...our strange winter weather.

We have had cold days and warm days all winter.  The snow cover just is not staying in southern Maine, so on the warm days like today, it is exactly like Spring mud season over and over.  My oak wood floors glistened beautifully two days ago and today it looks as if a football teams has trampled through here straight off the field.

 I am not sure how I feel about our climate warming up.  Whether it is caused by atmospheric pollution or is a natural occurrence of the universe, I do know it seems strange.  Nature is taking a jolt in this area and flora and fauna are confused with this "new normal".  Many of our trees and flowers need a cold blanket of snow to sleep deeply.  Without that cover, the stress is taking its toll.

Will the plants and animals that are indigenous to our area be able to hang on or will our native plants and animals change with the climate?  For example, lilacs are very happy in our zone, but in the last years, I have noticed they are blooming earlier and earlier.  Some of my forsythias have gotten so confused that a few years ago, some buds actually opened in the fall (odd to see) and again in early spring which is their normal blooming time.  Our dogs get winter coats but when we have days in the 40F-50F range in the winter in Maine, the winter coat doesn't really know whether it should stay or shed.


I have to truthfully say, I enjoy having less snow and ice to deal with but, being a gardener, also can see the negative aspects of it, too.  It will be an interesting future seeing what the world holds for us as the ice caps grow smaller and smaller and our area gets warmer and warmer.  I know that Europe has been having some terrible times dealing with too much snow, too much ice, and too much cold.  Then there are also pockets in Alaska just buried in snow.  Is this all "normal" or are we changing our world ourselves with careless emissions of manmade gasses?  I don't know but do know it is worth watching and pondering about.  Just thinking....    

...about my addictions.

Everyone has addictions of one sort or another.  I don't drink, I don't smoke, never done drugs, don't drink coffee, the list goes on.  But that does not mean I am at all free of addictions.  I love facebook because it has given me the opportunity to reconnect with so many wonderful people who too briefly passed through my life during my childhood, my own school days, and my teaching years.  To be able to reconnect with so many is such a unique gift I never thought would be possible.  Several years ago at Thanksgiving, we were going around the table stating what we each were thankful for and my "clever" son answered "technology".  At the time we all laughed and remarked "How deep of you!"  Now I am beginning to believe he was way ahead of us in his things to be thankful for.  Today, I can truthfully say I agree with him.  I am on my computer way too much, but it is a wonderful, rewarding addiction to have.

Another addiction is our dogs.  As heaven takes them back, we keep adopting new ones.  Since we have become dog rescuers and owners, we have received more delight and joy in our home than we could ever imagine.  From when we get up in the morning until when we finally drop off to sleep at night, our lives revolve around our dogs.  We feed them, hug them, tend their wounds, train them, take them for walks and rides, comfort them, play games with them, bathe them...the responsibilities are many.  But they love us deeply and do everything in their power to help us feel the world is a wonderful place to be a part of and how very lucky we are.  Dogs stay in the moment and only anticipate the very next moment.  Their anticipation is always filled with eagerness and joy.  Right now, five of our dogs are with Ralph at the agility building going through their paces and our other two are here with me, both having much needed quiet naps.  They appreciate all the things we too easily take for granted.


Another addiction of mine is NCIS.  That sounds so surface like, but I love the show and the interactions between the characters.  When I was a little girl, we had a neighbor who loved Perry Mason.  It was on every Sunday evening, and she would have her coffee and toast already for her once a week fix.  Her large arch-shaped living room doors would be closed from everyone, and that hour would be hers (and Mr. Mason's).  So if we were there playing with her daughter (a childhood friend), we were not allowed to bother her for that hour.  Any other time, she was always available and doted on us all.  I am sort of like this with NCIS except that it is on nearly everyday so has now almost become my background music.  It is on no matter how many times I have seen it.  Addiction?  You bet.

