“I am an old man now. When you get to be old, you realize that there is a certain wisdom that comes with that. It’s a wisdom I didn’t have when I was younger. I still feel young at heart. But there is something sensationally exquisite about savoring the knowledge that I’ve gained. I watch some of the younger ones here carelessly living their lives as if they have 15 lives to live yet. Sooner or later in life, you learn to appreciate the most simple of things as being total blessings in your life. Not a day goes by that I do not feel gratitude. It can be for a cloud on a hot day that offers a few minutes of shade. It can be a patch of grass that tastes so good in that moment. It can be my horse friend who comes and stands by me so that I don’t feel alone. Here is my advice to you: Live your life in harmony with your heart. Allow yourself time to give thanks. Help others by being kind. Let joy fill you up. And know that when you are down, it will get better. It always does. Even when it feels like it won’t. If you do these things, when you are old like me, you won’t have any regrets and you will have so much to be thankful for. In time….. gratitude is ours to find and spread to others.”
“Sometimes life is full of surprises that are amazing. And sometimes there are twists and turns that are hard to take. But what I have found is that you just have to keep walking forward and show up on the path. I love being with my duck friends. I love being out in the sun and feeling the warmth spread through my body. But I also like standing in the rain because that makes me feel good too! Sometimes, you have to look past the negatives and remember all the positives. That is a great strategy for a duck and I bet it is for you too. But, I’m just a duck. But for me, that is everything!”
“The thing that brings me happiness is feeling safe and being part of a wonderful family. My family consists of other donkeys and horses and chickens and ducks and cats and even little wild animals that come by our barn and yard. All of them are unique and special. I love learning about each one and how they feel and what they like and how they see the world. Because even though you may think I have nothing in common with a little bird flying through our barn, we have more in common than we have differences, when we stop and ask one another, ‘what is most important to you?’ When is the last time you were inquisitive about someone you feel is totally different than you? If you’d try that, you’d see that you have basic things in life that are important to both of you. That very small act of kindness can open a common ground on which you can stand together and accept your differences without judging them. I’d love to see more of that in this world. Now is as good a time as any to start.”
“Life is never all sunshine and rainbows. Sometimes you have to understand the beauty in the rain. I like finding the uniqueness to each day. I love my friends and showing them affection. If you are my friend, you know it. I am never shy in letting people know that I care about them. Life is meant to be experienced day by day. And it is important that love is shared every day. We all are responsible for contributing to the good things in the world. If you don’t like negativity, then be sure to contribute goodness every single day. Kindness multiplies. Love magnifies. If you need a hug, just come find me. But I am also known to drool on people. Like I said, you need to find the beauty in the rain too.”
“Hi there! Marco Guinea Pig here. It’s a pleasure to chat with you today. Although this is a mostly one-way conversation now isn’t it? I hope you are listening and enjoying the messages we are sharing with you. I love it here. I love hearing all of the different points of view and there is such wisdom everywhere. Even the cats have interesting things to say. Some of them are a bit on the pushy side if I may say so. But each of us has our own place in life. I love to take little pieces of food and stash them away for later. I don’t think my humans have caught on to that yet. But some things in life are just meant to be savored. You know what I mean? I’m told I can ask you to participate here. Tell me what are some of your things in life that you savor? Come on, make this little guinea pig’s day and share your thoughts with me.”
Today, Christmas Eve, we said good-bye to a most beautiful soul who graced this farm for nearly 30 years. Belle was a Morgan Horse mare who came here in 1993 at just three years old. She was a determined youngster who made it clear to many who tried working with her that she was not here to be ridden or trained. Belle was here to do her own thing. Spring Farm CARES was approached to give her sanctuary where she could do just that and where she’d be guaranteed a place to live out her days. Otherwise, she was destined to be euthanized because her free spirit just did not fit into a life of servitude to humans (and that is just how she looked at it.)
