Category Archives: Thoughts On Life

Acrylic painting

Art, Hiking, Books, and Catching Up

Books & Reading, Country Life, Dogs & Other Animals, Thoughts On Life, , , , , , , , ,
Acrylic painting
Acrylic painting styled after a drawing I saw in a magazine.

This post will feature a little of this and a little of that since I have been remiss in frequency of posting so far this year. That doesn’t mean I haven’t kept myself busy though.

I continue to work on my painting skills, or lack thereof. I am working my way through a book of acrylic painting lessons by Lee Hammond. I do every lesson, even the ones that do not appeal to me. I figure the point is to learn new techniques and ideas. I am afraid if I skip one, I will be deficient in a basic skill forever! I did take a break from the lesson book and do the painting above. Every so often I like to paint something just for fun. After all, if it’s not fun, why am I doing it? This painting is done on a 5 x 5 inch flat canvas. I think part of the reason I find her to be so cute is because of her diminutive size. And she gives me lots of ideas for other paintings. Silhouettes of my nieces with things they like painted inside, gymnastics, girl scouts, etc. A silhouette of a sheltie with things like leashes, agility equipment, sheep, and such painted inside. Seeing as one of my goals is to become proficient enough to donate a painting to our local Sheltie Rescue auction to raise money for the dogs, this last idea may be a good one.

I have been trying other artistic endeavors too. I have done some handmade cards for people’s birthdays and other events. Some have been painted; others have been collage. I find that I enjoy collage and art journaling. I guess I like my senses to be bombarded with lots of information. My brother always says I don’t like any food unless it has at least five things in its name. Like cookie dough, chocolate chunk, fudge swirl chocolate ice cream. I would have to say he is correct on this. My first thought on vanilla is blah! I know it’s not true but my thought when I hear vanilla is, absence of flavor. I have to say that my preference for multiple items carries over to all senses, not just food. I read multiple books at a time. Different books for different moods, right? And then, sometimes an audiobook is a better option, say when driving. And I tend to lean towards multimedia when it comes to art. The fact that I want to try various mediums goes along with this mindset. That’s why art journaling is fun to me. It can combine it all. I even made a tiny little journal that I bound with thread and needle.

Hiking view
West Branch State Park, Buckeye Trail near East boat ramp.

We have begun hiking again. Not every day like we were, but currently a couple of days a week. It would be more, but on some of the days my husband golfs, so he already has his walk in for the day. We stopped hiking last fall because our dog Zekie’s health was failing, and I couldn’t bear to leave him home by himself. He would have had to be crated, with his severe separation anxiety, I knew he would have been drooling and making a mess of himself. His Cushing’s Disease and liver disease caught up to him and we had to let him go in January. I still miss yelling, “Zeke, put that down” and “Zeke, stop licking that”! (The Cushing’s Disease left him with a need to lick everything in sight; the cabinets, the floors, himself. And I mean constantly. I must have told him to stop licking the wood floors thirty times a day.) Ahh, the good old days. Then we went through a spell of weather where it was too icy to walk. But now, milder weather is here, and we are walking more.

I am reading as always and will leave you with my list of books read for January and February. Enjoy!

Books I Read in January 2025

  1. The Life Impossible-Matt Haig

The book starts with Grace Winters living a shell of a life after the death of her husband, and the death of her 11 year old son years ago. Out of the blue, she inherits a house in Ibiza from a former coworker she hadn’t heard from in decades. Grace goes there and is met with mysterious happenings that lead to a new life and exciting times to conquer an evil force. After an odd encounter with an unknown life form in the sea, Grace develops unexplained powers that help her with the coming challenges. A mysterious and beautiful book.

2. Pumpkin Spice Puppy-Lauren Berenson

Dog enthusiast Melanie Travis is back on the heels of another murderer. She is dropping off pumpkin spice tokens for her school’s fundraiser to a local pet store and finds a body along with the victim’s devoted Chow. Her search uncovers multiple people with a grudge against the victim including neighbors who didn’t like all the rescue Chows he took in. A short read with an enjoyable story.

3. Modern Watercolor Workshop-Pooja Kendall-Umrani (Non-fiction)

A beautiful book for the beginner. Painting geometric/repeating shapes. Good for learning techniques and controlling the paint.

