"Hey Bob,look at her, see how they do her every command, why is she so special?"

" Well Jerry, she has their trust and they honor her. She is one of them and the leader of the pack! 

Jerry, it's a long love story between Baby and the wolves.  It happened early in our marriage.

We were hiking up in the high country. I was taking wildlife  photos and she was  looking for herbs. There was a freak snow storm and we got separated.  I was in a frenzy like a madman looking all over for her and calling her name. The snow stopped and all footprints were covered.

 I was screaming and crying but could not find her anywhere.  Finally I saw the place I last saw her and marked it with my coat. 

 Then I hiked out to find my friends got to them and told them what happened and there were 13 of us hunting for her but we could not find her anywhere.  We stayed until dark then set up tents and a huge fire and slept a while until dawn.  Two of the men hiked out and got some of their search dogs. 

 It snowed again but this time it was heavy and about two feet with drifts. We were detained about 3 days then went off hunting again.  The men tried to drug my coffee to make me sleep but I tossed it out and pretended to sleep.

When they went off in search and left me alone I got up and gathered some food and a blanket and went off in the direction where Baby and I had been hiking.  I walked for hours and sat down on a bolder in  the place where I had seen her last.

 I was talking out loud and moaning and wailing.  Then I stopped because I felt something was watching me. It was  a huge female wolf.  That made me fear that Baby had been attacked but there was her red scarf tied like a bandage around the leg of this wolf.  How could this wolf have my Baby's red scarf tied around its leg ?  I quietly turned slowly so the wolf could see the sadness on my face then for some crazy reason I wailed a mournful sound toward this wolf wearing my Baby's red scarf on it's leg. This amazing wolfcircled around me a few times but I was not fearful one bit.  I felt that without my Baby it did not matter if I lived or died. Then it stopped about five feet in front of me and made a low guttural bark like sound. I sensed that this wolf wanted me to follow so I did just that. It took me down the side of the hill where thee was much vegetation.

I did not know where I was being taken but I did not care because I did not want to live without my Baby.  I loved here more than life itself.  To me life without her would be incomplete and I may never find another like her to love and share our love together. The she wolf lead me deeper and deeper down this narrow path and finally to a cave. 

Inside the cave was Baby tending to three newly born wolves.  the mother wolf seemed to allow Baby to tend her babies but was wary of me until she saw that Baby accepted me into the den.

Baby was fine and warm and fed by the the MRE's she had in her backpack. You see it was our custom when we went on these outings Baby always had 4 MRE's ,knife,tin cup,candle lighter and matches some string and a few other things she thought she might need. It seemed that she found the pregnant wolf with a sore infected leg from a bullet  and just keeled over from exhaustion.  Baby had taken the bullet out and packed fresh herbs into the wound and tied it with her red scarf.  After an hour the wolf got up and started walking down the winding path to a den and Baby followed her in and attended her while she delivered 3 babies. Mother wolf had no problem allowing Baby to tend her babies while she rested.  

Baby told me it snowed the next day but she had ample food from the three remaining MRE's so she was not at all worried figuring I would come hunting for her in due time. She knew that was right and with the extra food I brought along with the blankets, we stayed there another two days. The cave was small but quite warm so we decided to hunker down until it was safe to hike back home. After two days we saw that Mama wolf was much stronger my sweet Baby tended to her dressing one more time and we started off to the trail back home.  In a few hours the searchers found us singing that nursery rhyme by Thomas Arne “A hunting we will go” and soon we were snug at home telling this tale.”

"Bob this is a great story so far but how did the wolves get so connected to Baby?"

Well that summer,one morning when we were out on the back deck having breakfast, Baby looks at me and motions to be still. Far out in the meadow near the edge of the woods there was Mama wolf and the  three babes standing quietly just staring at us. Baby said to stay put and she slowly walked down making little barks, yips and moans to Mama wolf.  I was a bit tense over having my sweetheart Baby go to the wolves alone but she had no fear so I let her do as she pleased.

When she got to them the babes stood back and watched as Mama wolf and my Baby nuzzled noses. Then the babes came one at a time to Baby and what a reunion there was that day.  Baby came back with tears in her eyes carrying her tattered red scarf.

Over the years the wolves just keep coming back to see Baby and bringing their families to greet her. There are many more stories I could tell you of our walks up in the high country and meeting the wolves. they have learned to accept me also but all their love will only go to Baby as she is their Wolf Love.

© Julia A Knaake

The winter after Mama wolf and her three babes came to the meadow they came back but just a little closer.

It was obvious that one of the babes was severely hurt. It was the smallest of the females and it looked like she had escaped from a steel Trap. Her leg looked and smelled very infected like gangrene had set in.

Mama wolf brought her injured babe to my sweetheart Baby to make the baby wolf better. Baby knew she would have to take the wolf pup to a vet for amputation.

After greetings were formally finished between Baby and

Mama wolf the pup was handed over to Baby and the wolves disappeared into the forest.

