It's Farm Dog Friday!!

IT'S FARM DOG FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!

There's something about a dog, isn't there? No matter how hectic the schedule and how limited the time spent together doing nothing at all, a dog will never hold a grudge and reject the minute of togetherness whenever it may arrive. They're never too busy, nor do they have an appointment to run off to or a phone call to return. A dog's schedule allows for immediate accommodation of lap time.

Oscar is the king of moments. Daily life around here is nothing if it isn't the full representation of 'busy'. On more occasions than I care to admit, my interactions with the Hound are those of departure, saying bye and I'll be back...sometime. Probably to eat and collapse into bed. But moments do arise, and, sure enough, as soon as they do I have paws on my shins and eyeballs set behind a long snout begging me to share it. Certainly I oblige, and it isn't long before there's a tongue lapping in the direction of my face wafting breath like a reeking potpourri of whatever heinous bits of decay the little guy has been gnawing on during gadabouts through the pasture. It's a good stink, though, like smelling salts that overwhelm my senses and ground me solidly in the present. Cough.

A dog, indeed, as countless books have waxed romantically about, is perhaps life's best teacher in the lessons of 'stop', 'sit', and 'be'. Perhaps 'forgive and forget' is an auxiliary study. Amazing how hard those are to learn, yes?

I'm grateful for a teacher who never relents no matter how many times I forget his instruction.

Happy Friday, everyone! Stop. Sit. Be. And EAT (local) BEEF this weekend!! Even if the meal only lasts a moment.