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Today you will meet Bo and me, and dear friends Cathy Carroll (Horse Woman), and Angela Ogden.

Bo came into our lives on 11/10/17.  Our beloved Baron had crossed the Rainbow Bridge on Memorial Day that year. We were broken-hearted even 6 months later.  Molly who you met last week contacted me about a rescue.  At first, I said “No” but Baron and God came to me with, “Go see that dog!”  So Molly met me at the shelter and of course, that is all she wrote! See Bodhi (BO) and Mom below!

Cathy Carroll has been a horse lover forever.  She was practically born riding horses.  She currently has 5 horses!   Here are her rescues and their story in Cathy’s own words:

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“Vision is the bay with black mane and tail. She was almost 400lbs underweight when I got her. Shine is the paint that was given to me and she was crippled up and underweight but you can now ride her and Fiona was being sent to the kill lot.”  (Fiona was the horse who let me work on her leg wound).

Angela Ogden has been an animal lover her entire life. Her husband and she volunteered at Arizona’s oldest no-kill shelter preCovid where they got Naomi.  Here is what she says about Naomi (named after her) and Guinness (named after guess what😁):

“Guinness was found abandoned 4 years ago. Naomi, the dog was rescued 5 years ago. The first year & a half with Naomi was trying, full of learning experiences from baby gates, buying a carpet cleaner (lol), fixing holes in chairs… But she was so loving and protective. Naomi & Guinness get along great and play together as long as Guinness is in the mood.  They even sleep in each other’s beds!”

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I invite you to consider being a Rescue Mom…and Dad!  You will save the fur babies and they will save you! 

Dedicated to all fur baby rescuers

I have changed up my Blog for today after my own rescue furbaby got sick this past week. I was inspired to feature several of the Rescue Moms in my life this week and next.  Today, meet the Rian women!  

Janie, Mom Rian, is one of my BFF’S.  She is an AMAZING person!  

Here is Janie with her rescue Henry and what her daughter Emily said about this:  

“Happy Adoption Day, Henry! I took Jane Rian to one of the Arizona Humane Society locations yesterday and she fell in love with this sweet face. She came all the way down from Sedona this morning to adopt him and had me arrive ten minutes before the store opened to ensure no one else snagged him. Does this mean I can no longer send her pics of dogs to adopt?!”

Janie and Henry at Adoption

Henry now!

All three of Janie’s daughters are animal lovers.  Here is Molly with her rescued fur babies: 

Molly & Roscoe

Charlie

Stevie (who is blind) at adoption

Stevie with his pal today.

It is because of Molly that I became a Rescue Mom!  

And now here is youngest daughter Emily with two of her rescue babies:

Emily, girls, and biscuit at their adoption party.

Emily and her baby Foxy.

So, till next week when you meet more amazing fur baby Moms!  

Carolyn

Hello fellow friends, family, and followers!

I am sharing personal pictures of the many kinds of love in my life, close friends in this blog, and the one for next week! There are SO MANY MORE!  

Let’s make this a shared experience!  I invite you to share personal pics from your own lives of the many forms of love which have deep meaning for you! 

Animals, the beauty of nature, loved ones, whatever brings love in your life, PLEASE SHARE!

Self Love: Favorite picture of my Mom Barbara Walters

Mother-Daughter Love: Barb & Carolyn

Friendship Love

Enduring Love: Donn & Carolyn

Self Love

BLESSINGS,

Carolyn

The Greeks perhaps best identified the many different kinds, or shades of love, which I describe this week along with images/expressions of each.  

Eros:           Romantic, physical love.

Ludus:         Casual, uncommitted, uncomplicated love.

Philautia:     Self Love.

Storge:        The love between children and parents.

Pragma:      Enduring love developed over time which can have practical aspects.

Philia:         The love of affection between friends.

Agape:        Universal, unconditional love, altruism, concern for others, compassion.

Of course, kinds of love can and do intersect or overlap with one another and can change over time.  Love is not simplistic and can have many different meanings and changes over time.

How do these kinds of love relate to your life?  What different kinds of love do you have in your life now, have you had in the past, and do you hope to have at some point?  

I would love to have you ponder about love in your life, and what it means to you, in the next week.  I will be sharing about these kinds of love from my own life, complete with images and expressions, next week, and invite you to share too!

Blessings, 

Carolyn

    WALT AND BARB:  A LOVE STORY

       (The story of my parents’ love)

Met:  On a blind date when Barb was 16 and Walt was 19.

First disappointment:  When Walt missed their second date.

Reason:  Walt joined the Marines to fight in WW11.

Reuniting:  Walt started writing Barb when he was sure he would return from the war.

Married:  Valentine’s Day “so he would never forget our anniversary!”  He never did.

Children:  Carolyn and Richard.

Barb:  “We cannot remember what it was like before you kids came!”

Happiest memories as a family in the early years:

Always being together—moving at least 18 times in 6 years with Walt’s work with Ma Bell, living in trailers.

Moving to Beloit, KS their forever town.

Moving to their “forever home” and doing the finishing work as a family.

Tending the huge garden, another family project.

Being baptised all together on Palm Sunday in the Christian Church.

Loving the family dogs, Pepper, then Beau.

Trips together visiting friends and family in Kansas and Washington State.

Attending all the kids’ activities.

Hearing THEIR song:  “The Rose.”  (Performed at their memorial services). Listen to the song here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQY2z6aALD4

In later years:  

Flipping houses!  Barb would draw up the plan and Walt would do all the renovation work!

