Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Ode to Nimue the white

All souls night, Halloween, Samhain are fast approaching and the weather has been shifting into winter mode far earlier than usual this year... All my relations have started to whisper through the veil...

Nimue has been on my mind a lot lately and as i was looking through portraits of canines on Etsy, I came across this one and did a double take...


It looks like a young Nimue dog !!! and
when I noticed her... I realized that I had stopped breathing and was staring at the monitor intently.

So... after last week's Lucky Black Dog Treasury... this week, I decided to put together a white dog treasury dedicated to my Nimue girl.

"This Treasury is dedicated to Nimue the White, my fur daughter who passed away in the Spring. She was abandoned & left at the vets several hours after her birth. I was able to adopt her when she was 3 months old & she deeply brightened my life for 7 years !


ODE TO NiMUE... my rescue dog
Click HERE to visit Treasury !

To me, Nimue is best represented by greyhounds... the white german sheperds just dont have the right crinkly ears and whilst i am absolutely -not- knowledgeable at all about dog breeds- its interesting that almost all the images that reminded me of her are greyhound varieties... do greyhounds get snow noses ?

This dog very much reminded me of Nimue as well:


What a silly girl... Nimue was- a real "character". lol. Check out that snow nose and the coloring is just about right too: white with strawberry blond. I went to check out JoyStClaire's Etsy shop and she has an entire 2011 calendar dedicated to her canine muse (now on my wish list).

Amongst the portraits & representations of Nimue-like canines, I made sure to place treats in the Treasury for her to 'enjoy': some cookies, of course, and then a white mouse- a delicacy she was not known to pass up. I love the pre-raphelite looking bookplate and the gorgeous white cream pink nuno scarf... Those things represent beauty & aestetic which was Nimue all over...


When Nimue passed away last Spring and I was getting her altar ready for the memorial in April... I unintentionally fell upon CarolsCanvas and this beautiful tile of hers. It grabbed my heart strings and in those days, I was crying every day over the loss of my girl. I purchased the tile and it became part of Nimue's altar... even though the nose is not quite right- there is something of Nimue in that portrait.


Nimue the dog was named after Nimue ('Nim-way') who is the Celtic Goddess of Spring... when i first came across this spirit She was referred to as Nimue The White and her soul was indeed very large... Nimue is capricious, rambunktous, demanding, intelligent and stunningly beautiful.

A few years later, when my eyes fell upon an all-white two week old puppy - I knew what her name would be right away. This image below, which I adore, is the perfect synthesis of Nimue the celtic spring divinity and my canine daughter.


I've fallen madly in love with several images by this artist, Kim Parkhurst, and could not help but include the second one below in the Treasury. It is the one that makes me smile the most about Nimue getting her wings... Nimue the white... patrolling the cosmos... flaunting her opalescent wings and doing her guard duty. Its a perfectly soothing way of thinking about her now...


I know that Nimue visits me often and that she will always be my dog. I have shared a few stories... the most noteworthy & striking one is how Nimue and the rest of my guardian angel animals saved us when our land caught fire in the middle of the night this last June. Five acres burned... but we were woken up just in time to move the vehicle out of harms way and to get my current crew loaded up and off property. Thank you Nimue for leading the animal angels and for keeping the fire from burning the structures & gardens !

There is one more image I want to share... it was not included in the Treasury... because it is once again by the same illustrator, Kim Parkhurst & owner of Etsy shop Toadbriar...



Nimue... as with Artemis - Diana - & Brigid... are all maiden divinities associated with early Spring... and in the lunar cycles are often represented by the waxing new moon. I just adore the magic of this illustration !

My sincere thanks to all the artists for allowing me to share their beautiful 'Nimues' in a celebration & remembrance of my fur daughter whom i still miss very much ! Copyrights remain with the original artists...

October is Adopt-a-Dog Month...
please opt to adopt and rescue a dog !
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Friday, October 22, 2010

Celebrating National Wolf Awareness Week

National Wolf Awareness Week
October 17 - October 23
- A Treasury honoring DOW -

"No other organization in the United States has a longer history, as many resources or as much success in protecting wolves as Defenders of Wildlife. Today, Defenders of Wildlife continues to champion expanded wolf recovery throughout the region, working on many fronts to safeguard wolves in the northern Rockies."

