Dharma Dog Days

Companions

2011-11-12T14:14:00.001-08:00

Sun floods my room on

this quiet Saturday afternoon

Dog and a couple of Chinese poets

My only companions

The Right Spot

2011-11-07T15:47:00.000-08:00

Hiya! Been a long time since we went to the Headlands, but here we were today. It was hotter than usual, so we didn't go all the way up to Hill 88. I looked for some other spot to sit for a while, to informally meditate. Found a spot but just didn't feel right, and Nikki was still restless - not tired yet! Then as we went a little further, Nikki - dharma dog - stopped to look over the Tennessee Valley. We both stood looking, awed. It was just such a fantastic view. Then he sat down, and I followed suit. This was the spot! We sat for quite a while before heading back.

Fog Dog

2011-10-24T12:29:00.000-07:00

Hello-o-o old friend fog! Temperatures are down so dharma dog can run again! Dharma dog is happy! Ran from home to the Polo Field in Golden Gate Park, around the oval track, and back home again. About 5.5 miles - just a warm up for runs later in the week. Haven't been running because of the hi-temp Indian Summer but will do daily ten-miles runs again soon! Yah!

Running with Pops

2011-10-06T14:38:00.000-07:00

Running with Pops

Hey, it's me again! It's been raining the last coupla days so Pops and I haven't been out with the bike. Just walking around the neighborhood. Been a lot more peaceful this way. Yeah, no more getting jacked up by know-it-all busy-bodies. Guess Pops been telling you about all that, huh! Yeah, that last one really got to him, after a string of them lately. What's up with that?!

He held it pretty good, though. The most he said was "Shut up." No "F' word or nuthin'. But for most of the ride he was kinda lost in his own thoughts. Every now and then I hear him breathing deep, and we weren't even going up a hill or nuthin'. A coupla times he shook his head and shoulders - kinda like what we do when we're wet but he doesn't know how to do it right. I think it made him a bit dizzy! LOL! It wasn't till we got to Stowe Lake that he lightened up. I mean, who wouldn't? It was beautiful out there. They just finished paving the road so it was all smooth and smelling nice from the rain and just then, the sun came out too. That's when he remembered I was there and he looked over at me and gave me a treat. "Good dog!" he said, but I didn't do anything to deserve a treat. 'Course I took it anyway. Who needs a reason?!

Seems to me Pops got a lot more upset than need be. Funny. I mean, not his being upset but how he got upset. You know how he said them people identified themselves with their misery, like, their identity = misery? And that's why they act the way they do? Well, seems to be Pops got some identity thing too, although it's not about being unhappy. See, Pops sees himself as a good dog person - kind, knowledgeable and conscientious - like, picking up my poop and everything. And he is all that - I'm a witness and I can testify! But... he's built himself an identity around it. Now, identity, as we Buddhists know, is an illusory thing. There is no fixed thing called "I" and as long as we think we have one, we cling to it, defend it and sometimes lay a heavy trip on others because of it, like them people who been harassing him. So Pops was upset that the nice image or ID he has of himself was disrespected. But really, it was just all of them having identity clashes with each other - like how me and Trina bark at other dogs in our neighborhood sometimes.

Yeah, I say sometimes. I usually never bark or harass other dogs. I'm one mellow guy. But with Trina around, she gets me going. There' re a coupla yappers that he hates. So when she barks, I bark. Gotta give her support, right? I mean, she's my sister and all. Plus, I don't know what we're barking at half the time, but I don't want her to think I'm a flake, or a wuss. See? We all got ID issues.

With Trina, it's also from her conditioning. I don't know her past but humans have done all kinds of shitty things to us dogs. Moms and Pops have been real good to her but they can't seem to change some things. I guess Trina still thinks she's a shepherd even though there's no sheep around to protect and no bad wolves to attack us. She's stuck on her identity. LOL! But... She did scare away someone who tried to steal the planter on our front stoop once. Yeah, she was baa-a-ad!

Anyway, I think Pops had a few days to chill out and I think he sees through some of his own stuff. I guess being scolded is one of his hot buttons, especially when it comes from white people. Yeah, a lot of karma and past conditioning... Shit happens and it takes a lot to get over it, which is why I say, don't give people shit! It's gonna come back to you one way or another. Don't add any more to what we already got!

Adios, muchachos!

2011-10-04T23:22:00.000-07:00

Biking with Dharma Dog

A little reality note: just 'cause you're happy, it doesn't mean that happiness gets automatically spread to everyone you meet. Sometimes it incurs just the opposite. Dharma dog and I have been encountering that a lot lately, coming across people who are so identified with their misery that they can't stand to see anyone else having a good time... or doing something a little out of the ordinary, like riding a bike with a dog leashed to it - despite the fact that we do it using one of the safest contraptions designed for doing this sort of thing.

Golden Gate lady #1:

"How does he get to sniff with you dragging him around like that? That's so cruel!"

She has a little yapper on a leash and it's sniffing and marking all over the place - not a healthy thing for dog or environment. Dog pee is highly acidic and fries all vegetation it comes in contact with. And incessant marking is a symptom and cause of neurosis. She has no idea that Huskies love to run, especially on a leash because they can pretend to be pulling a sled. Most likely, she didn't even see what kind of dog I had or even know what a Husky is.

Golden Gate lady #2:

"Your dog is tired!" she shouts as she rides by on her bike, not waiting for any answer from me but slows down enough to give me a dirty look. Of course, none of these self appointed guardians of animal welfare are interested in dialog. I look at Nikki and he isn't anywhere near tired. I know his limits very well by now and I never ride faster than he can run.

Presidio lady:

Training her dog on the footpath. Her dog is on a leash and wears a muzzle. She's trying to get its attention with a food bribe, trying to work it in between the muzzle! Her dog, as most normal dogs, was more interested in meeting Nikki. She's pissed. The control freak can't get control.

