Dear Friends,

It is with a heavy and pained heart I share with you that our dear Maggie May Muggins Magoo (as we often dearly called her) died in our arms last week.

In her 13 years with us she brought John and I so much joy. She loved us both in the way only a dog can, though certainly was deeply attached to John. She faced every day with an abundance of joy and independence. We delighted in how exuberant she was on her daily runs, and how she would leap and ‘quarter’ the fields in her pursuit of birds, mice, and other vermin. She was a master hunter and taught both the Aussies how to track, hunt, and capture their prey. She was soft, kind, and never ever had a bitter moment. Despite never having been raised with children she was a supreme matron of youth. There wasn’t a human she didn’t love and immediately trust. We will miss so much about her.

We’ll miss those floppy ears as she flew through the air with her Springer gallop; her well honed instincts; her cute and sometimes awkward way of going berserk, especially in wet snow; how she’d put Austin into his place when no other dog would ever dare try; how she’d snort as she rolled on her back, belly exposed and full of Springer friskyness; and how she was a quiet friend cuddled at John’s feet on the end of his Lazyboy; and how she’d paw at my leg when I would groom one of the other dogs and she wanted her turn. So much more we’ll miss.

Her people meant the world to her even if she wasn’t as demonstrative as our demanding Aussies. She was silently devoted. John and I will both miss those big round brown eyes and we’re already missing her little “arrroooo” which was her expression of delight that it was feeding time.

I had thought I would put together a brief slideshow of some of my favourite images of Maggie but simply looking at photos of her is far too painful right now. We’ll both miss her, a lot.

PS: I recently removed nearly all my photos and will likely continue to take down photos that I post after they are up for a week or two. I will write a post in the future to explain why I have made this decision. Photographs on my website continue to remain online.

The first part asks you a few questions about ‘famous’ or notable people who have won awards. I couldn’t answer who any of the ‘famous’ people were. But it was the second half of the email that really caught my attention and made me feel that I did the correct thing in reading this particular forwarded email. Here are the questions it asks in the second half (sorry, there is no attribution information stating who the author was):

I wish …

• Every family would invite a lonely neighbour or senior for Christmas dinner (and be ever so gracious and interested in them);
• All of us will reach out to someone who is lonely, grief-ridden, or troubled in any way;
• We would all realize and recognize the heroes in our lives (hint: heroes are NOT movie stars or singers);
• That more of us would give of our time, for others, no matter how small or how big;
• That parents would hug their children more and listen to them more;
• Those who are suffering (regardless of the kind of suffering) are recognized and accepted by those who care;
• People would say what they mean and mean what they say;
• That people would realize that presents are just stuff but gifts are memorable and meaningful (and never fall into the category of stuff);
• We would all make an effort to recognize those who are different and to ask about and understand why they are the way they are – know and understand their story;
• Realize everyone has a ‘story’ — why not look for it and accept it;
• Speak out when we see someone or something is suffering; whether it’s a person or animal. We can and SHOULD be their voice;
• Show and tell family members just how much we care for them (mothers, fathers, siblings, and more);
• We would all reflect upon who is really important in our lives and show them how much we care (not buy stuff for them);
• That one person who reads this will act on one thing of importance.

“All we are saying is give peace a chance.” ~John Lennon

“Never look down on anybody unless you’re helping him up.” ~Jesse Jackson

So who is your hero? Who is the stranger or neighbour you’re inviting to dinner? Who are you making an effort to understand and to accept. What are you doing to be kind and peaceful this holiday season?

“Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods; good bread with fresh butter, the greatest of feasts!” ~James Beard

… or in this case, good bread dipped in an emulsion of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and fresh garlic.

Fresh brewed morning coffee enjoyed in front of the picture window — real life going on inside and outside. Next, a walk with the dogs, inhaling fresh crisp air, getting my body limbered up for the day. Returning to the house, after an hour of daydreaming while walking, has a great way of shaking off the procrastination bug. Revved up and ready to get some productive work done. Later a break outside simply to enjoy what Mother Nature has laid out and each day there are subtle changes. Listening to some intelligent radio on CBC while getting more work accomplished. Interesting conversation with a neighbour and again later with a new friend.  Bopping and humming to some stimulating music — Il Volo — while preparing a small scratch meal for dinner. A glass of wine. A short stroll around the block. The sky absolutely overflowing with stars and stardust. Looking back on the day it was filled with a lot of positive thoughts, a healthy feeling of accomplishment, and a sense of appreciation for  – well, for just about everything, except Facebook.

