The dog days of summer are upon us and some days it's just too hot to do much. I'm careful to make sure the dogs don't over-exert themselves on the warm days and we try to center activities around being in water to stay cool.
Sunset is starting to come earlier and you can tell the days are getting a little shorter each week. The cicadas are singing loud, squirrels are storing a lot of nuts and of course, we have some hot humid streaks every now and again.
I hate camping and hiking this time of year with the unpredictable heat and humidity and swarms of bugs. We've also had quite a few pop-up storms and torrential downpours. Because of the weather, I haven't been getting much exercise or outdoor time. By the end of a long day at work, I just want to play with the dogs on the living room floor or have a quick romp in the backyard... not a long hike or walk in the heat and dwindling daylight.
I guess I get a little melancholy this time of year as the change of seasons becomes more pronounced and winter gets a little closer each day. Yes, there is still a lot of warm, pleasant weather left... my favorite season too - fall! But I still want to enjoy some summer before it's gone, so I'm trying my best not to let the heat keep me inside.
VIDEO (Dogs Swimming):
So I've been forcing myself to do 5am walks with the dogs each morning so we can get some exercise while it's still cool out. Plus it's quiet that time of day and I can have Charlie along without her having any noise reactivity issues. Also, it's kind of nice watching the sunrise while the dogs take a quick dip in the Wisconsin River along our walking trail. It makes me feel like they got a little bit of adventure in, even on workdays.
We also have been taking late evening trips to Riverside Park during off-leash dog hours on weeknights. If I wait just before the sun sets, there's usually no one else there and we have the island all to ourselves. Which always seems like such a sweet luxury to me!
VIDEO (Dogs playing keep away):
Yesterday was one of those days where we were cooped up in the semi-air-conditioned house for most of the day to avoid the really hot temps and high humidity. Feeling guilty about all that indoor time, I decided we needed to head down to the park for an hour or so to just play in the water and soak up some summer.
I'm so glad we went! We had the place to ourselves, there were hardly any mosquitoes and as the sun dipped down, the temps seemed bearable again. Even though it was still humid, it was really beautiful to be outside. And the dogs had a blast!
Watching these two dogs play always makes me laugh. Their playful bounce and big smiles have a way of calming me down and making me realize what is really important in life. When we're at the park or on a hiking trail, I'm not thinking about work stress or planning ahead for whatever life brings me... I'm just enjoying the moment. I can take a deep breath and feel the weight of the world drop off my shoulders. I'm present in the moment and feeling joy. Everything is just as it should be; life is good.
These dogs are magic.
Soon enough, the leaves will be changing color and the air will turn crisp. But until then, I'm going to enjoy whatever summer throws at us and make the best of it.
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| Dogs behind me in the background... exploring. |
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| Tired pups wrapped in towels... ready for bed! |
