My favorite African memory

12/18/14

Gosh, there are so many stories and photos and things I could write about. It seems like I could be doing Africa blogs well into 2016.  I’m sure I’ll do a few more, but today I would like to share my favorite memory of Africa.

We were in South Africa, staying at Mjejane Lodge just outside of Kruger National Park. Each

afternoon we went on a game drive, and then stopped for cocktails at sunset. (I LOVE this safari ritual. We did it on every afternoon game drive throughout the trip.) This day we were along a river that was full of crocodiles and hippos. We enjoyed a classic rosy sunset as we sipped our wine.

On the drive back to the lodge, the jeeps split up and took different dirt trails. It was now dark and as we putted along the trail, suddenly a rhino appeared in front of us. Our guide stopped and turned the engine off. In perfect darkness we could still see the rhino and we could also hear it breathing, moving and chomping on grass. We all held our breath, and then two more rhinos came out of the bush and crossed in front of us. They stopped a few yards away and began grazing. We could hardly contain our delight.

But then everything shifted. It was the night of the full blood moon in October, and just then a HUGE red moon rose over the trees on our right. We were sitting in the dark, silent, with three rhinos and a red full moon rising next to us. It was a time of complete peace, total awe and connection with nature.

 There are no photos of this moment. We just drank it in and felt the energy of the land, the moon, the rhinos and Africa itself. Eventually we had to leave, but it is forever in my heart.

African monkeys

12/8/14

I love primates. Seeing chimpanzees and gorillas in the wild are dreams I have not yet fulfilled, but I love seeing any monkeys or apes. During our Africa trip we often encountered two different species.

The chacma baboon is a very large monkey weighing up to100 pounds that inhabits southern Africa. They live in social groups called troops in a variety of habitats. It was not unusual for us to encounter 50-100 baboons at a time! These troops contained several adult males, many females and their offspring. It was clear who the dominant male was by his size and the respect the other baboons gave him. Watching the kids play was a total delight.

These omnivorous baboons forage during the day looking for fruit, insects, seeds,

grasses and scavenging for game meat. They normally run away from humans but are becoming habituated in some areas. A troop that frequented the area near Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe, was often roaming around our lodge, hanging out at the pool, looking in windows and trying to steal food from the kitchen! One even relieved him self on our front porch (I’ll spare you the photo).

Baboons also use very loud calls when they feel threatened. Our guide knew that there was a large predator around when the impala were all looking in one direction and the baboons were screaming. Within a short while we were able to locate a leopard in the area. Thanks baboons!

We also enjoyed seeing Vervet monkeys. These mostly vegetarian monkeys have black faces and gray body hair. They are much smaller than baboons weighing only up to 15 pounds and they spend much of their time in trees. They also have alarm calls when predators are in the area.

Vervet monkeys are very naughty. Bob and I encountered them on our honeymoon in the Caribbean where they are famous for stealing tourist drinks. It was quite odd to find drunken monkeys staggering around some of these beach bars.

In southern Africa, the vervets associate humans with food. Staff at the lodges were constantly chasing them away from the food tables and it was common to see them peering down from the trees. One day on safari, we were stopped for tea and cookies, and a vervet monkey jumped on one of the woman in our group and grabbed her cookie in a flash. They were pretty bold in some of the national parks but always fun to watch.

Gratitude

11/27/14

Today in the United States, we celebrate Thanksgiving, a day when we feast and have fun with family and friends. I am also thinking about all the things I have to be grateful for.

My loving and wonderful husband Bob tops the list. I am so lucky to have him by my side, sharing this amazing life. Each day I am thankful for the gorgeous home we have in this paradise called Sarasota. Sunny warm days are now the norm and I get to hang out with all kinds of new critters and tropical birds. We really scored!

 

I am grateful for my friends all over the world who have been a supportive and caring presence in my life for 1 month to over 50 years. I also adore the new spiritual community that I found here in Florida and the many new friendships that are blooming in that group.

I am so lucky that my parents are still healthy, strong and active and that I enjoy a close relationship with my sister, brother and extended family members. We don’t see each other often but the bond remains.

I am grateful for my clients and students and colleagues – all the people that I interact with doing my work. It is amazing to be part of such a large community of animal lovers. I am also so humbled and happy that I have been able to serve animals and their people for over 18 years as a communicator and teacher.

My gratitude knows no bounds for Granny and the other whales and dolphins who have taught me so much over

the last 25 years. Our planet would not be so vibrant and alive without their energy and grace. Hopefully humans will soon follow their example of loving kindness.