"Do you have a leash?" She asks.

"Yeah," I said.

"Will you put it on?"

"No," I said. "I told you he's friendly and your dog doesn't seem to mind him at all," I said, riding off, with Nikki trailing behind off-leash, totally uninterested in the dog or its owner. She begins to yell at me and continues yelling as I pull away.

Central Ave lady:

"Leash too short," she says and looks at me with disapproval.

"Huh?" I said, incredulously.

"Leash too short."

"The leash is fine," I said, not bothering to waste time explaining that the leash is intentionally kept short so the dog doesn't run in front of the bike or get it tangled up in the rear wheel. At the same time, there was plenty of slack for the dog to move about comfortably.

"That's cruelty to animals!" she says.

By now, I ran out of patience with these people. I said, "SHUT up!" and pulled away.

Now... I wonder if it's a coincidence that these were all women. Seems like unhappy men resort to physical violence while their female counterparts use psychological aggression. And is it a coincidence that they were all white? Are they less inhibited about berating people of color than they are with white people? Do they feel bolder with me and morally superior? Or were they just looking to find some company for their misery?

Hmmm... probably all of the above.

Deep breaths... shake it off. Look at Nikki, give him a treat. "What a good dog!" The new pavement around Stowe Lake is a dream! And the morning air, after a sprinkle of rain, smells so fresh and clean!

2011-10-01T19:42:00.000-07:00

Nikki Dharma Dog

Whew, had to take a break after that last post. I guess it's pretty obvious now, that all dogs are dharma dogs. They have so much to teach us about life, about ourselves. It was really more about the level of my own Buddhist practice that I began to call Nikki the dharma dog, and not any of the dogs before. And while our morning outings have taken us to places of quietude and contemplation, it was my relationship with Nikki - and the way it unfolded - that made me recognize him as the dharma dog.

For the longest time, Nikki lived in the shadow of Kaleo, even as I hated to admit it, I held back my affection and became disappointed when unrealistic and unfair expectations were placed on him. It took a huge effort to see Nikki for himself and not as a failed replacement for Kaleo. Eventually, mindful persistence and discipline paid off. I began to appreciate and see him as a beautiful dog totally in his own right. And with with Nikki's patience and generosity we managed to form a special bond that is uniquely our own.

2011-09-27T14:32:00.000-07:00

Kaleo

Kaleo is my favorite dog of all time. Yes, I admit it. Yes, we're not supposed to have favorites, but it happens. You can't will it away, or dismiss it based on some sort of "thought correctness." Truth is, some sentient beings resonate with us more deeply than others - be it a child, a pet or a life partner. It has to do with our karma. And so it is that Kaleo touched me more deeply than any dog so far. The grief and despair I felt at his passing was greater than any I've experienced - for dog or human.

I've always felt that Kaleo and I had known each other in a previous life. With those piercing eyes, I felt the stare of my ancestors. I felt the connection to memory from a long, long time ago. But it wasn't the memory of the mind, but of the heart and soul. And due to fortune or karma, we were brought together again, perhaps, as reward for good behavior.

Why, then, were we separated again so soon? Is it really true that all good things don't last? Was it to teach me about impermanence, about loss? To prepare me for even greater losses up ahead? There are, of course, no definitive answers, suffice it to keep the thoughts in mind, for when situations do arise, I would be better prepared to do what I have to do. And ever since I buried him, I've felt much more at peace with his passing. I am deeply grateful.

2011-09-26T15:13:00.000-07:00

Trina and Kaleo

Trina brought us so much joy from day one. My mother was still living with us then, and when Trina came into our home for the first time, she went straight to my mother and put her head in her lap and looked up at her with those big, pleading brown eyes. Mom was instantly won over.

Trina has always been such a good girl - we never had to house train her. In the ten years since we've had her, she has had only one "accident" and that was because she was sick. She always came when called and before long, we were letting her run off leash.

She loved playing with other dogs - "stalking" them from distance, then making a last minute dash toward them with "no-holds" exuberance. But what she really loved was being chased and boy, did she own that game! She had a thing or two to show the guys in football - how to make it through the best defense with lightning quick fakes to the left, then right, left again, getting low to the ground for the sharpest turns, then circling around so she ended up chasing the chaser! She was so good other dogs soon gave up playing with her. They didn't stand a chance.

Because Mom was getting on in age, she could not spend the kind of active time with Trina. When Karen thought out loud about getting another dog to keep Trina company, it was all I needed to hit the internet dog search. I had actually always liked Huskies, so I thought this time, I would get one. I found one posted by a Northern dogs rescue organization in Salinas, CA. It was love at first sight. I made arrangements to see the dog and brought Trina with me to make sure it will be one she liked. And for her, it was love at first sight, as well. She and Kaleo (called Nohea then) hit it off right away, and it was like, " Can we take him home, Daddy, can we, can we? Ple-e-e-ase!"

Well, it took a couple of days for me to finally decide, as I wasn't sure about having two dogs in the house. But, of course, you know I was going to bring him home. As it turned out, they became the best buddies ever... and no trouble whatsoever.

Trina

2011-09-24T15:26:00.000-07:00

Okay, okay! Dharma dog bugged me enough to get back to posting. Said he got tired of sub'ing for me. Can't blame him... Now... where was I? Oh yeah, just before I left for Vancouver I was supposed to tell Trina's story.

Vancouver, by the way, was great. I rode the Gran Fondo Whistler and managed to finish in a decent time - nothing to brag about, but I did finish. Then, typically when we're up there, wifey and I ate our way through Vancouver. Much as I enjoyed it, I'm glad to be back. And be with my "kids" again. Been retreating into the garden - pruning, replanting and making myself a meditation station to do daily sitting at sunrise.

