Our Hen House

I have listened to each and every episode of Colleen Patrick-Goudreau's podcast, probably a dozen times.
I wanted more. Colleen has been busy this year! With Vegan's Daily Companion, Color Me Vegan, and The 30-Day Vegan Challenge, all released in the last year, she just hasn't had time to release many podcasts.
I started trying other vegan podcasts on iTunes. They were okay. Some really challenged my thinking, like, Animal Emancipation, hosted by Gary L. Francione. Some were video podcasts, which I didn't want. Audio only please. I finally asked on TheKindLife.com, and Our Hen House was recommended.
Boy Howdy! I am glad I asked other vegans what they listen to!

This podcast is hosted by Jasmin Singer and Maryann Sullivan.
Maryann is a lawyer and an adjunct professor of animal law at Brooklyn Law School and Cardozo Law School, and will soon be also teaching at Columbia Law School.
Jasmin was the campaigns manager for Farm Sanctuary, and — with Our Hen House — stayed on as a consultant through September 2010. She is a contributing writer for VegNews Magazine, a host for VegNews TV, and was also named by VegNews as one of twenty stand-out stars of the animal rights movement. She has also written for Satya Magazine and Heeb Magazine, and contributed to dozens of blogs.
Great podcast!
Each episode is about an hour long, sometimes a little longer, depending on the news, current events, and such. They interview inspiring vegans each week, talk about what's currently happening in the world of animal rights, and review products, books and movies!
Their website is full of inspiring content! Articles, videos, books, artwork! They've got it all! 
My understanding is that they're working on making Our Hen House into an online magazine! I think that will be rad! I am so excited to see what it'll be like!
They are completely listener and reader supported, which is ultra-cool!
Troy and I don't have cable, so we don't pay for TV, but I have zero problem with paying for content I actually want! So I do. Happily!
They have lots of tips on how to be an animal activist in creative, non-violent ways, from baking to visual art, and documentaries to literature! Our Hen House really makes their tagline their mission!
A Place To Find Our Way To Change The World For Animals.

This podcast helps me feel more connected to the vegan community. I know I've talked about the importance of community, but I will say it again. Community is important! Even if that community is online! We are social animals, so secluding yourself in a vegan bubble is not helping anybody!
Plus, Our Hen House has great thank-you gifts! Like the tote bag pictured here!(I have one!)

ZuZu

This is my sponsored goat, ZuZu. He's at Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, New York. His mother, Lizzy, was rescued from a severe state of neglect. Born at Farm Sanctuary with his brother, Otto, this little family will never be neglected again! 

Troy sponsored him for me last Christmas. We have a little house, and with the big changes from season to season, we have a lot of 'seasonal' gear and tools and such! I'm finding we don't need a lot, so if you must get me something...sponsor an animal for me!
We were hoping we would have a chance to meet him when we visit our friends that live in New Jersey. We decided that my brain couldn't handle all of the people.
I would spend the entire trip sleeping. (Remember, people make me exhausted!) 
I get instantly overwhelmed!

This is one of the paintings I worked on while at SARBI
(Saskatchewan Association for the Rehabilitation for the Brain Injured) on Thursday afternoons with other brain injured folks.
I think I may try this painting again. . . look how small I made his head!
I like painting animals and bringing vegan baking with the recipe to SARBI.
I was worried that I wouldn't be able to mix colours properly. I seem to be doing fine in that department. My judgement of space and size is a bit off, though. <sigh>

This Christmas, we are sponsoring a pig! This time at the California shelter! I think Troy would love to ride(motorcycle) down to meet him/her! I think I'm in! Here's hoping I can do it!

Friends Not Food! Cake

Gene Baur at Farm Sanctuary!

ZuZu, my adopted goat!

Created by my good friends, Katie and Riley!

Inspired by Farm Sanctuary!

Friends, Not Food!

It's vegan.
Two chocolate cakes, with peanut butter chips, and peanut butter icing(the grass). Katie had to do some shopping for peanut butter chips that didn't have milk, but she found them!
At Old Fashion Foods. They carry a lot of 'vegan food'. 'Vegan food' being non-dairy items like Tofutti Cream Cheese, and Earth Balance. They are a tad more expensive(couple dollars) than regular grocery stores, but Superstore(where Troy and I always shop-he was a price-checker when they could rollerblade around the store) recently renovated and has an entire section for natural, organic(and often vegan) foods. It was only a year ago that we had to go to 3 different stores to get our groceries. I like to show the big box stores that there is a demand for these products, but I also like to support our little, locally-owned stores. My solution has been to alternate between the two, and there usually isn't a big difference in price. Usually a ten cent difference. 
The cake was amazing! I am a huge fan of both peanut butter and chocolate! Especially together! (I was super happy when I first became vegan that peanut butter is vegan!)

The fence pieces would pop out from the cake without being bent. Katie and Riley boiled the plastic fence pieces to curve them. They curved them over aluminum cans. Soo cool!It looks like a child's cake with the 'Little People' animals and my 3 candles(worth 10 years each!), but I really don't mind looking young!
This cake was delicious, and adorable!