Have you ever seen a sign like these on your travels?    Often we see these signs and we drive on by without really paying attention to them.  The other day I saw a small turtle shell on Highway 6 cars whizzing over top of it and I have thought and thought about that poor little thing, tucked inside it’s shell as the universe sped on by without noticing him.   There was a route that we often traveled to visit my parents, that had such a sign.  One humid over cast day my daughter and I were heading down for a visit when we noticed a van stopped in the middle of the road and another parked on the shoulder.  We pulled over to the side to see what the kerfuffle was when we beheld the sight of a Giant Snapping Turtle in the middle of the lane, chillaxing.    Another person pulled up and stopped and we all stood there watching this Turtle, wondering how we were going to rescue it from being hit by a passing car.  One of the onlookers was standing around with her cell phone, taking video and pictures, whilst two men were trying to figure out how they were going to entice this rather fiesty  tortoise onto a piece of card board from the back of the one gentleman’s van.  I did realize that the reason why a snapping Turtle has that handle, is because they snap and if bitten, it would really hurt, so I understood their trepidation.  But the reticence was driving me around the bend, well more so, I was worried about what was around the corner that had four wheels and could flatten this majestic creature.  As the two men jockeyed about, I walked up behind the turtle, took my foot, tipped him up and pushed him onto the cardboard.  He looked around a little befuddled, but he was quickly dragged over to the side of the road and tipped into the culvert.  We all watched as Snappy the Turtle made his way up the the other side and into the the tall grass.  Mission accomplished!  As for the Turtle on Highway 6 in the opposing lane that I didn’t have the opportunity to get out and assist…I really hope you too were able to get to safety!

Are you a take action kind of person?  I have always been the girl that will practically jump out of a moving vehicle to save an animal in need.  I remember once  I went with my then boyfriend, to Ball’s Falls Conservation area when the salmon were running.  He thought it would be a cool thing to go down to the river to watch those poor bedraggled fish try to  make their way up stream.  Much to his awe, this was not quite the same sentiment that I shared.  In my pink Cotton Ginny sweatpants, which I had rolled up past my knee, I waded into the very cold water to try and save them, it  was unconscionable to me to watch them struggle.  He had to rationalize with me that this was natural selection and the more obvious conundrum, I couldn’t save them all.  He was right, but that has not stopped me over the years from helping the helpless.  The other morning, as the boys and I were taking our usual route through the park, we encountered a squirrel in the middle of our path.  It was just laying there, breathing shallowly and unable to move.  I am not sure if the poor thing had been hit by a car or cyclist or poisoned, but what I did know is that it was suffering and very vulnerable.   Picking it up with two very intrigued dogs, wasn’t an option.  I made my way home and called the Humane Society and left a message  as there was no answer and then headed out with my second client for a walk. The squirrel was still there and I felt incredibly sad for it.  When I returned home I ended up speaking to a person at the Humane Society who assured me they had gotten my message and they had just retrieved the squirrel.  I am a realist, I know that poor creature isn’t going to have a happy ending and be back outside collecting acorns in the fall.  What I do know, is that I didn’t walk away and leave it in the middle of a path to suffer.  I think when one encounters another living being in a bad way, walking away and not helping isn’t what we are meant to do, helping an animal in need is something we should all make time for.  If I see a dog toddling down the street without a human in tow, I make sure I find where it lives and get it back to safety.  When I find a goose buried in the snow, with a broken wing, I carry it 3km (with the aid of my spouse who realized an ice coated Canada Goose is rather heavy) back to my vehicle and find a bird sanctuary that will endeavour to help it.   When I realized a neighbour had poisoned a Mother squirrel, who had been eating her bulbs from her garden, leaving her babies to starve, I thought Hell no.   I gathered them up and with the aid of my daughter drove them to Brantford during a rather incredible storm to a facility that helps wildlife, one of the little guys didn’ t make it, but the other three were released back into the wild when they could fend for themselves.   I don’t go looking for animals in need, but somehow they seem to stumble into my path.  I think in some way, a higher power knows that I will do what I can to help, but I also realize that there were many people in the park that morning who were walking their pets in  or using the path system to bike to work, that passed by the trembling little squirrel that was unable to move and did nothing.    It is my hope in sharing this, that the next time you see an animal in need that you advocate on their behalf, it will give them peace and in the end, you will feel better about being proactive!  For the ones you save, you feel happy in the knowledge they are now perched on the back of the couch by the window barking at you as you walk by  and for the ones that you know didn’t make it, you have the solace to know that they died with dignity and empathy, every living thing deserves that.