Of course there are addictions I am fighting....like eating too much food, being too sedentary, being too concerned about health issues, yadda-yadda but I am not alone in these areas.  These are "fighting one step at a time" addictions.  Have been losing weight, getting out and about, seeing the right health gurus, and so on.  These will be pesky foes as long as I am alive, so might has well stay in the present and not get wound up about what's ahead down the road for me.



So I will play on my computer with NCIS playing in the background, hug my dogs, watch what I eat, get out and go shopping, and keep myself as healthy as possible.  And I will, as Marc is, be very thankful for technology...lol.

...about aging.

Getting old is serious stuff.  Our bodies are not as agreeable to be flexible as they were when we were thirty and we find ourselves having to get more and more things checked out so that our bodies keep working properly.  Our minds slowly change also and we start to find we must pause more to find the right word, the right thought, or the right memory to share with others.  Often times, I see comments about "old people" getting in the way or slowing down traffic or making shopping much harder for those younger folks who still have the "taken for granted" ability to zip in and out of situations with hardly a thought.  As we age, "zipping" becomes more of a memory than an actual way of moving.



So how do us older folks feel about this whole process?  To be honest, sometimes it is downright depressing to feel in the way holding up the works and making younger folks irritated.  But there is also an amusing side to all of this, too, because laughing at all the changes that age can cause is much better than moping over it.  We are aware that we are nearer the end of our lives than the beginning, but it lets down so many barriers that we do not have to worry about.  That can be fun.  While younger folks are still attempting to behave with decorum, we older folks have gained the right to just relax our behaviors.  It is easier to say what we truly feel, irritate people who are being obnoxious, and just generally have fun with it.  We can be easily open with our doctors, with our family members, with our friends, and with total strangers.  We have time to stop and fully embrace an appealing moment because there is no hurry to rush anywhere.  We can take a nap in the middle of the day without guilt.  We can do hobbies that appeal to us, take our time with them, and begin to let others do the "shoveling" of all the stuff we never liked to do anyway.

Yes, it is an interesting time...not at all what I expected, but still interesting.  Waking up is not taken for granted now but rather a honored blessing.  Being able to get around and do our day to day tasks is a true gift and one deeply appreciated.  It is so positive to not be wanting more "stuff" because we finally have the time to completely enjoy the things we already have amassed and never had the time to use fully.  We find ourself paring down on materialistic things just because we are tired to keep moving them about and dusting them...lol.  We enjoy having less space but with a very comfortable chair and our favorite things at our fingertips.  We finally understand the saying that "less is more".  Time passes much quicker and it is much more urgent to spend it in enjoyable ways and with enjoyable people and pets.  Life is definitely a mandala, spinning round and round, the seasons passing by quickly.  Hopefully, most of us find much humor mixed into the whole process.

Take care,
Liz

...about the humor in being married for many years.

When a couple has been together for as many years as we have, we begin to have our own language and behaviors just like twins do when they are young. Many times through the day, we find ourselves chuckling over the things we do so naturally that would look ridiculous to others.  To us, these habits are amusing.  For example, I put on jeans and a shirt and wear them the entire day.  My outfit works for shopping, playing frisbee with the dogs, watching tv, doing housework, and so on.  Ralph, on the other hand, has school clothes, agility clothes, dog walking clothes, cleaning clothes, shopping clothes, tv watching clothes, yaddah-yaddah.  So when we get ready to do something, I always have to wait for him to put on the appropriate clothes.  Now granted, to anyone outside our family, the clothes look basically the same, but he finds a humorous comfort in this habit.  While he is changing, I have learned to just play a game that lasts a few minutes on my computer so I don't have to be annoyed waiting for him.

Another thing is his Christmas duck made out of an old piece of very rough wood.  I have all the Christmas decoration boxes labelled so I can find what I need each season.  Well, while I was otherwise occupied one day many years ago, Ralph added "No Duck" to all the boxes except the one he put it in, which he labelled "DUCK!!!" .....so when he gets out the decorations each year, that duck is the very first thing he gets out and puts up on the mantle.  Anyone who saw the boxes would probably wonder what the duck labels are all about.  

