How long can such beauty last when it is just barely hanging from a vine?

Huntington Library - January 2018

Filling the Frame

I've been participating in a weekly photo challenge Facebook group called, Definitely Dreaming.

This week's challenge, Filling the Frame.

Here's Ryker making sure he's filling the frame this Sunday morning.  Mornings are a constant stream of jumps on and off the bed and running from the inside to the outside until the two tired themselves out and then snuggle themselves to sleep next to me.

Ryker in the Gloaming

Sometimes light just happens and you just happen to have your camera and the object of this light just happens right in front of you.

2018 New Beginning and Becoming Something New

2018 is a new year for me. I am recently retired and my former self was in the field as an administrative legal secretary at the South Coast Air Quality Management District.


And now….I am what? That’s what I hope to find out. What am I to become now. I’ll still be married and living in a family household with my niece, my grandniece and mother; along with two basenjis. This is Ryker and Rookie LeRoux.

Empty Shoes Haiku

Empty shoes left on curb

unknowingly left behind when she stepped up

no one noticed bare feet

Just a beautiful photo of my Ryker Le Roux.  He likes sitting like this because he can.  He will sit like this for awhile or until I bring out my camera and disturb his inner peace.

The Playfulness of Light

Took some time away to enjoy a day at Descanso Botanical Gardens the other day.  The gardens were under some serious renovations to many of the garden areas.  Lots of overturned dirt and red string borders outlining their new ideas for the gardens.

Not much was blooming since technically its still winter.  Yes even in California we have a very mild winter.  After the first serious rain, I wanted to roam about mostly to enjoy the silence and feel the peacefulness that the gardens provide.  It was a little of both except for the herd of teenage students who were on a field trip.

Since nothing really was in bloom, I decided to look for interesting light.  This is what I got from my day.

Ryker Le Roux, 2 year old basenji.

Savannah ~ February 9, 2003 - July 23, 2012

I haven't been able to write about my sweet Savannah.  She passed away July 23, 2012.  I should say that we had to face a difficult challenge for us -- and that was to let her go.  

After a year of health issues and another surgery, we discovered that our little girl was suffering from a fast spreading cancer.  It was in her liver.  

Savannah was such a sweet Basenji.  She never gave us much trouble growing up.  Yes, she chewed a few things here and there, but really not that much.  She was smart and tough.  I still remember her leading out in front on our walks.  Moving quick and confidently.

She was our big love and my husband's little girl.  Oh how she wrapped up his heart in her paw.  He would smother her with kisses and she never mind them at all.  She knew love; warmth; shelter and safety.  

We had a tough year with her illnesses.  But still we did whatever we could to make her life comfortable.  We even bought her a pretty pink stroller when she was having difficulty walking.  My husband pushed that stroller with all his pride and love.  

These are a few photos when she was sick.  You could see the tiredness in her eyes.  

The Afternoon I rushed her to the vet, I kept thinking that she would be alright.  We knew at that time she had Cancer, but I kept thinking that as soon as she healed from her surgery, we would start looking at our options.  But when her doctor came in to speak to me, he said, "She's one sick little girl" and that's when my heart began to crack.  

On July 23, 2012, my husband and I made the decision to send her on a journey alone.  We couldn't let her stay in pain and our challenge was to make the decision to let her go.  The doctors left us in the room with her and told us to take our time with her; but you know there is never really ever enough time.  How could I give them an answer about how much time I needed.  I needed more time to be with her; to sleep with her; to cuddle her and kiss her.  But there's never ever enough time.  I was so afraid for her.  She looked into our eyes as if she was telling us to just take her away from there and take her home.  But we couldn't.  We had to send her on her way and believe that one day we will be with her.  

The word "pet" doesn't even begin to explain what they mean to us. They are our love; our joy; our laughs and our smiles. They embed themselves in our hearts and know the meaning of "Stay" because that is what they indeed do. They Stay. They stay in our hearts; in our smiles and in our tears. They STAY forever loved and they STAY in our memories. Constant and strong.

We go on -- through heartbreak and through tears.

What is so remarkable and I see it all the times is that eventually our hearts do have the ability to open up again to give our love again to another and another and another.

That is the beauty of a human who has a heart. There is always much much more love to give. 

I have so many photos of Savannah and it's hard to choose which one I love the best.  However, this one is one of my all time favorite photos of Savannah.   She looks like she's laughing and just enjoying the beautiful day.  This is what she made my heart feel like....Immense Joy.

I love you Baby Girl.  Always and Forever.