Find Your Path LLC

Life is too short to not search for joy!

TUESDAY TEACHINGS: A Mouse Encounter

This weekend I was up north at Mom’s house for our family reunion with my three sisters, kids and grandkids. I took one of the kayaks down to the lake to rinse out dead leaves and dirt from the inside. As I was doing that, a little field mouse ran out and perched on the bow of the boat. It sat there stunned for a minute as, clearly, I had completely destroyed its home. I showed my grandkids, and they all squealed as it leapt off the boat and bounded off toward the safety of the trees.

Over an hour later I noticed that the mouse hadn’t made it all the way to the trees. It stopped just past the lawn chairs where my daughter and I had recently sat down. It was stretched across a stick. Not dead, just lying there. It was breathing, its eyes were open, and whiskers twitching. I reached down and picked it up. It sat calmly in my hand. I called the little kids to come look at it again. Cooper wanted to hold it, and as I carefully reached over to place the mouse in his outstretched hands it scampered up my arm and sat on my shoulder. The kids were laughing, and then it turned to screeching as it jumped up onto my head and tried to burrow into my literal rat’s nest of a ponytail. I gently pulled it out of my hair, and it continued to just crawl around my hands and arms until I placed it back in the grass and it scurried off into the woods.

Just before bedtime little 7 year old Adalynn asked me, “Grama Joey, what did G-Pa tell you he wanted to be before he died?” G-Pa is what the grandkids called their great grandfather. My dad just adored his little great-grands, and we all miss him dearly after he passed in 2024. I wasn’t sure what she was asking so I pressed her for more.

“You know…what did he want to BE before he died. Like what animal.” Again, I asked her to explain.

“I think that mouse was G-Pa. He always loved being down at the lake watching us swim. He would sit in the chairs and watch us and laugh. I think that mouse was G-Pa. He didn’t want to leave you…he kept wanting to be close to you. I think G-Pa was here as that mouse.”

Dad loved carving animals out of wood. He made his girls little “kitchen mice” as he called them. They were made to sit on top of cupboards or shelves to peer over the edge with their beady little eyes and their whiskers. Mine is named Izzy and you can see her picture below. The kids have asked about him a lot since he died, and we frequently share fun memories of spending time with him and GG Rose up at the lake. But this is the first time anything like this has ever been said.

Dad loved the outdoors, and he passed that on to me. I wish he could have lived to see my business come to life. He would be so proud. I know that if he were to pay me a visit from the afterlife, he would send a sign through nature. After making that comment, Adalynn ran off to play with her cousins and didn’t mention it again, but it stuck with me. I am a science minded person, but that mind is also very open. I never want to read too much into anything, but I can’t stop thinking about what she said. G-Pa loved all his grands and great-grands, but he held the little girls in that soft spot in his heart reserved for the sweetest angels.

That got me thinking. Is reincarnation possible? Are our deceased loved ones able to manipulate or visit us in our dreams? Could my dad’s spirit find a way to send a mouse to me? Or WAS he the mouse? Why didn’t he come to us as a deer? Or did he…and we just missed it?

When I was in Colorado for a friend’s funeral last year, I received the news that my dad’s last surviving brother had passed away. Clearly I was processing a lot of grief that weekend. I went hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park, and I got a few signs that I thought might be little “winks” from my dad. I knew that if he was going to send me a message it would be through nature. As I was pondering this on my hike, a bright blue Stellar’s Jay landed directly in front of me about 12 inches away and he just stared at me. There was a perfect heart shaped rock in the middle of the trail. And as I drove out of the cabin parking lot where I was staying, there was a sign that read “Happy Trails!”, which was one of Dad’s favorite songs. We all sang it as it played at his funeral.

I don’t know what I think or believe, but for a moment this weekend (thanks to the fleeting observation from a tiny girl with big blue eyes looking straight into mine as she told me her thoughts) I felt a little closer to my dad. I always think of him when I see my little kitchen mouse peeking down at me, but now I will see Izzy with a little more of a wink in her eye.

