Carole Baskins Diary

Amazon Asked Me to Speak at their Conference Hi Carole and Big Cat Rescue team, At the AmazonSmile / AWS Nonprofit Conference in August, we’re having a panel discussion on social media. Would whoever manages your social media be interested in joining the panel? The other panelists include a VP from Facebook/Instagram, Amazon.com’s social media manager, and one to two social media folks from charity: water. The session is scheduled for the morning of Tuesday, Aug 7. If you could please let me know one way or the other by Tuesday, I would appreciate it. Thanks, Jeremy Farkas Sr. Marketing Manager, AmazonSmile My heart is bursting with pride and gratitude for Jamie and our entire team who made it possible for Noel Bobcat to return to the wild today.

 

Hi, I’m Carole Baskin and I’ve been writing my story since I was able to write, but when the media goes to share it, they only choose the parts that fit their idea of what will generate views.  These are my views and opinions. If I'm going to share my story, it should be the whole story.  The titles are the dates things happened. If you have any interest in who I really am please start at the beginning of this playlist: http://savethecats.org/

 

I know there will be people who take things out of context and try to use them to validate their own misconception, but you have access to the whole story.  My hope is that others will recognize themselves in my words and have the strength to do what is right for themselves and our shared planet.  

 

You can help feed the cats at no cost to you using Amazon Smile!

Visit BigCatRescue.org/Amazon-smile

 

You can see photos, videos and more, updated daily at BigCatRescue.org

 

Check out our main channel at YouTube.com/BigCatRescue

 

Music (if any) from Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com) This video is for entertainment purposes only and is my opinion.  Closing graphic with permission from https://youtu.be/F_AtgWMfwrk

Big Cat Act Summary for our Bill Sponsor HR1818 S2990

This letter to the aide for our bill sponsor was so good, I thought I’d put it here as it details our struggles since the 90s to end the rampant breeding and exploiting of big cats:

 

Thanks so much for the work on the draft letter, on Father's Day no less, wow!

 

I'll review the letter later but for now let me address your question about FWS. At the risk of TMI, I'd like to give you a complete an understanding as best I can.

 

FWS does NOT track captive tigers.  FWS effort is primarily under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).  There is an international treaty known as CITES and ESA is the US implementation of that treaty.

 

Under the ESA, one is not supposed to breed, buy, sell endangered species without a permit from FWS. There is language about not "taking" endangered species, which is defined more broadly than the usual hunter's term "take" which means killing.  It includes harassing the animals etc.

 

A permit to breed, buy, sell, import an endangered species (like tigers) is supposed to be issued ONLY if the applicant can show that the activity has conservation value.  FWS has a large department whose job it is to process the large number of applications. As an example, right now, we are trying to rescue 9 tigers from Guatemala. So we have to apply to FWS for an import permit.  Three years ago we rescued a tiger from Peru under an FWS permit.

 

Now, the 2014 issue.  In 1998 FWS issued what is called the "generic tiger rule."  Generic tigers are those where the subspecies cannot be identified.  The ONLY tigers where the subspecies CAN be identified are those that reside at the large AZA zoos.  Those zoos track the genetic history of the cats and, under something called the Species Survival Plan (SSP), they only breed cats tigers who are of the same subspecies AND they are careful to insure they are genetically diverse, i.e. the do not "inbreed" tigers who are related.  There are only about 300 tigers at the AZA zoos who are of pure subspecies.

 

In contrast, ALL of the thousands of tigers at roadside zoos and in back yards are "generic" tigers, aka "mutt" tigers or "junk" tigers.  There is no tracking of genetic history, they are of mixed subspecies (mostly Bengal with some Siberian blood) and these breeders often breed within a family unit. For instance, one of our tigers was bred to his mother.

 

In the bill, in the conditions under the USDA exemption, you will see breeding only allowed if it is pursuant to a science based breeding plan. This is aimed at this rampant inbreeding. The AZA SSP would be in compliance.

 

OK, back to 1998.  At that time, FWS, we believe simply to lighten their work load, said that you did NOT have to follow the ESA requirements to get a permit to breed generic tigers. This as you might guess contributed enormously to the rampant untracked breeding.