So... about Trina. I found Trina online - Petfinders.com, I think. She lived in Sacramento, so wifey, i.e., Karen and I drove out there "just to look." It was a bit soon after Tybone had died, but I decided that getting a new dog, while it replaced a hole in my heart, will never replace the dog. There will always a place for Tybone.

Trina lived in a foster home with about a dozen other dogs with this lady who had a couple of acres around her house in rural Sacramento. I had called ahead, so when we got there the lady called out to Trina. She had a different name then. She was named "America," as everyone was still reeling from the shock and aftermath of 9/11. So, even before she came to us, Trina was already a healer and a heart-mender. I didn't know then that she was to play that role two times - first was, of course, after Tybone's passing, but just five years later, a second time after we lost our beloved Kaleo.

Trina was two when we brought her home on Valentine's Day in 2002. We named her Trina during the drive home. Soon, I was also referring to her as the Princess of Hearts, and what a sweetheart she is! Just as the saying goes, she "wears her heart on her sleeve." She's the most openly giving and loving dog ever. She does not hold back. She was also full of surprises. The first time a fire engine went by the house, Karen and I were shocked when Trina leaned back on her haunches and began howling with all her might. She does not hold back!

It took years for us to find out that Trina is an Icelandic sheepdog and this propensity for howling is a typical characteristic of the breed. All along, we had been told she's part Golden Retriever and part Shepherd. This was easy to see, though we were constantly guessing at which of the shepherds, but when I ran across a dog that could have been her twin, I found out, for the first time, about Icelandic Sheep dogs and realized that this must be what Trina is.

Shepherd, sheep dog - whatever you call it, Trina is definitely protective, vigilant and territorial. And she has no interest in chasing after balls, let alone retrieving them.

There's so much to tell about Trina, her story would have to be told on a continuous basis. So for now, just take a llok at early pictures of her. Oh, and her other nickname is "Sweetie pie."

Ty

2011-09-03T14:44:00.000-07:00

Hey, look at these old pictures Pops found while cleaning out his man cave! This is Ty. His full name was Tyrone but he was usually called Ty... and then Mom's started calling him "Tybone" and that kinda stuck.

Tybone was adopted from the SPCA back in '95. Moms and Pops went there to look for a cat... a CAT! WTF! Moms doesn't like cats (Yay Moms!) but she relented when Pops wouldn't stop moaning and groaning about it. Then, for some reason they decided to look at dogs while they were there and Pops fell in love with the dog.

"It was those big brown eyes," Pops said. "I've never seen such soulful eyes on a dog or a human!"

Tybone was the sweetest dog with people, Pops said, but he had real issues with other dogs. He just went berserko every time he saw another dog, so walking him was very hard, although in those days there weren't that many dogs in the neighborhood. They never knew why or how he got that way. The SPCA folks even warned Moms and Pops about this but they decided to take him anyway. You know Poops was in love with that dog! "We'll deal with it," he said.

Tybone was real smart. Pops said it didn't take but once for him to say, "Your name is 'Ty' for him to understand. (Took me a while to get used to being called "Nikki!") Then, when Pops and Moms were talking and didn't want Ty to know they were saying the word, "treat,'" they would spell it out. After just that one time, Ty knew what "T-R-E-A-T" meant! But... poor Ty, Moms and Pops didn't know much about dogs back then. He was Pops' first dog. And with Ty's hate-other-dogs problem, he could never be let off leash. Ty didn't get to run around like I do.

Pops was heart-broken when Ty died. They didn't knw he had a tumor in him, but one night, it got so big it burst his spleen. Moms and Pops woke up to a real sick dog. Ty went into the garden and hid under some bushes way in the back of the garden. Pops said he kinda panicked. He dug Tybone out from under the bush and carried him upstairs through the house and into the car and drove him to the vet. The vet was dealing with another emergency, so he put Ty in a crate in the back for observation. At that point no one knew what was wrong. There was nothing for Pops to do but go home and wait. Then, a phone call came. The vet said, "Ty passed."

Pops was not only sad that he lost Ty but he was sorry that he didn't just sit with Ty by the bush and waited with him. Instead, Ty was left to die all alone in a strange place. If he only knew that Ty was going to die anyway he wouldn't have put poor Ty through all that trauma in his last moments. Pops vowed to never let any dog of his go like that again.

A few months later, on Valentine's Day in 2002, Moms and Pops brought Trina home. I'll let him tell you that story.

I'm ba-a-a-ck!

2011-09-02T17:35:00.000-07:00

Hey - Hey! The D Dog is back! Just two days into the restart and Pops got sick! There's lots to say but he said his head feels like an over-ripe melon so I said I would sub for him. He's got this big ride coming up in Vancouver next week - the Gran Fondo Whistler, or some funny name like that. He's supposed to have been training a long time ago but he waited till the last minute. So now, each time he tries to "whip himself into shape", he gets sick! Bummer! But, that just means more time with me! Cool!

Hey did you see his new book of photographs of me and all the cool places we've been to? All my friends say, "You lucky dog!"

I say luck's got nothing to do with it. If it weren't for me, Pops wouldn't have even gone to all those places. Well, OK, we're both lucky. Lucky to have each other.

"A man is a dog's best friend," so they say, but some people are pretty messed up, like my previous "owner" - he dumped me in the street and didn't even want me back after Animal Control found me. Imagine that! What did I ever do to him?! I know I would never leave my friends. I would never leave Pops. In fact, sometimes, when I roam too far and lose sight of Pops, I get a little panicky, know what I mean? But he always whistles to let me know where he is and boy, am I glad to hear that whistle blow! I just run as fast as I can to get back to him.

Pops says we're fellow travelers in life, and we help each other with our karma. He says because I'm a dog and he's a human, he's responsible for my karma too, to make sure I get a good reincarnation after I die. Pretty intense stuff. Half of the time I don't even know what he's talking about. He's funny that way.