I joined Facebook around a year ago at the urging of a pair of friends. After sharing my futile search for a couple of friends from school, both my friends suggested Facebook as nearly a sure thing in locating them. Convinced, I set up my account and sure enough — I found the friends I was looking for! But that was a year and a bit ago. I’m thrilled to have connected with past friends and even enjoyed reading about what others were up to. The trouble is, I found that Facebook tended to be a tad addicting in terms of time spent ‘checking in’. Checking in became far too frequent for my liking and I also began to engage the logical side of my beanie brain and realized there was really no benefit to Facebook. After all, why not communicate by email and/or phone with friends who don’t live nearby? Add to that, I was finding there was too much cattle activity on Facebook. What’s that you ask? That’s when people tend to follow everyone else’s lead and do exactly as everyone else is doing. If you’re on Facebook, you likely are already nodding your head at this. Recently it’s been those photos that also have some kind of quote or saying attached. Everyone is getting them and everyone is passing them on — heck I was guilty of passing the occasional one myself. I decided that since there was no benefit to being on Facebook and because it wasted my time, and because it interferes with living real life, I would shut down my account. Done. It feels so darn good to be living life without Facebook. Ah, the real world. Can’t beat it!

“Everything good is simple …” ~ poet Nikki Giovanni.

Simple Branch by Mother Nature

The leaves rustle underfoot. Panting can be heard from all sides like an approaching wind. Dogs are amazing in their capability of living and enjoying themselves “in the moment”. That moment — those moments — out along the trails with … come to think of it, I hadn’t counted them all. There were about 7 or 8 dogs plus two of mine. The only thing that might have made the day better after the refreshing walk in the woods would have been standing before a crackling fire and poking at the embers with a stray branch.

There are a multitude of quotes that can describe the simple feeling of being and enjoying the moment. I’ll rustle one up among the leaves for you …

“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.”  ~Confucius

How about a second one? I love this one:

“If you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it’s your world for a moment.” ~ Georgia O’Keefe

Do you know someone who loves to journal? Or perhaps you know a writer who would love something beautiful like this Robin’s Egg Blue Lambskin Journal. I can just imagine how great that feels to hold in your hand.

Photo Credit: Karleigh Jae

Or maybe you’re like me and refuse to use any soap other than real, handcrafted beauty bars. Doesn’t Grapefruit Bergamot with Sweet Almond Oil and Shea Butter soap sound delicious? Oh and I have always adored the name of this person’s shop, “A Breath of French Air”. And yes, these shops also have natural masculine scents as well. The advantage to real soap is there are no artificial fragrances, no chemicals, or synthetics and you’re helping the economy by supporting creative entrepreneurs.

Photo credit: Carvel County Soaps

Original art can often be out of reach for most people. The beauty of Etsy is that original art can range from the very affordable to whatever you are able to pay. If you really appreciate the talent of a person to paint beautiful, realistic equine images, then you’re going to love the artistry of Canadian Jennifer Pratt. And thanks to Kelly over at Jax Does Design, I learned about this artist who loves all things beachy. Her shop is named “Seawashed”:

Photo Credit and Copyright: Kerrie Sanderson

 Wouldn’t you love some of Kerrie’s artwork on display in your home? I love all things related to the beach so her work is definitely way up there on my wish list. My wish list certainly doesn’t end there, however. I know how annoying long blog posts can be so I’ll list a few more of my favourites and let you decide if you’d like to check them out. You won’t be disappointed at what you discover.

I love this sea glass decor by Beach Grass Cottage (hand made coastal decor for shore lovers).

Also beachy, are some beautiful handmade items by Crabby Chris. In particular this handpainted nautilus cushion.

Moving away from the seaside for a moment, I adore the handmade and very classy camera bags (also laptop bags and iPad cases) created by Janine King Designs. Oh how I would love one. I bet you will too once you see them — what a great gift this would be under the tree this year!

If you’re looking for “tiny threads for tiny tots” you’ll love the beautiful hand sewn items over at Sessie June. Her shop is just getting started but I bet if you contact her, she would be delighted to let you know what other beautiful items she has. She had some adorable little baby slippers that were a work of art in themselves.

Quite some time ago I discovered these darling gift tags by Mayi Carles but she has a number of other cute handmade paper products in her shop as well.

You know how so many weddings (or other special events) are held in private spots out in the country or other locations that are not exactly easy to find? Paper Cake Designs has the solution with her custom wedding map. This is not only clever it is a very personal touch.

