Today was my day for hiking with R on the trails, since K was busy with chemotherapy. He and I tracked a bobcat.
R doesn't know "the rules" of tracking with me, and he tramples all over tracks before I get to see them. I'll have to ask K to teach him the rules.
He got a little ahead of me, and this photo looks pretty normal, doesn't it?
But, it only looks normal until you realize that the boy had leaped up onto a tree trunk that was a few feet off the ground. He was walking on it like a balance beam, following in the tracks of the bobcat. The bobcat had done exactly the same thing.
R proved to be an avid tracker, keeping his nose deep in the snow as he followed the bobcat.
He spent most of the hike with his snout plastered with snow.
R suddenly decided that he'd had enough of the camera... and barked straight in my face. He may be the most hilarious dog who I've ever known.
After his outburst, we continued following the bobcat tracks until the wind suddenly blasted us out of the west. Our bodies were sandblasted with ice crystals moving at mach speed.
We hurried home through erratic periods of calm and hellacious wind. R sprinted joyfully during a calm period.
R provided me with lots of fun on the somewhat tense day of K's chemotherapy.
This evening, with a day of chemotherapy behind her, K was unbelievably happy. As we walked at sunset, she picked up sticks and zoomed in circles around me. I laughed and laughed. I'm so happy that she's here and feeling good. (Yes, this photo is K, shortly after she arrived home from chemotherapy - unbelievable!).
As dusk fell, we saw a sliver of a moon in a purple sky. I felt thankful for the Runner, R, K, and our amazingly beautiful world.
What great photos of R. He is such a cracker and I just love that picture with the snow on his face. It was so nice to see K so full of play after her day of chemo. You truly are blessed!
ReplyDeleteNo question about it, if you can retrain that drive to find animals to humans, you would have yourself a great search dog.
ReplyDeleteWhat a joy to see K running so happily.
Bert's right, R sounds like he has potential for Search and Rescue! K is truly amazing
ReplyDeleteDachshund Nola
Oh, a most beautiful day! Man, I think R is learning by osmosis from K! I am so glad K got to run around tonight! Have a grand weekend ya all!
ReplyDeleteWoofs!
Baylor
While my MOM try's to re-frame from to much personal stuff, seeing your photos and reading you words have done her a world of good tonight.
ReplyDeleteToday she was with a family in the ICU who's wife, mother, grandmother died. It was completely unexpected and she only entered the hospital a few hours before. It completely drains my MOM when she is in moments like that.
But your happy post has brought a smile to her face and a giggle on her lips. So thank all of you, KB R and K. You have blessed her richly tonight.
Blessings,
Goose
I loved your photos of your day with R! I know he brings a whole different energy to your walks, and I enjoy his zest for life a great deal. I'm also really glad K came home from her chemo in such good spirits!
ReplyDeleteI love that shot of the night sky! That is one thing that I am really terrible at photographing! lol
I love every single photo in this blog, from the ever goofy R and his faces, to the sandblasting wind, to K getting home so happily, and then that beautiful little moon in the knock-out sky!
ReplyDeleteWowsa! I'm just purely dazzled!
Yours truly,
Jo, Stella and Zkhat
It looks like R really knows how to make his feelings known. I love the barking picture. So glad to see K feeling so good after her chemo.
ReplyDeleteCindy
What an incredible circle of Oneness you all are, every individual making the whole more dazzling and tightly bound together. Your family has received a precious gift in each other.
ReplyDeletethat purple sky is a perfect ending to an extraordinary day!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful day! Those pictures of R barking at you are hilarious!! Great shot of the ice crystal blast. Very cool! And so great to see K bouncing around. Hope all goes well for you this weekend. :)
ReplyDeleteYour post has touched us too.
ReplyDeleteWe are all so different as we each try to live our lives, and feel the most there is to feel,, and sometimes struggle.
There is something about this post that feels so peaceful- even with R running and feeling so good and happy- with snow all over his face,it makes us feel peaceful. And to see K- as happy as she is in that photo- happy to grab her stick and plunge into the snow,, and feel the coldness on her paws.
And that purple sky and moon.
