I have been reading a book by Marianne Williamsom which has some very valuable concepts and information about how to re-align your thinking towards love as a process for the evolutionary transformation in the world. We all need to find a way to embody the principle of light to help usher in an Age of Oneness as opposed to the past Age of Separation. What does this translate to in practical application?

The illusion that we are all separate is the source of all of our pain. When we realize that we are not just like each other, we actually are each other, then we will begin to find life outside the realm of love unthinkable and therefore will cease to exist.

Text © 2004 Mona E. Dunn

The other day Clark and I were talking (actually I was doing all the talking) about something I thought was important. About half way through the my ramblings Clark got a smirk on his face and started to chuckle but suppressed the urge. None of this escaped my attention so when I finished my sentence I asked him what was so funny. He could barely control his laughter as he tried to tell me it was just the image of me standing there with my shirt tied at the waist, the short pants, the sweater and the hat. Even though I didn't think I looked that strange, we both laughed uncontrollably for several minutes. Well, I But managed to find a picture of him I had taken recently so we could compare notes. If you can't laugh at yourself then who can you laugh at?

Lost Draft

Found an old post in draft stage. Wanted to go ahead and post the pictures anyways. Soon will post pictures from upcoming visit to San Fancisco to see expanded family, with addition of Ansel who was definately a twinkle in his dad's eye at this time.





Serena surprised us with an impromptu visit last week. Cole had gone to Minnesota to visit family with his mom, Kash and Serena decided to come here.

Text and pictures © 2009 Mona E. Dunn

I was copying to disc a compilation of my favorite songs of Loreena McKennit. A deep nerve within my gypsy soul always reverberates with the chords, her voice and the visions in stories of wandering to exotic deserts,and ancient bazaars and multi-lingual trade routes. Long ago I decided she sings the soundtrack of this and past lives.

Text and pictures © 2010 Mona E. Dunn

Some Things Are Just Worth Saving

http://www.upworthy.com/some-strange-things-are-happening-to-astronauts-returning-to-earth


Text and pictures © 2013 Mona E. Dunn

   Well this is going to take some getting used to since Facebook allowed a quick comment without much forethought. Between a new computer, e-mail addresses and passwords, and new blogger format, it took me two hours just to find out how to access my dashboard in order to post. Not to mention a two year hiatus. So the ensuing posts may be a bit hodge-podge as I experiment with this format. 
   
     Well, time to try pictures, my favorite!

The DBLMD Ranch

The Buddha

 










 Text and pictures © 2013 Mona E. Dunn

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Crawdad's, leeches and snails - A Father's Day Treat

Text and pictures © 2009 Mona E. Dunn

O.K. So my friend Kathy is getting tired of looking to see if I've posted anything new over the past year and seeing " A Good Day to Die". I've got to agree. It's time to change the subject.

So this Father's Day here is a tribute. We went down to return the creek to the newly excavated pond, closing off the head gate and opening the other to let the water flow to it's intended destination. Looking to see if indeed the water had stopped flowing through the shut down culvert, I noticed an excessive amount of squirming in the puddle. Looked a bit like those rolly polly bugs you see gardening. I asked Clark to see what he thought. He declared the squirming creatures to be crawdad fledglings.

We decided to go back to the house to get a bucket to fill and salvage what we could of the population. I brought up two buckets full and poured them into the pond. Determined to save as many lives as I could I resolved to go back for one more bucket, pick some of the prolific wild spinach to freeze and take pictures of the shoulder high grasses. Clark decided to join me and we followed the creek to the fence. We found several adults, the females loaded with eggs, raccoon tracks, leaches, tiny black snails, and large green frogs.

Clark thought it was the perfect Father's Day! So we had a beer to celebrate and hope all of you fathers had a great event as well.

Pictures will be added once I get my new external memory for the computer as I dare not add any more to my maxed out space.

A Good Day to Die

"It's a good day to die" quotes from Crazy Horse, to Robin Hood, to Star Trek; today for my cat Stretch. She sunned on the front porch early this morning, came in to lay in her box by the wood stove, then we coaxed her into the travel box in which she had many trips to the vet in recent weeks. Finally determining that the sore on her nose was cancer, it was time to send her on her way.

