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June Blog

6/1/2020

I can pray...
and I can hope,
but can I stop worrying???

written by Yvonne Dagger

I've always found great solace in praying. Most of the time I will be praying for someone. a family member, a friend or even a stranger. However, I always found it really difficult to pray for myself. I always thought that I'm not worthy to ask for anything for myself. I also found it rather egotistical to pray for myself. Until one day a friend of mine told me that every prayer big or small is important in your life...even if the prayer is for you. She continued to go on and told me that she had prayed for a good parking space that day and low and behold she got one! Asking in prayer, then, became easier for me to ask for prayer for myself. As a Roman Catholic when I pray, I pray to God, Jesus, Jesus' mom and dad, Mary & Joseph and all of the angels and saints. To you it may be someone or something completely different. Whatever or whoever it is, it's always such a comfort to know that we can count on them. That feeling of comfort may last for a long time or may be very briefly felt. For the most part, I am comforted by knowing that I am cared for and loved by those who listened to my prayer. However, most of the time I fall back into the worrying time again. Saint Padre Pio tells us to "Pray, Hope and Don't Worry." They are beautiful words for sure. It's a lovely message. But, am I really going to pay close attention to message of each word? When I reflect on those words I know that I can pray...and I can hope, but truthfully...I have a hard time with those last two little words...DON'T WORRY. To me, it's not that easy of a statement to live by especially in our current pandemic. Pray, sure! Hope, got it. But, worry?? that's a completely different word all together. Those five little letters can cause a multitude of stress and angst for me and many people. And why not? You might ask. After all, we are going through an unprecedented time right now. Everyday we are given the facts about the COVID-19 Virus and then the next day we are given more facts, new facts to add to the ones we thought were the only facts, but, the old facts that we were given the days before changed and we were given new facts. Sounds confusing...well, it is!!! So, why wouldn't we worry? We do, after all, have a lot to be worrisome about. Will I get the virus or will someone I know get it? Will the kids go back to school in the fall? Will the economy recover? When will we be able to hug someone with our arms? And the biggie: When will there be a cure, a treatment or vaccine for this virus? Those are real worries!! And I worry about them all.

I once knew of a man who said that his wife worried about worrying! I feel sometimes that I'm that woman😁 But, seriously, worrying about what's to come can be destructive to our mental and physical health.

So, why do we worry? According to WedMD,🐶 There are several reasons for worrying, Robert L. Leahy, PhD, the author of The Worry Cure: 7 Steps to Stop Worry From Stopping You and the director of the American Institute for Cognitive Therapy in New York City, explains that, "People worry because they think something bad will happen or could happen, so they activate a hypervigilant strategy of worry and think that 'if I worry I can prevent this bad thing from happening or catch it early,'" Leahy says. Put another way: If you didn't worry, things might get out of hand. The worrier's credo is that if you can simply imagine something bad happening, it's your responsibility to worry about it."🐶

The question is: "How can we train ourselves to worry less and maybe even stop worrying? Doctor Leahy, has 9 "Worry-Busting Steps" to help us get through the worrying part of this challenging time in our lives.

🐶 "9 Worry-Busting Steps
No. 1. Make a list of your worries. Identify what you are worried about, says Leahy.

No. 2. Analyze the list. "Look at whether your worry is productive or unproductive," Leahy says. A productive worry is one that you can do something about right now. For example, "I am going to Italy, so I may be worried about making plane and hotel reservations," he says. "This is a productive worry because I can take action now by going online to make reservations."
By contrast, an unproductive worry is one which you can't do anything about. "It is more of a proliferation of 'what ifs,' over which you have no control and there is no productive action that will lead to a solution," Leahy says. For example, losing sleep and worrying about whether or not you will get cancer is unproductive.

No. 3. Embrace uncertainty. Once you have isolated your unproductive worries, it's time to identify what you need to accept in order to get over them, Leahy says. You may need to accept your own limitations or it may be a degree of uncertainty that you need to accept. For example, you very well may get cancer some day as no one really knows what the future holds. "Many worried people equate uncertainty with a bad outcome, but uncertainty is really neutral," he says. "When you accept uncertainty, you don't have to worry anymore. Acceptance means noticing that uncertainty exists and letting go and focusing on the things that you can control, enjoy, or appreciate."

No. 4. Bore yourself calm. "Repeat a feared thought over and over and it will become boring and will go away," Leahy says. If your fear is dying of cancer, look in the mirror and say, "I may die of cancer. I may die of cancer." Say it enough and it will lose its power.

No 5. Make yourself uncomfortable. "Worriers feel that they can't tolerate discomfort, but if you practice discomfort, you will accomplish a lot more," Leahy says. "The goal is to be able to do what you don't want to do or things that make you uncomfortable." Worriers tend to avoid new things and situations that make them uncomfortable, such as parties or public speaking engagements. The preemptive worry helps them avoid discomfort, but if you force yourself to do the very things that make you uncomfortable, you will rely less on worry as a coping strategy.

No 6. Stop the clock. "Worried people often have a sense of urgency," Leahy says. "They think, 'I need the answer right now and if I don't get it then something terrible will happen.'" Look at the advantages and disadvantages of demanding such urgency. "Rather than focus on the sense of urgency, instead focus on what you observe right now," Leahy says. "Ask yourself, 'What can I do in the present moment to make my life more pleasant or meaningful?'" he says. "You can either focus your mind on getting an answer right now or focus on improving the moment." The latter is the better strategy. Take a deep breath, read, or listen to music to stop the clock and curtail your anxiety.

