Today is a collective celebration of our beautiful Earth. She unselfishly provides for all forms of life, regardless of what it costs her. Yet somehow, she miraculously shows us a way to come back and protect her. She never ceases to amaze me. ❤️ If you have a favorite organization, send them a little extra love today. They’re doing the quiet, hard work every single day. And if you don’t have one yet, take a walk through the Empowering Animals classroom. There are some really beautiful organizations waiting to be discovered in there. Happy Earth Day! 💚

There was a story I read today on Good News Network about a young girl who found an axolotl under a bridge in South Wales while she and her family were on vacation. She was learning about these fascinating and endangered creatures when she stumbled across this lone axolotl. She told her mother, but her mother did not believe she found an axolotl because they are from Mexico. She was instructed not to go back in the water, and luckily, she didn't listen and did it anyway. She was able to find the axolotl, catch, and bring them to safety. I felt so thankful for this young girl's heart when I read that. More than likely this was a pet that had been let go in the wild. This baby would have eventually died of starvation or been eaten if it were not for the chance that these two came across each other. The family ended up cutting their vacation short to research how to properly care for this animal and get a proper enclosure set up. Now, this special axolotl is very loved, cared for, and is recovering nicely from some injuries sustained in the river from other animals trying to make a meal of them. This is a great example of why people need to research the responsibilities of bringing a life into their world, especially if they are exotic. Animals depend on us for proper nutrition, shelter, care and love, not just until the new wears off, but for the rest of their lives. Send some special appreciation vibes to this beautiful little girl and her family for making this axolotl's life a priority. Animals deserve this kind of love. So grateful for her. 💕

This morning, as I sat out on the catio-patio with my tea, I noticed a towhee bird scratching around for breakfast. After a few moments, the bird flew up into the tree. And of course, my eyes followed. As the bird perched on the branch, a black squirrel chased him off the branch, while another one sat quietly in a neighboring tree, watching everything like they owned the place. I love black squirrels. I didn’t even know they existed until I moved to the Pacific Northwest. There’s this soft, almost mushy kind of love I get in my soul when I see them. The same feeling I get when I see a skunk. If I ever have the chance to work with orphaned black squirrels, it would be another dream come true for me. Black squirrels aren’t a different species. They’re actually a color variation of the Eastern Gray Squirrel or sometimes the Fox Squirrel. That darker color comes from something called melanism, which is an increase in dark pigment. If both parents carry the gene, the babies can be fully black. If only one does, you might see black/brown squirrels with a reddish undertone. Same squirrel, just a different expression. The black is also thought to be an insulator to trap in body heat for the black squirrels. Unfortunately, the fun ended while I watched the two squirrels being squirrels. It was time for me to start adulting. Work cuts right into my social life.

Today is my Jungle’s 11th birthday! Join me in sending him some pawsitive vibes that make catnip look like kitten’s play. Meowy Birthday, Jungle! Wishing my cool dude many more years of playing fetch, snuggles with your Monkee and MaMa, and enjoying all your favorite treats. Life has been a lot more colorful with you in it.

I can’t remember a time my dreams didn’t include animals in one way or another. Starting Empowering Animals, bringing people and animals together, that is part of that dream. I have a vision. I just don’t know yet how all of it will unfold. What I do know is that something in me feels unfinished without it. Like there’s a piece of my soul that only makes sense when I’m doing this. The magazine cover was a fun AI prompt. But it also felt like a glimpse of a dream that could be. Dreams aren’t meant to show us the whole path. They just keep pointing us in a direction so we don’t forget who we are.