Dream Vision Board

Here is a picture of my current Vision Board. I made it on Oprah.com which was very easy to do. This vision board is full of images of my current dreams. Enjoy! I made one almost a year ago, today I tweaked it a little to fit with my current dreams, passions and purpose!

Anna Mae Gold has a wonderful blog, here is the post she shared that explains the developing of a Vision Board if you would like more information. http://annamaegold.blogspot.com/2011/11/vision-board.html

                                               


                                                   Enjoy and thank you for visiting!

Dakota

Yesterday at 2:22 my buddy Dakota crossed over. Loving him enough to set him free from the pain was not easy for me. I felt that I had let him down. Yet, I know I did all I could to help him live a happy long life. My vet said he lived the longest with diabetes of any diabetic dog he had seen or heard about. So, I must have done something right. He was almost 14 years old. He had a tumor that my vet felt was from the first surgery he  had years ago after a brutal dog attack, by the neighbors dog, while we were bringing in horses from pasture, on our own property. He lost 70% of his pancreas at that time and suffered lots of internal damage. At that time, my vet called me and asked me if I wanted to let him go to sleep. I said, "NO, I had not said good bye yet!" That was the summer of 2003. Yesterday I said, "good-bye, until we meet again! Go soar with the eagles, buddy!"

Dan said, "I see him chasing deer or following the horses in from the pasture!"

"Yes, he will travel along by my side again, as I do chores and ride the trails!"

For after he was diagnosed with diabetes it was not long before he lost his sight. Interestingly, I did not realize it until he ran into the post by the gate to the barn. He was such a brave dog, who went to the barn with me until I finally noticed and realized he was not safe to go with me anymore.

Dakota had guided us in from a dark trail safely the summer before. We were in Custer SD. We had just arrived and decided to go for a quick ride before dark. Dakota went with us, he wore an electric collar that blinked when it was on. This helped him to keep his mind on staying with us and not running off on a deer trail. Long story that I will share another day. Anyway, he followed along behind us as always, as we made our way out of the campground we had stayed at many times in the past. We rode out a couple miles, turned around and came back the same way we went out. I knew my way and was not at all worried about the impending darkness. We were about a half mile from the campground when Dakota took the lead and veered off onto a not so well trodden trail about 25 feet before the trail Jewel, my horse and I wanted to take. Tatum's mule Molly followed Dakota. HMMM, that was odd. Dakota started to bark.. Hmm, that was odd too!

My daughter was not so confident in my memory, and said, "MOM, Molly and Dakota KNOW IT IS THIS WAY BACK! I think we need to go this way!"

"OK," I finally gave in, as I knew it was the same woods, just a different trail. It was VERY dark in the woods, Dakota's blinking light guided us back to the trailer as it blinked on the ground in front of him. Everyone was so relieved when we saw the last of the sun's rays shining through the woods and our trailer was in sight.

The next morning, Dan and I went for a quick ride out on the same trail before the kids woke up. We had gone about 5 minutes into the woods, when I turned to Dan and said, LOOK at all the downed trees from the spring storm on the OTHER TRAIL! Had we taken that trail, we would have been in a lot of trouble in the dark... Dakota had insisted that we follow this trail, the safe one. WOW!"

When Dakota could no longer see, I became his eyes and guided him with my voice or with my hand to safety just as he did our family those many years ago through the woods to the safety of our trailer. What a gift he was to me... may you be at peace my friend. I love you so!

Fascinating Toad.

Yesterday I removed a rotten wooden step and moved a bunch of cement blocks around to make them into temporary steps leading out to the back yard. I have always had a fascination with toads and was delighted this spring when I noticed one living under the step. As I was moving the blocks around, I saw him hopping down the tunnel which once led to dirt under the now removed step. Now the tunnels all led to the cement wall under my dining room door. I did my best to make sure he could get out but was not sure if this new configuration would be pleasing to him or not. I knew however, it was safer for me, as I did not want to fall through the rotten step. That thought was just not a pleasant one to entertain for long.

Last night I mentioned my concern for the toad to my daughter, she said, "he will adapt." I thought that was a simple but wise thought and one I felt spoke of truth. So, today as I walked down the now sturdy steps, my curiosity about where he was living got to me. I went back into the house to get a flashlight and used the light to peer down each tunnel. I was disappointed as I could not see him in any of the tunnels made from the cement block.  All I saw were cobwebs, pebbles, dirt and that cement wall which certainly did not look very inviting for a toad. Each tunnel lead to a dead end with no land to settle himself into. I must say, I was a bit disappointed that I had not figured out a way to recreate a toad habitat yesterday.

After a moment or two, I thought, hmm I wonder if he is able to be safe under a board I had left near the steps.. so I picked it up and peered under it. No toad, hmmm, my instinct was to keep looking. I told you I was curious. We have a tall storage bin sitting on the ground next to the steps that I carefully picked up. Sure enough, there was the toad, all snuggled into the dirt under this bin. I was filled with joy and peace knowing he had indeed adapted as I carefully replaced the bin on top of him.

Sometimes we have to adapt to changes in our life just like this toad. Ahhh, don't you just love the lessons we learn from listening to whispering hearts!