Happy Birthday, Dear Buddha!

Well, I had to come out of the cave in order to celebrate Buddha Dog's 14th birthday, didn't I???

This morning, Mr. CfP and I loved all over the furry guy and, in celebration, I shared some of my morning sauerkraut* with the birthday boy.  He LOVES sauerkraut! 

Last night, we started Buddha on a medication which was suggested as a result of his echocardiogram.  It already seems to be helping -  I never noticed his gaggy cough during the night and I haven't heard it this morning!  If it makes life a little easier for the guy, I'm all for it.

I was starting to think that it was sad that I can't play "rope" with Buddha for his birthday.  I can't chase him around the house like I used to and we can't hike for hours.  Then I realized that, for my birthday, as I, ahem, "mature", I no longer want to play pin-the-tail on the donkey and I don't want to go out to a bar and drink too much.  Who's to say that Buddha doesn't want a celebration more appropriate for his wise, elder age?  Maybe he'd rather just enjoy some sauerkraut?

My favorite photo - Buddha all ready for a 3D movie

*   This is how weird I am:  My usual breakfast consists of a small bowl of sauerkraut - either homemade or the good stuff from the health food store - and two pieces of dry toast made from Elana's Pantry's gluten free, almond flour bread recipe.  Super yum!

Back Into The Cave

Mr. Buddha just got home after getting an echocardiogram..  He has "a fairly significant micro-regurgitation" in his heart, a.k.a., "low grade heart failure".

Yesterday, I took my mom and dad to the doctor so that my dad could get his pacemaker checked.  The battery is starting to have less energy and after my dad's next 6-month pacemaker check, they will have to start monitoring it more often.

Most likely, my dad doesn't know anything about his pacemaker check-up today.  I'm not sure that he knew the details yesterday.

Buddha came home all happy, instantly wanting his dog cookie and a trip out into the backyard.   No worries.

My dad and Buddha are both fine - except for their bodies.


So why am I a blubbering mess???

If you want to find me, just look for me in my cave.

The More They Stay The Same

Two years and two days ago, Buddha and I hiked for 6 hours on one of our favorite trails, Hell's Hole.  We walked among the fall aspen until we were full and satisfied.

Last year about this time, Mr. CfP and I took my parents on a drive to Hell's Hole so that they could see the shimmering yellows on the drive.

Now...

Buddha can no longer hike.  He can only do short, slow walks at the nearby park. 

My dad wouldn't enjoy riding for the two hours it would take to get to Hell's Hole and back.

I'm amazed at how much can change in a very short time.


Then again, as evident by the falling yellow aspen leaves, everything is changing all of the time.

****

I was a little sad today as Mr. CfP and I headed out to Hell's Hole without my favorite hiking buddy, Mr. Buddha (sorry, Mr. CfP; you're my #2 hiking buddy).


But I got filled up by taking in all of the stunning beauty.


And Buddha got extra lovin' when we got back.

Waterfalls!

Icicles!

Mushrooms!

Flowers!

Leaf-filled ponds!

Lately, I'm feeling a more profound need to soothe my soul.  Like a sponge, I find myself absorbing all of the goody out of anything that reeks of renewal:  things like lemon colored aspen leaves, the feel of cool mountain air, the blue Colorado skies, and the nuzzles of a Buddha dog who is happy to have me home.

I'm a lucky kind of woman.

What a Week!

I almost didn't post on this, the 15th anniversary of my marriage to my sweet Mr. Carol for Peace.

During the last 20 some hours, we were wondering if Buddha, the dog, was going to be around another day. We were in the emergency vet's office late last night and sleep was minimal after we got home, due to a very sick dog whose only diagnosis was that there was no diagnosis. Then this morning, when it truly looked like death was knocking, we went to our regular vet's office and lo and behold if Mr. Buddha didn't have a revival, walking all over the office, making us look like we had been experiencing hallucinations for the last 12 hours! The only thing that the vet can figure is that Buddha has some kind of stomach thingy going on. Bad enough to stop him from being able to walk or move much at all. Who knows??? Anyway, the rest of today he has been almost himself.

