dogs

The Nurturing Remains: Refreshing Gidget’s Memorial Marker

Posted by Barbara Techel

Yesterday John and I spent most of the day refreshing the gardens around our house and Joyful Pause Cottage with chocolate-colored mulch. We will finish the rest today. Yay!

This marker in a shape of a heart with a small heart-shaped rock in the center, a sacred spot I can see right outside my cottage window when I’m at my writing desk, is where my sweet Gidget rests. Her heart within mine forever. Though I see the big heart as hers because that was truly who she was – she had such a large heart and capacity for love.

May 11th will mark two years since she moved on for greater travels. The ache of missing her isn’t as acute anymore. Her spirit is quieter now and her visits from the other side not as frequent. But I still sometimes sit in quiet moments and bring up in my mind favorite times with her. It always brings me a great deal of joy and comfort.

To place new mulch over the spot where she rests I found it a sacred and welcoming opportunity to gently set the stones aside, brushing away the dead debris and refreshing the area with fresh mulch. With each stone, I put back into place I did so with a deep appreciation and love as I remembered Gidget and all her wise teachings, silliness, and being the best cuddler ever.

Sometimes it’s hard to believe I’ve actually gone almost two whole years without another dog. There are times I really miss a dog companion, while other times I’m okay. I continue to trust (though sometimes I have to remind myself) that when the time is right I will know.

In honor of the two-year passing of Gidget and the recent Rio Award for our book, I’m Fine Just the Way I Am, I’ve been working on a special project. I’m recording a short video with an excerpt from each chapter of our book, along with an extra bit of discussion, that will be available on my Youtube channel. My hope is to release the first video on May 11th. So I hope you’ll stay tuned!

As I woke this morning thinking about how good it felt to renew Gidget’s memorial marker yesterday, I was reminded once again of how alive I feel when I can nurture that which I love. Though Gidget isn’t with me on this earthly plane I found that gently and lovingly attending to her place of rest was an enriching way in which I stay connected with her.

And my nurturing her sacred space of peace and all that she means to me, in turn, brought peace and nurturing to my heart.

XO

Barb

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Meet Harley. Campground Director.

Posted by Barbara Techel

We had to call and wait for the owner of the campground to come to check us in when we arrived early this afternoon. Seems it is pretty much a one-man operation.

Well, that is, until the owner pulled up in his golf cart and to my complete joy he had with him his campground director extraordinaire. Of course, I had to ask right away, what the dog’s name was. “Harley,” the owner said.

As you can see, Harley takes his job quite seriously. Though he did get a little cat nap inside the office while the owner checked us in. Because, well you know, every employee deserves a break.

But soon enough, it was time to go back to work as we needed to be taken to our campsite. No better way, I think, than to have Harley take us there.

Thought you might enjoy meeting Harley, as much as I did. He is super sweet and I hope to run into him a few times while we are here for the week in Alabama with much warmer weather. Ahhhhh, yes. Going to enjoy this.

XO

Barb

Animals as Healers and Teachers – Interview with Karen Swain, Teacher of Deliberate Creation

Posted by Barbara Techel

What a delightful, deep, funny, and thought-provoking conversation and being interviewed by Australian native and teacher of deliberate creation awakening consciousness, Karen Swain.

I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did spending time with Karen talking about healing with animals, evolving, and living our best lives.  Just click here or on the graphic above to listen!

XO

Barb