Whoa! I just looked out the window and fog just rolled in - "with a vengeance," as Pops likes to say. When I started posting, it was all blue sky and sunshine! Go figure! It's San Francisco! See y'all soon! xoxo (= lick lick).

Restart, continued...

2011-08-31T10:23:00.000-07:00

Today I restarted meditation. I'm a Buddhist, but a lazy one. Meditation does wonders for me, yet I'm too undisciplined to do it every day. A few years ago, I did it pretty regularly, mainly because I had a meditation partner. His name was Kaleo (Hawaiian name, pronounced ka-LAY-o).

Every morning, while I washed up, Kaleo would wait for me in front of the Buddha shrine, next to my mediation pillow. When I sat down, I would stroke his head and say, "What a good dog! What a beautiful spirit! I'm so glad you came into my life!" And with that, Kaleo would be be so happy. He would turn his head to smile and look at me with loving eyes. Then I'd say, "OK, let's get started," and he would curl up behind me and go to sleep while I sat, counting my breath.

After he died prematurely from cancer, I stopped sitting every morning. I built a memorial to him in the garden. (See related post, July 15, 2009). It was set in front of his favorite spot. He loved freshly dug-up dirt, and since I was doing the landscaping at the time, I built a dog rest for him and our other dog Trina. Trina and Kaleo were the best of friends and, you know what? The moment the memorial was complete, Trina came and laid down in front of it for almost the whole morning. Although I did not bury him there, I could see she felt his presence.

That was in 2007. Fast forward to now. Recently, Trina has made a routine of hanging out in the garden after dinner, sometimes needing repeated calls and cajoling to get her to come back in from the dark. One day, out of frustration, I went down to get her. As I approached, she ran ahead and led me to Kaleo's memorial and looked behind it through the fence, as if looking into the distance. She was obviously seeing something I didn't.

I had always wondered if she went down every night to be with Kaleo's spirit, and now it was getting downright spooky. Still, it wasn't till the next morning when I realized that she was trying to tell me something specific, like, bringing a message from Kaleo. And the message was that Kaleo wanted to be out there, not in a box on the shelf in my room upstairs.

Of course! I thought to myself. I was clinging to a false memory of Kaleo that was essentially a selfish act. It was time to let go and set Kaleo's spirit free, to let him go on his natural journey. I knew what I had to do.

I buried Kaleo's ashes directly in the ground, mixed with the soil that he so loved. I covered it with more soil and planted lilies, baby's tears, blue grass and cylamen. Yesterday morning, I burned some incense to send him off and sat for a while to soak in his presence. And today, I resumed daily meditation, except now it takes place in the garden, in full presence of Kaleo's spirit.

Yeah - spirits, animal communication - I can feel it, and if I feel it, it must be true.

Restart

2011-08-30T10:24:00.000-07:00

New hybrid cars have the ability to turn off the engine at stops and restart quite seamlessly - saves energy and reduces pollution. Well, here we are - back again after almost a year long absence, though maybe not so seamlessly. Not cool, in blogosphere terms, what, with short term attention span and memory loss you're supposed to keep it going, or so goes conventional wisdom.

Not so, I say! One of the best things about getting old is that you get to see things come around. You know the saying... what goes round, comes around. Well, if you live long enough, you can actually see that happen. So many things have happened as if to never happen again, so many friends and fellow travelers have gone different ways, only to reappear at unexpected - and sometimes - at the best moments.

Anyway, not to ramble on forever - We're back! It took me a year to make the book based on this blog. It was a lot harder than I had thought. What I thought was, OK, simple. All I gotta do is transpose the contents into book form. Well, that fell flat. The two mediums don't mix. Can't just interchange like that. As a result, I had to re-conceptualize it several times. In the end, the simplest form won out - a practically wordless photo journal. And, as I found out, the book is essentially autobiographical. And you know that can raise a whole sh-tload of issues. Kinda like writing a resume for a job you never wanted in the first place.

In a year's time dharma dog has grown a lot. It's that 1 - 7 ratio of dog to human years. He says, "I don't feel like keeping the blog any more. You restart it, and maybe I'll jump in later."

Fair enough, so here I am.

It's been a busy year. In Spring, I went to Bhutan, where dogs run free in the streets - hangin' out during the day and partying all night. I wish dharma dog could have come with me but he was there in spirit. And I don't say that lightly. One of the things I learned in Bhutan was exactly to be more in tune with the spirit world. A young woman there said to me, "If you believe it, it's true."

Of course, that's not something I heard for the first time, but the way she said it and the situation that we were in, made a big impact on me. I've been carrying that thought ever since. I've been resistant to the idea of "believing." From my personal experience in the "rational" West, "belief" has always been associated with a substitute for understanding, when no understanding can be found. But after seeing how belief works in Bhutan, I realize it's not what I thought at all. It's more like the suspension of disbelief, to listen to your heart and your intuition, and not dismiss what you feel and know, on an instinctive level, what is true.

Still, it takes a while to "reformat" old habits. It takes time and opportunity for truth to reveal itself through the cloud and morass of accumulated karma.

to be continued (tbc)...

P.S., dharma dog days now available at amazon.com

Cookie Doodles

2011-02-12T11:59:00.000-08:00

Cookie Doodles

About Time

2010-11-13T13:32:00.000-08:00

Well! Wondering what's been happening to us? NO?! Aaaack, I was afraid of that. Out of sight, out of mind. Such short memories!

Anyway - obviously, it's mid November and still no new book. What gives? Well, Pops has been busy. It's not like he's been flakin' off or nothin'. He just gets into stuff. Those of you who know him know what I'm talking about. First off, he spends a couple of hours every morning with me. Oui, avec moi! Pardon my French. Then he's got his cycling, his painting, photography, preparing for art shows, organizing stuff and, oh yeah... he met the Dalai Lama! How cool is that! And he gave His Holiness a copy of Travels with Dharma Dog! Hoo-wee! I'm feeling so blessed!

