Oh Miss Bella...

chasing that squirrel wasn't worth it in the end after all. Bella tore her CCL ligament and meniscus in her back left leg, a common knee injury in both humans and canines, and it comes with an expensive price tag and a long slow recovery. With three days into this I can see it is going to be quite a long haul. With a mind numbing regimen of medicines I hope Bella copes okay with the long required sedative state that she will have to endure. She's so sweet all drugged up- her goofy little eyes can hardly focus on anything, and she's so wobbly when she walks outside for potty breaks. These new knees are supposed to be really strong once they recover though... and now the goal is also to keep the other one from doing the same thing, which I understand is quite common. A month of absolutely nothing but going out for potty breaks, then a little walking in the house- no stairs, a big challenge if you've ever been in our home: every room is on a different level so we'll be residing in the family room for a month or so, and I will be very used to sleeping on the couch. Then at 8 weeks you start with 3-5 minute walks on level ground outside 2-3 times a day, then up to 10 minutes and so on until you work up to 30 minutes over several weeks time. It takes between 4 to 6 months for full recovery. I'm glad we're heading into the cold season so she won't want to go out as much.

Oh this little sweet girl- to think that some people said just put her down... inconceivable to me. As much as a parent loves his or her own child is how much I love Bella. It is an unusually strong bond I admit, but I can't explain the connection there is for me with this dog, more so than with any other animals I've lived with. We have a mind thing, an understanding of sorts... and a communication that is different than with any of my other existing animal companions. There is a lot of life left in her and she and I will get to see it on my watch.

I love you Bella girl, and I know you're going to be good and strong again... maybe you'll get that darn squirrel next time!

Another one on my list

It appears that I will be going to Africa this coming June... Kenya to be exact... and even more exact- a small city called Migori and another even smaller village named Kopanga. After months of talking to the powers that be, that I needed something to happen in my life, some kind of adventure or new direction, a friend thought of me during conversation with someone she knows needing to find a photographer of sorts to document her group, Partners for Progress, charity work in Kenya. She passed on the information to me via email- repeatedly saying no pressure on this, you just popped into my head during our conversation. Well, what more can someone ask for. It felt like divine work to me! So on that note I talked to Mike and said, "I'm going... are you?"

Africa has long been on my list of places I wanted to see before I left this planet and it is now tangible. I dream of seeing the vast plains, and oh... the animals... the large herds, the elephants and lions, and to see and meet the beautiful people who inhabit this big land. If I close my eyes and think about it I can smell the warm air drawing me... closer and closer each day.
It is with such a full heart that I prepare for this journey, this adventure. It brings back the feelings I had prior to going to Peru- the feeling that my life was about to change, and so welcomed a thought. One can never be the same after traveling. Like Peru I know Africa holds ancient energy- and I know too that all I see will not be pleasant or easy to see, that my heart will bare witness to much human suffering, and as that acknowledgment is deeply felt I can in the same instance hardly contain the anticipation I feel to stand upon the earth there... to feel her, and soak in all that she has to teach me.

I have much to do and prepare for as I will be photographing the work being done at the clinic and telling the story of this village, Kopanga, so that others may see and be moved and inspired to reach out as these doctors and nurses of Partners for Progress have done. Check them out at- uspartnersforprogress.org

Thank you Universe! Bless you -bless you- bless you.