4. Between the Sound and the Sea-Amanda Cox

Joey (Josephine) accepts a temporary job in a different state rehabbing and old, decommissioned lighthouse. There is a mystery to be unraveled surrounding the disappearance of the keeper’s daughter. A widower is using his wife’s life insurance money to fund the project. Enter the widower’s grandson in opposition to the project. Lots of unsolved mysteries from long ago to be addressed. The book got off to a very slow start for me but I keep with it and the end was rewarding.

5. How to Let Things Go-Shinmyo Masuno (Non-fiction)

Written by a Buddhist monk. The book contains 99 tips to relinquish control and free yourself up for what matters, per the cover. This book has something in it that could benefit everyone. Lots of good insights.

6. Big Vegan Flavor-Nisha Vora (Cookbook)

The book begins with lots of information and techniques before going on to recipes. Many of the recipes look delicious, but again I don’t have many of the ingredients on hand and I have a fairly well-stocked kitchen.

7. Dog Songs and a Thousand Mornings-Mary Oliver (Audiobook, Poetry)

I’ve discovered the magic of Mary Oliver from Facebook. This book is read by her. It is short, enjoyable, and easy listening. I went through it in two days while making dinner and a trip into town.

Magazines:  Downeast (2), AARP

Books I Read in February 2025

  1. A Merry Little Murder Plot-Jenn McKinlay

I love all of McKinlay’s books, especially the Lindsey Norris library lover’s mysteries! Lindsey and her friends must solve a murder and catch the killer during this Christmas season mystery. Lots of support from friends and fun times as Lindsey and crew try to keep their artist in residence from becoming the next victim.

2. The Blue Hour-Paula Hawkins

A story about Vanessa the artist and her friend Grace who live on Eros Island in the British sea. I’m not sure whether to call this a murder mystery, a slow paced thriller, or a character study. It fits all three categories. Vanessa has died and left her artwork to the personal museum of her married ex-lover. There is speculation about happened to Vanessa’s missing husband. The friend Grace is present throughout it all. Part of the story is told with pages of Vanessa’s diary and flashbacks. The story kept me intrigued and I would recommend it.

3. Counting Miracles-Nicholas Sparks

The book centers around Kaitlyn Cooper, a doctor and single mother, and Tanner Hughes, retired military and trying to find his place in life. Elderly Jasper lives nearby with his dog Arlo and plays a vital role in their lives. Jasper is horribly disfigured from a tragedy years earlier. All are drawn together with the appearance of the legendary white deer. A very good story.

4. Book Play-Margaret Couch Cornwall (Non-fiction)

A lovely book about how to make little handmade books. Covers supplies, techniques, and offers a few projects. I got some new ideas that I may just give a try!

Magazines: Best Friends

My recommendation from the above books is as follows. If you want an enjoyable book that makes you think, read The Life Impossible or Counting Miracles. If you just want to have fun, read A Merry Little Murder Plot. There weren’t any books listed above that I didn’t like.

And I’ll share the picture below just to make you smile! PeeWee likes to sleep on the back of the couch for multiple reasons. He stays out of the way and doesn’t get stepped on. He can watch out the window for neighborhood excitement such as the US mail jeep, delivery trucks, tractors, motorcycles, and loud cars. And all the better to see what we have on our plates on the tv trays that may be of interest to him. And everything is of interest to him!

Sheltie
PeeWee sleeping on the back of the couch.
Paintings

Creativity in Cooking and Painting

Cooking, Thoughts On Life, , , , , , ,
Paintings
Little paintings
Soup
Homemade soup

What do these two images have in common? I see both as a form of artistry.

The paintings are self-explanatory. I think it’s safe to say that everyone views paintings as art. Above are small two-inch paintings that took me approximately an hour each to complete. I can now say I’m much better at blending colors, particularly blues, than I was. My palm fronds and suns are also improved since last week. Not perfect but heading in the right direction.

See the two seascapes above? They are the same painting. I wasn’t happy with it, so the next day I went back and redid it. In the first version, I intended to paint waves, but I couldn’t decide if it looked like mountains or waves. I painted over the bottom half then made a different horizon and new waves. Then I added the palm branches in the foreground to give the illusion of depth. (Thank you, YouTube videos!)

