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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 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 Happy Days...Happy Ways 😘
Did you ever wonder how happiness happens? Do we look for it? Does it just come our way without really trying? Well, on August 8th, we celebrate National Happiness Happens Day. According to the National Day Calendar “Happiness is encouraged all day.” It continues to say that we must “Recognize every moment of glee, joy, delight, and pleasure.” And can you believe that there is a “Secret Society of Happy People.” This organization was founded in August 1998 and formed to celebrate the expression of happiness. The society encourages members to recognize their happy moments and think about happiness in their daily lives….They have two mottos which include “Happiness Happens and “Don’t Even Think of Raining on My Parade.” I've often thought of what makes us truly happy. Is it our furry loved ones? Our family? Our community? The beach? A good movie? Making other's smile? What is it? To me my family and my community furry and not so furry make me happy. I find that making them happy makes me happy too😁. To touch on one thing that brings joy to my life is easy for me...Dagger makes me happy everyday. He is such a delight. No matter where I go, he follows. He watches me sometimes with his eyes ajar. He’s a true soulmate. I’ve often thought about how many people Dagger has made happy in his 6 1/2 years of living so far. From his dog mom, Gaylor and dog dad, Fonzi, to the last person he set his soulful eyes upon; he just brings out the best in everyone. It must be thousands and thousands of people that he has made happy over the years. People of all ages and from all over the world from infants to seniors he just makes so many people happy. I love to witness this. We’ve had over 200 DogVinci Workshops and Painting Demonstrations in the past three and a half years and each time we walk into a library, school or museum we are greeted by glowing and excited people who in an instant begin to smile as soon as they see Dagger enter. It just makes my heart sing!! The happiness that Dagger brings is immeasurable!! That’s the ultimate for me to see and witness. I also love to see happiness resonate when I do something nice for someone. That makes me happy too. What makes you happy? Can you name one thing? If so, share it with me. I'd love to hear your happiness stories 😍😍 You know, Happiness does Happen when we look and sniff for it 😘😘 The thing is, we have to be open to knowing that Happiness does Happen...it's really does!!😃😁 So, as the “Dog Days” of Summer march on, may you take the time to reflect on what it is that makes you happy. Look and sniff around...You may just find happiness right around the corner. And then let your happiness reach out to others. Happy Days. Happy Ways!!!
😘 Happy Tails to you, Xoxo Yvonne Celebrating Independence can be Stressful for our Furry Kids  Patriotic Dagger DogVinci July 2019 We who live here n the USA celebrate our Independence on July 4th. It’s “a federal holiday which commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain." New states that entered the union received their star on July 4th. Although this practice hasn’t happened in over 50 years, it is a day of pride and festivities. There are parades, barbecues, picnics, fairs, fireworks all happening across the USA. While I love it all, I’m really not to fond of the effect fire works have on noise-phobic pets. Those of us who live with fur babies, the 4th of July can be a very stressful holiday for the dogs as well as the humans that care for them. There are more dogs that run away on July 4th than any other time of the year. When a fearful dog gets spooked they often use all of they might to flee their premises. They escape their surroundings not knowing where they are going. Sometimes they even break through glass windows in a state of complete fear running aimlessly and ultimately getting lost. Shelters become overwhelmed with the hundreds, sometimes thousands of stray dogs found wandering the streets the day after the 4th. So, what can we do? The best solution is to encourage and educate the public about the effect fireworks have on the animals full of stress. But, any body who has witnessed and lived through the holiday can attest that this can be a pretty difficult solution to attain and the sad reality is that it will never happen. In fact, in my neighborhood, it seems that the fireworks and firecrackers have gotten worse over the years. Therefore, the only ideal solution to the problem is to make sure that our pets are in a safe environment. It is very important that your pet have an up to date ID tag clearly visible so that if your pet does get out of your house or yard at least he or she has some identification on. In addition, it's also so important to keep your pets indoors in a safe secure place. I’ve heard that playing “White” music helps. A "Thundershirt" is terrific also. I used a "Thundershirt" for my beloved Maggie May. Filled with stress, she would scratch and slam her body on furniture and shake like a leaf. The "Thundershirt" seemed to work very well for Maggie May. Some people even give their noise-phobic pets anxiety medication. However, be aware that sometimes the side effects are worse than the stress the dogs are feeling during the booms of the sudden blasts of the firecrackers. And any kind of medication should always be given under your veterinarians direction specifically for your pets size and medical history. It might be beneficial for pet parents to stay home to ensure their pets well being is addressed. Sometimes trying a combination of a number of things may help to settle your dog. Cathy Rosenthal, Newsday