 

 

“Penny the Gypsy Queen.”   Lately, I have had a little friend from the past visiting my consciousness.   Awhile back I lived in the beautiful Shuswap, what an amazing place to call home.  We bought a house that had a beautiful view of mountains in the distance, actually, it didn’t matter where one went..the views were spectacular of mountains, forests and lakes.  One morning I was returning from dropping my girls off at school when I saw this sweet little dog meandering down the street, she crossed a rather busy road, luckily unscathed and tottered off on her own path.  I followed her, thinking she was lost, it turned out she lived a few houses down and after talking to her human I found out that she had a sense of wanderlust.  Penny was always heading out on self guided walks, she was always finding a way to slip out so she could go on a new adventure.   Miss Penny would come stay with me from time to time when her family went out of town, because she was a house guest I would squash her little escapades, I would put the lovely little Gypsy on a leash and she would join my dog Piper and I for our long excursions to admire the views.  The thing about a Gypsy, they can make the best of any situation, they have a marvelous ability to make any house a home.   Today I would like to honour all the magnificent little gypsies out there that loan out there hearts and share their love with their neighbours.  I realized as I thought of my little friend that she and I had more in common than I ever realized, I have changed addresses frequently throughout my life and have had the opportunity to meet many wonderful people and see amazing beautiful places.   There is this song by Shakira entitled Gypsy and there is a line it that goes  “Cause I’m a gypsy …Are you coming with me?”   I was humming that line the other day as I thought of my days in the Shuswap and my treks with Miss Penny and Piper, I miss those lovely ladies and I miss those amazing views.  Waterloo is home now, but I can feel a little nose nudging me to get out and explore the world.

 

“Tiptoe, through the Trillium’s…”   No worries rule followers and nature lovers, I did not actually tramp through Ontario’s symbolic flowers, although I will admit that one of my canine friends decided this would be a lovely location for her to make a pit stop.  It was wonderful today to see  the blossoms on the trees, to listen to a Woodpecker knock at an old pine and to see the carpet of white flowers in the wooded area where I walk and thanks to Mattie and Pud, I stopped and truly appreciated nature at it’s finest!  Spring has sprung, I would highly recommend you take your friend for a walk and “smell the roses”….allergies be damned, embrace each day and the friends that help you appreciate your surroundings!

Will you remember me when I’m gone?  When we lose a pet it can be devastating and hard moving forward.  Often when we have lost a four legged family member we believe we have to soldier on and be stoic.  We suffer in silence because we don’t want to be made fun of, we don’t want to hear the words “it was just a dog!  If your like me, in random places around your home one can find a collection of dog tags in a drawer, because it just feels wrong to throw away that connection.   After we lost our dog Amber I was bereft and struggling how to cope with the loss of my furry baby.  My husband and I were at the garden centre looking for some shrubs to plant and it hit me, I bought this lovely Azalea bush and brought it home .   Right near the spot where she used to sleep under the back trees, I took a bit of her poop and planted it with the bush.  As it grew I  could see it from the kitchen window.  It made me happy every time I laid eyes on it.   Ever since then, when one of our pets pass on, we buy a plant in memory of our departed friend, but I even found this hard in some ways.   We’ve moved 8 times, and I have to leave the reminder behind.  This prompted me to start a new tradition, we buy a kit and make a marker stone in memory of our pets, these are at least portable and I place them in the garden at every new address.  I don’t think I have ever really ‘let go’ of my pets, I still think about them when I say my prayers at night.  I often think as I’m walking through the park or sitting on the couch that even though I can’t seem them, they are all there, crowded in together with me, even if it’s just in my heart.

