10 Life Lessons Learned from Jumping into the Ice-Cold Ocean By Lori Pelikan Oops, I may have done it again! Yes, I jumped (well, walked) into the ice-cold Atlantic Ocean on New Year’s Day. This is the fourth time I took this frosty dip in......

A waggleview® reveals the incredible bond between the human and animal connection. These special interviews remind us to mindfully live in the moment, as our pets do every single day. Read our featured waggleview® to find out their dog’s philosophy on life and how their......

The Dog Owner: Stephanie Owens: Online Interior Design of All Things Glamorously Whimsical and Branding Strategist for Fellow Creatives. You can find her at Paper Moon Interiors.   Dog type and Name: Mr. Darcy (Pembroke Welsh Corgi) and Khaleesi (Cocker Spaniel Mix)   Q: Since......

Summer, Fall. Give, take. Triumphant turns. At transition, a peaceful co-existence. Notice. Flourish in the beauty of differences.                                                      ......

A waggleview® reveals the incredible bond between the human and animal connection. These special interviews remind us to mindfully live in the moment, as our pets do every single day. Read our featured waggleview® to find out what lesson in life her dog has taught......

  Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness and unites your body to your thoughts.                                                                                         ~ Thích Nhất Hạnh Do you know how to breathe? I’d like to teach you. Breathing is effortless, right?  It requires no thought. Many of us......

A waggleview® reveals the incredible bond between the human and animal connection. These special interviews remind us to mindfully live in the moment, as our pets do every single day. Read our featured waggleview® to find out her dog’s philosophy on life and how her......

A waggleview® reveals the incredible bond between the human and animal connection. These special interviews remind us to mindfully live in the moment, as our pets do every single day. Read our featured waggleview® to find out her dogs philosophy on life and how her......

A waggleview® reveals the incredible bond between the human and animal connection. These special interviews remind us to mindfully live in the moment, as our pets do every single day. Read our featured waggleview® to find out her dogs philosophy on life and how her......

5 Ways to Maintain Your Sanity in a Small Kitchen by Emma Lawson Small kitchens are every wannabe chef’s worst nightmare: navigating around a tiny cooking area can be a huge problem if the space was poorly designed, to say nothing of attempts to whip......

There are changes coming to my website! Some of the changes will reflect my love for living a mindful healthy lifestyle while living life in the moments. We all want to live a life of fullness. So how do we do it? The answer is......

“A father teaches how to live by living a life of example. A father teaches how to respect by always being there for family. A father teaches how to dream by encouragement and belief. A father teaches how to trust by countless acts of unselfishness.......

The Dog Owner: Robin Martin is the owner of Two Songbirds Press, a freelance editorial assistance business. She is also the managing editor of the creative nonfiction and arts magazine Under the Gum Tree. Dog type and Name: Nacho is a beautiful mutt, some kind......

Do nutritional supplements actually work? Every morning I shake out capsules from about 7 different bottles of supplements and swallow a handful of pills with a giant glass of water. This routine stopped a few months ago when I decided to go on what I......

The Dog Owner: Terri Webster Schrandt-University Lecturer. Retired Recreation and Parks Practitioner. Self-Published Author Terri is a leisure educator, self-published author, blogger, and retired recreation and parks practitioner living in Northern California. Second Wind Leisure Perspectives is her blog about living a leisure lifestyle. She......

It’s Louie’s birthday! In honor of his day, he got some homemade Honey Peanut Butter Pupcakes. He was so excited! While I was making them he sat patiently in the kitchen staring at me. When they finally came out of the oven, I placed them......

The Dog Owner: Annie Peters is the President & CEO of Pet Partners, the nation’s largest and most prestigious organization registering multiple species of animals for therapy work. Dog type and Name: Kylie – a rescue. We had her DNA tested and she’s allegedly ¼......

Today’s guest post is from Kathy Mitchell, a writer and avid researcher on beauty, nutrition, and wellness. She is a regular contributor a Consumer Health Digest. Thank you Kathy! For most people, a salad represents the perfect choice for a quick lunch. However, if you......

It’s March Madness! In honor of The Road to the Final Four for women’s and men’s basketball, here’s a little something my daughter wrote a long time ago about what it must feel like to be a basketball. Can you imagine what it must be......

