“The longer I live the more I realize the impact of attitude on life … I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it. And so it is with you. We are in charge of our attitudes.” – Charles R. Swindoll
Pepper after getting into the sprinklers and then the ferns at a friend’s house. Yes, she’s a cutie pie, but … — Photo by Pat Bean
Which Do You Want to Hear First?
There seems to be more birds here at Lake Walcott this year than last, an eye-popping treat for this enthusiastic birder. But perhaps that’s because there are more bugs as well.
Thankfully they’re not the stinging kind, just clouds of mayflies thick enough to provide a privacy curtain and little black gnats that like to fly up your nose.
A gaggle of Canada geese making their getaway as Pepper and I near. Too bad they can’t take their poop with them. — Photo by Pat Bean
It was so much fun watching the Canada geese and their goslings when I first arrived here in Southern Idaho mid-May. There was a bumper crop of young’ens. But now I find myself stepping around tons of goose poop – and they poop big – when I walk the bank paths. Yuck!
Pepper, the Scotty mix puppy I rescued after losing my longtime canine traveling companion, Maggie, brings daily adventure and joy to my life. But she wakes me every morning at 5:30 a.m., and makes sure we take long walks no matter how thick the bugs are outside.
And so life goes.
There’s always bad with the good, and good with the bad. Swindoll got it exactly right. Attitude is the key to our days. I’m grateful I see my own glass as always half full instead of half empty.
What about you?
Bean’s Pat: Green-rumped parrotlets http://tinyurl.com/brwgre2 From egg to adult. Fantastic. Blog pick of the day from the wondering wanderer.
Pat Bean's blog 
Oh, Pepper is a world-class cutie.
That she is. And she chose me. I would never have picked a puppy and especially not a terrier. And there are days when I certainly know why. Thanks for commenting Bob.
You had me worried with your opening lines… Glad things are good, even if a bit mucky and buggy at the moment. 😉
I think my opening is what you call a teaser. I’m glad things are good, too. And glad you commented.
I have a cat who wakes me up with the sun for his breakfast…at least in the winter I can sleep until 7am. Not now, 5am and I wake up to Atticus nudging me not so politely out of bed.
I get chin kisses … and when I try to burrow beneath the cover, she burrows right in with me.
I get a bite on the elbow if I’m not fast enough. I would like chin kisses.
I have to agree it’s not the most unpleasurable manner of being woke up. Maggie slept in, but then I got “the look” to let me know it was time for a walk.
Keep writing … Pat Bean https://patbean.wordpress.com
“that dog just drips cuteness”, a friend told me yesterday about my furry guy Duffy. Serves him well when he wants to go outside at 5 AM. Still, I wouldn’t trade him… 🙂
Pepper and I have only been together now for three months. But I can’t imagine my life without her. And of course, you’re right. She does drip cuteness. Right now she’s sleeping on my bare feet as I sit at the computer. She always want to be touching me.
Pepper is so cute that I want to give her a hug.
Ah yes, goose poop. Something I’m all too familiar with, but I’m happy to have the pond to walk around every day and with the pond comes some goose poop, insects, and frogs that scare the daylights out of me when I walk by and they make a loud “EEEEEP!’ I guess that makes my glass half full. 🙂
egads 5:30 is way too early for long walks! But she is a little charmer and maybe as she gets older she will also want to sleep in 🙂
5:30 is early, but how can you say No to a face like that?
You can’t. But I do get a short reprieve. I stand at the door with Pepper’s leash in hand and she quickly pees, then rushes back into the RV and sits by her food bowl. I feed her and crawl back into bed. Some days she actually waits until 7 a.m. for us to go on a long walk. It’s long these days because I’m not going to take her on her second long walk of the day (she gets several quick ones inbetween) until about 8 p.m. when the day has cooled down. Even though we’re not getting Texas heat in Idaho, it’s been hot the past few weeks.
Pepper is adorable. I like your quote from Charles Swindoll, it is so fitting and we need to hear it often and again.
Thanks Martina
You scared me at first. I thought you were going to say that something happened to pepper. Glad it was “only” bugs and goose poop 🙂
Me, too. I’m not sure I could stand to lose another dog.