Druids and dogs

A week and a bit into my the least favorite month of the year. The last two days have not been bad weather-wise; yesterday was actually  gorgeous! Today there were clouds in the morning and fitful wind and tomorrow is supposed to be fairly decent too. Then all bets are off for a week or so. Even here in what my brother calls "The Promised Land" we do have to have some winter. It isn't that bad but I am just spoiled and never cared for the cold, much less the gray.

Years ago when I was a working ranch hand and had livestock to care for, I was out many cold, damp and windy days on horseback, mucking corrals and putting out feed etc. At night I would get in the house and sit in a corner behind the old fashioned wood burning stove until my jeans nearly smoked and maybe the cold would be chased out of my bones. I think that marked me for life with a sensitivity because I truly felt as if I were frozen through and my bones were radiating the cold out through flesh and skin. No frostbite or hypothermia but just misery!!

On the topic of Druids, my special on-line circle of Druid friends is developing a new web site, mostly the work of one of our leaders whose Druid name is Briar Winter Sky. To take a look at the site and read some very interesting and educational material there go to www.tuatha-de-brighid.org  As I say, the site is still under development and not all the buttons and menu items will work yet but there is a lot to see and consider! Even a few things with my Druid name on them, which is Wind Dancer.

 That name, by the way, comes from a hypnotic regression in which I visited a possible past life as a woman of the Sinagua or Salado tribe sometime around 10-1100 CE. The term Wind Dancer is one used by several Native American tribes for the humming bird species. I've long been fascinated by these amazing little flying jewels, their aerobatic skills and fearlessness, their beauty and boldness. So, in that long ago time, I bore it as my name since I had been born in the late spring when they began to return to the area that is now the Four Corners region. That would probably correspond to my birth date in this life, the late April--early May period. I think it may be warmer now and they arrive a bit earlier.

It may seem odd that a person of mainly Celtic ancestry would be drawn to the arid high desert regions as I am but I feel fairly certain I have spent a number of lives in this environment. There have been some in the British Isles and elsewhere too but for some reason the desert seems to be my spirit's natural home. And at one or more times, I was able to fly! I'm not sure how I know this and no regression has shown me such a life but it's just one of those things you feel in your bones. Maybe it is even a life that has not come yet or one in some parallel but different dimension! The possibilities are so vast and so unknown!

And dogs. Many friends know I am a dog lover and send me 'forwards' all the time. I am not sure I can plug in live links but I will try to append a few of my faves here so that I can share them. One especially about military working dogs was just awesome! These canines, like those that do search and rescue, are true heroes and I would love to be able to give all of them a forever home when they are retired. I can't but I will lobby for good care and deserved peace for them!

Well drat, other than trying to copy and paste it--and with about 20 pictures I am not sure I can do it, much to my frustration. I even did a search on the title, "I've Got Your Back," but didn't get anything that way. Well, if you get it forwarded from someone it is well worth a look! There is also a cute one making the rounds, I think it is a Youtube video, about an adorable Jack Russell who has an astounding repertoire of useful tricks! He's a one-dog household staff! If you want to see either, email me at azwriter427@yahoo.com  and I will try to forward them to you! Here is one touching shot anyway. I know the soldiers who work with the dogs bond with them very strongly and I can understand why!

My dear doggies will never be heroes except to me, 'cause I love them, but they are still special. Ginger is doing good and I am looking into some local trainers with the idea to start her in basic obedience before long and perhaps move through the whole series to Canine Good Citizen and then either Agility or Rally-O. It may be more than I can afford but I am willing to explore at the least. She is a very smart dog and really needs some professional help to 'be all that she can be' which I kind of doubt I have the know-how to give her. Little Rojito got his second heart worm shot and a bordatella vaccine (kennel cough) yesterday and felt a bit under the weather last night. He snuggled very close but also wiggled and whimpered in his sleep a bit. I got a hand out from the blankets and soothed him. So I missed a little sleep but that was okay! he is fine today. Ginger's turn will come soon; I want her to have the heart worm meds and also the rattlesnake protection since she will be hiking with me later this year. I expect she will be kind of nervous at the vet's though so I will work with her a little longer on getting past her spookiness.