What new plans or projects are on your calendar? Spring is here, so come out and blossom!...

  Are you wondering how you sneak more greens into your life? We all know the importance green vegetables add to our health.They have wonderful healthy nutrients such a Vitamin A, C, E, and K. One of my favorite greens is the avocado. Who doesn’t......

An attitude of gratitude brings opportunities. Find your gratitude and see where it leads you. Once you practice this attitude, you will see how wonderful circumstances can show up in your life.   I am grateful for new and old friends. These special people have......

Snow on top must feel chilly, the cold moonlight piercing it. Snow on the bottom must feel burdened by the hundreds who tread on it. Snow in the middle must feel lonely with neither earth nor sky to look at. ~Misuzu Kaneko I came across......

The Dog Owner: Claire Wiseman, PhD, Psychologist, Director Red Skye Foundation Dogs type and Name: Phoebe: English black Lab Sophie: English black lab Q: Why did you choose these dogs? Temperament. This breeder breeds for temperament. His dogs are mostly calm and very obedient. Q:......

The AWP, Association of Writers & Writing Programs, conference is attended every year by more than 12,000 people. The AWP is a community of writers, students, teachers, publishers, and editors. In four days, there are panel discussions, featured author events, readings, and a book fair,......

The kiss is soft and exacting. Just the way it’s suppose to feel. Attentive, alert, and searching. An intense tension of moment. Holding and yielding. The lips quiver as they quicken with wanting. The touch is like a blanket for the soul. Protective and warm, caressing......

The Dog Owner: Penny Guisinger, Memoirist and Freelance Writer. Penny Guisinger is the author of Postcards from Here. Her work has appeared in Fourth Genre, River Teeth, Guernica, the Brevity blog, Solstice Literary Magazine, and others. Pushcart nominated, a Maine Literary Award winner, and twice......

You are yearning for a puppy. You can imagine the softness of its fur as it snuggles in your arms. You can almost smell its sweet puppy breath as you picture him planting wet nose kisses on your face. Do you envision yourself with a......

Dog Owner: Susan Davis Abello ‑ Author, Illustrator, business owner. I love my job, not just because as a writer and an artist I get to work on projects that I’m passionate about, but because most days, I can be at home, with my husband......

I’m so delighted to contribute an essay to Copper Beach Institute‘s Awaken Everyday blog, a great site for mindfulness and “real life wisdom for living a life of calm, compassion, and true happiness.” My most recent piece about The Gift of Mindfulness was just published.  I......

Looking ahead, I wish you much peace, love, and happiness. The secret of life is to live in the open spaces of the heart. As the seasons change, we change too. Our needs and wants change like the currents of the ocean and the wind......

Looking for some good gifts to give? Check out this updated list for the book, body, and soul lovers in your life. Top gifts for the book lover: For the book lovers, there is a book light, a Kindle or Nook, an e-reader stand, a......

Weekly photo challenge: New Horizon This weeks challenge is to think ahead and imagine your new horizon. With that in mind, I couldn’t help but take a picture of the moon as it rose from the horizon while the sun snuggled into the skyline. Every......

My dog inspires me… with his patience, resilience, and unflappable love for our family. To read more about this inspiring dog, click HERE to read the full waggleview with award-winning author, of the novel The Order of Seven, Beth Teliho. You’ll also find out what......

“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.”   This is easy to say but difficult to do. One of the keys to......

Weekly Photo Challenge: Relax Share what makes you feel relaxed. What is better than a relaxing fire?   Relax Dancing fire Chasing cold of the night Bright burning embers feed the flame Glowing “Life can be stressful. Work commitments, family trouble, financial obligations: the list......

The Dog Owner: Daphne K. Jenkins, artist, maker and entrepreneur, lives in Portland, Oregon with her partner and handsome first-born corgi Moses. So beloved is Moses that Daphne and her was-band, (ex-husband) continue to share him. She uses the hash tags #mosesthecorgi and #mosesthecardi on......

“It may be that when we no longer know what to do, we have come to our real work and when we no longer know which way to go, we have begun our real journey. The mind that is not baffled is not employed. The......

Weekly Photo Challenge: It’s Not This Time of Year Without… Show us the one thing that shows us what this time of year means to you. “Is there a particular dish, a favorite game, or a specific place that signals this time of year to......

