Saturday, December 27, 2008

Gazehound's Animal Communication News: Holiday Extra 2008

*GAZEHOUND'S ANIMAL COMMUNICATION NEWS
*Holiday Extra 2008



================================
Keeping in touch with the animals....
and the people who love them
================================

A New Year, A New Hope


The rain falls where there was snow not long before, the temperatures in upstate New York will reach a surreal sixty degrees by tomorrow. The entire year of 2008 has been, for myself and so many of my friends, like something out of fiction -- and poorly crafted fiction, at that. I've seen so many real life scenarios in the past year that, if I read them in a novel, I'd think that the writer didn't think things through very well when crafting her story, because "nobody would believe that". My own weird health situation, and the complications surrounding it, comes first to mind ... but it's both a comfort and a worry to know that I'm far from the only one who has experienced some bizarre adventures in the past year.

2009 swiftly approaches, and with the new year, new hope. Did you know that we humans, who are so brazen as to take time and space into our own hands, are inserting a full second between the years 2008 and 2009? They call it a leap second, and say that it's because our atomic clocks are now so accurate, that we need to add a second to the year so the earth can catch up. I find this amusing and just a bit disturbing ... and on the other side of my brain, I also find it kind of cool.

The challenges of 2008 have touched many; some of them have been devastating, others mere frustrations, but most of them life-altering in some way or other. My prayers ride on the strange wind that drifts through the past year, surrounding those I love with comfort and with hope for strength and renewal. I look forward to that moment that we leap over our extra second, and give the future a chance to wax brighter.

I look forward to wading into 2009 with all of you, with your animal companions at your sides, and hope that I may continue to help you to grow closer to them, and understand them at new depths. I know that, had my own pets not been here for me, both those in the flesh and those who have crossed the bridge to spirit, 2008 would have been far more difficult to face. What adventures lay ahead for us? As 2008 has shown so many in so many ways, "You just never know". My hope for all of you, all of us, of all species, is that the adventures are filled with far more joy than sorrow, far more laughter than pain, and that the New Year is bright and blessed.


May your 2009 shine with great health and prosperity. Thank you for sharing it with me.


================================

FYI NOTES and NEWS

IT'S HOLIDAY GIFT CERTIFICATE SPECIAL TIME


Although we're a little late getting started this year (thanks to my leg taking me out of commission for a while), the annual holiday gift certificate special begins today, November 17th, 2008.

It will run until January 1st, 2009. This will allow you to purchase gift certificates at $25 for one, $45 for two, and $60 for three, essentially receiving one session free for each group of three.

Payment can be made through Paypal or via personal check or money order, and gift certificates are delivered via email as a pdf attachment. In the rare cases where people don't have access to email, I will print and mail the paper certificates on request.

As always: Gift certificates are good for one year from the date of purchase (which, in the case of the holiday special, will always be listed as December 25th, 2008). Other specials and discounts do not apply to sessions purchased through a gift certificate, and the certificates are not refundable.


SPEAKING OF GIFT CERTIFICATES


Don't forget that the certificates you may have purchased last year do have an expiration date. If you've given them as gifts, or have them tucked safely away at home, check those dates now and redeem them before they expire.



Website:

BOOKSTORE ONLINE!
I receive so many requests for book suggestions, for which I normally send people to my website's "Introduction" page and recommended reading list, that I've decided to take it a step further and make it easier for people to get more information, read reviews, and shop right from my site if they wish. I've added an Animal Communication Book Shop to the website. It can be accessed as an external link from the Gazehound.com front page and the main Animal Communication page, and on the "Introduction" page (reached by the button of that name in the side menu), the shop itself is built right into an inset at the bottom of the page. I hope you find this a convenient way to research and review books on animal communication, as well as a number of other topics such as positive training, natural pet care, and "good for the human soul" sections.

New Section and Books Added: I hope you'll enjoy the new section on wildlife and wildlife rehabilitation, which includes both care guides and field guides and a lovely book called Healers of the Wild -- a testimony to the power of love. In the Positive Training section, be sure to page through to Victoria Stillwell's It's Me or the Dog. My long stay in the hospital introduced me to her show on Animal Planet, and I find her positive approach and bright presentation to be delightful and inspiring.