The differences in our personalities and expectations is like day and night.  He can hide something he is waiting for me to find, and if it takes months or even years for me to find it, he never gets impatient.  It is very odd to discover something…a note or a little gift…several months after he hid it for me to discover.  This has happened on several occasions.  If I hide something I want him to discover, it eats away at me steadily until I finally have to tell him where it is.  The most I have been able to keep my mouth shut is maybe a couple days…lol.  Then I get impatient and ask him why he didn't look in his sock drawer or whatever.  How he can maintain that much patience I have no idea?  It amazes me.  

We made a pact as we aged to help finish each other's sentences since we kept forgetting words.  It worked well, but now that we have aged even more, sometimes neither of us can remember a word we want to say, so our conversations take on a very unique and oddly funny banter back and forth while we discover what we are not finding the words to say.  It is not unlike the game of Jeopardy in some cases or Name That Tune.  "Did you remember to pick up the…you know…the thing I asked you to get?"  I might ask.  "What thing?" he inquires.  "You know, the third thing on the list I gave you…" I respond.  "I lost the list", he replies, "but can you remember what store I was supposed to buy it?"  On and on we go until we finally hit the jackpot.  It never ceases to be an adventurous conversational journey when we are in this mode of trying to remember something.  It usually gets us both laughing.

We also have little jokes between us that others are not aware of.  Through years of living together, we don't have to say anything but we are both thinking the same funny thoughts.  Mixed up sentences are always fun like "he married his dead wife 30 years ago".  I read that one today in a biography.  I haven't shared it with Ralph yet, but this would keep one liners running through our heads for five minutes... and if we both actually wrote down our individual muses, our thoughts would be very similar.  Then we always have the running jokes like when we are given fries at the drive up window after we asked for none, and one of us will always mumble, "They must have been all out of no fries."  

Yes, being married and in each other's daily lives for 41 years is an interesting experience.  I have to say that humor is the reigning force that keeps it all working.  Ralph is at the agility building in Berwick teaching lessons right now, and yes, he is wearing his agility outfit….and yes, it looks like everything else he wears.  I still have on the jeans and shirt I put on this morning.  Married life goes on….lol.

....about the new year 2012.

It is now the end of year 2011 and what a year it has been.  The nicest event is gaining two new dogs to our canine family.  Lucy and Sadie are both wonderful little beings and we feel so blessed to have them join our family.  As the months have passed, they have meshed into our pack beautifully and brought joy to so many of our friends who visit us to spend time with the dogs.  Our older dogs, Lexi, Jazz, and Sam are delightful to have.  They are so well trained, spend much time sleeping, and show so much joy to be with us doing what they can manage.  We love them so dearly and although their time left with us might be short, we are treasuring every moment.  Kati and Zac are a special team who are the competing agility members of the crew at present.  They are also the frisbee stars, catching any frisbee thrown their way and bringing it right back to our feet.  Lots of times, Zac passes it off to Kati and she brings it in.  Teamwork!

My anxiety came back full force in February and decided to hang around almost all the rest of the year but finally, after a lot of work, I have tamed it once again. I feel very thankful to have such a nice group of friends and professionals to help me learn better ways to deal with panic/anxiety issues.  Thank you, each and every one of you!

Ralph retired at the end of June, then went back to work half time in July…lol…but it is wonderful to have him here at home much more.  Being here in Sanford, we have much less driving to get groceries, building supplies, etc which enables us to have more time just to relax and do our hobbies.  I am heavily into stained glass and Ralph is dividing his time between dog agility and woodworking.  