Belle ended up living with three other horses here where they shared a small barn/run-in shed and the run of a huge hillside pasture overlooking the entire farm. The four of them all grew old together in harmony with the farm and living the life they craftily had created for themselves. In many ways, they lived the best life, living the life the way a horse was intended to live. And they thrived together. One by one, over the past 5 years, Belle watched them all leave as time took it’s natural course. She was the last of that amazing little herd. And she also was the last of our original horses. Her passing truly marks the end of an era of this farm.
Belle would not be thrilled that I’ve written this much about her already. One sentence would suffice for her. Something like: “She arrived, lived, dreamed, connected and now she has left.” Yes, that is what Belle wanted me to say. But I need to share something more. Sorry Belle.
Belle being bathed by her caretakers in June 2021
Belle not only came and lived her life here, but she also gave a lot to this farm. She held a space. You see, Belle was not very handleable and that is how she wanted it. She wanted to experience living free and having things done “with” her but not “to” her. She participated when she chose to. Over the years, Belle chose specific people and situations to interact with. Sometimes they were her caretakers, sometimes students who came for workshops and left here with amazing heart connections with Belle. Sometimes it was her veterinarian when she needed help, or her beloved farrier who worked with her so incredibly patiently when in her final couple of years she really needed special help with her feet. Everyone who was chosen by Belle knows who they are. And we thank you for seeing her for who she was and not trying to make her who she never wanted to be. She was a free spirit and she lived her life that way here on this farm and left the same way.
As co-founder of SFC, I have known Belle since she stepped off the trailer here in 1993. We went through a lot together. Her little barn/pasture where she lived with her herd is right outside my window for the past 25 years. To wake up this morning and not see her standing there was painful. She was the first thing I looked for each morning. She also was known to come over to the fence closest to our yard when we had our dogs out late at night in the dark. I could hear the occasional gentle nicker or snort to let us know she was right there. Deep connection and relationship isn’t always about touching or owning anything. Belle taught me how to be together in the deepest sense. It wasn’t always an easy lesson for me to learn with her. But she was an amazing teacher.
Each time one of Belle’s pasture mates has died, she has done the same thing. We find her standing at alert staring up the hill to the big pasture where they once ran together and galloped in their younger days. In their elder years they could no longer do the big hill and had a smaller pasture that was easier on old bones. But as each of her friends passed, she would stand staring at high alert for hours just looking up the hill. When her last buddy Viva passed two years ago, we were worried for Belle as to how she would do by herself. For two days, she stood looking up that hill as if she were watching something moving.
“What are you looking at?” I asked her.
“Can’t you see them?” she replied. “They are all there. They are still all there.”
Chills ran down my spine. The ghost brigade. Her herd was letting her know she was not alone at all.
We brought up another mare to occupy the other part of her little barn so she wasn’t alone. Whisper was also kind of a loner but the two mares could visit over the stall door between them and they could visit over the fence of their pasture. And each morning and evening from our window, we’d watch the two mares stand where they could see one another. It reminded us of coffee time. They’d just stand and enjoy each other’s company.
Belle’s condition deteriorated more rapidly than we anticipated. She had a cancer that started filling her lungs. She didn’t respond to drugs to ease her breathing. She totally let us try to help her but nothing we had to offer brought her any peace. We knew it was time for our free spirit to fly free and join her herd. For the past two days, she spent a lot of time just staring up that hill and watching. I had a feeling they were here to get her and take her home. She knew something that we hadn’t yet discovered. Her time here with us was drawing to a close.
As we led her out of her barn one last time, Whisper gave her that soft nicker that mare friends give one another. She said good-bye and let Belle know she was there. Belle left this world facing up that hill, where she knew her friends were waiting and they could be reunited once again.
Fly free Belle. Say hello to all the others for us. And we will be watching for you all up there on that hill, lovingly standing watch over this farm forever.
