All in Animals
March 19, 1995 — June 23, 2026
“The incomparable and much-loved Jake was humanely laid to rest on June 23, 2026. At age 31, we could see that the end was drawing near, but he had good days right up until the end. Maybe he somehow knew a “date with destiny” had been set for the next week, and decided to take himself out on his own terms…”
“She’s more than 30 feet long, and has surely come to this beautiful lagoon midway down the west coast of the Baja California peninsula for dozens of winters. I am amazed how she seems simply to emerge, ghostlike at first, then as mottled slate-dark rising from below.”
“The contender arrives at the start of the event believing in the possibilities, and more often than not goes home without “winning.” The contender is a lost name, over time. Who ever remembers even those with the silver or bronze medals, much less no prize at all?”
“It’s been since September 15, more than two months, so it is time at last to write about the heartache of letting go of my beloved Amazing Grace, aka Mayzie… Gosh, that German shepherd could be frustrating! I liked to describe her as my “high functioning autistic ADHD dog,” because truly, that girl was special. Yet even so, how could I not be smitten by her perpetual eagerness, her happy manner, her insistence that it was time for a break when I’d been working too long or intensely?”
“Here’s the routine at our house when it’s time for the dog to go out. There’s no doggy-door. There’s no letting her out to roam (I’m too paranoid of skunk stink for that). We always go out together. She relieves herself, and I get the excuse of grabbing some fresh air, a look at the sky, and the chance to hear the quiet of my rural place.”
“…While deeply appreciative of all winged creatures, I haven’t (yet) made time to learn their names and details… Still, it was mesmerizing to watch the birds as we crossed the Bering Sea…”
“One thing I have learned while on a wilderness adventure is to harness expectations and just wait and see how things unfold. This is especially true of wildlife viewing.”
“This watery world yields an exciting brew of critters! Lots of them are just cruising through seasonally… making for great wildlife viewing when steaming across the Bering Sea.”
“It begins with an impression of presence, then your eyes discern a change in the darkness of the water, then… Right there! See it? A whale!”
“In Antarctica, a good pair of binoculars and patience while scanning the surface of the water and icebergs were the keys to success.“
“This chinstrap penguin looking directly into the camera can’t possibly be for real...can it?”
“So here I am, with a dog who is not search and rescue material and a horse who doesn’t jump.”
“The contender is that person who knows full well that the competition includes others who are more likely to win, but who enters the arena nonetheless.”
“A 60 year old elephant, dead. Shot and killed. Boom! Gone. How can there be anything right about the “right” of anyone to do that?”
“Owning horses is not the same as being a horseman. One of my best role-models for the honor of being called a “horseman” is my friend and trainer, Kathy.”
“Jake’s ribbons signify so much more than a notch in my belt. They signify the desire to test our abilities, the hope of doing myself (and my horse, and my trainer, and those on my team) proud…”