Hopefully, although we are in our sixties, we still have a lot of interesting years ahead of us and many more adventures to experience.  Health wise, we are both chugging along just fine.  I have lost nearly 50 pounds this year and hope to lose some more weight in 2012.  For both of us, having 7 energetic dogs keeps us both much more exercised than we might be otherwise so besides the quiet joy they bring us emotionally, there is a physical health benefit, too.  A lot of people remark how lucky the dogs are to have us, but the really astute folks also are aware of how lucky we are to have the dogs!  We are thankful to care for them.

Neither Ralph nor I have any ridiculous New Year's resolutions except what we always embrace….to continue to make our little corner of the world a pleasant, positive place…. one that contains plenty of humor and caring for all people with whom we interact.  We will continue to appreciate the wonderful beauty of diversity in the people around us and touch our lives.  Life can't get much nicer than that!

So to all who take the time to read this, have an adventurous 2012!  Both positive and negative things are bound to happen on the journey, but we all have the inner strength to move forward step by step and savor special little moments whenever they occur. Happy New Year!!

Take care,

Liz

....about how life changes day to day.

The Christmas season is here bringing much hope for positive changes to occur in the world. Our wishes are always for peace, good health, and equality for all people everywhere.  May we always have this desire within our hearts...the desire for goodness, tolerance, and understanding.

Sometimes though, unexpected changes happen in our own lives that change our treasured holiday plans.  This year there is some illness my extended family, and my own anxiety is still not under control.  I have had to cancel some special things I was really looking forward to experiencing. I feel so thankful that my dear friends and family understand, but a little sad that everything didn't come together without bumps in the road.

At these times, how we decide to process these changes shows us what we are made of.  I find it so hard to adapt to change but when given no opportunity to do otherwise, will work hard to embrace the positive, play down the negative, and eke out the best experiences I can within the present limitations.  Our son is home for a long visit, all our dogs are healthy, my husband is healthy, and except for my anxiety issues, I am doing well also.  Our tree is beautiful, the fire in the fireplace is delightfully warming, our home is clean, food is plentiful, I am being faithful to my diet, and Christmas joy abounds in our little home.  We say prayers for family and friends who are suffering and make ourselves available if needed.  Next week, we will have our grand niece with us to help out our extended family.  In helping them, it will bring more joy into our own lives.

For myself, when I am feeling calm, I take in every moment of happiness around me.  When struggling with stress and anxiety, I listen to my body's signals, and treat myself with gentleness and respect. It took me years to understand the importance of being as respectful to myself as I am to others.  May we all embrace the wisdom of giving ourselves a break when we need it and to be kind and forgiving to ourselves when we cannot always live up to our own expectations.



The New Year will soon be here with new adventures awaiting.

Take care

...Sam's Christmas letter to everyone.

Sam, our little old sheltie boy, has written the following for our Christmas cards and letters:

Hello Everyone!

Another year has nearly gone by and I decided it was time to write my outstanding celebratory

missive to let you know how we in the Vose household are doing. It's been unusually warm here in Maine this fall. My mom and dad have been enjoying the warmth, but for someone with my heavy coat, warm weather is highly overrated. I like to lie in the white, fluffy snow and cool down my belly. I don't understand why but snow doesn't stick around when it's 50-60 degrees every day.  Go figure!

Mom has been spending a lot of time doing stained glass projects. I guess it's her latest hobby or something! She says she likes to "paint with glass". I'm not sure what that means, since she

doesn't use a paint brush at all, but I definitely approve of the work that she does.

Dad retired in July and has been working half time since then. He really seems to enjoy having the extra time at home. I enjoy having Dad here more, but he gives us a treat when he leaves for work in the morning and less times going to work means less treats. Oh well, life is full of tradeoffs,  I guess.

My human brother Marc visited in July with his friend Cheryl. We had a good time with them and Cheryl cooked some unusual foods that we had never eaten before. The cuisine was really yummy (I should know, since I am an expert in food). Marc moved from China to Malaysia this summer. I'm not sure where those places are, but I'm quite sure they are way beyond our play spot at Wells Beach. Marc is coming home for Christmas this year, too. We're all truly looking forward to that.

