Dear All,

It's been the worst of winters for everyone, everywhere. Last year I'd
received a dusting on the farm. This Winter, it started snowing in
Nov, and then all hell broke loose. It's been said that Maryland has
received more snow than any other state. Well, for anyone acquainted
with my farm, knowing it's the Bermuda Triangle of Maryland, we were
so hammered. I have two stand alone shelters, each within 50' of my
backdoor.

This past month, in between blizzards, I climbed out of a window,
because all doors were drifted shut, and made my way through thigh high
snow to my shelters. Knowing the worst was coming, I prepped every cage
with mega food, water, and bedding, should we lose power, which we
never did, should I be separated from being able to get to them....I
was. They had everything but me, and their out time. Oh Lord, welcome
to my nightmare!

After the second blizzard, I was unable to exit my home, but still had
power. The window was still an option, but I was faced with 4 - 6 foot
drifts, which I just could not navigate myself through. I posted an SOS
on day Six on Facebook, Rocky's database, and Craigslist. Understand,
the very people that I would normally expect to respond, were indeed
trapped themselves. All of Maryland was declared a disaster by the
Governor.

Before anyone could help me, there needed to be a front end loader to
clear the one mile path back to my home. For over two weeks, no one
could get to me. Finally; That happened.

I do rescue. That's what you all know me for. I was rescued. The
responses to my SOS were incredible. Folks came with snow blowers and
shovels from a 150 mile radius to rescue me.

My doors were drifted shut, and they first freed me. Then they cut a
path to my shelters. I walked up to the shelters and was just so very
scared, not knowing if my provisions had seen my kids through. They
had. I'd prepared them for the worst, the worst happened, and they
were none worse for the wear. I stood there and cried my eyes out,
then and throughout the rest of the day. The rescuers and me, well,
we had something of a religious revival that day.

An incredible team of about 25 total strangers to themselves, coming
together, for a common cause. One came early, Steve Sorber, and made
his way through over two miles of snow to get to me, walking and making
his way, with shovel in hand. There's a special place in Heaven for
this man. He works for the PA ferret shelter network, but heard my
desperate plea for help, and came.

Here's what's so very cool. I put out an SOS. I got more responses than
needed, 25 people in all. So, I had all these people with shovels and
the job was done, oh what to do??? Easy, I assign them all cages, and
they took those ferrets out and played with them. LOL, Five adoptions
as a result!

It was a great afternoon, complete strangers coming together for the
common cause of rescue, me and Rocky's.

Please enjoy these albums, they mean the world to me. First, you'll see
pics of my farm. Then you'll see the front end loader clearing the one
mile driveway back to me. Oh jubilation!, now you get to the best pics
you've ever seen, friends from far and wide coming to rescue me and
Rocky''s!~ I'd assigned everyone cages to dote on, and in the group
pics they are all holding the ferrets they'd loved and played with all
afternoon.

<http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=38663&id=1637928725&l=2efed6397b>

<http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=39164&id=1637928725&l=8362496062>

<http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=39166&id=1637928725&l=1fb04ee4ba>

You'll see my home, and two buildings just beyond, they are the "Love
Shack", my quarantine building, and the other stone structure, Rocky's
main shelter where all that have been ADV tested, vet cleared, etc,
housed for adoption and/or foster.

These people are my heros, forever and ever. I hope that you see them
as your heros too.

ROTF, Me, Barb Clay, I do rescue. Rescued. Thank you all. It was the
worst nightmare of my entire life, and you came and rescued me and my
shelter ferrets. What a wonderful day when you all arrived.

I never lost power to the shelters, if anyone would be so inclined to
help with our electric bill, you can PayPal [log in to unmask], or send
checks made out to BGE (Baltimore Gas Electric).

Affectionately,

Barb Clay
Dir of Shelter Affairs for Rocky's
Shelter Rep/The Ferret Council
Parkton, Maryland
www.rockysferrets.com

[Posted in FML 6634]