Tag Archives: Ramblings

Ramblings– Singing in the Rain

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Today is one of those drenching, steadily raining days. As I was sitting in my rocking chair sipping my morning tea with all the dogs sprawled around me, Acadia purring on my lap, and the rain splattering on the window, I watched the soggy squirrels and damp birds and thought about how thankful I am for our warm, dry house. And then the niggling thought that I ought to take Ramble for a walk before crating him when we go to church disturbed my peaceful musings. I rationalized that it’s rainy and slippery (there’s lots of ice in the yard from last week’s ice storm) and that I could take him later. But I knew I’d be equally reluctant later and, besides, we’re planning to Skype with all our children this afternoon.

With a sigh I put down my mug and Acadia leaped from my lap to the windowsill, where she could continue watching the birds and squirrels while staying warm and dry. I bundled up, put on my Muck shoes, and leashed up Ramble, who showed no reluctance to go out in the rain. Deciding that the yard is too hazardous for walking even with Microspikes, I loaded Ramble into his car crate and drove to a nearby dead end to park and head out for a walk. I took Ramble out, closed and locked the car, and headed down the road.

And then it happened– my pluviophile’s nature {Pluviophile (n.) a lover of rain;someone who finds joy and peace of mind during rainy days} suddenly stepped to the fore and soared with joy as the rain streaked down my face and my Muck shoes splashed with each step. Ramble walked contentedly by my side as we splashed through puddles (I love splashing in puddles and figure I might as well have fun while getting soaked), he looking around at this new place he’d never been, me musing on everything that came to mind and feeling free and full of peace and joy. We walked and splashed for two miles, returning to the car thoroughly soaked and wonderfully refreshed. And now Ramble is sleeping soundly in his crate and I am about to warm up with another steaming mug of tea before I head to church.

Glorify the Lord, every shower of rain and fall of dew, * 
    all winds and fire and heat. 
Winter and Summer, glorify the Lord, * 
    praise him and highly exalt him for ever.

Glorify the Lord, O chill and cold, * 
drops of dew and flakes of snow. 
Frost and cold, ice and sleet, glorify the Lord, * 
    praise him and highly exalt him for ever. (from the Book of Common Prayer)

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Ramble is wearing a Perfect Pace Halter here. When I take him for a long walk I often use a head halter and give him a bit more freedom in how he walks. When I use just a collar I expect him to stay right by my left side. As it is, he usually walks right beside me anyway (but I am getting him used to the head halter for when adolescence strikes).

Ramblings — New Year’s Day 2018

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The last ten days, since I wrote my first Ramblings post (which I finally had a chance to publish today), have been very full with puppy fun and care, holiday activities, visiting family, and frozen baseboard heating pipes. The puppy fun and care, holiday activities, and visiting family were all anticipated and greatly enjoyed. The frozen pipes not so much… Thankfully, with Stephen’s hard work and the strategic use of space heaters, hair dryer, and paint peeler, a stuck zone valve was replaced and the pipes eventually thawed (after two and a half chilly days).

By now Ramble has been here without his brother for eight days, and he is doing wonderfully. What a delightful puppy! I am happier with him and more in love with him every day. He is snuggly, playful, and very social. Whenever he meets new people, he approaches them with happily wagging tail and ears sweetly back, and tries to lick their chins. I’m not into being licked by dogs, but it’s hard to resist such sweet puppy kisses.

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I’ve been thinking about New Year’s and what my goals are for 2018 and how Ramble (and Petra, Milo, and Acadia) might fit into them. Stephen and I have both been focusing on and practicing centering prayer in various ways in the past few months, and that’s something I want to continue in 2018. I’d like to grow in having a quiet spirit that underlies who I am and all I do, and I’d also like to be able to share the peace that gives me through practicing hospitality. Many people probably wouldn’t find getting a new puppy conducive to growing in quietness and in being centered, but I think having Ramble will help me with that, as my other pets do.

After almost losing Petra this past fall and feeling like I hadn’t been as connected with her as I would have liked, I realized that I had been fairly scattered for a while, both emotionally and in my use of my time, and I was determined to change that. My animals are obviously a very important part of my life, and if I let them, they help me slow down and live more fully in the moment, more richly in the present. And when I do that, I am much more aware of God’s presence with me and am also much more responsive to the people in my life.

So some of my goals and hopes for 2018 are that I would stay more rooted in the present as I train my puppy and enjoy my older dogs and sit with my cat on my lap. And I hope and pray that being more rooted in the present will help me be more sensitive to the ways God is working and to his fingerprints in the world around me, filling me with awe and with a desire to join him in whatever opportunities he brings my way.

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Stay tuned for more Ramblings about life with Ramble…