I hope you’re all enjoying your holiday season and getting lots of quality time with family and friends, two-footed and four-footed alike.

I leave you with a few holiday images of my own critter crew. Introducing Vinnie as Reindeer, or the “Vin-deer” . . .

Here’s Ted hanging out under the Christmas tree, one of his favorite spots to perch during the holidays. (I think he’s particularly fond of his lair under the tree because it’s a Vinnie-free zone!)

Here’s one more of Vinnie all set for some serious fun with his new doggy Frisbee, a very welcome gift from Santa Paws. This Kong Frisbee is super tough and seemingly impervious to the teeth of Vinnie, our resident power-chewer!

Happy New Year!

The other day a young boy asked me if I believe in miracles. After I said yes, he asked if I’d ever witnessed one. I told him I’d think about it and get back to him.

I have thought about it and yes, miracles surround me every day – they’re called dogs! Dogs help people in a myriad of ways and have done so for eons. Service dogs help the blind, deaf and disabled navigate the world more safely and confidently. Dogs alert people with epilepsy of imminent seizures. Search and rescue dogs can mean the difference between life and death for disaster survivors. Dogs in law enforcement locate bombs and drugs, routinely putting their lives on the line for humans. Dogs work as sentries, guards, herders of livestock, hunters, retrievers and sled pullers.

That’s not all. Like other pets, dogs bring healing to people in all sorts of animal assisted activities and therapy programs. Dogs help trauma victims open up and begin the recovery process. Dogs help people regain motor control and cognitive functioning. Dogs brighten the days of the elderly, the sick and the infirm. Dogs comfort kids with autism and help them relax. There are even dogs that serve as courtroom buddies for kids who must testify; having a dog on the witness stand with them helps the children feel more comfortable as they attest to their (often disturbing) stories.

Pet dogs are our companions and friends, playmates and keepers of secrets. They give their lucky guardians love, comfort, affection and joy. Whether you’re young or old, sick or depressed, exhausted or feeling fine, the love of a dog makes most of us feel better.

Dogs give so much and ask so very little of us in return. Sadly, humans fail dogs and other animals again and again. Humans abuse animals, send them to battle fronts and throw them into fighting rings. Wild animals are imprisoned and displayed in cages and circuses. Their habitats are destroyed or the animals are killed so tusks, paws and teeth can be turned into trophies. Dogs and other animals are used as test subjects for chemicals and drugs. Many people give more thought to caring for their cars than they do for their pets.

And yet, dogs don’t give up on us. How do creatures who’ve been so mistreated by humans still manage to love, play and shower us with affection? How do they manage to trust any human ever again? It’s a miracle when you stop and think about it. Equally miraculous is the joy and love pet dogs bring to their people every single day. If dogs and other animals are capable of extending such generosity towards us, what compassion and kindness might we be capable of showing them if we all set our minds to it?

This year I honor and thank all animals everywhere for all they do and have done for us. I send deep gratitude and appreciation to animal welfare advocates, shelter workers, rescuers, caretakers, foster givers, defenders of wildlife, and people everywhere who love their pets and are kind to animals.

Ghandi once said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” With that in mind I send out my fervent wish and hope that one day ours will be the greatest of worlds – one in which no creature is enslaved or abused or unwanted, and all creatures are loved, respected and cherished.

Every time you’re kind to another creature, you change the world for the better. Big woofs to all you wonderful critter lovers and best wishes for safe and happy holidays to you and your furry friends!!

Happy Howl-o-ween! Hope you and all your loved ones and critters have a festive and safe one.

Here’s a picture of Vinnie in costume. Note his “natural” black mask . . .

To the Bat Cave!

. . . and one of Ted, who needs no adornment to look perfectly ghoulish. . .

Don't even think about dressing me in costume!

No Halloween parties for us this year. My husband, Vinnie and I are taking a few days off for some much-needed R & R in one of our favorite haunts in the universe, Mendocino County in Northern California. Although we’re just a few hours north of San Francisco, things are very different here. The air smells cleaner and sweeter, the light is often an eerie pearly lavender, and the landscape’s mostly wild and unfettered. Some locals say this is a place of ancient spirits. I’ll let you know if I run into any. In the meantime, here are some suitably spooky pictures of the natural landscape around here — no costumes necessary:

Ghostly Cypress Trees

What lurks in those dark depths?