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Dog Diary

The ride of life with a dog
  • Surf Dog Diaries - dog blog
  • The ride of life with a dog
  • HANG 20 - DOG BEACH, CA
  • HANG 20 - DOG RIVER, OR
  • ABOUT US
  • BarbAyers.com
  • GIVING BACK
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Dogs ride the ups and downs with us. Real life Surf Dog Diaries

Meet writer dogs. Rider dogs. Best dog friends. Surf the couch, the www, or a wave. Wave back at us!

It's all about the ride. The ride of life with a dog.

Doodle the lap dog, fireplace surfing.   Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

Doodle the lap dog, fireplace surfing.   Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

Zen and the art of fireplace surfing

Barbara Ayers November 12, 2017

Dear Dog Diary:

Fall leaves are back – made for TV colors, brazen sky divers. Airborne!

Leaves leave vivid landscapes.

Fall makes you go inside, in more ways than one.

 Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

 Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

 

On snappy mornings, dogs 'n friends snuggle up,  under covers.

Big, blustery storms blow in and scare away the sunshine and a metaphysical force changes, deep inside.

Falling… memories….  how you felt… moments shared…

Fall is writing weather. Book season.

 

Fall comes around once a year, settling in like an old friend.

Bringing changes of life with changes of seasons.

Wild leaves mean that rain rides shotgun with frost. Any minute now, snow could repo the yard.

You aren’t ready to let go of summer, with warm rays and play days.

But those wild and crazy leaves are so joyful – flamboyant – perhaps we should be celebrating.

Columbia River Gorge is know for its fresh fruit orchards.  Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

Columbia River Gorge is know for its fresh fruit orchards.  Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

 Fall garden party.  Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

 Fall garden party.  Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

 

 

Life in a mountain town is managed by the woman in charge - Ma Nature.

And her partner - Mount Hood.

 

Mt Hood, in our Oregon backyard.   Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

Mt Hood, in our Oregon backyard.   Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

They're baaaack…

In fall, your wood pile is your new bff - loyal, at your side, like a black lab for the season to come.

The quail family returns - and resumes detailed yard work. They commute in each morning and back every night. Flittery, fluttery, running away as I come out the door. Maybe we should realign our work schedules.

Hummer comes to town  Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

Hummer comes to town  Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

And the hummer! The moment his retro red feeder comes out of storage, he knows – he shows. Another old friend returns.

Fall rituals are back - you pack away surfboards and wetsuits and pull out the skis.

You build Mount Hood on the porch with colorful bags - turtle necks, knit hats and scarves, big puffy coats, under-layers and gloves.

And mini-me Mt. Hood - puffy coats and rain slickers for doxies.

Building Mount Hood is an all day ritual. In and out of the car and the shed and the rafters and racks. It’s concerning for dogs – like you’re packing for vacation and they’re not invited.

Ugly Christmas sweaters plan their annual visit...

Doodle and I love fireside fall mornings.                                     Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

Doodle and I love fireside fall mornings.                                     Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

Stuck inside weather.

Fireplace weather.

Staring at orange embers in jammies all day weather.

Flames take you back. Last winter in Oregon - Snowmeggadon!

Happy and sad memories. Tear drops on old photos. Missing those we lost.

Elvis and Dude, my dear old surf dog sons.

Dog dad, my cousin Randy.

My dog-loving friend Don Benton.

Something about fall leaves and fireplaces brings all of those memories back.

I miss my sappy sweet Elvis.

With long, slow, swaying gait and dreadlock ears that drag on the ground. And that stare...

Elvis, my basset hound son in the yard. RIP old friend.  Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

Elvis, my basset hound son in the yard. RIP old friend.  Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

He was the strong, silent type with so much to say. Deep, deep stares into my soul, and beyond. Blaring, bloodshot basset hound eyes. I hear you, Elvis.

L to R: Elvis n Dude, twin bassets of different mothers.              Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

L to R: Elvis n Dude, twin bassets of different mothers.              Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

His shelter name was Fred. He was submissive at first - but he grew into the King.

Elvis led by example - a guide dog for his blind brother. And me.

Dude’s shelter name was “Yardley.” I named him Lil' Dude - little basset brother of Elvis.

Dude never left Elvis’ side. Elvis died first, last year, and Dude wasn’t far behind.

 

Randy and Mel are our favorite cousins - the most normal of our family, if there is such a thing. 

They married when I was in Junior High - inseparable until an accident on their 42nd anniversary.

L to R: Cousins Mel and Randy.                                          Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

L to R: Cousins Mel and Randy.                                          Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

Oh, how we miss you Randy.

Their life force lives with us - those loved and lost.

The red-hot warmth of embers glow,

long after the fire goes out. 

They can reignite at any time.

Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

 

 

 

Don't get stuck on the inside. 

Snuggle up. Buckle up for the ride.

 

Inside is warm and wonderful.

Doodle and Tia, Surf Dog Diarians.  Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

Doodle and Tia, Surf Dog Diarians.  Photo: (c) Barb Ayers, DogDiary.org

 

Doodle the doxie, fuel-injecting joy into life’s tiniest moments.

Tia, the once-invisible feral feline, now commands the kingdom and troops.

Queen, more than ever, now that the King is gone.

She plops down with petticoats – 16 pounds of fatness and fur and purr - cementing my position, as peon, as furniture.

 

'Tis the season to snuggle up.

I can't wait - Cousin Mel is coming to visit!  And I'll see the rest of my family at Christmas. Doodle, my carry-on bag dog, flying under my seat on the airplane. 

He needn't worry about my excess baggage on the porch.

- Barb - 

 

Related stories:

Wise old basset hound thoughts by Elvis
Fall is my favorite season of all - Dude
On seeing. By blind surf dog Dude.
Ode to Elvis. King of Windsurfing.
Elvis - the seeing eye basset
This fall, we almost took the fall - thank you first responders
Love, loss and derailments. A year of mourning ends today
Dude, from rescue dog to surf star to surfing blind. Most amazing dog son of all.
Tags fall season, changing seasons, Dog Diary, surf dog diary, fireplace weather, dogs n friends, dogs are family, I love dogs, photo essay, cute dog pix, stray dog books, rescue dog, coping with loss, overcoming grief, Pacific Northwest, Hood River Oregon, Mount Hood, small town diary, small town dog, dog blog, the rescue dog, my dog surfs, Doodle the doxie, Elvis the basset, Barbara Ayers
← Reindeer in training - (YouTube video)This fall, we almost took the fall. THANK YOU first responders on the Eagle Creek Fire →

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Surf Dog Diaries  |  Barb Ayers, San Diego, CA and Mosier OR.  |   All content and images (c) Barb Ayers, copyrighted, all rights reserved