Baby petted the wolf then she bathed her all over except for the wounded leg.  Baby continually made low sounds to the wolf calling her Anika. Soon Anika nuzzled next to Baby. Anika took a little bit of meat,vegetables and Lavender from Baby. The wolf pup

dozed off and Baby asked me to place pads into the small pickup for seating and then Baby and I placed Anika into a large well padded crate. Baby sat in the back and I drove as slow as I could to the vets office. 

Doctor Plymouth was waiting of two of her assistants. They gently carried the crate into the office. I help my sweetheart Baby down from the truck bed, and gently kissed my braved one. Doctor Plymouth gave Anika a sedative and prepared for surgery. The leg was so bad it had to be amputated. Dr. Plymouth remarked how well the condition of the pup, except for the leg. Anika stayed over night, and Baby wanted to stay with her charge. Dr. Plymouth said she would have to assistants stay overnight in the office and for Baby to go home and rest.

   I made her a light supper and then we went to bed. the next morning Dr. Plymouth called to tell us to pick Anika up this afternoon. There were instructions and meds to give Anika but Baby jumped right in for that care. During the following week Baby and Anika bonded and Anika even favored me with a lick here and there. By this time Baby had taught Anika to wear a soft collar and rope and to hobble a little.

When it was time to go to the vet we took the car instead of the pickup. Anika and Baby climbed into the backseat and Anika quietly settled onto a blanket. When we arrived at Dr. Plymouth’s office she was amazed at Anika's condition. Baby and Dr.Plymouth set up a date to spay Anika and we went home but this time Anika rode in back alone very relaxed and dozed off. About a month after Anika was spayed she and Baby were out in the meadow playing ball. Mama wolf and her two babes showed up. The first meetings were between Baby and Mama and then Mama and Anika. The three siblings played, Baby and Mama just sat and observed the three babes play. Soon Mama got up and started for the forest with the three babes trailing behind her. Baby stood up with a worried look when she noticed Anika disappeared... But then She heard Mama wolf yip sharply and chase Anika back to Baby. Anika joyfully met Baby and came back home to the deck.

Anika has been with us for sixteen years now and rarely leaves Baby's side. Anika has been a good mother herself to baby kittens, puppies, squirrels and even a duck. Anika is a remarkable wolf.

My sweetheart Baby is pretty remarkable also because she is wolf love.

© Julia A Knaake

Bianca the little red fox came into our lives last summer. She was such a tiny little fox that  Anika found in the meadow and brought her to my Sweetheart  Baby.

 Anika was around ten at the time and never had babes of her own but had been a surrogate mother many times. Anika carried her charge carefully over to Baby in the Basil beds.  The tiny fox had been chewed up a little but there

 were no broken bones.  She did not seem afraid of Anika or Baby but she did quiver. Baby carefully placed her into her largest  jacket pocket  with a red scarf used as a cushion.

Baby and Anika then left the beds of Pesto Perpetuo Basil with the beautiful pale green leaves edged with cream and trudged on up to the deck. Baby had been snipping some of this sharp peppery Basil to make a spicy pesto for the evening meal. The basket of Pesto was placed on the kitchen counter to work on later as now all the attention was for the little fox.

The little fox was gently washed off and placed into a kitty carrier and set next to Anika's pad where she often slept in the corner of the indoor green house. 

 Anika seemed to have a nice plump pad in every room.  Baby made them and stuffed them with eucalyptus leaves. Anika immediately lay down next to the fox and they both were fast asleep.

We had a nice meal out on the closed in summer porch and we both almost dozed off before we heard a tiny yip. It was mother Anika wanting us to tend to the tiny fox. We took her out of the kitty carrier and placed her into a huge apple bin we had in one of the corners of the summer porch. We often put baby animals in this bin for safe keeping while they were healing from some sort of problem when found by Baby.  There was a clean kitty litter box and some water and food for the fox. Looking a bit scared of these new surroundings she seemed happy when Anika jumped in and snuggled next to her.  Anika licked her new charge and right then we decided to call her Bianca.

© Julia A Knaake

Wolves take care of the young as they are the future. This applies to humans as well because our youth are the future. Nurturing our youngsters and educating them to live by the golden Rule, learning to preserve our natural resources is the only way to live in harmony with our human packs.

Never question our existence. We are here we live or we die. This applies to all mankind no matter where we are, where we live or who we are in this world. You may be born poor as a church mouse or born with a silver spoon in your mouth it is a fact that you are born and you die. This is part of the human pack. Keep your wild spirits and you will always be happy.

It is not crazy to talk to the wild animals as they will talk back to you eventually you will learn to know each other. Wanting to be a trapeze artist, race car driver or boxer is part of your wild spirit. Attempting to do these things and failing is actually using your wild spirit but not even trying is actually the real failure. This is because you did not even attempt to use the spirit of living in the human pact.

Being sociable is a favorable trait in the human pact. The family unit is almost always the first contact we have in being sociable. Our friends and acquaintances follow. Often we humans, like the wolves , venture out into unknown territories to to search for other places to live and to find our mates. This is so true of the human pack. Live and like your life but like and live to play.

