Ten years ago today
On December 28th, 2003, I traveled to and from Vancouver Island to bring into my home and heart an 8-week old, 3-1/2 pound Westie puppy. And every day during these past ten years, he has given me so much joy, love and terrier-attitude.
Piper on a Little Mountain trail, December 26th, 2013.
How It Begins
by MARY OLIVER
A puppy is a puppy is a puppy.
He's probably in a basket with a bunch of other puppies.
Then he's a little older and he's nothing but a bundle of longing.
He doesn't even understand it.
Then someone picks him up and says,
"I want this one."
Source: Dog Songs
Warming his paws on Christmas Day, 2013
Steadfast
Piper on a Little Mountain trail, October 12, 2013.
This morning, after I uploaded this photograph, I searched for a poem to accompany it. I am beyond thrilled to learn Mary Oliver has just published a new book of poetry, Dog Songs.
Here is a poem from the collection:
How It Is with Us, and How It Is with Them
by MARY OLIVER
We become religious,
then we turn from it,
then we are in need and maybe we turn back.
We turn to making money,
then we turn to the moral life,
then we think about money again.
We meet wonderful people, but lose them
in our busyness.
We're, as the saying goes, all over the place.
Steadfastness, it seems,
is more about dogs than about us.
One of the reasons we love them so much.
My walking buddy...
...and friend to everyone along the path: