Home of My Favorite Summer Day

The greatest moments I can share in my life, I will share with you. Although it was in the dead of winter that we purchased this home, I already had vivid images in my mind of the seasons to come and festivities inspired by them. These images would be brought to life by you and the energy you bring to our everyday routine. The only homes you had known before were the place I originally saved you from and our apartment. While you never asked for more space, I couldn't wait to give you a proper yard. Calmly, you awaited this frozen tundra to melt from the comfort of your bed. The sliding glass door, before your bed, in the kitchen was your transformative portal to the outside world. The birds feeding from our feeder, and the squirrels prancing through the snow, gave only a tiny glimpse of the life that would spring forth. Winter turned to spring, and all the growth happened in the woods behind our new home.

Mesmerized by this transformation, you rose to press your nose against the glass and even would bark at times. There was no need to clean these smudges of curiosity from the door, as they would continue to appear day after day. When I would come down from my office on my lunch break, you'd arise from your bed and look up to me as if to ask for release into this serenity that was our backyard. I would of course oblige and watch you from the window as you'd wander. You would engage in a big stretch while looking up towards the vast sky and the trees that were held within it. Oh, to hear the thoughts inside your mind. Looking away for even a minute, you'd certainly make your way towards some vegetation to nibble on. Scolding you hasn't helped, since you continue to do this to this day. How else will you learn the good from the bad in nature?

As it got warmer and the days became longer, we could explore this new area together. We'd go on walks after work, but sometimes even that didn't seem like enough distance for you. Pulling, pulling, pulling on your leash, you expected to see what seemed like the whole world. This venture was also shown by you running after the deer in our backyard that you saw as new friends. Your determination to catch up to them was admirable, but alas, they were too fast for you. You returned to the edge of the yard, that met the beginning of the woods, in defeat. However, it wasn't long after that that you saw a chipmunk scurry across the mulch in the garden. You were off to him. Never seeing creatures as enemies, you're such a loving boy. I don't believe that you'd hurt a fly.

It was that summer that we really had the potential to engage in fun-filled activities together. I had blown bubbles into the air for you, but this seemed odd to you. You were confused at first, and then you wanted nothing to do with them. I found out how much you loved strawberries. We sat in the hammock together, and as we'd swing, I'd give a berry to you and a berry to me. Your white furry chin had been covered in red juice. But my favorite memory is running through the sprinkler together that day! First, I praised you after your hesitation with this. Then you went along naturally. You had such a fun time as you watched me run through the water first, and then I'd encourage you to do it too.

The red berry juice had been washed from your chin. Sun was shining down on us, so we didn't really feel the coolness of the water on us as we repeated the in and out motions through the sprinkler. I don't know for how long we did this, but it didn't seem to tire either one of us out. I also threw your ball through the water for you to go after, and we played tug of war as the water rained over us. You had the tenacity of a water predator, you won! I retrieved our towels as the sun began to set in the late afternoon. I began to dry you off and looked into your golden brown eyes to tell you that I had such a fun day with you. You didn't need to say anything back, but the gesture of you putting your head on my shoulder was enough. As you had done many times before to say "thank you", it was a lovely ending to a perfect summer day.