The biggest picture on the wall of my home office is not of my wife or daughter, or our parents, or any other relative. It is of a now long-gone but still cherished member of our family—our first dog. Murphy was a brown and white, thirty-pound Sheltie my wife and I adopted a few years after we married. He was, before our daughter was born, our first “child.” He was a thoroughly lovable dog. Sharp as a tack—I taught him to sit and shake in about ten minutes—an endless source of delight in games of fetch, and great company—most of the time. He was also an incorrigible chowhound, forcing us to guard our food zealously at mealtimes. He exploded into fits of barking and jumping whenever we had guests or if he saw a bicyclist, car, or dog on our walks. We tolerated it all, not knowing that it might be possible to change those behaviors. We figured it was a small price for living with a wonderful dog.
All Creatures Great and Small: Winter Coop Wonderland
As the evenings grow colder and the nights get longer, I find myself looking for signs of Jack Frost on the windows and a small dusting of snow on the pines. As the season progresses, I make treks down to the river to see if the edges have started to form their delicate lace of ice and wake up each morning hoping to see a snow-covered wonderland. The kind of snow that brings silence and a deep, peaceful calm to the landscape where, when the sun hits it just right, the world glitters like diamonds.
All Creatures Great and Small~The Decision
Dogs have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Their unconditional love has provided a lifeline of emotional support during some very dark times. In the aftermath of a failed relationship and a thoroughly broken heart, being accountable to my dogs, and needing to care for them, literally gave me a reason to get up and carry on living. I was struggling with a very bad episode of depression—the kind that comes with such crushing, completely debilitating fatigue that it’s nearly impossible to get out of bed.
Stories from the Farm— Sheep: Our Sweet Wooly Babies
For as long as I can remember, February has always been synonymous with sheep. This comes from my lifetime on farms and from stories passed down by ancestors that I’ve never met, yet whose tales live on through the generations of Celtic folklore. One of my favorite folktales is of Cailleach, the divine winter hag of the Isles. Cailleach created the landscape using her basket of stones and her hammer. She would clash and fight for control of the seasons with Brìghde, the goddess of summer.
Adventures In Cat Sitting
3:00 p.m.: I just arrived at my sister Deb’s for my pet sitting gig. The cats are wary and stand-offish but I’m sure I can remedy that. I begin by reading the little sticky notes left by my sister. Everything is efficiently tagged and labeled, then I see it—the notebook. As I scan the many pages of instructions, I can only marvel over how these animals have her trained. I will not be dictated to by a pack of felines!
A Life of Cat Companionship
Giant ears disproportionate to the rest of his tiny body, beady eyes, a thin mousy tail, and tiger stripes. His name was Peppy, and he was the first kitten I ever called my own. My parents got him from a pet store, probably to quiet my constant nagging. I'd always loved cats.
Learning From Our Year Round Birds
Whether you enjoy watching birds flit about casually, are a dedicated birder, or keep a bird feeder going, it is likely some of our beautiful year-round birds have caught your eye on more than one occasion. For centuries, humans have observed birds for signs and omens (called augury or ornithomancy) as well as told stories illuminating the lessons birds carry. Birds have a wealth of wisdom to share with us, and this article highlights several of our year-round winged teachers who can be called on at any time in our hearts and, with some bribing, in our yards. These Michigan loyalists are the Black-Capped Chickadee, the Blue Jay, and the Northern Cardinal.
Peace, Love, and Cows
There is a feeling of peace in the cowbarns at Goloka Eco Experience in Maybee, Michigan. The farm air feels crisp as it enters the lungs—unequivocally more clear than city air. In this moment, the gentle thud of a heartbeat or thwap of a tail against the ground is one’s only soundtrack against the world. Soft, big brown eyes peer out from underneath impossibly-long eyelashes, begging for pats on the head or scratches at the nape of the neck. Goloka Eco hosts an experience one simply cannot find among the hustle and bustle of regular everyday life--an invitation to be present. To come sit. To forget about time for a while. To cuddle a cow, as volunteer Karunasindhu Nitai Gaura Dasa says, is to form a “meaningful relationship.”
A Good Crop of Mental Health: A Conversation about Animal Assisted Therapy with Laura Sanders
Laura Sanders, LMSW, ACSW, has been practicing in the Ann Arbor area for 34 years and has been teaching as an adjunct professor at the University of Michigan School of Social Work for 26 years. Her approach to therapy utilizes a wide variety of evidence-based and creative therapies, including trauma recovery methods, art and play therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and relational approaches through Animal Assisted Therapy.
Field of the Five Horses
I’d been given some gourmet coffee for Christmas. It was late at night. I’d have to work in the morning, but, feeling impelled to give it a try, I brewed the rich dark potion.
