skip to main |
skip to sidebar
So there I was on Thanksgiving,
enjoying the holiday with some wonderful people and their companion animals - Jasper, a nine year-old African Grey Parrot, and Pooh, a fluffy gray cat. Jasper and Pooh are good friends.
I know very little about parrots, except that they have a talent for imitating sounds and learning words.
Jasper had a wide range of sounds, including the noise made by closing the microwave door and the clicking of dishes being washed in the sink.
But my favorite sound was something very special - he could perfectly imitate Pooh's meow.
I don't know why, but for some reason I was really touched by that. It gave me hope that maybe one day we really WILL all be able to get along.
Meow!
ChrisLighthearted Press
It’s not often that I meet a celebrity,
but once in awhile an opportunity presents itself and I get to sit at the feet…or in this case the paws… of royalty.
Last week I had the chance to spend some time with Carol Gardner and her internationally known English Bulldog, Zelda. Together, Carol and Zelda offer comforting and uplifting thoughts through their greeting cards, books and other Zelda Wisdom products.
Visit the website http://www.zeldawisdom.com to see all the fun items they offer.After spending a little time chatting with Carol it was easy to understand why her business has been such a huge success. She is open, honest and generous, and good things come to those who give so freely. I learned a lot in our time together.
I also learned a thing or two from Zelda. Even at the age of 13 she races through her home like an exuberant child, but knows exactly when to hit the doggie bed for nap time. That’s a lesson I should practice more often!
Being around Carol and Zelda is like being plugged into an outlet overflowing with good humor, high voltage energy and an authentic affection for the world...and all us crazy people who live in it.
Thank you both!
ChrisLighthearted Press
I love older dogs. When I’m in their presence I feel a sense of peace that is hard for me to find out there in the rest of the world. I don’t know if it’s the grey whiskers or the wise eyes, but when I look into their beautiful faces I see something I can only describe as “heaven.”
Meet The Grey Muzzle Organization, a group of volunteers led by founder and president Julie Nowicki. This organization improves the lives of old dogs who have been abandoned or left homeless by helping animal shelters, rescue groups, and sanctuaries around the country build adoption and hospice programs for the special needs of senior dogs.
There are many wonderful ideas at the Grey Muzzle website for helping senior dogs, but I especially love their Donate a Bed program. This is a special fund that provides orthopedic beds and cots to older dogs living in shelters.
Stop by their website and see all the special ways you can help make an old dog happy this holiday season.
Cheers,
Chris
Meet Hailey, Autumn and Mudslide, three Oregon kittens looking for good homes. Hailey is the gold and white kitten, Autumn is the little calico, and Mudslide is the little black and white bundle. 
Mary Anne Miller is the angel in Sweet Home, OR who takes in kittens in need, makes sure they get any necessary medical attention and helps them find loving homes. She tells me she almost lost Muddy when he came to her. Only several syringes of her “magic elixir” brought him around!
If you would like to open your heart 
and home to one of these furballs please contact Mary Anne at love@felinexpress.com.
Ask her to share the secret of her magic elixir.
And check out her fabulous website http://www.felinexpress.com for all things cat-related.
Thanks cat lovers!
Chris
I just learned that our story, “Jake and the Kittens,” is included in the new book Chicken Soup for the Soul: Loving our Cats.
The story originally appeared in Chicken Soup for the Cat & Dog Lover’s Soul, but their new book includes their top 101 favorite cat stories – and ours is one of them!
You’ve heard me talk about my wonderful dog, Jake, and about my dear cats Dickens, Pippen, Molly & Star. But did you know that it was Jake who found the kitties under the deck and brought them into my life? Jake – who had previously tried to destroy anything of the feline persuasion - had made his feelings about cats clear to me from the very beginning: they were best served on a plate, with a side order of fries!
But when he discovered the 4 week old kitten in the yard, it's infected eyes glued shut, and sat there mesmerized by the tiny creature, I didn’t know how all of our lives would be transformed by what happened next.
Look for Chicken Soup for the Soul: Loving our Cats online at Amazon.com, bn.com and at other online bookstores.
Here’s to cats…and to one very special dog.
Chris
The completed ballot was on my desk this morning. I was a bit perplexed, because I'd mailed my ballot in a week ago...until I saw the paw print signature on the envelope.
So, the cats had somehow gotten their little furry mitts on a second ballot. There was no question that my cat, Star, was the head of this feline operation. I turn my computer off every night because of this very smart little kitty…can you say online shopping?
Voting is supposed to be private, but I felt obligated to inspect the ballot. After all, if there was anything illegal or suspicious going on here, it might be traced back to my home. So I opened the envelope and quickly scanned the ballot. There was only one entry – a write-in candidate for president.
It was for Charlie the Tuna.
I had to smile. Leave it to the critters to circumvent all the bitter political battles of the last year and find a non-partisan solution for the leadership of this country. But maybe this vote was more savvy than I was giving it credit for. After all, as a fish, Charlie would have a natural connection with “schools,” so he’d probably be a strong advocate for education. And all that swimming has to be good for the cardiovascular system, which means he’d also understand the importance of health care.
I was just about to reward my smart little kitty when I remembered the brand of tuna that Charlie represents.
StarKist. Bad kitty!
Chris
Having spent the last few months working on the new Pet Loss Comfort section at my website, I had many opportunities to think about The Rainbow Bridge. That poem has been around for awhile now, and no one seems to know who WROTE it.
But in this picture of Luna, taken shortly before she left her earthly life, it’s clear that she has certainly SEEN it.
Sandra Thomas lost her beloved Luna on September 16, 2008. When she sent me this photo she included the following words:
“This was one of the last photos I took of her, about ten days before she went to the Rainbow Bridge…the sun was shining into her eyes, making her eyes and fur glow, and she seemed to be smiling in her own way. I love this photo of her as it is very spiritual, I think. I feel like she is seeing the Rainbow Bridge in the distance and she likes what she sees.”
I know Luna will be waiting for you, Sandra. I hope she and my dear Jake have found each other and are flying together through the starry skies, sharing stories of how much they were loved.
Read The Rainbow Bridge Poem
Chris DavisLighthearted Press
So there I was on Thanksgiving, enjoying the holiday with some wonderful people and their companion animals - Jasper, a nine year-old African Grey Parrot, and Pooh, a fluffy gray cat. Jasper and Pooh are good friends.
Posts
