The Wisdom of Elephants is officially launched! There was a steady stream of friends and newcomers on Saturday from 2:00 – 7:00 at Strand Fine Art Gallery in London. The youngest visitor was two and the oldest was 100!

Do you have a favourite photo? Take a minute to think about an image you treasure. What do you notice? How do you feel as you look at the picture? Stay with it for a moment. Resist the urge to scroll on. I suspect there is a story that goes with your choice.

I’m on the home stretch preparing for the book launch of The Wisdom of Elephants. I hope my love of the iconic animals of East Africa will touch your hearts. I cannot imagine a world without elephants, giraffes, lions, leopards. When we take care of nature, nature takes care of us.

I’m busy preparing proofs of prints for my book launch and photo exhibition. Memories of extraordinary encounters with the iconic animals of East Africa come alive when I see some of my favourite images in print. I hope to see you on Sept. 17th!

I’ve had extraordinary encounters with African wildlife that renew and restore my soul, but it’s the who people deepen and enrich my experience. I treasure conversations with friends I’ve made and lessons I’ve learned. I am changed as a result.

Feed the dream of Africa with books, TV shows, National Geographic images and at least 3 trips to see The Lion King. It might take 50 years. Don’t give up, you’re never too old for Africa. Use your savings or get a job that pays for a business class air ticket to Nairobi, Kenya. It is a long flight you’ll appreciate the comfort.

Elephants, like us, need community and friends to heal from trauma and loss. There’s proof. This week National Geographic published a study about the power of friendship and survival in orphaned elephants. Look at these orphaned baby elephants at the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary in Northern Kenya – does it look like they are having a good time?

Watching Craig and his four young bodyguards browse on thorny acacia bushes was a fascinating lesson in elephant nutrition and etiquette.

I spotted dozens of dust devils dancing across the flat Amboseli plain as our 12-seater plane banked and turned to prepare for landing. Amboseli has been alive in my imagination since I left in January 2020. The elephants that call this region home transformed my life focus 2.5 years ago.

I’m looking forward to meeting up with my Maasai and Samburu friends next month. Going on game drives with each of them is a special opportunity to experience their world through their eyes. Their Indigenous knowledge and unique perspective provide rich territory for learning and heartfelt cross-cultural conversations.

I am over the moon. My first order of books arrived this weekend! Two and a half years ago I had an extraordinary encounter with the elephants of Amboseli. I returned home changed, committed to use my images and story to speak up for elephants and wildlife conservation. The Wisdom of Elephants is the result of this intention.

I am filled with gratitude for the comments from advance readers and pre-order purchasers of The Wisdom of Elephants. People are affirming what I believe; we care about elephants, we care about conservation, we care about books that give back for good.

Celebrate Mother’s Day this year with a gift of The Wisdom of Elephants ! Elephants are devoted mothers – family is everything to them.

Spring is here in Southern Ontario. The early daffodils are appearing like bright yellow spotlights highlighting the coming season. Daffodils are like a hallelujah flower chorus shouting Yes! Life! I plant a couple of hundred daffodil bulbs every fall. It’s a ritual I’ve carried out for close to 40 years.

Happy Earth Day! I’d love to hear how you celebrate. When we lived in the country, we planted a tree each year to mark Earth Day. Our earth friendly actions impact nature, whether it’s planting insect and bird friendly perennials in the garden or making conscious choices at the grocery store, collectively our actions make a difference.

Last week I got some exciting news. I learned the name of the adult female elephant on the book cover is Hatsy! Dr. Winnie Kiiru, who wrote the Foreword to The Wisdom of Elephants, asked researcher Dr. Cynthia Moss if she could identify the lead elephant on the cover.

It’s decision time in my book project. Last week I uploaded 20 test pages to the printer in Calgary AB. I was thrilled to open the front door a couple of days later and find a package on my doorstep. This project is no longer living on my computer – it has entered the next dimension of publishing reality.

My book, The Wisdom of Elephants is back from the book designer and the pdf draft is in the hands of beta readers in Kenya. I never imagined I would publish a book. It is happening, it’s coming together!

The world is at a tipping point due to the destructive behaviour of humans. I believe we would do well to ask ourselves as we consider important decisions about the future of our planet, “What would the elephants do?” When I think of the answer, I relive my encounter with the elephants of Amboseli in January 2020.

A Turkish proverb says, “There lies a lion in every heart.” There’s something about lions that is raw, real, and totally mesmerizing. Here’s the story behind the image on the cover of my children’s storybook A Mother’s Love.