A lot of my inspiration for making art comes from being outside. I'm a big walker. My yellow lab Cassy is getting older and I'm watching her slow down and wondering what will happen to our daily walks? We love to clamber over mesas for miles every day (or at least I love to do this and she humors me). But she is approaching 10 years old and is not as thrilled to just peek around this or that corner or over that rise any more. Will I have to leave her behind? I will have to continue walking and probably to get another dog when she is gone because there is no better motivation to walk than a dog's
begging for some exercise. I've been plying her with glucosamine and even lift her out of the back of the truck to save her joints (her vet recommended it--I'm not completely nuts!) The big skies of New Mexico just seem to help me forget all the details that clog my mind day to day and that lets me feel possibilities for art--and other things in life.Here are some photos of me out on the west rim trail of the Rio Grande Gorge. That is Wheeler Peak in the background near Taos. Mostly I think I'm thinking about how I'm going to redo my website completely--and how much this needs doing--and how I don't have the time to do it right now or the money to pay someone to do it for me. And then I saw the sunset and the alpineglow on the mountain, and I realized how fabulous it was just to be outside and able to walk. The website can wait a little bit... at least for today.
We're nearing the end of walks completely with our dog and I'm not sure when what will happen next. He's 10 also. It is a tearing to go on with life when they will or cannot.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it is so hard to realize that our animal friends' lives seem to pass by so quickly? In Jan 2008 we finally had to let our old (14!)Roux go after dealing with her bladder cancer for a year & a half. She was extremely active in her younger years, too, like your Cassy, but became less so as the years crept up on her & as the cancer took its toll. Our vet suggested we take her for walks when she wanted to go & let her be when she didn't. What I ended up doing near the end of her life was to take her for a very short walk & then I went for a longer walk alone. It was weird to do that at first, but I realized it was best for both of us!
ReplyDeleteAs far as your website issues go, have you ever considered combining your website & blog into one entity? I am going to be doing just that as soon as I finish canyon night, not because I'm unhappy with my current website, I just want to have one site to maintain. If you're interested, I'll let you know how that goes. But, if you prefer to have 2 separate sites, check out the website host I am currently using for my www.desertsongstudio.com site, Other Peoples Pixels-- http://otherpeoplespixels.com/
I have been using them for 2 years & it is a fabulous set-up because they have zillions of ready to use designs to choose from, you are in total control of uploading your own content, & it is very affordable! Check it out!
My 12 1/2 year old yellow lab can no longer make it much further than around the block, until we go to the mountains, where he forgets his age and runs like a pup... willing to pay dearly for it for several days after. It is sad to see him slowing down so much, and I have been walking the neighborhood without him this spring, missing his tail wagging company.
ReplyDeleteThanks you all for the dog stories. I love my dog... she has been with me longer than anyone and I hate to see her slowing down, but it is part of living. Thanks also for the website tips Lyn! I'll check it out and let me know what happens with the one site thing. I might just consider it!
ReplyDeleteRebecca