No 7. Remember that it's never as bad as you think it will be. Anxiety or worry is all about anticipation. The 'what ifs' are always way worse than how you feel when something actually happens. "Worriers tend to worry about things that even if they happen, they can handle it," Leahy says. "Worriers are actually good at handling real problems."

No 8. Cry out loud. "The emotional part of the brain -- the amygdala -- is suppressed when you worry," Leahy explains. "The emotion kicks in later with gastrointestinal symptoms, fatigue or rapid heart rate. Use your emotions; don't try to get rid of them because when you are crying or angry, you are not worried."

No 9. Talk about it. Beside the cognitive therapy techniques mentioned above -- which can help change troublesome behaviors -- talk therapy can also help chronic worriers worry less by getting to the root of their issues. Often talk therapy and cognitive behavior therapy can work together, Taub says."

After reading these helpful tips, I think I can do a better job of worrying less. I can't promise anything...but, I will give it a try. How about you? Are you a worrier too? Let me know. After all, misery needs company😁😁

Whatever happens...
I am going to do the best I can and try not to worry about what is to come. I will pray about it and hope for a better tomorrow.
🙏🏻

Stay Well. Stay Safe. And Please, Don't Worry!
Happy Tales to you,
xoxo Yvonne

🐶 Bibliography
WebMD
9 Steps to End Chronic WorryingExperts explain how to reduce excessive worrying that can have mental and physical effects.
By Denise Mann
://www.webmd.com/balance/features/9-steps-to-end-chronic-worrying#1

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May Blog

5/1/2020

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Written By Yvonne Dagger

We adopted Tommy on October 28th, 2007. His name was originally "Jake." We liked the name Jake, however, our neighbors dog was named Jake...so, we thought that it would get a bit confusing over the years with dogs that lived next to each other had the same name. Plus we really thought he looked like a Tommy....The "TuTu' was added as the years passed and we really got to know our Tommy TuTu.
Tommy was our first and as it has turned out...our ONLY Pure Breed Dog to date. Tommy was from an very elite group of Pedigree dogs called the Kentucky Derby line of Beagles. He was registered Under the American Pet Registry and named "A Million Dollar Baby" and The Copper Penny Breed. He was a 15 inch tri-color beagle. Whenever I'd read his lineage I was impressed. So regal and so very special.

I met Tommy TuTu for the very first time at the Park Animal Hospital. He was being boarded there because his owners had medical issues and were unable to care for a puppy of 6 months old. We had just lost our beloved beagle Melvin and the doctors at the hospital knew that we were interested in a third beagle. Maggie and Jimmy were left of our three beagles. So, the great doctors at the Park Animal Hospital, Dr.s Jane & Jim and the Vet Tech, Cathy, who knew how special our beagles were to us, contacted us and wanted to know if we were interested in adopting Tommy. We would then become a three family beagle brigade again! How wonderful!, I thought. Cathy suggested that I bring the other two beagles to meet this new little puppy...Just to see if they'd get along. I will never forget that day...The weather was incredible! It was pouring rain! But, I didn't let that deter me from meeting Tommy. I took Maggie & Jimmy with me over to the hospital in the torrential rain to meet Tommy. We waited in the examination room to meet our potential new friend. When the door opened a scared, super sensitive little puppy ran right between my legs and stayed there throughout our visit. Of course, Maggie and Jimmy nosied around...sniffing Tommy everywhere. It seemed that they would be ok with each other AND... I knew right then and there that this little boy was mine. It's funny as the years passed Tommy became more and more attached to me. He followed me around the house and found a place to curl up and lay his head when I was working in an area. I had "Tommy" beds everywhere. I knew that there was some sort of separation anxiety...I just didn't know that it was me that felt the separation anxiety the most. I always thought it was him. I am missing him more since he ventured over the Rainbow Bridge with each day that passes.

I think what I miss most was that Tommy was a true character. When we got the "Papers" from his original owners, in the packet was a note telling us what Tommy liked, what his daily routine was like etc.

They wrote that Tommy loved socks, oven mitts and dish towels. "That's common", I thought. What I didn't realize at the time was that he loved socks so much that he ATE the socks. Socks, very often, got Tommy in the most trouble. Most of the time he did end up at the Park Animal Hospital to get x-rayed to try to locate the sock. One such time was when Denis and I had gone to a concert in NYC. We always had our Doggie Sitter, Gabby, watch the dogs for us while we were out. Unfortunately, Gabby was unable to do it that night, but she referred her friend Bobbie" to come over to sit with the dogs. Bobbie was a wonderful young man. While we were at the concert my cell phone rang...a very distressed and panicked Bobbie was on the other line. "Mrs. Dagger, he cried, "Tommy just ate one of my socks!" I replied, "Are you sure of this, Bobbie?" He answered with even more panic in his voice..."He ate it right before my eyes. I tried to get it away from him, but he swallowed it before I could even get to him." I told him to give Tommy a slice of bread with butter smeared on it...sometimes this helps to get them to throw up the sock. He did just as I suggested. Tommy ate the bread and walked away like the "king of the sock dog." We rushed home only to see a very anxious and stressed out dog sitter who was clearly apologetic. I felt so bad for Bobbie. But, this was Tommy...in true fashion. The next day I took Tommy to the Park Animal Hospital to get X-rayed. After a few days in the hospital, the doctors told us that there was no sign of the sock. I always thought that Tommy had another pocket in his body made just for socks 😁 The doctors suggested us taking Tommy home since he was eating and looking good. That afternoon, I went and picked Tommy up. On the way home from the hospital Tommy threw the sock up in the car. Yup, Tommy was a real character. By the way...we never saw Bobbie again.