My Buddha dog is the sweetest dog and he shares so much love with me. I can't tell you how open my heart feels every time I even think of him.



And Mr. Carol for Peace... HOW did I luck out so well??? Not only is he one of the kindest, sweetest men I know, but he also puts up with ME! That's HUGE! Happy Anniversary to the man that I adore!

One more happy thing...

Because Buddha is somewhere between 83 and 90-something, depending on who you talk to, it has become impossible to do the thing that we have loved to do together more than anything - hiking. We are now down to less than a mile of flat walking. But I lucked out this week and found a friend to do a hike with me. 8.3 miles! Half of it uphill! I needed that. And that is where I saw this gorgeous butterfly:



"I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love." - Mother Teresa

Poor Air Quality

I'm home.

The faux skunk (a.k.a. Buddha, the dog) is sitting on the floor next to me.

I AM NOT ready to come back from vacation!!!

I just got done giving Buddha what I am guessing is his 4th bath in the last week. Getting him into the tub is like trying to drag a mule somewhere where he has no intention of going. Sill, I managed to succeed all by myself!

This morning, my mom told me what Housesitter Son hasn't told me yet - that Buddha got skunked AGAIN a couple of days ago.

Twice in one week.

This smell is the gift that keeps on giving.

I'm wondering where the little black-and-white-striped stinkin' sprayer animal is living and I'm a little intimidated at the thought of trying to find out.

I could possibly live with the smell of eau de skunk for as long as necessary (not enjoying it, but there ARE worse things) but I have a gathering scheduled to take place here this coming weekend.

Thinking about skunks, the song below comes to mind - even though our little friend is not dead in the middle of the road.

A Diamond in the Forest

Maybe you do this too: When someone mentions a book or a person or some music, I will do a search on that particular subject. Then what I find there may take me to something else. After awhile, I am lost in a beautiful forest of rich and interesting sights.

I was looking for a book on Amazon and one thing led to another. Somehow, I found a book called One: Essential Writings on Nonduality. I ordered a used copy of the book and yesterday it found its way into my mailbox. Inside the book, were words that touched a place in me that was waiting to be discovered. I found those words in a part of the book written by Jerry Wennstrom, an artist who, in 1979, at the age of 29, gave up his art and everything he owned to begin a new life. (Researching him for this post, I just found out about Wennstrom's book, The Inspired Heart - another tree in the forest that I want to check out.) Wennstrom writes:

"...A saying by Lao Tzu goes something like this: First, we must do our own personal work, then we tend the necessary work of our family, then our community, then our world - in that order. Most of us go about that process quite backward, first jumping into the world and bringing our messy, unresolved issues with us. The attempt to do anything significant in the world before we have been deeply changed ourselves is a way to avoid real change. Good intention counts for very little in the mythic journey. Doing our own work first leads to our true and unique participation it the world we wish to serve.

"We all change together in ways that are not under our control. We cannot know the outcome of the difficult work we are required to do. We simply have to trust the process. What we can unconditionally trust about change is that ultimately beauty creates beauty. However beautifully we can stand alone in what feels like death is how beautifully we stand in the new life. Our courageous stance in the face of death creates integrity in its truest sense. We cannot impersonate true integrity."

A couple of years ago, I began to feel a certain discomfort as I observed myself and others while we participated in activist work. I watched my ego, my attachments, my need to be right. It felt messy. As a result, I have pulled back from activism and began studying my spirituality more earnestly.

Wennstrom's words - in the above quote and in the rest of his writings - offer a truth that I need to hear. I know a truth that I'm ready for by the tears that come along with it. This morning, reading Wennstrom, the tears flowed, washing away some useless beliefs that I have held for a very long time. When those beliefs were erased, I saw beauty and potential that I sensed existed, but had not seen before.

I am very, very thankful that so much wisdom is available to us. What a gift!

Buddha says: Imagine Love & Joy!