Yes,, its perfect peace, and we wish for peace to fill your heart too.
nitey nite
love
tweedles
Great to see K so frisky at the end of another big day. Love the photos of R...what a character. That wind really did look sideways and blasting. Ah...the mountains :)
ReplyDeleteBig hugs,
Sierra Rose
We share your joy in your perfect day. Especially that K got her chemo and was feeling so good after.
ReplyDeleteJed & Abby
Ps...yes..we always look for Sophie's orange ball in their posts :) As you can tell, one of my FAVORITES too!
ReplyDeleteBig hugs!
Sierra Rose
Wow..what a post! Absolutely fabulous shots of R...what a boy. K is truly amazing.
ReplyDeleteThank you ..you have made our day!
Extra Big Nose Pokes
The Thugletsx
That's great news about K, she's amazing. Great photos of R as always.
ReplyDeleteTake care xx
What great dogs you have. R :s pictures are great. Good to see K so fit after her treatment. You´ll see everything is gonna bee ok. Our snow is gone now, spring is coming. Little bit early though for Swedish spring, normally it is in late March.
ReplyDeleteI can't say this often enough, YOUR PHOTOS ARE AMAZING!!! I feel like I am there. I love the balance beam picture and how wonderful to see K so happy and ready to run. He should be a poster dog for chemotherapy patients. Put it behind you and run in the snow!! Love it, you make happy.
ReplyDeleteAnne and Sasha
That blast of ice crystals is making my teeth chatter, R! What an awesome day you spent with KB and I am so happy to see K happy!
ReplyDeleteLove ya lots,
Mitch
They never cease to amaze. Great, great last photo !
ReplyDeleteR sure is a great tracker! Wild ice wind shot of him! Glad K was feeling spunky that evening. Yay for K! :)
ReplyDeleteWaggin at ya,
Roo
Your post is filled with such inspiration and energy and is a great way to start MY day!! I'm so glad all is well!!
ReplyDeleteI just want to crawl through the screen and kiss R's big nose! What a great outting you two had together.
ReplyDeleteWe're happy to hear that K did well with the chemo and was feeling great!!!
BIG hugs,
Lily Belle
I just found your site via Susan's A Tale of Two Huskies. What a beautiful blog you have. I meant to just check out a post or two, but couldn't stop looking at the photos. I wonder what type of camera you have. Amazing. And so hilarious - the bark that said "Enough already!!"
ReplyDeleteI don't know the whole story about K's chemotherapy, but that's awesome that she's doing so well, and I wish her many more days of zooming around the yard. My beloved dog Jessie went through chemotherapy the same way. She had very few side effects, and pretty much enjoyed her normal happy life throughout treatment (she had one urinary tract infection). She had lymphoma, which is very responsive to chemo. Even though she was late stage, she recovered completely, and died of old age at 13 years and 1 month.
"Wow, R, I am so envious!!! I wish I could hang out with you!" says Tommy
ReplyDeleteAnd we are so happy that K had her chemo and felt like zoomies afterwards!
Okay, I just went back and searched until I found the post where you fell off the cliff. Ugh... that was SO hard to read, as it vividly reminded me of my own cliff day. I too, cried until I was physically sick. I could hardly get off the couch after we got home. Jessie had been completely fine until the moment we went to the vet and I was told she probably had about 4-6 weeks left. Talk about being hit by a train. The photo of K on the snowshoe hike, before the diagnosis, was just so poignant. There's before... and then there's after. But how amazing and astonishing that here it is the end of February, and K is running around on that leg that you thought she was going to lose that next week. I don't have time to read all the posts now to see what happened...I'll have to come back when I have more time. ((HUGS)) from someone who has walked a similar path.
ReplyDeleteyou tell such great stories, your word pics are wonderful. i feel like I was with you. love the snowy snout and the bark in your face.. to funny
ReplyDeleteHow beautiful! I really like the photos of R in the ice storm - but boy, it made me feel cold! Are you anywhere near Rocky Mountain National Park? I need to travel up that way for work in May and we will be making a stop.
