Anabel & the Butterfly
The Adventures of Anabel, the Dalmatian Rescue Dog
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One day, while sitting in her front yard with her family, Anabel saw a creature that she had never seen before. It had a long, slender body with long, spindly legs and large, wide wings that quickly fluttered open and closed. Anabel watched in fascination as the creature floated in the air… bobbing her own head each time the creature swooped down to the flowerbed then up into the air. It appeared as if the creature could not decide to stay or fly away. Finally, the creature landed softly on a large coneflower and carefully began walking around on its long, spindly legs. The creature uncurled its tongue, touched the center section of the flower, and began to drink the sweet nectar. Anabel watched for a long time. She was completely mesmerized by its beauty. Eventually, she stood up and walked toward the creature. As she neared the flowerbed, Anabel slowly stretched her neck toward the creature and gently tapped her nose on the flower - causing the flower to sway back and forth. ″Hello!” Anabel said. The creature, startled by the sudden movement, quickly swooped upwards into the air. “Wait…Wait!” cried Anabel, raising her head to see the creature. “Come back! I won’t hurt you!” she called.
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About the Book
Anabel & the Butterfly is the first in a series of adventures inspired by our own family dog. We adopted her from the local Dalmatian Rescue Shelter (DRSWV.com) who had fondly dubbed the puppies as their "Dal-Cats" because they were half Dalmatian and half Catahoula Leopard dog. Anabel insisted on being with us as if she had already chosen us to be her new family. A short time after we adopted her, Anabel "met" her first butterfly while we were playing with her in our yard. She appeared to be "talking" to the butterfly as she followed it from flower to flower. Anabel & the Butterfly teaches us about the importance of kindness and awareness of those who may be "different". Come with us as we learn to see the world through a loving dog's eyes and, perhaps, learn something about ourselves as well. A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: My husband, Robert, and I took Anabel on a trial basis from a Foster Family of the DRSWV and fully adopted her into our family later in the summer of that same year. For those who are financially capable of caring for a pet, we urge you to consider adopting an animal from a shelter or foster home. But do your homework… research the breed of animal that you are considering adopting. Contrary to the myth that Dalmatians are high-strung, high-maintenance animals, Dalmatians are wonderful, family dogs with fantastic dispositions that endear themselves to your heart. They only require the same love and exercise that all animals need. Go to DRSWV.com and see for yourself how wonderful these dogs can be. Thank you for sharing our life with Anabel and I hope you will continue to follow her adventures as she grows into an adult dog and helps us all to see the world through our dog's curious yet funloving actions. Katie Martin Thomas
About the Author
Katie Martin Thomas is a self-taught artist and writer. Born Melinda Kaye Martin in the coal mining town of Lynch, Kentucky, Katie is the youngest of three children. Her parents opened their home to several foster children during her childhood - teaching by example of the importance of foster care for other children who needed a loving environment in which to grow and develop a healthy imagination. Her father's job resulted in much traveling and Katie found it difficult to establish friends at a young age. As a result, Katie often found herself drawing upon her imagination and artistic creativity. She would immerse herself in the wonderful world of books of every nature. Her love of reading gave Katie the tools she needed to write her own poetry and create numerous works of original art while experimenting with all types of media. Her family eventually settled down in the small, historic community of Lafayette, Virginia, when Katie was twelve years old. She was fortunate to experience the freedoms and beauty associated with living in an area surrounded by country fields, rivers and mountains during most of her life. A graduate of Shawsville High School, Katie considers Lafayette to be her "adopted childhood homeplace". She presently lives in the neighboring city of Roanoke, Virginia, with her husband, Robert, and their family dog, Anabel. She continues painting as a freelance artist as-well-as experiencing the joy of writing stories and poetry inspired by her family, friends and imagination.