 

We and other animal welfare groups started in 2011 to urge FWS to rescind this rule. If I recall correctly, when FWS posted it for comment, we collectively generated over 100,000 comments in favor.  The very modest number of opposing comments all came from the roadside zoos.  I am not sure where the reference to 2014 comes from, they may have first posted the proposed rescission then, but in 2016 FWS did finally rescind the rule.

 

We thought this was going to be significant. Unfortunately FWS has made absolutely no effort to enforce the ESA on generic tigers since then, i.e. require the breeders to get a permit.  When I have asked why, I am told by a person who talks to FWS that it is simply a matter of triage of resources. The department that processes applications does not do enforcement. They just process whatever comes to them, they do not look for people who fail to ask for a permit.  The department that does enforcement devotes their resources to illegal trafficking, mostly illegal import of endangered species, and simply judges that to be a better allocation of resources tha

Is Dad shapeshifting into a black “panther”?

I sent this report in to our FWC inspector, but can’t help but notice that the exit mentioned is right next to where we buried Dad two years ago.

 

I just got a call from a woman named Stephanie who claims that she and four other people saw a brown panther and a black panther on Friday and that Friday night something broke into her rabbit coop and ate the heads off four of the rabbits, mauled another one and three or four are missing entirely.

 

The directions she gave me were that she's near 160th St. and Forest Road 13.  I couldn't find anything like that, so she said it was right near Exit 309 in Webster.

 

Since that's right in between Dade City Wild Things and big cat places in Bushnell, I figured I'd let you know, in case anyone is missing a couple of cats.  I don't know if it's true of cats in the wild, but I know captive cats seem to really like the heads best when it comes to rabbits.

 

By the way...Happy Father's Day.

 

I got a sweet note from Deb Quimby today:

 

Dearest Carole,

 

I just need to say “thank you” today! I heard a quote this morning that reminded me so completely of you.... The quote was:  “Some people succeed because they were destined to, but others succeed because they were determined to.”  Elmer Towns

 

You are one of the determined ones. You have been determined for many years. Thru ups and downs, the good years and the bad, nothing has detoured your mission and your vision. You are a world changer! You alone started on a path because you were determined to make this world a better place. A visionary far ahead of your time. Now, thanks to you, laws are being changed and others, I feel, soon will be. Yes, others have come on board and support your vision, but it was yours first. A determined young woman who saved one bobcat, now, because of your drive and fight have saved many!

 

I am thankful to call you my friend and am in awe of your unrelenting courage each day to continue to fight the fight even when some make it so very difficult. You are brave, determined and a leader in this world.  I doubt you would ever say you were “destined” to lead this fight, but thru life’s circumstances have become a determined, amazing woman who is set on changing the world for the better in her lifetime!

 

Thank you! For being who you are and not backing down in spite of the difficulties life has given you at times. You are awesomely amazing my dear friend! Thanks to you, future generations will have the opportunity to know about and see big cats living in the wild rather than seeing them in a book and only hearing their stories because they have become extinct. YOU did that!- and I thank you from the bottom of my heart!  God be with you and bless you always my friend! ❤️. Hugs, hugs and more hugs,  Deb

 

Hi, I’m Carole Baskin and I’ve been writing my story since I was able to write, but when the media goes to share it, they only choose the parts that fit their idea of what will generate views.  These are my views and opinions. If I'm going to share my story, it should be the whole story.  The titles are the dates things happened. If you have any interest in who I really am please start at the beginning of this playlist: http://savethecats.org/

 

I know there will be people who take things out of context and try to use them to validate their own misconception, but you have access to the whole story.  My hope is that others will recognize themselves in my words and have the strength to do what is right for themselves and our shared planet.  

 

You can help feed the cats at no cost to you using Amazon Smile!

Visit BigCatRescue.org/Amazon-smile

 

You can see photos, videos and more, updated daily at BigCatRescue.org

 

Check out our main channel at YouTube.com/BigCatRescue

 

Music (if any) from Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com) This video is for entertainment purposes only and is my opinion.  Closing graphic with permission from https://youtu.be/F_Atg

What is your superpower?