Meet Chubs! A mixed breed 2 1/2 year old Rhodesian Ridgeback/Pitbull. Loves tennis balls and hiking. Definitely NOT camera shy. Favorite food: sweet potatoes Enjoys playing fetch! Happy to catch the ball but hates to give it up. Career Goals: Police Officer     Welcome......

Your great mistake is to act the drama as if you were alone. As if life were a progressive and cunning crime with no witness to the tiny hidden transgressions. To feel abandoned is to deny the intimacy of your surroundings. Surely even you, at......

Are you headed back to your hometown for the holidays? One whiff of pecan pie, some turkey, or the sight of your old high school is all it takes to bring you right back to your old stomping grounds. Before you know it, you might......

Weekly Photo Challenge: Magic Magic (adjective): wonderful; exciting The magic of Thanksgiving brings loved ones together. I’m so grateful for daughters who have magical hearts and smiles. Wishing you a wonderful and happy Thanksgiving! Share with me your take on the word MAGIC in the comments below.......

My Dog Inspires Me… to keep learning. You CAN teach an old dog new tricks! To read more about this inspiring dog, click HERE to read the full waggleview with writer Carol Cassara. You’ll also find out what this pup would say if he could......

Full Moon   The moon leaned her full, round face so close to mine that her mountains touched the furrows of my brow.   “I have a secret,” she said with a wink. I waited. “You’re not dead until you’re dead,” she said. I was......

Dog Owner name:  Katie Clooney 
I write a blog called Preppy Empty Nester.  I am in my 40’s, give or take a decade or two, living the dream on the South Shore of Massachusetts.  I have been married to the Mister for 26 years and have......

Live in the moment today, even if it’s uncomfortable…bring awareness to it and begin to transform.  ...

“This week, let’s embrace disorder and its creative power.” Weekly Photo Challenge: Chaos Are you a fan of chaos? Do you like confusion or unpredictability? A little chaos can be fun! Think of mixing up your routine once in awhile…it could possibly change the way......

My dogs inspire me… by their tenacity and capacity to love.   To read more about these inspiring dogs, click HERE to read the full waggleview with Helene Bludman Cohen. You’ll also find out what these pups would say if they could talk.   The......

“One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began, though the voices around you kept shouting their bad advice- though the whole house began to tremble and you felt the old tug at your ankles. “Mend my life!” each voice cried. But......

“This week, your theme is transmogrify. Transform. Morph. Change. Show us something already transformed, on the cusp of transformation, or that you wish you could transform.” New York City is the place to see transformation in motion! While walking The High Line, I couldn’t help......

The Dog Owner: Beth Teliho, an award-winning author, artist, and blogger who lives in Texas with her husband, two adventurous sons, and a veritable menagerie of pets. She laughs at inappropriate jokes and likes spicy food and margaritas more than just about anything. She aspires......

I’m ROARing  because I’m the faBOOlous and proud King of the jungle!   Happy HOWLoween to all my friends! Lori and King Louie...

What have you discovered through new eyes?  ...

Weekly Photo Challenge: Shine “Has something bright or reflective caught your eye in the moment? Share a photo of something you were able to explore a bit!” Shine: verb \ˈshīn : to give off light : to have a smooth surface that reflects light   :......

My dog inspires me… to slow down, to live in the moment and to not take life too seriously.   To read more about these inspiring dogs, click HERE to read the full waggleview with Colleen Bridgeman. You’ll also find out what these pups would......

Live in the moment and give yourself some attention! Practice mindfulness.    ...

Brazen, bold, assured True colors softly layer Free fall in fire. ~LPS  ...

“This week, share what “local” means to you, and show us where your heart is.” lo·cal ˈlōk(ə)l/ adjective 1. belonging or relating to a particular area or neighborhood, typically exclusively so. My heart is in the Berkshires of Massachusetts! When I was little I would......

The Dog Owner: Carol Cassara is a longtime writer retired from a 30-year corporate and consulting career. Besides writing, these days she’s preparing to start a business next year offering products and services to help people with cancer or chronic illness and pain heal. Her......

  “There is no controlling life. Try corralling a lightning bolt, containing a tornado. Dam a stream and it will create a new channel. Resist, and the tide will sweep you off your feet. Allow, and grace will carry you to higher ground. The only......