So, how does this all relate to soup? Well, I don’t generally cook with recipes, I just create and make adjustments as I go. I started with homemade broth. I keep a “soup sack” in the freezer that I add to whenever I have anything that I think would make good broth. The first ingredients I added to the soup pot were onions and celery. I decided to also include minced garlic to add another layer of flavor. Always use fresh garlic, never jarred. There is a world of difference. I added white beans, minced red skin potatoes, and spinach-ricotta dried raviolis. Just as in the painting that wasn’t quite right, neither was the soup. In went a can of diced tomatoes. Then it was time to add the details, the spices. Salt, pepper, and thyme. Still not right. I added a mix of marjoram, oregano, basil, and garlic powder. You may think the minced garlic would have been enough. The powdered garlic gives another level of depth. Just like painting where all shades of blue are not the same, neither are forms of garlic.

I think that cooking and baking are art forms. You can cook for subsistence, or you can cook a thing of beauty. The beauty may be in the taste or the presentation or both. In art you can make shapes and figures to get your point across or you can go in for the details. The details can elicit emotion, show beauty, or both. The level of involvement is up to you. There is a place in this world for both things.

Of course, when creating you are never likely to come up with the exact same thing twice. When painting, this is a good thing. When cooking, I’m not sure. When someone asks me for a recipe for a dish I have made, or even what it is called, I am at a loss as to how to respond. This usually results in said person looking at me like I have two heads until I just start reciting a list of ingredients. Oh well, such is life!

An Artistic Journey

Thoughts On Life, , , , , , ,
Watercolor
My first watercolor.

“What is there to do but strive, and seek, and find, and not to yield.” Enlightenment by Sarah Perry

I was looking for a meaningful quote this morning and came across this one. It spoke to me as I realized that I have been subconsciously living this quote in the last couple of months. We are living in tumultuous times, and it has not gone unnoticed by me that I am spending quite a bit of time pursuing a new hobby that allows me a bit of escape. I am searching out an artistic path even though I do not know where it will take me. And I guess that is the point of searching. The not knowing where you will end up. The possibility of discovering magic you did not know existed.

I have taken up painting after not having picked up a paint brush since elementary school. For some reason in high school the art classes were at the same time as the college prep classes that I needed. For now, I have started with acrylics and will focus on these for a while. I also tried watercolors yesterday and will try oil paints in the near future. Over the weekend I made a sketch with watercolor pencils. I rather liked them because they gave me a sense of control. Giving up control is hard for me. That is why I feel I must try all the mediums. In case I am missing out on something because of my need for control and structure. And what if there’s one thing I don’t try, and it was the thing I would have loved and benefited from most of all?

Watercolor pencil sketch.

I tried a totally different art form last month. I went to a local library and took a short class on collage. I didn’t care for the particular project they were working on, but I did like the process. I tend to like the look of multimedia art, so this is something I plan to pursue at home in other forms. It is so versatile. I can make projects as simple as bookmarks or go for more complexity. Art journaling really appeals to me. And you can make quite complex “paintings” by collaging. I think the whole process just screams fun.

I have done embroidery, cross stitch, and needlepoint since I was young. In high school I completed a few latch hook rugs. My brother still has the Cookie Monster rug to this day. I have designed and made felt ornaments and pictures for years. I suspect I will be getting one of my “learn how to knit a scarf” kits out of my large tub of future projects. I want to try it all.

Acrylic painting of our wonderful Baxter.

Art is such a unique thing. It allows you to escape from the world and add something to the world at the same time. And hence by making art, we can strive, and seek, and find, without yielding. Our art can make a difference to others, but more importantly, it can make a difference in ourselves.

Peace to you.

Fall beauty

Fueled by Fall

Country Life, Dogs & Other Animals, Thoughts On Life, , , , , , , , , , , ,
Fall beauty
The view this morning.

“Autumn is my season, dear; it is, after all, the season of the soul.” Virginia Woolf

Recently, I read a list of quotes from another blogger’s site that spoke to me so much that I saved the list. (See her post here-https://katiegilley.com/2024/10/09/quotes-from-september-2024/) I decided to start my own series of posts, each on just one of the quotes I found to be meaningful. When a writing strikes emotion in me, it makes me feel a connection to the author and want to read more of their work to see if we really are of like minds. Maybe they have captured more of my feelings and put them into words. The first, by Virginia Woolf, is above.

