Hide-and-seek, and a bobcat visit

We started our day with our early morning hike. K seems better than at any time since her osteosarcoma diagnosis just before Christmas. Her energy and enthusiasm are soaring.

We hiked up to Hug Hill, taking advantage of the early-morning crust on the deep snow that covers most of the trail. On the way up, K crawled under a log, looking very cute as she did it.

When we reached the top, K played a game that she created when she was a puppy. She "hides in plain sight". I think that she believes that she's truly hidden. Her goal is to convince me to call "K Come!" because she knows that she'll get a huge jackpot of treats and endless praise after every successful recall.

Look at where she "hid" today! She's chosen this spot many times in her life. I grin... because I love our silly game.

I complied with her wishes, called her, and had a huge party when she sprinted to me. I love seeing her so joyous and enthusiastic!

While we were out on our morning hike, I checked a wildlife camera and found that a bobcat had spent a long time in front of it. Here is a sample photo of what looks like a very cautious bobcat. His caution might have been because this camera is close to our house, and we were up and about. Or, he might have smelled that the coyotes have been rolling on their backs and scent marking this spot on a regular basis. I wondered if the bobcat's tongue sticking out in the next photo was part of his "sniffing" of the scene.

Although it's very hard to be sure, the coloring of this bobcat looks a lot like the light coloring of the kitten from last summer.

After our morning hike, K relaxed for the day until we hiked up to a lookout point at sunset. In March, the sunset is at a perfect angle to light up our little slice of the forest in incredible glow as the sun dips below the Divide. In the warmth of that light, R whispered something to K.

He might have been saying "I'll race you to KB"!

The Duo loves the scents of the evenings, often swiveling their heads to sample the breeze.

I've noticed that R seems much more attentive to K on our hikes than he used to be. He moves in sync with her to a surprising extent.

R is a far more sensitive dog than I used to give him credit for. I can see how hard he's trying now, both with K and with me. Look at his eyes that seem more wise by the day.

Regardless of what news we receive on Friday, I feel content that K is living as fully as she possibly can. That was true before we knew that she was sick and it's still true. What more could we ask? Well, I could think of something more to ask... but miracles are very hard to come by.