Important Policy Update:
Well, this is not actually a change, simply a more strict enforcement of a policy already in place. Due to several recent situations, I will from now on be strictly enforcing my policy of not offering follow-ups until the account is up to date on payments, unless the client already has a history of being reliable and faithful to their word. This will encompass all aspects of my services.

In addition, for an indefinite period of time, I will not be accepting missing animal cases from new clients. Existing clients may call me for a lost pet, and those will be taken on a selective case by case basis.


E-News List:
It has become more important than ever, due to recent circumstances, that all of my clients are subscribed to my e-news list. Thus, whenever anyone inquires about information, or sets up an appointment, they will receive both an invitation to the list and a separate note from me letting them know they've been invited. I strongly encourage all my clients to stay in touch, by remaining subscribed to this list. And please feel free to forward this newsletter issue to any friends, family, and acquaintances whom you feel might be interested in joining us.

Don't forget that you can always 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.


Want To Help Our Wild Friends?
Northeast Llama Rescue and Barnyard Sanctuary and New York Wildlife Rescue (an IRS 501(c)(3) charity) accept Paypal donations through their website at http://www.redmaplefarm.net. I've dedicated much time and love in the past several years toward helping to build a safe place for our wild friends in need, and our livestock rescues, and am extending the offer to all of you to aid in their care as well. And now, we have a totally painless (and free) way for anyone to support the animals at NYWRC/NELR. If you sign up to shop online through iGive.com, at no cost to you, every purchase you make through the iGive gateway will earn a donation for the animals.

To sign up to shop through iGive for NYWRC:

http://www.igive.com/NYWildlifeRescueCenter

And even if you don't sign up (but why would anyone not sign up since it's free and painless?), you can still earn money with each internet search you do simply by logging in to the iGive search engine rather than Google or whichever other search engine you normally use:

http://www.isearchigive.com/NYWildlifeRescueCenter

I set the above link as my homepage in my browser to remind me to search through iGive and earn pennies for the animals each time I search. iGive's usual one cent per search is doubled through the month of December, too, so get using it now while we can earn the big bucks!



================================
Permission is given to forward this newsletter to anyone you feel might enjoy it. If this newsletter has been forwarded to you and you would like to subscribe, just visit the newsletter link below.

--------------------

Gayle Nastasi
Animal Communication Consultant
http://www.gazehound.com/pets
Free bi-monthly newsletter & emergency list:
http://www.gazehound.com/pets/acnewslist.html
Creature Thoughts Blog:
http://gazehound.blogspot.com
Online Book Shop:
http://astore.amazon.com/gazehound-20

Sunday, December 07, 2008

Gayle: health note


Hello friends,

This is just a brief note to let you know that there are some complications developing with the leg.  I should be seeing my doctor tomorrow, if all goes well, and hopefully we'll be able to track down the problem and set things straight without having to resort to hospitalization.  I just thought I'd send the group a little heads-up ahead of time, however, "just in case". 

Thank you all for the continued good thoughts you send my way.  I'm putting the scheduling of new sessions on "pause" temporarily, until I have the opportunity to consult with my doctor.  Hopefully it'll only be for a day or two.

--Gayle

PS: On a totally unrelated topic; I know you've all heard me speak with fondness of our local wildlife and farm animal rescue center.  We have recently signed up with iGive, the wonderful organization that arranges donations, at no cost to the end user, to be sent to charities.  If you would like to help support NY Wildlife Rescue Center and Northeast Llama Rescue and Barnyard Sanctuary, Inc, simply by shopping online (iGive's vendors include most of the internet shopping sites you'd be using anyway), please visit the sign-up page:

http://www.igive.com/NYWildlifeRescueCenter

It's completely free, and all you need to do after signing up is begin your shopping trips by going to the www.iGive.com portal or, even easier (if you use a compatible browser) installing the iGive toolbar.

Happy Holidays, and Thanks for caring!



--
-- Gayle P Nastasi
Animal Communication Consultant
http://www.gazehound.com
Bi-monthly newsletter: http://www.gazehound.com/pets/acnewslist.html
Archives and blog: http://gazehound.blogspot.com
Online Book Shop: http://astore.amazon.com/gazehound-20

Monday, November 17, 2008

Gazehound's Animal Communication News: November/December 2008


*GAZEHOUND'S ANIMAL COMMUNICATION NEWS
*November/December 2008



================================
Keeping in touch with the animals....
and the people who love them
================================

A Season Slips By

... Thanksgiving for the little things

Some of my usual readers might have noticed that September/October whizzed right on past without the usual installment of our little newsletter. That's because October managed to progress without the newsletter's author ... so to speak.

