When my husband returned from the Killington dump, he was excited and shared his surprise. “Guess what I encountered on River Road?” “A bear? A beaver? Canada geese?” Something MUCH bigger. “A moose!” he exclaimed. “When I turned on River Road, I couldn’t believe that a bull moose with a full rack or antlers…

  By Marguerite Jill Dye I entered the Bear Cave and asked out loud, “Are you coming today, sweet Bear Spirit?” “Yes, my dear. I am coming to bring you good tidings of autumn,” Bear said as he entered. “It’s time for preparation for winter hibernation.” “That must be challenging, I imagine,” I said. “We…

  We will return to the bear cave next week for Bear’s enlightening messages, but I’m feeling called to interject some teachings I’ve learned and would like to share. I consulted my Power Animal Oracle Cards for a confirmation. Raven stood out above other cards and this is what it said: “raven—magic—own your power… Use…

  We have embarked on a magical journey with the hearts and minds of animal spirits. I can’t explain its how and why, but believe it is based on our natural connections. Many things we can’t see are real. Western society and the scientific way have taken much of what is magical away. Modern day…

Our son, grandkids and two dear friends came for this past glorious weekend. We described recent animal sightings (we never know who’ll show up or when). On Saturday, their young friend and I entered a Bear Cave meditation to meet our power animals and see what they’d say. That afternoon, once again, our home was…

Have you ever felt one with the universe while gazing in awe at the twinkling stars? Have you communed with nature while hiking on a trail through Vermont forests and woods? Have you absorbed the Earth’s energy while standing on a rocky peak? Feeling our connection to the natural world is a vital part of…

  Editor’s note: This is part 6 of a series by Margeurite Jill Dye.  Two days before my surgery, I was aware of more chirping in our yard. Birds have been scarcer than usual lately so I searched trees and shrubs for the source of the chirps. Then I remembered that groundhogs chirp, also grunt,…

  For decades every summer and fall I’ve admired the loon couple on Kent Pond from a distance through my husband’s binoculars. When we bought a kayak I was excited to discover what I see from the water. So I put in off Thundering Brook Road with my husband and neighbor who has two kayaks.…

        My husband Duane and our Black Lab Luke had a magical experience years ago near the boat ramp in Kent Pond. A female Mallard was caught in a fishline. Duane fetched his trusty Swiss Army knife then told Luke to “stay” on the shoreline. He waded out. The ducks swam away…

Wildlife sightings and signs part 3 Indigenous cultures throughout the world see animals as messengers from the Great Spirit. Each creature is a teacher of how we can heal and tap into our personal power. At a yard sale, I happened upon the book and deck of “Medicine Cards” by Native Americans Jamie Sams and…

  A Spirit Animal may appear to bring a message to help guide you through difficulties and challenging times. Whatever animal calls or shows up has insights and gifts to share through its strengths. The rarest sighting I have experienced during my 65 years in Vermont was the Canada lynx kitten who hid in our…

  Dad first saw the land we now live on under 6 feet of snow. He and Orin Bates climbed up the hill wearing snowshoes to get through the snow drifts. Dad gazed at Pico through the trees when Killington had barely begun. As he considered the commitment and cost, a ruffled grouse rose up…

  Our grandchildren have come to our Killington lodge to spend a week with “Gammy and Papa.” Cora Irene (2 1/2 years old) joined brother Silas who just turned 8 in mid-July. Silas has his dad’s disposition—calm, centered and often serene — but his toddler sister is strong and defiant, very determined and cute as…

I’ve always been curious to know what it’s like to spend a summer on a lake. So I was delighted to have the chance to stay in a cottage on Lake Winnipesaukee for our very last week of timeshare. Forty years ago a “free weekend” promotion led us to purchase one week’s timeshare on the…

By Marguerite Jill Dye From our first breath as a newborn to our last gasp when we pass on the need for safe air to breathe into our lungs is a human right we cannot ignore. I remember one night when our son was quite young. We were visiting my parents in our Killington ski…