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Blog postThere have been so many adoptions this spring and summer. It’s a wonderful thing, but with lots and lots of adoptions come the inevitable returns.
Making a decision as momentous as adopting a dog for the rest of its life based on pictures, maybe a few videos, a foster’s notes, an adoption coordinator’s questions, and usually only a single meeting, is definitely a gamble, albeit an educated one (the same kind my brother claims he uses to win money in Vegas).
We shouldn’t be sur -
Blog postThere have been so many adoptions this spring and summer. It’s a wonderful thing, but with lots and lots of adoptions come the inevitable returns.
Making a decision as momentous as adopting a dog for the rest of its life based on pictures, maybe a few videos, a foster’s notes, an adoption coordinator’s questions, and usually only a single meeting, is definitely a gamble, albeit an educated one (the same kind my brother claims he uses to win money in Vegas).
We shouldn’t be sur -
Blog postA familiar face bounded out Katie’s jeep and wiggle-waggled her way to me. I was so happy that Mia remembered me!
We are babysitting Mama Mia this week for her foster mom, Katie. She looks so much better than the last time I saw her when she was still recovering from hookworms and nursing eight puppies.
She is still the same madly-in-love-with-you pup who struggled to raise her babies in my puppy room, but now she’s added some serious energy to power that affection. We named F -
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Blog postA familiar face bounded out Katie’s jeep and wiggle-waggled her way to me. I was so happy that Mia remembered me!
We are babysitting Mama Mia this week for her foster mom, Katie. She looks so much better than the last time I saw her when she was still recovering from hookworms and nursing eight puppies.
She is still the same madly-in-love-with-you pup who struggled to raise her babies in my puppy room, but now she’s added some serious energy to power that affection. We named F -
Blog postThe great thing about fostering is that when your life is stuffed full and you have no extra time/energy/emotion for a dog, you can take a break.
That’s what we are doing. So this week, with no dog to tell you about, I thought I’d tell you about a cool FREE service I just learned about on a podcast.
This is SO IMPORTANT. It could save your pet’s life. Literally.
Most of your dogs are microchipped. If you adopted from OPH, I know they are, but if you’ve adopted anywhere -
Blog postThe great thing about fostering is that when your life is stuffed full and you have no extra time/energy/emotion for a dog, you can take a break.
That’s what we are doing. So this week, with no dog to tell you about, I thought I’d tell you about a cool FREE service I just learned about on a podcast.
This is SO IMPORTANT. It could save your pet’s life. Literally.
Most of your dogs are microchipped. If you adopted from OPH, I know they are, but if you’ve adopted anywhere -
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Blog postToday is the RELEASE DAY for 100 Dogs & Counting.
With all the hoopla and hope, I almost didn’t post to this blog. I still have no foster dog, just plans to babysit Mama Mia who is being returned. As far as my foster world, there isn’t much to tell. Beau is still here and doing fine.
Launching a book virtually means learning new software and platforms and getting comfortable with how I look/sound on camera. It means asking for a lot of help. This is not my forte, to say th -
Blog postToday is the RELEASE DAY for 100 Dogs & Counting.
With all the hoopla and hope, I almost didn’t post to this blog. I still have no foster dog, just plans to babysit Mama Mia who is being returned. As far as my foster world, there isn’t much to tell. Beau is still here and doing fine.
Launching a book virtually means learning new software and platforms and getting comfortable with how I look/sound on camera. It means asking for a lot of help. This is not my forte, to say th -
-
Blog postIt’s been a week.
Having no foster dog feels awfully strange, and I wondered if I would even post this week. This blog, though, has become habit. Plus, there is an extra dog here beyond Fanny and Gracie.
Beau is here until July 12; he’s a former-foster we’re babysitting. Since he arrived last week, we’ve said on more than one occasion—why didn’t we adopt him? He and Fanny are the perfect playmates. He’s proving what I’ve suspected for some time: Fanny could use an emotional su -
Blog postIt’s been a week.