I want to use this opportunity to send out some global thank yous. Those of you who were subscribed to the e-news list at the time that I went into the hospital were aware of why I suddenly vanished, and my son Devon was able to send out an update at least on one occasion for me. Thank you so much for your cards, calls, and efforts to check in with me ... and especially all of the precious prayers and healing energy sent my way.

Those of you who hadn't been on the list at the time, but understood the need to join when I came home and went searching for my "missing clients" ... I thank you so much for accepting the invitation I sent out to you. I truly want to try to make sure as many of my very special, very important ... and that means all of you and yours ... animal friends and their humans remain in the loop, so that if ever something like that happens again, I'm able to contact people and let them know why I have suddenly vanished into the mists!

This little adventure has shown me in a big way how important it is to stay in touch. While in the hospital, I was without any kind of computer access for the entire month, and had only my little cellphone and text messaging to keep track of the outside world and send updates of my condition to various friends, who helped by relaying news to others. (The term "internet withdrawal" is no longer just a catch phrase in my mind -- and we won't even think about what this month's cellphone bill looks like! ::ouch::) It also made me very aware of how thankful I am that I do, under normal circumstances, have the ability to stay in close touch, including this little bi-monthly missive that keeps us in contact and allows me to express my thanks for the fact that you're all a part of my world.

Many of you have already been filled in on "what happened", and know that I was hospitalized with what turned out to be a very rare condition called pyoderma gangrenosum.

If you don't mind graphic images (please do consider this forewarning for the sensitive), and would like to follow the details of a bizarre journey that started out with a little sheep-bump on the shin, I do have a blog online that I fill in and update daily:

http://www.evernote.com/pub/Gayze/Pyoderma_Gangrenosum

Things were very scary for a while there, and to be honest can occasionally still feel a bit on the anxious side, but the leg is healing well, and I'm making good progress toward normal again. Not fast progress, but good progress. Another of those "small gratitudes" is the appreciation for small steps, and learning to give big thanks for little blessings. It's astounding how many little things we enjoy every day without really noticing how important they are. Things like showers ... it's interesting how an entire month of only being able to get clean with a tub of hot water and a wash cloth can make one appreciate a shower ... or the ability to just get up and get oneself a snack or a sandwich without having to rely on a family member's assistance. I'm thankful for this little sidetrip through ill health in a way, because I find myself looking at the little things with gratitude -- every small step in the right direction becomes a moment of "wow, that's really cool".

Just having my family ... including those with fur and feathers and fins ... around me on a daily basis is a huge blessing. I went a whole month without being able to reach out my hand and always have a soft furry head to touch, or a purr to respond to my kisses. My warm animal friends are once again within reach -- what a comfort and blessing that is.

And you. I'm so thankful to be back "in touch", and find myself thinking about the days not all that long ago when there were no such things as personal computers or the internet. We did manage to get by, and we stayed in contact then ... and yet the technological advances that give us the benefit of instant communication have now become such a part of our lives that we miss them sorely when they're suddenly unavailable. Thank you all for, either from the beginning or in retrospect, taking this little side-trip with me, and for all the good wishes and thoughts of health and healing you've sent my way. I'm glad our paths have crossed, and that we have this opportunity to travel side by side for a while along the universal highway.

Holiday blessings to all of you, and your families, all species inclusive. Hugs, kisses, pats and scritches -- and many, many thank-yous!

--Gayle



================================

FYI NOTES and NEWS

IT'S HOLIDAY GIFT CERTIFICATE SPECIAL TIME


Although we're a little late getting started this year (thanks to my leg taking me out of commission for a while), the annual holiday gift certificate special begins today, November 17th, 2008.

It will run until January 1st, 2009. This will allow you to purchase gift certificates at $25 for one, $45 for two, and $60 for three, essentially receiving one session free for each group of three.

Payment can be made through Paypal or via personal check or money order, and gift certificates are delivered via email as a pdf attachment. In the rare cases where people don't have access to email, I will print and mail the paper certificates on request.

