It's Become an Obsession

Climbing has quickly become a new obsession in my life as I've been spending ever day off this summer doing it. There is such a rush feeling the pain in your feet, hands, knees, and muscles as you attempt to scale the rock at your fingertips. There comes such a high as you progress further up a rock than you ever thought possible, as you play the mental game of overcoming fears & try to calm nerves. Your heart races as your fingers start slipping & you swing off the face of the rock towards nothingness.Trust. It's all a game of trust. Do you trust the person at the other end of the rope to catch your weight if you slip or fall? Do you trust the knots you just put into the rope? Do you trust that your fingertips can support the weight of your body as you shimmy up a smooth surface? You learn a lot about yourself up there on that rock, beyond anything you ever thought possible...

Ears Up

Boscarelli's ears came up on a Thursday while we were driving in the car headed towards Pennsylvania. They both popped right up & have stood straight up ever since. He's growing so quickly. People can't believe he's only a 4 month old puppy. I have a hard time believing it myself sometimes.We started training the day he turned 16 weeks old (I won't work obedience w/ any puppy under 16 weeks) & he's taken quickly to heel w/ the automatic sit, holding a sit no matter where I move to, in (getting into anything, cars, crates, etc.), his release word (Okay!), and have recently started on down. He's going to make an awesome dog when he grows into the big clunky legs.

Skyler & I are scheduled to take our Delta Society Animal Assisted Therapy Pet Partner's test on August 22nd to participate in therapy work here in Missoula. Wish us luck as we've been waiting for our opportunity to take this test for a long time.

Lost Lake

My friends from high school, Kayla & Stan, were getting married & I was one of the bridesmaids in their wedding. The wedding was back in Pennsylvania & I will use just about any excuse for a road trip. I took the opportunity to pack up the pups in mi baja & drive cross country to my parents house. I also discovered along the way that dropping down to Boulder, CO for a quick visit to Chris & Schuck would only add a total of 4 hours onto my trip total. While down in Boulder for a few days Chris took me hiking in some forest (I can't remember the name of it, help me out here Chris if you read this!) to Lost Lake.

Skyler is not shown in any of these pictures b/c I left her back in Chris' appartment for the day since it was a decently steep hike on a hot day. She was very happy to be left alone to sleep on Chris' bed all day followed by a nice walk in the cool of the night once we returned.

HooDoo Lake

I was 10 when I took my first trip out West. My family (excluding my brother, who was attending a Boyscout camp) drove to the Idaho panhandle to camp for a couple weeks. On the drive out was my first experience of Missoula. Although I was young & barely remember any of it, it was then that Missoula & I made our first connection. Ever since then I have been drawn to it, which finally led to my moving here.

At the direction of the forest service my family & I stayed at a remote mountain lake known as VooDoo lake. Tonight I returned there once again.The lake is still as beautiful as I remember it. The road still as winding, taking you as far into the Bitterroot Wilderness as one possibly can get on a road. I got to take only a few photos before the battery died on my camera.
Bosco & Skyler enjoyed some swim lessons in the firgid lake waters. Skyler is building up the courage little by little to get further into the water, while Bosco is champing it out just like everything else that he does.Yes, I am really pale. This is what the winters in Montana do to you when you are covered up so much for most of the year. Thankfully the floating season has started & I will get to spend atleast a little time out in the sun.