“Oh, let me tell you, there is so much in life to be happy about! I’m on my second lifetime in just this one body. No, I’m not talking about a past life thing. This is a present life thing. You see I started out in life born in a horse barn. It was a noble start to be born in the stable. Then, I had an injury to one of my eyes and it was really bad. My humans knew they couldn’t take care of it so they sent me and my sister Bella to this farm. After a lot of trying to save my eye, it was not successful so they had it removed and that was a good thing. Bella and I became THE barn cats here at SFC. Bella died a few years ago but as she got ill, the humans here brought her inside to be warmer and it was the right thing to do. But I wanted no part of that. There was a barn to take care of and I made it clear that I was not ready to retire. I had to do this for me and Bella too. But then 2 winters ago, I changed my mind. It was time for my second career. Now, I am inside and enjoying the life of an indoor cat. I help in the office with important projects and meetings. Sometimes life is not just about seeing things but it is all about how you look at it. I’m hoping that with all the changes you humans are going through right now, that you will take a moment to realize all the things you have to be happy about. Really look at them. Life is full of incredible beauty. And we must see it through the challenges.”
“Do you know all the things that I know? I bet some of you think I’m just a pig and what could I know. Ah, but you would be silly to think that. I know the different smells in the air on any given day. I know when the weather is changing. I know the different smells of food and dirt. I have happy days. I have sad days. I love the comfort of my pig family, even when they get on my nerves. I love snuggling in the straw and hearing my pigs snore. All of these pigs with me are my children. I got to know that they are safe. Sometimes we argue but that is usually because they don’t listen to me. But I have the joy of knowing they will forever be safe here and that makes my heart feel good. I have deep feelings just like you. My body may look different. But my heart beats just like yours. Please get to know me before you pass judgment on who I am …. Because you may not know the truth about being a pig. But I’d love to get to know you and for you to know me too.”
“I volunteer every year for this mission of messages. Are you listening out there? We think we have lots of people following us even though we never see or hear them. But we feel you out there. This is a special time. Why? Because you allow yourself to look for hope and compassion at this time of the year. Have you ever noticed that? Hope is actually something that is around every single day, yet humans seem to need to have an excuse to indulge in it now and again. We wish we could fill you with hope! I want to say that I have come to rely on hope and trust in compassion every single minute of my life. Yes, I’ve seen terrible things. I’ve gone through some really tough things and had a rough start. But that didn’t define who I am, but it did make me appreciate all I’ve got now. You are not defined by your pain unless you let that happen. Define yourself instead by your happiness. You are a beautiful being. You are filled with a light that no one else has but you. The world needs to see each light. We are meant to shine our lights together. Will you join me today? Just try it. Stop throughout the day and find one thing to be happy for in your life. And you will see that there is more than you realize. And hope will fill your heart. And your light will get brighter. And then I want you to simply smile at another fellow human today and share that moment of light. You will touch their hearts in a way that helps them feel kindness. And the magic will spread.”
“I always love to be asked to share in these communications. I sit here on my favorite chair as Dawn asks me if I want to share. And I settle in and take a deep breath. I’d love to share. I have so very much to be grateful and happy about. And I have so much I’d love to share with people. If you meet me in person, the first thing you’d likely notice about me is that I am missing a back leg. People instantly feel sorry for me and wonder what horrible thing happened to me. Well, if all you see about me is that something is missing, then you are not seeing all that is here. And if you walk away from me feeling sad that I lost a leg, then you are failing to understand what I found instead. I lost my leg in an accident. It is as simple as that. But what I found was a home with extraordinary people who have loved me and nurtured me and cared for me in ways that I never had before. I found comfort and I healed. I find joy everyday. I have lots of cat friends with whom I have lived for many years now together. We are a family. And when we lose one, we are all sad. We lost our friend Nemo this year and I’d like to give a shout out to him and the magnificent friend he was to all of us. Ok, I admit sometimes I bopped him now and then. But that was lovingly done. Sometimes adverse events happen that bring us to other places where we find our deepest blessings. But we have to be willing to accept those blessings when they come. If all you see is what is missing, you will never find the blessing that is there in front of you to replace the thing you lost. Trust me, it’s true.”
