Posts from the ‘special light’ category

Seasons

This dog, Bear…I am so thankful that he is my dog. For whatever reason(s), these last several weeks, the loss of Karl has hit hard, yet again. Maybe because I came so close to losing Bear. Maybe the time I’m spending in the woods, again closer to Bear to reinforce training. Maybe just a cycle of the grief thing. I really don’t know.

It is not that I am sad. It is that suddenly, out of the blue – that Karl is not here – it feels overwhelming.

But, then Bear comes to me or I go to him…or to Bob…or I take photos and peace returns. It is maybe a season, like Winter is a season.

Winter decided to make an appearance. A little late and even later in my corner of Montana and with less ferocity than most parts of the northwest.

This evening, as all was done that needed to be done – and the light was clear – Bear ran and jumped and played in the snow. We were out several times today. It was very cold when it snowed so the snow is like sugar. The sun was out this afternoon and lit the edge of the snow covered trees forming a border of light against dark clouds over the mountains to the east.

As I watched Bear – after our play – resting and watching, snow started falling again…light, medium sized flakes, softly falling.

Alpenglo clouds

Last thing I do before shutting down my computer for the night is make a schedule for the next day. It is more wishful thinking than concrete plan but I have a number of hours of work to get in, walks/play/training with Bear, time with Bob…

One thing I try to always do is get outside with Bear about 1/2 hour before sunset for a final daylight time outside.

This evening, we were out about 45 minutes before sunset. It was 45F!!! and sunny. I had more work, but not a lot and who knows, it might decide to be Winter any day now.

Aside from enjoying the mild and sunny weather, Bear and I are trying to get the TAGG pet tracker to work to the best of its abililty and/or get appropriate tech support which requires getting as much info as possible…more on that another time.

All that needs to be known this evening is that we were located in a spot with a clear view of the sky, I had the TAGG positioned on the top of Bear’s neck…had him stay while I fussed with the software.

And meanwhile…

The clouds turned pink, the moon was in view…

And it was just beautiful. Alpenglo clouds.

And then the evening

It has been one of those days…beautiful start to finish. The snow, the light, the sky, the color…spectacular!

As afternoon gave way to evening, I could not stand to stay inside. I bundled up and shuffled through the woods following Bear and looking at snow on weeds and branches and tree trunks…as the sky and mountains turned pink with alpenglo.

All the colors of the rainbow

Yesterday (Thursday) morning…looking down the driveway…beautiful, colorful sky.

I turned around to see the gold larch against a sky turning blue.

It made me think: rainbow! The colors of a rainbow all around me.

From the frost on the ground, to the green and gold of the pines…to the blue and white of the snow covered mountains.

As I wrote last night, the day was quintessential Fall: crisp, cool, clear air, the low light from the southern moving sun that casts a gold light over everything. Everything about the day bespoke Fall.

Last night was the full moon. The moon was to rise just after sunset. Bear and I went out to the loop overlook to wait…to wait for the full moon rise.

There was quite a show of color…

…all the colors of the rainbow spread across the valley between the foothill we live on and the steps of the Swan Range.

Venus showed first, giving a clue to where the moon would rise.

Dusk fell. It got darker.

The moon lit a small cloud just over the mountain top.

It was getting too dark to be where we were. Bear was such company. He usually wants to be on the property more than where I was waiting, but he stayed and watched with me. It made me cry as it brought up a memory of Karl waiting with me in the snow the first Winter in this place. But it also made me smile and laugh in joy with how far Bear and I have come and what a good life I’ve had with my good dogs.

All the colors of the rainbow… shared…in the love and company of my good dog.

First Fall Alpenglo

Another beautiful Fall day and enough clouds in the right places for the first rosy alpenglo of Fall. I was out with Bear when it started and it can be fleeting so did not go back for my camera. Above is from the phone camera. A little soft but the color is true.

**Bear and Bob notes:
As the days get shorter and the nights longer, we are all adjusting. Sunset is 6:20 p.m. and Sunrise 8:20 a.m..

Although Bear settled down for bedtime during the summer when bedtime was often still in daylight, now that there is more dark, he sometimes stays with me in the office or kitchen, but more often than not, goes to bed when we come in at sunset. He will go out for a before bedtime outing if I show him his lighted collar but does not ask to go out and I sometimes have to wake him :)! In the morning, he will wag his tail and give me kisses…from his bed, but unless I coax he is happy to stay in until it gets light…so I let him! Bob has his quick outing for morning business, breakfast and then he goes back to bed as well. I get a couple of hours to have a bit of quiet time, cook or bake and work a bit before a morning break outside with Bear. Not a bad routine. We’ll see what happens when we get snow on the ground!