The Great Pyrenee

The Great Pyrenee is a large, beautiful, white dog with a natural tendency to protect and give unconditional love. It is sad to me that such an affectionate, intelligent breed that bonds so well with humans should spend his life with sheep day in, day out. But it is one of their roles in this world. The pups are introduced to the sheep early on and come to understand that it is their job to use their protective instincts to guard the less capable, less intelligent sheep. It is a labor of love that this big-hearted, gentle breed takes seriously. And while the sheep certainly benefit—they’re protected from predators—it’s also true that the dogs give more love than they get most of the time. Great Pyrenees make wonderful pets, but because they are independent-minded and fiercely protective, they need training and socialization. I would get one in a heartbeat if I could.

Grace

David Brook’s “The Road to Character” contains biographies of well-known people from the past who’d undergone changes in their outlook through their life experiences. I wasn’t enamored of it.  Brooks believes that there is no other way to attain grace than to believe that it is God-given. To me, grace can be found in many different ways, through many different experiences. The most peaceful place for me — the place where I feel connected to something beyond myself -- is on a forest path, or in the mountains — somewhere surrounded by the beauty, intricacy, and diversity of nature. It is where I find serenity, and feel humbled and happy, although, to me, grace requires more - something like being in service to others.

An animal protection activist stated recently, “Millions of different creatures manage to maintain a perfect balance among themselves. Man alone has decided that his interests trump all others.”  I agree. Humans are not in balance with nature and haven’t been for a long time. I’m not sure grace is possible until we are in balance, until we think beyond our selfish needs. What will bring that about? Hard to say. There are just too darn many of us.  Finding grace is difficult when one struggles to find water and food, and the freedom to live in peace is beyond one’s grasp. I could also define grace as wisdom, and those who seem to have a better sense of what 'living on this planet truly means' are, I think, closer to a state of grace than those who take their lives and the world for granted. 

Best Friends Animal Sanctuary

 Best Friends Animal Sanctuary http://bestfriends.org is a huge spread in Kanab, Utah where dogs, cats, horses, pigs, goats, rabbits, birds, and other critters live out their lives after they’ve been brought in due to abuse, neglect, injury or some disaster. They've rescued dogs from dog-fighting rings and hurricanes and so many sad situations, and then with vets and volunteers work to either rehabilitate them to be adoptable, or keep them for life.  http://bestfriends.org. They have cabins on the grounds where you can stay and have a dog or cat spend the night with you. :-)  And during the day, guests can volunteer in a number of ways, and be with the animals. The sanctuary is nestled against the red rock hills of Kanab, Utah. (The town of Kanab -- a ten-minutes drive -- has some great restaurants.) Best Friends has grown to an area covering a few thousand acres.
   Dogtown, Cat World, and Bunny House are located in the same general vicinity. Piggy Paradise, Horse Haven and Goat Barn are closer to the Visitor’s Center, although horses live in several areas. There are forty altogether. There’s also Angel’s Rest Pet Cemetery, a beautiful, peaceful place atop a hill with wind chimes, and Angel Village where a few administrative offices are located as well as a cafeteria. There are also lodgings for the fulltime staff, and some of the founders have houses on the grounds in various places. Nationwide, Best Friends has 700 employees.  
   We stayed in one of the comfortable cottages on the grounds with a kitchen, living room and separate bedroom offering a serene view of the horse pastures. We were cautioned to book many months in advance because of their popularity, which we did. A bus tour took us to Dogtown and Cat World where we interacted with some of the animal residents.  In the afternoon we drove back to Dogtown and volunteered by taking three dogs for walks—two together, then one. They were all very sweet, if a bit shy. The dirt trails wandered between the trees, and one dog loved to chase after lizards, which was a problem since he was on a leash. We had a brief glimpse of their individual living spaces. Each large ‘dog house' connects to a large outdoor area where they can run around. Dogtown is comprised of several of these buildings. Dogtown Heights: A Gated Community is home to the puppies,  a puppy pre-school where they learn the manners they need to know to become adopted, and the senior dogs' house. There’s also an animal hospital nearby.
  A guided hike in the hills led to a waterfall. The guide’s grandfather once owned some of the property that Best Friends bought, and relatives still work for the organization. In the afternoon I volunteered at Cat World -- about a dozen bungalows that look like screened-in jungle gyms with ramps, cubby holes, blankets, baskets, perches, beds, toys, and plenty of food and water. Built in two sections—one indoors -- the cats can come and go between them at will.  Each bungalow holds about 30 cats.  I walked 3 adorable felines (separately) in a little closed-in buggy with a mesh covering so that they could see out.  They’d sit up in the buggy and watch everything go by as I traversed the ‘Meowzers Meander’ trails. They all seemed to love the experience.After that I sat with the cats. They swarmed around me, and one immediately got in my lap.  I spent a fair amount of time talking to them, giving them treats, brushing them, playing with them.  If it weren't for my husband's allergies, I would've taken a few cats home right then and there. I'd also name the place Kitty City.
   My husband volunteered at Wild Friends, where rescued birds and other wild animals are cared for.  He changed the ducks’ pond water, and cleaned cages. Then we met one of the founders to talk about the sanctuary and its goals -- mainly to cut down the number of animals killed in shelters every year simply because the shelters haven’t got room for them, and instead promote spay/neuter programs and no-kill shelters. Best Friends Animal Society is in network with hundreds of shelters across the country, and their message is “Save Them All,” even those with special needs.  Maybe especially those with special needs. After lunch we visited Bunny House, which is set up much like the other areas with nice indoor spaces for each rabbit that connects to an outdoor screened-in area.
 We were so impressed with Best Friends, and heartily recommend a visit there. It is clean, organized, and a very well-run operation. It doesn’t cost much to stay in the cottages, and then you’re close to the action and the volunteer possibilities. A car is a must, though, because the property is so spread out. We're on a list for a hypoallergenic dog.

