This blog will be my platform for sharing healing ideas and resources… stay tuned.
Hemingway’s Daughter and The Rage of Plum Blossoms
Hemingway’s Daughter and The Rage of Plum Blossoms
This blog will be my platform for sharing healing ideas and resources… stay tuned.
I hope that this blog will be a place to share thoughts and experiences about healing. I particularly am interested in the healing bond created between people and their animals. It is uncanny sometimes. Last year, I broke my collarbone in a horse accident. Every morning, when I get up, my dogs (Vilulah, the beagle and Gellie, the Bouvier) go wild with excitment, particularly Vilulah. She barks wildly and generally creates chaos until let out the door. The day after the accident, I was in pretty bad shape. I got up and somehow they knew that I couldn’t take the tumult that usually happens in the morning. I crept down the stairs, careful not to jostle the broken bone. The dogs, usually jumping all over, were dead quiet and when I had to sit down to get my energy after getting downstairs, both just sat down quietly and looked at me. They barely moved. They just knew I wasn’t up to the usual routine. They patiently sat, waiting for me to get up the ability to let them out for their morning run. How did they know? Please share your experiences here.
I have not read your book but after reading just the clips I got caught up in this drama. So getting the book is my next step. Good luck and I will keep you posted as to my thoughts.
Arnett
Just commenting on your “blog”. Have you had any activity on it?
Nanette
Thanks, Arnett. Please read it and I would love to hear your comments.
Nanette, I’m hoping that once the review is out and the interview is published, people will visit and share their healing experiences, especially with their pets.
I have had pets, mainly dogs, all my life (except my college years and my two years in Australia) and I know and appreciate their value. I remember my first dog and how she saved me from being hit by a car. I started to step out into a busy street and she jumped on me, pushing me back from the road.
She was also very loyal. When I walked to the corner to catch the school bus, she would follow and sit and watch me as we drove off. After school she would be there waiting for me. (I don’t think she sat there all day, or did she?)
My wife and I now have two labs (plus two cats and three horses). I have been taking them, the dogs, for long walks in the woods every day because they love it and I love the exercise and watching them having fun. Without them I would not be taking those two mile walks.
When I am in a bad mood, my black lab can sense it and she tries to make me feel better (she hates to see me angry or mad).
The best part about animals is no matter what your color, race, nationality, religion, looks, or health are, your animals will give you un-ending love and devotion, especially when you treat them well.
Gary: I loved reading your comments. I know exactly what you mean. And if I’ve had a bad day, the horses and dogs have a sensitivity to the mood. Talk about unconditional love. Aside from a cookie or peppermint (for the horses) that they enjoy, they just about define the “unconditional” kind of love. Hope all is well. Chris
Just finished the book, which I got from our very own Andover Library – What a great book with relevant themes of despair, psychic chaos and ultimate redemption. Settings in the Berkshires, CT & Wyoming all worked well – of course I’m partial to all three Nice work Christine!
Your neighbor, Tom
P.S. – Forgot to mention that it’s hard not to love a woman like Archer, with her fierce independent nature, and her proclivity for Makers Mark whiskey (although I’m partial to McCallan 12).
No wonder with all of her refined qualities, balanced by her hearty, down-to-earth nature, Connor couldn’t help but fall in love with her. In essence, brilliant characterization!
P.S.S. – Forgot to include the healing component – My Irish Setter, Carly, a certified Pet Therapy girl, has been doing her healing thing for five years now through a program at Bolton Vet Clinic – We have sat by the side of folks dying of brain cancer, and elderly folks forgotten in nursing homes, and are currently working with the kids on the children’s psychiatric lock-down unit at the IOL in Hartford – after years of service, I can assure you of the power of healing that dogs bring to the human equation – very essential, and significant indeed – and, of course, she has helped me through many of my own trials & tribulations. Horses, dogs, cats, sheep, etc; where would we be without our precious companions?
Tom: Thanks so much for your comments. I really loved them. And I’ve spent many an evening at Bolton vet as well. Well worth the time always. Thanks again.
hey your blog design is very nice, neat and fresh and with updated content, make people feel peace and I always enjoy browsing your site.
– Murk
Thanks so much. Have you all been reading about the bedbug epidemic? I loved seeing the beagles sniffing out the bugs in their non-threatening sweet way. My beagle will learn to play pingpong if a cookie is involved! Anyway, the extraordinary beagle nose is put to work for good things. Dogs are just amazing best friends. Christine
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/01/0112_060112_dog_cancer.html
Check out this article about the powers of dogs to sniff out cancer. Ordinary dogs. It’s amazing.