“Listen to me my human friends. It is far greater to try things in life and fail than to never try anything at all and die empty. I may be just a rabbit to you. If you are thinking that, then you don’t understand rabbits. Actually, you may not understand one another either. I think indeed that is the case. You look at each other and animals with expectations of how we would think or not think or be. You categorize everyone and everything and label it so that you know what you can expect. But you don’t accept anything outside your own silly parameters. You box yourselves in. It’s ok, because we still accept you for who you are anyway. But you limit yourselves with your limiting thoughts. A rabbit is just a rabbit after all, you think. What would a rabbit know? But I’m here to tell you that this rabbit knows a lot. And your limitations are holding you back from great growth and from receiving great gifts from animals and nature around you. That is just what I see. I have tremendous respect for you. Truly. Now go carry on with your day.”
“I’d like to talk about friendship. When I came here to the farm as a baby, I was surrounded by older horses that took me in and raised me as their own. My own mother had died when I was born. I never even knew her. But my new surrogate mother and friends saw me through. But they were all older and while I benefited from their wisdom, I watched each of them die of old age and illness. At first, I thought this was going to be a life of loss. I got a bit lost in that sadness. I lost my way. I disconnected from others. And I kind of fell aside from the herd. But then one day, a horse came in who needed a friend. He was old. He was in bad shape. But my human friends trusted me to be with him, because they knew I understood how to be with the old and frail. Something happened to me in that moment where I suddenly realized I had a great purpose. This wasn’t about loss and sadness at all. This life was about companionship and healing. Because even if my time with them is shorter, what I learn from them is far greater than anything I could ever know. I have the richest life! Now, as I grow older, I have a deeper wisdom within me. Love is the greatest gift we can give to another, no matter how long or short a time we have with them. There is no time to waste. Love is now.”
“Play, eat, sleep. Run, leap, spin around. Find things, hide them on the humans, and make games out of everything. Snuggle for just a second, then move on as if there is something urgent to do. These are the things I busied myself doing. But sometimes I don’t know what I’m here for or what I’m supposed to be doing. I nearly died, yet I fought back hard and survived. There must be something bigger for me in this life. But sometimes I can’t find myself with all the chaos going on around me. Do you ever feel that? Does this happen to you too? Maybe we can figure this out together. I am curious about all of it. Are you?”
Libby is a mini-donkey who is about 7 years old. She came to the farm in 2018 with six other mini-donkeys from an animal cruelty case. They all came here in very bad shape. But that was then and this is now and Libby is a healthy and very happy little donkey. When she first came in, she wasn’t very trusting of people, and for good reason. But as they all were allowed to regroup and heal, Libby has started to come out of her shell. She loves her donkey friend Carley (who may in fact be her daughter) and she is a good calming influence on Carley who can be a little pushy at times. Libby brings a sense of serenity and calmness. She may be in a tiny body, but she has a very large spirit. We are thrilled to have her as part of our family!
“I love participating in this every year. But why do you only look for inspiration from us once a year? Seriously, you should come check in with us more often. Now, being a goat offers me a very unique perspective in life. I love being a goat. Goats really have something special. We have a connection to the earth that is very strong. And we also love to play and be silly. You humans need more of all of those things. When I see a human taking things too seriously (which is like everyday!) then I have to jump into action. A goat body is made for expression. I can make people laugh in an instant. I can make them talk baby talk to me and do the silliest things. And if need be, I can be downright annoying as well. I admit it, it’s true. My message is simple. Wake up each day and have your first thought be that you have awakened to a new day. All the rest will unfold. Wake up with gratitude. Go to bed with gratitude. If you would do that, your whole life would change. But who would believe a goat anyway?”
“Every year I have been at this farm, which is a long time now, I have been asked this question. I love to share what it’s like for me to have no eyes and still be able to see more than most of you with two. I don’t say that with any judgment or negativity. I truly don’t. But you humans sometimes get very set in your ways and you tend to see things through a very narrow lens. If you could see with your heart, you would see so much more beauty in the world. I can see smiles because I feel them deep within me. I can still see colors because I can feel them and smell them and taste them. I can see the truth of whoever stands before me, even when they themselves cannot. I see their beauty. I see their tremendous worth. And I hope that by sharing just a momentary touch or breath together, that they can see themselves through my heart. You are all truly beautiful creatures. And I am happy to see you inside of my heart the way I do. I hope you’ll try that too. You’d change your world into something you’d find much easier and safer for all of you.”