“For this week’s challenge, share a photo that features H2O; the element of water.” Nothing says H2O more than a body of water. An ocean, a lake, or stream reveals all the beauty or ugliness of what water has to offer us. It’s as if......

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  The Dog Owner: Cari Jansen is an artist and animal lover. Cari recently opened FUNKY STUFF the Collective in Oakville, Connecticut. It’s an artists collective that features the work of about 30 local artists and artisans. Her newest product, Rescue Blossoms, was created by using......

“For this challenge, show us what nostalgia means to you — perhaps a moment or scene that makes you feel wistful, happy, sad, or somehow longing for the past. It might be with friends, family, or by yourself — anywhere, anytime of year.” Nostalgia By......

Friends of CPFA/Artplace held its annual author event in Cheshire, CT to benefit Art Heals. Each year an author comes to speak about their book and writing craft. It’s a wonderful opportunity to listen to the author speak and read from their novel. Attendees also......

This being human is a guest-house, Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness. Some momentary awareness comes As an unexpected visitor. Welcome and entertain them all! Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows, Who violently sweep your house Empty of its......

Meet Theodore aka Theo, 1 years old. Loves eating socks, laying in the sunshine and cuddling. Warm brown eyes. Two words that best describe Theo: Spunky & curious. Enjoys adults, children and animals of all kinds. Career goals: Future President     Welcome to Waggleview®......

Weekly Photo Challenge: Quest “For this challenge, show us what quest means to you.” Quest (noun): A long or arduous search for something. This week, a group of complete strangers and I started taking a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course at the Copper Beach Institute. For......

My Dog Inspires Me… To Be Happier! To read more about this inspiring dog Lucy, click HERE to read the full waggleview with Maria Bloom. You’ll also find out what Lucy would say if she could talk.     The latest waggleview is with freelance......

The Friends of The Cheshire Performing & Fine Arts Committee /Artsplace will be hosting the annual author event this Thursday, September 29, 6:00-9:00pm at 90 Fieldstone Court, Cheshire.   Best-selling author, Emily Arsenault , will be presenting to a crowd of reading enthusiasts. Emily is the author......

“What lies behind us, and what lies before us are tiny matters, compared to what lies within us” Ralph Waldo Emerson It is only when we really look within ourselves, to see what unfolds us to the world, can we become the best at ourselves.......

Ball & Socket Arts, Inc. held a fabulous public event to kick off the transformation of a former button factory into a thriving center for the arts in Cheshire, Connecticut. This factory manufactured buttons of every kind; glass, metal, and uniform buttons that were worn......

  The Dog Owner: Helene Cohen Bludman, freelance writer and blogger. My career was in marketing and communications, and three years ago I left to become a full-time writer. I blog at Books is Wonderful where I recommend books I love. I also write about midlife,......

Something wonderful will be happening in Cheshire Connecticut. Tomorrow, September 18th  from 11-4 the Window Project, “Let In The Light”, will be unveiled at the Ball & Socket Arts space. There will be great art, food trucks, and live music at 493 West Main Street......

Weekly Photo Challenge: Edge “This week, share your own interpretation of “edge.” Take a photo from an actual edge, like a balcony, a window, or a seaside bluff.” Sometimes we can all be on the edge, looking over the edge, at the water’s edge, or......

I’m so delighted to contribute an essay to Midlife Boulevard, a great site about life and style for women at midlife. My most recent piece about 10 Tips For Parents On How To Face The Newly Empty Nest was just published. If you’re interested, please read the......

My Dog Inspires Me By… giving 100% no matter what he’s doing. In this crazy world we are spreading ourselves too thinly, never fully engaged with one thing. Give 100% to each task or pleasure and it will have more meaning to you. ~ Eileen......

Dog Owner: Colleen K. Bridgeman is the Assistant Dean and Chief Operations Officer of the School of Fine Arts at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, CT. She also serves as President to the newly formed non-profit organization, Justice’s Fight. An organization dedicated to raising the......

The empty nest phenomenon happens when a child leaves home for college, a job, or for other reasons. Learning how to accept the change in family dynamics can be a little challenging. The home nest is rearranged and different. It can feel out of sorts.......

