Typist: Bethany
When I was young, traveling North America in the family van, if we were lucky my dad would honk the horn as we went through a tunnel. Luck was if there was not one else around; my dad was considerate enough not to freak other tunnel goers out just for the giggling pleasure of his kids. I don't remember exactly what our dogs did when the light suddenly changed in the van and my brother and I began to plead to hear a horn echo in the darkness horn. Like my traveling dogs, cat, and cockatoo, those dogs probably slept right through the shadows of tunnel fun. The excitement of passing through a tunnel instilled in me by my dad has the same effect on my current travel pets as my childhood dogs... they keep on snoozing. I do often wonder, though, what road trip tunnel going Wilhelm, Brychwyn, Huxley, Amelia, and Leo would do if they heard that "ah-oooo-gah" echoing until passing into the light at the other end. I wonder because I don't honk. Even if I am all alone for miles. Sorry, dad. It just isn't the same without you, a school bus yellow camper van, and a custom ahooga horn. But I do still so love a good tunnel...

Dogwood Photography Photo Challenge Week 9, Artistic: Shadows
"The opposite of light is dark, the absence of light is shadow. Interpret this into a masterpiece."

What it is about tunnels that is so magical? I know I have wonderful ahooga horn memories but those are unique. Other people and animals, even those who have never heard a crazy family van horn, enjoy tunnels as well. Why? This fascination with light to dark to light is what inspired "The Tunnel of Love" as well as "The Tunnel of Terror." Whatever it is about the echoing of sound, the sudden absence, and the impending presence of light that is just so frightening, fun, and beautiful at the same time, I love it. And even if I don't carry on the family honk tradition when I pass through a tunnel on a road trip, I never want to stop feeling thrilled every time I get to focus on that light at the end of the tunnel and literally get tunnel vision.

This post is a part of the Dogwood Photography 52 Week Photography Challenge. Please see more of our photo challenge posts here.

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Typist: Bethany
The beginning of the year is usually when people create goals, resolutions and make plans for the future. Yet for some reason this time of year causes me to reflect on the past, particularly how quickly time flies. In dog time, days whiz by in a blur! Everyday I spend with Wilhelm, Brychwyn and Huxley I am amazed at how quickly they grow and the progress they continue to make in training and socialization. Looking back at when my best friends were new additions to my life reminds me that each and everyday with them is the most special of gifts. In that sense, I think spending my New Year reflecting on the past, actually helps me to enjoy the present and wisely plan for the future. I treasure my dogs at every stage of life, past, present and future. There is no better way to cherish the new by embracing the old. (Especially when my old dogs were so very cute as new puppies!)

What kind of perspective do you gain from reflecting on the past?

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Typist: Bethany
Jason calls it "a movie moment." As in it is the kind of thing that could only happen in the movies. Jason phoned to tell me his sister, Debbie, had lost her battle with cancer and passed away. As soon as my call with him ended I began to dial my mom who's number appeared on my caller ID before I had finished dialing. I answered to hear her crying and I asked "you know? Who called you?" Her response was "you're crying? Who told you?" Well, my mom was crying because my grandfather had suffered a heart attack and was recovering in the hospital. I labeled this late September day "the worst day ever." But two and a half weeks ago, when my grandfather died unexpectedly from another heart attack, I thought an even worst worse had been reached. My sister-in-law was buried exactly one month before. How bad can things get? Well, while setting up the church for my grandfather's funeral, I received word from my dad that my forty-five year old cousin had  mysteriously passed away. I completely broke down. If ever there was a last straw, this was surely it.

During my grandfather's funeral I had an epiphany: I am so lucky to have known and been so close to such an amazing man. Having a wonderful sister-in-law, even if it was for too short of a time, was a dream come true. My cousin knew how much I had always looked up to her and how much she meant to me. If I didn't have a big, loving family, I would never have to experience the pain of their deaths. And I wouldn't want that. I can endure the loss and be thankful for the wonderful memories.

Such an epiphany has come to me before. My realization déjà vu was from January, 1989, the day my first husky Natasha died of a stroke. I never wanted to feel such painful loss again. As I walked the beautiful snowy day without my best friend of eight years, it occurred to me that all of the wonderful times we had shared were worth this time of heart ache. I was truly grateful for the friendship we shared. Plus, walking anywhere, especially in the snow, without a dog just felt wrong. Jason would have called this "a movie moment" too. The kind of positive attitude about death I found that day is exactly what children are scripted to learn from living with, caring for and suffering through the loss of pets. Being grateful for what I have, things like photos, memories and a legacy of love and wisdom, is truly a moment straight out of a tear-jerker film.

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Four years ago, on November 8th, Amelia came to her forever home with the Cascadian Nomads from the Seattle Animal Shelter.

Brychwyn turns four today, Sunday, November 9th.

And on November 10th, Huxley celebrates his third birthday.

Happy Birthday to the Cascadian Nomads "baby" Huxley. Happy Gotcha Day to special long legged cat, Amelia, and Happy Birthday to adorable short legged dog, Brychwyn.

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