Having no foster dog feels awfully strange, and I wondered if I would even post this week. This blog, though, has become habit. Plus, there is an extra dog here beyond Fanny and Gracie.
Beau is here until July 12; he’s a former-foster we’re babysitting. Since he arrived last week, we’ve said on more than one occasion—why didn’t we adopt him? He and Fanny are the perfect playmates. He’s proving what I’ve suspected for some time: Fanny could use an emotional su -
Blog postI have now fostered 177 dogs, 7 cats, and 1 sheep.
No, really.
Last night, as I was putting the final touches on a pizza and the grill was heating up on the deck, my oldest son yelled, “Hey, there’s a sheep or goat or something outside.”
Of late we’ve been having an ongoing battle with deer that have eaten nearly all my dragon beans, given the lettuce patch a crew cut, and recently begun munching the blueberries that are ripening on the side of hill where Brady said th -
Blog postI have now fostered 177 dogs, 7 cats, and 1 sheep.
No, really.
Last night, as I was putting the final touches on a pizza and the grill was heating up on the deck, my oldest son yelled, “Hey, there’s a sheep or goat or something outside.”
Of late we’ve been having an ongoing battle with deer that have eaten nearly all my dragon beans, given the lettuce patch a crew cut, and recently begun munching the blueberries that are ripening on the side of hill where Brady said th -
Blog postOur foster world is pretty quiet these days. And that’s a good thing.
I’m busy getting ready for the release of my new book, 100 Dogs & Counting: One Woman, Ten Thousand Miles, and a Journey Into the Heart of Shelter and Rescue. It’s a strange time for all of us, dogs included.
OPH has been saving dogs in record numbers with near-weekly transports bringing between 50 and 100 dogs each trip. We’ve onboarded 125 new foster families in just three months. To give you a little -
Blog postOur foster world is pretty quiet these days. And that’s a good thing.
I’m busy getting ready for the release of my new book, 100 Dogs & Counting: One Woman, Ten Thousand Miles, and a Journey Into the Heart of Shelter and Rescue. It’s a strange time for all of us, dogs included.
OPH has been saving dogs in record numbers with near-weekly transports bringing between 50 and 100 dogs each trip. We’ve onboarded 125 new foster families in just three months. To give you a little -
Blog postHey friends, today’s post is a little different.
I am in serious crunchtime trying to get word out about my book, 100 Dogs & Counting, which releases on July 7. I received word that the actual books made it to the Simon&Schuster warehouse for distribution this week, so I can finally let out the breath I’ve been holding, and work like crazy to get review copies out.
This means every spare second (besides this one) I have is being spent writing articles, pitching reviewe -
Blog postHey friends, today’s post is a little different.
I am in serious crunchtime trying to get word out about my book, 100 Dogs & Counting, which releases on July 7. I received word that the actual books made it to the Simon&Schuster warehouse for distribution this week, so I can finally let out the breath I’ve been holding, and work like crazy to get review copies out.
This means every spare second (besides this one) I have is being spent writing articles, pitching reviewe -
Blog postAdopting a dog is not something anyone should do on a whim. Yes, there are many times when you get that ‘feeling’ or ‘connection’ or ‘moment’ that tells you that this is the one.
But when you are a part of a family—human and canine (and feline)—adopting a dog has to be a family decision.
In this family, the opinions of the kids are important, but as far as the adoption decision, irrelevant. Although they very much live here at the moment, in just a few months, none of them wil -
Blog postAdopting a dog is not something anyone should do on a whim. Yes, there are many times when you get that ‘feeling’ or ‘connection’ or ‘moment’ that tells you that this is the one.
But when you are a part of a family—human and canine (and feline)—adopting a dog has to be a family decision.
In this family, the opinions of the kids are important, but as far as the adoption decision, irrelevant. Although they very much live here at the moment, in just a few months, none of them wil -
Blog postYou know what they say about plans?
