Zeke inspects a seriously dead cow, Burro Creek, Arizona. January 2 2004
Something must be in the air: the time of year, perhaps, or a regular geist asking the zeitgeist for a walk around the block, but I’ve had him on my mind for a few days, and yesterday I got a text from the ex- saying she’d been feeling the same way. We reminisced a bit on the phone. Of course that only made it worse, but in kind of a good way.
Maybe it was the snow in the Bay Area yesterday. He loved it so, the snow, and one of the things I’ll always regret is that we didn’t get him to places more often where he could be out in it.
I think one of the reasons I was able to cope with life in a city was having him there: I didn’t feel the thoroughgoing lack of connection with the real world that I do these days. Being my conduit to the real was a big job, and he did it as long as he could.
Ironically, he kind of hated the desert. At least the Mojave, and the Sonoran was a bit spiny and hot for him as well. He did love the Great Basin desert, cool and soft and sparsely saged as it is. He fit that landscape well. Well enough that I always meant to get him a blaze orange vest so as not to be mistaken for a coyote by some gun-toting yahoo.
Ah, love.
I think Sabrina has mixed feelings about the desert. She likes to inspect plants (I call her Botanist Dog), and the many scents, but she doesn’t like the heat, or getting stickers in her feet. Walking down a wash is usually good - soft footing and often some some good shade. Sage is still too young to dislike anything.
Am I weak for tearing up? What a beautiful photo. What a beautiful thought…simple, powerful, heartfelt. I never fully say goodbye, never truly let go. That seems the right place for good company.
(Now going to crack open the book again, read a few chapters, remember…)
I miss him too.
Chris, I just found you again via the Modulator. I didn’t realize you were still blogging.
I too have thought about Zeke lately, probably because we’ve been going through an ordeal with Bailey.
Yesterday, we lost her.
My best to you. Zeke and Bailey are wherever it is the good dogs go.
Zeke was the most handsome of dogs… our Jack is built a little like him and I admire them both.
Zeke is often on my mind and his name passes my lips too periodically. Actually, when I talk to my husband about something on this blog, I refer to you Chris as “Zeke’s dad.”