As always: Gift certificates are good for one year from the date of purchase (which, in the case of the holiday special, will always be listed as December 25th, 2008). Other specials and discounts do not apply to sessions purchased through a gift certificate, and the certificates are not refundable.


SPEAKING OF GIFT CERTIFICATES


Don't forget that the certificates you may have purchased last year do have an expiration date. If you've given them as gifts, or have them tucked safely away at home, check those dates now and redeem them before they expire.



Website:

BOOKSTORE ONLINE!
I receive so many requests for book suggestions, for which I normally send people to my website's "Introduction" page and recommended reading list, that I've decided to take it a step further and make it easier for people to get more information, read reviews, and shop right from my site if they wish. I've added an Animal Communication Book Shop to the website. It can be accessed as an external link from the Gazehound.com front page and the main Animal Communication page, and on the "Introduction" page (reached by the button of that name in the side menu), the shop itself is built right into an inset at the bottom of the page. I hope you find this a convenient way to research and review books on animal communication, as well as a number of other topics such as positive training, natural pet care, and "good for the human soul" sections.

New Section and Books Added: I hope you'll enjoy the new section on wildlife and wildlife rehabilitation, which includes both care guides and field guides and a lovely book called Healers of the Wild -- a testimony to the power of love. In the Positive Training section, be sure to page through to Victoria Stillwell's It's Me or the Dog. My long stay in the hospital introduced me to her show on Animal Planet, and I find her positive approach and bright presentation to be delightful and inspiring.

Don't forget that you can always 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.



Important Policy Update:
Well, this is not actually a change, simply a more strict enforcement of a policy already in place. Due to several recent situations, I will from now on be strictly enforcing my policy of not offering follow-ups until the account is up to date on payments, unless the client already has a history of being reliable and faithful to their word. This will encompass all aspects of my services, including missing animal cases.

In addition, for an indefinite period of time, I will not be accepting missing animal cases from new clients. Existing clients may call me for a lost pet, and those will be taken on a selective case by case basis.


E-News List

It has become more important than ever, due to recent circumstances, that all of my clients are subscribed to my e-news list. Thus, whenever anyone inquires about information, or sets up an appointment, they will receive both an invitation to the list and a separate note from me letting them know they've been invited. I strongly encourage all my clients to stay in touch, by remaining subscribed to this list.



Want To Help Our Wild Friends?
Northeast Llama Rescue and Barnyard Sanctuary and New York Wildlife Rescue (an IRS 501(c)(3) charity) accept Paypal donations through their website at http://www.redmaplefarm.net. Thank you!



================================
Permission is given to forward this newsletter to anyone you feel might enjoy it. If this newsletter has been forwarded to you and you would like to subscribe, just visit the newsletter link below.

--------------------

Gayle Nastasi
Animal Communication Consultant
http://www.gazehound.com/pets
Free bi-monthly newsletter:
http://www.gazehound.com/pets/acnewslist.html
Creature Thoughts Blog:
http://gazehound.blogspot.com
Online Book Shop:
http://astore.amazon.com/gazehound-20



Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Gazehound's Animal Communication News: July/August 2008


*GAZEHOUND'S ANIMAL COMMUNICATION NEWS
*July/August 2008



================================
Keeping in touch with the animals....
and the people who love them
================================

Wild

     (diverging a bit from the usual topics....)

Wild things, with few exceptions, wish to remain wild.  I've had a lot of opportunity since beginning to volunteer with New York Wildlife Rescue Center to communicate ... and commune ... with wild animals.  I've also run into quite a few situations where wild things were in need of help ... and a good number where well-meaning humans thought the wild things were in need of help, when they actually were perfectly fine.

I've been taking in songbirds, little babies who need to eat every twenty minutes. 
Since I work from home, and can keep up the rigorous feeding schedule, I was asked to volunteer for this aspect of our rehabilitation program.  I'm currently working under the mentorship of several of our local bird experts,  and will be applying for my federal migratory bird permit as soon as it's feasible to do so.  I was happy to take on these little featherlings, as I've always been an amateur birder at heart.  I currently have in my home two starlings, an english sparrow, a cowbird and a goldfinch. 