I want to update our Staff and Volunteer Committee profiles and I think people would love to know about your higher self.  I'd like to add a section that starts out with:

 

My Superpower is:  ___________

 

Then tell a brief story about a moment when your higher self took control and you did something that defines an important element about who you are.  Something that illustrates that superpower.  I'll include it on our website, so it needs to be something you are okay with sharing to the world.

 

Could you email those to me by next Wednesday?  Please don't hit Reply All because it will get lost in the thread.

 

I think for mine I’ll say:  I can see the future.  I’d rather use the story of hooking the semi to the office and hauling my real estate business out of harm’s way, but think I’ll make it about rescuing bobcats instead, as that is more on point for the BigCatRescue.org site.

 

My superpower is:  I can see the future

 

When confronted with an issue, I don’t just see the problem; I see it in sort of a split screen in my head.  On the left is what I have.  On the right is what I want.  That clarity makes it possible for me to make quick decisions about what needs to be done right now and I can see the steps needed to get to what I want.  They fan out across that split screen image so that I can move on through the steps, and delegate tasks along the way, to engage others in the path to that ultimate outcome.  An example of this was how the sanctuary started.

 

When I saw that a taxidermist was going to purchase a 6 month old bobcat, who was an unwanted pet, to turn her into a den decoration, I knew I could fix that problem.   He said he was going to club her in the head in the parking lot.  I was able to see that outcome AND one where she had a long, healthy life.  Windsong spent the next 18 years as the beloved founder of Big Cat Rescue.  The next year when confronted with 56 bobcats and lynx at a fur farm, I could see their imminent doom as skins for the fur trade AND I could see them enjoying long, healthy lives with people who would see them for the amazing  individuals they all were.

 

Hi, I’m Carole Baskin and I’ve been writing my story since I was able to write, but when the media goes to share it, they only choose the parts that fit their idea of what will generate views.  These are my views and opinions. If I'm going to share my story, it should be the whole story.  The titles are the dates things happened. If you have any interest in who I really am please start at the beginning of this playlist: http://savethecats.org/

 

I know there will be people who take things out of context and try to use them to validate their own misconception, but you have access to the whole story.  My hope is that others will recognize themselves in my words and have the strength to do what is right for themselves and our shared planet.  

 

You can help feed the cats at no cost to you using Amazon Smile!

Visit BigCatRescue.org/Amazon-smile

 

You can see photos, videos and more, updated daily at BigCatRescue.org

 

Check out our main channel at YouTube.com/BigCatRescue

 

Music (if any) from Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com) This video is for entertainment purposes only and is my opinion.  Closing graphic with permission from https://youtu.be/F_AtgWMfwrk

Howie, Hurley and the Alligator

 

I had this exchange with Deb Quimby this morning and it reminded me that I probably never mentioned the close call for Howie and Hurley.

Deb wrote:  Happy CATurday!

 

I have to share with you the craziest dream I had last night and when I woke up from it made me smile and I knew I had to share it with you!

 

I dreamed you called me and said, “ hey, we need to go get some bobcat kittens. Jamie is busy and I need you to go with me. I’ll be there in 15 min. Bring gloves, a shovel and a backpack and wear boots.”  I asked you why those things and you said, “ gloves to handle the kittens so they don’t smell us, boots because there are snakes everywhere ( I am deathly afraid of snakes), a shovel to move the snakes out of the way and a backpack to put the kittens in. “ You picked me up in your truck ( from my house here in IN) and we drove and drove. When we got to this place we started walking thru high grass and I could hardly watch for the bobkittens for looking for the snakes! We found 2 nests of kittens in the grass. You told me to put them in my backpack and so we took turns keeping the snakes back with the shovels while the other grabbed the kittens. We ended up with 10 kittens. I asked you, “where would this many stay? Who would feed and take care of them?” You laughed and said “ we are!”  The last kitten I pulled out of the nest was calico in color. You said that meant good luck! I told you we were going to need it raising 10 tiny bobkittens ! You laughed and we zipped up the backpacks and started to walk back to the car.... then I woke up. Crazy dream! This dream must say something about our friendship, because I wouldn’t go anywhere near a snake for just anyone! ;). Have a good day! Love and hugs! Deb