I could go on and on about Tommy TuTuism's. In his later years he became a media sensation. In fact, more people from all over the world expressed they deepest condolences when they heard he had passed. People loved him. He was so photogenic. But, most importantly he was loving, gentle, smart as a whip and a real character. To us he was just Tommy TuTu...We had many nicknames for Tommy..."Bob Barker Marker. Little pain in the drain and Tommy TooDaLooToo." He certainly gave us 13 1/2 years of sheer delight and kept us on our toes with his antics. We will miss him dearly. But, toward the end of his life, we knew that Tommy was not feeling his eager, spunky self anymore. It was heartbreaking to let him go.

It's a funny thing...Life...I met Tommy up at the Park Animal Hospital through Cathy and it was Cathy that held Tommy in his last minutes here on earth. I will always treasure her love and compassion and all of the Doctors and staff at the Park Animal Hospital for Tommy in my heart forever.

Well, thank you for reading about Tommy TuTu.
He will be forever in our hearts and souls.

With love and gratitude,
Yvonne

Pretend "Veterinarian" Maddie Dagger set up a Animal Hospital with Tommy as one of her patients. All of the other patients were stuffed animals. He was such a good sport! Circa 2010

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April Blog

4/1/2020

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I Saw a Cardinal from a Distance
by Yvonne Dagger

"Cardinal" 8"x10" Oil on Canvas by Yvonne Dagger

The other day as I was looking out of my studio window I saw a Cardinal sitting on a branch in a very large tree in my neighbors yard. The little red bird was alone. Sitting and looking from the height of the tree, he seemed isolated, yet I'm sure he knew that his fellow bird friends were close by. In fact, shortly after seeing this little red bird, I saw another red cardinal on another branch on the large tree.
"Wow..., I thought, "they're practicing "Social distancing" too." 😁

In the last month and a half, here in America
and all across the globe,
we humans have added many new phrases
to our vocabulary such as:
Social Distancing
Flattening the Curve
Self-Quarantine
Super-Spreader
Community Spread
Patient Zero

We are asked by Dr. Anthony Fauci, an infectious disease expert, to "Hunker Down" meaning that we should stay in place...stay at home with the hashtag #AloneTogether. Our New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo, talks about the Apex and flattening the curve...an apex, I've since learned, is the upper most point on a curved path. These phrases have become of late common place. We speak of them as if they had been a part of our speech for years. Yet, they are all new and quite honestly scary. It has become for all of us throughout the world a very frightening and uncertain time.

As social creatures, many have found the "isolation" part of this pandemic stressful and unnatural. It's in our nature to be social. I think of phrases such as "Reach out and touch someone" and "Give a hug and make someone's day." Not now, though. Now we have to refrain from doing these things. We must adhere to the guidelines placed by the doctors our leaders in order to stop the spread of this deadly COVID-19 virus. And it's not easy!!

Our lives have changed drastically. People are out of work. Schools, colleges and Universities are closed. Stores are closed. Churches are not holding services and mass. Movie theaters are closed. Broadway in New York is closed. Restaurants are only serving take out and you have to pick most up at the curbside. Only essential businesses are open and even they are taking great precaution when serving the public. It is unprecedented and extremely way out of the ordinary for us humans. Personally, Dagger and I have had to put his workshops on hold until it is safe to venture out again. It's sad because our main purpose as a team was always to bring education and community service to the patrons and students in libraries and schools. As a result of this isolation, we are unable to share Dagger's message and give the funds we receive to charity. BUT, we a hopeful that one day soon we will be back to doing what we love so much.

What I have found very interesting during this time are all of the TV, entertainers, comedians and movie stars who have taken to social media to share with the public. Most are cooking and sharing their recipes and creations with the world. And then some are just talking and sharing their thoughts. It's a great way to keep connected with the outside world. Somehow these sharing's make one feel less alone. That's such a God send.

Social media channels truly keep us connected through the waves of technology.

Technology has also helped with schools and teachers. Children are able to get their assignments on a tablet and have a meeting with their teacher through an app called "Zoom." I never heard of Zoom before, but now it is part of my daily language. By the way, if you don't know what "Zoom" is...it's a video communication and conferencing device to connect others through video and chat.
Very cool!
There are many God sends that this challenging time has sent to us.

With all that is going on how can we look on the bright side of things?

I know that with all that we have to encounter currently, we can lose sight of the bright spots in our lives. And if we find ourselves getting to a point where we'll feel like we're "loosing it" we can bring ourselves back to a place that makes us feel happy and comforted. That place could be a summer scene on the beach or a family gathering. Whatever it is, it does help to take the stress away.
Then think of all of the people and pets who you love and love you in your life. Make an imaginary circle of love in your mind with the people and pets in your life. These are the things that help me get through the tough times. It truly does help...it's so comforting and calms me down so much.

