Slightly Off the Grid

On our autumn morning walks, the pup chases animals while I ponder sunlight and leaves.

For a long time, my favorite place to ponder has been on the porch, snuggled in a blanket with a cup of coffee in hand. From the porch I watch the progression of the rising sun—into the sky and along the horizon. I watch deer amble by. Sometimes I am content to watch them nibble the acorns in the yard. Other times, I get up to yell at them for eating my shrubs.

I haven’t yelled at the deer in a while. Not since we got the pup last December. The little white terrier tears off after the deer, often after a stand-off. They stare each other down. The deer stomps its foot in warning. Someone makes the first move and deer and dog are off in a flash of white tail and white pup.

Nora, the pup, officially Princess Viper Nora of Maywood, is mostly happy to survey her domain from the porch and dash after the deer or a squirrel as opportunity arises. However, each morning, she desires my company on a stroll around her kingdom. She usually permits me to down at least half a cup of coffee before tapping my leg insistently with her paw.

Off we must go. She waits benevolently while I refill my coffee cup.

She picks the most beautiful time of morning for her royal strolls. The early morning sunlight paints glory on every leaf and blade of grass that it touches. I love that. She loves that the deer and squirrels are becoming active at that hour. While I stare in awe at crimson dogwood leaves and bright red berries, Nora has dashed off after a woodland “friend.”

A recent “friend” was a hapless squirrel who somehow came into Nora’s clutches. She played that squirrel into a state of exhaustion. She shook it till it was too tired to move. She poked at it, delighted that the real squirrel squeaked just like the plush squirrel she plays with inside. When the squirrel played dead, Nora looked at it quizzically, her head cocked to the side, wondering why the squeaker was no longer working. The squirrel, temporarily released, seized the opportunity and dashed away.

Of course, I did not have my phone on me to record the full five minutes she spent with her squirrelly friend.

Aside from critter encounters, walking with the pup gives me opportunity to look at my familiar landscape from a different perspective.

To slow down.

To ponder a golden yellow maple leaf from multiple angles and see God’s glory in the way a sunbeam makes that leaf glow like gold.

To examine my favorite dogwood tree and notice not just the bright red berries but the flower buds that are already set for next spring. How did I never notice that before? If those buds make it through winter, this tree will be gorgeous next spring.

To sit on a garden bench at the back of my yard and look at my house from a different point of view—that’s a great benefit of going out with the dog. From my bench, I see the whole picture. The yard looks expansive. The house looks like the family homestead that it is. The bonfire is prepped and ready for family. Home is a good place.

I need to look at home from the yard more often. From my porch, I notice every cobweb and carpenter bee hole, and everything else that needs doing.

And things definitely need doing—Her Royal Highness needs the burrs combed out. If I don’t do it, those burrs will be on the sofas, the carpet, and…our bed.

Being a good pup, Nora deems to let me groom her. It won’t take long. But first, I’m going to watch leaves float like golden feathers to the ground. Nora can chase her squirrels a while longer.