DOG IN WINTER
The winter is much better with a house dog. Think about it. If your dog were outside, you would be worried sick about how he was getting along in the cold, if the water in his bowl had frozen, or if the famous icicle from Peanuts was going to smash his house to smithereens (February 20, 1960). No, give me the dog that warms your feet on long, cold winter evenings. Give me the dog who guards the front door during the darkest of seasons. Give me the dog who is the best company on lonely nights when it is too cold to party in the town.
The dog in your home in winter is satisfying with his audible heavy breathing while snoozing in front of the fireplace. His eyes are either calming as he rests with them half closed or staring pathetic as if to say, “Will spring ever get here?” His coat has been allowed to grow out a little more to keep him warm on the brisk, short walks, and the reduced amount of exercise has given him a rounder belly to compliment your own.
The dog in winter becomes inspiration for planning the summer beach trip or the mountain hikes in spring. He keeps you from spending your snow days organizing closets because the two of you would much rather be exploring the frozen tundra fantasizing of training for the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. He is a reminder that all things change, and there is even beauty in the death of a life well spent.
One day soon we will spend parts of the afternoon sitting under the sky on the deck or on a grassy hill, but for now we are thankful for home and hearth and for shared memories of rabbits in the spring.
Rich and Famous, 2017
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