Another great way of brightening your days is to FaceTime your relatives. We do that all of the time with our grandchildren. It's a fun time. We love it!!❤️

Being isolated from others is also a wonderful opportunity to do something that you've been meaning to do and that you've never had the time for. Actually starting and finishing a project around the house is a marvelous way of using your time wisely. Read a book, watch an upbeat, funny video or movie. Paint and/or draw a work of art, begin writing a journal and or a book. Do a puzzle. I love word searches😁 I try to time myself and as I do more and more I get faster and faster at solving them. It's fun!

In addition, you can practice random acts of kindness by thanking all of the people out on the front lines working to save lives...the healthcare professionals for humans and pets, the grocery workers, truck drivers, delivery people, postal workers, your mail person and on and on...Think of the myriad of ways you can contribute just by staying home and sending a big thank you out through social media. The examples are endless. You could even give your neighbor's a call and brighten their day. There are so many ways to feel that you've added positive energy to you life and the life of others. It's a remarkable thing , but whenever I send or say "thank you" to someone I feel better than the receiver of the thank you. ❤️🦋😁

Take a moment right now and listen to the birds outside...they are singing songs of hope and happy days ahead. It's a beautiful song of springtime and new life.

Isolation is what we make of it. It takes a great deal of patience and discipline. I'm sure that those two little red cardinals I saw sitting on different branches of that big tree knew that each were there even though they were a distance apart. Like the little red cardinals, we need to be reassured that people are there for us...
maybe not at an arms distance or even a paws/hands distance...
But they are there for us...
praying for us, caring for us
and wishing us the best of health and happiness.
I wish that for all of you😘
Can you do the same for me?
🌸THANK YOU...(I feel better all ready😁)🌸

🦋💐💐🌷🌹🌸🌼🌺
God Bless you all.
Have a blessed
🦋🌸Easter and Passover!🌸🦋
Please Be healthy and Be safe,
Happy tales to you,
xoxo Yvonne

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March Blog

3/1/2020

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I find writing monthly blogs a really good thing. I often reach deep within myself to find the thing that I want to convey to my readers for the month.

January and February were kind of a blur to me. I had major surgery on January 23rd. So, February was a month of recovery. Now that I am on the mend, I'm once again reaching into my soul to find some inspirational message I'd like for all of you to take from this blog. This month I'm concentrating on one word "Gratitude." The gratitude that we feel when someone does something nice for us. The gratitude that feel when we do something nice for someone else. There are many people that I have had the greatest pleasure of having the word gratitude show its full meaning to me.

Ann Barile and Dagger DogVinci

One such woman is Ann Barile. Ann is such a great mentor to me. She has taught me so many things since we met years ago. Her love and care for Dagger and I go beyond measure. Ann is not only a dear, dear friend, but she is also a strong advocate for Dagger's well being. Dagger's "Auntie" Ann has been by our side at every workshop in the past three years traveling with us, taking care of the logistics and making sure Dagger is comfortable while I speak and talk to the students and patrons. Ann is constantly inspiring and teaching me. I am so grateful and blessed to know her.

Another person I've always admired over the years is Saint Mother Teresa. I had the great honor on June 26th, 1986 to see her at an event she was speaking at. I knew when she was speaking that she was already a saint. In fact, at the time she was known throughout the world as a "Living Saint." I remember the day like it was yesterday. I got to the cathedral early, as many of the attendees did. My seat was very close to where she was to speak. But, if anyone knows me well, they know that I'm notoriously the person kneeling to get the best photos of anyone I admire...that includes my kids and grandkids. What I didn't know at the time was that a professional photographer for the Long Island Catholic was there taking pictures and he shot the one on this blog of me as I was waiting for Mother Teresa to arrive.

Me listening to Mother Teresa June 26, 1986 at St. Agnes Cathedral

I was full of anticipation and excitement as I waited and waited for what seemed to be forever for this person I had adored for so long to enter the Cathedral. In my mind she was a giant, a strong woman that I knew had been known for helping the poorest of the poor. However, to my surprise, a small, frail, woman hunched over slowly walked onto the altar making her way over to the podium wearing a white sarong with a blue border and sandals. My first thought was..."She's so tiny and frail...how can she be so strong and powerful? How can a woman who appeared weak and delicate take care of the sick and poor when she herself looked to me to be so defenseless." That was until she began to speak. Her words were so profound and full of strength and conviction. I held on to each one like they were the last words I would ever hear in my entire life. And, my goodness, I learned at that moment to not let that frail seemingly vulnerable stature fool you... she was one of the strongest women I had ever met.

She spoke about the way in which we can all do good deeds and help others. What made a great impact on me was when she spoke about the children of the world and how concerned she was about them. She said that if we want to see our children grow up as good citizens we must be good examples to them. She added that we must be watchful about who they hang out with...using the expression, "Birds of a feather flock together." Then she said that, "Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love." Dagger and I try to do that whenever we can. Believe me...we are not living saints, but we try everyday to make our little world a better place.

Saint Mother Teresa was a shining example of how we should all live our lives. She lived her life simply giving of herself always. Yet, she was always concerned about her own health and welfare. She took care of body by taking vitamins and eating the right foods. She took care of her soul by praying and attending mass everyday. In fact, when she wanted to start her order "The Missionaries of Charity" back in 1950, the Pope told her to make sure that she take vitamins everyday and get a physical every year. She made a promise to him that she would do that always.

