INSPIRED by mary anne radmacher

  Canine. Human. We go together like night and day, blue sky and rain. Always have. Ask any student of history and they’ll tell you that dogs have been loyal companions to humans around the globe since, well, ever. The world of dogs around the world… We are as different as the lands we walk. Our ancestry lies with the gray wolf. In spite of there being over 400 distinct, domesticated breeds, we all hold a little bit of the wild. Over time dogs have made roles for themselves in various levels in society. It’s difficult to acknowledge and yet it is true that not all dogs are treated like treasured companions. In some places dogs are a food source, and even in the United States puppy mills are a stain on the fabric of compassionate treatment. That travesty is offset by the rescue organizations that care for dogs who have special needs or need a home for different kinds of reasons. There are lots of things that make dogs different from each other - big or small, stout or fragile, calm ...

  You always said, "Never." In fact you often repeated it in a single sentence. I heard it,  "I will never, never EVER get a tattoo." And yet. Here we are. You got the best advice from people you trust, you got a recommendation for an artist who really cares about their craft and you KNEW what you needed to be reminded of. Every. Day.    You've asked people for decades an insightful question. "If you needed to remind yourself of something so consistently that you wanted to tattoo it where you could see it every day...what would it be? What could be so important that you would tattoo it on your body?" Looks like you answered your own question with long-standing action.  I know a LOT of people would have expected you to tattoo one of your two most celebrated lines from a poem of yours - LIVE WITH INTENTION or COURAGE DOESN'T ALWAYS ROAR. I happen to know you have those these metaphorically emblazoned on your heart. The reminder you chose is still fre...

  Dear You,  Everything about my life as a caterpillar is focused on acquisition. I must get enough food to fuel my coming transformation. It takes a while to get there but at the right time I trundle off, seeking sanctuary where I can spin a little silken pad to keep me stable while the storm of metamorphosis rages within that tiny chrysalis, also called a pupa by scientists.  Most of the time we hang upside down but sometimes we nestle in the crook of a tree. At the time this photo was taken, I’ve tucked myself under a pool cleaning tool. In the first few stages the chrysalis is the brightest green on the outside while inside I’m changing from the inside out. It might look like icky slime but it is everything necessary to change into what I will become.  The whole threshold lasts around two weeks. From my old form I morph the material that will form my monarch self. I am about half the weight I was. Transformation takes a lot of energy!  On the outside you’l...

  I am small AND I am mighty. My heritage is impressive. Those big, ole ancient creatures? They aren’t lost! I am their descendent and it’s an honor I take very seriously. They were larger, it’s true. Just like them, I have overlapping scales. Lepidosaurs then and Lepidosaurs now.  You may wonder why I am writing you. You have a habit of neglecting your ancestors. You think you know so much and are so different and yet… Modern business principles utilize the writings of Marcus Aurelius, Roman emperor in the second century. And thousands of years before him there were people selling stuff that didn’t do what they claimed and people doing anonymous kindnesses for their neighbors. Bullies and brave hearts. Then as now. That’s why it’s called, “human nature.“  So once my ancient grandmother was a massive creature. Massive, I say. I may be small now but I do good work. I keep pests out of your garden and away from your patio. I even manage to invite a spider or two out of ...

  Dear Em, Of course I noticed that cheerful Pollinator Garden sign – a gift from your friends. You told them about your plan for Hunters Memorial Garden and how it was all about transformation. They brought you that sign the very next day.   I am one to completely understand the process of metamorphosis. I am honored to be the symbol of transformation for many people. It has delighted me the way you have held such wonder through all of the steps I endure to become my monarch self. Last week I was especially grateful for the time you spent checking on me and making sure my chrysalis weathered all those wind storms. It was so sweet of you to stand watch as my wings unfurled. I appreciated having protected time for my wings to dry.  Thank you, also, for recognizing that I am a sentient being. I will express my thankfulness for your care in many ways. When I fly by and linger in your garden, understand that is another way of me saying thank you.  With appreci...