Hi! My name is Gumby...and on behalf of all my animal friends, I wish you a safe and peaceful Holiday Season! 

I came from an animal shelter to bring warmth and love into my family's life and there are many more just like me out there. I'm sweet and somewhat goofy and I'm a good boy (most of the time).  I'm full of life and I like to spread my personality around. I love people, especially children, and I come up to everyone with my tail wagging. 

The shelter that I came from has been recognized as a wonderful shelter and it was awarded a 4 star rating by Charity Navigator for financial health, accountability and transparency. It is a no kill shelter and has a policy that no healthy or treatable animal will ever be euthanized and it has a 100% live release rate.  It also takes in animals from other shelters that are overcrowded or that are having to close for sad and unpreventable reasons, so I am very proud of being an alumnus of such a great place. It provides medical care, fostering, a crisis help system, a community food bank, education and youth programs and camps, and community outreach, all to promote and support the human-animal bond and to get animals into happy "furever" homes.  There are many other great shelters out there providing wonderful services as well.  There are simply a lot of animals that need care in these unprecedented times and shelters are quite often stretched thin right now.

In all of your holiday plans please don't forget the animals that give the world so much. Please remember them, both wild and domestic, in your love and giving at this time of the year....there is great need and we will give you so much in return!

Lae Lae and her holiday dove send you best wishes for the season.  Worldwide, we have had a very rough 2020 with a global pandemic, political turmoil and economic instability all around us.  It has changed the way that we interact with each other and the way that we view our world.. 

Despite that, it is important to remember some traditions that make us happy whether we celebrate via Zoom or gather virtually to watch a performance or a concert.  Whether religious, spiritual, cultural or just social we can share with family and friends, if only at a distance....and we can look forward to sharing in person next year.  

Some of the traditional seasonal celebrations are:  Christmas which is celebrated in a religious ceremony with the Nativity or in a secular celebration with the arrival of Santa Claus. North of the equator it is a winter celebration with a possibility of a flurry of a white Christmas snow, or below the equator in countries like Australia and New Zealand, people wear shorts, and go  camping on the beach.  Rather than enjoying with a Christmas tree, in Australia they celebrate by decorating a Christmas bush.  Traditions vary as well; Instead of cookies and milk as in the U.S., children in England leave out mince pies and brandy for Father Christmas. In Iceland, there is not one but thirteen Santas, known as Yule Lads.  One Lad arrives each night in the thirteen days before Christmas, leaving small gifts in shoes left by the children.

Also a part of the season, Hanukkah is an eight day Jewish tradition  which celebrates the re-dedication of the second temple in Jerusalem.  Also known as the Festival of Lghts, the celebration is centered on the menorah.  For each of the eight days, a  candle is added to the menorah and lit by the ninth candle, the shamash.  Traditional foods are also a part of the celebration.

Kwanzaa is a relatively new celebration which celebrates harvest traditions in Africa.  Based on African traditions, the name means "first fruits" in Swahili.  Celebrations often include songs and dances, African drums, storytelling and  poetry reading.  On each of the seven nights of the celebration, a child lights one of the candles on the Kinara and one of the seven values of African culture is discussed. A traditional African feast is held on Dec. 31.

Boxing Day, Dec 26, started as a day to give alms to the poor but has broadened into a public holiday in Great Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.  In England, soccer matches and horse races are held to celebrate.  In the Bahamas, Boxing Day is celebrated as Junkanoo with a street parade and in Ireland it is called Saint Stephen's Day where a special celebration called "Hunting the Wren is held with young boys parading a paper wren through town.

To finish the season, the Japanese celebration of Omisoka is held on December 31 as they celebrate the passing of the old year and the eve of the new year.  We, in the United States also celebrate New Year's Eve as well.  I believe that we can see positive steps coming as we look forward to the springtime and rebirth of our earth.

These may not be all the ways that you know of to celebrate but please remember to, despite the sadness touching all of us in one way or another this year, celebrate something good in the world, whether it is the happy chirping of a little bird or the whistling of the trees in the forest or the cries of a newborn child.  The world is still good and there is much good ahead.

As we enter the holiday season I want to share some small things that I am thankful for,  I believe that the welfare of all of us is deeply linked to the health of our natural world and to the existence in our world of a vast diversity of wild animals and plants. Among the most important of these are the pollinators, including the honey bee, One of the hardest working little creatures in the world, the honey bee never stops for most of its short 122 - 152 day life. Not only do they pollinate our crops but they also produce honey, the elixir of humanity.

One example of the symbiotic relationship between crops and their pollinators is the almond growing industry.  Between February and Marhc of each year, almond trees bloom and bees forage among the blossoms for nectar.  When they do, they pollinate from tree to tree and each blossom they pollinate produces an almond.  After the almond season, the beekeepers move their bees across the U.S. pollinating more than 90 other crops and making honey as they go.  Thirty three percent of our global food production relies on pollinators.

​However, the increasing use of pesticides, such as glyphosate products, and the encroaching of the land that pollinators need have critically affected both the number of bees and the health of the bees.

