The natural world, life, and dogs.
Chann the puppy is a whirlwind of energy, except when he’s napping so he can grow (while mentally plotting more shenanigans). At his second vet visit on August 11th he weighed 19 lbs, more than double his weight when he arrived July 8th. Even weeds can't keep up with that level of growth. Conall adores… Continue reading My Hero
Finding Chann, my most recent Alaskan Malamute, was relatively easy. Late last year, I reached out to Conall’s breeder. I wanted another Conall, a Malamute with his temperament, athleticism, and smarts. The breeder was expecting a litter in December, but after agreeing with her that trying to transfer a puppy from Colorado to Vermont in… Continue reading Introducing: Chann
It's been so long since I've posted that my WordPress create-a-post screen is different, updated! I've missed posting and reading the posts of others I follow. Sorry for being absent with my likes for so long. I'm happy to report two monumental things happening in my life: First, my manuscript is nearly done. At 98,512… Continue reading A Book and a Puppy
It has been a long, cold, snowy winter in Vermont. Still is, in fact, even though the calendar says March 31st. I hoped winter would be a good time to write my book. It has been, in some ways. But I learned something about myself: I do most of my writing in the afternoon and… Continue reading More Book Progress
I'm writing this on Thanksgiving Day (in the US). A day of reflection and gratitude. Me? I'm most grateful for my health, including my ability run, no matter how slow, while recovering from a sacroiliac joint injury months ago. And my dogs; I'm so grateful for them. And, of course, writing. I love to write.… Continue reading Sundogs
I tend to attach a lot of sentimental value to certain items that, to anyone else, appear worthless or worn to the point they should be discarded. Some examples: I have a large dish cloth that my maternal grandmother finished by hand with a blanket stitch in yellow and brown yarn. In second or third… Continue reading Sentimental Things
I heard the town snowplow go by at 5:00 am this morning, so I wasn’t too surprised to wake up to more snow than was forecast. Fresh snow on the deck this morning (November 18, 2022). Around 9:00 am, when the sun brought the air temperature up to about 20F, Conall and I headed out… Continue reading Meeting a Neighbor
I feel like I'm making good progress on my "wolf book." It's actually a memoir, but it will focus heavily on dogs, running, disability, wilderness, and wolves. Thus the shorthand name, wolf book. Yay, me! I recently submitted a sample (what I think will be the opening chapter) to a local nonfiction writers group for… Continue reading A Writer’s Question for Readers
A month ago I wrote about how an injury prevented me from running and forced me to slow way down throughout the spring and early summer. Even walking was painful for a long time. Today, I'd say I'm almost back to normal, resuming running regularly, mostly pain-free. Yay! The irony, though, is even though I… Continue reading Slowing Way Down = Seeing Even More
The photo memories dished up by Amazon – via my Kindle Fire – and Facebook in my newsfeed are often bittersweet. Every June I’m reminded of the passing of my Alaskan Malamute Maia at age 14 in 2013, and then six weeks later in July, my Alaskan Malamute Meadow, age twelve. Oh, the girls. So… Continue reading A New Cairn for the Girls
Wild Sensibility 