taken and posted with the PlayBook
Stella lays on the deck, surveying the entire backyard. In the background, Achilles lays on his own. He is the most independent dog of our three. He can be content to be on his own, sometimes out in the backyard for an hour.
Different dogs, good dogs, our cattle dogs.
Achilles and I walked in the Ontario Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA) Friends for Life! Walk today. I adopted Achilles from a central Texas animal shelter in 2006, and I wanted to pay back/pay forward the favour the shelter did to him, to me, for keeping him until I came along. More than a few people very generously donated money to sponsor our walk to raise money for the OSPCA.
It was a Goldilocks morning for a walk, not cool or warm, not rainy, some sun, some clouds, a good breeze. We had a good 2 1/2 klick walk. Several times we stopped – no rush, no need to hurry. I got the camera out a few times, and one time the stars aligned for this informal portrait.
It was a good day for a walk and it has been a good day to give thanks.
Look closely and you’ll observe Achilles’ white whiskers. Not a hallmark of age for this elder statesman, he’s always had white whiskers.
I made my fund-raising goal for the OSPCA Friends for Life! Walk in just over a week, six days before the walk. It was an ambitious goal and I was a little skeptical, expecting to achieve my objective in the last day or so.
Events like this reinforce my belief that (most) people are essentially good, and reinforce my gratitude for people, their generosity, for being alive and blessed.
Achilles, do you want to go on a walk?
I adopted Achilles from a Central Texas animal shelter in May of 2006. He was picked up as a stray and his people, for whatever reason, had not come for him.
He was an adult dog and adults often are overlooked by potential adopters. Chilidog had been looked at but not adopted. The shelter workers held on to him, believed in him, kept him well past the time they probably should have ‘made a decision.’ And then I came along. He had been there two days short of a year on the day I brought him home.
Here we are, eight years later. Achilles has been such a treasure. He’s a great ambassador for his species. He’s a good ladies’ man I’m told.
A small way to return the favour those shelter workers did him, me, us, is to fund-raise for the OSPCA. So we’re walking in the OSPCA Friends for Life! Walk.
Pay it back, pay it forward.
Beloved Achilles. Friends for life indeed.
I usually photograph the dogs from an angle, sometimes at their level. This time I captured Achilles from almost directly above as he watched people walk past.
The pleasure and comfort of having a good dog. The amusement of the good dog so relaxed, jaw so relaxed, his tongue hangs out.
Achilles can pose as well as the original..
taken and posted with the PlayBook
He is, always has been, easy to have, easy to be around, easy on the eyes and spirit. How blessed we are to have such a treasure in our lives.
previouslytexan 