Oh yeah, the new book. Well, since that's something that grows organically (one of Pop's favorite words) out of our life together... something like that takes time, you know! He's had to re-do it a number of times, mainly 'cause he decided to put out a bigger, better, newer version of the first book, and he wanted to match the new one to the same format.

So... Travels... is now available through Amazon.com - for much cheaper! Check it out - its' got an expanded bio of l'Artiste, i.e., Pops, and a bunch of photos to go with the painting notes and a couple of new photos of me! Like the one here.

And the Holidays are coming up and if you're thinking of what to give to that certain someone, hint hint! Maybe the new book will come out in time for next Christmas, ha ha! Well, it is basically done - just a lot of fine tuning. It's a much longer book with lotsa writing. Chinese New Year in February is a realistic release time.

OK... See y'all soon!

Time is...

2009-12-12T16:29:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

Guess you've noticed that things have been kinda quiet around here. Well, it's not for lack of activity... it's just that... well, how many times can you say that life is good? But Pops has been posting photos of moi, so I hope you're enjoying those. As for me, well, I am suffering from a bit of writer's block, that's all.

I hope you are all getting ready for the Holidays and have a great year to look forward to. Pops is working on a new book about me, based on this blog. Yes, this very blog! And, like the blog, it'll have lots of photos, so he's been kinda busy too. Doesn't mean we don't love you anymore! We have so enjoyed sharing our lives with you over the past months and will definitely be sharing more in the future.

Take care, be safe, be happy! I'll be back!

Cold December Light

2009-12-08T17:14:00.000-08:00

End of Land

2009-11-27T12:17:00.000-08:00

Remember a Day in November

2009-11-20T12:46:00.000-08:00

Pops and I love this time of year - yeah, November - sun, rain, clouds, wind... all in one day! So fresh, so invigorating. And the best part is coming home after a romp on the beach and sleeping inside!

Roaming Hill 88

2009-11-19T14:05:00.000-08:00

Pops said to me a long time ago, "Nikki, if you're a good boy, we can have so much fun together." Now that I'm older, I finally understand. He wanted me to go off leash and hang out with him without him having to worry about me wandering off and not coming back, or not coming when he calls. Well, I don't do any of that anymore, 'cause I really love him and he trusts me more now too. Guess it works both ways.

Today we went up to Hill 88. Pops rode his bike without the Springer, and I just followed or, when I wander off just a little bit, I always caught up to him. At the top, he sat and meditated, while I explored and found a tennis ball! As usual, he took a bunch of pictures. On the way down, he went so fast I could barely keep up, even while running as fast as I could! He waited for me at different turns in the road, and sometimes he gave me water. We had a great time!

Bumming around bunkers

2009-11-18T15:37:00.000-08:00

Monday Morning in the Headlands

2009-11-09T20:23:00.000-08:00

October Morning at Baker Beach

2009-10-22T15:25:00.000-07:00

Wild

2009-10-20T17:05:00.000-07:00

It's late October and it's been raining. I wish the rain would turn to snow, when hunger turns to hope. I will freeze my prey in mid step with my icy blue eyes, and go in for the kill.

Pops took me down to Baker Beach today. The surf was pretty rough and got me kinda excited. Everything was cold and grey... and I loved it! It's great that Pops is back and we're doing our morning thing again. He had been gone a week... in LA. I didn't really miss him till today, when we started doing our old things again. Funny, huh? His friend Bruce was here staying with me and Trina Jieh-jieh, and I guess I enjoyed the little change in routine and didn't think too much about him or Moms. She was gone too.

When Pops and I came back from the Pilgrimage, he was all cheerful and stuff, but this time, coming back from LA, he's been kinda quiet. I heard him say he had a good time - hangin' out with his sister, seeing some old friends - he lived in LA for a couple of years, it seems - and reading a lot of books. He also met his sister's new dog name Palomino - an American Bulldog (a pit bull, if you ask me!) 'cause he's white with brown patches all over. Somebody says he looks like a cow! HAHAHA! Pops also saw the new Chinese Gardens at the Huntington. All sounds like a good time, to me. Must be the books, 'cause they make him think too much and when he thinks too much he gets all quiet and moody. Maybe you should stay away from the books, Pops!

What was he reading? Well, he really liked the book Uncle Juan gave him by a writer named Some Upset Mom (?huh?) called the Razor's Edge (da heck is that?!)

"I can relate," he said.

Then he read a book about President Kennedy and his brother Bobby.

"Scary how little has changed," he said to Moms. And yet, he's still reading it. Geez...

Anyway, I think our outing this morning to Baker Beach made him feel a lot better. I know, I have that effect on people, thank you...

Another Great Sunday

2009-10-04T14:02:00.000-07:00

This morning, Moms, Trina, me and Pops all went walking on the trail at Land's End and we went down to Mile Rock Beach. Another great day!

Moon Ride

2009-10-04T13:44:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the Mid Autumn Moon Festival. Pops took me and a couple of his friends up to the top of Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands at night! Boy, was that cool! We rode across the Golden Gate Bridge while there was still light out and I pulled Pops all the way up Conzelman Rd! Yeah! It was nice and cool and his friend Juan was up front leading while Charlie went way ahead. This sure beat running last week in triple digit heat! Speaking of which, that seemed like distant memory already!

When we got to the top, the moon was coming over Mt Diablo and the sun was setting over the Pacific. What a sight! Everyone was just blown away by the beauty of it all. Then Pops brought his moon cake and shared the story of Chang-e and the Ming Rebellion while we ate the cake.

