Last night a strong wind howled around the canyon, rattling the windows and making whistling noises, as it whirled around the corners of the house. Angel feels she has to bark at those noises and I wonder what she thinks they may be. A person whistling? But the person has no smell. What? That couldn't be, but I better set off the barking alarm just in case. Oh, I forgot........and my barking woke mommy up again! Sorry, mommy!
I slept with the windows closed for the first time since summer began. And I still woke up freezing. I put my robe on, let the dogs out, and checked the outside temperature. It was 40 degrees, the same as it has been here for many mornings now. But something was different.....fall was in the air.
The dogs and I went for a walk and we all felt energized in the cool air. When we got to Soldier's bush, the one he has to lift his leg on every single day, we turned around.
And walked back home down the road.
We walk by fields surrounded by mountains and pretty with grey rabbit brush in full bloom.
When we get close to home, I let Angel loose and she runs and runs across the large field, behind the juniper bushes, and up the hillside with Princess following behind. I have never seen an eleven-year old dog run so fast. When I see her like that, my heart fills with happiness because not a day goes by that I don't worry about her. Not eating, scared of flies, scared of moths, and sometimes looking so disoriented that I wonder if she is truly demented. Then she has a morning like this, full of fun and energy and I remember that the moment is all we really have and that dogs are masters at living in it.
When we get home, Angel and Princess jump in the doggie pool while I go and check on our fur tree. I watered it while we went for our walk. This tree did so well all summer until a few weeks ago when it turned brown almost overnight. It has done that before, but it seems particularly bad right now. So I do the only thing I know, I water it. It is a lovely tree, but planted in a strange, out of the way, place. When I check on it, I find a rainbow and many little birds enjoying the water.
Before I go in the house, I check on the pepper plant. There are so many peppers on it now and I hope they won't freeze before Saturday when my husband comes home. Yes, I know, he was supposed to come home last weekend, but his work interfered again. This time he has to come because I need his help with some car issues and some other stuff that needs to be taken care of around here. And then there is a little white, furry thing coming with him. Someone I can't wait to meet. And the cinnamon for my oatmeal breakfasts that he buys at Smart & Final. And did I hear about some really good food, maybe even a surprise? I have a surprise for him too; it was his birthday last week, after all. What fun, I can't wait!
