Elk in Estes Park

     I just got back from attending a meditation retreat out in Colorado, where I lived for fifteen years before moving to California. The retreat took place at the YMCA of the Rockies in beautiful Estes Park, which is known as the Gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. Estes Park is famous for its elk, who wander down from the higher elevations and gather in town. You can see them grazing on lawns, ambling through the downtown area, or resting on the grounds of the famous Stanley Hotel (which was the inspiration for Steven King's haunted hotel the Overlook).

      On my walks along the grounds of the YMCA of the Rockies, I saw elk, coyotes, and a herd of mule deer. The elk all look a little shabby this time of year, as they are molting, nor was I able to enjoy the sound of the males' wild, eerie bugling, as mating season will not take place until early autumn. When it does, though, the elk will be even more in evidence as the males challenge each other for possession of the harems of females and bugle to attract potential mates.

     



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Tortoise and Reptile Show

      On Saturday I had a wonderful opportunity to interact with some fascinating reptiles at the Tortoise and Reptile Show at the Veterans' Hall in downtown San Luis Obispo. Fellow Feline Network volunteer Claudia Coleman and I got to pet alligators, admire the astonishing colors of a leopard gecko, see some amazing tortoises, and drape ourselves in the colorful convolutions of a variety of snakes.

      I've loved snakes all my life--one of my favorite photos shows me in Bangkok with a boa constrictor around my neck. The only reason I've never owned one is that my affection for snakes is matched by my fondness for mice, which seem to be at the top of a pet snake's dietary requirements. But it was great fun wearing the snakes like exotic pieces of apparel as they curled and corkscrewed in so many pretzel shapes. Claudia and I even found serpents to match our hair color!



This alligator didn't seem to mind all the attention.




What a great accessory!

Wish I could take him home!

 


 

  Claudia wearing exotic adornment.

  

Lily the Pig and Jack the Pig

     Two of the most holy places I've ever been are animal sanctuaries. One is Farm Sanctuary in Orland, CA and the other is Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, Utah. I visited Farm Sanctuary for the first time about three years ago. It was there that I had my picture taken with the wonderful Lily, the matriarch of the Farm Sanctuary pigs. Lily won her freedom by jumping of the truck that was taking her to slaughter. She was rescued and ended up at Farm Sanctuary, where she will live out her life with love and dignity.

     Looking at Lily's beautiful, soulful face, it's unimaginable to think of the torture inflicted on millions of others of her kind.

     How long will it take human beings to see the divinity in creatures such as Lily?

     Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, UT, is also one of the most inspiring places I've ever been. Located in the spectacular red rocks of southwestern Utah, close to Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park, it provides lifelong homes to thousands of animals, with various sections devoted to dogs, cats, horses, pigs, wild animals, birds, and rabbits. I've made four trips there in the past fifteen months, and each time I've volunteered in Piggy Paradise. (Yes, I definitely have a special fondness for pigs!) Taking a pig for a walk, throwing out popcorn to get the pig to follow, is definitely a form of 'walking meditation.' In the picture to the right, above, I'm feeding popcorn treats to Jack, a handsome potbellied pig. (Lily, on the other hand, is a farm pig.)