I'm moving back to central New Jersey, combining a couple of households which is messy but necessary.
Here's a view from near the new location, taken a couple of days ago:
On the way to the market last week, I discovered Robinson's Fine Candies in the Montgomery Shopping Center on Rte. 206 in Skillman. In business since 1978, they have a large variety of candies and make their own fillings as well. Their products include dietetic chocolates and Coco-Vine Chocolate (wine infused chocolate). I didn't partake that day but will be back soon to try a few things.
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The cicadas are coming. This year is expected to be a bumper year for cicadas. There are many species but this year is the year of the 17 year maturation of the Brood II cicadas. Billions are expected to emerge from there nests in the ground.
Generally benign to humans, these heavy insects have scratchy feet. While they don't normally bite not do they have stingers, as they fly around they can crash into you with an impact that can sting, take my word for it. They make a huge noise while mating and buzzing if knocked upside down on their backs.
One of my previous cats loved them. He thought they were toys. He'd bring one in the house and bat it around until it landed on its back and spun around buzzing noisily which delighted him. If he didn't tire of watching and fall asleep, he eventually would tear it apart (my apologies to sensitive readers) and eat the meaty muscles that hold the wings on. Cicadas have been eaten in various parts of the world. Looking at a carcass after the cat was finished with it, I have to admit that the little pink chunk of muscle at the base of the wing looks as good as any other meat I've seen. No, I did not try it.
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Camelot Horse Weekly and Auction House is new to me and I don't know much about them yet. Apparently, Camelot is an auction house dealing with feed lot horse rescues. Their Facebook page posts photos and descriptions of horse, mules, and ponies of various sorts available for rescue. The photos show beautiful animals of various breeds, ages and histories and some in not such great shape. My heart goes out to all of them. If I had land, I'd be adopting constantly. Prices range from about $400 up. It's so sad that so many animals are cast off without a thought. It's so wonderful that there are people concerning themselves with doing whatever they can to rescue and find homes for these animals.
Also associated with these horses and the efforts to do something for them is Helping Hearts Equine Rescue in Perrineville, NJ. There is more information about Camelot Horses and about equine rescue efforts on their site.
Liberty Equine Rescue in Morris County also has horses for adoption.
You can also adopt a horse from Horse Rescue United in Allentown, NJ
Like all the other animals that need homes and have people trying to save them, please take care of your animals, have them neutered, find them a home yourself or ask for help if you need it, don't just dump them. Adopt a pet, dog, cat, rabbit, horse, whatever rather than buy from breeders who don't necessarily care about the over population of domestic animals. And, please, don't breed your animals. There are already too many without homes, many of which will have to be euthanized for no other reason.
There is more in our Directory of Wildlife and Animal Welfare and we'll keep adding to the directory as we do all our directories.