columnist for “My Pet World” says, “Banning fireworks in neighborhoods seems like the kindest and simplest thing to do.” I couldn’t agree more!! In fact, in a town in Italy they have silent fireworks. Now, how great is that!!?? I’m grateful that Dagger and Miss YaYa don't mind loud noises and the fireworks don't bother them. However, Tommy TuTu does get stressed out by the fireworks. So, we try to make his environment as stress free and comfortable as we can by having him wear a Thundershirt and playing some white music in the background. Maybe one day we will celebrate our Independence while watching the beautiful displays of color in the night sky in silence with our fur babies sitting calmly right by our side. Now, that would be a REALLY good 4th of July!!! What ever you do this July 4th, be safe and celebrate our Independence!! Happy 4th of July everyone!! Happy Tales to you,
xoxo Yvonne Welcoming Summer on Long Island Written by Yvonne Dagger  Dagger and his brother Deisel enjoying a summer playdate circa 2018 I love the month of June because it is the beginning of an exciting time... The “lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer!!” To me, as a youngster, June was always a time of the year for saying farewell to another school year, celebrating Father’s Day, graduation’s and looking forward to summer activities. Whenever June arrived, I always knew that the days ahead were going to be carefree and fun-filled. They signified BBQ’s, picnics and going to the beach. For many of us, June is the start of the summer vacation. Kids go off to summer recreation and camps of all types. Outdoor activities and drive-in movies watched under the stars dominated my childhood. Books I had put off reading during the school year were on my list of things to “catch up on.” It was also a great time of growth for me both creatively and spiritually. Although I never felt the growth at the time, in retrospect, I’ve noticed how much I did grow over the summer months. I’ve come to realize that the summer brings so many benefits and opportunities. If we just explore the possibilities the summer has to offer, our imagination grows as well as our creative skills. I've witnessed this first hand over the course of my life. There are so many ways to increase your creative ability. For instance, a project I’ve enjoyed doing over the summer months is painting in plein air. Taking an easel, a canvas and paints outdoors and choosing a subject is a wonderful way to expand one's creative skills. I've done this many times over the years during the summer months. I’ve even taken my French Easel down to the beach and painted en plein air. I've found that painting the same scene outdoors at different times of the day to witness how the sun’s rays hits an object from all angles is a wonderful thing to do. The great master Claude Monet, the founder of Impressionistic painting, did this often. He would go to a location at dawn and paint the same landscape, building or haystacks on four canvases at four different times of the day. He would paint one at dawn, another at noon, then another about 4PM and the last at 7PM. His Impressionistic style of painting was completely evident as the viewer saw how an object changes when the light of the sun and atmosphere hit it coming from different directions. If you happen to have the time, I would highly recommend planning a project like this for anyone that loves to see how light affects an object. It’s on my list of things to do again this summer. To my husband, Denis, June always meant that the surfing season was beginning. He loves to surf. And he’s real good at it, too. I call him the “Duke.” Although, I’m not a surfer… I do love to watch him surf, though…and me? I love the sun. The sun has always meant happiness to me. So, the longer days of sunny enjoyment makes me feel real good. I’ve also noticed that Dagger loves the sun too. He loves to lay in the sun. He will lay down outside in the sun for an hour and sometimes more…if I let him. But, I have to be his advocate and bring him in out of the sun or he’ll stay out there all day. I think, like me, it makes him feel good and it is a great source of Vitamin D which gives him and me extra energy 🌞 Whatever it is that you do as the summer gets under way, have fun exploring, creating, learning, inspiring and above all... be safe!! I’d love to hear about your summer plans… Please share them with me in the comments below. Thanks!!! Happy June!! AND Happy Tales to you, XO Yvonne   Honoring Memories  May 6, 1972  Holding memories in our hearts can be a wonderful and honorable thing to do. I feel, it gives the memory a purpose and legacy. Your memories live on in you and others too. During the month of May there are so many personal memories that come to mind for me. First and foremost, May is the month I married my High School sweetheart 47 years ago. I remember the day like it was yesterday...it was a sunny beautiful Spring day! I think about what "kids" we were back then. Who knew what life had in store for us. We didn't. That's for sure! We just trusted that things would always work out and be okay. Life threw us some curve balls at times. But, all in all, looking back, we were and still are truly blessed. Two kids, 5 grand children and 7 fur babies (4 have gone over the rainbow bridge) later we are still "kids" at heart!! Denis is still running and surfing and I am still creating art. I would like to think that we are a lot wiser and experienced then we were back then…but, truth be told...we still have so very much to learn and experience. That's what's so exciting about life. You never know what windows will open and a breeze of opportunity will just fly right in :-) May is also the month we celebrate and honor our Mothers. This year