A little while ago, mom found an email address for my dadʼs Uncle George. George lives in Texas and Dad had lost contact with him. Now Dad is writing to both Uncle George and Aunt Irene, George's sister who lives in Florida. Dad has been having fun learning about the Voses of Washington County, Maine. I don't know where Texas, Florida or Washington County are, but Mom has assured me those aren't at Well's Beach either. I'll have to trust her on that.

My dog pack is doing quite well under my wise guidance. We added two new members to our

family. My mom decided that we should adopt a small border collie named Lucy, and then found out that Kati's mother Sadie became available for adoption. As soon as we adopted Sadie, another border collie named Zena suddenly needed a home. Zena stayed here for a few days before we found a great home for her with our friend Gina in Lebanon. It took a while for everything to settle down but now we are all meshing together beautifully. Of course, most of this was accomplished under my firm paw.

Most of us dogs still do agility, but three of us (including me) are getting up there in years so Dad takes it easy on us. Zac and Kati have been competing in events and bringing home lots of ribbons. Dad says he's going to try Lucy and Sadie in competition as soon as they are ready, probably next spring. I have retired from my job with Dad as the agility demo dog and have passed my duties and my students on to Kati. Dad says Kati does very well, but he also says he misses having me do it since I was so great at it.

We all hope you have had a wonderful year and that you have a happy holiday season. If you are lucky, your festivities will include an abundance of sloppy kisses and crunchy treats. That's my goal!

Sam, Ace Reporter for the Sanford Voses, Demo Dog, Ret.

....about the holiday season.

The holiday season is upon us once again.  There are so many delightful aspects to this time of year that warm me through and through.  The colorful decorations bring such joy to our senses, as does the smells of fresh trees and traditional cooking of pies, cookies, turkeys, hams or whatever one's tradition might be.  As in every season, I embrace the joy of diversity...the enlightenment that we all don't have to celebrate the same way or share the same beliefs.  Some of us are more about our own inner feelings and memories, some of us are about our religions, some of us are about getting together with family, ...the list is infinite.  I feel one of the most important ideas I like to embrace is understanding and respect for all people.


For example, I have always called my decorated tree a Christmas tree, but am not bothered in the slightest by anyone who calls theirs a holiday tree.  I have always wished folks of the Christian faith a Merry Christmas, and those of other faiths a happy holiday.  I am not offended if someone wishes me a happy holiday.  I feel so blessed that the person took the time to share a heart felt greeting with me.  I feel sad for the souls who are so persistent that their religion is the "right" religion and everyone HAS to adhere to their faith or else!  How utterly closed minded that is.  There is room on this beautiful planet for everyone, every faith, every ethnic background, every color of skin, male or female, gay or straight, fat or thin, tall or short, old or young, educated or uneducated, rich or poor, ...gosh, the list is infinite.  We are all here together and have it within ourselves to love masses of people no matter who they are.


So to all of you, I share any greeting that fits your belief system and I do so with graciousness, thankfulness, sincerity, and love.  Life is much too short to be excluding anyone who is different from me.  I feel comfortable and caring enough in my inner soul to embrace all peoples with honesty and simple joy.  That is what Christmas means to me.

Take care,
Liz

...about my brother who just passed away.

Just got the news this evening from my niece Sarah that my half-brother Tom passed away.  I am in shock even though I did not know him very well.  Tom was a strikingly tall man...around 6'5"...and had a face full of character.  He could look quite serious, but when he smiled, his face beamed.  I feel so blessed that I got to meet him and that Marc and Ralph got to spend time with him also.  This is all due to my niece.  Although she lives on the west coast, she came across country and got us together.  Not only that, but Tom came to spend another special day with us after Sarah was back on the other side of the country.

