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Milliron Monday: A Letter from Janet 3 15 21

 

Abbott "Pete" Smith D.V.M.

June 16, 1938 - February 22, 2010

Welcome to Milliron Monday where every Monday we celebrate the legacy of Pete Smith, D.V.M., and  Milliron: Abbott “Pete” Smith, D.V.M. The Biography (Monday Creek Publishing 2017). A graduate of Colorado State University and a well-known veterinarian in southeast Ohio, Dr. Smith continues to motivate and inspire. 

From Pete's memorial service, sister Janet writes fond memories and love for her brother.

Janet's letter...

 Pete is perhaps no longer with us physically but there is something about Pete that makes that not applicable in his case – he was bigger than life and is therefore always going to be with us! I was reminded recently about how that actually works – a neighbor has a dog that has been getting sudden cramps which then disappear – he has trouble walking – wobbles along. They have spared nothing in vet costs to find out what it is. I immediately thought, “Let me call Pete!” Knowing Pete, maybe he’ll figure out a way to answer us from where he is! Let’s hope! We need his animal smarts.

My friend Christine Chauvin who organizes horseback rides around the world had the pleasure of having Pete on one of her rides in Ecuador. I had broken my back and couldn’t go myself and knew Pete would love the experience so he went in my place. Christine thought Pete was a wonderful addition to the ride – a rather unusual group as there were several men on that particular ride. That is not usually the case.

Pete was always a source of laughs, great stories and whenever there were animal problems, he had the solution. On a ride she had in Africa, one of the favorite horses of the organizer had been having serious stomach problems which no vet had been able to help. Christine knew one vet that she could count on – she called Pete. He asked questions, and without hesitation came up with a suggestion. Yogurt with charcoal as I recall (don’t pin me down on that one!), with instructions on how to actually get it down the horse’s throat. Within a short time the horse was fine again. How little sister Janet (he always called me Nanny. From him that was quite ok!) is proud when she hears stories like that. And there are many such stories.

When the opportunity came up for our daughter Anna to come and spend a summer working with Pete, Jody and Jessica doing various chores, I thought “great!” At least Anna will get a chance to spend a summer with this amazing family. Chores with Pat were not included – probably lucky for both Anna and Pat! She’s not a numbers person! It was quite a different experience for her to be working on a farm with all that involves and in a clinic seeing operations and understanding that side of a vet’s work, and without the big city life she is so used to. I was actually envious of her. I have always loved visiting Milliron Farm and having all the animals around me – being a part of Pete’s world.

Pete visited our world when we were living and working in Venezuela. That was a great time for us all. I had long talks with Pete on just about every subject. Pete was well read – he had an amazing frame of reference because of that. He had no trouble finding lots to talk about with people who had never left the city environment!

He seemed to enjoy it all and was always up to learning more! I remember we had a lot of coffee table books in our house. There were some really interesting ones – which most of us just leaf through – checking out the beautiful pictures. Well, with Pete it was a completely different story! He read most of them! I can’t remember how long he was with us – too short as time flew by – but he managed to read many of those books and came with floods of questions about Venezuela’s this or that.

Pete lived his life – some of us just let it flow on. That’s ok but oh how much more Pete must have experienced in his all too short time with us. He wanted to get the most out of his life and he made sure he did just that. He always had the loving support of Jody which was incredibly important to him. She went into overdrive to make sure he got a passport in time for the ride in Ecuador. I am sure that was standard procedure for her and Pete understood and loved this about Jody. That they had their love of animals in common was an important strength in every aspect of their lives.

We will miss Pete but he’s always going to be here with us! After all he was/is bigger than life!

  

Sending love and blessings to Janet today.

Have a great week ahead.

Connect with Gina...

Amazon Author Page

Milliron: The Biography

www.gmcknight.com

www.mondaycreekpublishing.com

Through captivating, powerful, and emotional anecdotes, we celebrate the life of Dr. Abbott P. Smith. His biography takes the reader from smiles to laughter to empathy and tears. Dr. Smith gave us compelling lessons learned from animals; the role animals play in the human condition, the joy of loving an animal, and the awe of their spirituality. A tender and profound look into the life of a skilled veterinarian.

