The natural world, life, and dogs.
Among the far-too-many-to-list joys of running through the forest with my dogs off leash is watching them follow their natural curiosity, navigate obstacles, and solve problems. The joke among those of us who choose to live with Alaskan Malamutes is that when we ask them to do something, they look at us, thinking, Maybe. What's… Continue reading Dogged Determination
Autumn in these Idaho mountains arrives in late August and continues until the snow comes, usually in late November. A few late-blooming flowers offer splashes of color while the grasses, leaves and larch needles transition from green to various shades of yellows, oranges, reds and browns. It's pretty, in an understated way. This has been… Continue reading Dog Photobombs VIII – Autumn
There's a trail in the Payette National Forest not far from my home that has always been a favorite. A few days ago, I got lucky: the morning I decided to run/hike there with the dogs - October 5th - the wildfire smoke that had been blanketing this area cleared out the night before. The… Continue reading Getting High (in Elevation)
Friday May 8th was a gorgeous spring morning in Idaho's mountains: clear skies; brisk temperatures hovering around freezing; early sun rising above the eastern horizon, breaking through the branches of the tall forest trees. My dog Conall and I were exploring single-track dirt trails that are finally emerging from their long snow-covered winter sleep. A… Continue reading Tuck and Roll (and More Wildflowers)
The vast majority of my nature photos are taken in the nearby national forest during runs and hikes with my dogs. I simply stop and photograph whatever catches my eye on a given day. Wildflowers are favorites, as are streams, foliage, frost, cairns, and sunlight through trees. I love taking photos of my dogs on… Continue reading Dog Photobombs
The following is sampling of the sorts of thoughts that flit through my mind while I’m out running in the forest with my dogs. Since they can’t talk to me (except through their body language), for much of the time we’re out there I’m carrying on an internal dialog with myself. While the specific threads… Continue reading Random Thoughts During a Winter Run in the Forest
Whether considered blessing or curse simply depends on your outlook. I regularly share photos of my outdoors adventures on my personal Facebook page. Most photos feature one or both of my dogs while we’re on a run or walk in the forest, through all of the changing seasons. Recently, after posting photos from a run… Continue reading Snow!
It was a déjà vu kind of morning. I was following the boys along an old Forest Service road, a couple inches of fresh wet snow on top of the ice, snow and slush mix left from the last snowfall a few days ago. We were walking an out-and-back route near home. Early on Conall… Continue reading Same As it Ever Was
I needed a break from peopling. The only creatures I wanted to talk to were my dogs. I wanted to breathe and be in nature, without interruption, without stress. I also needed to go to a place where I could feel the dogs and I were safe from hunters/killers now that it's rifle season. Knowing… Continue reading Just Breathe
This morning was a glorious one for running mountain trails with my dogs. Crisp frosty air, blue skies, the early sun rising above the trees and ridges to the east casting a warm glow through the tall pine tree branches. Huckleberry shrubs are bright red under the trees and the aspens are turning a vibrant… Continue reading What Mess?
Wild Sensibility 