The way back was completely in the dark. It got too cold for Pops but not for me! We go home and Pops was starving. I wasn't even hungry. We Huskies eat very little, you know. We got efficient bodies. We working dogs! And to think, Pops and I went for a 4-mile hike that same morning... in the Headlands too... up and down hills and everything!

Dharma Dog on Pilgrimage

2009-09-28T11:01:00.000-07:00

Home! San Francisco! Cold is cool! Hot is not! I'm back in the Fog City by the Bay and I'm HAPPY! Pops and I came back from the Buddhist Bicycle Pilgrimage last night. Was it fun? Well, it was interesting. I saw cows and peacocks for the first time, and got to ride in a car with Uncle Eric, and sleep in a tent. It was an adventure. But it was not my idea of fun. I mean, there were a lot of nice people, and they all thought I was beautiful, and they loved that Pops and I came on the Pilgrimage and how he towed me in the trailer and all that, but it was so friggin' hot that I was in no mood for socializing. I couldn't wait to pull Pops and run with him next to the bike, but after only a few hundred feet of running, I was panting like a freight train on steroids! I'm a snow dog, fer chrissakes! I sure hope we can go on road trips again, but NOT in heat like this! Let's go to Montana or somethin' - like, go visit Uncle Marty's family... in the winter!

I can't figure humans - Pops, in particular. They torture thmeselves doing stuff like riding bikes through hundred-degree weather, then they talk about not suffering but "being with" the heat, or the pain and I'm like, I am being with the heat. Did I have a choice? And they talk a lot about death, like we had any choice in that! There were some funny-looking, bald headed guys - some in brown robes, some in white and one of them seem to be the leader of the pack and he said a bunch of stuff that was true because I knew it all along: you can't always get what you want and you can't always have control. You gotta be open to change and chance. You gotta be attentive, be mindful. And you can't be mindful if you're always thinking about something other than where you are now, or wanting to be somewhere else or someone else other than yourself. Well, I knew that! I'm a dog (a snow dog, fer chrissakes!) and my job is to be happy and you can't be happy living inside your head. That's not where the food is. You gotta be alert. You never know who might drop a piece of meat he's eating or run into someone like Pops who just came out of nowhere and now I live with him and Moms and Trina in their home and all I had to do was to be a good dog, which is what I was all along anyway, it's just that some people make it really hard and the best thing about Pops and Moms is that they just let me be. They "be with" the dog. Ha ha - I just thought of that!

Anyway, I don't mean to come off like I'm complaining about the heat or nothin' - just that it didn't make much sense to be in it doing the stuff we was doing. You know I never complain and I'd go anywhere with Pops and do anything (well, almost anything) for him. One thing I know is that he really loves me. I know he wanted so bad for me to come with him on this Pilgrimage, but he never forced me to run when I was too hot. He was always finding me shade and giving me water and when I wouldn't eat the dry food he brought, he gave me his food. Heh heh - my new rave is peanut butter on bagel and hard-boiled egg yolks! And, oh yeah, we slept together in his tent and I had my own sleeping pad and that afternoon at A Buy-a-Gary's place, when it got really, really hot, he gave me a rub-down with an ice pack. Oh-ho-ho that felt so good - never mind why the heck we were there in the first place. As I said, everyone loved me and I think I really added to the Pilgrimage, know what I mean?

Sun in the Mist

2009-09-21T19:41:00.000-07:00

"Sometimes, it's the fog that lets you see things more clearly," Pops says. I guess he means stuff like sun rays or halos around his head. Must be kinda like how I can smell things that he can't see.

Well, things have been changing a lot around here lately. Moms and Pops have been taking me and Trina Jieh-jieh out together a lot, 'cause Moms broke her arm when she tripped and fell running with Trina one morning. I gotta admit, it's been bad luck for Moms but fun for us. But now that Mom's getting better, we've been going out separately again. Pops and I kinda missed our mornings together, like, he's been taking me out with the bike again. Oh yeah, speakin' of bikes - you know what? He's gonna take me on the Buddhist Bicycle Pilgrimage with him. He got a hold of this trailer that he hooks up to the bike. At first I didn't like it but on my second try it turned out really cool! Yeah, what a kick, huh? A Husky being pulled by a man. I'm tellin' ya, life keeps getting better!

Today we went up to the Headlands. We were gonna go do our usual hike but when we got to the top of Hawk's Hill there was a cop standing by a truck with flashing lights. He said we couldn't go down the road to the other side.

"What's going on down there?"Pops asked.

"A car went off the edge,"said the cop.

"Ooh," Pops said, sounding almost like he thought it was cool. I knew he wanted to go look, but he didn't want to get the cop pissed off so we went for a walk up to the top of Hawk's Hill instead, pretending like that's what we planned to do anyway.

The fog was dripping off the trees and the foghorns were all going crazy, like they were all trying to see who could moan louder. All the wet smells were making me crazy too. I ran around all over the place while Pops took pictures.

When we got to the top, Pops said, "Check that out, Nikki! That's a fogbow!"

"Huh?"

"You know rainbows, right? Well that's a fogbow!"

Then he took a gadzillion pictures of the fog, and I'm like, OK, I'm gonna look around. I'll be right back.

Then on our way back to the car, we took a different path and Pops saw the sun beaming through the fog and the trees and that's when he said that wise thing to me and I pretended not to hear and just ran ahead to the car.

On the way home, we stopped at Wing Lee's and Pops got a dai gai bao and a choi yuk bao. M-m-mmm-m! Now I'm beginning see things very clearly!

P.S., Pops says to thank Uncle Wen for the Sun in the Mist tune and title.