"National Wolf Awareness Week is a week of events dedicated to dispelling misconceptions and teaching about the role wolves play in maintaining biological diversity. Defenders sponsors events nationwide." Defenders of Wildlife

WOLF AWARENESS WEEK
in collaboration with theanimalsmagicshop
Click HERE to visit Etsy Treasury

featuring EFA members:
SavageArtworks, IndieWolf,
backroomtreasures, blindwolfspirit,
artbyakiko, brizel4TheAnimals,
faeriegood, thebluewindmill
plus guests...

PLEASE take a moment
to read & sign the following
Defenders of Wildlife
- TAKE ACTiON Wolf Petitions -


#1: Support a New Beginning for Wolves

"Wolves in Greater Yellowstone and the Northern Rockies won a major victory when a federal court reinstated federal protections for these animals. But with Idaho officials still seeking to kill hundreds of wolves, Montana likely to follow and Wyoming still pursuing ashoot-on-sight wolf management plan, our work to ensure a long-term recovery for these magnificent animals is far from over.

Please take action today to urge Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to seize this opportunity to get things right for wolves in Greater Yellowstone and the Northern Rockies by pursuing a science-based plan for long-term recovery of wolves."



#2: Lobos Need Your Help To Survive

"At last count, there were only 42 Mexican wolves left in the wilds of Arizona and New Mexico -- making lobos the most endangered wolves in the world.

But recently, two alpha male lobos were killed and another is missing. And on Friday, July 16th, yet another lobo was confirmed killed by a poacher. These killings are terrible setback in the troubled recovery of these rare and struggling animals -- and we need your help to stop them.

Please take action today to help these struggling wolves survive: Sign our petition urging federal officials to increase law enforcement resources and fast-track an effective, science-based recovery plan for lobos."



#3: Take Action to Save These Rare Southwest Wolves

"Mexican gray wolves (also known as lobos) only exist in the wild in America’s Southwest. Unfortunately, with just 42 lobos -- and two breeding pairs -- remaining in the wild, these wolves are in big trouble.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has recently stepped up efforts to save these magnificent animals and to secure their place in Arizona and New Mexico, ending years of mismanagement and giving recovery efforts a real chance at success.

But with so few lobos remaining, the loss of even one wolf could spell disaster for these rare wolves. Please urge U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to fast-track federal efforts to save these wolves."



#4: Give Wolves a Future in Utah

"Extremists in Utah have it in for wolves. Back in session for less than a week, Republican state Sen. Allen Christensen already introduced, ushered through committee and passed a bill in the state senate that would allow officials to remove or destroy any wolf that crosses into areas of Utah unprotected by the Endangered Species Act.

Christensen's argument: "This bill simply says any wolf within Utah will be captured and killed. We don't want any of them here. Write to Utah Governor Gary Herbert and the state tourism board and urge them to to protect Utah's fledgling wolf population and oppose this dangerous bill."


#5: Help End Arial Wolf Killing

"So far, more than 1,000 wolves have been chased down by gunmen in low-flying aircraft and killed with high-powered rifles. This year alone, more than 250 wolves have been killed --making the 2008/2009 aerial wolf killing season one of the deadliest in years.

Congressman George Miller and Senator Dianne Feinstein have introduced the Protect America’s Wildlife (PAW) Act, federal legislation to end the controversial practice of using aircraft and gunmen to chase and kill wolves in Alaska. Will you urge your representative and senators to help get the PAW Act passed into law?

Complete the form below to urge your representative and senators to sign on as co-sponsors of the PAW Act and help end this awful practice in Alaska and prevent it from spreading to places like the Northern Rockies."

https://secure.defenders.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=1517


#6: Urge Your Senators to Co-sponsor the PAW Act

"This past summer, Senator Dianne Feinstein introduced the Protect America’s Wildlife (PAW) Act, federal legislation to end the controversial practice of using aircraft and private gunmen to chase and kill wolves in Alaska. Will you urge your senators to help get the PAW Act passed into law?

Fill out the form below to urge your senators to cosponsor the PAW Act -- and join the fight to end this unscientific and unnecessary practice in Alaska, and prevent programs like it from spreading to places like the northern Rockies."

https://secure.defenders.org/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=1607


ViSiT DOW's WEBSITE

I'm a Defender of Wildlife - Are You? - Defenders.org
THANK YOU !!!
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Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Animal Treasuries: Cats & Dogs

I've been creating lots of Etsy Treasuries in the last week or so- many of them are centered around cat & dog themes.