I so appreciate the incredible standard of living we have in this country. We traveled in four countries in Africa last month and visited a village and school where they have NO water or electricity. Billions of people still live without these things that we so readily take for granted.

I could go on and on about all the personal things that I am grateful for and all the blessings I have in my life, but I just wanted to start you thinking about your life and what you’re grateful for. Aren’t we lucky to be able celebrate Thanksgiving in 2014?

Elephants

November 14, 2014

The elephants in Africa are amazing. Most are HUGE and there are so many of them. I believe that we saw elephants every day. They were in the woods, in grasslands, at the river, crossing the road, drinking and playing at watering holes, in towns and national parks. We saw bachelor herds, mom and babies, and mixed groups. Always there were elephants.

We were in Africa at the end of the dry season. By the end of November the rains will come and the land will be transformed, but during our visit every blade of grass was yellow, the red earth was parched and dusty, and most of the trees had not a single leaf. It was astonishing that the thousands of animals we saw all looked like they were thriving in what appeared to be a wasteland.

Most grazers eat either grass or leaves. Elephants though are unique because they can feed on grass,

leaves, bark, branches and even roots. That means a herd of elephants can pretty much destroy an area and strip it of all its plant material in a very short time. This is not so great for the other wildlife, and it’s becoming a problem in villages and towns. We saw areas where there was just bare dirt, hardly any grass, and many trees were damaged because the bark had been stripped off. Sometimes they even knock the trees over and eat the roots.

I had thought that elephants were highly endangered due to the ivory trade and that poachers were killing all the elephants in Africa, but that is only true in certain parts of Africa. In Southern Africa there is an overabundance of elephants. We saw elephants everywhere we went. Chobe National Park in Botswana is 4,500 square miles, and there are more than 50,000 elephants living there.

Now don’t get me wrong. I LOVE elephants and nothing tickled me more than seeing elephants every few minutes. It is thrilling to see 75 elephants running out of the woods, trumpeting, dust flying everywhere on their way to the water hole. We saw all sizes and sexes throughout our trip. We even got to observe a baby that was so small it was still wobbly and mom had to stop and wrap her trunk around it’s whole body to life it up out of a rut.

On the day we visited Victoria Falls, we drove to the edge of town to see one of the largest Baobab trees. As we headed back into town, a herd of elephants crossed right in front of us. There was a man on a bicycle on the other side of the elephants and he just stopped to let them pass.

Bob and I went on an elephant ride near Victoria Falls. We rode Mbanje, the 27 year-old male, and the largest of the four. As we headed out, I spotted a group of wild elephants in the distance and hoped that ours wouldn’t take off to join them. It was very exciting to be on top of an elephant and quite a comfortable ride. At the end, we got to feed him and sit on his knee for a bit. Mbanje’s skin was WAY more stiff and rough than I had expected, but he was a real sweetie.

Having too many elephants in an area is quite a serious and complex issue. Wildlife management has tried contraception, but that made the elephants aggressive. They tried shooting a few, but that made the rest of the herd aggressive. They can’t just relocate some, they need to move the whole the herd, and that is a dangerous and extremely costly endeavor. I hope they can find an answer is to this complicated problem and that somehow the elephant population can be redistributed throughout Africa. They are spectacular and everyone should get enjoy them.

Brandy

11/3/2014

Soon after I arrived in Johannesburg, South Africa, I was visited by Ingrid - a lovely woman that I have been in phone and email contact with for many years. You may remember the blog I did about Wang, the polar bear at the Johannesburg zoo who was deeply depressed after his companion died. This information came from Ingrid and I was glad to know about this special soul and to be able to send him love and healing support. (Wang is now in spirit with his beloved friend.)

This time Ingrid came to me with the story of Brandy, a pregnant leopard who had been caught in a snare. She was wounded very badly and being cared for at the zoo. Ingrid wanted her to know that the people were trying to help her, so I agreed to talk with her.

Brandy was quite frightened by her new surroundings and all this human contact, but I reassured her that they were doing their best to help her and that she would be released as soon as possible. She had undergone two surgeries to close up the gaping wound around her abdomen. Brandy was sore but told me that her cubs were still alive inside her and that her traumatic injuries had not yet killed them.

Throughout my safari time in Africa, I sent love and healing energy to Brandy. I held the vision that she would be fine and that her cubs would live to enjoy life in the bush.

While I stood in line to check my bag as we were leaving Africa, Ingrid appeared at my elbow. What a wonderful surprise!  She had come out to the airport to tell me that Brandy had been returned to the wild with a satellite collar on so that her movements could be monitored. What joyful news!

Brandy with her collar - note the big scar!