I will never forget the day I was in the presence of Saint Mother Teresa. We have living saints that we meet everyday in our lives like the Ann Barile's and the Mother Teresa's. They are ordinary people who do extraordinary things. They are the people that make a difference in the world. I'm sure we all know who they are.

While I am recuperating from my surgery, I've had a lot of time to think and reflect on how truly blessed I am to have you all in my life. I heard from everyone. Your thoughts and prayers mean the world to me. You've helped me recover quickly. You sent your positive vibes and messages to me giving me the strength to heal much faster. For that and many other things you all do...I am so very grateful.

So, as I close this March Blog to you, I leave you with this message...
Look around...you'll see the people and animals who make your world a better place. They are the living saints in your life. Tell me about them in the comments below. I'd love to hear your stories.
You are all so very special to me. I will hold your love, your concern, your prayers and your thoughts about me and my speedy recovery in my heart forever😘❤️

Have a Happy March!
And if you celebrate St Patrick's Day 🍀
and/or St. Joseph's Day enjoy every minute😘

Happy Tales to you,
xoxo Yvonne

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February Blog

2/1/2020

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Dagger and I wish you all a very Happy Valentine's Day filled with love and joy.
Please continue to reach out to others in love and kindness.
I know you know that we can all use a little love and kindness in our world.
Keep creating, learning and inspiring others❤️
Valentine Blessings😘
Happy Tales to you,
Yvonne

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January Blog

1/1/2020

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Having a Dream

💞😁 Happy New Year!!!😁💞

As I begin a new year, I am reminded of the circle of life: its beginnings, endings and every experience in between. I pray that 2020 will be a year full of hope, good health, prosperity, peace and love. It's good to reflect on the past, knowing that in the future we will be the best we can be. It's also good to keep dreaming big and think passionately.

This month we celebrate the greatness of Martin Luther King Jr. Dr King had a dream. His hope was that one day all people would be considered equal. His "I Have a Dream" speech came to be regarded as one of the finest speeches in American oratory (Wikipedia~ Marten Luther King Jr.) His speech begins by saying, "I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It's a dream deeply rooted in the American dream."

We can still dream...we can still hope in a better tomorrow. We can start with one small act of kindness...Just one small act of kindness will make the world a better place. I met a woman in my orthopedic doctors office today who said, that even our smile is contagious. How great is that!! A smile is a universally known communicative tool. Every nation and country in the world can understand that small gesture: a smile😍

However, its' a hard thing to do when we are challenged on a daily basis by negativity. But we must make 2020 a year of positive affirmation. A year full of kindness and love. Just think... that if everyone does one act of kindness a day our hope for peace in the world would be attainable. That's dreaming big, for sure!!

Dagger is a great example of how kindness can be shared. Each day I post a positive message on Dagger's Social Media Channels. But that's not what makes Dagger special. When people meet Dagger they are whisked away into this world of peace, love, comfort and joy. It's amazing how his artistic talents are second to his love of ALL people.

Dagger and I had a dream. The dream was to one day see him help a person with a disability. But God had another plan for Dagger... In a way, that dream really did come to fruition...it's just changed a bit. He is still helping. He is still making the lives he touches happier. However, he's now a talented artist giving all of the money he makes from his paintings and workshops/demonstrations to charity. And that is why I call Dagger "The Do Good Dog" 😁 As a certified therapy dog for TDI, Dagger brings comfort to all he meets.

Dagger's message of education and community service resonates where ever we go.
The hope for 2020 is that we will be able to continue our mission and that we will stay strong and healthy throughout the year.

🎉🎉 Happy New Year, Everyone! 🎉🎉

Happy tales to you,
xoxo Yvonne

The National Calendar is a great resource for me as I write the daily posts on Dagger's Social Media Channels. This month of January we look forward to...
January 14th National Dress Up Your Pet Day

January 15th National Hat Day
(a perfect day to talk about Dagger's Red Beret)

January 16th National Nothing Day
(Dagger knows a lot about nothing😁)

January 20th Martin Luther King Jr. Day

January 21st National Hugging Day ( I LOVE hugs❤️)

January 22nd National Library Selfie Day

January 24th National Peanut Butter Day
(One of Dagger's favorite foods💕)

January 24th National Compliment day

January 25th National Opposites Day
(That's a day for my husband and I...we're as opposite as you can get😘)

January 31st National Inspire Your Heart with Art Day

Wow❤️! That's a month full of great National Days.
There's a lot more too!!

ENJOY every day😘

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December Blog

12/1/2019

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A TIME TO LIGHT THE WAY

During this time of the year many religions use candles as part of their holiday traditions.

The Jewish people light a Menorah during Hanukkah. "On each of the eight nights, a candle is lit in a special menorah (candelabra) called a 'hanukkiyah'." It is aptly called the "Jewish Festival of Lights."

In the Roman Catholic and Christian traditions a set of four Advent candles are used signifying Hope; Peace; Joy and Love and a fifth candle in the center representing Jesus. They're lit on each of the weeks leading up to the birth of Christ. The Advent wreath signifies the waiting and anticipation of Jesus' birth and the preparation needed to welcome Him once again into their lives.

