An illicit romp

Early this morning, a bobcat, who looks like the youngster who has visited our clearing, padded cautiously along a hogback.

Yesterday, I placed this wildlife camera to capture animals walking along the spine of the small ridge because I thought that bobcats and mountain lions might like to survey for prey from a high spot. I love it when I get a photo immediately after placing a camera - it's an auspicious start!

This morning, K and I hiked out into frigid air. Her paw seems the same as two days ago - the lump still juts out, there's still fluid under the skin distal to the lump, and she licks the lump on and off but not obsessively. She doesn't limp when she hikes so the vet said to let her continue to gradually increase her hiking distance. I'll be talking with the vet tomorrow about the next step to figure out what's causing the lump. I can feel the power of everyone's assertions that "it is a bruise!" - and I think that's still a possible outcome.

This morning, K looked radiant in the rising sunlight. I know that I'm biased but I am unabashedly awed by her beauty, especially when she peers into my soul with her golden eyes.

I gave her a couple of minutes off leash in a meadow where we haven't seen another person since the summer. Of course, today, a stranger hiked into K's view when she was off-leash. K firmly believes that every person on Earth was placed here to pet and play with her. So, she broke into a full gallop toward the hiker. I called her back, and she turned on a dime to return to me. However, the big news was that she didn't limp in either a trot or a gallop - for the first time since her surgeries!!! That lifted my spirits high into the cobalt blue sky.

Yesterday, I felt pessimistic about K ever returning to mountain biking because the vet thinks that the remaining toes on her surgically altered front paw are already riddled with arthritis. After seeing her joyfully run today, I felt a glimmer of hope that we'll do some limited biking together in the future. You were all right about the photo yesterday - it's both a memory and a goal! Thank you!

Since it was an illicit romp and recall, I have no photos of K in action. I have the feeling I'll have more opportunities for action photos of K...

R found a slot in his busy schedule to mountain bike with me this morning. He decided to survey the meadow below Hug Hill from a stump.

Then, I left him alone in a sit-stay on Hug Hill and glided well out of sight for a recall. The boy broke the sound barrier as he hurtled down the hill toward me!

R's obsessive-compulsive behaviors have been on the rise again, primarily manifesting as an insatiable need to drink water. I'm realizing that regulating his obsessions via behavior modification is going to require daily work for a long time. I've slacked off lately, and the relapse has been pronounced. I'm becoming fully aware that OCD isn't an easy thing to control.

We thought that we might actually get some snow like so many of you have enjoyed. However, the storms keep dodging us. It was supposed to snow both yesterday and today but it didn't. Instead, we were given the gift of blue sky and icy air! I'm not complaining.

Look at that dry trail. It's unbelievable mountain biking for mid-December!