Is your pooch a picky eater?  I have mentioned before that my old boy Lucas seems to prefer to eat his food if I put his dish down, but he also tends to go through cycles where no matter what I do, he snubs his nose and walks away from his dish at mealtime.   I have been trying to figure out the reason behind his ambivalence.   Maybe he bores easily, or maybe it’s the change in seasons, perhaps we spoiled him by letting him have a treat from the dinner table,  what I do know is it befuddles me.  In the four years he has lived with us I have resorted to many desperate measures to entice him to eat.  I have cooked him ground beef and mixed it with rice and his dry food, added  a little grated cheese, we’ve tried numerous brands of wet and dry foods.  Without fail we always end up where we are today, he stares at his food like its slop and walks away.  On the weekend I was visiting my father-in-law, whose is in his 80’s and I have to say he has become very selective about what he feels like eating, basically, if it has sugar and doesn’t involve too much chewing, it’s palatable.  I am now starting to wonder if it’s an age thing that has my canine friend completely disinterested.  I have never had a dog that lacks the motivation to eat.  Before Lucas I had Shelties, they would eat themselves to death, they don’t seem to have a shut off valve.  Maybe it’s his make up and he’s not a food hound.  I know he’s healthy, we have done loads of blood work and regular check ups, it  just seems to be that food isn’t that exciting. Perhaps I have created a monster…most of the time we don’t let him eat human food, but there are some days where he looks so sweet and you offer him a bite of chicken or pour the water off the tuna onto his dry food.  It is frustrating to have to change things up with him to convince him that eating is worthwhile.  I heard myself saying to him this morning, when he was making a mess by spitting his dry food out onto the tile floor, eating about a third of what was in his dish before backing up and staring at it like I had fed him rocks, “there are dogs that don’t have homes that would love to have your meal.”  Nope, guilt didn’t work either, he wandered over to the couch and laid down.  I am going to have to resign myself to the fact that my boy is a finicky old fart who is going to test the limits.   I think he has things pretty much figured out, if he goes on a hunger strike, I am going to go to great lengths to make food interesting.  As I  scratch my head trying to understand him I realize, he’s got me well trained.

Last night my very dear friend Indy passed away peacefully on his favourite green chair at home!  He was a truly amazing feline!  There aren’t too many cats whose best friend is a budgie!  I met Indy a few years ago and by the second day was smitten with him.  At the time he was getting diabetes injections and the type of needle I was using was a different style than the type I had used before, he was so patient with me while I figured out how to get him his insulin stealthily without a flinch.  He and I developed this system where I would sit at the dining room table and we would nuzzle heads together and he’d purr loudly in my ear.  When he was ready for his shot he would lay down in front of me to let me know he had enough affection and I could go for it.   This last year he began to decline, he was very stoic but it was evident he was winding down.   He would still  greet me at the door.  Eventually we’d make our way into the kitchen and he would lay on the counter in front of of me and I would rest my face on his neck.  I truly appreciated him allowing me to snuggle in so close.  I will miss you Indy!   Rest in Peace.  The only thing that consoles me is the knowledge that heaven is getting a really lovely addition.

Do you have a friend whose company you thoroughly enjoy, but you are at different ends of the spectrum as far as your ideas on exercise are concerned?  My spouse and I have always struggled when it comes to being active together, as I am a morning person and he is definitely not!  I am winding down by seven in the evening and he is wide awake and raring to go.  Over the years I have suggested we get up early and do yoga or go for a run, but it’s just not the right time of day for him as he needs awhile to wake up.   We have compromised by going for walks after he’s had his set dosage of caffeinated beverages and a bite to eat.  I have noticed whilst walking the boys, that although they get along fabulously when we are on our daily treks, that their focus or intent for the walk is not entirely compatible.  Lucas is all about getting his leash on and doing his route, he is very consistent.   Then there is Diesel, some mornings he stretches, looks at me standing by the door and then lays back down.  If he could talk I think he would say “Give me a moment would you.”  On mornings like this I feel for my old guy waiting on the porch, as these are usually the days that his younger friend likes to lollygag.  It’s a hoot to watch the expression on Lucas’ face as Diesel stops for the umpteenth time to roll in the grass.  It’s the cutest thing to watch Diesel sprawl out and expose his belly to the sky, unless you are Lucas who is eager to push onward, as there is a couch  beckoning for you at home.   When it looks like we are about to make a little headway, Diesel will spy a stick, which in all honesty is more like a large limb of a tree with tonnes of branches feeding off of it…somehow he thinks he is bringing this magnificent find along for the walk.  As Diesel struggles to figure out how he is going to balance this huge limb in his mouth, Lucas and I strive not to trip and do a face plant over his over zealous vision to prance along Davenport with his prize.   It also amuses me that Lucas is the senior citizen, and yet he has a lot of pep to his step, Diesel is a young pup who’d I’d liken to a 17 year old boy who could sleep til noon every day and still not quite want to muster the energy to do physical activity.  In the end, we always achieve our goal, we get at least a forty-five minute walk in, but I recognize that Lucas has to do more than be physically active, he has to exercise his patience.