"Kwanzaa is a seven day festival that celebrates African and African American culture and history. Kwanzaa takes place from 26th December to 1st January. During Kwanzaa a special candle holder called a kinara is used. A kinara holds seven candles, three red ones on the left, three green ones on the right with a black candle in the center. Each night during Kwanzaa a candle is lit. The black, center, candle is lit first and then it alternates between the red and green candles stating with the ones on the outside and moving inwards. This is quite similar to the lighting of the menorah in the Jewish Festival of Lights, Hanukkah." All of these rituals signify the hope and joy of the season.

What is it about lights and lighting candles that makes us so joyous and hopeful?
Is it a way of showing our homage and paying tribute to something or someone? Or is it a way of heralding in a new beginning? I think it's both.

We use candles to celebrate birthdays, holidays and special events. According to Wonderopolis, "for the Ancient Greeks, putting candles on a cake was a special way to pay tribute to the Greek moon goddess, Artemis. They baked round cakes to symbolize the moon. ... People may have believed that the smoke from the candles carried their wishes and prayers to gods who lived in the skies."

Light is extremely significant to all life. Sunlight gives us much needed Vitamin D and shines on vegetation thus giving plants their green color. The stars in the sky shed light on the earth and were used to guide the Magi to the child Jesus. Light guides our way when we drive in our cars and a plane takes off and lands on a runway. My husband uses a flashing light when he takes the dogs out for their walk at night. And on and on...Light is so important.

But, what about the dark? Many people love the dark. I, for one, am not one of them. Comparing light to dark is a paradox of sorts. While they are opposites, each adds feelings of emotion to the beholder. Take Dagger, for instance, he'd prefer to be in the light than the dark. You see, he's extremely afraid of the dark. I think that says a lot about Dagger. He really is a dog that lights the way for so many people. I believe that his loving the light so much and many other attributes make Dagger a very special dog.

Each of us has a light burning inside of us yearning to shine brightly for all the world to see. It's so important to share that light with others through acts of kindness and love. especially during the holidays. Sharing our Time, Talents and Treasures will not only make the recipient feel good, but most importantly it makes us feel good too. Dagger shares his little light everyday with everyone he meets. His little light shines through his eyes which I feel are the windows to his soul. He's truly a blessing.

So, how can we let our little lights shine? Perhaps, this Holiday Season we might want to set some time aside to visit a shelter...During the holidays, the animals in the shelters are very often forgotten about because people are so busy. Another great suggestion is to help out at a Food Pantry or Soup Kitchen. Bringing holiday cheer to the homeless will brighten their day. Or get a toy for a child and bring it to a participating "Toys for Tots" collector.

Whatever you do, let your light shine as brightly as it can to light your way to true happiness this Holiday Season!!!

🙏🏻 Holiday Blessings 🙏🏻

Happy Tales to you,
xoxo Yvonne

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November Blog

11/1/2019

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Thank You...
We say "Thank You" when someone does something nice for us. We feel thankful when we do something nice for someone else. We are grateful for the people and animals in our lives. We give thanks for them. Giving thanks is the simplest yet most generous way of expressing the way we feel about those around us.
It costs nothing. It's truly priceless.

On Thursday, November 28th, 2019 we will be celebrating Thanksgiving here in the United States of America. Families and friends will gather around the Thanksgiving table to share a harvest meal together. Depending upon your families traditions, a Thanksgiving meal is as diversified and unique as the many nationalities that inhabit our great land...from sea to shining sea.🇺🇸

When I was growing up in our "Italian/American" household, a Thanksgiving meal consisted of...antipasto; lasagna; tossed salad with oil and vinegar; turkey; mashed potatoes; gravy; sides of vegetables; whipped sweet potatoes with mini marshmallows melted on the top; nuts (in the shells that you cracked yourself); dried & fresh fruit; Italian pastries; cookies; pumpkin & apple pies...apple cider, seltzer, wine, coffee and tea. WHEW!!!! And "mangiare" (eat up in Italian) we did!! We often laughed because by the time we served the turkey we were all full. The turkey was an after thought during our "Italian" Thanksgiving feast. Our grandparents (from "the other side") wouldn't have wanted it any other way. That is until one day my dad made an announcement... 'This year, he said, we're going to have a real American Pilgrim Thanksgiving." So, we deserted the Italian cuisine and went with a more traditional menu. In fact, my dad did his fact finding about the harvest festival celebrated by the Pilgrims after their first harvest in the New World in October 1621 which is commonly called the "First Thanksgiving." We welcomed the new tradition with open arms. We had New England Clam Chowder with corn; turkey; stuffing, mashed potatoes, whipped sweet potato casserole with tiny marshmallows melted on the top. (Yup, I know...I know...the Pilgrims did not have tiny marshmallows and sausage stuffing, but we had to have the marshmallows and sausage stuffing!!!). To us, we now enjoyed a "traditional" Thanksgiving dinner that most Americans were enjoying as well. I never felt bad about deserting all of the Italian dishes because we saved all of them for other more religious holidays. Besides, as Americans we felt the need to embrace our American roots. I'll never forget that year...it was a new beginning for my family.

This year will also mark a new beginning for my family, albeit a sad one.

This year is going to be very different for me and my family. Loosing my twin sister, Yolande, on October 20th 2019 is still quite painful. I'm thankful for the years I had with her. I'm thankful for the love she shared with me everyday. I can only imagine that as we celebrate all of the ways God has blessed us this Thanksgiving and future Thanksgivings that she is smiling down from Heaven knowing that we tried our very best to give thanks always. That's how she lived her life everyday!!
Taking the time to be thankful for all of our blessings is all part of the Thanksgiving Holiday.
I want to take this time to thank you my global family for everything that you do to make my world a better place 😘

Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving, everyone!!!