Mother's Day is on May 12th. Oh, Boy! Need we NEVER EVER forget Mother's Day. Those wonderfully strong ladies living or deceased who nurture(d) and care(d) for us. For me... Mother's Day holds so many fond memories. At 91 years old, my mom is still a huge part of my life. She's a listening, non-judgmental individual who protects those that she loves. She is the mother of 6 children, 14 Grandchildren and 18 Great-Grand children...AND boy, oh, boy, she has seen and witnessed a lot in her 91 years. Living through WWII and the Great Depression she experienced a nation that came together in the bad times to bring forth the good times. She met my dad when he arrived home from the war. I guess you could say she fell madly in love with a soldier. Mom stills admits that she loves a man in uniform!!! Dad never talked about the war and his days in battle. He just never shared those memories with us. He held them in his heart. But, he always celebrated on one very special day…Memorial Day. That was super important to my father. When dad passed in 1995 he had a touching and moving send off at Calverton Cemetery in Riverhead, New York. I'm sure as he was looking down from heaven, he was proud as ever for the send off the United States Armed Forces gave to him. He was so proud to have served his country and he never forgot the fallen soldiers who fought next to him that never made it home. Memorial Day is a day of treasured memories. It's a day that we recognize and honor the fallen soldiers both human and canine that served selflessly to defend our great nation to keep us safe and free. It's a day the USA comes together to celebrate the lives of the brave who gave their lives to protect ours. This Memorial Day may you take a moment out of your day to remember and honor those great soldiers for their service and sacrifice. Yes, memories can conjure up treasures we hold near and dear to our hearts. They make us think, reminisce and can even bring a tear to our eyes. They really can hold a fruitful and wonderful purpose and legacy. They may even help to make the world a better place. Now, wouldn't that be an honor!? May you have a safe and happy Memorial Day! Happy Tales to you, Yvonne  "Memories"
by Elvis Presley Memories, pressed between the pages of my mind Memories, sweetened thru the ages just like wine Quiet thought come floating down And settle softly to the ground Like golden autumn leaves around my feet I touched them and they burst apart with sweet memories, Sweet memories Of holding hands and red bouquets And twilight trimmed in purple haze And laughing eyes and simple ways And quiet nights and gentle days with you Memories, pressed between the pages of my mind Memories, sweetened thru the ages just like wine, Memories, memories, sweet memories Celebrating New Life and New Beginnings Written by Yvonne Dagger  Living in New York this time of the year, I yearn for the warmer weather. With winter behind us I look forward to witnessing new life emerging from the soil. The sun is stronger and fills the vegetation with much needed chlorophyll. I love to see the crocuses popping their little blossom heads from the ground. The leaves and flowers begin to fill the empty branches with their beauty on the barren winter trees. To me, it's a beautiful time of the year. Baby birds sing their song of happiness; butterflies emerge from their cocoons. New life is evident all around us. Some people celebrate Easter, some Passover and some simply welcome new life and new beginnings. My family and I celebrate Easter. I have childhood memories of my mom creating and sewing my Easter outfits and my grandmother designing and creating my Easter bonnets. My grandmother was a famous New York City milliner who owned Frances Adams Hats. She created hats for Eleanor Roosevelt and many other famous people. My mom was a clothing designer and pattern maker back in the late 1940's and throughout the 1950's and 60's. She designed and created gowns for Lucille Ball and many other celebrities. I guess you could say I come from a family of creative people. When I was young I didn’t give it a thought…I suppose I may have even taken for granted the notion that my family were a bunch of creative people. For years I thought everyone had a mom and grandma who designed and created everything they wore. As I reflect on their talents, I've come to see how blessed I was and still am. We always worked with our hands. I still find it challenging to create from a computer. I prefer the brush to a mouse any day. But, that’s me. I admire tech savvy people so much and as I work with the computer more and more, I can see how creative technology can be. I'm using many creative computer programs now and finding it very rewarding. But, I'll continue to stress that I feel much more comfortable working with a brush and canvas then a mouse. My computer skills are getting better each day constantly evolving opening up so many new beginnings for me. Dagger's life as a canine artist keeps me open to recognizing that we are in store for many pretty exciting happenings in the future. Sometimes I scratch my head and wonder where our journey together will lead us next. It's an exciting journey and Dagger and I love it!! New Beginnings can be exhilarating, stimulating and breathtaking. It's all in the way you view the world. I invite you to take notice of the new and bright beginnings blossoming all around you and as you take these beautiful happenings in…celebrate it all... and Celebrate YOU too!! Happy Tales to you, Yvonne  Pictured in this photo is my twin sister, Yolande, my older sister, Ronnie and me :) Easter Circa 1955 Photo Credit: My Dad, John A. Flandina  Time "March"es onWritten by Yvonne Dagger Have you ever been asked? Do you have the time? Can you give an hour