My dog does not meditate. In fact, she often disrupts my meditation. She bounds like a deer into the woods to chase squirrels and birds that foolishly land within sight of her. She doesn’t catch anything, but I apologize to them for the disruption of their morning. Their angry voices follow us as we continue on our way. We often hike alongside a stream, where Koda can cool off and get a quick drink. There are ponds (some of them tiny) on most of our walks. She sometimes will take a little swim, although most of the time she makes sure her feet can touch bottom. On mornings when she is spunkier than most, she goes into the woods and finds the biggest stick she can to play with. It’s usually a branch. I have to watch out for my safety as she runs back and forth past me with the branch in her mouth and the rest of it ready to knock me off my feet. Walking with Koda is kind-of like watching a little child explore their world. It’s a new way to see the woods - and to enjoy my dog.

Some days I take my camera with me to try and capture what I see. It’s not really that easy with a frenzied dog by my side. Koda is learning to be patient and to explore while I digress from our walk but, still, my pictures are rushed and feel more like snapshots than anything else. I’ve quickly learned to adjust the ISO to the changing light and play with the aperture to at least attempt to add a little artistic value to the shots. There are some moments though, that are just photos in my mind, like the owl and the moose. But they are as clear to me as any photo I have taken. Better than any photo I have taken, actually…..