MY STEWART IS AN ANGEL

WARNING: HAPPY, SAD, A BIT OF A SOAP BOX. 

I'm stumbling forward through my tears because my beloved Stewart died suddenly yesterday afternoon. However, he insists I not spend a lot of time grieving because we have much to do. And I am reminded how very fortunate I am to know so many dog lovers. 

Though I live in the city, I have very caring "country" neighbors and we watch out for each other, including yesterday evening when I knocked on their door with an  unusual request to help me with my dog.

I also still have a number of friends at Willamette Humane Society, including BJ, who stayed late to be sure my furbaby was caringly prepared for a private cremation, one of their services. I know many of you have, but if you're looking for a new furry family member, please consider adopting a pet from the shelter. Most of my furbabies have come from rescue situations. Go ahead. Open that kennel door and become part of a miracle. Let a shelter pet rescue you! 

Of course, I always appreciate my adult sons, who still seem a bit baffled over what to do with a sobbing mother who usually cries only behind the locked bathroom door. 

But I don't want this message to be depressing. I've been communicating with animals a number of years, so I know they transition to a beautiful place where they are no longer plagued with the limitations of physical bodies. However, their spirits are always with us and communicate with us when we tune into them. Or, in my case, when I need a kick in the fanny. :) And my Stewart, along with my other angel furbabies, are pushing me hard to keep moving toward our dream of a farm where many animals can find a sanctuary. 

They are telling me we need our dreams now more than ever. When so many things in our society seem to be falling apart, our dreams and our caring for each other--including our fur, feathered and finned babies--will usher in that Age of Aquarius my generation used to sing about. 

DOGS AS MOUSERS

Those of you with mice as pets probably do NOT want to read this post. 

You would think a household with as many dogs as I have wouldn't have a problem with mice inside, right? Guess my penchant for rescuing critters may have led my doggies to think they should leave the mice alone. 

I think mice are cute. However, I have a major disagreement with them on bathroom and sanitary habits, and do NOT want them in my kitchen and especially not on my counters. 

I've already asked--nicely, mind you--that the mice not come inside the house, or I would have to remove them. That didn't work. 

So I told the dogs they could get the mice or I would have to set out traps. Well, Ebony Rose caught a mouse!

I didn't see her do it, but discovered it when I was going to bed. I was straightening the blankets and discovered its little carcass tucked under a blanket. I don't know if she was hiding her prize from the other dogs or if she was trying to convince me it was still alive but just sleeping. 

But she had a real tentative look on her face like she didn't know if I was going to be mad or not. A bit of backstory--my Ebony Rose is kind of gritchy. If there's a dust-up in our household, odds are my girl is involved. So she knows the time-out room intimately.

In this instance, I made a big deal of her mousing skills and told her what a good hunter she was and that I was proud of her. (I also removed the mouse from the bed. :)

When I came back to get into bed, Ebbie wanted more tummy rubs and figured she shouldn't have to share much of the bed with the human. So I scrunched in beside her and let her sprawl in the middle of the bed. She did scoot over a bit--just enough so I could snuggle a little better. 

She told me this morning she really believed I loved her now. In spite of the squabbles. In spite of her guarding and growling, she realized she really was my adored little girl. 

So, thank you, little mousie, as you continue your journey in spirit, for the lessons you offered through your sacrifice. We all continue to grow and learn, don't we?

BOUGHT AN ORCHID!

I bought an orchid plant to add to my tropical greenhouse once we get moved. For now, it's in my kitchen window so I don't forget to water it. :)

Did I mention the greenhouse will have an automatic irrigation system?

I also bought some seeds:

~Oregano--this will be my first attempt at herbs from seeds. I use a lot of oregano leaves in cooking, so figured this would be a useful one to experiment with.

~Cherry tomatoes and dwarf marigolds to be companion plants.

All will be planted in pots so they can be moved with us!