Brandy had been released into a new area because her previous territory was full of snares that would once again endanger this magnificent cat’s life. I’m sure this was very confusing for her, so a few days ago, I checked in with Brandy to see how she was doing. She felt good and was settling into this new territory. She had also killed a warthog and when we spoke she was tired and her belly was full. It felt like she had found a safe den for her to deliver her precious babies.

I love working with domestic animals and getting to know all my wonderful clients, but I am so honored when I can be of service to wild animals. And I am so grateful that there are caring people in the world like Ingrid, who go to great lengths to find help for our fellow creatures.

Say a little prayer for Brandy, that her delivery is easy and that her three cubs all survive. If I get any news about her from Africa, I will be sure to pass it along.

Africa - oh my!

The first time I read about Jane Goodall in National Geographic I wanted to go to Africa. I even became a flight attendant when I was twenty-one so I could afford the trip, but I never got there during my short career in the friendly skies. I put money away when I could, but the trip never happened until the call became too great. Last year I decided that I needed to go to Africa before it was too late – for me or the animals.

Bob and I just returned from a three-week trip to South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe. We booked a tour with Overseas Adventure Travel, a company that caters to active Americans over 50 and were joined by two old friends. We only had 14 people in our group. I highly recommend OAT and if you decide to book a trip to one of their worldwide destinations please use me as your referral (customer #001382737) and you’ll get $100 off your trip. http://oattravel.com/

on one of our lion walks

We landed in Johannesburg a few days early and spent that time with a client who takes care of the animals at a lion preserve a few hours north of ‘Joburg’. We got to walk in the bush with 7 lions that were less than a year old. What naughty kids they were – running off, jumping up on people and acting like all young kitties (don’t have anything dangling from your body). They were boisterous but manageable. At night we were awakened by the roaring of the older lions. That’s a sound you never forget. I also spent time there communicating with the lions, leopards, serval, caracal, and tigers. It was a great way to get our feet on the ground.

I wanted to go to Africa to see the animals, and animals we saw. It was amazing how many critters roamed everywhere. We saw the big five (lion, cape buffalo, elephant, leopard and rhino), sometimes four of them in a day. In South Africa we encountered both white and black rhino, and even spent some quiet time in the dark with three rhinos as the full blood moon rose over the trees.

in the river in front of the first lodge

Our first lodge was situated on the Crocodile River and during lunch we watched elephants, Cape buffalo, antelopes and hippos along with many species of birds. I was in heaven! At the next lodge a herd of elephants ran trumpeting from the woods to the water hole a couple of hundred yards in front of the camp. They drank and played and chased off the baboons. One night a few wandered into camp and chewed up a lot of trees.

Many of our safaris were in national parks: Kruger, Hwange and Chobe, and they reminded me of being in Yellowstone, only the animals were different. When you saw cars pulled over everyone sped up to see what they were watching. Once it was lions, another time a hyena, a leopard, and always there were elephants.

In Zimbabwe we visited a school that is supported by OAT and also went to a nearby village. These stops were more fascinating than I had expected and by the end of our trip I found that the people and the countries and the land were as important to me as the animals. It really is an amazing continent.

typical home

This is just the start of a series of blogs about our time in Africa and the places, people and animals we met. I hope you enjoy them and that soon you will experience the wonder of Africa for yourself.

Bon Voyage

9/27/2014

Bon Voyage

This is just a quick note to let you know that I’m off to Africa for an amazing safari. This is something I have wanted to do since I was 14 years old. I can’t believe it’s taken this long and that I’m finally going.

So there won’t be any blogs until November, and then expect some exciting stories and pictures of my time in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

I’ll be back at work on October 27^th. If you need a communicator while I’m away, there are always referrals on my home phone 941-752-5761.

Enjoy October!!

I am a technophobe

9/19/2014

I admit it. I am a technophobe. I’m not good at using new technology and I don’t even want to learn. I have someone who handles my website. I have only mastered the rudimentary art of ‘liking’ something on Facebook or making a post. I don’t understand how Facebook works, how to share, how to find things again or God forbid how to ‘tag’ someone. Don’t even mention other social media.

I have a dumb phone and it stays off in my car. I turn it on when I go somewhere in case I need to call home or Bob needs me to pick up something at the store. All my friends have smart phones and they can do a million things with them, but I don’t want one.

My lack of smart phone is starting to cause some issues with my work. Clients call and say ‘did you get the photo I texted you?’ Then I tell them I have a landline and no way to accept a text. They don't understand what I'm saying. It’s amazing how many people only take photos with their phone and don’t know how to email them. And please don’t leave me a message and say ‘you have my number’, because I don’t. If it goes to voice mail, there is no way for me to get your number. It's not a cell phone!

