Surrendering
Daily writing experience - day 60
Surrendering
Sparky is the name I chose, and fought for, to call our 15 month old male golden Miniature Poodle (50%) mixed with Beagle (12.5%), Shih Tzu (12.5%), and 25% of other breed groups: Companion, Asian, Sporting and Herding according to the DNA report done after he was neutered.
Leland’s choice was Rusty. There is absolutely no way Sparky is a Rusty.
Today I’m surrendering to the fact that Sparky takes me on walks around our neighborhood, I’m just along for the walk, he’s in charge.
The most important aspect of our time outside is the sniffing, smelling and nosing Sparky does with his cute, wet and pointed nose.
Oh yeah, there’s also the many stops for territory markings plus the one stop excrement excretion execution. I have to remember to always carry a poop bag when we go out for our walk.
On Thursdays our walk takes longer than usual even though we don’t walk any further. It’s trash day in our neighborhood. The black, green and blue plastic cans line the uncurbed streets.
We live in an interesting neighborhood, perfect for my Human Design Environment: Artificial Shores. We live in an RA zone (Rural Agricultural) that is two blocks away from the 101 freeway and bustling suburbia.
There are no curbs or gutters in our neighborhood which creates issues when it rains as we are in the lowest point of a valley. The RA lots here are at least half an acre, and one can legally have farm animals on site.
We tried having chickens once. It was more work than we expected, and after a full season we gave up. My mother was in town, so she helped me prepare a hen feast. Leland wouldn’t eat the food. He felt the hens were pets rather than food, but he also agreed it was easier to walk or drive the few blocks to the multiple grocery stores available when we needed eggs.
On our walks, I often see the miniature horse that lives 4 blocks away being walked, and pastured at the empty lot on a corner.
That lot won’t be empty for long. I see the signs of impending construction, a Port-o-potty, a temporary electrical pole, and today we even saw an excavator on site. The neighborhood has been changing slowly with the traditional ranch style homes, like ours, being torn down to build modern homes twice the size, and twice the height. We passed at least five construction sites today.
On our walk Sparky must smell as many as possible black trash cans with their mixed content, the blue cans with their recyclables, and the green cans with their yard and tree trimmings headed to compost piles.
I’ve tried coaxing Sparky to get going when we’ve been at a place long enough by pulling on his leash. He just looks up and gives me the “can’t you see I’m busy gathering data with my powerful nose? I’m working here, lady. Take a look around and wait until I’m done. I’ll let you know when I’m ready.”
So I walk, stop, restart walking, slow down, pick up, dispose of the bag, and continue at Sparky’s pace.
We make a good team. I’m often surprised when I take the time to look around when we slow down or stop. Change is always happening if I choose to look.
Walking with Sparky allows me to flow at nature’s pace in our neighborhood. And this suits my observer HD environmental style too.
Is there anything you need to surrender to?