Speechless Wednesday

My happy place is under construction .That's not some mumbo jumbo psycho babble. Literally,  my (former) happy place is filled with downed trees, front end loaders, and dump trucks. It even has a port a potty.

Evergreen Woods is walking distance from my house, and for the last 9 and a half years I have snuck off to  hike there with my dogs. Having access to 150 designated off leash acres that were so beautiful, and so accessible was one of the reasons I purchased a home where I did.

My dog Charlee died last month and I have known for many years that one day I would bring her ashes to the fork in the road that led to her favorite stream. The stream that she always lay down in was like a fountain of youth for her. After a quick dip she would out run and out play even the youngest dogs.

It was Charlee's most favorite place to go to on earth,  Just walking past it used to  bring me to tears just thinking about the day that would ultimately come.
When my last dog Dina died it took way to long to figure out what to do with her remains, but  Charlee had made it so clear to me so many times.

It took me a month to make myself go back in the woods without Charlee.  and I was really upset last Sunday afternoon to find the spot I had picked out those many years ago to bury her ashes was under construction.  The actual spot was a  wood chip pile over a story high,  roads had been widened,  and there was a whole new road!  When I called Evergreen first thing Monday morning, and I mean FIRST thing, I was told it was not Evergreen's doing. The city of Portland needed access to sewerage. Ok, I can understand that. It is not like they are putting up a parking lot or rows of ugly prefab homes. Ok, I told myself, at least they are not paving the road, and it is still a bit of a secret.

But the reality is that my special spot is gone.
Nothing stays the same right?

All I can say is that I am glad that I held onto to Charlee's ashes. I can't tell you how glad I am that my dog is not under that big pile of wood chips. At this point, Charlee's ashes may or may not end up at Evergreen, and right now I am content with keeping her in the gorgeous and totally unexpected pottery urn that my vet gave me. Thank you so much Casco Bay Vet!



Jared Charney photo



I have been reflecting for the last few days that maybe it is time to find a new happy place in more ways than one .

Four plus 1

I have been meaning to post this photo as a wordless Wednesday shot, but I kept forgetting, so consider it a scatter brained Thursday post. A few weeks back I took care of my friend's adorable just turned 5 year old (he was 4 on this day) and we took a walk to Evergreen to feed the ducks.


Great kid, great day, great dogs.

And yes, I did tie the the fosters to a tree. They were only there for a second. Had to,  Meggie and Sapphire kept trying to kiss Oywn.
So who wants to adopt my super foster pups? They are getting too comfy here.

Mrs Potatohead hits the trails with 4, yes 4

Armed with 4 cheese sticks and a pocket full of kibble I braved the woods with my 4 charges this morning. On picture perfect fall days like this, what I really want to do is gallop on horseback at breakneck speed. Given that I haven't been on a horse in about 16 years, watching dogs run flat out and enjoy being dogs is the next best thing. I do have plans to get back in the saddle in the not too distant future. For many years I lived and breathed horses, but giving birth to a kid with special health needs really changed everything. It is true that adults cannot clear their minds, and after my son was born, all I could think about when I rode horses  was how selfish I was, and what would happen to him if anything happened to me. I would not say that I was afraid so much as I had clearly lost my edge.  I am ready to get some on my selfish self back.

Meanwhile, back in the woods.

A long way from the overcrowed shelter in Mississippi!!!

Great walk this morning with all 4 dogs behaving beautifully and staying close with excellent recall. Sapphire dragged a leash just in case, and  she was the best of the 4. Of course that could change as she becomes more confident and we start to see her true self, but the dog has spent her whole in a shelter and and keen to be with me. Look for a blog post soon on "Choose to hike." Basically I apply Dawn Jeks Choose to Heel principle to everyday, all of the time, and start just as soon as the new fosters arrive. Meggie and Sapphire have spent a lot of time following me around my yard and being rewarded for it.

You know you want to adopt me!

Our walk was not totally relaxing for me at least as I was in what I tell my students "Mrs Potatohead mode," and at all times was on the look out for any other dogs, vermin, or people, but we only saw one lone gentlemen who we met on the way into the woods.


Galloping dogs, It's a good thing.

12 year old tumor ridden Charlee out ran them all!