In which our dog karma shifts over a little bit, and there's good news

We'll never get accustomed to losing a beloved friend like Mimsy,

but some customs are comforting.

A Gala apple tree marks our little friend's grave.
If you offered Mims an apple and a hot dog, she'd always
choose the apple first, and come back for the hot dog later.

Her apple tree stands at the upper corner of the orchard, where she used to circle and bark whenever visitors came to Haiku Farm.

In future years, the tree will be the first glimpse of our home as we crest the hill.

A solar-powered lantern guards the tree
and her collar hangs in the branches.

We planted a sweet plum tree last year for Pickles Marie, and surrounded it with lavender and rosemary.  The tree has rooted in and fledged out beautifully this year, and I harvest a few pinches of the herbs each week.

Pickles' tree has grown!

This is the way our universe rolls:

"Ooooh," said Duana.  "I've always wanted a blue heeler!"

There was a "LOST DOG" notice posted at the trailhead when Duana and I went out yesterday.  We even recognized the description of the dog--we'd seen her out with her pack of horses and dogs and people the prior week.

Did you notice how I snuck that little tidbit of goodness up above there?

I'm riding again!

Solo with the Dragon, mostly, but also with Du and the Usual Suspects.

Du and Hana and blue skies

I've got a good strategy for out-flanking the pain most of the time, starting with early-and-often NSAIDS to keep the inflammation tame, and supplementing with pain meds if necessary.

We stopped at the Monument for traditional picture-taking

Plus physical therapy and massage therapy, and a lot of stretching before I actually mount up, it's making a huge difference.

I know this picture is going to bug the heck out of lytha because it's so
potentially-unsafe.  Except I happen to know that Hana isn't going anywhere:
she needs to pee!

I'm not back to where I was before the flare-up, and I'm certainly not where I want to be, but I'm miles ahead of that point of pain where I was a few weeks ago.

Hana-banana-photobomba

For now, it's enough.

Oh, and the dog karma?

Well, guess what we found hiding under the trailer when we got back from our ride yesterday?

If they hadn't put up the poster, Du would totally have taken Olive home

Her owner was almost as happy to see Olive as she was to see him.

Olive is driving and she's going to make sure they stop
at Dairy Queen on the way home.

And that, my friends, is Good Enough for now.

p.s.  best of luck to all the Tevis riders today!  May the gremlins and the bad idea fairies stay far from you on the trail.