After seeing Rusty and K on their boulders yesterday, R insisted, absolutely resolutely, that he find a boulder to perch on last evening. He thinks that he's the King! What do you think Rusty? K says that she'll find an even better perch when her paw is better.
This morning, K and I wandered out the door into freezing temperatures. Leaves, grass, and my fingers were all frozen. In a nearby meadow, an eerie sounds arose. High pitched yips and howls filled the air as our coyote pack celebrated fall. Soon, from inside the house, R added the harmony with his lower pitched "Aroooo"! K listened alertly, completely silent.
We wandered around our property, curiously trying to figure out why the bobcat keeps returning here. We checked boulders for scent posts and looked for rabbit holes. We found rabbit holes but no sign that the bobcat had marked near them.
We noticed a stunning yellow leaf covered in melting frost.
Then, I noticed a stunning Chocolate Lab in front of the aspen trees.
I'm learning from K. Despite how paltry our strolls are compared to her usual adventures, she happily wanders by my side. I don't think that she's worrying about whether this new routine is her "forever routine". She's just living in the moment. I succeeded in doing that with her this morning. Although we walked only a few hundred yards, our time together was precious.
Later, I took R for a short mountain bike ride. I honestly feel like I barely knew R before our recent re-bonding. From the outside, he appears to be a wildly rambunctious youngster who takes everything in stride. In fact, I've learned, he gets stressed out by lots of things, like changes in our routine or me talking crossly to him. He just expresses it in an odd way - he becomes more frantic in his whirlwind of activity. It used to frustrate me, making me feel like I was just on the verge of losing control of him. Now, I see him as a vulnerable little guy, who does best when I nurture him rather than order him around.
During a break in our ride, R and I played near our favorite viewpoint. He did a recall over a pinnacle with the glorious snow-covered peaks behind him. Oh, how I hope that K can sprint over that hill again some day!
During our ride, I had a few of those moments where I stopped in my tracks in awe of beauty.
I thought to myself: "Do I really get to live here? Every single day?". Wow.
Here's to our dogs and the beauty of our everyday lives. It's worth stopping and appreciating all of it. Enjoy the moment.
We second that one !
ReplyDeleteAnd we thank you for sharing your bounty with us!
BTW, our word made us grin a bit: MONFLUFF
Wow is right - we say it over and over.
ReplyDeleteNow about that bobcat - we have a sighting of a bobcat at 9:30 this morning in the back yard of a home about one mile from our house. Now this is a 99% residential area, little by way of woods. We need to figure out how to have your courage as we walk through the area - I was so nervous tonight as we headed through the trail area near our home. How can I redirect this bobcat and family back to your mountains? :)
I know exactly what you mean. We have lived here 13 years and still, every time I pull into the driveway I thank God for such beauty. We don't have a lot of land, but what we have is beautiful in our eyes :)
ReplyDeleteThe Duchess
Raising a glass to our dogs and the beauty of our everyday lives! And to K...heal, heal, heal.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that it sometimes takes us a while to "learn" our dogs. Just like children, different dogs need different approaches.
I'm glad things are going well with both K and R. You definitely do live in paradise!
ReplyDeleteBRAVO!!! You sound uplifted, with a new perspective. Baby steps...
ReplyDeleteI see a lot of what you described in R in my own Nyxie - well stated!
Rusty wholeheartedly approves of the pose. Paws up.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, we say the same thing to ourselves - how blessed we are to live in such an area of natural beauty.
I have to agree! It's really a blessing to be able to look around you and see the beauty that springs up everywhere. I think that it's as much of a mindset to appreciate it as it is being able to see it for what it is.
ReplyDeleteI had a good laugh when I saw Rusty imitating K and R this morning, and R sure did a great job of returning the pose!
These pictures are just amazing! You are so blessed to live surrounded by such beauty.
ReplyDeleteI work for an environmental organization here in the city and a few weeks ago I was setting up for an event very early in the morning. All of sudden, a coyote shot up from the river banks and ran across the field in front of me. I had always heard there were coyotes in the city, but this was my first sighting. Looking at your pictures, I feel badly for this coyote - stuck in the city when he could be out among your pack surrounded by beauty.
Pip's mom, Kristin
What a beautiful place!! I can almost breathe in the cool mountain air from here...
ReplyDeleteAnd here is to you and your dogs, and here is to thankfullness in finding your blog,
ReplyDeleteand here is to the beauty that i see and appreciate in my own world,,,,,
live in the moment,, how true..
my old friend MAXDOG used to say that too... how true
love
tweedles
Looks Stunning...we're enjoying a trip in the Rockies right now too! And guess what... I have almost the EXACT same picture of a yellow aspen leaf with the sky as the backround - just posted it yesterday.... :) Great minds think alike - Glad to have stumbled upon your blog, looking forward to following your adventures
ReplyDeleteI'm behind on my blogs and am sorry to see that K hurt herself. We keep paws crossed for a speedy recovery!
ReplyDeleteSam
such wonderful advice....and absolutely stunning pictures!
ReplyDeleteWe all strive to be like our dogs, to live in the moment and not lament about the future.....
xoxox
I'm jelous of where you get to live...I tend to say..."Do I really HAVE to live here? Every single day?" thanks for the escape!!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the moment. The wisest thing a dog owner can ever say.
ReplyDeleteHi new friend,
ReplyDeleteLove your post and love your pictures!! Love the beauty you live around!! I came over to tell you we are crossing our paws for K.
I learned about you from the OP Pack. K you are in our prayers!!
You have a lot of paws that want you to be back to normal soon. Bambi and I enjoyed your post very much and will be back when we can!
xxoo, Bambi & Fern
I love the first picture of K on alert. She looks so focused and strong.
ReplyDeleteI guess my wish for a longer summer didn't pull through. Look at those snowy mountains!
I often think about how our level of cognition can be a curse when our thoughts pull us out of the moment too often. That's why we need nature (and our pups=) to smack us back to earth every now and again.
Thanks for a good reminder and inspiring pictures!
My dog was like R - got frantic when she thought I was cross at her. Your photos of trees and mountains are wonderful - fall turning to winter. It's snowing
ReplyDeletetoday in Breck (though I'm still in the city).
Such a happy pic of R bounding over the hill! We can almost smell those coyotes from here!
ReplyDeleteThe Road Dogs
What spectacular views you have there. We're in the Blue Ridge Mountains, but they're more like hills compared to yours. That chocolate K-9 really looks stunning in front of the yellow leaves!
ReplyDeleteI came ovew fwom The Chwonicle of Woos..they awe good fwiends of mine and told me about K's tewwibull accident and I wanted to come give you my love and tell you that I will be cwossing my paws and bawking to the dogstaw to make suwe that K heals completely and can go on those magnificent womps wif you and W
ReplyDeleteI know it's hawd fow hoomans to undewstand, but us doggies awe soopew good at living in the moment and youw bootiful K is a pawfect example
healing smoochie kisses
ASTA
Your autumn photos are spectacular, particularly the closeup of the leaf! I loved your description of your maturing relationship with R. It's been fun watching you two go through this bonding. But I, too, miss longer walks with K! Don't realize how much I enjoy your walks with K until they get cut off!
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice post! We agree
ReplyDeleteBenny & Lily