WELCOME DIAN TO OUR COMMUNITY!

“Taking you up on your invitation.  I have recently felt the need to put stories to paper, then to computer and blog.  Maybe it is my age, almost 62, maybe it’s just time.  At any rate I am introducing myself and sending a story.  I drive through Troutdale every day and often think of your first writings about that area.  The story I wrote about the ducks in some way reminds me of your chicken coop story, the loss, and frustration.  So please meet my friends Coco and Peeps, if only on your computer screen.  There are other stories on my blog, the link is below.

I am really enjoying your site, and share your stories with friends often.
Thanks

^o^ Dian Woni Lea”

Please be welcome, come visit my links
http://musingsfromthecascadefoothills.blogspot.com/

http://www.starwolfweavings.wolfdancer.org/

 

MIGHT YOU BE A STAR SEED?

My dear friend and crone mentor Ann Krielkamp sent me this u-tube link. I really liked it! While I watched it, I was saying to myself, “Well, Star Seeds, get your butts in gear in a hurry and help pull us out of this collective mess!”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmKCCPgix9Q

 

PUFF

They appeared at my door this afternoon: Next-door neighbor Dave, one-more-house-down neighbor Bill, and Dave’s young son Logan. “Oh…dear…” I mumbled when I realized that what Logan had in his arms was not a dangling puppy, but a newborn fawn. All three laughed at my unintended play on words as I gathered the sweet smelling bundle into my arms. “It was in the road, just walking along. Should we take it back,” Logan asked, his voice deep with concern.

 

A BOOK CIRCLE

When I was young (back in the covered wagon days), I spent my summers reading. By a pool, on a towel in the backyard, traveling in cars on vacation, in bed on those shortened summer nights, on a lakeshore near the woods, along rivers, and on rare occasions, in libraries.

In fond memory of those luxurious days, I am offering a summer book circle. The book I’ve chosen this time around is one of my own. This was Carter’s idea, not mine. I had another one in mind, but Carter said, “You write books, silly! Read one of your own!” And so my selection is one of my favorite, although least publicized books, “ALL MY RELATIONS. This is a great book to get your mind and your heart reflecting, and has a series of great practices at the end of each chapter. I haven’t read it myself since it was published. It’s time for me to take another look, and I’d love some company doing it!

Sharing with others—here and in bi-weekly phone circles—deepens the reading experience and also our connection with our kindred spirit family. You will remember these weeks together.

My intent is to make this an enjoyable, nurturing experience, thus, your participation will be entirely up to you. If you can’t finish a chapter a week, or don’t want to do one (or any) of the practices at the end of the chapters, let your body and energy levels be your guide. Those of you with some extra time—or who can create extra time for our Readers’ Circle—may want to dive in deeply!

 

EARNEST

Earnest the Loud

He has many names, but “The Screamer” was his first. “He is NOT happy if I don’t give him a bottle,” said Susan, my wildlife rehab friend. “And he’s not good with a bottle. He takes light years to eat, and I don’t have light years these days.” The whole time she was talking, I was trying to make out her words over a piercing racket coming from one particular pen of many in her garage (translation: Raccoon Palace).

The raccoons in that pen would be coming home with me, and I had no idea a small coon could make that kind of a sound. It was deafening, agitated, insistent, and unending.

Faith, my little, fretful Victorian princess raccoon has two brothers. One of them is The Screamer. While Faith’s traumatic beginnings lodged in her body, The Screamer’s lodged in his mouth. Having these three impish and intense teachers in my home these past two weeks has given me much pause to ponder the nature of trauma and the many ways animals (including us) deal with it.

 

Twittering

Twitter: My heart on our wedding day. Yup--all atwitter!

This is not about the sweet sounds raccoon kits make when they nurse, although that word suits the sound perfectly. This is about that “twitter” phenomena about which I know absolutely NOTHING. My new web/blog consultant said “Susan, you need to write your group about Twitter. Ask them who uses it, and what their twitter names are. It will be a good place for you to get the word out about your site, your words, and your books. You can join and add all your blog family on Twitter.”

So, I ask you as a utter techno-know-nothing—is this true? Are any of you on Twitter? I could use your input!

 

FAITH

Faith

She is near six weeks old, I’m told. Six weeks, and just about two pounds on the postage meter I keep for weighing small, wild things. She came to me with her brothers last Thursday night, and in her first few hours with me, she became my lesson in humility.

I recently completed a wildlife rehabilitation training, which I figured had gotten me on the way to being “up to speed” with this work, which I had put behind me thirty years ago. Hah! The training program was, I’m discovering, simply a different kind of coming of age ritual.

 

APRIL-MAY MUSING

Earnest

I fully intended to write a musing for April, but I blinked my eyes and April was gone. That fast! I feel as though spring has stepped up her seasonal pace to warp speed. Is it just me? May has run away with me as well. If you ask me, such beautiful days should linger a bit longer.

I know you are asking yourself, “Who is that ‘coon?” I’ll get to that a bit later…

April found me wandering the forest nearly every day, whenever I could spare a half an hour. The month began with the forest floor looking deep brown and mysterious in its early spring dress. Slowly at first, and then with an explosion of growth, the ground turned from the softest green to shades of yellow, blue, white, and pink with a cascade of wildflowers. I liked the Virginia blue bells the best. They became tall, their multiple tips bending with the sweetest shade of sky blue flowers. In the front yard, I found a box turtle as ornate as an inlaid jewelry box. I’ve never lived with box turtles. Finding them out in the wild is like stumbling upon Faberge eggs. What beautiful, ancient creatures!