Dog Love

Older, Yes. Wiser? We'll see.

Something happened these past couple of days that doesn't often happen. 

Or shall I say that I don't often let  happen. 

I woke up on Saturday morning and just let it all go. 

You know how it is. . . .working full time, taking care of so much. . . .and always feeling like there is still so much to do on your "list."  You might not even have an actual list.  But I do.  Always.  But not today. 

Lately my mind has been buzzing as loudly as the whirlybirds falling from the maples.

I've been fighting with Mother Nature for about a month now; not quite forgiving her for the shorter days

and longer nights. 

I've been cherishing every last ray of sunshine.

 

Okay, okay.  We've all been cherishing every last ray of sunshine.

My half-hearted attempt at decorating for fall went something like this:

And I am tired.  Punkered out.  Dunzo.

For the past 6 years or so I have had a huge party celebrating Fall and this year I just didn't have it in me. 

I was exhausted just thinking about the cleaning, decorating and prep involved with having 100+ people at my house.  So I decided to have just my family and closest friends over for a tiny birthday celebration.

And you know what?  I'm was okay with it.  Better than okay. 

We chit-chatted the night away.  Told stories.  Laughed.

We made raunchy jokes about the neigbor's even raunchier music.

The jokes (and music) got even raunchier as the night went on.



We posed for pictures.

Some of us watched Princess and the Frog on an iPhone!



Tripp kept our feet warm and our hearts even warmer.



And of course, we hung out in the teepee.



And as I looked at each of the smiling faces to my left, to my right and all around that bonfire circle. . .

I exhaled the last of the summer air and thought that even though the warm summer days were gone,

my heart had never felt so cozy with love.

 

Roughin' It 2010

We had  big plans to head out west to Colorado.  Just the two of us. . .hiking, exploring, having a good time.  But then life, and namely Justices' cancer got in the way and we had to scrap our plans.  We know our time with him is limited so we couldn't bear the thought of being away from him for any longer than necessary.

But really, who would want to leave this little Chocolate love for a week and a half?  Not me!  Not Country. 

We decided to pack up the RV (no, not ours unfortunately!) and head out on a six day adventure with our favorite canine companions.

I mean, what dog doesn't love to camp?  Outside for hours and hours, lots of walks and hikes, hot dogs and marshmallows. . . .

. . . . . .or their regular food in their Fiestaware bowls.  But it tastes better because they're outside eating it!!

And hanging out with Mom and Dad. . . . .



Okay, okay, here's a nice picture where we're not acting goofy:

Pay no attention to the "Leisure Travel" printed on the RV.  I mean, we were roughin' it.  Keeping it real.  No comfy bead to lie our weary heads.  No air conditioning.  No running water or flat screen TV to snuggle up in front of late at night, after the campfire died down. 

Do you believe me?

You don't?

Well, believe this--Turkey Run is Bee-you-tee-full.  I mean, straight up awesome.

How cool is this cabin?!  Look at the size of those logs!

Country attempted to carve our names in this tree but didn't come equipped with the right knife.  Oh well, it's the thought that counts, right?

Me, just sitting on a rock. 

Country is our navigator.  Always.  Trust me.  I try, really I do, but maps look like a foreign language to me.

What a show off.  I kept telling him he did not have to move mountains, or trees, or whatever to be with me; that his love was enough. 

I wished my picture did this justice.

From there, we headed slightly east, over to Cayuga, IN.  We stopped in and visited with some friends who recently had a beautiful baby boy. 

I don't really know this couple all that well. . . .we've only met a handful of times, but by the time Country and I left their house, I felt like I had new family members.  I love when that happens. 

The boys went exploring while she and I hung around the house with the baby.  Of course, they requested that we take some pics with them and their toys. 

What's that saying?  Boys will be boys?  Oh yeah, I think that's it.

I assure you that these gentlemen have very high safetly standards when it comes to their guns.

Then we took some "serious pictures" out in their backyard.  (5 acres!!!  I want 5 acres!!)

This is one of the best behaved babies I have ever seen.

A tree swing!  Eeek!

Then we loaded up our camping equipment  selves in the RV and headed a bit north to

Prophetstown State Park. 

Justice was ready to go.

So, instead of the woods, Propetstown was pretty much mostly prairie.  Which means that I took 4,590 pictures of wildflowers and butterflies with my new camera.  I mean, a girls' gotta practice, right? (And besides, I already have 5,692 pictures of the dogs so it was nice to have a change in subject matter).

I'll spare you all but a couple of prairie pics.

I have always had a fascination with butterflies. . . . beautiful, right?

I'm gonna level with you.  This next picture makes me kind of sad.  Don't get me wrong, I love the picture, but that leaf was a big 'ol reminder that the sun is almost setting on summer.

Well, it certainly wasn't Colorado but we sure did love our little trip.

Let's Not Forget. . . . .