For many years, I did not like fall. It reminded me of going back to school. School meant homework, discipline, and being indoors all day. It wasn’t that I disliked school. I just liked being at home better. Being at home had a certain freedom that I didn’t have at school. Years later as I was enjoying the beauty that is fall, I decided it’s time to get over that negative association with fall, grow up, and move on. Autumn has been my favorite season ever since. I love fall.

The vivid and varied colors in the trees and plants are glorious. I used to see red, yellow, orange, green, and brown. Now I see so much more. Red leaves so dark they are carmine. Coral leaves with yellow specks scattered over the surface. Salmon colored leaves that fade into peach and coral, all on the same leaf. What little jewels that sparkle in the sun! Where I live the majestic old sugar maples put on some of the best shows. The gold in the birch leaves changes hue when the trees release them, and they flutter to the ground. One thing that has helped me to appreciate these colors in greater depth is that I have recently given painting a try. I don’t just pick up a tube of yellow paint and begin painting yellow leaves. I have a simple set of paint tubes with limited colors. Even so, do I use medium yellow, lemon yellow, deep yellow, yellow ochre, or cashew? And of course, you mix colors, giving you limitless other shades to choose from. I will still never capture all the shades that Mother Nature has created. Painting has opened my eyes to see more than I did before. The greater depth was always there, I just didn’t see it. What other areas of our lives does this hold true for?

Another reason for my love of fall? The air is crisp and refreshing without the cloying heat of summer. It is the perfect weather for hiking. Fall is jacket time, and they are easily shed when you get too hot on the trail. Then you are quite comfortable and can concentrate on the beauty all around you. We often hike near bodies of water: lakes, ponds, and reservoirs. The photo above is from our hike this morning. I requested we hike on this particular trail this morning for the color contrast between the leaves and water that I knew would be there. It did not disappoint. (Wild Cherry Trail, West Branch State Park, Ohio) The trail is only one mile long, but I always think it seems farther. There are ups and downs, many tree roots popping up in the trail, and so much to see. I would rate it as moderately difficult. Our dogs had a blast as did we. Shelby stayed home but the other four went along. Cassius the greyhound and PeeWee the tiny sheltie is just in front of my husband. Zekie and Claire walk with me. Zekie was wearing his new llama sweater as his fur has thinned with the Cushing’s Disease. I think he rocks it!

Autumn hike
Dogs on the trail.

Homemade soups are something else that I enjoy in the fall. They say comfort to me. I never have a recipe when I make soup, so people are forever asking me, “What kind of soup is this?”, to which I invariably respond, “Umm, I don’t know…” and go on to list the ingredients. The soups you can make are endless and no two are ever the same. I think the key to making the best soup is to make the broth from scratch. I have a soup sack in the freezer for this purpose at all times. I make soups and stews often enough that sometimes I do have to use boxed broth. It is still a satisfying meal to have on a cool evening. With leftovers for lunch and maybe longer!

As for the opening quote, I do feel that autumn is the season of my soul. Most people see New Year’s Day and the beginning of a new calendar year as a time for starting over. I have never felt this way. I used to mock the idea in my own way. When someone would ask me if I had resolutions for the new year, I would respond with something such as “I plan to eat more chocolate.” I have since decided that if the turning of the calendar gives someone inspiration to make changes and better themselves, more power to them. It is not for me, however. I see it as just another day. New inspiration comes for me as fall arrives. The cooler temperatures rejuvenate me like a breath of fresh air. I have newfound energy and freshly inspired ideas. If I make changes to my life or take up a new hobby, it is going to be in the fall. I feel like I come alive again. My mind resumes functioning after the shutdown from the heat of summer. Once I’m done planting, weeding, watering, etc., there isn’t much left of me. (Can you tell we don’t have air conditioning?)

Woodland
Woodland view from the trail.

Oh, and when it comes to hiking in the fall, let’s not forget those crunchy leaves. What is your favorite part of fall?

Life Moves On

Thoughts On Life, , , , , , , ,

I was out lunching recently with two former coworkers. As you may or may not remember, I retired about four years ago. One of the ladies has gone on to another job, and the other still works for my former employer. I worked with one for many years and the other for only about 3 or 4 years. Doesn’t matter. We are all friends who enjoy seeing each other and doing things together. We are three very different people. That doesn’t matter either. We care and appreciate each other, support and cheer each other on. We all need such friends. And it’s even better when they know us and like us anyway!