I mentioned vintage before so I really shouldn’t leave out a few great vintage finds on Etsy, but there are oodles you can check out as well. Kayson’s Silver Rhythm plateware is beautiful and a great find. So whether you have an interest in perhaps a vintage thermos, vintage buttons, vintage patterns, or perhaps vintage books, you’ll find it all at Etsy. You may be surprised to find how many people in your area are established on Etsy (simply do a search from the Etsy home page by clicking on “Shop Local” located down on the left hand sidebar).

BIG PS: Thanks to Kelly over at Jax Does Design I’ve been hunting Etsy for handmade wreaths. WOW, take a look at these lovely festive wreaths! You’ll have the best one on the street if you get one of these.

Those are the words that come to mind every single time I see a rainbow. Lesley Gore’s snappy little tune must be permanently embedded in my memory bank.

After our stressed out day with Austin (previous post) and some additional unexpected happenings, it’s about time I’m seeing rainbows! Another band of light to add to my rainbow is having finally found a chiropractor this week — such relief already. I’ve been so incredibly busy lately but not much of it has been with work. So with a chilly day yesterday, I took advantage by immersing myself at the computer and with long overdue paperwork. That may not sound exciting but it sure felt great at the end of the day to have accomplished so much! Today, another chilly day, is ideal for part two of my long overdue catch-up.

First thing in the morning I met up with a group of folks who have been inviting me to join them on their Sunday morning dog hike. I left the old girl at home (long story but she starts fights) and took the two Aussies, Pearl and Austin. Both dogs needs some serious socialization with other dogs so this was total immersion. Did I mention there were 12 dogs on the hike? I did keep Pearl on leash because she’s a deer chaser and would get lost in the bush if she’s loose. We know this because it’s a recurring problem. Austin got to be off leash but he was so worried that he pretty much stuck to me and Pearl like glue. That’s okay, at least he got some helpful exposure and it was a very positive hour and a half. Afterwards we all went out for breakfast. Great way to start a day.

So I’m here at my computer, and the moment I click to send this online, I plan on getting part two of my paperwork tackled. Just like Lesley Gore’s “Sunshine, Lollipops, and Rainbows” I am feeling rather chipper today. It may be chilly outside but there are rainbows in my heart. What’s glowing around your rainbow these days?

Because I’m so busy lately and because my dogs are not getting the kind of attention & exercise they’re used to, I’ve hired someone to help out with the dogs. On Monday, the fellow who had my male Australian Shepherd, Austin, ended up losing him. When he finally phoned me, Austin had been missing for quite some time already. I immediately came to the area where they were to help find him. I won’t go over the long involved story but needless to say, despite my recent frustration with the dogs, I was still incredibly desperate to find Austin.

During my search I met a woman biking on the forest trails with her two dogs and she spent a couple hours helping to find Austin, plus a few others who willingly joined in. I looked and called, and walked, and cried, and called until it was so dark that I couldn’t see anymore. Then I received a phone call (on my husband’s cell phone that I had borrowed) saying Austin had been found. Austin had been seen on a busy bypass wandering aimlessly down the middle of that highway with vehicles just barely missing him. Two separate men stopped to try and get him off the road. The end result, after much determination, was that one of the men was finally successful in getting him off the road and into his vehicle. He lives out of town but, again through the efforts of many good samaritans, one person called another and another and this fellow was connected to call me. I would have been devastated had Austin been hit by a vehicle. To me, an animal being put quietly and gently to sleep is the most humane way for their life to end — not in some painful, tragic accident after hours of fear.

So, the old boy is back home and back to his old self. Though I will say he had a very restless night Monday, up numerous times to go potty and to drink water. He’s not used to eating anything but real food and I suspect he must have been given some dry dog treats by his loving rescuer, which would explain his desperate need to drink so much. By morning he had worked through that and all is well once again.

I can’t tell you how grateful I am for the multiple good samaritans that came our way on Monday. Tell me about a good samaritan you’ve come across recently.

 ”Act as if what you do makes a difference.  It does.”  ~William James

“At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.” ~ excerpt from “For the Fallen” by Laurence Binyon 1914

As in years past, I am particularly thinking of my mother who served as a WREN (Women’s Royal Naval Service) in WWII and her brother, my uncle Private Henry Althouse who was killed in the Korean War.

If you scroll down to the very bottom of the page at Canadian Soldiers, there is a photo and write up about my uncle Henry.