Imagine the Possibilities

I am participating in the March Slice of Life Story Challenge. Thanks to the co-authors of              Two Writing Teachers for creating this  supportive community.

Yesterday was our last day in Florida. We didn’t have anything in particular planned, so we decided to make it Cyrus’ day. He’s been such a great traveler and companion.

What would make him happiest? How about a walk on the beach? If nothing else, there would be new smells to explore.

We found several in the area, one by the bay and one on the Gulf. To our knowledge, Cyrus has never been swimming. We took him to a pet friendly beach in Cape May once, but the waves seemed to freak him out. Still, we decided to give it a try.

Our first stop was the Belleair Causeway Boat Ramp in Clearwater. The beach is not extensive, but Cyrus loved getting his paws wet! He romped in the shallow water and almost didn’t want to leave.

Next stop was Honeymoon Island State Park in Dunedin. This area is beautiful – sandy, long stretches of beach, lots of access areas. But, there are waves, and Cyrus does not trust waves. He loved the smells and waking on the sandy areas, but the waves were just too much.

And no day devoted to Cyrus would be complete without ice cream. So, on the way home from dinner…

Not looking forward to another nor’easter coming our way, but it will be good to head home.

I am participating in the March Slice of Life Story Challenge. Thanks to the co-authors of              Two Writing Teachers for creating this  supportive community.

Did you notice the sky last night? We came out of the restaurant to a gorgeous almost-over sunset. As we started back to the hotel I looked up and noticed the sliver of moon with Venus in alignment.

“Stop! I need to grab a picture!” I yelled. Of course my picture does not do it justice, but the sight was mesmerizing. I watched it the whole way back.

There is something very special about the moon, and I have always been fascinated by it. If I were a better poet I may have been able to capture the loveliness I experienced last night a little better. But there was something about that sliver of moon with the planet beside it that filled me with hope and peace and compelled me to write.

a sliver of hope

celestial bodies show us

all things possible

I am participating in the March Slice of Life Story Challenge. Thanks to the co-authors of              Two Writing Teachers for creating this  supportive community.

This morning…

The fountains beckon us…listen, come closer, wonder. We make our way around the pond finding new delights, letting new thoughts in.

This morning I was on dog walking duty alone since Allan left to play golf. We’ve walked Cyrus together many times in the past few days, but because of my knee surgery I haven’t taken on that duty much at home in recent months. This morning I realized how much I miss our alone time on the trail.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy walking with Allan, but there is something special about getting lost in my own thoughts when Cyrus and I walk alone. Ideas pop into my head, I notice more, appreciate more. It’s a special time to wander and ponder.

The trail beckons us…listen, wonder, notice. Can’t wait to experience this joy again!

I am participating in the March Slice of Life Story Challenge. Thanks to the co-authors of              Two Writing Teachers for creating this  supportive community.

There’s a lovely park behind our hotel where we walk Cyrus – lots of birds, fish, and places to sit and observe. It’s always fun to find birds that you don’t normally see at home. I noticed the usual swallows, gulls, and ducks, but also terns and an egret.

Then there was this fellow outside our restaurant last night.

It looked to me like a cross between a turkey and a duck, and I wondered if this was perhaps a living turducken, that Thanksgiving delicacy many people are fond of cooking. He was still there when we were leaving, this time accompanied by his mate who was actually a little aggressive. There was a dog dish of water nearby. Were these birds someone’s pets?

Later I identified the bird as a Muscovy Duck, fairly common in Florida. Some are feral and some are raised as pets. So yes, this pair might have been pets, but I still wondered why they were hanging out in a parking lot.

You never know what you might discover when you’re away from home.

I am participating in the March Slice of Life Story Challenge. Thanks to the co-authors of              Two Writing Teachers for creating this  supportive community.

Today’s post comes to you from Cyrus. I was inspired to tell something about our trip from his point of view after reading other slices from a pet’s POV and encouragement from fellow slicer arjeha. Thanks, Bob!

Hi, all! Cyrus here.

I knew something was up. They put my bed in the car. ROAD TRIP!!!!

Where are we going? When will we get there? Can I have a treat? What’s in this bag? Is that for me? Can I have a treat? Are we there yet?

You gotta love a road trip. Extra treats. New bushes and trees to…um…you know…tell everyone CYRUS WAS HERE. Everything’s going great. Except for that first night.

We got to the place we were going to stay. They brought me in. Then they took me into a box. Uh, oh…not for me. I tried to escape. They pulled me back in. It started to move!! I crouched down. When will it stop? Thank goodness it was over quickly. We all got out. Got to the room. Can I have a treat?

After that, we went up and down the stairs to get to the room. But I had to sneak by the evil machine every time.

Crouch low. Go slow. Crouch low. Go slow. Can I have a treat?

Windows down…new smells…warm air. Gotta love a road trip. Can I have a treat?