Little Lights, Shine Bright

There are many things that I love...

Cookies...

Baking treats...

Eating treats...hehe...that's a good one, right? Can't forget that!

Bright berries ready to pick...

Warm coffee...

Dear Friends...

But, two of my main loves...caring for dogs and educating kids.

I love that dogs are so loyal and love unconditionally...

I love that kids live to learn and experience new things...they too trust and love with great abandon.

 

 

 

Today, I had the joy of bringing those two things together.

Kids helping dogs.  How cool is that?!

Mission: Salt + Light is a Portland based group focused on helping people and projects in the area.  They run a program called Little Lights.  "What is Little Lights? Our hope is that we will be able to provide ideas, inspiration and opportunities to people who are interested in getting their children involved with philanthropic deeds or volunteering at an early age." (Mission: Salt+Light)

  The project for Little Lights today was dog-centered.  Fences for Fido centered.   Kids having a great love for other creatures...especially dogs.  Floppy ears, surplus of kisses, and always ready to play...wait, am I talking about dogs or kids?  Either way, it's pure joy.

Now, I'm not going to lie.  I heard that there would be about 40 kids coming to the event...that is a scary amount of kids.  If it was 40 teens, than that would be a whole different game.  I know how to handle teens...but kids? Children? Man, that made me nervous. 
So I took a big, deep breath and told myself it would be just fine.
And it was fantastic, because it was kids working on things for dogs.
Today the focus was on crafting surprises for Fences for Fido volunteers,

writing letters, drawing a lot of cute pups, and painting a bright and cheerful doghouse.

And I love a good craft! 

 How cute are these dogs? 

Just like each real dog, each of these dogs are unique and filled with love.

And ADORABLE...I love this one.

 

This pup has so much love that it needed TWO hearts!

Give me a little paper, glue, and some scissors and I'll try to make something right along with the kids.  But today I will be helping with all of my little friends painting with love.  These kids have a lot of love to paint!

 Love overload!

 

My heart is overflowing with love for these kids, their families, and Mission:Salt + Light for making this event possible.  42 kids with their families showed up to make a difference in the lives of families and dogs around Portland, and my beloved Fences for Fido.  For that, I'm eternally grateful.  I had no idea that this many people who reach out to help an organization that I adore.  My hope is that these kids will grow up with a love of animals, and that they will educate others about caring for dogs.  It might be a little step, but it's a step to keeping dogs off of a chain and in the family home. I couldn't ask for more than that.  Little lights, you shined very bright today!

The Love of Dove

Love is a legacy multiplied over time.
Legacy...I know that I'm not alone in thinking about it.
I don't have kids.
Sure, I teach a lot of them and I hope that I make a good lasting impact.  Enough of an impact that they will think back on their middle school years with at least the knowledge that I cared for them.
But few of us will achieve the legacy that Dove Lewis (Yes, there was a REAL Dove Lewis has created right here in Portland....I dream that I could though. 

Tragedy can strike at anytime.
I've been fortunate enough to have only a few times where I needed treatment for my animals urgently. During those times, my local veterinary, Wilsonville Veterinary Clinic has been open so I haven't needed other services, but I'm sure thankful that we live in a city that provides state-of-the-art technology and care for our furry family members.  Not every city is so lucky.

Portland is a unique city.  We pride ourselves on being weird and different.  One of my favorite, most beloved differences is that we care for our pets like members of our cherished families.  Here in Portland (and surrounding areas) pets are not just animals...oh no.  They are much more than that...they are an integral part of what makes a family whole.  Of course, family deserves the best medical care possible, and we have the absolute best emergency facility right in our city at Dove Lewis Emergency Animal Hospital.

If you're like me, then you feel VERY lucky not to have used their services, but did you know that they provide so much more to our community than just medical care? 

1. Pet Loss Support

When I had to put Quincy down, my heart was crushed.  For a year I couldn't speak about him without getting teary-eyed.  I mourned, and I know that my grief was not unusual.  Thankfully, Dove Lewis has a program to help us through the terrible loss of a furry family member.

