Solitary

Yesterday was a near blizzard; today, fifty degrees and sunshine. We needed to clear out of the house for the cleaning service, so I took the boy-dog for a civilized walk in the heart of downtown, where a river runs through it. Happy with new digs to explore, he pranced with his head erect, ears perked and tail jaunty.

Later, I did my best to sneak out of the house unnoticed for a solitary hike up the mountain. But Nicholai heard me pad softly across the floor and rushed to catch me. I turned to see disappointment on his face as I crossed the yard alone. For a moment I thought to let him join me, but the daily mountain hikes have been taxing his system a bit much I think, and so I left him behind.

I hiked higher and farther than I would have with Nicholai, and what a perfect mountain spring day – golden sun in a crystal blue sky, easily piercing thin mountain air, bouncing off clean white snow to create blinding brightness and shirt-sleeve warmth. The westerly breeze gusted cool through the pines and bold pink bitterroot flowers dared to open tiny petals amidst left-over patches of snow. As I struck off on a snowy side trail into dense pines, I wished my boy was there to enjoy it with me. But I knew he would be better for the rest.

When I arrived back at the house, Nick raced across the yard to join me, howling his disapproval. My mom told me he had whined the entire time I was gone. The sad thing is I know there will be more such days. All the more reason to treasure each one as it comes.