Lily the Labrador vs. Fall Photos…
OK. So Lily won again… Is this really such a big deal? It’s not like she talked me into something I didn’t already want to do. It was my idea actually. Not hers…
I drove home from my zillionth soccer game Sunday (a slight exaggeration… I doubt I’ve watched more than half a zillion), keenly aware of some glorious moments in the late afternoon lighting. I was cruising the cement-walled interstate at the time, so you can be sure this was phenomenal kilo-wattage to grab my attention so profoundly. Light glinted off the sides of steel and glass towers with a stirring sort of intensity that made me long to see it bounce off a few trees.
I knew the sun would sink fast. A visit with my 
grandma was the non-negotiable item on my list. I was willing to forgo the grocery. Forty minutes later with Grandma safely tucked into bed, I finally ripped into my driveway with an eye on the glowing sun, draping its way through heavy wintery clouds. Just enough time, I thought. Grabbing a warmer sweater and my camera from the house, I paused to give my hopeful Lily a sympathetic pat on the head, and raced back out the garage door.
I made it halfway down the driveway. Big sigh. Shrug of the shoulders. I reversed the truck and sped back up to the house, leaped out to grab Lily’s quilt and threw it onto the second seat of the truck.
She already knew. When I opened the door to the house she was waiting there expectantly, tail wagging, bouncing between front and hind paws in her enthusiasm. “OK,” I said resignedly, “come on, Lily.” In all fairness, she didn’t know that I had been planning on some camera time. She only knew the “beep beep” of my remote unlocking the truck and that she needed to go wherever I was going. And I could understand that.
Lily hopped in for her next adventure. Lily. My petite-sized chocolate lab with incredibly endearing social skills. If dogs really do grow to look like their owners, I’d be upgrading tremendously to gain resemblance to Lily. She’s genuine. Friendly. Interested in others. Patient. Compassionate. Forgiving. Yeah, it’s kind of a pain when she wants to drive. She’s only sixty pounds, but lifting her out of my seat when she wants a driver’s side view isn’t so much fun. And she doesn’t respond so well to my verbal explanations. But then, she’s a dog. And actually, she responds better than many who are not.
As we drove toward Highbanks, I momentarily considered the possibility of managing both Lily and my camera. But she was too happy. I’ve gotten some scrapes and bruises from her “happy” moments in the past. It takes two arms on the leash to handle Lily in euphoria. One hand holding a cell phone to my ear has resulted in surprising encounters with solid ground when Lily suddenly decided to follow a whim. I don’t even need to explain those sudden thumps to my regular phone buddies anymore. I just say, “That was Lily”, get up, and dust myself off again.
So, Lily and I enjoyed a gorgeous walk Sunday afternoon. So much scent and vivid color contrasts to inhale. Exquisite lighting. Well-defined textures that shifted into silkened softness with the sun’s eventual dip below the treetops. I gathered it all in as a fall harvest while Lily dug through the dropped leaves and investigated all potential wildlife in the vicinity. It was nice. I snapped a few photos once she was back in the truck, tiredly panting by her back seat window, but the amber lighting was long gone.
I didn’t mind. It was Lily’s day.
Most of these photos are from various fall hikes that I’ve taken without Lily (ssshh!).
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One of the best dogs I ever had was a black lab. I always said she’d been the runt of the litter. While she didn’t seem to mind that, I think I prefer ‘petite.’
We lived in the country at the time and she got involved with a bad crowd and killed a sheep … so she had to go.
You’ve probably heard a story or two about how a dog had gone off to live in the country. We did the opposite and sent her to live with a friend in the city.
I love dogs too. My favorite dogs are American and English buldogs. I like the fall pics and the article. Keep smiling:)
Wow Delmer. A sheep? That’s big stuff. But wait… What if she overheard some barnyard plot and was actually saving your life?
Hi heather,
Thank you for visiting my blog!
I am not sure whether eloquent is the right word, since I am not saying much in my posts, am I ?
hihi
I appreciate your compliment very much
:)
x
Rick
Wow…..how great it is to be able to capture life’s beauty through a lens. Beautiful photos of the fall foilage. Its nice to enjoy your dog and take advantage of the scenery. I’m sure Lily loved it as well!
You don’t know how much I love this pic, the top one with the path meandering through the woods. I love being in the woods so much - my favorite places to escape the rigors of modern life.
“Nothing so beautiful as a tree,” my dad would tell me when growing up (something I still have yet to fully do - so they tell me.) and I yearn to be surrounded by them at all times. Especially nice when you have a dog with you.
I miss my old dog, Mr. Fuzzy. He was a Belgian police dog and was more handsome than I and smarter too! Sadly, he attracted more women than I ever did when I was simply alone. Oh well, I loved him all the same. He was one hell-of-a-lousy poker player, but he was my best friend none-the-less.
Thanks for the photos, especially the top one. As for black Labs, I’ll take them, be they black, white, green, or whatever color. These are simply beautiful creatures. Loyal, obedient and friendly. I especially love Golden Labs, even though they, like Mr. Fuzzy, make lousy poker buddies too!
Thanks Emirhan!
Lily is my first dog, so I can’t claim much first-hand knowledge beyond what I’ve learned from one sweet little chocolate lab, but I SO enjoy her enthusiasm for life!
Hi Kevin,
You have to grab your moments, don’t you? I don’t like to leave my house without my camera (or Lily).
Don,
It sounds like Mr. Fuzzy added so much to your life (besides the women). -Hope you find another friend like that…
Lily is a wonderful dog.
You’re so lucky to have Lilly. I remember having a dog when I was in grade one, but my father had to give it away. I couldn’t remember why.
Todd,
We’re pretty blessed to have her in the family.
Rino,
That’s sad! Lily makes up for the “trauma” of my mom finally fulfilling my hopes of a family dog after I had left for college!
This definitely reminds me of one of the dogs I used to have (Max), she was a golden retriever and she was beautiful. I really miss her sometimes.
Hi Heather,
That is so true! I take my camera with me everywhere I go too. You don’t know how many times I had been without my camera when a photo opportunity came my way. Sometimes I think my family thinks I’m crazy.
Cindy,
I suspected I was missing something special all those years I was “dog-less”… I’m glad you had some good years with Max.
Kevin,
I guess there are worse habits to have! Do you “see” photos even without your camera? Sometimes I find I’m framing shots even without my camera!
Beautiful image…
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Jackal
Thanks Jackal,
I’ve signed up. -Looked through some of your photos while I was there. You’ve posted some stunning images (and gained a #1 ranking, I see…)!
Again, a great capture - you engage the viewer.