Happy tales to you,
xoxo Yvonne

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October Blog

10/1/2019

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🎃Happy October!🎃

There are many reasons for Dagger and I to be happy.
First and foremost, Dagger and I are still giving DogVinci Workshops, painting and making a difference in the world. That alone makes me very happy.

On October 20, 2019, Dagger will be the guest of honor at the AKC Museum of the Dog. He will be doing painting demonstrations for the visitors and meeting & greeting everyone that comes to their library from 11AM-1PM.
That's happiness personified😁

To add to this happiness...October is full of National Days to celebrate. There's National Black Dog Day; National Name Your Car Day; National Inner Beauty Day; National Bring Your Teddy Bear to Work/School Day; Columbus Day; National Make a Dog's Day Day; National Pumpkin Day and Halloween!!!!🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃 AND many more!!

I love National Days. I feel that National Days help us center on positive events. It's fun to learn about all sorts of things and causes that effect our lives.
I especially love the ones that include dogs in them🐶 As I've mentioned in my previous Blogs, education is key to all that we do in life. The National Day's also help to educate us about various events that happen in the USA🇺🇸and throughout the world 🌎 That makes my heart sign and Dagger's tail wag ❤️🐶

The other thing I love about October is everything pumpkin, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin pie...all things pumpkin. For years now, I've been adding Farmers Market Organic Pumpkin puree to all of our dogs meals. It comes in a container. I add a table spoon to eat meal. Just make sure that it's NOT Pumpkin Pie puree which actually has added spices and sugar in its ingredients. Pumpkin puree has added nutrients and aids in a dogs digestive system. Never give your dogs raw or uncooked pumpkin and pumpkins that have rotted.

And finally...
HALLOWEEN!!!

Super Dog Dagger DogVinci

Halloween is an annual holiday celebrated each year on October 31. I love to see the little trick or treaters all dressed up in their favorite super hero or character costumes. However, Halloween can be a dangerous and stressful time when it comes to our pets. In our home we've learned over the years that we've had to resort to an alternative plan with the constant door bell ringing and possibility of one of our dogs escaping. Believe it or not, that mild manner, gentle dog Dagger is an alarm barker. Multiply that by two other alarm barking dogs and it can be a recipe for a stress filled time. So, what we do is place a decorated table on the front stoop of the house with a big plastic pumpkin filled with the most popular candy and a sign asking the trick or treaters "On their honor... to take one." This has been so successful for us.

While preparing this blog I came across PETMD's "10 easy tips to skip the stress and keep your pets safe this Halloween." I found them very helpful...
I hope you do too🎃
1. Trick-or-treat candies are not for pets.All forms of chocolate—especially baking or dark chocolate—can be dangerous, even lethal, for dogs and cats. Symptoms of chocolate poisoning may include vomiting, diarrhea, rapid breathing, increased heart rate, and seizures. Halloween candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can also be poisonous to dogs. Even small amounts of xylitol can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar and subsequent loss of coordination and seizures. “Xylitol ingestion can also cause liver failure in dogs, even if they don’t develop symptoms associated with low blood sugar,” adds Dr. Jennifer Coates, veterinary advisor with petMD. And while xylitol toxicity in cats has yet to be established, it's better to be safe than sorry.

2. Don't leave pets out in the yard on Halloween.Vicious pranksters have been known to tease, injure, steal, and even kill pets on Halloween night. Inexcusable? Yes! But preventable nonetheless. Black cats are especially at risk from pranks or other cruelty-related incidents. In fact, many shelters do not adopt out black cats during the month of October as a safety precaution. Make sure your black cats are safely housed indoors around Halloween.

3. Keep pets confined and away from the door. Indoors is certainly better than outdoors on Halloween, but your door will be constantly opening and closing, and strangers will be on your doorstep dressed in unusual costumes. This, of course, can be scary for our furry friends, which can result in escape attempts or unexpected aggression. Putting your dog or cat in a secure crate or room away from the front door will reduce stress and prevent them from darting outside into the night…a night when no one wants to be searching for a lost loved one.

4. Keep glow sticks away from pets. While glow sticks can help keep people safe on Halloween night, they can add some unwanted drama to the holiday if a pet chews one open. “Thankfully, the liquid inside glow sticks is non-toxic, so it won’t actually make pets sick,” Coates says, “but it does taste awful.” Pets who get into a glow stick may drool, paw at their mouth, become agitated, and sometimes even vomit. Coates recommends that if your pet does chew on a glow stick, “offer some fresh water or a small meal to help clear the material out of the mouth.”

5. Keep Halloween plants such as pumpkins and corn out of reach. While small amounts of corn and pumpkin can be fed safely to many pets, ingesting uncooked, potentially moldy Halloween pumpkins or corn displays can cause big problems. Gastrointestinal upset is a possibility whenever pets eat something they aren’t used to, and intestinal blockage can occur if large pieces are swallowed. Coates adds that “some types of mold produce mycotoxins that can cause neurologic problems in dogs and cats.” So, keep the pumpkins and corn stalks away from your pets. And speaking of pumpkins…

6. Don't keep lit pumpkins around pets. If you are using candles to light your jack-o-lanterns or other Halloween decorations, make sure to place them well out of reach of your pets. Should they get too close, they run the risk of burning themselves or causing a fire.

