Conversations with dogs. I remember someone catching me talking to a duck. Not when I was a child, but just in the last decade. I didn’t talk duck until I was an adult. I was sitting on the lake shore chatting to this mallard as it bobbed around. I don’t recall what I was saying. […]
Channeling Dr. Doolittle Read More »
Chikoo, My pet-sitting experience with a 16-week-old Havanese Not every animal adventure is a story. Sometimes it’s simply a character sketch. Chikoo, a 16-week-old Havanese, provided more than enough material for one. My pet-sitting experience with a 16-week-old Havanese. Despite being a dog for only sixteen weeks, Chikoo presents himself as a seasoned elder unwilling
The dog who changed my mind I have always believed that every dog is special. Even the one that chomped my face causing a wound that required dozens of stitches. Or the one that got into my yard and murdered some of my laying hens. Some breeds have distinctive traits and characteristics for which they
“Just one last time, puuleeeze”. Those eyes, pleading, soft, deep brown, and wide with excitement. Beagle eyes. Impossible to resist even though it was the last time five times ago. But he is staring intently at the ball. Then tilts his head sideways and side-eyes me. Rigid in anticipation. I smile and relent. “Ok, this is it. Last time. I mean it.” With an aching shoulder and
Not all the time I spend with my grandson is structured. Often, I just want to hang out with him. And those are the sweetest days. We sit on the ground observing the tiny bits of life and chatting. Or we just wander around, lazily casting our eyes about. One of those ‘just out wandering days’ we were strolling through our favorite neck of the woods along a babbling brook that had
A Rock Ogre and Flying Elephants Read More »
When my grandson was born, I had to decide what I wanted to be called. Both sets of my grandparents had passed before I got to know them. So, there was no typical grandparent moniker that meant anything to me. I chose GMa (GEE Ma). It felt fun and lively and active….like G-FORCE. That’s who I am to my grandson. Just GMa. Being a grandparent comes with
The Time He Believed in GMa Power Read More »
There’s something simple about pushing a child on a swing. Back and forth. Back and forth. No conversation is required. It’s a gentle rhythm. A nostalgic, quiet kind of joy. That was our plan that day — just a simple, “Let’s go outside and play on the swing.” I had recently hung one of those saucer-style swings, the kind that
We Reached Force Level Five Read More »
There was no way we were going outside that day. It wasn’t just cold or rainy or windy — it was a sideways, freezing rain kind of day. I love storms. I could rest my chin in my hand and watch nature’s fury for hours. My grandson was captivated too, at least for a while. But eventually, the conversation faded, and the
The Day the Living Room Became the Lab Read More »
The gloomy stretch between fall and winter can feel like the dreariest time to be outside. The glittery magic of snowfall hasn’t arrived yet. The beautiful autumn leaves have fallen and faded to rust and brown. Bare trees stand against grey skies, and the beige grasses and ferns in the woods don’t exactly invite discovery. My grandson and I
The Wizard Stick That Saved a Dreary Afternoon Read More »
“That’s a beautiful necklace,” someone said to me at a gathering recently. “What is it?” “It’s an inukshuk,” I replied. “What is an… inukshuk?” she asked hesitantly, trying to pronounce the unfamiliar word. An inukshuk (pronounced in-ook-shook) is a stone structure that looks a little like a person made from rocks. For centuries, Inuit people across the Arctic have built
The Little Stone Messenger in Our Backyard Read More »