The evenings are cooler, and there is a hint of fall in the air. Farm fields are filled with glowing, orange, pumpkins, and the apple trees are laden with fruit.
After working hard this summer I had a fun few days off with friends at a camp in New Hampshire. We all brought our dogs, did a little training, and some resting, too. Several of the women brought food to share; frittata's, fruit salad, steak tips and more. All of it delicious. We social distanced, each staying in our own cabins.
I spent a lot of time in and on the water. Mountains arched up beyond the lake, different, yet beautiful, in every light. I relaxed deeply.
I've been wanting a "sit on top" kayak for years. We have three nice "sit in" kayaks which I have enjoyed tremendously, but the sit on top style seemed easier to get into and out of, and I had a little fantasy of teaching Bravo how to ride with me. I splurged and bought one and took it to camp with me. After a quick ride in it to see how it handled I fetched my good dog and invited him to hop on. He barely hesitated, bracing himself as we pushed off into the water and the boat rocked a bit. Soon he relaxed, sitting between my legs. After a bit he laid right down, resting his chin on my ankle, lapping a bit at the rippling water as I paddled. Once in a while he stood up, turned around and washed my face. His plume tail wagged and I swear he was smiling. Later, on the beach, another dog approached the kayak, and he snapped at him, warding him off, as if to say, "This is MY toy, back away!" My little dream of paddling with Bravo came delightfully true. It was evident he liked it, too.
To celebrate the end of summer I spent a few days with friends and dogs, in the company of lake and mountains. It was good.
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