Rolling in the grass.

Sasha is not worrying about much of anything. 

Welcome to the Menagerie! Lara and I are starting this blog to go further into the lives of our customers and tell hilarious and inspiring stories about sharing our lives with our pets.  Please send stories, pet events, and photographs that you would like featured to houndstoothphotography@gmail.com.

I'll go first. A couple of weeks ago, I went to visit my father's house in Virginia during the last licks of summer.  Leaving the city always makes life seem a little simpler and it helps to satisfy my persistent craving to spend more time in nature. There is a very pretty lake close to their suburban neighborhood, so I leashed up my father's exuberant pair of Greater Swiss Mountain dogs, Cat and Sasha, for a much-needed walk around Huntsman Lake--just five minutes from the house I grew up in.  

Allow me to clarify, I used to say that I was just giving them much-needed exercise, but I've lately come to realize that the walk is just as therapeutic for me.  Walking around Huntsman Lake doesn't solve my problems, but it does soften my attitude and strengthen my faith that things tend to work out in life, if I give them some space and expect the best. 

I walked around this lake so many times growing up, with a number of beloved dogs, but Sasha is by far my favorite exuberant companion. She's a lover with boundless energy and an impressive stride. She takes off optimistically after every squirrel through the verdant foliage, forgetting that she has never caught one, not even once.  Despite my cries of protest, she runs directly into the lake and undoes all of my father's wife's efforts to keep her bathed.  It's impossible for her not to have fun.

On this particular day, a day when the economy of our country look like it was tumbling down without the safety net we had always been promised, Sasha, in her typical fashion, wouldn't have any of my worry. I'd fall back worrying about what would happen if my parents lost their jobs, and Sasha would turn back to bark at me.  It was like she was saying, "Hey, catch up! Where is your head? Don't you know where you are? Have you forgotten how unbelievably fun it is to run and bark and drink water when you get thirsty?"

Seeing her frolic with such abandon helped me to start paying attention. It was a beautiful afternoon that was slowly fading to dusk, with slips of warm sunlight falling through the cracks in the treetops.  There was clean air to breathe and roasted squash with blue cheese and pine nuts waiting for me back at the house. I was healthy and surrounded by the friends, family, and animals that I loved.  Money might be a concern in the future but it wasn't in that moment. In that moment everything was okay and it was my choice of whether I was going to enjoy it or miss out by worrying. I returned back to the house clearer and calmer, and throughly enjoyed my cozy evening with my family.

Sasha may drool an awful lot, but she is a great teacher and consistent friend.

Wishing you all many warm and grateful evenings with your loved ones in this autumn season!

Gracy