Settling Into Winter Quiet

The end of the semester is here. I can breathe a sigh of relief that for a few weeks I don't have to read and grade papers generated by AI and papers that show the student really doesn't care about improving their own writing skills and critical thinking skills. I don't have to respond to students who fail to submit work by the due date then email the assignment, asking that I read it even though they didn't meet the due date.

It's so quiet now. The noise is gone.

I get to focus on a few projects I've been kicking around. I get to focus on Sunny. The snowshoes are by the back door, just waiting for the few inches of snow that is forecast for tonight and tomorrow. I get to look forward to the kids coming to visit over the holidays. 

Sunny is growing into a beautiful young dog. He has captured my heart. I've never had a dog that cuddles the way he does. I've never had a dog who leans so completely into my chest that I can feel his heartbeat. Every evening he jumps into my lap, settles on my outstretched legs in the recliner, and falls asleep. I've learned how to adjust my position in the recliner so we both are comfortable.

Running trails is his passion. He's now working on scent discrimination, figuring out which of two scents is the path he needs to follow. While he's only done this once, he did great. Without hesitation, he chose the correct trail at the start. When he reached the fork, he went left for a few steps but turned around and returned to the correct trail, following it to the subject. The joy he displayed upon finding the subject was on full display. He's only seven and a half months old. I can't wait to see what he's able to do when he's a year old, a year and a half, two years. 

For now, I'm trying to enjoy every single minute with him while he's still very much a puppy, watching him learn, watching him see the wonder that is our world.



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