Sam | Open Space Practice, (AKA: A Thousand Shades of Gray)

Taste

Yes, we did already do this prompt once. When I saw it this morning, I checked the list to see if there were other repeats, ones Susannah must have thought big enough to be worth doing twice, but taste was the only one. I figured, “must just be that important.” Then later, I saw her post on both Facebook and Instagram, “So yeah, taste again for the ‪#‎augustbreak2013‬ – that wasn’t an intentional repeat! Just what happens when you put things together too quickly ;)”

Getting ready to go on our walk this morning, I was eating a granola bar. Sam gets very excited about this, both because it’s a sign that we are “getting ready,” and because he knows I’ll share. I put the bar down on the bed while I got on my socks, and Sam waits so patiently for me to break off tiny bits to treat him. He has to work very hard at this, sometimes sitting and staring intently at the bar, and sometimes lying down and doing his best to not look at it at all, waiting for a taste.

Later, back from our walk, I make myself a proper breakfast. It’s one of my favorite tastes, peach pie oatmeal, which is equal parts peach pie and oatmeal. Sam isn’t interested in this taste at all.

1. Colorado peaches, finally in season and so tasty.

2. Seeing Sam with a puppy. We met her on our walk yesterday morning, I knew her mom so we stopped and talked. The play bow Sam did to her made me think about how great it’s going to be when we have another dog again.

3. Clarity. No one can tell me what my path is, only I can know, and I am so grateful to see mine clearly, to know when to say “no.”

4. The surprise of a rabbit on our walk one morning. Sam is convinced they are some kind of squirrel (which triggers his prey drive, his need to herd, makes him crazy), and when he sees one, he starts checking the nearby trees. The idea of a rabbit climbing a tree makes me laugh every time.

5. The magic of a heron flying over our house. We’d seen one earlier at the river, but the sight of one flying down the street we live on felt like a blessing.

Bonus Joy: Looking at pictures of Dexter we’d forgot on Eric’s ipod. In this one, he’d been playing in the hose and he’s got on his “quit taking pictures of me” grumpy face. I miss him so much, but am so grateful that I still can see his sweet face.