For the most part, the little birds who have come to me have been real rescues ... in that they would not possibly have survived on their own for one reason or another.  Occasionally, however, one comes in that almost definitely would have had a better chance of thriving if left alone ... simply because the kind-hearted human involved didn't fully understand the ways and needs of wild birds.  Here's a little quiz for you (don't worry, I won't be grading it) just to test your wild bird savvy:

A baby bird, who has mostly grown all its feathers, has fallen out of a nest.  You are very concerned, in part because you, or your neighbor, has an outdoor cat.  The right thing to do is:
  1. Rescue the baby immediately and remove it from the area.  Then take the baby inside and try feeding it right away.
  2. Remove the baby from the area and call a wildlife rehabilitator to tend the baby, because of course each species is different and you don't know the correct food for this little bird.
  3. Leave the little bird alone and observe it from a distance for a while before taking any action.
  4. Bring your cat inside and/or ask the neighbor to do the same if possible.
Okay, it was a loaded question, of course, and I'm sure it doesn't take much thinking to figure out that number three is the correct answer ... with number four a really smart bonus point.

Many people simply don't realize that all baby birds actually have to "fall out of the nest" to some extent or other.  It's how they learn to fly, to survive, and to, well ... be birds.  The vast majority of the time, the parents will be watching the baby from the trees and bushes, and flying back and forth to bring it food, all the while showing it how to hunt for itself, what foods to eat, how to get itself to safety and, yes, even how to avoid cats.  There is no better teacher for a baby bird, than its parents.   And there is no way, no matter how hard we may try, a wildlife rehabilitator, even after years of experience, can teach these things properly to a little bird.  By removing the bird from its parents, that baby's chances of long term survival are reduced considerably.  If you find a fledgling like this on the ground, watch for the parents from a distance, keep your house predators closed up (even if they complain), and observe.  It's almost definite that you'll see the parents come to feed it soon, and within a day or so the baby will have found its wings and followed Mom and Pop safely into the trees.

Likewise, nestlings:  There is a widely held belief that if you touch a baby bird and return it to the nest, the parents will smell human scent on the baby and reject it.  Not true ... in fact most birds have pretty poor senses of smell (with the interesting exception of vultures).  If it's possible to return a fallen nestling (a baby with few feathers) to the nest, please try your best to do so.  If the nest has fallen, secure it to a branch nearby if you don't know its original location, and put the babies back in it.  If it's impossible, or you cannot find the nest, try making one out of a plastic strawberry basket or other container that drains well, lined with twigs and grasses, and place that in a secure spot near where you found the baby.  The parents will come take care of it.

Only if there is little chance of survival ... if the parents do not return within a couple of hours, if the bird is injured, or if it is hypothermic and dehydrated (baby birds are warm to the touch ... if not, they're in trouble), should you remove it from the wild.  In that case, call your vet and ask for the number of a local rehabilitator, for little birds need special care (and besides, most species are protected by the Migratory Bird Act so only someone with a special permit can legally care for them).

Just as with birds, most baby mammals are also fine as long as the parents haven't been killed, or they are injured in some way.  Did you know that mother deer leave their fawns in hiding for hours at a time as they graze and browse, only returning to them to nurse them?  A fawn wandering in your garden has probably just disobeyed Mamma, and will be found in short order by its mother and returned to hiding.  Removing the fawn from the area removes it from its best caretaker.

Or did you know that baby rabbits are only tended by their mother twice a day?  At dawn and dusk, mother bunny will return and nurse her offspring, leaving them alone in the nest for the rest of the day.  If you find a nest of "abandoned" baby rabbits, it is almost definite that they haven't been "abandoned" at all.

If you love wildlife, there are many things you can do to help your feathered and furred wild neighbors.  Reading and learning is always a good start, of course, and there are many great books on the library shelves, wildlife and nature centers of some sort in almost every community, and then, of course, there is the web!  Every state has the equivalent of the Department of Environmental Conservation, and most have websites online.  You can of course be helping wild animals as you're learning, by putting up feeders, nest houses and bird baths, maintaining your yard and garden with plenty of shelter and nest sites, keeping the wild areas around your home clean, monitoring your outdoor dogs and cats....  I'm sure you can add to the list! 

But if you find a little one, do make sure it truly needs help before interfering.  There is no better caretaker for a baby bird or animal than its Mamma, after all.

