Gazehound's Animal Communication News: May 2006

*GAZEHOUND'S ANIMAL COMMUNICATION NEWS
*May 2006

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Keeping in touch with the animals....
and the people who love them
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Cautions ... and Joys ... of the Spring

It's Spring!  I know it has been for some time for a lot of you, but here in upstate NY, the lilacs are just about to bloom, daffodils just finishing up, and we're wandering the fields and gardens every day looking for new shoots, new leaves, buds and blooms.  In the bushes and trees are the sounds of animal life, nesting birds and the squirrels and chipmunks entering into their most active cycle.  The deer are breaking up their winter herds temporarily as the does seek privacy to give birth to this year's crop of fawns, and I'm watching eagerly for that first hummingbird to come to my kitchen window and yell, "Hey Lady!  Where's my food!?"

With the spring come new joys, and new cautions as well.  Your pets, if they have access to the out of doors, are going to want to be spending more and more time outside.  Now's the season for things like vet checkups, heartworm tests and preventative, and flea and tick precautions.  It's also time for  safety concerns, such as being aware of what in your yard is a danger to your animal friends.  Check those fences and make sure they're secure, search the yard for anything sharp or dangerous that might have been hidden by winter snow or fall leaf piles, and educate yourself on toxins and hazards your property might hide.  A little bit of care is worth it in the long run ... ask anyone who has had a long and frightening veterinary experience due to a pet who ate a toxic plant or was injured by a piece of hidden debris in the yard.

A thorough list of plants toxic to pets can be found at http://www.aspca.org/toxicplants/M01947.htm -- it's one you might wish to bookmark for future reference.  Of course with so many possible problems on the list, it would be impossible to clear the environment of every danger.  However, it's good to know what is there, and what the symptoms might be, if any of your pets should suddenly fall ill.  Having a list of "this is what is in my yard" might help the vet to diagnose the problem.

The spring,  along with its cautions, brings many new joys.  Those practicing animal communication find that they have a whole collection of new experiences, contacts and conversations to enjoy once the migrating birds return and the local wildlife begins to bring forth their younglings.  The joys far outweigh the few concerns, and I hope your own spring is giving you cause to celebrate every single day.

One true delight I experienced this year was reacquaintance with a species of bird I haven't seen since moving to our home in the mountains.  When I was young, a mockingbird nested right outside my bedroom window, and would wake me with glorious song every spring and summer morning.  I called him Sunshine, and loved the myriad sounds of his music; a truly wonderful alarm clock!  Mockingbirds apparently don't care to live in higher altitudes, and we haven't seen a single one in the area surrounding our home for the past seventeen years.  My daughter, however, goes to school in a local large city, and I drive her there every day.  Since the weather warmed and the buds began on the trees, I've been hearing a mockingbird sing on the campus while I'm waiting for her to get out of class.  For all the lovely sounds he gave me, I had yet to actually see him, for he sang from high in the treetops.  One day last week, during final exams, I had the windows open and was listening to his song.  I decided to talk with him, let him know how much I appreciated his music.

I told him I'd love to see him, as the school year was over and I might not be back to campus till the fall.  Once I had I let him know what was on my heart, the little fellow was happy to oblige.   A movement fluttered in a great old tree across the lawn, and there was the mockingbird high on an outer branch, in plain view, though quite a distance from my car.  As I was thanking him for showing himself to me, he flitted to the lawn, still some distance away but in clear view, and then to a fire hydrant near him.  I continued to talk to him, and told him about Sunshine and how it had been so long since I'd enjoyed the company of a mockingbird. 

As soon as I'd done that, he took off from the hydrant and flew to a little tree directly in front of my car, centered in the windshield, about six feet away.  He landed on the outer tip of a branch, and looked right in the window at me, leaning forward, tilting his little head back and forth.  "Is that you in there?"

"Yes," I told him joyfully, "It's me!"  I let him know how thankful I was that he would come so close, let me get such a clear look at him.  The little bird's generosity made my day ... my week ... my spring.  He sat there for a moment as I thanked him and let him know how much his kindness meant to me, and then he took off from the branch, to fly across campus.  As he did so, he swooped down, within inches of my windshield,  and skimmed the glass.  Had no windshield been there, I could have stroked his soft belly as he flew over.  Some time later, I went to the bookstore to get myself something to drink, and there on  a sign alongside the parking lot was the mockingbird, flicking his tail and looking right at me to say hello.

Not only is it a great delight to communicate with the wild things around us, it's a wonderful affirmation of our ability to do so, and the connection we have with all living things.  As you walk through your spring, be aware of the movements and sounds, and take time to "say hello" to your neighbors.  You never know who might respond, or in what marvelous ways they will return your greetings!

Take time to Listen to the Mockingbirds!


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FYI NOTES

Don't forget that you can keep up with changes and info on rates, policies, and "other fun stuff" on my website:  www.gazehound.com, and that you can find archives of this newsletter and other articles on my Creature Thoughts Blog: gazehound.blogspot.com.   

Gift Certificates are always available, and a way to order communication sessions at a savings.  From the website:

"Gift certificates will be sold at the regular session rate of $30/half hour session, There is, however, a special rate for anyone who orders three or more at one time. Ordering 3 or more gift certificates will reduce the cost per session to an individual session rate of $25/session. Therefore one Gift Certificate will be $30, two will be $60, but three will be available for $75, with increments of $25 per certificate over three. This will be permanent pricing. Gift certificates are non-refundable and other offers, warranties and discounts do not apply. "

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PREE'S TALK-TO-ME TIPS

There was very little hesitation when I asked Pree what she liked to share on this month, and her response surprised me.

"Old age", she said.

I have to say that startled me, because although Pree will be fifteen in July and her mother Sachet turns sixteen on June first, neither of them are "old" to me.  They are lively, playful, and look much younger than their years.  When they go to visit their doctor, everyone always marvels at the birthdate listed on the chart.  So her response was unexpected!

Pree said that was precisely what she wanted to say, that the adage "you're as young as you feel" does have some truth to it.  She also wanted me to know that, unlike many humans, she does not look at growing old as a "problem".  Most animals have no serious concerns about the aging process, and see it as part of life, just another aspect of the cycle of progression, and even something to celebrate.  Although she herself has no aches, pains or symptoms yet, she tells me that when she does, she'll see them as a badge of honor rather than a serious  cause for concern, and she knows that she has trusted humans who will help to relieve any discomfort for her, and keep her healthy and content for as long as it's the right thing to do. 

She also wants us to know that our animal friends don't think about "growing old" ... and that it sometimes surprises them to know that their humans are counting calendar years, often waiting for "signs of age" to set in.  Although she understands, to some extent, the human fascination with time, she says that animals only think about years and time in light of how their humans are perceiving the issue.  If they didn't have human-people to care for, most animals wouldn't even be aware when a birthday had passed.  It's only an issue because it makes their humans happy to sing Happy Birthday once a year.

Well, except for the  birthday treats.  Those are pretty good.

When I ask Pree why she chose this particular topic, she reminded me that the other day I was carrying both her and Sachet around talking to them about how wonderful they look "for their age".  She teasingly said I could have dropped the "for your age" part ... she looks wonderful, period!

And she's right, of course.

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Gayle Nastasi
Animal Communication Consultant
   http://www.gazehound.com/pets
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