The Current Condition

I’ve never been depressed about the state of this country before, but I am now.  Trump’s agenda is so anti people and country - so the opposite of what he states  - that I'm compelled to speak up about his self-serving agenda and vindictive actions. I'm thankful that California has a strong governor. Bracing for an adversarial relationship, the California Legislature selected former U.S. Atty. Gen. Eric Holder Jr. to serve as outside counsel to advise the state’s legal strategy against this administration.  Other states aren't as lucky, and I feel sorry for the many people who believe that their lives will get better under Trump. Because they won't.

Several federal agencies were put under a gag order, prohibiting employees from communicating with the press or giving out any information to the public about what was happening at the agency. The Department of Agriculture was told to stop publishing scientific research. The EPA was ordered to purge any references to climate change from its website. Badlands National Park tweeted, then deleted, climate facts hours after news broke of a gag order on the EPA.

If we are supposedly putting the government back into the hands of the people, why is this administration prohibiting federal agencies from even talking to the public about what they're doing? Why is Trump making it harder for the media to report on the actions of the federal government?

The answer is that, as we know, Donald Trump only says what suits his purpose at the moment. He's not giving the government back to the people -- he's holding it hostage to the whims of his own fact-free reality. And it’s looking as if Republicans in Congress aren't going to hold him accountable.

Steve Bannon, chief White House strategist, claimed that the media is "the opposition party" of the new administration. In other words, he wants a totalitarian state. Journalists need to know that the information presented in press briefings is true - real facts, not alternative facts, as Kelly-Ann Conway called them. Alternative facts are simply lies.

Trump still refuses to release his tax returns. We don't know why or what he's hiding. But it's looking as if he's in violation of the Constitution in several ways. Presidents aren’t supposed to make a profit in the private sector.  But he plans to build 40 new hotels in the US - under his sons’ control - and you can bet he'll reap the profits. The rest of the family is just as self-serving.

A former Bush administration State Department counselor is sounding the alarm about President Donald Trump: "It will not get better," wrote Eliot A. Cohen at The Atlantic. "It will get worse, as power intoxicates Trump and those around him." Cohen's outlook is grim:
"[Trump's presidency] will probably end in calamity — substantial domestic protest and violence, a breakdown of international economic relationships, the collapse of major alliances, or perhaps one or more new wars (even with China) on top of the ones we already have. It will not be surprising in the slightest if his term ends not in four or in eight years, but sooner, with impeachment or removal under the 25th Amendment. And check out:

"http://theweek.com/articles/703687/let-2020-democratic-primary-crazy-freeforall?utm_campaign=newsletter&utm_source=afternoon&utm_medium=06_11_17-article_8-703687

As Paul Waldman says: "Less than five months in, his presidency looks to be a disaster, and there's nothing like a president with approval ratings in the 30s to make opposition politicians think that this would be a great time to mount a campaign. Trump has also lowered the bar for experience, preparation, and temperament so much that any Democrat is sure that as the nominee they'd look spectacular by comparison — heck, compared to Trump, your average Labrador retriever looks like a model of keen intellect and thoughtful decision-making."

A Puzzle

Escape Rooms are physical rooms inside buildings that are rigged with electronic puzzles that you need to figure out in order to ‘escape.’  One scenario: A master thief had stolen the Mona Lisa and hidden it in a room with his collectibles. It was our job to find the painting and get it back to the authorities. Not easy! It involved solving a series of puzzles, and each one needed to be figured out before moving on to the next one.  We quickly concluded that a chessboard was part of the solution. But the chess pieces were hidden in cupboards and drawers that opened with codes, magnets and hidden electronics; a typewriter printed out a verse we needed to decipher to open a safe; antique masks had to be hung on the wall in a certain order to reveal a space behind a picture. Once we accomplished all that, a door opened into a separate room. The painting wasn’t in there, either. More puzzles. Once we'd fit the proper coins into a music box, and found a code in an Egyptian treasure case with a magnifying glass, a mirrored closet door would’ve opened with the Mona Lisa inside. I say ‘would’ve' because we got about three puzzles from the end before our time ran out.  If we’d had another hour, I think we might have succeeded.  We’d like to return and try another room, and maybe buy an extra hour to take the pressure off.  :-)

2016 In a Nutshell:

-       Britain voted to leave the EU. Donald Trump was elected president

-       The Ross Sea has been categorized as a Marine Protected Area

-       Mother Teresa was canonized as St. Teresa of Calcutta

-       Pandas are not classified as an endangered species anymore

-       The tiger population has increased for the first time in a century.