Being there for each other through family losses and their own health issues.

Always participating in church together.

Being there for their children whenever needed.

Retirement:  Their happiest years!

Buying an RV and later a 5th wheel and traveling all over the country.

Wintering first in Texas and then Arizona.

Making friends from all over the country and Canada.

Spending time with the kids and grandkids.

A trip with Carolyn for Walt’s 70th birthday to the Grand Canyon. (Walt:  “I never knew it would be like this!”)

The last year:  

Surprise 50th wedding celebration for Walt and Barb with Barb’s family in Colorado.

Walt’s continuous health battles the last 8 months with pancreatitis, kidney stones, and two kinds of cancer, the last one terminal.

Walt guided Barb after his death as she drove 70 miles home by herself.

Walt and Barb living in the log cabin in the sky that he built for them and rocking their way into Heaven! (Mom’s view of Heaven)! 

Miss you SO MUCH MOM AND DAD BUT KNOW YOU ARE SO HAPPY!  

Till we meet again,

Carolyn Elizabeth

50th Anniversary Surprise Celebration

Married on Valentine’s Day

Last picture together

In memory of Walt & Barb.

By Joyce Hawkins RN

***Reprinted with permission of dear friend Joyce Hawkins frontline RN working with Covid as she struggled through her own bout with Covid.

Day 9 of the scourge: It is the eve of the end of quarantine. Just one more solitary day to get through. Fittingly, this is the worst I have physically felt through the whole thing. Tired, low grade fever, hacking cough…..sigh. Inevitably, life is full of irony. I was scheduled to get my vaccine 3 days after my positive test. Today I have symptoms at the end of quarantine…..Murphy and I have always danced. Rather than get down about it, I choose laughter. Always. 

What else is there? Laugh or cry. And, I am an ugly crier. So, nope. Not an option. I will get thru this as I have gotten through every horrific thing that has ever happened to me. With dark, luscious humor. 

I have my days where I want to give up. I have had trials and tribulations that would cause anyone to just quit. And, I have come very close to doing that once or twice in my life. Somehow, God has always put just who or what I need in my path to help me pick myself up and carry on. 

In these divisive and troubling times, I would challenge you to think about who and what is important for you to carry on. I always come back to love being the only real answer that matters. Without love, there is no reason to fight or continue. Remember to love yourself. Love each other. Spread love wherever you go. Plant love in the garden of your soul. The human condition is all of us, collectively. We are the captains of our own destiny. In those times when you choose wrong. Get back up and make a different choice. Love is always the answer…..

I LONG FOR A TIME

(In Honor of Black History Month)

Featuring “A Change Is Gonna Come”

Video link: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=RDwEBlaMOmKV4

By Sam Cooke

I long for a time

When the child in each of us does not have 

To know bullying, disrespect, forced separation, 

Homelessness, hunger, poverty,

Whatever our color, ethnicity, religion, or Circumstance.

I long for a time 

When Covid and other diseases do not ravage            

The lives of all the peoples of the earth

through illness, death, and hard grief.

I long for a time

When we humans will work to care for ourselves       

And each other, willingly, and do what is needed

To achieve this.

I long for a time

When our human needs for control, 

Power, and greed will 

FINALLY  CEASE AND DESIST!  

I long for a time

When all abuse, hatred, and violence of humans

Toward creation, Mother Earth, the four leggeds,

And our fellow brothers and sisters

NO LONGER EXIST!  

I long for a time

When we humans can finally realize and learn

That it is only through Awareness, Acceptance,

Action, Empathy, and, yes, most of all, LOVE,

That we can begin to heal our relationships 

With ourselves, others, Mother Earth, and God! 

May you find your way home to PEACE!  

Do all the good you can,

Whenever you can,

Wherever you can, 

As long as you can.

Today I offer The Golden Rule as a way to start new beginnings in the new year in how we relate to all creation, ourselves, others, and God.  What you may not know is that a form of The Golden Rule exists in most spiritual traditions and cultures. 

It is the core value that teaches us we need to treat others as we want to be treated.  In The Golden Rule is also embedded the value that we need to love ourselves just as we love our neighbors.

So please enjoy and learn from the images of all traditions of The Golden Rule which are posted here, as well as an upbeat lively YouTube video by the Nature Jams of The Golden Rule!

Click here to watch the video.

Blessings, 

Carolyn

I offer a prayer for turbulent times based on the Serenity Prayer with emphasis on Serenity, Courage, and Wisdom. This prayer has been a source of comfort, strength, and guidance for me for almost 34 years.

              God grant us the SERENITY

Solace

Equanimity

Repose

Newfoundness

Idyllic

Tranquility

Yielding 

              To accept the things we cannot change,

              The COURAGE

Courageous

Optimism

Understanding

Resilience

Newfoundness

Audacity

Grit

Endurance

            To change the things we can,

            And the WISDOM

Wholeness

Insight

Sensitivity

Discernment

Observation

Mindfulness

           To know the difference.

I invite you to look at the meanings of Serenity, Courage, and Wisdom using the words underneath each; choose the words which call you; and use these to help you cope with these turbulent times in which we find ourselves.  You might want to explore each more deeply through journaling, meditation, prayer, going out in nature, or whatever works for you.  

Blessings as we go through more uncertainty in the next 10 days at least.  May there be Serenity, Courage, and Wisdom!  

Carolyn