We humans would be very dull indeed if all we did was work. There must be some playtime in our lives. The old saying variety is the spice of life is very true indeed. Having long hair is an example. will you just wear it long falling down your back everyday? How about a ponytail? A braid or two ponytails. Perhaps a top knot or a bun? Whatever your fancy for the day is your choice and your choice alone because you are part of the human pack.

Love your freedom. what else can I say about this statement. Freedom is freedom...is freedom...is freedom ! To not be free is the worst of the worst. Freedom is just another word with nothing else to say with nothin' else to lose....oh so true Janis darlin'..so very true. The free human pack is the only way to go.

Live for the hunt-hunt to live. A symbol of strength intelligence and courage the human hunters and gathers made pictures on their cave walls for us to see.

Wolves also communicate with each other in a variety of ways through their howls. Often they are spine tingling and warnings to other wolves not known to their pack. Also it is often to gather their pack together when separated and to unite the pack. The human pack has similar traits. Moving swiftly and leaving only tracks is a golden rule.

Did you ever hear the saying that a wolf can hear a cloud pass overhead.

The wolf can express how it feels just as a human. They are here - they are gone swiftly. Often you never know they were here unless a track is left behind for you to see. We also should use this trait when out in the wilderness...be there but leave no trash...no human trait.

© Julia A Knaake

Baby knew that many of the common illnesses we face in our modern world today can be cured with herbs. She is not a studied modern medical herbalist, but a learned one gathering most of her knowledge from her relatives and her brief study of Biology in college so she is careful to only help her animal friends but if a human asks her a question she is always careful to tell them to consult their medical doctor.

The Native American Indians who lived thousands of years ago lived off the land and used their collected herbs as food and medicines. The most wonderful benefit from using these herbs is that they  cause no side-effects like prescription or over-the counter drugs. If you do not grow or collect your own they can be bought at a health food store, pharmacy or on-line.

The common Yarrow was called "life medicine" by the Navajo because it could numb pain on contact. It also had coagulants that helped  stop bleeding from wounds. The Native Cherokee bathed in Yarrow leaves to help aid the speed of healing time as it is also an antiseptic killing surface bacterias. This herb is also used for eczema and skin rashes. Baby used Yarrow on many of her

wolf and small animal  charges as well as humans if they consulted their family doctors first.

Baby burns Sagebrush in a little ceramic dish

to purify the air in our home as the Native Americans did to purify the air in ceremonies.

When Sagebrush is burned the space around is sanitized by giving off anti-inflammatory properties.

Do not think me strange when I tell you I actually have seen our old Anika spring into action after burning a sage bundle around her. When released into the air and when we breath these properties into our lungs thus allowing them to reach our

blood streams it will kill the harmful germs in our system. Common Sagebrush grows abundantly wild all over our Western United States.

Arnica is a natural pain reliever reducing pain

and stiffness  for joint pain inflammation  and muscle aches. The Native Americans used Arnica often to ease the pain. Arnica is of the Sunflower family and The seed like  fruit  have a pappus  of plumose, white or pale tan bristles.  The entire plant has a strong and distinct pine-sage odor when the leaves of mature plants are rubbed or bruised. This plant should not be taken internally. 

Arnica  contains caffeoylquinic acid, a natural pain reliever.  If you buy Arnica at a health store make sure you get a good quality cream to rub into your skin scrapes and bruises.

If you use modern aspirin then White Willow contains salicin which is the same chemical in aspirin.  Baby never has a bottle of aspirin in our home. Instead we make White Willow tea to ease our pains. The Native Americans made a tea of this herb also drinking it to ease pains.

The modern,pill aspirin, works faster but the herb white willow will relieve pain longer and will not irritate the stomach.

It seems that everyone has allergies today. My sweetheart Baby uses stinging Nettle to combat allergies in our household.  We live near a meadow and we are in it almost everyday but we do not have the allergies as others do because we use Stinging Nettle to combat the swollen nasal passages from allergies. This herb impedes the production of histamine which is a chemical produced by our immune system that causes congestion and sneezing and other related allergy symptoms.  Stinging nettle is also a natural anti-inflammatory and pain reliever to help shrink swollen nasal passages.

Now I saved the best for last. Sexual problems.

Oh my is this taboo ? i do not think so. If there were not sex then we would not exist would we ? Sex is good when treated in a loving and caring way between mutual beings. 

For the ladies Black cohosh is the herb that mimics estrogen and balances hormones. The Algonquin Indians called black cohosh the cramp bark because it helped ease menopausal symptoms easing hot flashes and night sweats. 

For the gentlemen Saw Palmetto helps in cutting the risk of prostrate cancer and when used by women it helps to get rid of facial hair.  This is because it balances the body's hormones. How wonderful that saw palmetto can help both sexes.

Now you all know I love and honor my wife because I call her sweetheart Baby. No one has asked her given name. She was named Lucy. I prefer to call her baby but her close friends do call her Lucy. My “sweetheart Baby' Lucy will help animal and human alike and that is why I honor her.

©  Julia A Knaake