Tag Archives: Dog

Small Stone: Day 26

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Small Stone: Morning Walk


On our morning walk, my intention is to find a small stone. Instead, I return home with a pocket full of pebbles.

Walking before dawn, we are alone, together.

The boys smell something, track it in the dark with their sensitive noses. I see a blur, and catch a single reflecting eye with my headlamp, but it’s gone before I can turn my head all the way to meet it. It was probably a fox, usually is.

Along the river, it’s colder. It makes sense, because the water was snow not that many miles ago. I’m glad for the extra layer, the warmer gloves, and the thicker hat.

I smell a skunk, and am glad for the headlamp. I scan the path, its edges too.

Just before we reach the Soft Gold Little Dog Park, Dexter stops, looks at me happily, tail wagging–a tennis ball!

On the wooden bridge over the creek between Wood Duck Pond and the McMurry Ponds, fresh raccoon tracks. I wonder, as I always do: is it the same one that leaves footprints most mornings?

I scan the trees for owls, even though mating season is long over and the babies have most likely left the nest. The branches are empty, the sky quiet.

The back pond is thawing, but the beavers don’t come out of their den. Sam is ready anyway, hopping on his back legs, yodeling and whining, straining against the leash.

The dawn turns the clouds pink and the sky light blue.

Even though the water is clear, when we color the river, we see silver, gray, and mostly blue, with a touch of green. Walking this early, the river is also black and gold.

Towards the end of the trail and our walk, through the trees, the sun looks like a fire–which, I suppose, it is.

Photo by Mara

Something Good

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It’s Monday, and I’ve heard from a few people that they are having a rough one, so I am sending this list of good things out to those who are feeling raw, struggling or stumbling this morning. May good things, ease and peace, head your way soon.

The Crimson Petal and the White: BBC Miniseries

One of my favorite books from the last few years was The Crimson Petal and the White. It’s dark and melodramatic, but epic and wonderful too, (just my opinion–I gave it to my mom and she hated it, wasn’t able to finish it, “too dark and depressing”). I was recommending the book again to someone the other day, and did a Google search to find the author, only to discover the book had been made into a four part mini-series by the BBC, with one of my favorite actors from The IT Crowd (a super funny, smart show) playing one of the leads. Now I just have to figure out how to get my hands on a copy.

Handcrafted Bird Wings for Children from Second Star Designs on Easty

Oh, how wonderful these are!

Dou Dou Birds

I am so in love with these. Now I just have to decide which ones to buy myself. One of the owls for sure.

A Human Thing

This website just launched, but I already love it. Judy, the author, says of the site’s focus “I write about love because I truly believe love is the most powerful weapon we have to affect change – in ourselves, in each other, in the world.” Amen! I’ve been doing her “41 6-word days” and it’s been really fun.

“You Will Survive”

This is a video made by Dyana Valentine, who “woke up at 4:44am with the unbearable urge to tell you this. and, i mean it. go out there and do it. i believe in you. send this to someone you believe in.” If you can stand bad words and want some encouragement, you must watch this.

“Letting Go of What You Are Not” on Metta Drum

Daniel Collinsworth does it again, straight to the heart with this post.

You won’t find any long-term solutions in the less of this, more of that approach. Instead, consider the idea that the You you’ve been searching for is already present within you, just waiting for conscious connection. Let go of the idea that you need fixing, because deep down, you aren’t really broken. You’ve only taken on layers of concepts, habits and dogmas that aren’t serving you, and certain basic needs have gone unmet for awhile. So begin to strip away those layers that you’ve built up over the course of your lifetime and discover the truth of who you are.

Can I get an “Amen”?

“Where I’m From” Poem Template

I wanted to have time to play with this over the weekend, but didn’t. However, it looks really fun, so still on my to-do list and I hope to get to it soon.

“What Took You So Long?” by Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D.

Thanks to Lori-Lyn at DreamLifeWellness for sharing this link. The article has a collection of really great definitions of compassion: loving participation in the world, practice of enlightenment, something we cultivate in daily life based on a sane understanding of the world and our relationship to it, an expression of human freedom, flowing from a sound intuition of the unity of life and all living things, what connects all things, both a force in the universe as well as a human experience, both the field and the intention we put into that field, and the freely willing choice of any individual to act in a particular way [that] directly impacts humanity as a whole. And this too: “No wonder Glaser refers to Bodhisattvas as ‘citizens of the universe.’ ” Amen!

“Things we can learn from a dog.”

I don’t know who to credit for this, because it’s one of those things that got forwarded to me by a fellow dog lover, but it’s a great list, so I wanted to share it.

Things We Can Learn From a Dog
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joy ride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
When it’s in your best interest, always practice obedience.
Let others know when they’ve invaded your territory.
Take naps and always stretch before rising.
Run, romp, and play daily.
Eat with gusto and enthusiasm.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you’re not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
When you are happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
No matter how often you are criticized, don’t buy into the guilt thing and pout. Run right back and make friends.

New Album from Ingrid Michaelson, Releases January 24, 2012 (Tomorrow!)

Ingrid has a new album coming out (yay!), “Human Again” (such a great title!), and she’s been sharing links to samples of it on Thinglink. Here’s a preview of “In The Sea.” If you follow the link and click on the gramophone, you can listen to the song.

Yosemite

A kind and gentle reader shared this link with me yesterday, and it is so beautiful, I wanted to pass it along to you.

It’s Okay. Cheer up. You’re Perfect.

This seems like what you might need to hear today, and last night, I had a dream that I was walking in the snow and saw three ladybugs. Ladybugs have been a sign to many who love and miss Kelly that she’s still close, that love endures, and it’s just what she would tell you if you were feeling down: It’s okay. Cheer up. You’re perfect.