Ralph, Marc, and Tom

Tom was on his way to California to live out his remaining years near his daughter and his grandchildren.  Since he could not bear to part with his Harley, he was crossing the country by motorcycle.  He checked in with Sarah every evening so she would know he was safe.  Last night, he did not check in, and although she called his cell several times, there was no call back.  Late today, a detective found my brother.  Tom had passed away in his motel room.  He had diabetes, and probably other conditions that he had shared with none of us, and died of natural causes.  He had made it all the way to Arizona so was not that far from his destination.  

Sarah and Scarlett

I am so very thankful to Sarah for approaching me by email and bringing my brother and me together.  What a very special lady she is.  I feel honored that she felt comfortable contacting me and feeling secure in knowing that Ralph and I would always be here for her, and welcome into our home warmly.  I had wished for a lifetime that I would get to meet the other half of my family and Sarah made a small part of that wish come true.  So in our grief, I also feel thankfulness and joy because Sarah made the impossible possible.  I am sending her all the love and understanding I can muster.  Bless her heart.  May my brother rest in peace.



Take care (and hug your loved ones!).
Liz

about the nice furniture my husband is making...

While I have been playing with my stained glass, my husband has been building furniture.  So far he has completed two beautiful chests/coffee tables and a nice rolling cart to hold our bird cage holding eight parakeets.

Presently, he is framing one of my stained glass pieces so it can be hung in the window in one of the bathrooms.  Next, he wants to build a tall unit to hold all our electronic devices that go with our living room TV.  It will be wonderful to have all that stuff behind doors in a beautiful cabinet.

...how nice it is here at home.

Lucy

Zac with his frisbee

Jazz in the leaves

I am a strong believer in diversity.  It takes all sorts of people to make an interesting world and I, for one, am glad we are not all the same.  My husband and I enjoy a simplistic life, and like it that way.  No bells or whistles.  We are thankful waking up each day relatively free of pain, having a predictably friendly day, then snuggling in to a quiet night.  We are not into having a million gadgets, traveling all over the world, or having our home full of tons of activity.

Sam

Many people would find having seven dogs anything but simplistic, but for us, it works.  Our lives, although probably dull to others, are very fulfilling to us.  Now that my anxiety is getting back under control, life feels so perfect, so right.  So while many others are still searching for their place in the world, we have found ours, are comfortable with it, and hope to enjoy our simplistic existence for many years to come.

Take care,
Liz

...about when anxiety is up.

Since the age of 39, I have been dealing with on again/off again anxiety.  It is presently on again and has been that way for months.  Panic and high anxiety are not a lot of fun but when compared to some of the complicated challenges people face, it  is something that can be addressed with cognitive behavioral therapy and meds, if needed.  I have done well for the last few years without the latter but now it is time to take an aggressive approach once again.  Too often, people with panic disorders do not want the world to know of their malady, but I figure the more folks that know, the less I have to worry that someone might find out.

Many creative people and perfectionists tend to have anxiety.  It is a "perk" they would probably rather not have, but if one has it, one has to deal with it and put it in its place.  Last night, I started a new med.  These meds have side effects and these vary greatly from person to person.  Some lucky souls have no side effects.  For me, since my body is very acutely sensitive, I tend to get just about every side effect possible while weaning onto certain meds.  Thankfully, most of these side effects do pass once the med finally kicks in which can sometimes take a couple of months.  For the next few months, I will be working hard to bear through these side effects so I can reach the goal of having a calmer mind.  Not easy, but doable.

Anyway, if I appear a little strange and different while getting used to my anxiety med, bear with me.  I am still the same happy, lovable lady who loves life with a passion.  Just facing a bumpy road at present while readjusting my techniques and tools that help to keep anxiety from gaining power over me.  It is a challenge I plan on winning.  Positive thoughts and cheering me on is greatly appreciated.

Take care,
Liz

...about how much I am enjoying stained glass making.