or two of your time? The answer to these questions depends on the reader, of course. However, we have all accessed at one point or another that time is our most valuable resource and commodity. Yet, finding the time and the right volunteer opportunity isn’t always easy. It takes TIME!! It takes time to create; it takes time to volunteer and it takes time to figure out how you will spend your time. In essence, it takes time to find the time, to learn how to find the time, to give of your time. Confusing? You bet! A friend told me once when I was doing volunteer work at my kid’s school that I needed to take “No” classes. I asked if "No" classes were such a thing. I don’t think that they had classes for that at the time, but if they did she said I needed to take them. I loved what I did, but I was spread too thin. At the time, I was involved in everything. It soon became evident that nothing was exciting and fun anymore. I had to come to the realization that doing one thing really good is a good thing as opposed to doing many things with ho-hum results. Another friend of mine always knew what she wanted to volunteer for and signed up for that one task and gave it her all. I admired that quality in her and began to follow her lead. I learned since that it’s really okay to say “No.” It’s okay to pick a volunteer program and give 100% of your Time, Talent and Treasure instead of doing 100 things and spreading yourself too thin. That, I might add, is a tall order for some…especially someone like me. I’m chuckling to myself as I write because life with Dagger has been a whirlwind of exciting and wonderful happenings that have taken 100% of my time. But, I wouldn’t want to change a thing!! I love doing what I do. Since Dagger’s artistic talents have emerged, I now know where my talents are being well utilized. It feels good to be involved in a mission that gives happiness to so many. I’m honored to be Dagger’s facilitator and advocate. During the month of March we are also reminded of another way time affects our lives. It’s “Daylight Saving Time.” This year “Spring Forward” day falls on March 10th. According to the Farmer’s Almanac, “Daylight Saving Time (DST) is the practice of moving the clocks forward one hour from Standard Time for the summer months, and changing them back again in the fall. The general idea is that this allows us all to make better use of natural daylight.” ** This practice was intended to give us all more time to enjoy the warm daylight hours spending more time with family and friends. Finding the time to get involved in something you’ve always dreamed of doing might be right up your alley during this time of natural daylight. Perhaps, learning and creating something new has always intrigued you. Whatever it is. Spend your time wisely… with YOU in mind. I’ve lived springing forward and falling back all of my life… the springing and falling formed me into the WHO I am today… Time has a way to form us, heal us and give us opportunities we never thought we had. And you know what? Whatever we decide to get involved in, if we do it with kindness and love, will be done for the greater good of all. So, spring forward with gusto. Enter into this later, longer daylight time with a renewed vision of where you wish to be. AND if you feel a bit fatigue the day after springing forward…Keep in mind that... March 11th is “National Napping Day”… I know what three dogs will be doing the day after “Springing Forward”…  Napping, of course!!! I just may join them :) Happy Tales to you, xoxo Yvonne  Written by Yvonne Dagger February means Ground Hog Day, Valentine's Day, Winter break and Workshops to Dagger and me. They are all very important to us. Beginning with Ground Hog Day! "Groundhog Day, is a popular tradition celebrated in the United States and Canada on February 2. It derives from the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition that if a groundhog emerging from its burrow on this day sees a shadow due to clear weather, it will retreat to its den and winter will persist for six more weeks, and if it does not see its shadow because of cloudiness, spring will arrive early."{Taken from Wikipedia} Our hope is that Punxsutawney Phil, the popular Ground Hog, will not see his shadow and spring will arrive early this year. That will make our cold, icey and sometimes snowy winter travels to workshops easier if spring arrives early. 🙂  Now on to our Workshops! Most of the workshops we give in February happen during Winter Break. That's when schools are closed and libraries book events. We are so grateful for being able to travel to our local libraries all year long and share Dagger's remarkable ability to paint with so many children and adults. Of course, our message of education and community service is always at the forefront of our visits. It's what makes Dagger the "Do Good Dog." Preparing for the workshops is always fun!! We make sure that we have enough supplies before the month begins. This means counting canvases, palates, smocks, brushes, cups for water, paper towels and paints. Being prepared is so important to me. It gives me peace of mind knowing that I have things ready in advance for our workshops.  Normally, our preparation also means a visit to see our dear friend Joann at A.C. Moore. Whenever Dagger comes with me, he loves to see Joann. They always schmooze a bit when we arrive...Dagger enjoys his schmoozes from Joann. This time was no different. Except this time it seemed that they had some extra schmoozing going on!! Joann helps us with everything. A quick phone call before we arrive ensures us of all of the supplies we will need and a speedy check out. Then in no time we are assisted by Joann loading the supplies into the car and off we go. Ready for the month of workshops.