On the way home I listened to a Steve Miller song, Key to the Highway, with a sad, bluesy harp he moans"I'm gonna roam this highway til my dyin' day. When the moon passes over the mountain,I'll be on my way. Kiss me before I go cause when I leave here I won't be back anymore.

Somehow petting her fur on the way home was a comfort to me as I tried to send her comfort on her way, not knowing whether to wish her the priviledge of life as a human being (with all of it's bullshit) or an even better animal rebirth.

I just feel so bad having to choose to be instrumental in her death. But after much consideration we must do what we feel is right .

Text and pictures © 2010 Mona E. Dunn

Valentine's Day and The Cow Jumped Over the Moon

I won the bid at a silent auction for a night at the Super 8 in town. The only reason I wanted it is because I heard they have a jacuzzi and a heated indoor pool. I figured that would be close enough to a vacation for me and my "never go to far from the ranch" husband. Beside, it is calving season and we need to check often.
As Valentine's Day approached it became apparent that that was the appropriate time to take the room. We picked up a bottle of champagne and a bottle of Madeira on the way.

The lobby was really classy and made the event feel more special.


Very nice pool area but a bit over lit for romance, probably the point.

Long story short, a little too much wine and too long in the hot tub - no consummation for the Valentine event.
We enjoyed the complimentary breakfast, eggs, bagels, donuts, yogurt then when we hit the road home it felt like we had been somewhere and were back on the road.

The low temperature had been 5 degrees over night and as we had feared one of the cows had had a Popsicle. We spent most of the day trying to get the traumatized calf to suck. The bottle didn't do much good so Clark decided to get the mother into the working chute where he could milk her and tube the milk down his throat just to give him strength, maybe get him to suck directly while she was stanchioned. Before we could transfer the pair out of the pen they shared with another pair, the nervous mother of the other pair sailed over the boarded side of the corral. Glad we weren't trying to work with her!

The tubing was a success but he fought being forced to the tit. Being all we could do we retired for the evening. Hopeful, the next morning Clark found the fledgling attached right where he belonged.

His sister, born the next day

Text and pictures © 2010 Mona E. Dunn

A painful rebirthing process started today.

One of Clark's dreams for this place is to deepen the pond so we can introduce some fish, to be able to pump out of the pond for yard and garden irrigation, build a ramp/dock and preserve the pond's integrity. Due to the previous neighbors poor farming techniques a lot of his topsoil washed downstream to fill in the pond. Also over the years I think the cattle here, having eaten down the natural filtering system of cattails, allowed more of the upstream silt to deposit. Some say the overwhelming number of geese and ducks that frequent our water feature have made their contribution.

Consequently,the pond has been quickly shrinking over the last ten years.I hope I can tolerate the reconstruction as I deeply feel the pain of ripping out trees and gouging the earth.




Dunn

Text and pictures © 2010- Mona E.

3:30 am, Orion is standing tall outside my bedroom in the frigid, crystalline night sky. I get up to check if the light is on in the well house. It's 20 degrees below zero.

We went to town at the last minute yesterday prompted by the last day sale of Breyers ice cream and avocados for $.77.

The backroads are safer

The temperature has been below freezing for a week, mostly in the teens or lower and after four days of constant snow we accumulated about four inches... so dry, so cold. This is the third snow storm already this year. But we have been staying warm with our new windows, having the the outside of house sealed and caulked, and two new heaters. Clark just had to have a new Blaze King with a catalytic converter which burns at about 82% efficiency.

Clark's grandson, Markey Joe spent Thanksgiving week with us while his grandma, Kathryn was in the hospital getting and aortic valve repaired. He loved helping Clark feed and take care of the animals. Ten year olds can be entertaining.




Would love to post more but I gotta get busy. Want to bake at least one batch of cookies and make a few more pieces to take to the bank open house tomorrow. Maybe sell a few to the tellers before their Christmas Party.



If I don't see you soon - Have a Buddhaful Holiday!


Text and pictures © 2008 Mona E. Dunn