Softly falling, fluffy, flakes of snow... the kind that tickle your nose and melt when they land... accompanied us on our morning walk.
A grey, silent morning along Poison Creek (terrible name for such a pretty place.) The only sound is that of a scampering puppy dashing back and forth through the tall grass. Playing hide & seek.
I love deep autumn. It is vastly underrated. Brilliant leaves have given way to a world of golds and browns. Textures taking center stage. A chill in the air that inspires you to move farther, faster.
I didn't see any of this last year. I didn't 'have' to. As in 'have to' get out there, 4 times a day, and walk a sweet, rambunctious puppy. When it's cold. Or, rainy. Or, snowing, as it was this morning.
"Oh, my gosh! Puppies are so much trouble!" exclaims nearly everyone who's met this new pal o' mine.
Well, that's precisely why I got him. Besides. Who could resist this mug?
I just celebrated another birthday. Birthdays are awesome! You get cake and presents and you're queen for a day.
Then some idiot asks you what's on the agenda for the upcoming year. Now that you're older.
And, there it is. The downside to birthdays. Once that sugar high wears off from all the cake and ice cream, you're left to deal with the dreaded truth: I'm not getting any younger.
What to do?
Confront my demons?
The inertia of old age is a slippery slope.
As I thought about this coming winter... I realized it would be quite satisfactory to slip into last year's routine of a crackling fire, a good book and a bottle of wine.
Or! I could move more.
But, it's hard to hoist my heiny off the couch when it gets dark at 5 p.m.
So, I purchased my very own Energizer Bunny! Who doesn't drink wine. Who'd rather eat books than read them. And, who thinks lolly gagging around the house is a waste of a good day.
Plus, he's always up for a road trip.
Meet Charlie. Charles Joseph Reginald Barkley, Junior. (Because no one can agree on the best name for this darling.)
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