When you live the human-animal bond, you celebrate birthdays with your multi-species family. Even when the birthday in question is yours and you’re getting older (it happens yearly). Okay, we were celebrating my birthday this time. But it’s in the dead of winter, after Christmas, before spring. In Seattle. Pretty much the weather sucks. Does […]
family harmony
Solstice Sleeping: Dogs Softly Breathing of Home
I awaken in the night and hear it. Silence. I wait for more. It comes. I smile. I hear the dogs breathing softly in the night. Now, in the longest, darkest time of the year, I awaken in the still, silent night and hear only my dogs’ relaxed breathing. I smile. It’s comforting. Peaceful. My […]
Animal Communication: On Being Frankly at Home with Animals
Living with anyone, especially yourself, can be irritating. You have grand illusions about being saintly, or at least perfect, but reality doesn’t seem to work like that. So you need a sense of humor, especially if you’re living with me. I’m lucky that my two Cavaliers, Murphy and Alki, and Grace the Cat know how […]
Thanksgiving: What We Should Really Be Grateful For
I was thinking, what should I be grateful for this Thanksgiving? Then I saw this silly article, again, and I knew. I’m grateful for common sense and for refusing fear. This article, written by Joan Raymond and updated 1-25-11 at Pet Health on msnbc.com, suggests sleeping with our animals can give us diseases. Okay, it’s […]
The Not So Crazy Things We Do for Our Animals
Here I’d been thinking I was just a bit off. And, as usual, not regretting it a bit. When I think about being a bit off, I understand that I’m more off than normal. At least that’s what some people tell me, because I’m making a living in partnership with a crystal ball (literally). I […]
My Mom Wore Tweety Socks: Why I Care
My mom wore Tweety socks. She thought they were hilarious. She’d sit in her chair and raise her feet in the air, wiggling them at the world. Giggling. Made me laugh, too. Annoyed my brother. In fact, he was offended and objected to her wearing Tweety socks. They weren’t age appropriate. Really? What is age […]
The Alchemy of Grief: 50 Years Later
In Memoriam: Randall Ray Fritz, July 26, 1947 – November 1, 1961. Years ago, I couldn’t imagine that today would ever occur. Today, it’s been 50 years. What to make of them? In October 1961 my grandparents came out from Montana to visit. My oldest brother, Randy, was sick, in and out of the […]
Phoning Home: What Women Should Do About Obscene Phone Callers
Unfortunately, I think what most women have in common is an obscene phone caller. We’ve either had it happen to us or to someone we know. But I have a new way of dealing with it. Won’t you help? An Obscene Phone Caller Strikes My most recent experience with an obscene phone caller was shocking […]
Living on the Planet of Awesome and Forever
I live on the Planet of Awesome and Forever. I have proof. Sometimes my planet is real and physical: I revel in the sun and rain, the dark and stormy, the people and the beings who make me laugh and think while challenging me to be my best, no matter what. Always my planet is […]
How an Eagle Kachina Accidentally Helped Build a Community
My mom loved Southwest art. My dad loved my mom. I loved them. When the eagle kachina dropped into our lives, I was greedily snatching as much time with them as I could, building memories. One day my dad called and said he’d found an art piece for mom. “Not like yours,” he said wryly. […]