Every last moment of Quincy's life is embedded in my mind.  Dove Lewis makes these last moments a little bit easier by creating a comfortable environment to say goodbye.  From the moment that I stepped into the Comfort Room, I felt it.  Peace. Warmth. Love.  Just the way you would want to have the last moments.  But the support doesn't end there.  Dove Lewis has thought through the many needs of grief.  Some of the support includes, art therapy, grief support, sympathy cards, memorial tree, pet loss journals, and much more.  I didn't reach out for help with my grief when I lost Quincy, but I know that when the day comes that I have to let go of Murphy, I will need a lot of support.  A lot.

2. Charlie Fund
Abuse should never, ever happen...but sadly, it does.  I will never understand why someone would deliberately harm another living creature, but it's not the victims fault.  Dove Lewis makes sure that animals that have been harmed receive the best care and love possible.  My heart still aches, but I am eternally grateful that Dove Lewis is there.

3. Stray Animal & Wildlife
I wish that I had known about this when I was 16.  While my parents were out of town, a client at the vet clinic brought in a sweet, baby squirrel, way too young to be away from the nest.  The Veterinarian and I tried our best to care for it.  We tried to call the Wildlife Agency, but they were closed...Sadly, even with me feeding it all night long, eventually the baby squirrel died.  Now, you might think that my attempt to save a baby squirrel was silly or unnecessary, but not to me and definitely not to that little baby...even if it was just for a day.  If this were to happen again, I would definitely not hesitate to take it to Dove Lewis.

4. The Velvet Financial Assistance Fund
Understandably, people worry about the cost of treatment for a sick or injured animal.  Dove Lewis helps elevate some of the worry by having assistance for low-income families.  How cool is that?  This allows people to focus on their furry family member and not on the cost.  I love that.

5. Blood Bank
Blood?!  Whenever I hear the word blood, I hear this little boy saying,"Blood?"

You're right kid, blood isn't funny. And Dove Lewis is serious aout their blood bank.

Here is just one of the super feline blood donors. 

Murphy has super blood according to some...

maybe, as he gets more confident he could donate some of his super blood to help other pups.

Until then, he'll just use his super powers to splash in his splashy pool.

Dove Lewis' influence and love spreads wide around Oregon and Southwest Washington.
What a legacy huh?  I wonder if Dove thought that her love of animals would stretch this far?  Somehow I like to picture her looking down from her angel perch, nodding her head and smiling.  Nicely done Dove. Nicely done.

Dove Lewis

A huge THANK YOU to Julie Heade for the fabulous behind-the-scenes tour.  I learned so much more about Dove Lewis and I can't wait to volunteer, help raise awareness, and maybe funds too!  My gut tells me that Charlie's Fund will be one of my first priorities.  


Hugs,
Lori and Murphy too

Please Use Caution

It's official.
I'm worried.
Keep in mind that I've been worried for awhile.
My students would attest that I worry about poor behavior
or behavior that could escalate into something larger and much worse.

I worry that our society is always looking for the newer, better, and more convenient products.
The newest computer? Trade the old one in!
Launch of a new cellphone? BOOM... upgrade!
Not enough room in your house, car, yard?
Why you shouldn't a newer, better, faster, bigger, prettier....whatever.
Yeah. Please.
Yes...I have a big yard. Necessary for dog playtime.
Yes, I have an SUV. Totally needed to haul a muddy, wet dog around town.
And yes, I like pretty, sparkly things. Duh.
I love to sparkle.
I even like new things.
But I'm going to draw a big worried line in the societal sand here about this.

There is a business currently open called Hannah the Pet Society. They provide pets for people. Sounds great, right? Heck, you know I adore pets!   In fact, there are some positives in that Hannah the Pet Society allows people the opportunity to have a pet.  But most people who go through this organization don't actually own the pet.  They have a contract with Hannah the Pet Society which sounds nice...1) All veterinary care provided  2) Food and supplies delivered and 3) Training and On-going support.

So you might be wondering what the problem is with that.
Well, in my mind there's a big "Yield" sign flashing.

