Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Capturing the Moment


I fancy myself as a pretty good photographer. The Sanders, Dilly and Rath families all consider me as their official paparizzi for their family functions. I enjoy taking pictures of people, happenings and lately have tried to become a "nature" photographer. Spending the morning with our local Ansel Adams, ROLAND JORDAHL, gave me a greater appreciation of what it exactly takes to be a Pro--patience, timing, a good eye-and a really big lens.

This morning, I took Dogs Angel and Zowie on what will be our last walk together (sniff--get a kleenex now folks) I found there is a wonderful nature trail at the edge of our town (where the hec have I been for the past 14 years?!) We went on it yesterday and I walked along saying "click" "Click" when I saw things that I wanted to remember.

SO today I grabbed the girls, the camera and set out for a final ramble at 610 am. A mysterious fog had settled over the town. PR is located on a river so that may have contributed to it. Or maybe the Kodak Gods (sorry to bestow trademark rights) wanted to provide me with a glorious photo backdrop.

We had a great time taking pictures. I think I got some good ones, I believe a couple of them would garner an Oooh! and Awe! and Wow! if you could see them. (see bottom of post for details).

Yet, as life would have it, I couldn't capture the exact shots I really wanted to have as a final momento of my life with Angel and Zowie--I couldn't get them LEAPING up in the tall grass looking for each other, I couldn't capture the look them give me when they run off down a trail and then stop and make sure I'm following, I couldn't snap the way the water looks as it flies off their backs when they shake after swimming.


I did get one that made me cry (okay so I'm hormonal and I'm leaving in 9 days--give me a break). They stopped in mid-run and both looked at me as if to say "We're on our way mom but we wanted to make sure it's okay with you." It's the picture I will enlarge and hang on my wall in Kuwait to remind me of what they gave me. I had another perfect shot and of course the battery went dead on the camera. As I was walking, I was composing a whole blog post in my head about how, in life, our batteries go dead and we are forced to just carry on. It was deep. I'll save it for another time.


Loving dogs is stupid. Okay, that was written by the German side of me who doesn't want to admit that I am totally, stupidly, completely in love with these girls and leaving them is about the hardest thing I will do. (Other than saying goodbye to my boys Ben, Peter and Phil, but that's another blog)

These girls have given us love, laughter, unconditional affection and joy. They have also caused us to lose sleep and extra cleaning time and money. Zowie has chewed her way through underwear, shoes, a cellphone (don't ask) and damaged my work computer with her toenail.

But they have been worth every ounce of energy. I feel bad that I can't take them but it's really for the best. I know they are both going to wonderful homes and that is a great gift. THANK YOU THANK YOU to both Olson families for coming to our rescue.

As Uncle Doug once told me, May We Become the People our Dogs Think We Are.

PS as soon as I figure out how to add a link to photos (my blog assignment) I will download some shots from the nature trail walk. And as soon as my battery is charged, I will add a couple at the top.

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