I love my landline. It has clear and consistent volume and quality. Calls don’t drop and I don’t need to perch in the southwest corner of my kitchen to get a good signal. I do value being able to make a call when out on the road, but I honestly don’t understand why people have given up a really great phone system for one that only works some of the time and not very well at that. Isn’t phone technology actually worse than it used to be?

I also don’t want to be ‘connected’ all the time. When I walk in the park I see people engrossed in their phones, texting or talking and they never see the stunning Roseate Spoonbill flying overhead. They are not connected to nature and the things around them. Technology is creating a world of disconnect.

I want to be connected to people face-to-face. I love to see them and feel their energy and give them a hug. I don’t want to read their thoughts in tweets and smiley faces. That’s not connection, that’s distance. That’s hiding behind technology and creating separation. Life is meant to be lived in person, not virtually.

Although I do my work on the phone, I am connected energetically to the animals I speak to every day. I get to feel them and be with them on a deep intimate level. I am very fortunate that so much of my time is spent in this space.

I often describe myself as ‘technologically impaired’. I know it’s not good to put negative labels on myself or anyone else, but there’s just no way around it – I’m bad at technology and I won’t be getting a smart phone anytime soon.

Wild Parrots of Florida

9/9/14

Florida is the land of invasive species. Because of our status as a center for the importing of exotic pets and houseplants from overseas, and our neo-tropical climate, we have been invaded by everything from kudzu plants to Burmese pythons.

One of these non-native settlers is the Black-Hooded Parakeet, also known as the Nanday Parakeet or

the Nanday Conure. A small parrot, Aratinga nanday is native to Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. It's diminutive size, its brash personality and its high intelligence have made it a long favorite in the pet trade--and that's how it got here.

I have seen flocks of these birds several times and a flock was hanging around the airport when I flew in last week. Their calls are astounding. That led me to do some research on these delightful creatures. Enjoy this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NQwdcBXaVI

It's not known exactly how and where the birds entered Florida. The initial reports happened in 1969, and centered in the Tampa and Miami areas. Both have ports that are major hubs for the exotic-pet import industry, so it's conceivable that a shipment of birds could have escaped from either one of these areas, or both. In other counties, it is possible that the birds are escaped or released pets.

Colonies of Black-Hooded Parakeets have been found in at least 19 counties in Florida. In ten of these, including Pinellas County (the St Petersburg area just to the north of us), they are known to be breeding. Individual birds can live as long as 25 years.

There is no missing a flock of Black-Hooded Parakeets. The birds are about a foot tall, with a two-foot wingspan, and travel low to the ground, in flocks of 20-30. The bright electric-green body with bluish breast and jet-black hood and beak make them conspicuous and unmistakable, but their loud raucous continuous calls and piercing squawks usually mean you can hear them long before you can see them.

Urban Florida is a perfect habitat for the birds. In the wild, they feed on seeds, palm fruits, and flower buds, and prefer habitats at the edges of clearings and in open grasslands. Urban areas, with their parks and suburban lawns, suit them wonderfully. They nest in tree cavities, and have broods of three or four at a time. In their native wild, they are one of the few parrot species that are not in environmental danger.

So what is the State of Florida planning to do about the uninvited guests?  There's nothing it can do. The birds are already widely established and already breeding. It is expected that eventually they will spread to cover the entire state.

If you’d like more information on the wild parrots of Florida, check out this blog http://floridaswildparrots.blogspot.com/

Saskatoon

9/2/2014

I just spent a fantastic week in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. It was my first time to this Canadian province and I loved it. The town was lovely and is known as the City of Bridges because of its 8 crossings over the South Saskatchewan River. Its greater metropolitan area has about 300,000 inhabitants and is rich with First Nations history. The surrounding prairies are gorgeous and the people were very open and welcoming.

I was invited to Saskatoon to participate in a research project at the University of Saskatchewan which has 21,000 students. Dr. MJ Barrett, a student of mine who is a professor in the School of Environment and Sustainability, is heading this research. The project goals are to 1. Address the human-nature disconnect and facilitate reconnection, 2. Generate bridges between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples and their ways of knowing, and 3. To facilitate public dialog on the place of telepathic animal-human communication in animal care and wellbeing, wildlife rehabilitation and management, veterinary care, and so on. Eventually this information will also be used to address complex environmental issues.

Dr. Barrett and I were interviewed on TV during a morning news show. Three and a half minutes just fly by in an interview! That evening we held a public panel at the University to discuss animal communication and the research project. MJ and I were joined on the panel by Joseph Naytowhow, a Cree storyteller and knowledge keeper who is also on the research team. More than 70 people attended our presentation and many did not want to leave when it was over.