People can lease a pet. Yes, lease...like a car. But, this has more of a Rent-a-Center vibe to it, because if you're not happy or there's a flaw with your lease, you can return and exchange it.  Return...okay, I get that some matches might not work and yes, animals are expensive.  There are times that animals have larger issues then families are able to care for, and so it is much better to find them a new home.  Still, I worry that this kind of business model will promote temporary relationships. I know, I know.  Not all dogs are as smart as my Murphy.  Some are not analyzing every situation like he does, but I see how quickly pets "fall in love" with their families...so I worry.

We're talking here about living creatures, with real emotions and feelings, not a handbag or TV. It's a dog, cat, bird, rabbit. Animals make connections right away. Within seconds if seeing Murphy, he was my family. He trusted me and looked to me for safety and guidance. It's my job to care for him.  Of course, I think of my pets as family, so I prepare for it like I would with any family member.  No, I can't predict that something bad will happen that may cost me a lot of money in medical bills, but I know that it's my responsibility.  Pet ownership IS a responsibility and we should treat it as such.

In my mind, living things are not exchangeable. No dog, cat, bunny, horse, or pony replace those that I've lost. I would never attempt to replace Woody (8 years), Bun-Bun (10 years), Jinx (18 years), Babe (28 years), Spunky (28 years), Quincy (16 years), Sammy (18 years), or Roy (14 years). By adopting new pets, I just add to my list of animals that will changed and stretch my heart.

Also, I can't help but wonder...
What are we teaching these animals about the value of their life if we show them that they're exchangeable?

How can we teach our children to love and care, long-term,when we support business that treats animals like a product?

I certainly will not support it.

But more pressing on my mind in is...what will you do? Will you support actual humane societies that promote lifelong relationships or designer, convenience pet ownership?

Please educate others that pets are a lifelong commitment.

Remember...your actions demonstrate what you truly believe. Live a life that you can look back on and be proud that you made it a better place. We can all make a difference. No action is too small.

All my warmest hugs,
Lori and Murphy too!

On Hannah the Pet Society website,

they have a very large FAQ's section that address questions

that have been asked about their product.

After (or before) reading their FAQ's,
check out some of my favorite local humane societies! I have NO worries about these fabulous organizatons.

Oregon Humane Society

 

Family Dogs New Life Shelter

 

Cat Adoption Team


Humane Society for Southwest Washington

I dabble

Some people have a special talent or skill...not me.
I dabble.
I like to try different things.
Cool jewelry...I think, "I can make that!"
Oooo, that's a fun painting, but so expensive..."I can paint that!"
Bake, cook, knit, crochet, sew, garden, tile...if its a home idea or new craft, I've probably tried it.
"Hi, my name is Lori, and I'm a dabbler."
Some people might find this type of crafting life frustrating, but to me it's a challenge and an adventure.
I've had epic, expensive failures...which I will not share. (Today that is.)
But, I've also discovered that there are hidden talents that I never knew that I had.
Like I said, my world is an adventure.
This weekend, was an adventure in trying new things.
I had a pile of fabric laying around. It felt wasteful to have do many beautiful patterns with their lives unfulfilled. It was my job to find their purpose, and hopefully bring myself and others joy in the process.
So here it is...
A look into my dabbling world of crafting over one weekend.

 I needed to practice frosting and filling shapes,

so why not try to make a chocolate cream cheese cookie? 

The frosting was fabulous...the cookie...oh, it was okay.

On to the the next dabble...pillows and pillowcases!

My bedroom needed a little update and I had a stack of fabric,

so just a little stitching and BOOM...update!

 

  

I had a little fabric left over so I kept right on stitching and made a few pillowcases for the Beaverton Clothes Closet too! I hope that these bright, fun colors will bring someone a little joy.  

After all of the "hard" work I definitely deserved a little deliciousness.

So I heated up my beloved pie maker, gathered supplies, and made some quiche.

Yumma!

Now I feel better.

I have dabbled in sewing, baking, savory pie making.

In my world, that all equals up to a fabulous weekend.

I might be a dabbler, but that's okay. I don't plan in changing a thing! :0)

Maybe someday I can crown myself the Sparkle Dabble Queen! (The Shiny crown is a must.)

Cheers and happiness in your dabbles this weekend,

Lori