Okay – this is my farewell to winter. I shot this sequence just a few weeks ago, really. A few days later, the horses started to shed. Now, they are molting and the air at the barn is full of flying horse hair instead of sparkling crystal. There is a price for everything.
There is absolutely no philosophy in what follows – only a day when I tried to capture what you try to capture with your little children who keep changing, except with dogs.
You see how gray-and-white-locked we were for months and months. Here is how Toby beats it: (this is actually a slow movie, sort of)
Here he comes -
And back again.
Then – here he comes -
And — BACK AGAIN —
At this point, you see the man who is egging him on -
A leap off the deck
A little back talk -
then – screeeeetchhhhhhhh – the brakes go on, because -
his brother wants to come out and play, too.
I wonder if there’s ANYTHING I actually throw myself into this way?
And if I did, would I ever get my breath back?
The beautiful Chaz
You have NO IDEA WHAT GOOD THIS DID MY SOUL.
Wonderful!! Not me, though – it’s Toby. Did you love the leap?
THAT TOBY.
THAT TOOOBY.
I love the airborne shots.
with the wild eyes…
I know – the eyes. Determined, excited – he’s just short of actual flight.
Me thinks…………. you and I………… have gone to the dogs. :D
Or FOR the dogs. We get up FOR the dogs. Open the door FOR the dogs. Get food ready, clean up after, and give love on demand – all for those dang dogs!
Yes. For the dogs………
Oh my goodness, this was great, great GREAT!! I think I had just as much fun as Toby. :) You tell such an engaging tale even without words. I was throwing snow with Toby. I was panting and leaping with Toby… man, that was fun!
~~Debbie!!
I know – he is so joyful, so wholehearted. I love the sprays of snow he kicks up. I want to feel like that once in a while! I guess I almost do when I comment wryly on my daughter’s facebook – that’s kinda fun.
Beautiful photography, I can’t even imagine so much snow! I just want to run in it, we never experience anything like this ever. Your dogs are gorgeous!
Love
Linda
One time, the snow was so deep they cancelled church. G had shoveled our driveway, and the mounds on either side were as high as my head. The kids were sledding down them. I say they cancelled church, but I only mean the holding still part – everybody in the whole neighborhood was called upon to dig out their neighbors so EVERYBODY was out, shoveling and laughing together – little tractors scooting around – it was WONDERFUL. That’s the only way to do snow -
I get such pleasure thinking of you as a recording angel! I am sending this on to my darling Jenny.
Kristen! I have moved! To a perfect Salt Lake apartment with lovely, lovely light streaming in through leaded glass and pooling on its polished wooden floors. I work at home and am always here so COME SEE ME next time you are north and I will make you a lovely lunch (or dinner or breakfast or tea) and share my joy.
Oh – I wanna SEE – it sounds gorgeous. And – ahem – a perfect place for a writer, too. You BETCHA I’ll come.
This makes me actually like snow again. It also makes me feel like a child again when I used to stay out in the snow until my hands would hurt. Then, come in by the fire to warm up just a bit and return with enthusiasm. Thanks for sharing! Much love and hugs from MO! BTW I have not had time to dig out my files on family yet, but I will. They are on paper. My dissertation writing is taking priority these days. It is almost time for research and am I seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe, it is not a train LOL! xxxxooo
If you wanted me to proof it, I would. Not great with spelling, but everything else, I’m ace. But your stuff is probably so technical and medical, I’d be a lost soul. I started moving my research to the computer. But I’ve got insane notes – scribbled in all directions all over hundreds of sheets of paper. First I’ve gotta finish gathering my mom’s material and tame it, give it a story. Then the rest of it. Big job. And yes, I remember those play-till-you-ache-with-cold days too. But I don’t think I EVER threw up those lovely plumes that Toby does – never could move that fast through the stuff.
I think our Star-dog needs a sibling. Good grief, did I really just write that? DON’T let Eldest hear of it. She’d procure another pup lickety-split and there would be MORE, um, evidence of dogs to clean out of the early spring yard. Cuz horse evidence isn’t enough.
And dog evidence is actually so much worse. Except in volume. Our dogs have this mighty instinct about how to place their evidence exactly on the diagonal between the front door of the house and the garbage cans in front of the garage. I’ve watched them do it. They have a sextant. Of course, it’s harder to avoid horse evidence in the dark – just bigger all the way around. And yeah—that lovely spring yard where everything that had been frozen under the snow for four months suddenly becomes an urgent responsibility. Eldest can come here and help me with that; sure to kill her ardor. Just don’t let her “visit” any puppies, or households that have any redolence of puppy. It’s a sort of fatal act. All of that said, it would be a much sadder place, this, without these two and their antics.
In other words, don’t let Eldest come and visit my house and Zoe right now. :D
Absolutely that.
Joyful abandon….not enough of that going on in my world.
Okay- now I’m worried. But your phrase was the one I was looking for – joyful abandon.
Nah. It’s OK. You don’t have enough joyful abandon in your world either, do you? It’s a goal…tiny baby steps…
Let’s just not abandon before we get joyful!
The thing that concerns me is that I have no idea how even to do it. I love to see it. I just don’t know how to let go and surge.
Awww…these pictures are so sweet! That made me smile. : ) My dog doesn’t like to go out in the rain, and it has been raining alot, so she tries to play like this inside.
Oh, Dawn. (grits teeth) I’m so sorry. I know that’s happened in my house when I come down the stairs and find all the throw rugs accordioned up and shoved against the wall. Oh, to be like a dog and not give a fig for throw rugs.
I should bring Titus over to play.
They look SO funny mid-leap!! It makes me feel better about the photos that the Moab 5 mile sent me this week–I don’t look so good mid-run either.
But they’re cute. And I’m so glad you’re finally thawing out and so glad I finally got to read this!!
Thawing out. No. Woke up to about four inches of snow this morning. Holy cats. Snowed yesterday, but it melted off. Did NOT expect this.
Love seeing dogs playing in the snow. You captured the energy of it all beeeaauutifully.
Spring is all the sweeter after that Too Much Winter.
Hugs
Weather is crazy, and probably spices up our life more than we realize. Dogs don’t care about that as long as they can bite each other. Cheerfully, I mean.