“Mommy do…”  This was a phrase we coined when my first born was about 2.  It didn’t matter what the circumstance was, if my spouse tried to make her a sandwich, give her a bath or put her to bed, she would give her Dad a look and say “Mommy do!”  Kids are funny that way, how there is one person who can unlock the secret to getting them to eat their Mac and Cheese or get their hair ready for school.  Both of our kids went through it.  I remember a call when I was visiting my Mother and had left my hubby in charge of the girls for a week, he called to report that he couldn’t get the youngest to eat her KD.  I responded, “Did you you make a smiley face and hair with ketchup on it?”  Of course he had not, I reminded him that I had shown him the trick prior to leaving.  The next time he made her the same meal he did as instructed with no more success than he had had the time before, she only liked it the way Mommy does it.  I have come to realize that my furry boys are no different than my children.  Either that, or  I have some magical skills when it comes to putting food in a dish, which is entirely possible, as I am fabulous!  Take my cat Romeo, it doesn’t matter whom it is, if one pours his dry food onto his little plate, he will snub his nose and walk away.  I can take that same food and pour it onto my hand, and then back onto the dish and he will voraciously wolf it down.  When it comes to his night time food regimen, he will only eat his wet food when I do it.  I have to whip it up and then mound it in the center of the dish, it’s like I am Julia Child making her Tomato Aspic, no one else can seem to emulate my skill at mucking cat food on a plate to get him to eat it.  One might think that this is just a cat being finicky, but no, Lucas, our dog is no different.  My daughter or my spouse can put his food in his dish at meal times and he will stand there and stare at it, like maybe they have poisoned it, eventually he walks away.  When I come home, I will go in and stir his food and the next thing you know, it’s suddenly become palatable.  I will concede that Lucas has me change up his meal prep on a regular basis.  At first he liked his dry mixed with the wet, then I had to add some dehydrated liver bits to entice him to devour his meal.  A week ago, even I couldn’t get him to eat his food.  I thought on it for a bit and decided to try something different, so I put the dry in one dish with the liver bits, which he ate and then put down the wet food  and Voila, he gobbled it all up!  I guess I better google to see if dog’s can have ketchup, as I have a feeling one day I am going to be making a smiley face and hair to entice him to eat up.   At least meal times are never dull and I can boast that Mommy still has the magic touch!

Grief is different for us all.  Some people are stoic and move on and others take their dear sweet time to process the loss of a loved one.  Losing your fur covered friend can be devastating for most of us.  Often when I hear of a friend or family member losing a beloved pet, they often say they were struck how badly they feel the loss and the next thing they say is “never again!”  This saddens me to my core,  if you have that much love to give and have shared such a wonderful friendship with an animal,  it is a shame you will rob another creature of a happy home life with you!   A close family member just lost two of their cats in a very short time span, and their dog was having lumps removed.  They could have easily decided that was more than enough sadness for one family to deal with, instead they knew they had lot’s of love to give.  First they rescued sweet little Sophie and now they have given Thor,  a wonderful place to to call home.

Thor is from a rescue agency that helps Persian cats find new forever homes.  He was having issues with severe eye infections, and needed a home that was willing to help him convalesce.   It takes truly wonderful people to step up to the challenge of helping an animal who is going to have the expense of  needing veterinary care and some much needed TLC.  It is hard to lose a loved one, but never underestimate the healing powers of a four legged friend!  Their love can be trans-formative and a source of joy!  Thor is doing so much better and blossoming in his new environment and his new family is truly benefiting from his adoration.   It truly is better to have loved and lost, than to never have loved at all.”