The next two days were spent teaching an expanded How to Communicate with Animals workshop. It was sponsored by the University but held at a tribal friendship center in downtown Saskatoon. The class filled up easily and everyone that attended did very well. It was very exciting for me to have three Cree elders attend and share some of their wisdom as well. One participant brought a little bat for us to talk with!

Some of the research team

Our research team met for a full day of brainstorming and reflection on the workshop and panel discussion. The team includes several professors from various departments at the University, three Cree Elders who are delightful, Deborah Erickson, a student of mine who just got her PhD with a dissertation about telepathic interspecies communication, several graduate students, and myself.

I am very excited to see animal communication research coming into academia. There is so much misunderstanding about this field and I am certain that fostering this skill will heal our human disconnection with nature and bring about great changes in the way we view our world and our place in it.

Can you imagine a world, where a major component of researching or solving complex environmental and wildlife issues is talking directly to nature? Doesn’t that make perfect sense to go right to the source? I can’t wait to see where this project goes and the many shifts it will create. The times they are a changing………..

Enabling

08/20/14

We all know what it means to enable someone to stay stuck in a bad habit or pattern. We make excuses and cover for them, or help instead of encouraging them to do it themselves. Unfortunately, we also enable our animal companions in the same way and often cripple them emotionally. While we think we are being compassionate and kind, often we are actually limiting the actions and responses of our dear friends.

I hear it all the time – “my dog can’t be alone for even a minute,” “my bunnies have to be separated or they will kill each other,” “my cat will only eat tuna,” “my horse goes crazy if I leave town.” Now these things may all be true at this time, but there are ways to help your animals change.

Don’t allow the WHAT IS OF TODAY to create the future. There are endless possibilities for each being on this planet and just because your dog was abused in the past, doesn’t mean it will never heal and be happy, healthy and whole. But it will stay stuck in the past and that old habitual pattern if you keep enabling it to do just that.

So what to do? Assess the situation objectively. Do some research and see if there are professional trainers who can help you modify the behavior. Maybe there are some new products on the market or things you’ve never tried like emotional release techniques. Just because it’s been this way for a while, doesn’t mean it has to stay this way.

The most important thing for you to do is to hold the vision of what you want. That’s right, hold the vision and allow your animal to expand to meet it. If you want a happy relaxed dog that sleeps when you are away, you must hold that vision and send that picture to your dog as often as possible. Allow yourself to believe that it is possible, then set out to find things that will help.

We all want what’s best for our animals - a critter that is happy, healthy and well adjusted in all situations. So please, don’t limit your animals by enabling them to stay stuck in unhealthy patterns. Find some help and hold the vision. Be realistic – expect a miracle.

Communicating with Trees

August 11, 2014

I know many of you understand that we can communicate with our animals, but do you know that you can also communicate with all of nature? Everything has consciousness and therefore you can communicate with anything – rocks, trees, plants, animals, even the elements of air, wind, earth and water.

I find that trees are very friendly and easy to connect with. If you develop a relationship with a tree in your yard or nearby, you’ll be amazed at the friendship that can result. So find a tree that you love and start spending time with it.

Sit across from the tree and gaze at it silently. Often you will see faces in the bark. Or sit with your back against it and ask that it help you ground and get calm. Trees can take us to a very quiet place where telepathy happens.

Me (on left) hugging a giant Redwood

I also like to put my arms around the tree and hold it until I feel my heartbeat sync up with the beat of the tree (you just have to trust me on this one). Then call out mentally to the tree and introduce yourself. Tell the tree how much you appreciate it and what it does for you, your area and the planet. Now relax and open up your heart and listen. Notice the images, thoughts, words or feelings that come in, and accept them as real. The more you do this, the deeper your relationship will become and the more information you can gain. You also might think of interesting questions to ask, like what’s your favorite season, time of day, or critter that hangs out in this area?

Some of the coconut palms in Bimini were yellowing and not doing well this year. We all sat down and talked to them asking what it was that they needed. There were some minerals and nutrients lacking in the soil, but many of the trees said that they needed acknowledgment. They didn’t like that we brushed by them and never even said Hello. It was quite a lesson for some of the people in my group.

I have had many amazing conversations with trees and they so love it when we acknowledge them and connect. They stand silently for hundreds of years, holding the energy of the planet, giving us food, wood, shade and oxygen. It’s time we showed our appreciation and offered our friendship.

Let me know how it goes. I’d love to hear your tree stories.