I am not a commercial beekeeper, but I want to do my small part to give bees a safe and healthy place to land on their pollinating way.  To do that I have taken a portion of my yard and planted it in succulents and lavender and other colorful plants to attract the bees  I don't use any fertilizer or pesticide. This not only supports the bees but conserves on my water use and yard maintenance.They seem to like it and I enjoy watching them buzz from plant to plant.  

We want those who come after us to inherit a world where the wild is still alive and where all things work together positively in the cycle and balance of life.  Enjoy planting a bee happy succulent garden with your children and feel good about helping Mother Earth as she helps us!

I love trees instinctively; they are beautiful and just looking at them gives me a peaceful feeling. But they are also among the most important contributors to the wellbeing of our planet, particularly when we are worrying (or should be worrying) about the warming of our world.  

What is the relationship between trees and global warming?  One of the most important gifts that trees and the forests gives us is something that we desperately need, oxygen. They help complete the earth's balance as they capture greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and give off oxygen to feed our lungs, grow our plants and clean our air and water.  It is a perfect cycle for life on earth.

What are some of the other uses of trees?  They hold the soil and combat storm water runoff and  they reduce erosion, flooding and pollution in our waterways.  Many species of wildlife depend on trees for habitat and trees provide food, protection, and homes for many birds and mammals. 

When we clear forests, however; we cripple our best ally in combatting climate change.  Trees offset what we produce through our industrial uses, burning of fossil fuels and our staggering use of gasoline in our cars, trains, buses and other forms of transportation. Cutting down trees  creates more atmospheric clogging emissions because, as they are felled, they release all the carbon that they have stored.  When they are left to rot or are burned they create even more carbon emission.  

We have been rapidly cutting down trees around the world to make way for growing crops.  Yes, we need farmland to feed the people of our world, but we need environmentally planned farming.  We do not need more burning of the rainforest or bio-invaluable resources.  There are many forms of sustainable and eco-friendly farming that we can use such as:

• Permaculture, a food production system which mimics how plants grow in natural ecosystems. ... 
• Aquaponics & Hydroponics, the use of water in small spaces to grow crops densely
• The use of renewable energy resources like wind and solar to provide power environmentally
• Crop rotation and polycultures where several harmonious crops grow together 

To maintain a healthy world, we need to protect our existing trees and also plant more trees.  Climate warming has helped to fuel the fires that have burned our forests in unprecedented events. We need to mitigate these losses.  Many countries have extensive tree planting programs as do some areas in the United States.  As little as $90 will plant 900 trees annually, enough to remove as much carbon dioxide as is annually generated by the fossil fuel use of the average person in the U.S.

As with all of my environmental blogs, I read books and research on the Internet and I encourage you to do the same to learn more about the benefits of trees.  The subject of global warming is serious but we have many possible solutions to mitigate its effect.  Trees are among the easiest and best.

Why not plant a baby tree today to give Mother Earth a living "crown of green" and make our planet a little healthier?

The book has now reached Amazon #1 best seller in books for 2 to 6 year olds in several categories: environmental books, word games, cultural studies, sociology and reference books.  I am very happy about the designation and hope that parents, care givers, teachers and other related adults will enjoy its simple little story and games, teachable moments and pages of information.

I have enjoyed using it to teach at schools, Sunday schools and related childhood functions.  All  the books in the collection have games and activities for children to enjoy as well as pages of parental notes to work with.  Shown below are photos from one of the earth birthday parties that I have hosted.  So much fun with a lasting earth garden to keep!

If you have read the book, thank you for helping to make it an Amazon #1 best seller; if not I invite you to join Lae Lae and her friends as they celebrate A Birthday Party for Mother Earth!

I am not someone who sends a lot of petitions but I am passionate about our world and its future -  our water, our land, our air...and our animals, both wild and domestic.  So many problems exist when we take animals out of their native world...whether for trophies, food, "medicine", whatever.  It upsets our natural balance and brings in diseases if we consume the products of wild animal markets.

I understand the need for well run and managed zoos particularly to protect animals that re endangered in the wild. I am, however; more in  favor of and would rather have wildlife sanctuaries where the animals can live in their own natural or near natural habitats if possible.

One of the most trafficked animals in the world is the pangolin.  They are going extinct because of our abuse, misuse and slaughter of them for human consumption.  It is not well known but they, like many other wild animals, carry viruses that are not dangerous to them but are very dangerous to us when we consume them.  The pangolins are shy and innocent little creatures and they should be left in their own world.

I am glad to know that there are those in our government who are taking positive steps to end wildlife trafficking and wildlife consumption.  Being basically a vegetarian (sometimes consuming eggs, yogurt and wild salmon), I know that there are diets that you can adhere to that are very healthy and that don't have to endanger our wildlife or ourselves.  I would like to encourage those for a safe and healthy world 

I am a huge wild animal (and bird) lover but I love them in their own habitat - not mine.  For the sake of all (ourselves and the wild animals)  we need to leave the animals (birds included) in the wild, but we must protect that wild. So many problems are created because we destroy their habitat and poach what we can for our own use. COVID-19, like SARS, MERS, Ebola, HIV/AIDS, and many other zoonotic epidemics before, initially emerged from wildlife, then made the jump to people through close proximity or human consumption.

