The window in my office has been a favorite Boo spot this summer, though he’s curled up beside me at the moment.
Category: Pets
The Mostly Missed Monsoons
The summer is monsoon season in the desert only the monsoons have gone missing. Our tiny tortie Trixie hasn’t missed them, she’s terrified of thunder but so far has only gone into hiding briefly when a storm brought a lot of wind but little rain. The desert is desperate for a good drenching so here’s hoping they arrive soon. Trixie loves to sink into a sea of softness and she’s the main occupant of Bear’s new dog bed.
Layers Upon Layers
This picture of Bear at the end of a winter afternoon hike has several layers of meaning to me. When we first adopted him he was overweight and slightly limped even on shorter walks in the neighborhood, and his manners precluded taking him into areas with lots of people and dogs. It took months getting him physically and mentally ready for long walks before I was willing to try him on less-visited trails far from trailheads. Take to the trails he did, while he enjoys his neighborhood walks he has a special love for the desert and when we’re about to head out he practically knocks me over as he scampers to the back of the garage and waits beside my hatchback.
As his progress continued I started taking him to more and more populated trails, culminating in this our first visit to my favorite place, the Brown’s Ranch trailhead. We took my favorite hike, finishing up at Sunset Vista with the sun sinking low in the sky, stopping for a snack break and some pictures before dropping down the hill to the car. I was growing confident we had a lot of desert hikes in our future, as he did well even with the off-leash dogs we encountered.
I snuck Brown’s Mountain into the background as I love to do, as this landmark more than any other was the anchor that helped me find my bearings when we moved here and it felt like we were in a never-ending whirlwind, with this part of the preserve my refuge in stormy seas. The looming mountain would add an extra layer of meaning to the picture a week later when for the first time I took him up its flank to the overlook, watching him enraptured as it slowly dawned on me he had never been up that high before.
It’s now far too hot for any evening hikes and we haven’t been into the desert for weeks since I haven’t been able to get up early enough to beat the heat. Long swims will have to do until I can manage an early rise, but even then I’ll avoid trails with elevation gain until cooler weather arrives in the fall.
Another Dog Bed
Cat Delivery Slot
A Dog Bed?
Perhaps it’s a mixup related to the ongoing supply chain issues around the world, and if so I feel bad for complaining, but we keep buying these dog beds that are very clearly labeled as dog beds and yet, and yet …
What? All The Dogs Are Sitting This Way Now
The View From Home
One of the things I love about our house is the view of the mountains in the distance when you walk in. For months now though this is the view I often first see when I come home from work. Sometimes Bear greets me at the door and runs off to find a toy for us to play with, but if he’s sleepy he rolls over and asks for a belly rub. There may be wiggling involved lest such a subtle gesture go unnoticed.
A New If Old Leash
Another picture of Bear and The Elephant, taken towards the end of an afternoon hike a few months ago. It’s hot enough now that such walks are verboten, it’s early morning or nothing. Evening swims are now on the table though! I have switched back to this leash, which we bought on the day we adopted Ellie in 2009. We have fancier leashes but I’ve always come back to this one.
What, Too Close?
Boo has been my constant companion the past year when I’m in my office, we’ll see if that holds with hot weather fast approaching. Usually he curls up on my legs or tucks up tight beside me, but on this occasion he sat high in my lap with his legs stretched out before him. He was so close I couldn’t use my laptop so I put it aside and reveled in the moment.