 

I wrote:

 

That kind of IS how bobcat rescues go (except for the number) I usually get a call in the middle of the night, and if Jamie's away, I call whomever I think is going to be willing to fight the mosquitoes, the briars and whatever else may be in the woods, to go help the bobcat.  You are the kind of person I know I could call.  I find dreams interesting because we spend so much of our time sleeping and I think there has to be more to them than just crazy ramblings, if we can remember and use them.

 

My "fear" animal in dreams are alligators.  Living with them right in my yard here keeps me on my toes, but they were my dream - fear animal all my life.  This is what I've read about alligators in dreams, and about snakes in dreams:

 

To see an alligator in your dream symbolizes treachery, deceit, and hidden instincts. It may be a signal for you to take on a new perspective on a situation. It may also represent your ability to move between the physical, material world of waking life and the emotional, repressed world of the unconscious.

 

Most snake dreams have to do with repressed sexual urges.  As a positive symbol, snakes represent healing, transformation, knowledge and wisdom. It is indicative of self-renewal and positive change.

 

Deb wrote:

 

Oh you know I would absolutely go with you! ... and if I lived near alligators I am sure I would fear them as well! I have never actually seen one- having lived in land locked IN all my life, but we have plenty of snakes here!

 

I had just watched the video of you and Gail searching for a water moccasin and you chopping its head off with a shovel before bed. I suspect that might be where that dream  came from ...

You have mentioned that alligator that is near where you ride your bike. Although that looks like a beautiful area, I would have a hard time seeing the beauty for watching for that alligator! .... in your back yard ??? Yikes!  Have a good day my friend!

 

I wrote:

 

It's the same river, Rocky Creek that winds from the sanctuary to my house, and where I live is almost completely surrounded by water because of the way a canal intersects Rocky Creek.  So I see alligators at several spots along the trail I ride, but the ones t

We were accepted into Amazon Exclusives

This was an email to Brittany Mira:

 

This is HUGE!  The Amazon Exclusives page is THE most popular page on Amazon's entire website and they only have 1200 sellers in this program.  They usually require the seller to be someone who has created a product that isn't available any where else (except for their own physical store, their own online store and Amazon). 

 

They approved my pitch that Big Cat Rescue is an exclusive brand because we are selling products to save big cats.  I talked to Andre for a long time yesterday and today he pitched us to his team and they approved it.  It’s going to cost us 5% more in Amazon fees, but given the increased exposure I think it will more than pay for itself.  They will protect our listings, give us more personal customer support, enable us to connect with the other 1200 sellers in a chat sort of forum for advice, and will be promoting us for holiday sales and more generally on their Amazon Exclusives page.

 

We also can now add video to our Enhanced Brand Content pages and that will really set us apart from other sellers.  I just need you to be up to snuff on exactly what we can or can't say about our products benefitting the cats.  Andre really loved that we have a story to tell and a mission, so we need to make the most of that without violating their terms of service.

 

Andre's team is about 40 people and he's our main point of contact.  He's a Leo and has a great affinity for cats.  This only applies to Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) items and it can't be products, like the Crazy Cat Lady line because what Amazon does for us is keeps hijackers off our listings, which would mean that no one in the world could sell Crazy Cat Lady stuff, except us, if we were to make such a claim so we want to be sure we don't list things that are not unique to us.  As we add new FBA products, we have to update the list with Amazon Exclusives.

 

Hi, I’m Carole Baskin and I’ve been writing my story since I was able to write, but when the media goes to share it, they only choose the parts that fit their idea of what will generate views.  These are my views and opinions. If I'm going to share my story, it should be the whole story.  The titles are the dates things happened. If you have any interest in who I really am please start at the beginning of this playlist: http://savethecats.org/

 

I know there will be people who take things out of context and try to use them to validate their own misconception, but you have access to the whole story.  My hope is that others will recognize themselves in my words and have the strength to do what is right for themselves and our shared planet.  