Old Human Stuff

2009-08-25T20:13:00.000-07:00

Did you know that Buena Vista and Golden Gate Parks were the first urban parks in California? Built over a hundred years ago. Geez, I didn't know the squirrels around here are that old! Pretty fast for old geezers! Pops been reading all those signs that tell the story of the places we go to. He sure likes that old stuff! Kinda gloomy, if you ask me... like them old tombstones in the gutter. Check out his pictures. Seems to me humans spend a lot of time making art. Lots of time. I guess they need it. Fine with me. Whatever makes them happy. One of these days, I'll catch a squirrel, then I'll be happy!

Strange Dogs in Golden Gate Park

2009-08-20T16:59:00.000-07:00

Whoa! Golden Gate Park again today - three times in a row! For Pops, a guy who hates routine and repetition, this is kinda strange. He says, "I've lived in the City for 30 years, and I still don't know all of Golden Gate Park! It's fun to explore!" Truth is, he's been kinda limited as to where he can take me 'cause of that pain in his butt. One thing about pain and sickness - it forces you to change your ways! We've been goming to Golden Gate and Buena Vista Parks a lot lately 'cause he couldn't drive, and these are in walking distance. 'Xept today we drove to the Polo Field. Must be feeling better! How quickly he reverts to old ways!

On the way, he says, "The further out you go in the Park, the quirkier the people you come across."

"O-K..." I thought, "we're out here, what does that make us... I mean, you?"

Then he says, "But I never would have gone to all these places if it weren't for you, Nikki."

Well, what can I say... I love you too, man.

When we got to the Polo Field, he lets me off leash, and we play this game where he runs up and down the stairs between the bleachers and I, like, try to "follow the leader" on a different flight of stairs. I get so excited sometimes I just dash over to him and bark and paw him and he laughs and gives me a treat and... aw, I'm getting breathless just thinkin' about it.

Then we walked around some more and we saw these huge dogs with people sitting on top of them, and they were all kept inside these fenced fields and some of them make this weird, "wheh-heh-heh-hen" noise and I saw them eat all this dry grass. Yuck! Now green grass tastes good, I like green grass. Anyway, it's all very strange.

People's Park

2009-08-19T13:35:00.000-07:00

Today is the second time in a row that we went to Golden Gate Park. Pops calls it "People's Park" 'cause everyone is out here - joggers, dog-walkers, dogs, cyclists, crazy people, old people, young people, homeless people, Chinese, Italians, Russians, Latinos, African Americans, rich folk, poor folk, commuters driving through - so into their own thoughts they don't even notice the birds and the trees. Coupla times they almost ran me and Pops over. Grrr-r-r...!

Today we went into the park through 6th Avenue, past the white guys practicing kung fu and the Chinese ladies dancercizing to Elvis' "Jail House Rock" on the boom box, and the poor homeless guy in between, trying to catch some zzz's next to his cart. Pops says, "You gotta have an open mind to like San Francisco... or... you gotta live in San Francisco to get an open mind." Yeah, he talks funny like that a lot.

Then we walked past the de Young, and the Music Concourse and as we went behind the band shell, we heard this funny "Brraap" sound coming from behind some trees. It was a group of elderly Chinese doing a Taichi Fan Dance! And the noise was from when they all opened their fans at once. They were all dressed so drab but the fans were a bright red. It was so cool! We watched them till they finished their set.

Yesterday we went to Stowe Lake and after we crossed the old stone bridge onto the inside island, Pops let me off leash. Then I got to go after what I really came for - squirrels! 'Course I never catch the little buggers, but it never stops me from tryin'. "Keep Hope Alive," Pops always says. Then he laughs at his own joke. I don't see what's so funny about it. I don't give him a hard time for lookin' at women. And he never catches any either! Ha ha ha ha - I just thought of that!

Writer's block

2009-08-17T10:29:00.000-07:00

Writers' block - isn't that the street where all the writers live? Ha ha - as you can see I'm very blocked. Truth is, nothing much new has happened in the last week or so. Don't get me wrong - I'm not saying things haven't been fun, but how much can you say about another day in the Headlands, at Land's End, the Presidio, Buena Vista Park, etc., etc.? It's all good, all the time! Pops' the one with all the drama. For me, it's a dog's life - eat, sleep, play, repeat. But even Pops' drama is not much to write about. He hates talking about his ailments. "That's a sure sign of old age," he says, "when all you do is talk about your aches and pains." Well, the poor guy has been in pain. Sciatica, or something like that. Good thing for him he has me to go walking with, 'cause walking really makes him feel good. He's been sleeping on the floor next to me at night. I like that!

Hey, did I tell you what a big hit I was at the Nihonmachi Street Fair? People stopped at our booth just to look at me. No one paid any attention to Pops and his friends and whatever it was they were selling... "art" or something... The little kids were a bit of a pain but I can tolerate. All the pretty women who came to fuss over me and pet me - now I can get used to that! Pops likes that too, but he kept saying, "What a waste of a chick-magnet." I think he was P.O.'ed 'cause he's married... and too old anyway... so I gotta enjoy it for him, see? After all, I'm his best friend!

Okay, well, I'm getting sleepy... sun's coming out... sorta. Maybe when I wake up, everything will be sunny.

Kaleo

2009-07-28T13:10:00.000-07:00

Since I've mentioned Kaleo several times lately, I thought I'd post a photo of him - let y'all know what he looked like. See? Tough act to follow, eh? But I guess this is the point I want to make. Up till now, I felt like I've been living in his shadow. And Pops is always thinking about him, even though - bless is heart - he knows he should see me for who I am and love me for me. But he can't help himself... and then he feels guilty about it.

Well, recently... somehow... we both came to the same realization - that when I was feeling like I'm living in Kaleo's shadow and when Pops thought he was clinging to the past, we were actually just feeling the presence of Kaleo. I mean, he really is here among us. Every time Pops thinks about him it's because Kaleo's spirit bumped into him or somethin'. I know I feel him around all the time. And I know Trina does too. Pops said the day he completed and installed Kaleo's memorial in the garden, Trina went right up to it, sniffed it and laid down in front of it all morning. She and Kaleo were real tight. They were the same age, so she played with him a lot more than she does with me. But she teaches me a lot of cool stuff. I love Trina Jieh-jieh.

