Originally, I was born in Kodiak Alaska. My Father is 3/4 Native Aleut and Mom, 1/2. However both are "registered," as half. Thereby, making Me, over 1/2 Alaskan Aleut who has blonde hair from My Danish, Maternal Grandmother. (plus there's the small amount of Tlinget & Stakein on my mothers side & the "extremely minute" amount of Cherokee on my fathers side.)

When I was young I became sick and had to come to Washington State for medical attention in Seattle, where we ended up staying.

It's possible, it is these roots that I've spoken of, that have given me this love of animals and my ability to attract the lost, lonely, sick, injured and needy.

I don't know for sure, but when I moved here to this valley over 13 years ago, somewhere in the universe, someone posted a big neon sign, flashing a big red arrow at my head that only the animals seem to see.

Not that I didn't find my share of needy animals in the City. I think the bright lights from the city just blocked out the full intensity of my sign. That's only "my" theory of course. Here, in the Okanogan Valley Plenty have found me through this sign that only visable to those in need.

I have housed, treated, rehabilitated and released back to the wilds many animals in my years here. So many in fact, I couldn't begin to list them all. There are a few however that hold a special place in my mind and in my heart. That doesn't mean that the others were any less special, it is that some, leave a greater impression, for what ever reason, in my mind.

In trying to keep this as brief as possible (as if that's possible...) A few right off of the top of my head would be Mogue and Mandy. Two uprooted baby crows found in the neighborhood, literally cooking in the mid-day sun while the temperature this specifif day was easily 100 withouth being on the sidewalk.

Mogley and Mandy were brought to me by 2 well-meaning children, unfortunately being carried in plastic grocery bags. Luckily the children were curious enough about the birds they kept opening to see, which allowed air for the few blocks they had to travel.

By the twisted and contorted disposition Mogleys whole body was in at his arrival, I didn't think he would survive the night, let alone be alive to come screaming back home still, Summers later, with some angry bird or more closing in on his tail! (One of the advanced signs of severe heat induced trauma, is the spasms/contracting of the bodys muscles... Unfortunately, it too often does irreversable damage if not caught in time, the final outcome would of course be an agonizing death)

Both, extremely demanding when they wanted something. They wanted everything now... and knew just how to get it. Easily the noisiest "young" birds I've cared for. Yet extremely innocent, curious and heartwarming too.

2 different robins from 2 different years, Robin, a young one who's wing had been broken and was stripped buttnaked by a cat. Thankfully feathers almost always come back! She Loved to go fishing in our feeder-fish tank. except the feeders were "supposed to be," for the Oscars, not her... If we didn't keep the planters stalked with fresh worms The Fish might've gone hungry.

Jr., still just a little one, not quite to grasp getting food on his own. Survived the plunged into a full automobile oilpan that his 2 siblings were unable to. Proved amazinly intelligent and a warm, curious wonder curious every moment.

Crow, who was actually an adult Raven. Who also had a broken wing. Although he made me SO MAD by killing and eating one of my doves (proving to me his recovery was coming along well.) However it was the middle of one of our harsh winters, and he, still had not had time to strengthen his wing for normal survival, let alone some of our severe Northerns winds that were still waiting in the works (Could've fooled the doves though) He received a harsh scolding, (which he aparently felt he didn't deserve as he scolded me right back) However, The antics he could come up with were Among genius, and a tattle tale he was. Quite proudly he was able to keep the neighbrhood felines under wraps Not a cat wandered anywhere near where they weren't allowed, because he figured out quickly how to call Me out, running out with a full ice water bottle aimed at the tail end of curious cats. He knew how to wrap Me around his tail-feather!

Jay, a youg Stellars Blue Jay who insited he was human. A personality all it's own! We had to be sure to release him where there was plenty of easy, natural pickins, sincand low human activity for his initial period on his own. He could smell a fresh plate of food for a mile or more and didn't hesitate to fly right on in!