ReplyDeleteSam
It's so good to have a funny dog around. I find myself laughing at Zoe's funny antics daily, and I usually say, "I love that kid," after she cracks me up. I'm glad to see K came home from chemotherapy with some pep! Enjoy the weekend!
ReplyDeleteDid you see the story on new generation 'fat mountain bikes ' in todays NYT ?
ReplyDeleteWe think R knows his role - he is there to make you smile, relax, and laugh from deep inside. K is amazing, isn't she? Look at her being as happy as ever. Hope you all have a good weekend.
ReplyDeletewonderful, beautiful photos. I'm so glad we found this site....thanks to Wyatt the Airedale.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine tracking and walking in that snow! I have trouble getting pictures from the front of my dog, who is a flight risk. No off leash for her.
Love the last shot. Thanks for posting.
Julie
Hi Y'all,
ReplyDeleteWhat a day, what a day. What wonderful companionship we offer our humans. We try to so to comfort of cheer them. We worry about them. We feel more than you can understand and understand more than you can know.
Live full and love deep. Y'all have this thing called life and its rules down pat.
Y'all come by now,
Hawk aka BrownDog
I'm so glad Friday's chemo went well. And, I'm jealous that you girls can get out so much. Lilly is still so weak, even 20-30 minutes of mild-mannered poking around outside knocks her for a loop. Both of us feel a little like hostages.
ReplyDeleteWe are smiling with you :)
ReplyDeleteI'd want my coat on with that ice blast...brrrrrrr! xx
That R is indeed such a goofy guy. I'm so glad K's day went all right. Everything seems as peaceful as your last photograph. We all do need to be thankful.
ReplyDeleteOh, R makes me smile - such exuberance! I'm so glad K felt well enough to romp last evening. It sure was a fabulous night sky! Today it's very mild in Denver, and the snow is melting rapidly.
ReplyDeleteOh that R is quite a character! I'm glad K was in such high spirits after her treatment. That icy wind blast looks COLD, but the purple evening sky and moon looks so peaceful!
ReplyDeleteR is too funny...what a great way to end the day
ReplyDeleteBenny & Lily
R makes us smile. What a cracker dog he is walking the balance beam! I showed my little human sissy these pictures as she just started gymnastics and loves the balance beam.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the smiles!
Your pal, Pip
Lovely photos as usual! What kind of camera do you use? Also sending warm wishes your way and hoping K feels like herself in no time!
ReplyDeleteAwesome photos of R in tracking mode!!! Your scenery is beautiful! Loving that smiling snow face! Wow, I am so surprised that K had the energy to leap and run after her treatment...but SO glad that she feels so good!! Prayers are still being said! xoxo Chloe and LadyBug
ReplyDeletethose dogs are proof that there is still magic in this world. love the night pic.
ReplyDeleteKhyra says a purple skEYE is a good omen!
ReplyDeleteK is an inspiration to human and canine alike. Such enthusiasm after undergoing Chemotherapy.
ReplyDeleteR has facial expressions, we humans can only envy. and how wonderful his joy gave you time out.
We shall continue to offer paws and hands across the pond in prayer.
Love from Kirra -x- always
Hello KB!
ReplyDeleteR is really full of energy! The bobcat for sure could sense a mile away that he was being tracked. *giggles*
He sure had a great time and it totally showed in the photos.
We are so thrilled to see K looking so good and happy after her treatment.
The Power of Paw continues to guide you through your adventures.
Love,
Piappies Fudgie, Princess, Frappie, Mocha, Sugar, Wai-Max, Wai-Pai & Forgie
Yes R is a hoot...imagine barking into the camera like that..no respect! K is truly amazing and the joy of running, jumping and snagging a stick is still foremost...sliver of a moon...funny...I saw that the other night too...loverly!
ReplyDeleteWow!
ReplyDeleteReally awesome photos and posts!
Thanks for the smiles R...and look at the Unstoppable Miss K!!!!
ReplyDeletexoxo
What great photos, love the snow nose! Miss K is looking fabulous...:)
ReplyDeleteLovely photos... I'm impressed with R's balance beam skills!
ReplyDelete