I would love to hear your thoughts. Please feel free to leave a comment if you have ever had a similar situation or if you have insight to share.

Another date added!

Nature...it's where we find ourselves when we feel lost.

TUESDAY TEACHINGS: Butterscotch, my leucistic squirrel

I wrote last week about little Jimothy, a quirky raccoon endearing himself to all of humanity. For the last 15 or so years, I have had a taxidermied raccoon in my classroom. I dug him out of a dumpster when a retiring teacher discarded him, and he became my creepy little mascot. He had outfits that he would wear for holidays and special occasions (the kids loved it). Many people incorrectly identified it as a fox or a dog. Raccoons are one of the most easily recognizable mammals in Michigan, given their cute little black masks and black ringed tail. But these traits were missed on my raccoon because he was, in life, leucistic.

What is leucism? Leucism is a genetic condition in certain animals that causes a loss in pigmentation. It is not the same as albinism, which is the total lack of melanin resulting in white skin and fur, and red eyes. Leucistic animals are often a pale version of the typical coloration and retain their dark eyes. Because my raccoon was a light tan color, and the dark mask and tail rings were barely visible, people often didn’t know what the heck it was.

I have a zillion squirrels that frequent my bird feeders, much to the chagrin of my watching cat and the hungry birds who have been chased off. For the 13 years I have lived here, I usually see all colors of fox squirrels (charcoal, gray-brown, rusty, and jet black) and far too many of the irritating little red squirrels. Last year I noticed a cream colored fox squirrel sticking out like a sore thumb on my green lawn. I named him Butterscotch, and loved watching him scamper about in his adorable little vanilla latte-colored coat. I feared he wouldn’t survive long, given that he has no camouflage in my yard, but he emerged this spring once again. This summer I have seen him more than usual. Front yard, back yard, across the street…Butterscotch was getting around! Recently I discovered that there are, in fact, TWO Butterscotch squirrels when I saw both of them in a tree on separate branches. I got a new feeder with a camera, and was getting notifications on my phone when birds and squirrels were present. Thanks to the close up camera view, it didn’t take long to realize that Butterscotch was leucistic, and his partner in crime (who has been dubbed Big Al) has albinism! Big Al does not have white fur, although it is quite pale, but has bright red eyes. Butterscotch’s are brown.

Leucism in the animal world isn’t a death sentence, but it can make wild animals more vulnerable as their coloration is easy to spot by predators. Leucism can also lead to social rejection in some species, but clearly not in the squirrel world because Butterscotch is quite the ladies’ man. Amphibians and reptiles with leucism often have trouble regulating their body temperatures as darker colors absorb heat and light colors reflect. In rare cases leucism can be beneficial, for example apex predators hunting in snowy or tundra areas are better able to hide and stalk in the lighter colored environment.

After my retirement party, some friends and I dragged my pale mounted buddy down the street to Bell’s Brewery for a night cap. I entirely enjoyed educating people along the way about the marvels of leucism (whether they asked for it or not). It is one of the small joys in life. Ambush education, I guess! So there…now you know what leucism is. You’re welcome.

Followers...please do me a favor! Please share my page on your page, or invite people you think might enjoy my wellness walks. I am starting to roll out my paths for kids (Five Senses Walk and Five Senses Pond Exploration) and would love reach more people.
Thank you in advance to help me get the word out about this business...one that I am so proud of, and am working so hard to develop, grow, and promote!
If you would like to help me further by posting a flyer at work (if you are able) message me and I will send you one to print and post (or I can arrange to drop of a printed one).
Thank you so very much!! 🚶‍♀️🚶🌳🌲🌿🍄🍁💐🌻🐞🚶‍♀️🚶

We had a wonderful time at the Five Senses Walk today. We learned about Fern, a special forest friend, who is so happy when children slow down and notice all the sights, sounds, smells and textures of the forest. If you missed it, I will schedule more soon. Also...stay tuned for a Pond Walk which will be premiering soon.