Okay, I think that is actually assumptions.
And maybe I was naively assuming our plan would work.
When our newest foster dog, Tito (OPH Lieutenant Howl) arrived last week, two things became instantly clear:
My kids loved him.
He needed a lot of work.
Full confession: I asked to foster Tito because I was hoping we could foster fail with him.
Upon meeting him for the second time in a decidedly different -
Blog postYou know what they say about plans?
Okay, I think that is actually assumptions.
And maybe I was naively assuming our plan would work.
When our newest foster dog, Tito (OPH Lieutenant Howl) arrived last week, two things became instantly clear:
My kids loved him.
He needed a lot of work.
Full confession: I asked to foster Tito because I was hoping we could foster fail with him.
Upon meeting him for the second time in a decidedly different -
Blog postNorth Carolina has been named one of the top five states killing animals by Best Friends.
I’ve been to North Carolina. I’ve visited shelters and rescues, know animal advocates in the state, and fostered plenty of dogs from North Carolina (including the nine pups I’m fostering right now).
I’ve also traveled and visited shelters in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama. I can tell you with all certainty, that there are more dogs dying in each of those states than North Carolina. < -
Blog postAs we walked through several municipal pounds in Tennessee, I kept thinking, “Thank God for Amber.”
Truly.
She and her husband Brandon and their rescue Halfway Home are the only hope for too many animals whose lives could so easily be snuffed out, unknown and uncounted.
As far as I can tell, ‘animal control’ in Tennessee is a patchwork of public shelters, private rescues, and too many municipal pounds.
The pounds are leftover from an era when that was the only -
Blog postThe first time I talked to Dave Hollingshead, the street supervisor and defacto dogcatcher for Hayti, Missouri, I learned two things—
1)You pronounce Hayti, not like the Caribbean country, but Hay-tie, as in a bale of hay and a tie that goes with your shirt.
2) the dogs of Hayti are incredibly lucky to have Dave on their side.
Hayti is the county in the boot heel of Missouri (or what I think looks more like the tail of Missouri that pokes down into Tennessee). It felt -
Blog postIt was late afternoon on a Thursday when we reached Gibson County dog pound and the kennels were filled with dogs. The pound is tucked into a corner of the fairgrounds and you really have to be looking for it to find it.
Mike, the ACO for the dog pound, explained that the pound was completely full.
“What happens if you get another dog in?” I asked, knowing that more dogs turn up on the weekends.
He shook his head. “I’ll have to make a decision.”
I asked how he -
Blog postIn 2017, the Dyersburg-Dyer County Humane Society was killing as many as 90% of the animals it took in.
When I heard those numbers and that date, I had to ask Diana, the president of Paws To Care, to tell me again. That was only a few years ago—the year my daughter graduated from high school.
Today, thanks to a group of remarkable women, Dyersburg-Dyer County Humane Society would qualify as a ‘no-kill’ shelter.
How did these women who knew little about each other excep -
Blog postAfter our day with All 4s in Memphis, we were dirty and tired but we still had one more stop—Horn Lake Animal Shelter.
We were headed there because of a woman named Julia who had contacted me shortly before we left on this trip asking if we had time to squeeze in a visit to Horn Lake. We didn’t, but Julia was compelling, so at 4:30pm on Wednesday, we found them just past the dump, sharing space with the public works department.
The first thing we noticed was a new solid tall f -
Blog post“I wouldn’t do that to myself, so why would I do that to him? ‘Caint take his manhood.”
“She was born to do it; I just want one litter.”
If the team at All 4s Rescue League had a dollar for every time they heard those excuses, and the many others for why someone didn’t want to spay or neuter their dog, they wouldn’t need to do any fundraising.
On Wednesday, Nancy and I spent a day on the streets of Memphis with Suzy, Blair, and Denise from All 4s. It was an exciting da -
Blog postOkay, the first thing I need you to do before you read this post is park your anger somewhere. You’ll need to set it aside and listen with an open mind and heart. And remember that anger won’t solve this problem. Hate won’t help you either.