During my career I earned and maintained three professional certifications that allowed me to operate Class I Drinking Water Treatment Plants, Class III Wastewater Treatment Plants, and do laboratory testing for such plants. These are not easy licenses to get and require many hours of experience and study in addition to continuing education every year. I recently let the last one expire. The cost of maintaining them was too much when I wasn’t using them. My friend that I have known for decades, asked how I felt when I let them expire. The question alone, tells me that she gets it. My response was, “I felt sad”. For one, I worked hard to get those certifications. I would have to take the state tests again if I wanted to be re-licensed. The second and for me, more important issue is that by letting them expire, I am acknowledging that this part of my life is over.

For the longest time after retirement, I still felt that part of my identity was who I had been at my job. I suppose this is what happens when you work at the same place for 32 years. It has only been recently that I felt brave enough to let all of that go. I am still the same person as I was then, even without the licenses. I reached a point where I felt like I couldn’t move on while I was still holding onto this part of my past. And so, I let the licenses go. I am unlikely to work in the water treatment industry again. That is ok. Thirty-two years of working with water and wastewater is enough. There are lots of other things out there, and it’s time to move on. Even though I haven’t been using those certifications, they were taking up space in my head. While I was still grasping onto them as a safety net, I didn’t feel free to take up something new. And now I can.

I think we are all like that without realizing it. Just because we aren’t using or thinking about something doesn’t mean it’s not occupying space in our brains. This is the basis of what some therapies are built on. Memories and experiences that are not forefront in our minds affect how we feel and what we do. Some things have to be dealt with and come to terms with before we can move on.

What my new path will be, is yet to be determined. There are so many things to do. I feel like I should try them all. Where do my strengths and passions lie? Writing, painting, craft sales, dog training, more gardening? I’m even looking into canine massage to see if that is something I would like to do. And I can decide to work on multiple things. I am my own boss now and if I want to paint in the morning and do something else in the afternoon, no one is going to tell me otherwise. Ok, maybe the dogs will protest when it is time for a walk!

I suspect many people go through the feelings that I have experienced. I had no idea that it would take me so long to get where I am though. Well, now I have arrived. I am curious to see where the rest of life takes me. Onward!

What’s on My Mind This Morning

Thoughts On Life, , , , ,
Portrait

What’s on my mind this morning? I’m afraid it’s nothing good. We were sitting around discussing the state of the world over morning coffee. One of my thoughts was how people in general, don’t seem to treat each other with respect anymore. Now maybe that makes me an old griper, spouting “Back in my day…”, but I’m going to share just one of the ways that I don’t think we treat each other as kindly as we could.

Often, when I am out in public, the grocery store parking lot, or a sidewalk downtown, I hear people cursing. And not just at each other, although that happens too. They are using curse words as adjectives, and frequently. The swearer doesn’t care or even seem to notice if there are children present, or anyone else who may be offended. They are sometimes in their own little world talking to their companion and don’t have a clue who is nearby. Other times, I think the person is using public swearing on purpose, because they think it makes them look cool and gives them a certain status. It does indeed give them a certain status in my mind, but I’m pretty sure it was not what they were going for.

Now lest you think me a prude, let me state that I too curse. I do it when I am angry, or to make a point. I curse with intent! And I do not curse in the presence of children or when I am representing someone else like an employer or social group. I try not to curse when I am in public in case, I may offend someone. And I do not want to be known as someone who randomly blurts out curse words instead of using words that are more descriptive and better suit my purpose. I was taught that people who use curse words are not intelligent enough to find other words to express themselves. This may make me old by the standards of today’s world. Those of you reading this who disagree, will at least know why some of us are offended by the everyday use of curse words. And no, I don’t think all of you who curse are stupid. The times have changed along with the generations as is the way of the world.

Our actions and our words set the tone for how others in the world see us. It’s not a bad idea for all of us to do a check on these and think about how the image we are presenting to the world aligns with the one that we want to present. Are we fostering the persona of who we want to be? If yes, you’re good to go. If not, maybe you want to make some adjustments. I know that I for one, always have room for improvement.

Peace be with you.