The next day I remembered a night when I was eight years old. I was living in the tropics with my family, where heat thins boundaries and can induce fertile dreaming. I’d been allowed to drink a caffeinated beverage just before going to bed, a one-time occurrence. As I lay wide awake, the aquarium music from Saint-Saens’ Carnival of the Animals played in my brain. It got louder and louder. My room faded into green mist and shoals of golden fish swam through it from various angles and directions, hovering and then dissolving. Having gone to school opposite one of those old, gothic mental hospitals, I was frightened I might be locked up in it when we returned to the States, and I clutched the sheets until the vision dissipated.
Roadside Marsh
The westbound traffic on Interstate 94 is at a crawl this morning and I couldn’t be happier. It’s a Wednesday and brilliant sunshine glints in my rear view mirror.
All Creatures Great and Small: In-Home Euthanasia and Hospice-Assisted Natural Death For Your Pets
The bond we share with our pets is one the strongest bonds we will ever experience. Their devotion to us, as well as their non-judgmental, unconditional love, leaves an indelible mark on our hearts which is why saying goodbye is so hard. As a Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Veterinarian, the most common question I am asked is, “When will I know it is time to say goodbye?” What many families do not realize is that choosing where and how to say goodbye can be just as important.
Stronger Relationships - Healthier Pets
Science has identified that the relationship between a pet and their family is mutually beneficial. Controlled research in anthrozoology has proved that pets can buffer stress, lower heart rate and blood pressure, give social support, help you stay in shape, and prevent certain types of sickness.
Cat Wisdoms to Live and Lounge By
Oh, cats–our most adorable teachers! Since ancient times, cats have been revered for their wisdom and protection. They were even considered demi-gods in ancient Egypt under the protection of the cat-headed goddess Bast. Featured in myths in numerous cultures throughout history, cats have garnered an age-old affinity still strong today. We love their blipping, purring, yawning, and mews. And, beyond these delights, we can learn so much from our cat friends. The wisdoms of cats are seemingly infinite, so I’ll share my personal favorites of the many lessons taught to me by my two furry feline companions.
Book Review: World of wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments by Aimee Nezhukumatathil
World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments is a pleasant read from cover to cover. The lighthearted prose of celebrated poet Aimee Nezhukumatathil reads like a picturesque spring day—a soft breeze, sunlight warming the earth after a long winter, and scents of growth and new beginnings.
Raptors to the Rescue! Wildlife Ambassadors Teach Lessons in Conservation
Like many people I know, if you told me in the summer of 2020 that the pandemic would probably drag on for two years or more, I would not have believed you. In fact, I would have thought you were a negative, defeatist person, and I would have avoided you like—well, the plague.
All Creatures Great and Small: Animal Hospice-- Honoring Our Pets at the End of Their Lives
From the moment we adopt our pets to the end of their lives, they are, without question, an integral part of our family. Our relationship with them plays an important role in our lives as their love for us is like no other love. They bring us joy, make us laugh, and they bring comfort and healing when times are tough. While we have always understood this, the isolation of Covid-19 quarantine periods have highlighted the vital role pets play in our mental health.
All Creatures Great and Small: Covid Cats--Quarantine? Let's Do It Again!
Undeniably, Covid 19 left a tidal wave-sized dent on the world. The pandemic greatly affected our daily lives, but some effects we are still discovering. This begs the question: Twenty years from now, what will you remember about your quarantine experience? Among my memories of more family time, higher frustration levels, Zoom visits, masks, off-brand groceries, and less toilet paper will be the sheer exuberance of our cats. Yes, I wrote exuberance. The cats were ecstatic: their human servants were home all day.
Divine Order-- Not Disorder: How Sarah DesJardins' Personal Journey Informs Her Equine Therapy and Energy Healing Work
Down a country road and around a corner in lovely Manchester, hot tea and home-made chocolate-chip cookies (my favorite treats) awaited my arrival at Souls at Play Center for Creative Therapy. This was my third time seeing Sarah DesJardins. The first was at the Spring 2015 Holistic/Psychic Fair of Ann Arbor, where as a guest speaker, she presented a powerful seminar―“Psychic Awareness: The Silver Lining of Trauma”―maxing the venue’s capacity.
Conversations with Nature
There is a reason we feel more peaceful when we spend time connecting with our pets or hiking in the forest. Nature is in perpetual energetic flow and does not manipulate energy the way people do. Humans continually try to divert, filter, suppress, create, and extinguish energy. Because of this, when we are immersed in the flow of nature, our body’s energetic response is to line up with that frequency. We let go of a little of that human tendency to control energy. It’s relaxing, and when we are relaxed, we are open to receive communication from our own intuition as well as Source (the name I will use in reference to God, Universe, Deity, Divinity).