-       The world lost John Glenn, Harper Lee, Morely Safer, Gwen Ifill, Patty Duke, Alan Rickman, Gene Wilder, Muhammed Ali, Carrie Fisher, Debbie Reynolds, David Bowie, Prince, Leon Russell, Marni Nixon, George Michael, Leonard Cohen, among many others.

-       Researchers found new genes that might help cure ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) or Lou Gehrig’s Disease that causes nerve cells to break down and weakens muscles

-       West Africa is ebola-free and a vaccine is 100% effective

-       Pokémon took the world by storm.

-       Bob Dylan received the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Sun Bears and Orangutans

We arrived at Balikpapan, Borneo, a bustling city of 750,000 inhabitants, and often voted as one of the most beloved cities in Indonesia. It has a high number of ex-patriots, and is known for its nightlife, which is, ironically, minus any alcohol in this part of the world.

We had no opportunity to spend time in the city because we were scheduled for a long tour to Samboja Lestari Rainforest and the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, a survival facility founded in 1991, and the Kawasan Wisata Pendidikan Lingkungan Hidup, otherwise known as the Sun Bear Center. The drive was long. The small bus with narrow seats honked its way through the big city and into the countryside of shady trees and lush foliage. After an hour it turned onto a gravel-and-dirt road that would put any tires to the test. For fifteen minutes we jostled along until we came to a point in the road where even smaller vehicles waited. The pot-holed road was too rough for busses. 

After fifteen more bumpy minutes, we stopped and got out in a large forest, with a moat of reedy, fresh water dividing it. Across the moat a few young orangutans came to watch us, as we watched them. On the other side of the road, we saw a beautiful adult male with a long shaggy copper coat that had been in the circus. He walked upright, with his arms raised in a “don’t shoot” gesture. Very bright, he seemed to tease the onlookers by putting peas in his mouth and smiling so that it looked as if he had green teeth. And he showed us objects that he’d collected. A female nearby had been traumatized by her captors and was very shy. Another nodded her head constantly. These orangutans would stay in the center for life because of their previous, negative interactions with humans. Other younger ones would be rehabilitated and returned to the wild.

The vehicles then drove us to the Sun Bear Center a few miles away. Sun bears are the world’s smallest bear species, and they’re endemic to Borneo. The center is dedicated to saving rescued bears and educating the public about the importance of preserving Borneo’s flora and fauna. The 40 bears seemed content in their four-acre forest environment that included metal ‘houses’ that allowed an escape from the rain. These bears would not be returned to the wild. They seemed very sweet, and eager to interact with us. Many of us wanted to pet them, but the bears’ very long claws hinted that they could do some very real damage if they wanted to and we were told not to touch them. 

We sailed east crossed the Makassar Strait some 310 miles to Parepare on the island of Sulawesi, which, at one time, consisted of multiple islands with many different soil types.  It’s a mountainous area and nomadic people still live in the forests. At this point, we’d crossed into the Southern Hemisphere, and the water depth fell from shallow to over 5000 feet—a shift that demarks “The Wallace Line,” a finite border between the species of Asia and the species of Australia.  Bali is Asian in its species, and Lombok, across the Lombok Strait, is Australian.

Alfred Russell Wallace spent eight years in Indonesia, collected beetles, and wrote a book about his discoveries in the region—birds, leopards, orangutans. He visited Sumatra, Java, and Bali where tigers and elephants roamed freely. He also went to Nusa Tenggara where he found quite different animals—komodo dragons, and birds like the honeyeater. He traveled to Lusawesi to see macaques, tarsees, kuscous (marsupials), and Halmahera and found a new species of butterfly, the Golden Birdwing, and a new species of Bird of Paradise. In New Guinea he found cassowaries, and another bird of paradise—a bird hunted for its plumes. Borneo has fifty-nine endemic species, and Sulawesi over a hundred.

Wallace believed that the two islands were once connected by land shelves—bridges of woodland and savanna.  Animals could easily cross from one to the other when the sea level was lower. This bio-geographic region is still called Wallacia. Because the animals changed once the regions separated, the plants did too.  Long-tailed macaques were important seed dispersers, but the plants on the other side of the ‘line’ adapted to entice different dispersers. Likewise, animals adapted to become a separate species. The sail-fin lizard, also found in Sulawesi, became vegetarian, surviving only on fruits and vegetable matter. A flying lizard, birds like red knobbed hornbills, serpent eagles, several species of king fishers, the satanic nightjar that camouflages itself at night and sleeps on the ground, are all well known, although maleos are scarce because they’ve been hunted. When the eggs, which are buried in volcanic soil, hatch, the baby birds scramble to the surface. Various snakes, dwarf buffalo, frogs, bats, stick insects, jumping spiders, pitcher plants, and all sorts of things exist in Sulawesi. It’s a lively place.