Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, September 2, 2023

11

 Mountain Views News Saturday, September 2, 2023 

CHRISTOPHER Nyerges [www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com]


Baby INDY

This sweet boy, born 6/19/23, and 
his 3 other brothers (you’ve met 
Baby Earl and Baby Booboo), are 
being fostered with love and care. 
INDY is a handsome male tuxedo, 
He's one of the bigger ones, really 
playful and active, but loves affection 
and human interaction. 
See more pics of him and his brothers on our website’s Very 
Young page, www.lifelineforpets.org. Indy can be adopted 
with one of his brothers, but he may also be adopted separately 
if there is another young feline at home. Submit the application 
on our website for a chance to come and meet all 4!


FEAR CAN BE A GREAT MOTIVATOR

The world is full of dangers and threats to our existence, both real and 
imagined. How we respond to “fear’ is everything. One option is to 
ignore it, to pretend that it won’t happen to me, and go on with your 
blissful life. Another option is to act on those fears – to take some sort 
of action to counteract the rising tide of adrenalin that shouts “the end 
is near.”

I was bigger than most of my school mates, and so for that reason alone, 
they thought I was either a good fighter or that I wanted to fight. (Neither was true.) 
Very early, I decided to enroll in martial arts classes where I got to strengthen my body, 
learn control, and even spar and roll around on the mat with other students. I realized 
I wasn’t the smartest, strongest, or fastest, but I learned how to fall, and learned what it 
feels like to take a hit. Most importantly, I learned how to avoid a fight in the first place, 
and my fears in that area subsided significantly.

In high school, I studied (formally and informally) world economics and world agriculture. 
I became convinced that a world-wide famine was inevitable by the end of the 
1970s. It didn’t help that several marginal religious groups also believed that this famine 
was a sure thing, and that it would usher in the return of Jesus. I wasn’t convinced 
about the Jesus part, but the possibility of a world famine – and all of its accompanying 
horrors – put me into a cold sweat more than once. My solution was to learn about 
botany, wild foods, and methods of backyard organic gardening. I figured that I would 
at least be able to feed myself and my family.

Little by little, I learned to identify and use the plants that freely grew all around us, 
and sustained generations of native Americans. In addition, since my mother’s brothers 
were all farmers, my mother had the knowledge to teach me how to grow food from 
seeds and cuttings. And as I began to eat more and more wild foods and foods that I 
grew, my fears of dying in a worldwide famine subsided.

I found that my interest in useful wild plants very enriching. I even spent many weekends 
and week-long trips in the local mountains eating only what I could find wild. I began 
the wild food quest out of a primal fear, and soon I was walking on an exciting path, 
the same path that all my ancestors walked. I wasn’t just getting good nutrition from 
wild foods. I was making my own medicine as well. Soon, with some guidance from 
Larry Dean Olsen (author of “Outdoor Survival Skills”), I was learning how to make fire 
from the woods that nature provided, and I was making sandals, woven mats, baskets, 
shelter, and containers from the botanical world. I’d come a long way from the fear that 
I would die as a victim of circumstances, to now seeing the world as my ancestors saw it.

Nature became my supermarket, pharmacy, and hardware store. I no longer lived in 
fear of an impending famine.

As I grew older, I became enmeshed in the so-called adult world of finances and rents 
and mortgages and insurances and taxes (et al). This led to new fears, actually two parallel 
fears. One, I hated seeing all the things that people would do “just for money.” I 
never wanted to become like those people. But I also sometimes worried that I would 
run out of money, and become destitute and homeless. I have accepted that money is an 
essential part of modern life, that we need it just like we need oxygen. But I have also 
found a balance so that my life is about “something,” and not just about the pursuit of 
money.

My fears have gradually subsided. Yes, 
I accept death and an inevitable aspect 
of life, and I do not fear it, or think 
about it much.

Fear can be a powerful motivator if we 
look at the cause of the fear honestly, 
and make an effort to take some positive 
action.

Pet of the Week

 
Miss Nola is such a good girl! She is very smart, loves meeting 
people, and has a great smile that just brightens your day. 

 Nola has turned into a bit of a star at Pasadena Humane. She 
has gone on a number of field trips with the volunteers because 
she is so easy-going. She likes hiking, car rides and just hanging 
out in the park on a sunny day. She has also been put to work by 
one of the trainers to demonstrate how to teach training cues.

 Nola is only three years old, which puts her right in that sweet 
spot of playful energy mixed with a nice calm demeanor. She 
can’t wait to be the star of your home!

 The adoption fee for dogs is $150. All dog adoptions include 
spay or neuter, microchip, and age-appropriate vaccines. 

 New adopters will receive a complimentary health-and-
wellness exam from VCA Animal Hospitals, as well as a goody 
bag filled with information about how to care for your pet. 

