This opening day of dove season has upset the Lady Bacon. She’s blind now, doesn’t see a thing, and gunshots are random and unexpected and frightening to her.
She has spent the better part of the day on the couch nearest the front window. It looks out over our front yard, past the two pear trees and our little clump of Dr. Seuss mimosa trees, past the narrow two lane road, and into the corn field, so recently harvested. Off and on during the day, early morning and now, late this evening, there have been gunshots, as hunters have been after mourning doves.
I’m not sure how much success they’ve had, don’t know whether they have doves to take home with them or not, but I do know this—Bacon will sleep well tonight, because she’s been in a bit of a tizzy today.
She makes me smile, she does.
Her eyes don’t work anymore, but her nose does.
Her ears do.
And she can still run.
Fast.
When she smells the little turkey family that lives over in the edge of the swamp, when she hears a potato chip hit the floor, she can still run just as fast as she ever did.
And when she decides it’s time to end her walk outside with me and return to her favorite chair inside, she does. No amount of persuasion on my part changes her mind.
Anyway, just a few thoughts on my dog this evening.
It’s been a good day here on Riverneck, a good Labor Day.
Another time, I’ll be melancholy about the change of seasons, and about how quickly time passes by now, but not today.
Today, I’m here, present where my feet are, living this beautiful life I’ve been given, one moment at a time.
May you, too, be present where you are.
Blessings,
Vickie