An Interview with Ohio Author Dr. jw Smith

 

An Interview with Ohio Author Dr. jw Smith

After 30 years as a professor in the field of Communication Studies, Dr. jw Smith reminisces about some of his experiences and how his race and differently abled intersectionality have influenced documented encounters. As a black and totally blind individual, he muses about how this distinction has both colored and shed light on what might have been innocuous or unremarkable encounters otherwise.
 
I caught up with Dr. Smith to talk about his book, writing, and what he would like readers to take away from his memoir From the Back of the Bus to the Front of the Classroom: My Thirty-Year Journey as a Black and Blind Professor…
 
Welcome, jw!

GM: Dr. Smith, it has been great working with you. Thank you for the opportunity. What is the premise for your book?
jw: The premise of my book is to try and tell a unique story informed by race and differently abled status. The fact that the focus is on the context of higher learning and how the intersectionality of race and differently ableness has influenced the life and career of a professor has the potential to be at least intriguing.
 
GM: When you began writing your memoir, how did you maintain thoughts and ideas? 
jw: The process began with formulating the concept of the book in my mind and picturing how I wanted each chapter to look and the topics I wanted covered in them. Then I took brief notes so that I could that would not forget what I wanted to accomplish while dictating the book to my typist.
 
GM: What advice do you have for novice writers looking to write their first book/memoir?
jw: If you have an idea, write it down before you forget. Put yourself in the audience you are trying to address and remember that you can’t tell the whole story in one book.
 
GM: What are you currently reading?
jw: My usual reading includes books from James Patterson, David Boldacci, and Karin Slaughter.
 
GM: What are you currently writing?
jw: I am currently working on telling the story of a newly blinded woman that used to be in addition to many things, an FBI agent, and a drug dealer.
 
GM: Who is your favorite author?
jw: David Boldacci. He is my favorite because of his writing style and his ability to provide more than enough twists and turn in his plots.
 
GM: What is the most important lesson you would like readers to embrace from your book?
jw: I wanted my audience to understand and believe that someone can have a productive life even with so called ‘physical limitations’ (ie: blindness). And that much of life is about our attitude and outlook.
 
GM: Your book is a thought-provoking, honest story of your journey. What are your plans for the future? 
jw: I really would like to write a suspense thriller based on a unique assassin additionally, I would like to now tell the stories of others.
 
GM: Describe a day in your life...
jw: I know how to both work hard and play hard. A working day might include teaching two or three classes, writing two or three pages, and attending one or two meetings. A play day might include drinking lots of good wine, listening to good music, and thinking about good looking women with long hair.

Dr. Smith's book is available in Paperback, Audiobook, Braille
 
More about Dr. Smith…

Amazon
YouTube
Alden Library, Ohio University Author Event
Ohioana Library 2020 Participant Panel  
Athena Award 2019 The Athens Messenger

Milliron Monday: A Letter from Susie 3 8 21

 

Abbott "Pete" Smith D.V.M.

June 16, 1938 - February 22, 2010

Welcome to Milliron Monday where every Monday we celebrate the legacy of Pete Smith, D.V.M., and  Milliron: Abbott “Pete” Smith, D.V.M. The Biography (Monday Creek Publishing 2017). A graduate of Colorado State University and a well-known veterinarian in southeast Ohio, Dr. Smith continues to motivate and inspire. 

March greetings. This month I am sharing letters from Dr. Smith's siblings, written for his memorial service. 

Susie's letter...

My big brother – that’s what Pete was to me, the third sibling among us five. He was always bigger than life, whether to his little two-year-old sister or to me now. And the adventures in his life were always just as big. He’d survived so many near-mythic accidents, I didn’t take this last one as seriously as everyone near him knew it to be. I missed him – and I miss him.

Pete and Jody called me up last Fall to thank me for some Maine newspaper horse stores I’d sent them. We talked for almost an hour, really rare, and in retrospect so special. That time, I found out he’d totaled his truck just months before and was pretty badly hurt himself – a first, he assured me. But he was fine, back to work, no problems.

That call was especially nice because getting his attention as a child or adult sibling always seemed hard for me. The only time I really impressed him, I thought, was when I showed up driving my ¾-ton Dodge diesel truck. The 1910 Stanley Steamer in the trailer didn’t impress him, just the truck pulling it. Or so I thought!