Litter Box Issues

August 3, 2014

I get several calls each month about cats peeing around the house. They do this for many reasons, but these are the top three to consider.

1. Medical condition – If your cat is peeing out of the box you should immediately make an appointment with your veterinarian. Any change in your cat’s behavior can indicate a medical problem. Inappropriate urinating can indicate a urinary tract infection, cystitis, crystals in the bladder, or other urinary tract diseases. Cats who feel pain when they urinate will avoid the box, either because they associate it with pain, or they are trying to show you that they hurt.

2. Marking – Some cats will mark or spray outside of the litter box. They may be communicating with other cats (inside or outside) about their territory, or they may be stressed. Cats can mark by squatting and urinating on a flat surface or by backing up to a vertical surface and spraying. This can also indicate a medical issue. Stress will cause cats to put their scent around, so that they feel safer.

3. Litter box aversion – Sometimes a cat has an issue with the box itself. He may not like the location, the size (it could be too small), it’s not clean enough, or the type of litter that’s used.  Most cats prefer a natural soft litter that is not scented. It’s also important to find a litter that is dust free as litter dust can cause allergies and sinus issues in cats. Most cats prefer an open box so they can see what’s going on around them, but some like a little box with a lid or cover.

There are other reasons why kitties urinate inappropriately such as aggression or behavior problems with other animals in the household. Some are reacting to noises or negative energies in the space. Cats even can take on and mirror our own anxiety and stress through this behavior.

I hope that you won’t ever have this issue in your household, but if you do, please take your cat to the vet and ask that they look for all possible causes, not just infection. If your cat gets a clean bill of health, look at the other causes above and if you still can’t figure it out, give me a call.

Manatees

July 29, 2014

I love manatees. These endangered marine mammals are the gentlest of the sea creatures. They laze around in shallow water grazing on sea grasses and since they are slow moving they are often hit by boats. They’re also not very cold tolerant and when the temperatures dip in the winter, they can become weak and ill.

There is a marina near my house where manatees gather in the summer. I stopped by there this morning to see if anyone was around, and I had an amazing encounter. There were 4 or 5 adults all playing together, rolling and splashing at the surface. I wondered if perhaps they were mating, but the water was too murky to tell and I didn’t want to disturb them with “human” questions.

Nearby was a group of three babies who were playing together. I could see their cute little pectoral fins holding each other like arms and crawling on top of each other. The little puffs they made when they surfaced were so quiet and cute compared to the blows from their moms. I was so sorry I didn’t have my camera along.

The Florida population of manatees is probably the largest and healthiest in the world, yet it has many problems. There was a die-off of more than 800 last summer, in the Indian River Lagoon area, due to algae blooms likely caused by fertilizer and agricultural run-off. Boat strikes kill many and a cold winter is deadly. Fortunately during the winter, power plants release large amounts of warm water giving the manatees a suitable place to hang out. Some even provide viewing platforms and educational exhibits.

In the winter, many manatees gather in the warmer waters of Crystal River and Homosassa Springs, FL. A few years ago, Bob and I went on an excursion there to swim with them. It was a lovely, peaceful and joyous encounter. We may go up and do that again next winter.

Here’s a video of a group of manatees traveling just north of us near Tampa. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KvDVZitug8.  I hope you enjoy it and that you get a chance to spend some time around these lovely creatures.

Being Objective

July 21, 2014

When it comes to relationships, it is often hard for us to see what’s really going on. We make assumptions based on the past or cling to beliefs that may not be accurate. Our assessment of situations may reflect our own emotional baggage, guilt, or denial. This is true of our relationships with humans and also our animal companions.

If you are having a behavior issue with your pet, don’t immediately decide that your animal is mad at you or punishing you. I hear this very often from clients and it is rarely the case. Since animals can’t communicate with us verbally, they need to use other methods and most of them are quite good at finding one that works for them. They know how to get our attention!!

So, they’ve gotten your attention – now what? Instead of jumping to conclusions, it’s time to stand back and be more objective about the situation. Let go of your emotional response which is probably clouding your understanding. Get quiet and come from a neutral place and ask yourself the following questions:

1. What are the facts? (cat is peeing, dog is biting, horse is bucking, etc)
2. What could be causing this? (make a list)
3. How am I contributing to this issue? (is there anything I need to change)
4. What other possibilities are there?
5. How can we “fix” this?

Spend a few minutes thinking about, and feeling the answers to these questions and write them down. Pretend this issue is happening to someone else and see what advice you would give to them.