Have just begun my forth stained glass piece.  Who would have thought I would have found such a fun new hobby that is so rewarding.  My first piece was designed from a photo of our sheltie Kati.  It is a free form piece with no frame.  It was with the kind instruction of my instructor that I learned how to cut glass, grind it so it fits together well, copper foil each piece, solder all the pieces together, burnish the solder, and wax the whole piece.  Several steps but well worth all the careful steps.











My second piece was based on a painting by Gianni Strino entitled La lettera.  I just loved the setting he created so did a similar setting.  It just seems so peaceful and I love the flow of the dress.  It was an inspiring piece to make.







My next piece is for our bathroom window.  I wanted to create another peaceful setting that would make the room a special place to be.  So after a search for just the right children in pretty white dresses, I found a calm but busy ocean scene and put it all together in photoshop.  I like the result.

Presently, I am working on a piece that contains the 5 Chinese elements used in healing: wood, metal, earth, fire, and water.  This piece will be given to my acupuncturist.  I have just started cutting the glass for it but of course, like the others, it will take many weeks to do since I like the intricate approach.  This piece will change several times as it comes together and will probably not resemble the photoshop example here.  Right now, I have just begun cutting some of the leaf sections for the tree.





Hoping this piece turns out just as nice when all is said and done.
Take care,
Liz

...with 7 dogs, one is never alone.

Caring for seven dogs properly take a lot of work and money, but the rewards are well worth the effort.  With seven dogs, a human is never alone.  When I fill the dishwasher, Zac the BC is always with me helping to scour any dish that is not dishwasher ready.  If the phone rings, Lexi barks up a storm to let me know it must be answered.  If Ralph goes to a take out place to get us supper, Jazz the rough collie goes along for the ride so he can have his quiet time with "Dad".  Ralph tried to convince me that sometimes Jazz does the driving, but I'm not buying that!  When playing frisbee, Kati the sheltie grabs the frisbee from each dog after it is caught and she is the official "I'll bring it to mom and dad" volunteer.  I guess she likes the extra pats and the other dogs are okay with that.  Little Sam the sheltie is the dancer of the group.  When I take the time, he will dance with me for several minutes, doing his own little foot to foot step, a big smile on his little old face.  Our two new dogs, Lucy and Sadie, are still deciding what their duties will be.  For the present, they are both on bathroom detail... so no one in this house goes to the bathroom alone unless he/she can outrun the dogs and get the bathroom door shut before the dogs get there.  So in this home, every task one does has a dog who "helps".

Vacuuming involves around three dogs who just lie in the way and get that perturbed look when they have to move. Mowing the lawn takes about two dogs, who keep watch from the other side of the fence to be sure the human is doing it right.  The two border collies have to be sure the neighbors behind us are behaving themselves so check things out at the back fence often.  When someone comes to visit, all seven canines give the loudest, happiest greeting imaginable, including tons of kisses.  When mom or dad take a shower, there are two determined dogs who lap dry our feet and ankles when we step out of the tub.  On the bed in the evening, there can be anywhere from two to four dogs lying around mom and dad keeping us safe and warm.  The dogs keep the bedroom at least ten degrees warmer than all the other rooms in the house so help us save on our heating bill.  If Dad is at work, the dogs keep Mom very safe day or night, and would never allow a stranger to get close to me unless I gave the okay.  Every morning and evening, five of the seven dogs take Dad on a nice long walk to keep him in good shape.

Yes, with seven dogs, we are never alone.  How cool is that!  Works for us!

...about how the seasons change my daily pace.

Back Yard

As the fall progresses, I find (just like most animals) I begin preparing myself how life gets a little more compacted and quieter.  The tourists depart, many waterfront homes are closed up for the season, and Maine's population gets a bit smaller as some Maniacs head south to warmer climates.  The days here get shorter and the nights get longer.    Still, the fall also gives us a spectacular show bursting with bright fiery warm tones of colorful foliage.  The colors are getting stronger in southern Maine at present, and we are appreciating the cooler temps that have finally arrived.

