An Alpine Escape

We just returned from a short escape to the high mountains. We camped at a very high point, over 11,000', on a pass that holds numerous small lakes.

Our time there was marked by what was hopefully the start of the monsoon, with afternoon thunderstorms (including rain) every afternoon. The rain came through in short bursts, with the sun sometimes still shining, leading to rainbows.

We visited this place for the first time last August, after K had crossed the Rainbow Bridge but before Shyla had arrived. I was so morose. Being in the same glorious campsite where I grieved last year, I realized how much Shyla has brightened our lives.

She's so loving and so affectionate. After she decides that she loves someone, she wants to express it all the time. She crawls into our laps whenever they look available, and she showers us in kisses. It's impossible not to smile when I'm around her.

Of course, R is now our steady and (mostly) calming influence (but wait until you see the photos of him in the lakes!). I remember how he tolerated my need to hug him all the time during our mountain trip last year and how he invited me bury my wet cheeks in his soft fur. He even tolerated learning new tricks, to give me my "canine fix".

Over the past few days, we had tons of fun - mountain biking, running, and dog swimming in those lakes!

After we came back to civilization, I learned of bad news... the passing of Thunder, the firefighter tragedy, and more.

When my heart gets heavy, I'll keep remembering this view from our campsite... And, I'll remember that hearts heal, very slowly, but they do.

And, I'll remember the hillsides resplendent with wildflowers.

Many of these flowers couldn't bloom last year due to drought. Yet they've sprung back to life - a lesson for us all.