Then get quiet, open your heart and ask your animal for help. Tell him that you want to resolve the issue and discuss the information that you’ve compiled. Be receptive and allow the information to flow in. Write it down, but let it flow for as long as it comes. Then ask your animal if there is anything else he would like to tell you, or anything he needs or wants.

Pay attention to any insights, thoughts, words, or feelings that come in. Your animal friend is always trying to communicate with you, and by getting quiet and receptive, you may just hear/see/feel what he has to say. Then act on this information and see if it resolves the issue.

Letting go of our emotional response, being objective, and opening our hearts is the quickest way to resolve any relationship issue – especially with our pets.

Turtle Nesting Season

July 14, 2014

Turtle tracks in the sand

It’s Loggerhead turtle nesting season again on the Gulf coast and this morning on my beach walk I saw three different turtle tracks coming out of the sea up onto the sand. The turtle patrol was at one of the sites, so I stopped to ask a few questions. They were checking to see if the turtle had actually laid eggs, or just dug a hole. This spot unfortunately was empty and I was told that so far there is a higher than normal “false drop” rate this year. Generally about half of the sites a female digs to lay eggs are empty, but this year it’s more than that.

I wondered what might be causing this? 2013 was a record year for nests and hatchlings and authorities believe that it’s because 30 years ago they started a campaign to keep lights off along the shore during nesting season. When the baby turtles hatch, they go toward the light which hopefully is the moon shining on the water. If it’s a streetlight, they perish. So that was good news that 30 years later, they are seeing the fruit of their labor. Can you believe that it takes 20-30 years for a Loggerhead turtle to be sexually mature? They can live into their 70s.

So why are they not laying this year? Is there something on the beach disturbing them? Could it be lightening storms? Effects of the Gulf oil spill? They also added sand to the beach this year, and I wonder if somehow that’s disturbing them? Could the rising temperatures of the seas be having a effect?

In 2012, Tropical Storm Debbie sat over this area for several days and battered the coast. Most of the turtle nests were destroyed, but amazingly, after the storm, the turtles returned and laid MORE nests. How did they know? Are they still connected energetically to their young incubating in the sand?

Here’s an interesting little fact – the sex of the hatchlings is determined by how hot the nest is. If it’s cool, then they become males, and if it’s hot, they become females. I guess you could have boys at the bottom and girls at the top too.

Last month in Bimini, we were being dragged on lines behind the boat. As we flew along, Bob and I noticed a loggerhead turtle rising to the surface right next to us. He just stared at us with a quizzical look like, “what the heck is that?” We laughed so hard we blew our snorkels off. Humans whizzing by is not something that a turtle sees everyday, but I hope that these endangered creatures make a full comeback.

Bimini Dolphins

July 6, 2014

I was so lucky this June to spend two spectacular weeks in Bimini swimming with wild dolphins. What a treat! As usual, participants came from around the world to learn telepathic communication with animals and nature, and to spend time with the dolphins. I always love how these human pods come together and the lifelong friendships that are formed.

From the dock at Wild Quest

Bimini is such an interesting place. The north island where we stay is only three miles long and a block wide. It has about 1400 residents who subsist mainly by fishing and harvesting conch. The conch shells are piled high all along the shore. On the far north end a new resort is being built. I hope it doesn’t change the island too much.

I have never seen such beautiful water anywhere else in the world. You find every shade of blue from light turquoise to deep cobalt in one afternoon.

Spotted dolphin

Bottlenose dolphins

We were treated to swims with both Atlantic Spotted dolphins and Atlantic Bottlenose this year. On one encounter male bottlenose were mating with female spotted! That was an interesting afternoon, and although the dolphins were engaged in their own socialization, they were not bothered by our presence. In fact they kept coming back to where we were hanging in the water. We also enjoyed many baby dolphins leaping at the bow. I swear they were trying to see how much they could get us to scream and holler!

The second week in Bimini I was teaching Communication with Nature, and we got a little more nature than we had hoped for. There was

wind and rain and lightening and it got so cold on the boat one day that we jumped in the water to warm up. That was an amazing experience
watching the raindrops hit the surface from below and above. It was like sparkling little gems on the sea. We floated in the current until the storm went by and enjoyed a free ride watching the coral reefs and fish go by below us.

I’m already looking forward to my two weeks in Bimini next year, June 7-13, and June 14-20. Registration will begin in September, and it filled up early this year, so if you’d like to join me, don’t wait too long. I think both weeks next year will be Animal Communication – we seemed to call in too much wild nature this year.