7. Keep electric and battery-powered Halloween decorations out of reach. Electric and battery-powered Halloween decorations are certainly safer than open candles, but they still can present a risk to pets. Pets who chew on electrical cords can receive a possibly life-threatening electrical shock or burn. Batteries may cause chemical burns when chewed open or gastrointestinal blockage if swallowed. Shards of glass or plastic can cause lacerations anywhere on the body or, if swallowed, within the gastrointestinal tract.

8. Don't dress your pet in a costume unless you know they'll love it. If you do decide that Fido or Kitty needs a costume, make sure it isn't dangerous or simply annoying to your pet. Costumes should not restrict movement, hearing, eyesight, or the ability to breathe. Coates warns that pets who are wearing a costume should always be supervised by a responsible adult so that if something goes wrong, it can be addressed right away.

9. Try on pet costumes before the big night.Don’t wait until Halloween night to put your pet in a costume for the first time. “Any time you want to introduce your pet to something new, it’s best to go slowly,” Coates says. Get your pet costumes early, and put them on for short periods of time (and piece by piece, if possible). “Make it a positive experience by offering lots of praise and treats,” Coates adds. If at any time, your pet seems distressed or develops skin problems from contact with a costume, consider letting him go in his “birthday suit.” A festive bandana may be a good compromise.

10. IDs, please! If your dog or cat should escape and become lost, having the proper identification will increase the chances that he or she will be returned. Collars and tags are ideal if a Good Samaritan is able to collect your wayward pet, but microchips offer permanent identification should the collar or tag fall off. Just make sure the information is up-to-date. Use Halloween as a yearly reminder to double check your address and phone number on tags and with the company who supports pet microchips."
Taken from: https://www.petmd.com/dog/seasonal/evr_multi_halloween_safety_tips

Whatever you do...enjoy the month of October.
Be safe and Be well 😁🎃😘
Happy Tails to you.
xoxo Yvonne

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September Blog

9/1/2019

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🍎 September Reveals Exciting Happenings 🍎

I never really liked the month of September.

That is, until recently.

You see, I have always loved the summer. That carefree time when whatever you want to do, you do…Well, most everything😁

There’s no school, no meetings and no schedules to keep. The longer summer days give us more time to enjoy outdoor activities.

BUT…then comes September…”Serious” September~~
School begins, clubs resume and things seen to get serious again. It can be a scary and challenging time giving our stomach flutters and our stress levels go up. I think for me it’s always been the fear of the unknown that made me nervous about September. When I was a student questions like: "Will I like my teacher/professors? Will my teacher/professors like me? Will I do well in all of my subjects? Will I get on the hockey team, in the art club? etc. etc." These questions would make me very nervous as I anticipated what will be.
As a result, for me, September was a month of fearful anticipation of what the future would bring, until I started to enjoy the beauty of the month more. I’ve come to realize that September is a beautiful month. I just never took the time out of my busy schedule to recognized just how splendid it is. The weather in NY, where Dagger and I live, is pleasant. It’s still warm, but not as warm as the summer months. As the harvest season begins we Long Islanders take day trips to neighboring farms to pick apples and pumpkins. It’s a favorite fall activity along with eating grilled corn at a roadside farm stand. Most of the time, Dagger comes along enjoying the scenery on the east end of Long Island and even gets an apple just picked from the orchard for our trip home.

So, instead of concentrating on the fear I felt of what will be, I now focus on all of these new and exciting happenings, the beauty of the scenery and opportunities of what will be in store for us. As I let go and let things happen, over the years, the fear began to subside and the promise of tomorrow has opened up to so many positive happenings.

In fact, Dagger & I have two great Fundraising events coming up in September. And they both happen to be scheduled on the same day!!!
On Saturday, September 21st Dagger and I will be walking for
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at
Heckscher State Park~1 Heckscher State Park East Islip, New York 11730. (Please consider joining our team and walking with us...Dagger would LOVE it!!!! He'll plop himself on the ground for a belly rub 🐶😁) (Click the link below to join)
Dagger became a partner of St. Jude about 3 years ago.
It has been a wonderful partnership.
We love and support St Jude because:
🐶Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for anything – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.
🐶AND St. Jude has helped push the overall survival rate for childhood cancer from less than 20% when they first opened our doors to 80% today. St. Jude won’t stop until no child dies from cancer. To us, that's the ultimate!!!!

We are also Fundraising for Canine Companions for Independence's~Long Island Chapter DogFest. I’m a Northeast Board of Directors Member for CCI, Past LI Chapter President and a two time CCI Puppy Raiser. My family and I have been supporting CCI for years now. CCI provides highly trained assistance dogs to people with disabilities free of charge. It’s an absolutely wonderful organization 🐶 The LI DogFest will be taking place at:
Tanger Outlets Deer Park ~152 The Arches Cir ~Deer Park, NY 11729

If you would like to help me fundraise for either or both events click the links below:

For St. Jude:
http://walkrun.stjude.org/DogVinci

For Canine Companions for Independence:
https://secure.cci.org/site/TR/DogFest/General?team_id=4840&pg=team&fr_id=1741

Whatever you do as you enter in the month of September,
enjoy and be safe!!! And enjoy and apple and an ear of corn on us!!!

Happy Tales to you,
xoxo Yvonne

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