Playing in the river

We managed to get one more time of playing in the river this year! I loved the way the sun was reflecting off the water in the first picture. It always bring a smile to my face to see her having so much fun.

Brownie's hiding place

This is where my Brownie dog hides when she is scared. She never really used to be scared much (only during storms with thunder and lightening), but last winter we had a terrible ice storm that was so bad it knocked out power to over 250,000 homes. Well, you can imagine the trees that had to break to cause that many power outages (not to mention substantial damage to houses and vehicles). I could hear some breaking nearby, but she could hear them a lot farther than I could and to hear that horrible snapping sound constantly for more than three days was really more than either of us could handle. Plus, we were stuck inside for at least a week and we both had a little cabin fever.

To top it off, our power will sometimes flicker which will turn off the tv and vcr and computer, etc. When those things go off, they make a small noise which sounds a lot like the noises we heard during the storm. She will go hide in the bathroom for a while until she feels like everything is okay then she'll come out. I think it is interesting that she automatically hides in the one room in our house that is the "safest" (no windows, center of the house) without anyone telling her, "Now Brownie, the bathroom is the safest room in the house."

She's a smart one, that one. Of course, I don't want her to be scared of those things (it is amazing how powerful the mind is), so I'm praying over her and believing that she is healed and whole. And yes, prayer does work over little doggies!

Making her mark on our world

Here she is making her mark on our world. She's already left her little footprints on my heart.

Contemplating the vastness of nature. She really loves to be outside as do I. Like mother, like dog-ter.

Brownie likes eating pears!

About a month and a half ago, our neighbor gave us a bag of pears that he had picked off the pear tree in his back yard. I was outside, so Pooker brought the bag to me to show me. Brownie crowded around our legs because she wanted to see what was in the bag. Pooker put it down lower so she could see in it and she got really excited. She thought it was a bag filled with balls for her! He had given us so many I thought it couldn't hurt to let her have one of them, so we gave her the whole pear. She carried it around and played with it a while, rolling around with it and tossing it a little bit. She was picking it up to move it and her teeth bit into it. She kind of stopped and tilted her head like "What was that?" She sat down and took it between her two front paws and tried biting into it again. She must have liked it because she started taking bites out of it and eating it (except every once in a while, she'd spit some of the skin out). She ate all but a small piece of that pear and she really enjoyed it. For the next several days, whenever I'd eat a pear she would want some of it. I'd cut her off a slice and hand it to her and keep giving her slices until she stopped asking for more. I figured if she wants to eat fruit, I'll let her eat as much of it as she wants!

Brownie and I cuddling

My sweet Brownie dog is a cuddler. I asked Pooker to go get the camera and geta picture of us because I don't have too many pictures of her and I snuggling.

I'm sorry I haven't been posting as regularly as I had been. I promise I'll get back to regular posting soon. I've been really focusing on making crafts for this show (of which, I'll take pictures of them today and post them when I can so you can see what I've been making). I haven't spoken with Grandma yet this week, but I know that Grandad went to rehab over the weekend and they were evaluating him then to come up with a plan to get him back up and on his feet. I'll let you know how rehab is going as soon as I find out.

Looking out the window

When it isn't so hot, Pooker will turn the air-conditioner off and open the windows. Brownie's bed (one of many) is right here in front of it and she loves to sit on it and watch what all is going on outside.

Farm Girl

Here's my sweet girl, relaxing in the shade of some posts because it was a little sticky before it rained and she was hot. I love her big smile and with her eyes mostly closed, she looks so content.

Then, with her eyes open and her mouth in a slightly smaller smile, you can tell she is just enjoying life on the farm.

Overlooking the river

On our walk, the majority of the paths take us above the river. When we can get near the edge and look out over the river, we do. And she's just as interested as I am in seeing all there is to see.

View from Turkey Mountain

We went to Turkey Mountain for a family walk/hike on Sunday afternoon. This is the mountain that blocks many of my attempts to get a good sunset picture (I like the ones where you can get the whole horizon in it, uncluttered by houses, mountains, etc.). It was an overcast day, so we thought we'd take advantage of it.

This is the view of the CitiPlex towers on the other side of the river. As you can see, it has been a while since we've gotten a lot of rain, although we have gotten some over the past three days.

There are so many wonderful trails to explore. Brownie really loves trails (so do I).

Oops, I meant to have this picture be last, but.... When Brownie sticks her head out the window, she closes her eyes and is really sniffing into the wind. It is so cute because it looks like an expression of utter bliss. I tried to capture it, but wish I could have gotten a clearer picture of her face in the side mirror.

Pausing to relax before we head back. I liked this shot as they were both watching whatever was going on to their right. That shows Pooker is just as curious about what is going on as Brownie! We had lots of fun on our hike and will have to do it again.

Playing in the sprinkler

Since it has been so hot, sometimes the only way we can spend any amount of time outside in the afternoon is to turn the sprinkler on. She loves playing in the sprinkler! I just love seeing her so happy. She kept playing in that sprinkler for several hours. Every once in a while, I have to run through it as well to keep cooled off.