“I know a thing or two about feeling hopeless and despondent. I dedicate my message to those of you who may feel lost or feel the loss of someone else around you. I understand a heavy heart as mine has been heavy before too. I felt like life had no meaning and there was no sense continuing on. Boy was I ever wrong. What changed my mind and healed my heart was the love and belief of someone stepping in and saying to me, ‘I want you to be here.’ Just to feel wanted again was incredible. We all need to belong. And when we feel we don’t belong, it is important to understand that we each have a unique place in this world and a beautiful plan. But if we separate ourselves out from our own destiny, then we become disconnected. Believe me, I know this is true. If you have the ability to be the light in someone’s darkness, it is a gift that is as precious as life.”
“I may not see as well as I once did. I can’t fly like I once enjoyed. My body is a bit more rickety now. But my joy is still flowing. I love all of my friends of so many species. I have cats and birds and rabbits and guinea pigs and of course humans. Over the years, I loved my dogs too. I used to be able to call them and they’d come over and I’d drop food to them. It was funny. Yes, I miss the ones who are no longer here. I’ve seen a lot of lives come and go. One day I too will leave this body. But when I do, I will leave richly filled with the most amazing experiences and I will be forever grateful for the opportunities of this lifetime. Your life if your most precious gift. Don’t waste it worrying about how you are doing. Just live it the best way you can. And be grateful and kind and loving. You can never go wrong with that.”
Your support helps so many animals who have nowhere else to go and are in need of help. We’d like you to meet Waylon and Mia, two horses who came to us in June. Here is a video showing you the importance of what you do and how you change lives.
Mary Beth: “I have a very unique view of life. Seriously, I’m not talking about something philosophical here. This is anatomy and science. I was born with my head crooked and I cannot lift my head up very far. So I have always seen and experienced life from a different and unique perspective. No one here sees things the same way that I do. But in reality, that is true about all of us. Each one of us has a unique look at the world. But there is not a single one of us that sees things the way they really are. Each of us sees our own unique little piece. When we put them all together, we get a grander view and a deeper understanding. But when we criticize how another sees the world, we are losing a key piece of understanding and perspective. We should listen to what each of us sees because when we do, we’d all be a lot happier. I guarantee you that I see things about you that you might not even see about yourself. And you may also look at me and think you see a perspective about me that is not true for me. We need to listen to one another without judgment and always with compassion. We’d learn so much more.”
“Oh there is so much to be happy about. One could look at me, and maybe some people do, and think that I have a lot of problems in life. But, you have to realize that I had problems in life for sure. But what I also found were a lot of solutions. If you focus only on the problems and difficulties in life then you will miss the very solutions you are looking for. Be on the ever lookout for miracles because they will find you. But you have to be willing to welcome them. If I stare at my empty food bowl and focus on the fact that there is nothing in there, I could be filled with sadness. But if I look at that empty food bowl and feel grateful that I just ate all the food and there will be more coming, then I will live in a state of gratitude and hopefulness. Not everyone has a bowl that gets filled. A lot of cats would do anything for the ability to even have a bowl. My point is this, you need to focus on what you have and what is coming and not on the problems for which you can’t in this moment see the solution. The solution will be shown to you when you welcome the answer, and not a moment before that time.”
Our Latest Book – Stories From The Magic Years is Now Available
Stories from THE MAGIC YEARS
A Thirty-Year Interspecies Conversation
celebrating the Thirtieth Anniversary of Spring Farm CARES – 1991-2021
This an amazing book! We, ourselves, did not realize just how amazing it would be until we began to re-read thirty years of letters and newsletters to you–our friends, students, and supporters–and to remember sometimes forgotten events and details from thirty magical, often other-worldly, miracle years. Many of you have been with us every step of the way! Many of you read and loved the stories in these newsletters way back when. You, too, will again laugh, cry, thrill, cry out in amazement, and be inspired as you re-read these stories and remember the wonderful, often Master, animal teachers and friends who have graced our lives and yours. While those of you who have joined us somewhere along the way are in for a heart-warming and soul-inspiring experience.