 

You can help feed the cats at no cost to you using Amazon Smile!

Visit BigCatRescue.org/Amazon-smile

 

You can see photos, videos and more, updated daily at BigCatRescue.org

 

Check out our main channel at YouTube.com/BigCatRescue

 

Music (if any) from Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com) This video is for entertainment purposes only and is my opinion.  Closing graphic with permission from https://youtu.be/F_AtgWMfwrk

Amazon Exclusives

Today I applied for our Big Cat Rescue Amazon store to become an Amazon Exclusives partner.  I think this marks a big day for us.  It’s going to cost me 5% more, but given the increased exposure I think it will more than pay for itself.  This was part of my application and the product ASINs we started with:

 

Big Cat Rescue is a non profit sanctuary to lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, cougars, bobcats, servals, caracals, ocelots and other species of wild cats.  We are unique in that we hold the highest accreditation and rankings in the industry by the Global Federation of Animals Sanctuaries and Charity Navigator.  We are held out by GFAS to be a model facility and are often called upon to help educate other animal sanctuaries in methods to increase their viability.

 

Big Cat Rescue is rated 4 Stars by Charity Navigator (their highest rating) every year since 2011, which only 6% of the thousands of nonprofits they rate achieve, and has the highest overall numerical score of any animal based charity at an amazing 100%!  Big Cat Rescue is in the top 5% of performers in Smile.Amazon.com's program due to our world wide brand recognition.  Our credentials are extensive and listed here:  https://bigcatrescue.org/about/credentials/

 

Our mission is to end the trade in big cats as pets, props and parts and we have seen increasing momentum toward that goal.  As part of a big cat coalition that formed in 2011 we have been successful in ending the inbreeding in AZA accredited zoos that creates white tigers, which suffer many birth defects.  We were able to have the US Fish & Wildlife Service rescind their generic tiger loophole, which allowed back yard breeders to constantly pump out and tigers for use as pay to play props, and we authored a federal bill, HR1818-S2990 which will end the private possession of big cats and stop some of the most egregious forms of cruelty.  We have been successful in moving USDA to enforce animal welfare act standards to protect cubs from being taken from their mothers at birth to be used as pay to play props.  We still have much to do on these fronts to ensure that tigers and other exotic cats do not suffer in captivity.

 

We also fund in-situ project to protect wild cats in the wild, where they belong.  We are this country's leading authority on bobcat rehab and release and provide these services at no charge to the community.  Just recently we helped support the reintroduction of two Amur tigers (one had been orphaned and the other shot in the face) back to the wild in Russia.  You can see all of our efforts to save wild places for wild cats at BigCatRescue.org/insitu

 

We began selling on Amazon as a way to reach more people and give them the ability to fund the rescue and lifetime care of captive bred big cats and help shape our planet by supporting our efforts to preserve entire eco systems which are necessary for big cats to survive.  It is only through protecting our planet that we will all have clean air, safe water and a better way of life.

 

Hi, I’m Carole Baskin and I’ve been writing my story since I was able to write, but when the media goes to share it, they only choose the parts that fit their idea of what will generate views.  These are my views and opinions. If I'm going to share my story, it should be the whole story.  The titles are the dates things happened. If you have any interest in who I really am please start at the beginning of this playlist: http://savethecats.org/

 

I know there will be people who take things out of context and try to use them to validate their own misconception, but you have access to the whole story.  My hope is that others will recognize themselves in my words and have the strength to do what is right for themselves and our shared planet.  

 

You can help feed the cats at no cost to you using Amazon Smile!

Visit BigCatRescue.org/Amazon-smile

 

You can see photos, videos and more, updated daily at BigCatRescue.org

 

Check out our

This is my cousin Scott Smith and I at Mom’s wedding last month.  Scott and I were born the same day in 1961 but we couldn’t be more different.  It was especially nostalgic to walk the halls of our old grade school, where his mom was the principal.

 

Yesterday we had to make the tough decision to euthanize 21 year old Zeus Tiger and his daughter / sister Keisha is on death watch, so things have been strained here.  Despite that I have gotten some very good news.