Living with Pete was always exciting. When I was about two, I was saving a base for him at a baseball game in our yard at 48 West Elm in Yarmouth. He came racing in, landed on my outstretched leg – and broke it! He was great at knife throwing and he demonstrated it once by making me stand next to a beam on the second floor of the barn while he threw his knife into the beam from the ground floor. I got to pull it out of the beam and drop it down to him, I guess – that part I don’t remember.

In fact, it had to be at 48 West Elm that Pete decided to be a veterinarian. We had cows, chickens, pigs, and at least seven horses. Dad, a gentlemen farmer as they used to call them, commuted 10 miles into Portland to work, so Pete probably helped Mom out with a lot of farm chores. By the time we moved to our Little River Farm on Casco Bay in Freeport, there were four of us, so Mom needed a lot of help.

At Little River, Pete was probably just a typical big brother. I remember very clearly his making me put his fishing worms in my pocket. One time he chased me up an apple tree in the front yard. In the excitement, I jumped from one limb to another and missed. That time, I had a broken arm. Our first year in Denver, 1952, all by myself I broke my wrist. With three broken bones before I was ten, I figured out I’d better be more careful, so I stopped breaking bones.

Once we moved to Denver, Pete was gone to me. He was so much older; we were never in school together. I remember proudly how he got a summer job at a ranch in the mythical Laramie, Wyoming – those were the days of great TV and movie “Westerns.” Visiting and riding around that huge ranch was always exciting. Then we came back East, and he went to vet school, rode broncs for sport, met and married the other passion of his life, Jody, had kids, and the rest is the history we celebrate today. 

Sending love and blessings to Susie today.

Have a great week ahead.

Connect with Gina...

Amazon Author Page

Milliron: The Biography

www.gmcknight.com

www.mondaycreekpublishing.com

Through captivating, powerful, and emotional anecdotes, we celebrate the life of Dr. Abbott P. Smith. His biography takes the reader from smiles to laughter to empathy and tears. Dr. Smith gave us compelling lessons learned from animals; the role animals play in the human condition, the joy of loving an animal, and the awe of their spirituality. A tender and profound look into the life of a skilled veterinarian.

This Week @ Monday Creek: March

 

Blogging can be cathartic. There’s something about writing what has recently transpired and what my (somewhat) plans are for the near future. Usually, I write this in my planner/journal, but thought I would branch out and share with you what’s happening in my world – which is Monday Creek.

Today is the start of This Week @ Monday Creek. I really don’t know what to write, I’m just winging it. Maybe stories of the horses, cats, business, and behind the scenes - whatever comes to mind. That sounds like a plan – we’ll see if it spurs interest, or not. Let me think… what is happening around Monday Creek this week…

🌼Zubie, my mare, and if you follow along on my social media, you know Zubie has a lot to say. She’s a flashy paint, a little bit fickle, but a very good listener. She isn’t super crazy about the cold weather and likes to stay in her stall early mornings, slowly wakes up, and waits for her lunch. She has been alone this winter. We lost her companion, Crusoe, a tall warmblood/quarter horse, last October. He wasn’t my horse but I roomed him with Zubie for a friend of mine. Zubie mourned for several months after Crusoe died. I think just recently she has felt better (emotionally). 

Crusoe was older – into his 30s. One random day, he began spinning on his hind quarters, somehow losing momentum in his back legs, unable to push himself up. The first time he did this, I called the vet and he gave him banamine, and Crusoe seemed to get better. But, within a two-week period, Crusoe was down again. It was 11AM on a Friday morning. He was spinning on the ground and his owner, Kelly, was able to calm him. My vet was not available until 3PM that afternoon. Living in a rural area, it is difficult to find on-call vets for immediate euthanization. Kelly and I knew the end for Crusoe was inevitable. I called my husband to come to the barn to help. Crusoe, flat on his side, showed no signs of getting up. We prayed for God to help us. We didn’t want Crusoe to suffer. 

What happened next was nothing but a miracle. As my husband (who is not a horseman) approached Crusoe, we watched in amazement as Crusoe stood up. It was the quickest I’ve ever seen a horse get up from the ground. We were amazed as Crusoe looked around for Zubie. She had gone into the barn (for some reason, maybe she didn't want to see Crusoe in this state) and they whinnied to each other. Crusoe went into the barn with Zubie. He acted completely normal – a little shaky in the legs, but standing, wanting to be near his girlfriend. 