Goals for the New Year

Country Life, Dogs & Other Animals, Thoughts On Life, , , , , , , , , , ,
Journal illustration
Happy 2024!

Now that all the hubbub from the holidays is dying down, it is setting in that the new year is upon us. I am looking forward to this year being a better one for us as 2023 was rather difficult. And I intend to make it a better one.

I titled this article Goals for the New Year since I have never been a big fan of making New Year’s resolutions. I always looked at it as a poor excuse not to set goals during the rest of the year. I would make New Year’s resolutions like, “Eat more chocolate”, as my form of protest. I know, what a rebel I am. I have set three goals that I plan to work on this year. We’ll see how far I get. Something is better than nothing, right?

Goal #1 “Daily writing/journaling for a calendar year perspective.”

The photo above is the inside cover page of my journal. The journal was a gift from my daughter last year and I can’t think of a better use for it. I have wanted to do some writing and following my life through a year seems appropriate with how tied to the weather our lives are here. What we do each day is very weather dependent. At this time of year, we hike. We check the weather forecast to see when the warmest temperature occurs during the day. We also check the predicted precipitation times. The goal is to stay warm and dry. During the warmer months, this flips, and we look for the cooler hours. The elements also play a part in our choice of trails for the day. Will this affect how muddy the trails are? Does the weather increase the chance for flies? How does this impact which shoes I wear? There is a bit of science to it. It’s not a good idea to just put on sneakers and run out the door.

The weather affects our daily decisions and when we do what during gardening season too. I suppose we make our daily plans somewhat like farmers do. Infact, maybe we are a sort of farmer, except for our own enjoyment and not for profit. When it’s hot, we work outside in the mornings as much as possible. I try to limit afternoon chores outdoors as I am a baby when it comes to enduring heat. Sometimes it is necessary. Certain tasks can’t wait. If it’s been rainy, you mow when it’s dry, even if it’s 90 degrees.

Not all of my writing will be about these physical things. I also like to ponder thoughts and emotions, and pretty much anything. Like, why do I sometimes dream that the university is coming to take my college degree back? I once had someone else tell me that they’ve had this dream too. So far, I have missed one day of journaling. Not a biggie. Onward!

Journal illustration
Journal illustration

Goal #2 “Meditate each morning on: being kind AND, how can I spread joy today?”.

This has been going pretty well. During the brief meditation (I am starting with just two or three minutes), I focus my thoughts on drawing in peace to be stable enough myself, to be able to project positivity to others. Followed by several thoughts of a “Be Kind” mantra. Then I thought about something I might be able to do to spread kindness as I am going about my day. I plan to extend the length of this meditation as the year progresses.

If I have trouble falling asleep at night, I have begun thinking the mantra of “Be Kind” then too. If I am awake anyway, I may as well put my time to good use. I don’t know if this goal is having any impact on my life or those around me yet. I find it hard to believe that there won’t be at least a few positive experiences from it. I believe kindness makes the world a better place. And we definitely need our world to be a better place right now.

Goal #3 “Get another one of our dogs certified as a therapy dog.”

This goal is totally different from the other two, but I still deem it a very worthy one. Shelby is still certified with Therapy Dogs International and works occasionally. I don’t work her very often because she will be 14 years old next month. She is still very happy to be working with mom when I do take her on a visit. I used to have hopes that Zekie would be my next therapy dog, but his anxiety never receded to a level where I can trust him to be reliable to my commands. He is very obedient, and I believe he could probably pass the test tomorrow. That still does not mean he would be a good therapy dog. He is obedient to my commands, but I must give him commands all the time. If I did not anticipate an inappropriate action, it could be a problem.

I think the next dog I will try to train to pass the test is Claire. She will not be an easy dog to train for the required exercises, but I think we can do it. She is slow to respond to training. She is not stupid, she just doesn’t seem to understand what she is told. Either that or she just doesn’t want to do it. We will get there. One of my biggest qualms about using her for therapy work, or anything else, is the fact that she gets car sick if we drive more than about six miles. That’s why I don’t take her to my brother’s or my daughter’s homes. She would be well behaved once there but would get sick along the way. Claire also has a penchant for waiting until we are pulling into the driveway of our destination and get sick as I put the car in park. Other than hiking the only place Claire gets to go is grandma’s because it’s not very far.