 

Joe Schreibvogel reported on Facebook that Walmart was cutting him off from their free expired meat campaign via Quest Recycling.  He’s flagrantly mis used the meats, to sell to customers, feed to his guests and staff and to pay his staff.  I don’t know if someone turned him in for that, or if Walmart is feeling the liability overall in donating these meats to back yard breeders and pseudo sanctuaries.  None of them could continue to breed, exploit and abuse animals if they actually had to pay to feed them, so this is good news whether it applies to all of the miscreants, or just Joe.

 

Then Brittany Peet of PeTA called yesterday to report that Joe’s been crying on her shoulder that he’s afraid of Jeff Lowe who’s been in Las Vegas trying to build a cub petting empire to no avail.  I can’t believe a word out of Joe’s mouth, but he claims he’s been sending money to Jeff and now Jeff is completely broke and coming back to GW Zoo in a rage because he says Joe’s been forging Jeff’s signature on checks.  Joe sold everything to Jeff to try and escape collection by us of our 1.2 million dollar judgment against him, so he’s really in a pickle now that he’s rankled the ire of that criminal.   Joe was trying to get PeTA to give him 250k to move to Belize and sign over his interest in the zoo, but PeTA reminded him that he doesn’t have an asset in the zoo.

 

Then at a quarter of midnight Lauren Lowe (they said) texted me from Jeff’s phone.  It came up on my caller ID as Flea Market Tigers, which means I must have saved this caller ID from years ago when he called me threatening all manner of harm because I’d spoken out against him keeping tigers in a Flea Market in S.C.  I didn’t even know his name, so that’s why I made the ID: Flea Market Tigers.  He wanted to throw Joe under the bus in exchange for getting me to drop the lawsuit.

 

We have no reason to do that.  He’s going to throw Joe under the bus anyway because he’s mad, so why should I give him anything for doing what he’s going to do anyway.  Joe said he’s afraid Jeff is going to kill him, so today Howie called Matt at USFWS and asked if I need to worry about a hit on me any more given that these two are going after each other.

 

Matt said he’d just spent the whole afternoon with Jeff Lowe taking notes on all of the illegal tiger trading he says Joe’s been doing for cash under the table.  See?  I knew Jeff couldn’t hold back.

 

Getting a prosecutor to do anything is another matter altogether, but the good news is that these two will totally destroy each other and probably half of their community as well.  Pat Engessor was one that came out by name from USFWS as buying tiger cubs from Joe.  None of this would have been illegal if we had not been pressing all these years for USFWS to rescind their “generic tiger” loophole, which they finally did in April of 2016.

 

Hi, I’m Carole Baskin and I’ve been writing my story since I was able to write, but when the media goes to share it, they only choose the parts that fit their idea of what will generate views.  These are my views and opinions. If I'm going to share my story, it should be the whole story.  The titles are the dates things happened. If you have any interest in who I really am please start at the beginning of this playlist: http://savethecats.org/

 

I know there will be people who take things out of context and try to use them to validate their own misconception, but you have access to the whole story.  My hope is that others will recognize themselves in

I wrote the company: I just bought (I think) my first CryptoKitty today. I've been learning all that I can about what you are trying to do here and just love the innovative thinking. As the founder of Big Cat Rescue (we rescue lions, tigers and other big cats) I am always looking for ways to get cat lovers involved in saving our planet by saving its most iconic predators; the big cats. As much fun as people may have buying hats and racing CryptoKitties, imagine how much more they would love investing in our shared future where all wild cats live free? I just know there have to be skilled developers on your team who could figure out a way to fund conservation in the wild, and maybe even sanctuaries like mine, that have to clean up the mess, when people breed real wild cats for life in prison. We have 2.3 million Facebook fans and will be attending CatCon this year where there are supposed to be 17,000 cat lovers. It would be a great place to announce such a collaboration if you think it's worthwhile. They never did respond. Howie’s Hernia Surgery Today I drove Howie to Memorial Hospital in Tampa to have hernia surgery. At the corner of Swan and Macdill stands and old gas station where I used to bathe and wash my hair in the tiny, filthy sink back when I used to live in my Datsun pick up truck circa 1977. When I pointed it out to Howie he said, “We really need to write your book.”