Some Links:


NY State Dept. of Environmental Conservation
National Audubon Society
National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association
Volunteers for Wildlife



================================

FYI NOTES and NEWS

Website:

BOOKSTORE ONLINE!
I receive so many requests for book suggestions, for which I normally send people to my website's "Introduction" page and recommended reading list, that I've decided to take it a step further and make it easier for people to get more information, read reviews, and shop right from my site if they wish.  I've added an Animal Communication Book Shop to the website.  It can be accessed as an external link from the Gazehound.com front page and the main Animal Communication page, and on the "Introduction" page (reached by the button of that name in the side menu), the shop itself is built right into an inset at the bottom of the page.  I hope you find this a convenient way to research and review books on animal communication, as well as a number of other topics such as positive training, natural pet care, and "good for the human soul" sections.

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: 

I always have gift certificates available, whether you would like to give them to friends and family, or whether you'd simply like to purchase them for your own animal friends.  These are available 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 the "old" 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.  Gift certificates are non-returnable, and they are valid for one full year from the purchase date.  Once payment is received, your gift certificates will be sent via email as a PDF attachment (Acrobat Reader required to open and print) unless otherwise requested, so be sure I have a correct e-dress for you.

Email me at  allcreatures@gazehound.com for more information or to order.


Important Policy Update:
Well, this is not actually a change, simply a more strict enforcement of a policy already in place.  Due to several recent situations, I will from now on be strictly enforcing my policy of not offering follow-ups until the account is up to date on payments, unless the client already has a history of being reliable and faithful to their word.  This will encompass all aspects of my services, including missing animal cases.

In addition, for an indefinite period of time, I will not be accepting missing animal cases from new clients.  Existing clients may call me for a lost pet, and those will be taken on a selective case by case basis. 



Want To Help Our Wild Friends?
Northeast Llama Rescue and Barnyard Sanctuary and New York Wildlife Rescue accept paypal donations through their website at http://www.redmaplefarm.net.  Thank you!



================================
Permission is given to forward this newsletter to anyone you feel might enjoy it.  If this newsletter has been forwarded to you and you would like to subscribe, just visit the newsletter link below.

--------------------

Gayle Nastasi
Animal Communication Consultant
   http://www.gazehound.com/pets
Free bi-monthly newsletter:
   http://www.gazehound.com/pets/acnewslist.html
Creature Thoughts Blog:
   http://gazehound.blogspot.com
Online Book Shop:
   http://astore.amazon.com/gazehound-20






Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Gazehound's Animal Communication News: May/June 2008


*GAZEHOUND'S ANIMAL COMMUNICATION NEWS
*May/June 2008

Sachet and her Sheep

================================
Keeping in touch with the animals....
and the people who love them
================================

The Sheep Channel?


Sachet has a sheep(*). It looks very like her, with its gray face, ears and legs, big blue eyes, and creamy white body. And it thinks she's its mother.

Sachet is my eighteen year old lilac point "traditional" Siamese ... and the mother of both Pree, whom you all knew so well, and Sasha, our chocolate point boy who is still very much here in both spirit and body. Pree's body may be gone, but her spirit still blesses our lives, and I can't help wonder if she's found a way to communicate -- a rather humorous way -- with us and, especially, her mother.

The sheep, you see, talks. Normally, as with many talking stuffed toys, it only talks when you press a certain button on its body. In this case, the button is in its ear. When you squeeze the sheep's ear, it makes little cartoonish, well ... sheep sounds. You know, the various variations on "baa" that a toy sheep designer might come up with. There are perhaps six or so variations on the theme, which rotate when you squeeze the ear.

That is, most of us are required to squeeze the ear to get the sheep to talk. Sachet, however, only has to be near it. Quite frequently, all she has to do is walk in front of the sheep, and it will begin to talk to her. I've even caught it on a (very bad quality) video clip with my cellphone, just so I can prove to people I haven't totally lost my mind. When "in the mood", the sheep will continue to randomly produce its cute little sounds as long as Sachet is within a foot or so of its little stuffed body. When she walks away, it stops talking. When our other cat, Sasha, is near the sheep, or anyone else in the house, for that matter, the sheep remains silent.

The really interesting thing is that the sheep has been "in the family" for several years, and around Sachet as long, and it has just begun talking to her of its own volition since Pree died in January. Has Pree found a way to temporarily possess the Sheep? Is it channeling her? Has she simply found a way to activate that ear button when her mother is near the sheep? Or are we simply wishful-thinking, and there is actually a much more mundane reason for the sheep's random verbalizations when Sachet is near by?

