I guess it isn’t officially summer for a week or so, but here at Sky Ranch we’ve gone into summer mode. It’s warmer, the flies are here (though our Fly Predators keep them at bay), the horses wear their fly masks every day (note photo of Snitch sporting his), the sun/rain shelters in the pastures will get more use, and it’s daylight when we feed the horses in the morning.

During the winter, we spend more time indoors and that makes for lots of time for reflection. When the day’s work is done, winter welcomes a fire in the fireplace, a good book, or maybe an indoor project.

When spring arrives the juices start flowing faster again, and we are reminded to take action. There are so many things going on in the world and a lot of them are distressing: mass shootings, wars, extreme poverty, and on a more personal level, the often petty, but at times overwhelming frustrations of our daily lives. And for those of us who love animals, hearing about the abuse and neglect they suffer can make us feel helpless to turn things around.

I think it helps to “do something.” It doesn’t have to be a big thing. You can adopt an animal, support a friend who has animals by offering to pet-sit, volunteer at an animal rescue or advocacy group, or make a donation to an animal welfare organization. Don’t be stopped by thoughts that the “little” you can do is insufficient considering how huge the problem is. Each contribution to the cause matters, and even small steps get us closer to our goal.

Use the energy of the summer life to take action. Think small, do what you can, and help make a huge difference.