• Today, on World Animal Day, we need to make a pledge to do several things:
•      •  Shut down commercial wildlife markets and the cruel trade that fuels them.
•      •  End the import, export, and sale of wildlife for food and exotic "medicine"
•      •  Phase-out demand for wildlife as a food source by encouraging alternative
•         forms of food production.

The impact of the current pandemic in terms of loss of human life, physical and mental health, the economy, and public life has been completely devastating to the entire world and cannot be underestimated. Global and national action to curb the wildlife trade is one of the most effective strategies to prevent future pandemics and is necessary to reduce animal suffering and protect biodiversity.

We ultimately need to see an end to the wildlife trade for all purposes, not just human consumption to avoid another global health crisis but also to prevent millions of animals from being cruelly bred in captivity or poached from the wild.

One of the most wonderful trips into the wild that I have been on was a photographic birding expedition down through central Mexico to Veracruz to see the River of Raptors and to float through the mangroves to photograph the amazing diversity of birdlife and wildlife.  I went as still photographer on the team and loved "mucking" through the wildlife preserve to photograph the birds that we saw.  We stayed in primitive but clean cabins.  The photograph above was taken of a hawk that followed us as we traveled down the river and the gull to the right was on the river itself.  

I am no birding expert but we did take an expert with us who told us what we were seeing.  We fell in love with the local people as we traveled and their hospitality couldn't have been warmer.  In the huge wildlife reserve, it was exciting to see the efforts that the Mexican people are making to save their bird and animal wildlife.  

We all need to do our part if only to contribute monetarily to the many wonderful wildlife organizations throughout the world that work so hard to help produce a better world for us all. Today I made a little contribution to try to do my small part.
​

One of my favorite experiences is sitting in the rain.  The rain is powerful...fresh water to grow our flowers and vegetables and water to quench a drought parched earth.  It is also a peaceful song for the soul to enjoy.

When I was a young girl living in the mountains of Tennessee, one of my favorite experiences was sitting in the loft of our A Frame mountain cabin reading while the rain came down in soft afternoon showers. The rain was predictable and it came each afternoon around 1 p.m. I loved the sound of the rain coming through the trees and the fresh smell afterwards.  It was a most peaceful experience and my favorite time of the day.  

Another great memory of childhood was playing in the lawn sprinkler "rain" in the summer time when the natural rain didn't come.  I would skip in and out of the sprinkler and let the water fall...back and forth, like a gentle rain.  And then afterwards I would sit in the warm sun and read.

As an adult, I have consistently moved further west and finally cross country to a state that has generally beautiful long and dry summers followed by dangerously hot autumns.  I love California because we have the ocean and our own mountains but I do miss my afternoon showers in the Tennessee mountains. I have a sprinkler system here though and when it comes on it is nostalgic of my summer rains of childhood.  I sit on my art deck and read, complete an art project or just meditate as it "rains" on the gardens all around my deck.  It sounds just like a summer shower.  Everything turns softer and it's very calming.

Why is rain so powerful yet so peaceful?  Because it means life and new birth.  Nothing could exist without water and rain.  We must have it too - for our own physical and emotional wellbeing.  The sound of rain, the smell of it, the feel of it, the look of it; it feeds the soul and I think that I am perhaps my most peaceful during the falling rain.

I recently attended the virtual awards ceremony for six outstanding graduating "Rising Stars" from 6 local high schools.  I was so impressed with their accomplishments and the future plans of these students.  .

Throughout the year, nearly 40 high school seniors from the six schools were recognized monthly for demonstrating character, integrity, love of learning, involvement in school and community activities and the ability to overcome challenging life circumstance without compromising their education.  The six final winners received $1000 each to go toward their higher education.  

They were all so impressive; some to highlight were:
 
A student who will go to Dartmouth College where he will major in business education with a concentration in developing  programs for non-profits.  His concentration is non profits dealing with at risk and special needs children.  He was very involved with the Best Buddies program in high school which pairs an older student with a younger one with special needs to help him or her through school.  

A young woman who was class valedictorian and who is going to major in environmental studies at UCLA (which has a wonderful program in the field).  Environmental studies are so important - we certainly need to take care of Mother Earth and manage our resources better than we are at this time.

I was also very impressed with the young woman who was student body president at her school and who is going to the University of San Diego to major in international justice.  We are one world and we need to think that way and take care of everyone who inhabits this earth in a fair and just way.  

​Other "Rising Star" students are going to major in cross cultural relations, early elementary education and child advocacy and ethical business with environmental awareness.

All in all, it was a very impressive group of students with very lofty goals.  I feel good that we are developing leaders like this and look forward to what strides they are going to make for the future of our world.