I know what I think, how about you? (And no, Pree's not making any confessions from spirit so far ... which is most like Pree, after all. It's much more fun to keep us guessing.)

(* Technically, the "sheep" is a "Baa Baa", a character from the popular virtual pets website, Neopets.)

================================

FYI NOTES and NEWS

Website:

NEW STORE ONLINE!
I receive so many requests for book suggestions, for which I normally send people to my website's "Introduction" page and recommended reading list, that I've decided to take it a step further and make it easier for people to get more information, read reviews, and shop right from my site if they wish. I've added an Animal Communication Book Shop to the website. It can be accessed as an external link from the Gazehound.com front page and the main Animal Communication page, and on the "Introduction" page (reached by the button of that name in the side menu), the shop itself is built right into an inset at the bottom of the page. I hope you find this a convenient way to research and review books on animal communication, as well as a number of other topics such as positive training, natural pet care, and "good for the human soul" sections.

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:

I always have gift certificates available, whether you would like to give them to friends and family, or whether you'd simply like to purchase them for your own animal friends. These are available 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 the "old" 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. Gift certificates are non-returnable, and they are valid for one full year from the purchase date. Once payment is received, your gift certificates will be sent via email as a PDF attachment (Acrobat Reader required to open and print) unless otherwise requested, so be sure I have a correct e-dress for you.

Email me at allcreatures@gazehound.com for more information or to order.


Important Policy Update:
Well, this is not actually a change, simply a more strict enforcement of a policy already in place. Due to several recent situations, I will from now on be strictly enforcing my policy of not offering follow-ups until the account is up to date on payments, unless the client already has a history of being reliable and faithful to their word. This will encompass all aspects of my services, including missing animal cases.

In addition, my restriction of only accepting two ongoing missing animal cases at a time has been working out reasonably well, and is being made a permanent policy.


And a special Thank You
Thanks to everyone who sent good-luck wishes when I announced in the last issue that I was taking the New York State Wildlife Rehabilitators licensing exam. I passed the test and my license arrived in the mail on Saturday!



================================
Permission is given to forward this newsletter to anyone you feel might enjoy it. If this newsletter has been forwarded to you and you would like to subscribe, just visit the newsletter link below.

--------------------

Gayle Nastasi
Animal Communication Consultant
http://www.gazehound.com/pets
Free bi-monthly newsletter:
http://www.gazehound.com/pets/acnewslist.html
Creature Thoughts Blog:
http://gazehound.blogspot.com
Online Book Shop:
http://astore.amazon.com/gazehound-20



Thursday, March 27, 2008

Gazehound's Animal Communication News: March/April 2008


*GAZEHOUND'S ANIMAL COMMUNICATION NEWS
*March/April 2008
Great Horned Owl

================================
Keeping in touch with the animals....
and the people who love them
================================

News and Updates


I feel the need to apologize for my lack of communication over the past several months. As you know, there have been many changes around here -- and I've lapsed seriously in keeping up with my newsletter writing. Losing my co-author has been a hard thing to move past, as I'm sure you understand. But I'm returning with this special "updates" issue, and hope to continue from here on schedule. (Or at least as "on schedule" as I've ever been.) Future issues will contain the more familiar articles and inspirations.

I have resumed doing sessions full time. Thanks to everyone for your patience as I gradually worked my way back toward "normal". The only current change in my scheduling practices is that I am limiting missing animal cases. I'm only accepting two ongoing lost animal cases at a time; I find that anything beyond that quickly becomes an emotional overload, and I'm unable to be as helpful. There will be some other availability changes coming up in the future, but I'll leave that
news till things are more definite.

"In other news", as they say, if you like to read, you may want to pick up a copy of Penelope Smith's new book, "Animals in Spirit", released by Beyond Words Publishing (a division of Simon and Schuster) early in 2008. "Someone you know" has an excerpt in the book.

