute sticks. Just look at all the images for cheese straws in a DDG search! Lots of ways to delight your hubby! :8-)

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          1. Those are awesome cookies – I think that touch of Cream of Tartar and cinnamon really makes them awesome. They are former-husband’s favorite cookie.

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