There's Magic and Mischief in the Garden these days!

I'm writing from the garden, the dogs have finally settled since they were let out to the garden to play. They have been enjoying this summer very much and Our foster boy Billy, who has been neutered, has been enjoying extra attention from our Lab Daisy who's currently in heat! (Daisy will be spayed when she's a bit more mature in hopes to prevent any possible cancer later in her life.) needless to say it's been an entertaining week since the two love birds have been playing and wrestling. Daisy knows there's something really urgent she should know but she's still not quite sure what that is and she's quite energetic at the same time, comical! She's only 21 months old, not quite full grown and large breed so I think the more time I give her to fully develop the better. It's a bit of a nusance but we do manage!

John and I are lucky that we tend to have an inner connection with animals that allows us to appreciate their own worlds differently than most other people we know.  We are learning more as our puppies are growing and maturing and an almost wordless understanding is building between us. Such bonds aren't anything new or special really, anyone reading this would likely share a similar tale of the uncanny ability of *name of animal* to "read my mind" or understand weird commands. Animals have such fun personalities and when you really pay attention your can catch their uniqueness very well! I find their company that much more enjoyable. I find them fresh and energetic and playful, like children. And, like children they have tonnes of unconditional love to give.

That's also why we enjoy fostering so very much. Each of the 9 male dogs we fostered were different in such interesting ways and yet we were able to work with each of them and integrate them into our temporary pack. Daisy and our rescued Jack Russell Terrier named Mia have been amazing at their roles as foster sisters and they are growing into the roles so naturally and gracefully, really, with very few hiccups. Well, except for the barking thing...

My neighbors finally came over to visit in the spring about it. I was mortified for the dogs but also apologetic and I resolved to solve the issue. We do live in a dog neighborhood and now most of the other 6 or so dogs in the immediate vicinity bark more than our brood of mutts! We have used a range of techniques in order to help us, from muzzles and kennels, to halters and water squirt guns, we even tried that Bark-Off ultrasonic device. Lately though I can trace our success to a wonderful form of meditation and a radiating of peaceful love energy through the garden and beyond that I have been praticing and reminding myself to practice regularly. I sometimes chant a favorite Buddhist chant and enjoy the soothing energies it brings forward for me. I stretch, I breathe and I relax when I hear the dogs barking, ours or the others nearby,  I find it seems to calm things nicely and the dogs seem to enjoy it.

The inspiration to try this technique came following some on-going teleconferences and meditations with Katherine Wright Desai at Vitability.com and a group of fellow students. We were led over a 33 day period thorugh exercises to help us become more in tune to our true spiritual selves and able to maintain a centered joyful and loving balance in the midst of these energetic times we are living in! Tools and guidance and gentle nudges to help initiate the incorporation of a habitually balanced sense of being that is attuned to a feeling of oneness with the world, in love with life and experiencing the joy and wonder that exists in our world.

Another series begins soon, the Thriving Series and I welcome my curious or lighworking friends to join in - who knows we might even participate together in something by pure coincidence and synchronicity! That might be fun!
With love,
...from the garden

Jack Russell in the Strawberries Greeting Cards from Zazzle.com

Working up some items featuring photographs of our rescues and foster dogs.

This is one of my favorite spring photos of one Jack Russell Terrier in the strawberry patch in early morning. She's making sure the squirrels don't get to the berries before we do!

Jack Russell in the Strawberries Greeting Cards from Zazzle.com Check it out, leave a comment or rate the image or pick up a copy or two for sending to your JRT loving friends!

With love, ...from the garden