Fall is my favorite time of year but does remind me that a long winter will be following.  As the nights get longer and longer, I feel appreciative that I can zero in on indoor hobbies like reading, playing piano, doing my crafts or snuggling under the covers and watching old movies.  The dogs seem to embrace the darkness by sleeping more and of course, cuddling with Ralph and me much more.  Ralph, in order to beat the dark, has to hurry home to do agility with the dogs.  Together, Ralph and I tend to do all the tasks we can after school so that we can have the the evenings to settle in.

Sometimes it is refreshing for our lives to become less complicated and "smaller" for a while.  Unlike living in a big city, things don't go on the same year round.  "See you in the Spring" is often seen on business signs the closer we drive toward the coast.  The miles of beaches become ours once again and no one cares if we take our pack of dogs to run up and down the shore in the middle of the day.  There is no bumper to bumper traffic on Route One to avoid.  Maine is just for hearty Mainers once again.

Peace, serenity, and simplicity become the norm in the winter months.  We are forced to take the time to come to know ourselves once again, to listen to our own thoughts, and rediscover who we are.  It is an introspective time for the most part.  We learn if we are capable of living with less and still able to feel comfortable within ourselves.  I am not a snow person but can still see the lesson being taught when snow shuts everything down and we have to be patient and wait for it to set us free once again.  


 Just thinking....

....about this and that.

Lucy sleeping on the bed.

Our two new dogs are beginning to settle in at our home and becoming part of our huge dog group.  Lucy, the little border collie from NEBCR is turning into a real cuddle dog.  Every evening she snuggles right up next to Ralph and sticks to him like glue until it is bedtime.  We figure it won't be long before she will not need a crate any longer.  I bet she will just sleep right against Ralph all night on the bed. Lucy has tons of focus and is really zeroing in on her agility lessons.  She also works extremely hard to keep this whole giant clan, including the people, all herded together neatly into one large crowd. Sadie, the sheltie, is putting on weight and turning into a real character.  She voices her opinion about everything going on in the household and is learning that is not always the accepted approach...lol.  She is taking to agility like a duck to water and is an outstanding jumper.  She is now learning how to weave through the weave poles and understanding it quickly.  For a seven year old dog, she has the same spunk as her daughter (Kati) who is only three.

Sadie (back) and Kati

I am still trying to rein in my anxiety and doing my best to turn all worrisome thoughts into positive ones.  It doesn't seem to lessen the anxiety yet but does help to train me how to question what I am thinking.  I saw a nice quote the other day that explained that by making one's inner peace, you generate outer peace around you.  Surprisingly, our home is pretty peaceful even with 7 dogs running around.  They all have the ability to settle down nicely and our home is a pleasant place to be.  In the midst of all this serenity, in inner thoughts can be running wildly amuck although I look just as calm on the outside as the setting I am in.  So...., I am working on my thoughts, stopping them, and replacing them with better ones.  This takes a great deal of effort but I am hoping the results will pay off in the long run.  Those of us who grew up in insecure childhoods had to remain vigilant to stay safe but now that we are grounded in security as adults, that intense vigilance is not needed.  What was once a positive habit to keep us safe has now become a negative habit that needs to be addressed.  So I will continue to challenge my thoughts.

Rain and leaves of early fall through the window.

We have had several days of heavy rain.  On the plus side, wells will not be low this year like they were last year and everything is still beautifully green.  On the negative side, we Mainers are hoping the sun comes back soon so we can get out and enjoy the autumn temperatures, go to the local fairs, and just enjoy one of the best seasons of the year.  Leaves in the southern part of Maine are just beginning to change their colors a tiny bit and some are falling to the ground, but for the most part, all that is still ahead of us to enjoy.     The photo I have put up is taken from my bedroom window and shows how the leaves are yellowing and beginning to fall on the side yard in the rain.  So the circle of life and the circle of the seasons go on here in the north east.