When I watch her play, I am amazed again at how much joy she gets from every moment. She truly lives in the present, enjoying life to the fullest. She's not worried about two minutes from now or an hour from now or a day or a month or a year from now. She just enjoys now and reminds me that I, too, need to live in the present. What better way to be reminded than from a frolicking dog girl?

Scratch, Scratch, Scratch on my fence

I was out sitting on my porch last night after dark so Brownie could get her last pottie in before we went to sleep. I watched her wander around the perimeter of the yard, then she stopped in the corner and seemed to linger there for quite a while. I figured I'd better go look to see what was going on in that dark little corner. I walked up and she was wagging her tail and peering through the cracks to the other side of the fence. I put my eye to one of the cracks and I didn't see anyone, but then I heard "scratch, scratch, scratch" from the other side of the fence. I couldn't help myself. I hightailed it back inside and made Pooker go out to see what was out there. Of course, when we get out there, whatever was there is gone and Pooker was looking at me like why did he need to go out in the first place. What good is a big, strong man if not to defend his Sweetie and his Bip from the unknown?

What's this?

She is so curious and truly loves to explore. She is a wonderful walking buddy as she wants to check everything out, just like I do.

In fact, she is waiting right now for me to get ready to go for our morning walk (I like to get on the computer first thing in the morning and post so I don't get too busy later in the day). And it is already way too hot out.

Heads or Tails?

I love both heads and tails! The heads have such wonderful, silky ears and the way the head moves towards you when you give it a good scratch like you are the only person in the universe. Not to mention the wonderful kisses or the eyes that seem to light up from the inside. Ah, but the tails. There is something so eloquent about a tail, whether it is raised in a friendly greeting or moving furiously from side to side (along with the whole hind end) because they are so happy to see you. They use both to communicate that you are their whole world and they are happy to be with you. What a blessing. (And what a creative God--to make heads and ears and bodies and tongues and tails of all colors and shapes and sizes. Amazing!)

Brownie with some flowers

This picture is for Brownie's Nana. She wanted pictures of all her grandkids/dogs for her dresser. She has four frames that match the frame around the flower painting I did for her and she wanted her four children to get her one picture of their kids/dogs with flowers to put in them. I saw this little patch of flowers when we continued our walk near the fountains. It wasn't easy convincing her to stand there, but I thought this picture really turned out cute. Her Nana will love it!

And believe me, we checked them out!

We thoroughly checked them out by walking all around the fountain (I say fountain in the singular, because it is all attached, but there are two spigots that shoot out water, but then a series of interconnected pools at differing layers). We've driven over there and walked around them several times, but that first time there were two guys vacuuming it and the fountains weren't on. This time, we were not disappointed!

Brownie kisses

Brownie giving DaDa kisses.

Did you just take a picture of that?

Our walk this morning

Well, remember how I said I wouldn't be catching many sunrises? Well, Pooker started jogging again with us last week (Pooker jogs, Bup and I walk). Because of his new job, he has normal hours so that makes us jog early!

When Pooker catches back up with us, I hand Bup off to him and he'll take her jogging for the last little bit while I walk fast to try to catch up with them. When they reach the stopping point, they'll turn around and walk back to me to catch up with me and then we'll all turn back around and walk home together. Guess who loves it when we all go out together?

Brownie and I playing in the river

Brownie loves to play in the water, especially when those "waves" are rolling in! If the water is relatively still, she won't get in it. Something exciting, I guess, about nipping at those waves.

Since it's been so hot, I'm sure it feels really good to get wet!

And here's where I am--sitting on the bank holding the leash watching her play!

Sweet Licks

I woke up this morning to sweet licks on the balls of my feet, first one then the other. What a beautiful way to wake up. She was caring for me and letting me know she loved me. Plus, to me it is like God is kissing me when she does. God had Brownie in mind just for me and then he sent me the most precious gift. One I wasn't even aware I needed. All wrapped up in beautiful brown, cinammon, black, blonde stripey fur. Definitely a care package straight from heaven, wrapped up in infinite love. So when my beautiful gift licks me, I feel licked (loved) by God, too. So I smiled when I came awake to feel doubly loved. It really wraps around me and makes my heart happy.

Yawning and Sniffing

I like to try to get pictures of Brownie and I together, although on days I don't brush my hair or put on a little concealer, I don't necessarily want my head in the shot!! So I leaned over to hug her and snap our pic and she yawned. Sometimes when she yawns, she makes a little high pitched "Oooooohh" noise that is pretty darn cute. Actually, she is just pretty darn cute.

This is serious air sniffing. Her whole body is focused on it. I wonder what exactly she smells. Food wafting? Scent of other dogs? People? I think their noses are so much more sensitive to smells than ours. I love her focus. She is totally in the moment. After we've been outside for a while and we go back in, sometimes I'll bury my nose in her fur and smell her. She'll smell like earth (and probably I do, too) and I love that smell. It speaks of growing things and living things and just life.

So don't forget, in your busy life, to stop and put your nose in the air and give it a good sniff, just relishing the moment and the feeling of being alive.