 Dagger adores his workshops. He's getting so used to them that he actually waits by the door for me to put his leash on to get into the DogVinci mobile, affectionately nicknamed "Leo" by our co-team worker, Ann Barile (After Leonardo DaVinci). Leo, my Toyota Highlander, has safely taken us to well over 125 libraries, schools and senior living facilities in the last three years. Now, how great is that!!!! We look forward to 125 x 125 workshops in the future!!  And finally, Valentine's Day! One of my favorite holidays!! I've always loved Valentines Day. When I was growing up my father would give my siblings and I a chocolate heart and place it on our dinner plates. It was so special. I remember creating a card for my dad made of red and pink construction paper and a white paper doily. Sometimes I wonder where my mom got the energy to do the crafty things she did with six young children. As they say, "Those were the days." Simple and carefree. There is something kind of romantic and charming about creating our own gifts and cards. I think I'll do just that this Valentine's Day. How about you??? Using our imagination to create a beautiful card takes time and effort. But, the time and effort we spend on our creation will show that special someone that it's come from our heart. Most people can agree that handmade creations become keepsake treasures for the recipient. Even making a virtual card expands the mind allowing the creative juices to flow. My hope is that we continue to create and learn new ways to use our talents. A card created from the heart will WOW that special Valentine and you'll look like a creative genius ❤ Happy Valentines Day!! Happy Tales to you, xoxo Yvonne  RESOLUTIONS: by Yvonne Dagger  I've often wondered about New Year's Resolutions. Do they give us some sort of false hope? Or Do they give us positive hope in the right direction? According to Tipsywriter.com "an average of about 45% of Americans consistently make a resolution for the New Year"… and "of those achieving their resolutions about 40% were successful on the first try. The rest took multiple attempts with as much as 17% taking over 6 tries…" Do you know the "number one reason for failed resolutions? Lack of a clear goal." Goals to me have always been very important. That is until Dagger came into my life. As a Puppy Raiser for Dagger the goal was to get him to graduation and matched with someone who needed a highly trained assistance dog. That was the primary goal…plain and simple! For us, the minute we held him in our arms at 8 weeks old until his turn in at 18 months old, we knew what that goal was. We always thought a child would be best suited for Dagger because of his gentle, loving nature. He loves children!!! Well….he loves everybody :-) However, the day when we got "the call"…a call no Puppy Raiser wants to receive and dreads...my "goal" oriented idea changed. You see, while your pup is in Advanced Training the number you don't want to see on your phone's calling window is from Canine Companions for Independence. Unless, of course, you are told that your pup has made it to graduation. But, this call came just 4 months after he was turned in. (They ordinarily spend 6-9 months in Advanced Training for CCI.) My stomach dropped when I heard the words, "We're calling about your sweetheart, Dagger." "OK", I thought, " we can handle this…Dagger wasn't going to make it. But, Why? What happened?" The Puppy Raiser Manager explained to me that Dagger had some fear and insecurity issues. They were as disappointed as we were to learn this. However, the goal and dream of him making it to graduation vanished in an instant. After we adopted Dagger, I decided that I wasn't going to set a goal for him anymore. I felt and still feel that whatever is meant to be will be. I've lived by that "goal" since Dagger's release from CCI's Program. So, when people ask me what's next for Dagger? What's your goal ?? I think to myself of what a very brilliant journalist, Patricia Kitchen, once said about Dagger…"Dagger knows, but he's not telling me or anyone else." Now…getting back to my initial question: "Do our New Year's resolutions give us false hope or positive hope?" I've always tried to look on the positive side of things. You see, whenever you make a positive resolution, whether it be to exercise more (that's one for me), read more, share your talents more, create more, inspire more, take more time for yourself; you're really conditioning your mind in an uplifting direction. If we spend one day, one week or one year achieving that resolution then, to me, it was successful. In my book, there's no failures only successes. Dagger's "failure" to become a highly trained assistance dog only opened the door for yet another journey of helping hundreds of people and other animals through his paintings and therapy work. So, make a "positive" resolution. Embrace it and welcome it into your life. Look to 2019 with an open "PAW" and an open mind…Whatever will be, will be... Happy & Healthy New Year everyone!! Happy Tales to you, xoxo Yvonne  |
A Place where I can Bark, Blog and Woof a Littlewritten by Yvonne Dagger Archives
August 2020
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