We have a storm heading our way and I see giant snowflakes out my window. The winds are starting to kick up and I’ve received an email from the electric company on how prepare for possible power outages. I should see about making dinner now. Just in case.

Happy belated New Year to you all. May your resolutions, if you make them, be going well!

Therapy dog
Shelby spreading joy at an elementary school while we read to the kids.

Tips for Handling Stress, From the Dog

Dogs & Other Animals, Thoughts On Life, , , , ,
greyhound on the patio
Cassius enjoying a beautiful day.

From my perspective, the world is suffering with lots of unhappiness, discontent, and hypersensitivity. This could be taken on a worldwide level, but I also see it in individuals that I encounter as I go about my life. People are quick to take offense. More people are on antidepressants than ever before. The National Institute of Health says that in 2020 use of antidepressants was 20% higher than the previous five years. This is mostly attributed to the Covid epidemic.

In my view, I think we are still suffering the fallout from the Covid epidemic. I anticipate that it will have long term effects. Children have had the formative years of their lives affected. Adults have had the behavior of years of their lives affected. And anything that lasts for years has permanent effects. The ripples caused, have far reaching effects.

The above being said, this is not intended to be a post about negativity, but a post about hope and the difference we can make as individuals, for ourselves and others. Take some ideas from dogs everywhere.

  1. Enjoy the day! Every day has something beautiful to offer. Relish the sunshine and fresh air. Take in the beauty around you. Enjoy nature: the flowers, butterflies, hummingbirds, the scent of flowers. All free to experience. If you don’t have these things at home, head out to a local park.
  2. Being in nature is one of the best ways to ground yourself. There is a new name given to an experience as old as mankind-forest bathing. It’s harder to focus on yourself when you are in nature. You see that you are one piece of an entire world. It gives you a chance to clear your mind which lets you take in new information and form new thoughts and ideas.
  3. Our dogs love hiking as do we. Not only are you immersed in nature (see above!), moving your body releases tension and improves your life overall. You become physically and mentally healthier.
  4. Go out in public and visit with people. This can improve mental health and help you to see yourself as part of the larger community.

Cassius loves visiting people. He gets depressed if he doesn’t get to go somewhere from time to time. A few weeks ago, he went to a local farmer’s market and was petted and oohed over by dozens of people. It made his day and theirs’ too. On Saturday, we took him, and Claire the sheltie, to Art in the Park in Kent. They visited with at least a hundred people, I’m sure. This was Claire’s first time a at such an event. She did great! At first, she didn’t know what to make of it. I could see her processing in her mind what all those people were doing there. She wasn’t afraid, and she let everyone who approached pet her. About halfway through, I saw a change in her. She decided that this was fun and started smiling when people approached and enjoyed that attention they gave her. This is the power of interactions.

Shetland Sheepdog
Claire

I was also happy that Claire took to the crowds and interactions so well, because I have been thinking that the time has come to get her certified as my next therapy dog. Shelby still does visits with me and enjoys the work for a time. At 13 1/2 years old, she tires more quickly than she used to. She is still happy to go anywhere with mom though!

So, get busy enjoying your day, and your week, and your life! If you are happier, those around you will be happier. Joy breeds more joy. So, don’t you owe it to yourself to be happier and make the world a happier place?

Change the World

Thoughts On Life, , , ,
From an afternoon spent on the patio.

“If you bring peace to the world rather than try to find peace in the world, you will change the world.” -from Be the Light That You Are, by Debra Engle.

I love this quote. It rings true to me. If you bring peace to the world, doesn’t that mean that you are sharing and radiating peace? Henceforth, you are surrounded by peace. And if you are surrounded by peace, you are radiating a little bit of it wherever you go.

In the same book, Debra Engle also says the following variants on this quote.

“If you bring love to the world rather than try to find love in the world, you will change the world.”

and

“If you bring acceptance to the world rather than try to find acceptance in the world, you will change the world.”

If this is true, we have the ability to bring peace, love, and acceptance to those around us. What a magical power. I want to change the world! Sometimes sharing peace, love, and acceptance is easier than other times. So, what if we try to inject one of these three things into the world, just once each day? Is not the world still improved? I say that it is. I say this is an admirable goal. And not being a perfect human, there will be days when I don’t share any of these things with the world. There’s always the next day when maybe I can bring two positive experiences to those around me.