Then there was Babe, a fawn whos mother was nowhere to be found, when we stumbled upon, in the middle a road in the woods just after a short, yet heavy summer downpoor and thunder works. He was crying out loud his scared loudest. Soaked, cold and unable to see where he was, or even who or what we were in our jeep, Happily We saw him before the bumber did.

With out the lengthy details, I would like add we did try to find someone from the Forest Department to take the little injured guy. We were told to put him back where we found him, he would be "coyote food."

Horrified, at his suggestion, I climbed back into my seat uttering words I won't repeat. When my husband didn't hesitate to start driving, no questions asked. He knows when it's not a smart time to even "look" as if he's questioning my rational.

Driving straight home where I rush him indoors carrying him wrapped in a blanket. While I waited for my eldest to return from the local grocery store with some fresh goats milk, I began the task of cleaning his fairly deep wounds, starting on of his head.

Extremely hungry he was! However, we noticed immidiately his jaw wasn't alligned correctly, causing him to need help by squeazing the bottled formula into his mouth as he found it nearly impossible to suck any of the formula, which he decided he really liked.

Were guessing from the rest of the injuries, a probable auto hit, most likely taking his mother, with babe left to hismself, quickly being overtaken by an infection in/on his head causing severe swelling and pressure to his eyes. The infection was probably initiated by the swarms of maggots that I had the unpleasant task of cleaning out of his sores on his fead.

Because I truly believe animals from the wild, are "usually" better off staying there & knowing the task was probably more than we were equiped to handle. We began trying to find a suitable place to handle Babes recovery and re-release. He would need constant round the clock care initialy, and would do best if in an environment where his exposure to many humans was able to be kept to a bare minimum, should he ever have a chance at surviving in the wild someday.

When we couldn't find anything in the local phone book that seemed to fit the bill, we called my younger sister Tess, in Yakima, wich is quite abit larger than the little town we were in. She did some calling around and located a couple near Selah, WA. who is were licensed to rehabilitate wild birds, specifically birds of prey, who agreed to temporary guardianship for the final Rehabilitator who was also in the same area normally, however was out of town (however he was able to be tracked down to agree to the final care.) So we decided to make the transfer trip the following day, knowing the less he saw and was allowed to get comfortable with multiple humans and automobile traffic, the better his chances at surviving in the wild.

The next morning, we set out to Yakima, stopping midway to feed Babe, and by now his bodily functions kicked back in, luckily were were stopped when this happened... However it may sound, under the circumstances, this was a very good sign.

We spent the night in Yakima at my sisters place, and early the next morning, we waited at the scheduled Dennys, in the parking lot. Even though they were un-able to meat us there as planned, we were able to be out out the area just before the first breakfast crowd was begining to finish.

Through several attempts, we were able to reach the couple by phone, received directions out to their place, where, I sadly relinquished my newly found maternal rights.

That fall we received mail from the halfway home couple. Babe was successfully released in the Passaden Wilderness. Now a young, healthy male deer that wouldn't have survived out on his own, has a chance at becoming and adult buck, hopefully to father the next great heard. The warmth that knowlege still brings me, lets Me know, We did do the right thing. The coyotes wouldn't have starved missing his little body and the chance he could father deer of his own, possibly still today (that's what I would like to believe, for I'm sure there was a reason he was supposed to survive by being in that very spot on the very day.

That in a nutshell is a outline of my Wild Highlights to my animal experiences. I would like to ad, finding someone to help in a situation like this today, could be just as time consuming and hard as if not harder depending on where you live, to find the right care for an animal. Most likely you won't find places like, Homeless Animal Medical Hospitals, Wild Animal Rescuing etc. in your local yellow pages. But hopefully, somewhere here there will be the lead needed to help.

Also, some things to look for in the phone book when trying to find appropriate assistance would be a "responsible" person with the National Forest System with a human heart, occasionally, a local Vet may offer, off-the-record assistance or information, a local animal park, zoo or petstore may know something or someone that can help.