HEllo! I watched a program on public television last night about the domestication of dogs; studies of raising wolves like dogs and how it went; and scientific basis for why we just love our dogs so much. It was truly fascinating. See if you can catch it. I enjoyed it immensely. I’ll see if I can find the title of the show and will post it here.
Okay! I found the title of the show on PBS. It was amazing. Try to see it! Here is the title and description.
“Dogs Decoded” reveals the science behind the remarkable bond between humans and their dogs and investigates new discoveries in genetics that are illuminating the origin of dogs—with surprising implications for the evolution of human culture. Other research is proving what dog lovers have suspected all along: Dogs have an uncanny ability to read and respond to human emotions. Humans, in turn, respond to dogs with the same hormone responsible for bonding mothers to their babies. How did this incredible relationship between humans and dogs come to be? And how can dogs, so closely related to fearsome wild wolves, behave so differently?
Good morning and happy holidays. On the front page of the Hartford Courant is an article called PUPPY THERAPY. It’s about a couple who are helping children with attachment disorders. They have 9 adopted children with such issues. Their approach? Breeding and raising litters of Labradoodles with each child assigned to a puppy. The empathy and blossoming of some of the children has been amazing! One child barely spoke before. Caring for a dependent creature that is responsive and loving–which accepts love in return–was a new experience and awakened untapped feelings and emotional reserves for numbers of the children. Animals and people: A match made in Heaven~
Christine, I read your book. I’m going through a painful and unwanted divorce and your book has helped me a lot. I appreciated having characters I could relate to. I could identify with the pain and hurt they had suffered and was encouraged by the specific ways they found healing. (I was especially relieved that they found solace in going to the movies – It made me feel OK that I do the same!). You made excellent observations through Asher’s own self discovery and healing process that were helpful to me. I started underlining and marking the pages so I could go back to spend more time thinking about what you had said. Thank you.
Often its difficult for me to go to bed feeling so alone at night. I had my Sleep Medicine doctor recommend that I let my pets sleep on the bed with me!. In my case that means three large black dogs (2 Porties and 1 Standard Poodle)! So I bought a dogproof bed cover from Orvis and some foam steps for the older dog and welcomed them on board! Its been a greater comfort than I imagined. One likes to rest lightly next to my upper back, another curls up in the crook behind my bent knees and the 1 year old Portie stands above me for a goodnight rubdown before he retreats to the cool tile on the bathroom floor. Having them for bedfellows has made bedtime an event I look forward to ( I think they do, too) and I feel more connected to each of them. Now I go to bed with a smile and wake up with a smile… and 3 wagging tails!
Hi Susie: I can’t tell you how much it means to me to read your comments. I also know how much it means to have that unconditional love from the creatures in your life. They ask for so little and give so much. Best of luck to you and thanks so much for commenting. It is more appreciated than I can say. Best, Christine
Cool website dealing with animals, the planet, resources, health for you and your beasts.
http://www.allthecreatures.org/articles
There is a new book called “THE BOND” that talks about our kindship with animals. It’s by Wayne Pacelle and it’s my next book purchase. Check it out.
August 29, 2011 We’ve been without power for three days now and I’ve taken a cue from my dogs and cat. They are completely oblivious that we have no power and they go about their lives. as long as they have their people, some food, some love, they don’t miss the tv, the music, the ‘stuff’ without which I get restless. Day three: and I’m relaxing a bit but in fairness, I’ve been able to charge up my computer during the day at my office and do some work, like this, despite the outage. Still, I’m learning from Gellie, Vilulah, and Phinn about just enjoying what is. (Hope the power returns soon though.)
Almost a new year! A friend in the office just got a new puppy. Another woman commented, “Wow, all that work and now you have to be home every night on time to walk and feed.” well, I’m just glad that person has no pet. Yes, there are moments of inconvenience but I never think of them because the joy, love, laughter, and unconditional pleasure I get from my pups is immeasuable. Happy Holidays to all and your extended pet family. Christine
Okay. This is just a funny one and laughing, they say, is great for your health and healing. A pointer was stalking a cement statue of a wolf. It was hilarious as he crept forward. When he finally realized it was a “fake”, the pointer began running around all silly! As if to say, oh boy, joke’s on me. really cute.
http://gma.yahoo.com/stress-war-prompts-soldiers-afghan-dogs-home-113421454.html
Soldiers bringing home dogs from Afganistan who have been their true friends while there and who have helped their stress and tribulations be just a little lighter. Very warm and touching.
My partner and I absolutely love your blog and find many of your post’s to be exactly I’m looking for. can you offer guest writers to write content for you? I wouldn’t mind writing a post or elaborating on a few of the subjects you write in relation to here. Again, awesome weblog!
Absolutely! Write away !
Absolutely, Emmett! Would love to have guest posts on topic! Great suggestion.