Weekly Photo Challenge: Frame “This week, I’d love for you to look at things a bit differently. Whether it’s through an actual picture frame, a few stalks of grass, or even the spokes of a bicycle tire, find an alternative frame to the world around......

Meet Charlie. 3 years old. Outgoing and friendly. Loves walking in the neighborhood and meeting new people and dogs. Very cute and smart. Spends his free time looking for mischief. His antics are in good fun and always make his family laugh. He has a......

Who’s your best friend? Here’s a quote to remind you. Happy National Dog Day! Wishing you many wags and kisses.  ...

The Dog Owner: Maria Bloom  Maria is a highly skilled IT consultant with over 15 years of professional experience. Her expertise is in all phases of project life cycle, from conceptual design through implementation. Most recently she has worked with Vision Technologies, LLC where she......

  As your children grow and move on with their lives, there is still the need for some motherly guidance. No matter how old you or your children get, you will find a new type of mothering that is needed by you and your children.......

Welcome to Waggleview® Yips, a Dog on the Street interview! It’s a place where beloved pups share their individuality and spirit. The Dog on the Street interview will introduce you to some adorable dogs who want to share their social media profiles, opinions, thoughts, and,......

“In rare moments of deep play, we can lay aside our sense of self, shed time’s continuum, ignore pain, and sit quietly in the absolute present, watching the world’s ordinary miracles.” Diana Ackerman~     Life can be messy. Hard. Hectic. Tense. As an adult,......

The Dog Owner: Hi! I’m Eileen Foster and I’m retired. I’ve held many different jobs and I’ve moved often. Being a military spouse, I took whatever jobs were available. Sometimes I wonder what it would have been like to follow a career path from college......

A waggleview® with author Lee Gaitan shows her love for her dog Harper. Read about the lesson in life Harper has taught Lee and about what Harper would say if he could talk. Click HERE to be inspired. Let me know how your dog inspires......

This post is from the wonderful Kimberly Montgomery of Fifty Jewels. Kimberly is a regular contributor to the Huffington Post 50 blog where she shares tips on making the most of Midlife. She is also the co-creator of the successful Making Midlife Matter online magazine that......

“There I was, a haunted man, with the gay yellow books and the bells of the foxglove pressed up to the front of the picture. The angle of the flowers echoed the way my body leaned to the side of the canvas, so that they......

A waggleview® with blogger Allison Hill shows her love for her dog Louis. Read about the lesson in life Louis has taught Allison and about what he would say if he could talk. Click HERE to be inspired. Let me know how your dog inspires you!......

It’s pretty great being over 50 years old! Well, at least at this moment. I’m finally accepting of my new role as mom of an empty nest. I’m learning that I have more time for me and I only get interrupted by the dog. These......

In Alice Hoffman’s book, The Red Garden, you discover something about life, love, and history. The novel shares an account of the characters who make up the town of Blackwell, Massachusetts. Each chapter is a short story, which weaves a tale with themes of nature......

The Dog Owner: Lee Gaitan has worn many hats in her 25 years as a professional communicator, from public relations writer and talk show host to educator and stand-up comedienne. She is the author of two books, Falling Flesh Just Ahead and My Pineapples Went......

It’s the season of commencements. It’s the time to be inspired, to do something new, and to start an adventure. As your new graduate walked across that stage, I hope you felt the electrical charge in the air of change and transformation. When your graduate......

Watch this sweet video below of the reunion of Nico the puppy and Deb, his puppy-raising mom. Some of you may remember a waggleview® (dog owner interview) with Deb O’Brien, a puppy raiser for Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation. She shared her thoughts on being a......

  The Dog Owner: Allison Hill-Blogger/Writer/Public Speaker for Accidentally Allison: My chronological story of transformation on my quest for never-ending love, making everyone feel normal; one disastrous relationship at a time. Dogs type and Name: Louis – Yorkie Costello – Chow/Newfoundland Mix   Q: Why......

You can find me and my dog Louie featured on Coffee with a Canine. Thanks Marshall Meringue! I’ll be answering questions such as how Louie and I were united and how he got his name. You can also find out who I would pick for Louie’s......

Passing by Nella Larsen is a must read for everyone. It takes place during the Harlem Renaissance. Clare and Irene are childhood friends who lose touch when Clare moves away after her father dies. She is sent to live with her white aunts, who decide Clare......