I was walking in the woods…keeping an eye on Bear who was about 120 yards to my north…
My phone rang. I dug it out of my pocket, answered, took care of the call…
Still looking down…
Baby Lupins!!! With a raindrop – like a diamond – in each.
I took Bear to Echo Lake last Fall, but he was new at the off leash thing so he was leashed and did not get to explore like he would if he was untethered. Late yesterday afternoon, I was ready for a break and after a day of off and on rain, the sun had come out AND the temperature had warmed above 50F. I decided to see if both the road and the fishing access I like was accessible – it was! There were trucks and empty boat trailers … people on the lake fishing somewhere, but no one was around so I “loosed the hound” :) !!
Bear did VERY well. This is only the third time we’ve done off leash walking away from the property and our normal loop walk. He had a grand time exploring new territory and followed any direction I gave happily.
We walked around the inlet and out on to the peninsula. It appeared that they had done some major cleanup of the shoreline weeds. I don’t know where all the big downfall came from….was the water high and it floated in ??? – a mystery. But fun to climb over and smell if you are an exploring kind of dog.
A beautiful afternoon. Around the inlet, protected from the breeze, it was quiet and warm in the sun.
Fortunately, a lot of good mountain lake water was available for a refreshing drink after all that exploring.
We meandered, made a few Canada geese swim to the other side of the inlet, sniffed and looked and had a wonderful walk on a gorgeous afternoon.
April showers bring May flowers. It happens every year. My lilac bushes are full of blossoms which I hope will be blooms in early May. I LOVE lilacs and their fragrance – such a happy and joyful thing to have a jar of lilacs here, there and everywhere in the house.
Lily-of-the-valley shoots have emerged in the bed just outside the sunroom door. Another favorite of mine for both their delicate intricacy, beautiful fragrance and a transporting back to when I was a little girl, arriving at my grandparent’s house in Spring. The walk to the back door was bordered by an overflowing Lily-of-the-valley bed. In my mind’s eye I can see and smell and feel the excitement as I ran to be engulfed in my grandmother Ruthie’s warm, welcoming hug.
April showers bring May flowers.
Last April 18, on Karl’s and my last morning together on this earthly plane, the April showers were snow showers. (That still works for the May flowers… :)! ) It was a morning that is exquisite in my memory. There was as much incredible beauty and love as there was sorrow. And most of the sorrow came later with the realization of the finality of loss. The sharing of our last moments was filled with the joy of remembering as well as the understanding that it was Karl’s time and that he needed to be relieved of earthly pain.
As the anniversary of that last day approached, I just wanted the time to go and to get past THAT date. I focused on loving Bear and Bob, work, chores, cooking – all the things I love. But that darned date. I kept looking at it on the calendar and just wanting it gone and past.
Last weekend, I decided that I just wanted to be sad. I gave myself permission to be sad, to look at some old posts and just cry for the loss of one I love so much. And I set aside some time on THE date to just sit and be still and let that time be whatever it would be.
For me, giving up the “just get past it”, allowing myself to feel the sadness…it changed everything. Yes, there were some tears, but they were good and freeing and light in spirit. Wonderful, fun and funny memories of Karl and Gus, Karl, Gus and Bob, Karl and Bob, Karl and me – bubbled up. It was a peaceful, joy-filled day of honest feelings and memory – all shared with Bob and Bear. It was a day that I didn’t want to end because it was so special.
Nothing changed except my perspective: how I looked at the day. It was a decision as a change of perspective often is. It inspired me to change my perspective on a few other things. Ultimately, since the weekend, when I made the decision(s) – it has felt like a kind of fresh start.
Everything feels full of possibility and I feel light and full of Joy.
April showers bring May flowers…always :) !
“What the heart has once known, it never forgets” author unknown
Dear Karl. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of this good dog. I am grateful for every moment we shared together. I feel his presence often and am sure that he whispers in Bear’s ear now and again. Always in my heart and mind, until we meet again dear Karl.
First bug splat of 2012!!!
A lousy photo…taken with my phone, but the reason it is exceptionally bad is because I focused on the bug splat.
Years ago, early Fall 2005 shortly after acquiring my motorhome, I took a 10 day shakedown trip in Montana. I spent 4 days in Missoula, a whole 120 miles from home! I ventured on to a couple of rural RV “parks” and then to Helena before returning home.
I had a WONDERFUL time and fell head over heels in love with RVing. One memorable moment was a conversation with a couple parked next to me in Missoula. They arrived shortly after I had. Their motorhome was larger – a gorgeous diesel pusher and instead of towing a car, they had a motorcycle on a nifty rear bumper lift. The Mr. headed out shortly after “docking” and returned with grocery kind of items. Day 2, I met both Mr. & Mrs. as we were all outside. They were on a quick “getaway” trip from California. As we talked, they related that they started “camping” in tents…with their 2 boys who were now in college. The current rig was part of a progression of ever more comfortable ways to “camp”. We laughed and then both they and I started debugging our respective windshields – a task all motorhome folks have in common during summer travel. As we were working, they related a story of one of their first trips to Montana. Their boys, in the vicinity of 10 years of age, dubbed Montana, the “Big Fly State”…a play on Montana being known as the Big Sky State – and a result of them being given the chore of cleaning the windshields of the various vehicles the family travelled in.
Yep, MT is the Big Fly State! And today, the first Big Fly of the year hit the windshield of the Jeep: SPLAT!
Saturday afternoon…sunshine and warm temperatures.
Grass, sun, warm ground…Bob
Grass, shade, cool dug out dirt…Bear
***Today, Sunday: it snowed all morning, then melted and the high was 43 compared to Saturday’s 57.