Dog Lovers – You Will Love this Book Giveaway – “Biscuit for Your Thoughts?”

Posted by Barbara Techel

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Update:  Congratulations!!… to Cindy Lee, winner of Biscuit for your Thoughts? and Through Frankie’s Eyes.  Cindy, I sent you an email for your mailing address.

One of the perks I love about having my journal online, talking about dogs, among many other things, is that I get the opportunity now and then to review books.

When this one popped up in my inbox, I was excited to see it. This little book of adorable, funny, and wonderful photos will no doubt put a smile on your face. You will giggle, you will say awe, and your heart will grow a little bigger after perusing the pages of this well done book.

Here is the review I wrote for Amazon where you can also purchase the book (also on B & N).  Truly makes a fun and wonderful gift for a dog lover on your Christmas list!

I laughed one moment, then felt my eyes fill with tears in the next, and overall, I felt my whole insides ooze with happiness for the love of dog.

The captions all fit so perfectly with each amazing, sweet, silly, or endearing photo so brilliantly and beautifully captured by photographer Andrew Darlow.

Truly, a touching and fun gift to give any dog lover!

AndrewDarlowTeekeeBy_WhiteyWarnerAndrew Darlow is a photographer, author and digital imaging consultant. He is the former Editorial Director of Digital Imaging Techniques Magazine, and the current editor of The Imaging Buffet (ImagingBuffet.com), an online website that covers news and reviews from the photography and video industry.

10% of all royalties from the sale of this book will go to pet-related causes.

So how can you win a copy of this adorable book?  It’s easy!  Just leave a comment below by Friday, Dec. 19th midnight cst. And a bonus I have for you? I will throw in a copy of my memoir, Through Frankie’s Eyes: One woman’s journey to her authentic self, and the dog on wheels who led the way. Open to US residents only.

When you leave a comment, please be sure I have an email in which I can contact you if you are the winner. I will choose a winner using random.org

Good luck… and now go hug your dog! They are such great friends we are so lucky to have in our lives.

***Special & Important Note: Beginning in 2015 all book giveaways I have will be done via my newsletter. So if you want to stay in the loop of future book giveaways, please be sure to sign up for my newsletter today. You will see the sign up box in the upper right hand corner of my website.***

Hoirzons4Girls & Gidget: The Christmas Spirit in Action.

Posted by Barbara Techel

rn 2As if I was almost swept back in time, visiting the rooms of residents at Rocky Knoll nursing home, I had sweet flashbacks of my work with Frankie when she was a therapy dog.

Though we didn’t visit Rocky Knoll, except for one occasion via a special request, we did visit on a monthly basis, a senior assisted facility, hospice, and our local hospital for over three years.

This special visit on Saturday, with Miss Gidget as my sidekick, we had the special opportunity along with Horizons4Girls to take part in delivering 72 dozen cookies and much joy to those in need. It filled my heart with what the Christmas Spirit is all about.

Miss Gidget made a special appearance as my sidekick, and the smiles she brought to many of the residents was absolutely priceless. I say “special appearance” because Gidget isn’t a registered therapy dog. But for this special occasion she was allowed to be a part of this mission helping the girls be of service in their community.

The above and below photos are three of my favorite from our visit. More photos are in an album I created on Facebook to mark this beautiful day.

**A VERY SPECIAL and GRATEFUL THANK YOU to all who sponsored cookies to help us complete this mission. You are all angels too in helping us make this a reality.**

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 As always, I welcome your comments…

Early Morning Cottage View: This is What Surrendering Looks Like

Posted by Barbara Techel

IMG_2193 (The view outside my writing cottage at 6:15am this morning)

Okay, some of you committee members in my head need to go on vacation. I’ve had about all I need to hear from you for a good, long time. You’ve been heard. I acknowledge you. Now find yourself a peaceful place to reside.

As I closed my eyes last night, I asked those pestering and loud members that seem to reside on the left side of my brain to please take a break.

The members on the right side of my brain, where it is so much more peaceful, raised their white flags as a symbol to the left side that they have been heard. We surrender — meaning we don’t have the answers for you, but that we understand your role in the community.

The community and its committee members that make up the whole of who I am. Me, Barbara Techel. All these parts, the good and the bad, the frustrating and the peaceful, the happy and the sad, each member important to my evolution of growth.

But the committee members who want immediate answers to life’s challenges have been making way too much noise lately. So I surrender to them. I see you. I hear you. But now it is time for you to see and hear what the other members in the committee have to share.

And so I surrendered as I drifted off to sleep last night… to more peace, joy and honoring of self.

As I stepped out of my bedroom patio doors heading for my writing cottage this morning, I realized my prayers from the night before were heard.

“” See,” the right and creative side of my committee members said to the left side members, there is peace when you surrender.

The proof and the only answer you need is right before you. A new dawn.

When you surrender to not having to know all the answers, the answer reveals itself in the light and promise of  a new day — a new day to live in peace and joy, and the true whispers of your heart.

What’s that I hear from all my committee members? Ahhhh, silence. Welcome, and please stay a good long while.

As always, I welcome your comments…

PS:  The winner of Dawn’s book, Dreaming with Polar Bears is Catherine.  I’ve sent you an email Catherine, for your mailing address. Congratulations!  And thank you to everyone who left comments!