Happy New Year! -2023 in Review-

As we gear up for a new year here at Sticks Stones and Bonez, we're excited for all the fun adventures ahead. Currently, we are busily planning for summer day camps, special events, and so much more! However, as we move ahead, we also want to take a moment to look back at all the good times we had this year.

In 2023, Sticks Stones and Bonez celebrated our first year of being open! It was such an exciting milestone for us. It was an amazing feeling to get to say that we had spent a year getting to meet and serve people from our community as well as everyone who came to visit from other places. As we approach our two year mark, we are all thrilled for the opportunity to continue connecting with those who come to spend time and learn with us.

The Reason for the Season

In those days, Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and the line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring to you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived. - Luke 2:1-21

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

For this week's blog, we're going to take a break from the informative and enjoy a short story written by one of Sticks Stones and Bonez staff members. Hope you enjoy!

Once upon a time, a long time ago, there was a little mouse. He spent most of his days running through fields, picking up scraps of grain and food that careless farm animals dropped. But today was different. Today, he had gone to a field to follow some sheep, waiting for them to leave their leftovers so he could have a meal. While he was there, the sky had suddenly lit up and lots of bright, shiny things appeared in the sky singing a strange song. After that, the men watching over the sheep had left! The little mouse was suprised. The men watching the sheep never left them alone. There were too many dangerous animals that could eat the sheep. So, the little mouse decided to follow them.

When the men finally stopped, the little mouse was even more surprised. They were at a stable! He had found a bit of barley there earlier that day. But it didn't just have animals, now. There were... people. A baby. And the baby was in the place the animals ate from. It seemed strange. Didn't humans usually put their little ones someplace else? The little mouse snuck closer to where the people were. When he finally saw the baby's face, he understood why the men watching the sheep had run so fast to get here. This little baby didn't make the little mouse feel fear when he saw him. The little mouse felt wonderfully warm and happy as he looked at the child.

As the men he had followed began speaking excitedly, the little mouse snuck away. He wasn't sure what he had seen that night, but he was certain of one thing. That little baby would grow up to be someone who would make things better for everyone. And maybe, just maybe, he would leave the little mouse good food instead of the scraps that fell on the floor. (Luke 2:1-20, John 3:16)

Jack Frost Nipping at Your Nose

Jack Frost is here! With temperatures low enough to leave lovely lacy ice patterns on the grass in the morning, it's time to bundle up when you head out to play. While it might be easier to run around without the extra layers, those layers are actually pretty important. Unlike other creatures roaming this earth, humans don't have fur to keep us warm or extra layers of fat designed to keep us from turning into popsicles in freezing temperatures. We need the extra layers of insulation to keep our body temperature stable.

So, what happens if you choose not to wear those extra layers? Well, first, you'll notice your body start shivering. This happens because your muscles flex and relax quickly to try to generate heat to keep your temperature up. And your teeth chattering? That's your face muscles trying to help as much as they can. Shivering can be a sign that you need some extra warmth. A nice, hot mug of hot chocolate or a fuzzy blanket are great options for getting rid of those shivers.

If you let your body get too cold, which is easy to do during winter, it's possible to develop frostbite. This is a condition where the skin and the underlying tissues freeze. At the earliest stage, known as frostnip, can be recognized by numbness in the extremities. No lasting damage is done, but your fingers and toes might start tingling and hurting when you warm them up again. Superficial frostbite is the next stage and can leave some lasting damage. In this stage, your skin may begin to change colors and will feel warm or hot. If you rewarm yourself at this point, you might feel pain, like stinging and tingling in the affected areas and your skin may become mottled (spotty). Finally, if the frostbite gets to the severe stage, the affected parts may turn black, a sign of deep tissue damage, and might even fall off.

So, how do you avoid this? Make sure to bundle up when it's cold out. When your fingers and toes (and ears and nose) get cold, get to a place where you can warm up. And, of course, wear the right kind of clothes, like waterproof boots instead of tennis shoes and gloves or mittens. Don't let Jack Frost get the best of you this holiday season. Stay warm everyone!

Meet the Pets: Suga and Sonic

Here at Sticks Stones and Bonez, our staff have all sorts of furry, scaly, and feathered friends. Or, in this case, prickly! Suga and Sonic are African Pygmy Hedgehogs, or Four-toed hedgehogs, that are about a year old. The species is native to central and eastern Africa, but these two came from a breeder in the United States. Even though they're the same species, the two couldn't be more different.

Suga, or Miss Suga as her owner often refers to her, is a happy little lady who enjoys attention (once she's fully awake). She loves exploring the house and getting treats like cooked chicken, although in moderation due to hedgehogs tendency to overeat and then end up overweight. She doesn't like bathtime, however, and tends to get fussy as soon as she sees she is headed for the sink.

Mr. Sonic is a grumpy gus. He doesn't like being handled by most people and tends to bolt for the nearest hidy hole if he is set down on the floor. His favorite treat is mealworms which he will noisily chow down on no matter who is watching. He enjoys bathtime, unlike his counterpart, and actually seems to enjoy the nail trims that come along with it.

Even though these little critters are adorable and make great pets, it's always necessary to stop and think before bringing a new family member home. Making sure you have everything you need BEFORE they come through the door is important. Hedgehogs require a special diet that includes insects and plenty of protien with low amounts of fat. They can also run severals MILES in a night, so having ample space as well as a running wheel inside of the enclosure is essential. Proper, unscented bedding is also necesary as they are prone to respiritory infection. They are also not social animals, so if you get 2, be ready to set up 2 separate enclosures so they have their own space. And, of course, always do plenty of research before making a final decision. But, as for these two sweethearts, they're happy and healthy pets who have found their forever home.