There is no book that has ever been written—or that could have been, or could ever be, written–like this thirty-year chronicle of continuous conversations, comradery, companionship and spiritual communication between human beings and animals. For, as you know, Spring Farm CARES is the world’s only living, breathing, daily-functioning sanctuary dedicated to carrying on a dialogue between humans and animals and then sharing that dialogue with you.
(This 8 x 10 book is over 475 pages and is filled with over 340 photographs)
Where is it Available?
Please note that in prior communications advertising the release of this book, we had anticipated the price to be much cheaper than what Amazon has it listed for now. The list price is correct. Due to the size of the book, and the many photographs, the printing cost ended up being much higher than we anticipated. We apologize for the confusion.
E-Book: Stories from THE MAGIC YEARS is available on Kindle, and Smashwords
and will soon be available on Nook.
“I like when there is a sense of quiet around me. Sometimes life moves too darn fast. What the heck is the hurry? You all speed around like you have to be somewhere that you can’t get to fast enough. But you rarely stop to enjoy where you are. If you’d enjoy each moment, you would actually get to where you are headed much quicker and with way more joy and peace. I have had a lot of change in my life. Many times I didn’t belong where I was. Sometimes I was alone and frightened. Yet, it was all that change that brought me exactly to what I was looking for – a family. If I hadn’t gone through the discomfort of change, I’d still be alone and afraid and certain that there was no hope for anything else. Instead, I ended up finding sheep friends and lots of animal and human friends who treat me like I’m special. Slow down. Be in the moment. One thing is certain. Things will change. They always do.”
Coal is estimated to have been born in 2016 and came to the farm in fall of 2017. When Coal came to us he was in really bad shape. But now he is doing very well. Coal’s story is worth telling because he is a perfect example of the mission of our organization and the impact these animals have on so many lives. At first look, most people would look at Coal and say “oh that poor cat” and walk away without having a chance to meet him. Coal is not “a poor cat” nor is he a lost soul. Coal has found his place in life and indeed may be more content in being who he is than most humans get the chance to find in ourselves. Yes, Coal’s story is a tough one. He was found on the streets alone, starving, and sick. A good Samaritan rescued him and brought him to a veterinarian for care. Unfortunately, not only was Coal abandoned but he tested positive for both FIV and FeLv. Instantly, most places probably would have stopped right there and euthanized him. But the veterinarian who tended to him saw past his disease and his immediate condition and saw the soul inside this cat who desperately still wanted to live. It just so happened we had just lost an FeLv cat ourselves and we were able to offer Coal a place to live and heal. But the most amazing thing about Coal is that he also came here to offer us something as well. Coal is an amazing cat who is all so willing to share the love and gratitude that fills his heart. There isn’t a human here that doesn’t love and appreciate every second they spend with Coal. And Coal will have a place with us for the rest of his days.
Coal currently does not have a sponsor and would love to have one or more!
“I am an old man now. When you get to be old, you realize that there is a certain wisdom that comes with that. It’s a wisdom I didn’t have when I was younger. I still feel young at heart. But there is something sensationally exquisite about savoring the knowledge that I’ve gained. I watch some of the younger ones here carelessly living their lives as if they have 15 lives to live yet. Sooner or later in life, you learn to appreciate the most simple of things as being total blessings in your life. Not a day goes by that I do not feel gratitude. It can be for a cloud on a hot day that offers a few minutes of shade. It can be a patch of grass that tastes so good in that moment. It can be my horse friend who comes and stands by me so that I don’t feel alone. Here is my advice to you: Live your life in harmony with your heart. Allow yourself time to give thanks. Help others by being kind. Let joy fill you up. And know that when you are down, it will get better. It always does. Even when it feels like it won’t. If you do these things, when you are old like me, you won’t have any regrets and you will have so much to be thankful for. In time….. gratitude is ours to find and spread to others.”
