On a windless moonlit early morning, I take a walk with my dogs. Our 10 feet crunch across the jewel-encrusted, snow-covered road. The old one, Dulse, is tethered to my waist because I know he wants to walk near. The young one, Rudder, is on a long leash, so he can run where he wants to sniff the new smells that have appeared since his last walk. Down the tree-shadowed driveway Rudder runs out and then back several times to make sure we are there. When we come to the road the moon is so bright that even when we cross the shadows of the trees, I can see clearly. We walk along, woods on either side, the dogs stop every once in a while to sniff and watch the creatures moving in there that I can't hear or smell, which is probably a blessing. The day has started out right.