I've been keeping very busy with a special new endeavor. Feel free to visit redmaplefarm.net and learn about Northeast Llama Rescue and Barnyard Sanctuary and New York Wildlife Rehabilitation to see what I've been up to. I'm on the board of directors of this rescue center, which lives right around the corner from me, and at which I volunteer my time and energy. It's a wonderful place, helping hundreds of animals a year, and a truly worthwhile cause. We've held fund-raisers, are applying for our IRS non-profit status, and have hopes of making some great changes and additions in the upcoming year. The owl photo (hoping you can see it) at the head of this page was taken by me at one of our fund-raising events. He is a Great Horned Owl (and Teacher) who lives with our local raptor rehabilitator and fellow board member, who appeared at our event as a good-will ambassador. I will be taking the New York State Wildlife Rehabilitators' exam in April in hopes of attaining my license. Wish me luck!

In addition to my usual telephone and email consultations, I have been experimenting with instant messaging sessions using voice chat, and having quite a bit of success. Therefore, I'll be adding "IM Sessions" as an option. I have Yahoo Instant Messenger, AOL's AIM, and Skype all installed on my computer, and have successfully used all three. This will allow clients to have a "phone consultation" without the cost of a phone call. All you need
to participate in voice chat sessions are a broadband connection, a recent version of one of the aforementioned instant messaging programs, a computer microphone and either a set of speakers or headphones (or a headphone/microphone headset). The sound quality is very good, with Yahoo's IM program slightly better than the others, and I find that headphones are somewhat preferable to speakers, as speakers can occasionally cause an echo.

Well, though this was brief, and probably not very exciting, "it's good to be back". Watch for more interesting newsletters in the future, and thank you all again for your patience.

--Gayle



================================

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:

I always have gift certificates available, whether you would like to give them to friends and family, or whether you'd simply like to purchase them for your own animal friends. These are available 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 the "old" 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. Gift certificates are non-returnable, and they are valid for one full year from the purchase date. Once payment is received, your gift certificates will be sent via email as a PDF attachment (Acrobat Reader required to open and print) unless otherwise requested, so be sure I have a correct e-dress for you.

Email me at allcreatures@gazehound.com for more information or to order.




================================
Permission is given to forward this newsletter to anyone you feel might enjoy it. If this newsletter has been forwarded to you and you would like to subscribe, just visit the newsletter link below.

--------------------

Gayle Nastasi
Animal Communication Consultant
http://www.gazehound.com/pets
Free bi-monthly newsletter:
http://www.gazehound.com/pets/acnewslist.html
Creature Thoughts Blog:
http://gazehound.blogspot.com


Monday, March 10, 2008

from Gayle --Touching base and request for information

Hello, friends,

I'm sorry I have been so out of touch in the past couple months.  I know I owe everyone at least one newsletter ... maybe two.  I must sincerely apologize.  Although we're moving toward that "new normal", I'm sure you understand how life goes on at a whole different level after dramatic changes occur.

There are other changes in the works, as well, but that is news for another day.

In the meanwhile, a couple of tidbits just to catch you up and thank you all for sticking with me.  To start with:

  • I am, thank you to those who've written to inquire, back to doing sessions on a normal basis.  I'm sorry I've been so remiss in keeping in touch with everyone on that score.  The only thing that is different, at the moment anyway (again, news for another day), is that I am only taking lost/missing animal cases on a *very* limited basis.  It is very probable, in addition, that I will stop doing missing animals in what may be the near future.
  • Penelope Smith has a new book out, called Animals in Spirit (Our faithful companions' transition to the afterlife).  I have a copy, though have yet to read it in its entirety, so really cannot provide a full review.  (Just a matter of lacking time and courage right now).  However, in the section on reincarnation, if you pick up a copy, you will find a contribution by me and Kai.  Much has changed since the excerpt was written, but Kai most certainly is still his very solid and comforting self.

I know that many of you do animal rescue work.  I've been very busy on that front as well, and invite you all to visit http://www.redmaplefarm.net to see some of what I've been up to.  I'm very proud to be involved with a worthwhile organization that is rescuing farm animals and wildlife in my local area. 

And on that note, also, a request.  If anyone is involved in dog rescue, and has contacts and knowledge of transportation relay networks, could you email me privately, please?  I'm trying to help a friend with a problem, and am expanding my search for information. 

Thanks to all, and I hope 2008 has been kind to you so far.  I hope to be in touch soon with a more "official" newsletter edition.

Blessings,
--Gayle--



--
-- Gayle P Nastasi
Animal Communication Consultant
http://www.gazehound.com
Bi-monthly newsletter: http://www.gazehound.com/pets/acnewslist.html
Archives and blog: http://gazehound.blogspot.com