Olllie

Life has changed in leaps and bounds this year. If you have met Ollie, you know I mean leaps and bounds. On February 12, Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, it was one year since I had to release my precious Penny into the arms of eternity. After a much too brief period of doglessness, Ollie came into my life – the personification of leaps and bounds. I don’t think this dog’s feet touch the ground. He just springs along. With my pup of boundless energy came some changes.

I walk Ollie every morning for a half hour before work -like the postman, through windy or sleet or snow or rain.

On our walks, I notice the morning skies. They are often wonderful. I take pictures with the plans of someday painting these scenes. One morning, the sky was lovely. A woman out warming her car was taking pictures too and excitedly commented to me about it. That was a super bonus – to meet someone with their eyes open to nature. 

Other days, as we move full speed ahead hunting squirrels, I critique the properties around me. I check out who has not butchered their giant oaks, who has rain gardens or nature friendly habitats. I make mental notes to write these people postcards and thank them.

Ollie is a hunting breed. He does not come to his name and just can’t help himself if he picks up the scent of a deer. While visiting my son in Maryland in December, Ollie disappeared into the 100-acre woods that backs my son’s property. Off I went in search of the Energizer Ollie, on a 45 minutes hike before coffee. As I walked the trail, a few small brown type birds were flitting about. I noticed that their underwings were unmistakably blue. I realized they were Eastern Bluebirds in winter plumage. Another super bonus!

Life is wonderful when you look up.