By now it’s about 1PM and my friends and I had planned “Pony Club” that day. We had brought our lunch to the barn (my office is in the barn). Zubie and Crusoe listened to our Pony Club conversation while we ate lunch, talked about whatever, and waited for the vet to arrive at 3PM. In the meantime, the farrier came and trimmed Zubie’s feet and we had a nice visit with our farrier; however, the underlying tension loomed as we kept a close eye on Crusoe and loved on him all afternoon. 

It was super serendipitous – to have Pony Club and the farrier the same day, but especially to have people around when we had to face Crusoe’s death. As one of my friends always says, nothing happens by coincidence. When the vet arrived, he said to lock Zubie in the barn. She stuck her head out the Dutch door as we led Crusoe out of her sight, to the backside of our hill, to his burial site. He walked intentionally, trusting us that all would be well. The vet gave the first sedative as Kelly, who had raised and trained Crusoe, held tight to his halter. Slowly, the long-legged gelding fell gently as Kelly guided him to the ground. He was asleep. Now the fatal dose. Quietly he crossed the rainbow bridge. We buried Crusoe beside my beloved gelding Mac.

🌼Pony Club hasn’t happened a lot because of COVID19. Even though we are outside, at the barn, social distancing, we want to be cautious and compliant with government warnings. We are planning our next Pony Club for March 19^th. That’s farrier day for Zubie and the weather should be warmer (hopefully). But before that, on the 15^th, Zubie has an appointment with her massage therapist. I thought it would make her feel better after a long winter. A yearly massage seems to help Zubie in so many ways – she seems to perk up after a massage. The key is to have a good massage therapist, and we do.

🌼Even though the sun has been shining, the weather continues to be cold. I think it's the wind that brings the chill. We live in a valley, a wind tunnel, where the wind can be so strong that we can't keep chairs on our front porch because the wind always whips them off. Our winter has been a true winter. I am happy to be moving to spring, even though I don't mind the snow and cold. We played a lot of chess over the winter and I'm ready to put the chess board away (whew). I gave up my queen too many times. She gave it her best effort. She needs a rest. 

🌼And this blog post is about March. I like March. Several important events to celebrate and parties to not go to (because of COVID19). Zoom and/or FaceTime will have to do. Whatever. It’s all AI now. I don’t know when/if things will get back to “normal” – or is this the new normal? We all are wondering. I heard there’s a large asteroid coming our way in 2029. We better get things done while we can. However, I am in no rush. I don't rush. We don't know what tomorrow holds, but we know who holds tomorrow.

Stay tuned next week for random thoughts from Monday Creek. Sending good wishes your way.

www.gmcknight.com
www.mondaycreekpublishing.com

www.josephprince.com

Monday Creek Publishing Digest March 2021: Featured Author Deanie Humphrys-Dunne

MARCH 2021

Featured Author

Deanie Humphrys-Dunne

 My Life at Sweetbrier: 
A Life Changed by Horses

Follow on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/DeanieHDunne

 
Website:
www.childrensbookswithlifelessons.com

 
Articles:
My First Memories of Sweetbrier

What is Good Conformation?

High Hopes Therapeutic Riding Center

 
Interview:
Riding & Writing Author Interview

 
www.mondaycreekpublishing.com

 

Tamara Martin, Children's Literature Author

Tamara Martin, Children's Literature Author

I met Tamara Martin through a mutual friend, Carol Lambert. Carol, an advocate for abandoned dogs, called me one day and said, "Gina, I have a good friend who has written a very good children's book about a dog's life. The illustrations are by Ernest John, a Navajo who is passionate about dogs as well." Long story short, on January 26, Bluebird: Dog of the Navajo Nation was launched.

Martin is co-founder of Good Dog Rez-Q, a non-profit organization that helps abandoned animals in the Navajo Nation and surrounding areas. The story is a common one - dogs are dropped off and abandoned by their owner(s) who no longer have the means to care for the dog. It's an issue that affects communities throughout the United States. I met up with Tamara and asked her about her new book, her non-profit Good Dog Rez-Q, and the dogs in her life.

Welcome, Tamara!

GM: What is the premise for your new children's book Bluebird: Dog of the Navajo Nation? 
TM: I’ve always loved to read but never felt pulled towards writing. That all changed when I moved from Athens, Ohio to Ganado, Arizona on the Navajo Nation. I saw how poverty and neglect of a human population affected the animals of those people. Good people wanted good things for their animals but didn’t know where to start. This book shows the transitions of a young dog in a land where there are few resources for animals. There is neither a sad nor a happy ending. Just another abandoned dog waiting for help. 