What if I conquer bringing peace, love, or acceptance to the world once each day? Then I could go on to share these things twice each day. The possibilities are endless!

And there are those times when people see us fail. The failures are only in the immediate sense. For then we try again. And eventually we get it right. Sometimes these failures can still bring good to the world. Other people see that we are not perfect. We struggle to share peace, love, and acceptance with those around us. A few will notice that although we fail at times, we try again. This may be enough to inspire others to attempt to add whatever peace, love, and acceptance that they can as well.

The affect is not always immediate. Someone may remember a kindness that you have shared farther down the path of their lives. Kindnesses are never wasted. They do not exist in a vacuum; they exist in the world. And a kindness does not need to be noticed by others to have value. The fact that it was, makes the world a better place.

I want to leave the world a better place. Won’t you consider joining me in leaving the world a better place too? One small kindness from all of us can have massive impacts. I send you peace, my friends.

Goals for Life

Dogs & Other Animals, Thoughts On Life, , , , , ,
Me and Baxter Puppers

I was reading an article the other day about living your life to the fullest. It was geared towards middle aged people, but it still hit home for me. Here is a link to the article although it is not required reading to appreciate this post. https://www.marcandangel.com/2023/03/14/4-little-things-that-will-matter-a-lot-more-to-you-in-40-years/

I suppose the information is even more pertinent to me because I likely have less years left than the average middle-aged person. I still feel young and do the activities I have always done. I don’t have many aches and pains compared to what I hear from others. (Except for that knee I hurt a few years ago and it is mostly an occasional inconvenience.) But still. I am 60 years old. It is a biological fact that I have less years remaining ahead of me than I have already lived. Looking back, 20 years does not seem that long ago. Looking forward, that will put me at 80 years old. I must decide what is still important to me and do it now. This is the time to do the things that I think will make me happy and make a difference in the world. With longer life spans, I may well live past 80, but I need to at least get started with those things I still want to accomplish. There is no time like NOW! to take action.

I retired three years ago, and a few months before leaving my job, I made a Retirement Bucket List that I printed and framed. I wanted a plan for my path forward. Something concrete, to keep me moving. I have been less successful than I had hoped but some of this is due to the Covid pandemic.

And I have been successful on some of the items. The blog goal could be considered either way. I have 477 subscribers but earn no money from it. The most successful item on the list is number 7. We hike nearly every day that it doesn’t rain. We have covered hundreds of miles and seen many beautiful things that nature has to offer. This also leaves us with relatively well-behaved dogs! Because a tired dog is a good dog.

Other items are more of a work in progress. I am moving forward at a snail’s pace. I continue my dog rescue work. Not on the level that I had hoped to achieve, but I am still contributing and helping to save lives. Saving and improving lives must always be counted as a win. I started writing a book. Multiple books. I have chapters of different sorts saved on my computer. Still, they are something to work with.

Other items on the list, I have been less successful with. This tells me that it is time to re-evaluate and possibly make a new list. Some items I need to take a more in depth look at and maybe interpret them in a different way. The time may have passed for other things I wanted to do. I look at the dream of having a pit bull and think that I may be getting too old for this one. These are powerful dogs and I’m just not sure I have the strength to handle it anymore. Especially given the fact that I still intend to have multiple dogs and will be walking multiple dogs at the same time. There are still plenty of other deserving dogs out there who deserve a good home and would make me equally happy. We may downsize our pack a little. I think I could be happy with four dogs. Actually, it’s never that I wanted six or more dogs. There were just always dogs in need, and I was happy to have them around. Not everyone is cut out to take on some of the nutcases (and I say nutcases in the most loving way) we have adopted. Dan asked me recently if I liked having a dog as demanding as Zekie the Wonder Dog. I told him, it’s not that I want dogs with these types of issues, I consider it the price I pay because I love them. For the record, Dan loves him too. He and Dan are fast companions.

So, in the hopefully not too distant future, I may have an updated Retirment Bucket List to share with you. I’ve always heard that if you share your goals with someone, you are more likely to achieve them because you will feel accountable.

Do any of you have bucket lists? Bucket lists can make a difference in your world and possibly the world of others. And if you don’t have, or want, a bucket list, remember, you can make a difference just by being kind.