 

Hi, I’m Carole Baskin and I’ve been writing my story since I was able to write, but when the media goes to share it, they only choose the parts that fit their idea of what will generate views.  These are my views and opinions. If I'm going to share my story, it should be the whole story.  The titles are the dates things happened. If you have any interest in who I really am please start at the beginning of this playlist: http://savethecats.org/

 

I know there will be people who take things out of context and try to use them to validate their own misconception, but you have access to the whole story.  My hope is that others will recognize themselves in my words and have the strength to do what is right for themselves and our shared planet.  

 

You can help feed the cats at no cost to you using Amazon Smile!

Visit BigCatRescue.org/Amazon-smile

 

You can see photos, videos and more, updated daily at BigCatRescue.org

 

Check out our main channel at YouTube.com/BigCatRescue

 

Music (if any) from Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com) This video is for entertainment purposes only and is my opinion.  Closing graphic with permission from https://youtu.be/F_AtgWMfwrk

Live your life and forget your age

...because after yesterday my first inclination would be to make this headline, “Damn, you got old!”

 

 

Yesterday Mom married Fred Lively in a casual wedding / potluck at Florida College Academy.  She’d asked me if I’d do the flowers for her wedding, so I’d been stockpiling cases of them from my overseas vendors.  Her original intention was to be married in Fred’s backyard on Lake Keystone because that’s where he proposed and he’s known for throwing church and family parties there for years.  I’d been buying flowers with the intent of draping their wooden swing and all the trees with long vines of pinks, creams, purples and a soft glowing orange.  Rain changed that.

 

Turned out to be a great decision to use the FCA lunch room as there were plenty of tables and chairs inside.  Chuck, MJ (Emily’s boyfriend) and I turned the bleachers around backwards so we could use the safety rails on their back to drape the flowers.  Everyone pitched in and covered them and the tables with flowers.  There were 125 of their family and friends at the event and they were wed at 11:00 am.  Lunch followed and everyone was gone by 2:30.

 

What struck me most was how old everyone looked.  I’d just seen all these people two years ago when Dad died, but I must not have really seen them.  I’m sure they all looked at me and thought the same thing, but all anyone could talk about was my hair.  It really is amazing hair.  It’s down to about my waist now, and so full and glossy and blonde.  I die it, but only because my roots are brown.  I’d love to cut it all off and come in w/ grey, if it would just turn grey.  Seeing cousin Scott, who was born the same day as me, was the most startling.  He looks sooooo old.  I didn’t even know who Jackie Ellen was until I realized she was with Aunt Barbara (who didn’t look any older...oddly.)

 

There was lots of loving, hugging and happy chatter and my job was to capture it in every way I could.  Jamie’s job was to get still photos because no one can capture the essence of a person or a moment like she can.  I did Facebook LIVE to my own page, 360 footage with the GoPro Fusion, and  filmed w/ my iPhone X.  I worked on the wedding video until 8PM and posted it to YouTube and Facebook.   I’ll do a 360 version today.

 

Hi, I’m Carole Baskin and I’ve been writing my story since I was able to write, but when the media goes to share it, they only choose the parts that fit their idea of what will generate views.  These are my views and opinions. If I'm going to share my story, it should be the whole story.  The titles are the dates things happened. If you have any interest in who I really am please start at the beginning of this playlist: http://savethecats.org/

 

I know there will be people who take things out of context and try to use them to validate their own misconception, but you have access to the whole story.  My hope is that others will recognize themselves in my words and have the strength to do what is right for themselves and our shared planet.  

 

You can help feed the cats at no cost to you using Amazon Smile!

Visit BigCatRescue.org/Amazon-smile

 

You can see photos, videos and more, updated daily at BigCatRescue.org

 

Check out our main channel at YouTube.com/BigCatRescue

 

Music (if any) from Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com) This video is for entertainment purposes only and is my opinion.  Closing graphic with permission from https://youtu.be/F_AtgWMfwrk