GM: The illustration are beautiful. What was the collaboration process between you and the illustrator, Ernest John?
TM: Haha. I wrote one sentence for Ernest; one sentence for each drawing. I wanted him to use his own life experiences to make each page his own. For example, I’d write “people rushing around, talking on cell phones” and Ernest drew what that sentence meant to him. His illustration shows a Navajo woman in a pick-up truck, driving and talking on her phone, oblivious to a skinny dog standing by the roadside. Or I’d write “night at sheep camp - all is quiet” and Ernest drew a breathtaking scene of a rural Navajo home at night, surrounded by looming mesas. He drew the night sky and moonlight. He drew the animals safe in their corrals and a little dog guarding it all. Ernest always drew the perfect scene for the one sentence I gave him.

GM: Emotions can be felt in each illustration. I have studied them for awhile now and every time I look at them, I derive something new. Dogs seem to be your passion. How many dogs do you own?
TM: We have all ages and sizes, from a 14 year old, 3 pound, toothless Chihuahua to a young Shepherd mix named “Sally” who goes hiking with us. Five dogs total. Because we do foster care and get to really know each dog, we’ve accumulated what I call “misfits”. These are dogs we’ve decided were not adoptable. Maybe they are very old and frail or have seizures. Or they don’t trust anyone but us. Or they have a skin condition that makes them “unattractive”. These are our 5 beloved dogs, lol. The Misfits. 
 
GM: Your book benefits your non-profit Good Dog Rez-Q. Is it a typical dog shelter? Does the shelter see a lot of indigenous dog breeds and are they usually re-homed?
TM: Gina - we don’t have a shelter. We are a group of foster homes who work with shelters and other rescue groups to find homes for unwanted animals. 
 
Our book hopes to benefit dogs who are not yet safely in shelters or with foster-based rescues. These are the dogs found all over the United States, standing by busy highways, abandoned at convenience stores or wandering, injured, sick or pregnant.  Many, if not most, of these dogs can be brought to safety. Our non-profit group vaccinates, alters and feeds these rescued animals in our own homes, believing that home care is best for dogs who have been left with nothing.  
 
I guess you could say that there is an indigenous Navajo dog called a “Sheepdog”. These dogs could resemble any breed but the  finest Sheepdogs are said to have Great Pyrenees lineage. In the book, the main character, Bluebird, is a Pitbull mix and is an excellent livestock guardian. 
 
Any stray dog has the possibility of being a loving family pet. The key to this transformation appears to be the amount of human handling that dog received as a puppy. Loved puppy = friendly adult dog = adoptable family pet.
 
GM: Stray and lost dogs seem to be a problem in every community. What can we do as a community to solve this issue? Is there a solution?
TM: The stray dog problem persists because our shelters are full and because there is limited access to low-cost spay/neuter clinics in rural areas. So puppies continue to be born. And people still abandon their city dogs in “the country” - areas which are least prepared to care for strays. Small communities enact laws but rarely have the personnel to enforce them.
 
I think the best education comes from parents, leading their children by example on the subject of animal care. Teachers, social media and peer pressure will also bring, if not solutions, then a continuing impetus to provide a better life for animals.
 
GM: As far as the writing process, do you have advice for novice writer's and those looking to tell their story?
TM: Find a friendly publisher, haha. And good, truthful friends to proof-read! 
 
GM: What is your favorite children's book/children's literature author?
TM: Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson. I think I had learned to read well enough as a child that I didn’t struggle with the words. I became totally immersed in that story and told my parents; “It’s the best book I’ve ever read.” 
 
GM: List 10 things your fans may not know about you...
TM: 1. My socks never match
2. I’ve had jobs as a boilermaker welder, a vet tech, a registered nurse and a massage therapist
3. I have 5 dogs, 7 cats, a horse, a llama and a donkey
4. Our group calls references and makes home visits before any of our rescued dogs are adopted
5. My favorite dog breed is Navajo “Sheepdog”
6. If I think of more, I’ll send a separate email

Connect with Tamara...

facebook - Good Dog Rez-Q

Barnes & Noble - Bluebird: Dog of the Navajo Nation

facebook Gallery - Monday Creek Publishing/Bluebird