Keep Your Pets Safe on the 4th of July

Each year I get up to a dozen calls from frantic people who are searching for pets that ran away during the 4th of July fireworks. Some animals, especially dogs, react to loud noises such as thunder or fireworks, by panting, vocalizing, drooling, shaking, cowering or worse - running. A noise-phobic dog may break out of windows, claw through doors, and run until they are lost or exhausted. Many are hurt or never found. Be sure to have up-to-date ID tags on your dogs.

If you know that your dog reacts to loud noises, it’s time to prepare for the 4th. If you’re not sure, find out today and plan accordingly.

Rescue Remedy, a Bach flower essence, is a non-toxic liquid that works gently on the energy system to relieve stress and anxiety. It is available at most health food stores and many pet supply stores. Put 4 drops into the animal’s water dish and stir vigorously. Start today and continue through July 5th. You can use it too.

Another human supplement now used with dogs is melatonin. It should be used for several consecutive days and can calm the nerves and reduce anxiety. The Whole Dog Journal recommends that large dogs take about 3 mgs daily and dogs less than 30 pounds only 1.5 mgs. Herbal tinctures of valerian, skullcap or kava kava can also be helpful. Always check first with your veterinarian for exact doses and usage.

In addition to one of the calming supplements, it’s most important that your animals are kept in a safe place that they cannot escape from. An interior bathroom with no windows is a nice dark quiet spot. Play the radio or TV to cut down on the intensity of the outside noise, and reassure your pet that everything is OK.

It’s best to not take your pet to a big celebration and be aware of what is happening in the neighborhood. Small firecrackers can upset as much as large ones, and dogs can ingest unexploded fireworks. Fur catches on fire easily too!

Think ahead and keep your pets safe on the 4th.

Sad Story?

May 19, 2014

The weather is great again and I’m back walking and biking at Robinson Preserve. This feeds my soul, but I had a rather upsetting encounter last week.

I was cruising along at about 10 miles per hour on an asphalt trail enjoying the scenery and watching for Roseate Spoonbills on the pond. There were no walkers or bikers on the path and the wind was blowing through my hair. Suddenly without warning, a HUGE frog came flying out of the weeds and crossed right in front of me. Close on his heels was a four-foot long black racer.

I hit my brakes and swerved, but there was nothing I could do. Both tires bumped over the snake before he continued on into the bushes. I pulled over, my heart pounding, and didn’t know what to do. He must have been hurt. How can you get hit by a bicycle with a full grown woman on it and not get hurt? I felt little comfort in that fact that he kept going and wasn’t lying squished in the middle of the road.

 I stood there and called out to him – “I’m sorry. I’m SO sorry. I didn’t mean to hit you.” I said prayers for his recovery or quick death. I didn’t want him to suffer. I felt awful and didn’t get back on my bike for a long time. I just stood there apologizing over and over again and sending him energy for whatever was his highest good.

My heart ached for the snake and the damage I had done to him, but then the frog spoke. He was grateful that I had saved his life. He couldn’t have timed his escape any better. He chose the exact moment to cross that road, when a bicycle would stop the predator that was closing in on him. My bicycle.

The snake and the frog stayed with me for a long time. In the end, I realized that while I can be sad and sorry for the snake, it really was the frog’s day to live, and I know he’s rejoicing. 

It’s not Fair!

May 12, 2014

There are a lot of animals leaving their bodies right now. In fact, there have been so many that my last newsletter was about Saying Goodbye to our Pets. In it I discussed animal views on death, making the most of the time you have left, how to know when it’s time, preparing for euthanasia, and also how to honor them after they are gone. http://www.rockisland.com/~mg/pages/news.html

What I didn’t talk about is the common reaction from people that it’s not fair.

How can losing a loved one ever seem fair? We adore these precious beings and want them to be with us forever. But life is finite and unfortunately animals live much shorter lives than we do.

Sometimes when a beloved animal friend dies we take it personally. We think it’s the world, or life, or God, or the universe punishing us for some unknown reason. We scream and rant and rave that it’s not fair, but the simple truth is that it’s not about fairness. It just is.

Life isn’t about being fair – it’s about relationships and sharing love. It would be way less fair to have never met this wonderful being and to have missed out on all the good times and the love.

When your dear animal companion leaves this world, don’t waste your time and energy on how unfair it is. Instead, focus on the joy and love that you shared and be grateful that you two had whatever time together that you did. When you are in a place of gratitude and joy, you will attract another wonderful being into your life and will be honoring your deceased pet by spreading your love.

The ways of life and death are a mystery. Animals are very accepting of death and not afraid to leave this world. They know that no matter what form they are in, that they will always be connected to us. Keep your heart open and allow yourself to feel the love that is flowing to you from your dearly departed friend. They are still there – really -  and it’s only fair that you accept that love and hold it dear.