More From Summer

Just typical days from this past summer...

Bunnies, easy work, hard work, flowers, sore hearts, beauty.

A Star Gazing Crackle

So this past summer we found this pretty little Grackle in our backyard.

She was hiding underneath one of our cedars and was soaking wet, not moving much.

We left her for awhile, watching from a distance but when it was clear

that she wasn't getting better and night was fast approaching,

with cats and raccoons always scampering in the backyard at night we picked her up.

It was pretty clear that she wasn't okay, she couldn't keep her balance, fly or hold her head normally.

I put her against my chest and she just let her body be propped up by mine.

The only time she would struggle was when we tried to leave her alone,

when she was against my chest, she calmed down, stopped struggled & just looked around.

We think she had a neurological disease called 'Stargazing' that apparently some wild birds get

for no reason, where all they do is stare upwards, which is exactly all she wanted to do.

so we held her for hours on end, gently holding her head where she clearly wanted it.

We stayed outside with her so she could hear the crickets and feel the breeze.

But once the mosquitoes started pestering us and her, we went into the house.

And than around 2:30 in the morning, against my chest, she passed away, it was quick.

We felt love for this little soul in the few sad hours we spent with her.
We buried her in the front garden where the rest of her flock tends to hang out.

I felt so honored to see her beauty up close and to feel her trust.

And here's the thing that struck me about this day....

that huge difference we'd see in the world if people just embrace other beings, no matter the species.

It's the simplest and easiest thing to do, to reach out with kindness,

especially to the most vulnerable and delicate.

We just have to learn to step outside of our owns needs a bit more,
to let go of our shit and get out of our own heads, if we can do that, extending a helping hand is easy.

Because the connection and beauty found in doing so is so bright and so very very rewarding.
Anyhow!  RIP little beautiful Grackle XO

Gusta Cheese

So I know I have already highly suggested that you guys try the Gusta sausages,

well the Gusta cheese turns out to be good too, because well lets face it a lot of Vegan cheese sucks!

(I highly suggest trying out and supporting your city's local vegan artisanal cheese makers)

We find the Gusta Swiss is great on sliced as is, melted on pizza or on mac n' 'cheese'.

but beware of the original flavor, don't expect a cheese taste!,

it is tasty no doubt but it's no way shape or form tastes like cheese, it 100% tastes like meat.

Just Some Sumer Pics

This winter you'll be seeing a lot of posts from this past summer since I didn't blog much this season,

so that means I have to start posting them now, but I am sure none of you will mind.

With the loss of Betty-Loo early in the season we just found ourselves wanting to stay home a lot,

so it ended up being a very very bun-centric summer with loads getting done in the yard.

Loving The Linos

I've been carving new lino cuts more than anything else lately, I have 7 others already ready to go.

This new beauty is all done, I can't wait to show you, hopefully I'll be able to get some printed soon.

Sweet Sunday Snugs

Flynn and his adorable face and I hope your having a wonderful weekend

 We are holiday decorating, reading and snuggifying buns, it's a good day, ahhhh.  XO

Fishless Fish

Hey guys did you know that there are fishless fillets out there, these ones are from Gardein

and they are sooooo fricken good.

I especially love them with steamed kale & carrots & vegannaise.

The one thing I was missing when I went vegan was fish and tuna salad sandwiches

but products like these are the perfect kind substitute & they actually taste like fish. Yayyy.

If you haven't tried them yet, I highly highly reccommend them.

Happy Saturday all XO

41

I turned 41 on November 9th.

It should have been a great day, I love celebrating my birthday

but alas it was the shittiest birthday because I ended up in the hospital

with what we now believe to have been e.coli.

I was eating a lot of romaine lettuce right when it was recalled and pulled of the shelves!

It might not have been that but the way I was sick was not anything I've ever experienced before!!

I am finally feeling better now but man oh man it was rough...I didn't know what was going on

and I am just so thankful that I am okay now and back to eating.

I actually dropped about 5 pounds in 2 weeks from just not being able to eat.

It's scary to me that lettuce of all things can make us sooo sick,

especially with 10 vegans in our household, we rely on our greens and it's so sad and upsetting to me

that contamination from animal agriculture is making the world so sick in so many different ways.

Happy Thanks Let Live

I've had the complete honor of making new friends this past year

and those new friends names are Laura, Merle, Stuart and Kenneth...

They are all turkeys.

I always knew turkeys were cool but I had no idea that they were so super duper amazing.

I mean seriously, look into Stuarts eyes here in this photo I took this past summer.

So full of intelligence, kindness and life...a will to live, an enjoyment for life is so so present.

So for my new friends sake, for millions of turkeys all over the world,

for better healthy body choices and especially for some healing of this big badly broken world,

I really really dream & hope that more of you have made compassionate choices this holiday

and that your not celebrating your life with loved ones over the tortured death of another soul...

because they all want to live as much as you and I, trust me on that

& happy happy kind ThanksLIVING XO

Hope Your Cozy Warm

Hey ya guys, just Yuuji, Leisel and I just hopping in quickly...

oh my goodness, we still have SOOO many posts to share still from the summer yet!

 

We'll just ignore that we're already covered in 2 feet of snow and that it's -31 out there tonight!

Hope your all feeling extra cozy tonight & that your keeping all furry friends extra warm too XO

Spring Waltz

Hey guys, sorry to be absent again, I've been sooooo sick

and I am still sick so I'll just pop in quickly with a new image I've been anxious to show you...

"Spring Waltz"

I am really happy with it

and I can't wait to offer it to you not only in print form but on t-shirts & bags etc really soon

(I hope!)

But first, back to my doctor ordered bedrest!

I'll hopefully be back in the swing of things next week

Hope your all feeling way better than I have been!

XOXO