Every morning Shara, Amy and I go on a walk. The walk started out to be 30 min, but is now

1 1/2 hours. I get up at 5-5:30 so I have time for a cup of coffee (or two) before we leave my parents house at 6:30. It is dark when we start out and we watch the day dawning. It is a very peaceful time of day. We meet many of the same people and dogs along our walk and some days we see no one at all. The majority of our route consists of "off street" walking. The area where my parents live was once all fruit and nut orchards (my parents have lived in their house about 45 years) so there are irrigation canals all over. These canals have become part of the regional park system and now are throughways linking bicyclers, horseback riders, and walkers to different urban areas and towns. We walk about 3 blocks to get to one these canals, through a park, through some open space (fields and foothills) to another canal, down a bike path, through another park and then down a couple of streets before we get back to my parents house. The dogs love it and look forward to it. We see some wildlife, mostly birds. There are wild turkeys, geese, ducks and all kinds of little birds. About the only other wildlife we see is squirrels. I feel very privilaged to be able to do this daily. Everyday there is something different to observe, the weather is always changing. Many mornings it is foggy, which make it all rather mysterious and magical, sometimes the sky is vibrant reds and purples at dawn, sometimes it is misting or raining and once it was even snowing; all of the hills were covered in snow! This is a wonderful way to start the day.

Louisa, the dogs and I went camping at Big Sur for four days in November. It was a magical trip. The weather was perfect, the ocean crystal clear and amazing shades of blue. We went hiking one day where the ocean was below us and hills spreading out forever. We were told that we should be able to see the Sierras, but weren't sure that those hills way off in the distance were really them. Views were spectacular in every direction. The fire damage from two summers ago was extensive. There were sobering gullys where you could imagine the fire barreling through torching everything in sight, the heat must have been so intense. It is amazing how nature can heal itself, we saw many burned tree trunks sprouting new branches and little trees, vibrant green leaves in the midst of burned out shrubs and even in November wildflowers everywhere. The contrast of burnt desolation and lush new growth is beautiful and inspiring. Both Shara and Amy got to run free on this hike which brought smiles all around. We were a little concerned about all of the poison oak they ran through and they were banished from sleeping in the bed. Neither Louisa and I got any though. This is a milestone for me. When I was in my 20's if I just looked at poison oak from a far distance I would break out with it all over me. We all were sad when the trip was over and will hold the memories of many perfect views for years to come.

Who are Shara and Amy?

They are both rescue dogs who love "driving" in the van when I have gotten out (or when I am in the back sleeping). I have had Amy for almost two years, she will be 8 years old sometime in Feb. I took Shara in as a foster dog in April with in two weeks I fell in love with her and after agonizing about having two dogs for awhile adopted her too. They seem to really like camping. I think what they like best is being able to sleep with me. At home they can't get on any of the furniture and would never even think of trying to jump on the bed.

So far we have mostly been exploring the Northern California Coast. Amy seems to love the Ocean, but I don't think Shar cares much where she is as long as she can have room to run fast and far.

Briones Park 11/09

Snack Time in the Van with Steph, Claire and Louisa.