When we finally exited off the beautiful Natchez Trace Parkway and followed the interstate towards Jackson, I was already bracing myself. As we drove past the municipal facilities and a steel factory and finally pulled into the driveway of MARL (Mi -
Blog postOnly an hour from Corinth where they are struggling to raise money for the shelter by sitting outside the supermarket collecting donations is a beautiful, brand-new 2 million dollar shelter teeming with staff and resources.
Tupelo-Lee Humane Society is blessed with a local community that generously values and invests in its shelter. The new shelter was built literally in the nick of time, the roof caving in one of their kennel areas days after they had moved into their new building in -
Blog post“What people need to understand is that they aren’t collectibles.”
This was a comment made by Corinth City’s ACO, Stephen, in reference to the number of pit bulls that populate the shelter and that he picks up in his work.
“They all want certain colors. They should get a box of crayons.”
We met Stephen shortly after we arrived at Corinth-Alcorn Animal Shelter. We’d just sat down to interview Charlotte, the director, when he arrived with a little hound mix who was young -
Blog postHi – Thanks for stopping by the Kid Friendly Organic Life blog! As you may have noticed, I don’t post very often on this blog anymore. There are lots of reasons for this, but it is NOT because I don’t care passionately about living a kid-friendly organic life anymore—I do! I do!
I’m leaving this blog live, sort of like leaving the light on, because it has an important message and I’m not completely convinced I’ve said all I want to say on the topic. Meanwhile, if you are looking to live a -
Blog post“Being a writer invades my life 24/7.”
When I read that line in Shonda Rhimes’ book Year of Yes, I thought, Exactly.
I’m not even sure when I transitioned from wanting to be a writer to being a writer, but at some point it took over my brain. All day long I take mental notes of everything I see.
The Wal-Mart employee with the raccoon eyes, snapping her gum as stands frozen, starring at a shelf, a product in her hand. Is she putting away returned items? Is s -
Blog postI need to write about writing.
That’s what I've been telling myself for the past several weeks as my website blog stagnates.
But what writing wisdom could I possibly offer? The internet is smothered in writing wisdom. It is everywhere because, well, writers write. It’s not like horseshoers or knitters or firemen. You could write about those things on a blog and fling it out on the internet and there would probably be a great need and a great audience to find. (Not that -
Blog postFor the first time in a very long time, I have the opportunity to ponder – what should I write next? I’ve got projects aplenty, but this next one is truly up to me. I get to pick!
I’m coming to the end of the final edits of my third book for The Story Plant. That completes the deal. Oh, sure, there’s still copy edits, proofreading, cover design, promotional stuff, the begging for reviews, and the launch. But that’s not up to me – that’s dictated by the book, the publisher, the edito -
Blog post“You’re famous!” my friend commented on Facebook after seeing me on a regional TV news program.
That week I was a guest on an abc affiliate news show as the author spotlight – a popular reoccurring 2-3 minute feature. Months ago, I watched a few other authors – some were excellent, some awkward, but it was reassuring. I thought, I can handle this.
The morning of my appearance, I sprang out of my bed, nerves already tingling. I took the dogs for a 3-mile hike, trying to -
Blog postSummer is here and writing time is at a premium. Even so, I’m diving into a new story and loving every moment of it. I restarted/rewrote the first few chapters five times in different point of views and tenses trying to figure out which one was best and finally landed on the winner yesterday. Now, I can just write, write, write if I can find the time, time, time.
Girls’ Weekend is off and running and while I should be doing the real work of promoting the novel, I’m distracted by the -
Blog postHey Subscribers to Kid Friendly Organic Life!
First off, sorry for the random old posts that Blogger keeps sending out. I have NO earthly idea what that is about, but rest assured I am attempting to get to the bottom of it with little or no help from blogger (or google who own blogger!). If I can't resolve the issue, I may remove this blog, which would break my heart, of course. Still, I don't want you to get this odd form of spam from me because I am the anti-spam.
