beautiful

I wake up to a frightfully beautiful morning. The kind that has you worried, because something so perfect has to come with a catch. And yet, it continues, splendidly, with no sign of trouble.

From the get-go Millie is impish and playful. I can see that her energy level is high. Her appetite is back to normal. Could we really be off to a good start with her too? 

We've been promised a perfect day, weather-wise. Just this one day -- sunny, warm, beautiful. Of course I take breakfast on the porch. Of course I do!

I want to linger here with my book for hours, but Millie has decided to say distant hellos to every person that is in her field of vision, and since we have ongoing construction everywhere, there are plenty of little woofs coming from her. Personally, I find them kind of sweet. High pitched, excited. But perhaps I should give the neighbors a break. We go inside. 

 

In the afternoon, I take Millie to the farmette. I have some food for Ed and a compost bucket to empty. And of course, we take a walk.

Ed has mowed down not only the usual paths and spaces, but, too, the prairie fields around the nut trees planted in the back. He continues to pull out buckthorn in the old orchard. The place is looking so... tidy. I tell him that it took my moving out to get him reinvested in keeping the farmette in order. Funny how that works.

It's a very windy day, but so very warm. I take Millie to the small dog park, where she runs wild with the pups there, including a Polish Sheepdog (who isn't exactly within the 18 inch size limit, but none of us mind). What's her name? -- I ask. Pijanka. It means... Oh, I know what means! Are you Polish? No, we just thought we'd give her a Polish name because of her breed. (FYI, pijanka, pronounced Pee-yan-kah, means a female drunk, or a drinking binge -- take your pick!)

(Penny, Millie, and Pijanka)

In this smaller park, the custom seems to be for the dog owners to sit and chat at the centrally positioned picnic table and for the dogs to play. Yes, the pups do get their exercise. And socialization. The owners comment that this is the only dog park they know where all the owners seem to be responsible people with non aggressive dogs. I think of my two big guys who came to this park and loved the dogs here, but could not accept the strange people who walked the trails.  Oh, and there seems to be a small dog regular group that gathers here every morning at 9. The people socialize with each other, the dogs play. On the one hand, meeting other dog owners seems like a pleasant enough thing. Sort of like meeting new parents at your kids' school. Some of them become friends. But I also see the problem here: I like the walk as much as Millie likes her run. Sitting at a picnic table? No, I can't do that. I excuse myself and at least do the one loop with my girl. This is the time we practice recall too. Training doesn't stop at the schoolhouse gates!

("Millie, come!")

 (Good girl!)

 

 Tired girl. She sleeps from supper til bedtime! And then? Night is young!

 with so much love...