October is National Adopt a Dog month and it also featured National Feral Cat Day, which coincided with Team EFA's Charity of the month- helping The Feral Cat Rescue Project. With Halloween around the corner it's important to enlighten folks about safeguarding our black ones during the upcoming festivities- a point of notation is that black dogs & cats are harder to place in fur-ever homes because of the color stigma & its negative associations.

LUCKY BLACK DOGS
Click HERE to visit on Etsy

"If you have the option of adopting & falling in love with a black dog- please do :) as it can be harder to find fur-ever homes for them. If a black dog looks to you- be sure to keep them extra safe during the upcoming festivities !"

LUCKY BLACK CATS
Click HERE to visit on Etsy

"If you have the option of adopting & falling in love with a black cat- please do :) as it can be harder to find fur-ever homes for them. Also, if a black cat looks to you- be sure to keep them extra safe during the upcoming festivities !"

TREATS NOT TRICKS
curated by thedoghouse
Click HERE to visit on Etsy

This Halloween Treasury was curated by my friend Jane of thedoghouse: you can see more treats on her blog: http://www.maxandmollydesigns.com/2010/10/11/trick-or-treat

Thanks for featuring my Sunset Raven Silk Tapestry Box !

HOWL-AWEEN
Click HERE to visit on Etsy

HALLOWHiSKERED
Click HERE to visit on Etsy


THE FERAL CAT RESCUE PROJECT
Click HERE to visit on Etsy

"Team EFA, also known as Artists Helping Animals, is supporting The Feral Cat Rescue Project during the month of October http://feral-kitten-rescue.blogspot.com/ through our fund raising Charity of the Month program. Each of these shops supports our program by donating a percentage of sales to its efforts. Help feral cats today ! Thank you."

That's it for now... I've been quite busy keeping up with the management of Team EFA's main blog, helping to reorganize their website, trying out new things like setting up on Amazon Wish lists, Stumble Upon and yes, even Facebook and of course learning how to create Treasuries on Etsy. On top of it all, I am in the process of redoing a roof on one of my buildings... and... both Merlin & Dingo have been needing some extra care lately so... my hands & fingers are working to keep up with all of life demands !

Hope all is well with you & yours...
xox Nicole
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Monday, October 11, 2010

A letter of gratitude...



I wanted to share
a letter of gratitude
that I received from Rodger Schlickeisen
- President & CEO of Defenders of Wildlife -



I had nominated DOW for Team EFA's (Etsy For Animals) Charity of the Month program & they were chosen as our COTM for the month of September.

"Dear Nicole, and the rest of the great people at Team EFA.

I wanted to write and thank you personally for selecting Defenders of Wildlife as the recipient of your September fund raising efforts. We're delighted to have the support of such creative, energetic people!

It's been particularly nice to read all of the detailed blog posts you've written about Defenders' work, and to see the comments from your community members about your love for animals and your support of our efforts. We've gotten good response to our own posts to our blog and social media channels as well - there are a lot of Etsy fans among our supporters!

Our communities certainly share an appreciation for our nation's wildlife. Hopefully this month's collaboration has been as beneficial for EFA, as it has been for Defenders of Wildlife.

Thanks again,
signed...
Rodger Schlickeisen

handwritten note:
We are extremely grateful for your help"

I was thrilled to receive a letter with such personal touch... and included with it was an adorable sea turtle plush ! How does it get better than that ? lol


Turtle will be once again making a journey... as she will be sent on to Heather of thebluewindmill as gratitude for all her tremendous efforts in writing a variety of articles for our DOW campaign last month.

The work to assist Defenders of Wildlife is, of course, never ending... My Etsy shop brizel4TheAnimals will continue to donate 20% of animal themed Silk Tapestry Box sales to animal charities- 10% to Defenders of Wildlife as well as 10% to EFA's continuing cotm program.

ViSiT DOW's WEBSITE

I'm a Defender of Wildlife - Are You? - Defenders.org
To read about Defenders of Wildlife
see September 1 EFA blog post HERE
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