Man -
Blog postIT'S ALMOST TIME!
In just a few days, Girls’ Weekend will be released! I’m excited, nervous, and more than anything – stunned. It feels maybe a little bit surreal. When I first wrote it, it was my own private fantasy and not something I thought I'd ever be publishing.
I wrote the first draft of Girls Weekend when I was in the throes of heavy-duty motherhood. I was busy raising a 2-year-old, a preschooler, and an elementary aged kiddo.
When, my husband -
Blog postAs a pantser (a writer who does not outline, rather follows a story wherever it leads), I meet many of my characters when they appear on the page.
I do know the main characters before I start, having spent perhaps months getting to know them before their adventures begin. I interview them and write dozens of pages filled with their answers, my observations, sudden inspirations (he’s obsessed with peanut butter, she always speaks with full words instead of contractions).
-
Blog postRecently, I’ve had the tremendous privilege of speaking with several book clubs about my novel, I’m Not Her.
I love chatting with people about the story. They are always surprised when at some point I reveal that when I started writing the book, I had no idea how it would end.
And then they are even more surprised when I tell them I was as shocked as they were when Leroy turned up.
After that, I’ll confess that I wasn’t even certain what the story was ab -
Blog postI haven’t run in over two weeks. It’s pretty much killing me.
I’ve finally been sidelined by foot pain that the foot doc and the acupuncturist couldn’t fix. The only thing left to do is rest.
Not my strong suit.
My mind is spilling over with all manner of ideas-questions-dreams-stories-paranoias-fears-worries-odd thoughts.
Running dispels the crazies for me. It helps me process my life and find a balance between what is a good idea and what -
Blog postWe bought a new bed. I know, not so exciting for you, but still. When you consider how many hours of your life you spend in your bed, this is a big deal.
Not only did we buy a new bed, but I’m now sleeping on the other side.
For pretty much all our married life, I’ve slept on the right side. This was determined in our first house because I wanted to be closest to the bathroom (I’m a girl). And then it made sense because I was closest to the door – so the kids could reach me f -
Blog postHow'd you like to cut your grocery bill, improve your health, help the planet, and eat food that tastes great? It's within your reach. Here are a few ideas for making it happen.
1. Don’t Buy Rinse Aid, Windex, or odor-repellents.
Use good ole white vinegar in place of all of these products. You may have to refill the rinse aid dispenser more often, but since vinegar costs about a tenth of those fancy, expensive, toxic, earth-polluting commercial rinse aid solutions, you’ll actu -
Blog post[Note: This is a guest post from an amazing woman I met via twitter. I'm super excited to share her writing and her message! I think it is a CRITICAL message for everyone who has a daughter. Give Hilary a shout out via twitter or in the blog comments if you agree!]
If I had read the title of this post a few years ago, I would have had two reactions: ‘that’s not possible’, and ‘tell me more.’ I would have been split down the middle between believing that we exist in a world where loving our -
Blog postAfter what seems like a very long hiatus, I’m back at it. I haven’t abandoned you my Kid Friendly Organic Life people! In fact, one of my New Year’s resolution is to get back to blogging regularly here.
Honest confession – it’s not just that I’ve missed you (I have! I have!), but also my jeans are getting a little tight and there’s just a bit too much white sugar creeping back into my world. My excuses are long and layered, but they amount to nothing more than distraction and laziness.I ha -
Blog postAbout seven years ago, I ordered a lemon tree through the mail.
At the time, I was seriously over the edge in terms of doing EVERYTHING organic and decided that growing my own organic lemons was a good idea.
I’m sure I’ve mentioned that I live in Pennsylvania. Not Florida.
But the optimistic website assured me that I could grow lemons ANYWHERE. So, I said, “Awesome! Send me a tree!” (I’m sure that’s technically historical fiction, as the facts are fuzzy these many years l
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