 View photos of adoptable pets and schedule an adoption appointment at pasadenahumane.
org. Adoptions are by appointment only, and new adoption appointments are available every 
Sunday and Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. 

 Pets may not be available for adoption and cannot be held for potential adopters by phone 
calls or email.


ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR PETS

As a relatively new dog dad, I have many questions daily about why my Labrador, Thurber, does 
some of the many funny things he and other pets do. To that end, I have begun doing a lot of research 
and am posting my findings at ThurbersTail.com. This column summarizes recent discoveries.

Dear Tom: Why does my dog love sticks so much? – Stuck in Peoria

Dear Stuck, different sticks have different tastes, textures and smells, which are real gastronomic 
delights to our canine-crunching companions. Note that sticks can be dangerous 
to your pup — they can splinter and cause cuts and you certainly don’t want your pup 
eating splinters — so it’s best to replace your dog’s preferred stick with a safer chewable 
alternative.

What is the difference between a pet crocodile and a pet alligator? – Flustered in Florida

Dear Flustered, such reptiles do not make good pets for a number of reasons and you 
should know that in many states it is illegal to keep them as pets. That said, the primary 
difference between a crocodile and an alligator is that you’ll “see one in a while” and you’ll 
“see the other later.”

Dear Tom: My puppy seems to hiccup a lot. Is this normal? – Worried in Wisconsin

Dear Worried: It’s entirely normal for puppies to have hiccups from overexcitement or 
eating and drinking too fast. To reduce hiccups, give your puppy smaller portions to eat, 
plenty of water to drink and regular exercise. In time, your puppy will outgrow the hiccupping 
habit. However, if the hiccups are excessive and seem to never end, be sure to consult 
your veterinarian.

Dear Tom: My wife and I have taken in many stray dogs over the years. We just took in 
a large mixed-breed, but we are puzzled by his excessive shedding, his rock-hard paws 
and his preference for eating hay. – Harried in Houston

Dear Harried, thank you for being kind to our canines in need, but you’ve made a common 
mistake. Your “dog” is a Shetland Pony.

Dear Tom: My boyfriend doesn’t like dogs and gave me an ultimatum: Either I get rid of 
my beloved Fluffy or he will leave me. My question is, where can Fluffy and I get a better 
boyfriend? – Conflicted in California

Dear Conflicted, let Fluffy choose your next boyfriend at the dog park or somewhere else 
where wonderful people — people who love pets — congregate!

Dear Tom: I am burned out on politics and all the anger in our world. What can I do to 
overcome my depression? – Down in Delaware

Dear Down: One of the best solutions for your woes is to get a pet. The companionship and 
pure joy of having a dog share life with you is incredibly beneficial. Several studies show 
this. If you are able to spare the time to love and care for a pet, the love, joy and laughter 
you receive back will be 10 times greater than whatever you give to your furry friend. Note: 
With the economy down, more people have turned their pets back into shelters, so start 
your search there! Good luck!

Send your pet-related questions to Tom at Tom@TomPurcell.com. Visit ThurbersTail.com 
for well-researched articles on why pets do what they do, as well as funny pet videos.


Meet Francis Bean, a handsome pug, ended 
up in the Chula Vista, California animal 
shelter for reasons unknown. When he arrived 
he suffered from a massive infection 
which had swollen both his ears shut. 

 If you have ever had a minor ear infection, 
you know how painful it can be. But an infection 
serious enough to close both ears, 
must have been like having a hammer banging 
inside his head all day and night. 

Chula Vista treated him with topical medications, 
but that didn’t work. Unable to provide 
more care, the shelter put out a plea for 
any rescue to take him. There were no takers 
(most likely due to cost of care) and he 
was placed on the euthanasia list. 

Fortunately, Lionel’s Legacy, a private shelter 
in Texas, that primarily rescues SENIOR 
dogs, stepped up at the last moment and took 
young Francis Bean. It was determined that 
he needed surgery and would most likely lose one, if not both ears. Ear removal, 
requires removal of the entire inside of the ear, a quite complex and costly procedure 
requiring a trained specialist.

Lionel’s Legacy, turned to Free Animal Doctor to help raise money for his surgery. 

After 2 surgeries, and great care both ears were saved and his hearing has returned. 
He is now in foster care, waiting to be adopted.

If we had had the new clinic Francis Bean would not have had to suffer for 3 weeks 
while we raised the money. He is also very fortunate that the delay in treatment did 
not have more negative consequences.

Won't you donate today 
to the Hospital Fund, be 
part of building a non-
profit animal clinic for 
the San Gabriel Valley? 

Go to: https://freeanimaldoctor.
org/campaigns/
ncf/#charitable-donation-
form


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com