Yeah, funny how things come around eventually. I'm glad my patience with Pops paid off. He's a good man and always comes around to the right thing... well, almost always. Sometimes it takes a few years. And now that he and I have both acknowledged and embraced Kaleo as a spirit living among us, we open our hearts to each other more easily. Sure, he still makes comparisons between me and Kaleo every now and then, but it's not a bad thing. It's more like growing the love. Sharing the memories. After all, don't we always see ourselves as reflections in each other's faces? How else are we gonna see ourselves?

Anyway, check out the photos. Whenever Pops and I go out, people we meet always look at me and say, "What a gorgeous dog! Look at those eyes!" Guess Kaleo used to get the same thing. Either way, Pops gets a big swell in his heart when that happens.

PrincessTrina and I

2009-07-27T14:27:00.000-07:00

Let the pictures speak for themselves! Oh yeah... and Pops, too, but we don't need to speak too much about him! He did clean his face up though, and looks less like ET with a beard. Ha ha... don't tell him I said that! Well, Moms thought it was funny too. She never did like his silly goatee.

Memory

2009-07-26T14:42:00.000-07:00

I've often heard humans say, in their infinite wisdom, that dogs don't remember things. Usually, it comes from dog trainers who rightfully tell people not to scold dogs for something they did two or three actions ago, but wrongly reason that it's because we can't remember past more that one action, that we can't generalize or do abstract thinking. Well, duh! If you tell me to stop doing something and I stop, why are you still yelling about the thing I was doing before I stopped? You do that to your kids? And you wonder why they're neurotic? It's not that we "forgot" what we did, but we're ready to move on. Besides, who's always looking for their keys, or glasses or half-finished cups of coffee? We dogs, on the other hand, know exactly where we buried our bones or where we left our favorite toys months ago.

But I'm not talking about such frivolous things here. Truth is, we remember a lot - all the important things, like kindness, good times. We remember bad times too, but we don't cling to them. Mostly we understand. I was never angry at Pops for remembering Kaleo. Sure, I'd stay away sometimes, when he's really lost in his thoughts. I respect his privacy and I never hold it against him. Because I understand. Someday, he will be remembering me too. I know I'll never forget him. Our bodies don't last, but our memories do. They are what keep us together forever. Some say that we are prisoners of our memories but I say, so what? Who needs freedom when love is what we really want?

The Early Days

2009-07-21T10:48:00.000-07:00

Pops birthday yesterday made me think of my birthday, 'xcept I don't even know when it was. All I remember is not being very happy. I was lonely and always hungry, and I guess I must have just wandered off till I got lost. I wound up in some place where people gave me a place to sleep and some food, which felt really good at first but I was locked up with a bunch of other poor suckers and we couldn't go out to play or anything. Then, one day, some really nice people came and took me away in a car. It was my first time in a car and it was awesome. I was taken to see some guy in a white coat where I fell asleep. When I woke up, I was a little sore and missing some parts. Kinda weird, but the people were extra nice to me so I got over it. Then, one day, I was taken with a bunch of other dogs to meet a bunch of people, and that was when I met Pops, Moms and Trina. I was only one year old!

Trina and I started to play right away - right there in the parking lot! Everyone said, "Oh, look! They get along!" Then Pops took me for a walk around the parking lot and talked a lot with the nice people. I was put back in my crate, where I proceeded to chew up my leash - the second one I chewed up that day! Then someone else - a teenage girl - took me out for a walk but I didn't like her much. I had already started to like Pops 'cause he was real strong and he protected me from those other dogs who were trying to bully me. The girl didn't know what she was doing. When Pops took me out of the crate a second time, I sat down and parked my butt right next to his leg and leaned against him. He reached down and petted my head, and shortly after that I was riding in his car with him, Moms and Trina, on my way to my new forever home!

Well, that was over two years ago. The day was March 18. I consider that date to be my birthday.

A Special Ordinary Day

2009-07-20T14:38:00.000-07:00

Today's Pops' birthday. Started out pretty normal, just like any other day. That's the way Pops likes it. "Quiet appreciation " is what he calls it. We went to the Presidio where I got to sniff, run and play hide 'n' seek with him. He hides behind a tree and whistles for me and I pretend I can't see him. Then I run towards the tree and pretend to be surprised when he jumps out at me. Then I run around like crazy through the bushes and between the trees and dash past him and run circles around him... Pops - he's so easy to please.

After the Presidio, we stopped to buy dog food and said "Hi" to John at the pet food store. Then we made a last minute detour to Clement Street 'cause Pops got a hankerin' for char shiu baos. He went in to Wing Lee and bought one char shiu bao and one choy yuk bao and we ate them in the car on the way home. I have to agree - simple pleasures are the best.

Then Uncle Pete Almazol came over. He and Pops have the same birthday which, by the way, is the same date they landed on the moon! How cool is that for a couple of Cancer-moonchilds?

Well the rest of the day is turning out kinda dreary, with the fog an'all. Tonight Moms and Pops are going out to some fancy dinner - without us! Boo! Think I'll just go to sleep. Anyway, I've posted some pictures of me and Pops together at different times - all good times!

2009-07-18T17:12:00.000-07:00

Pops did more work in the garden today. What a mess, but I love it, 'cause I get to eat bamboo shoots. Bamboo shoots are what I like! I love bamboo shoots! B-b-b-bamboo.... Sh-sh-sh-o-o-o-ts! Grrrr-r-r-r!

In Kaleo's garden

2009-07-15T14:37:00.000-07:00

Fuchsias returning in July
remember Kaleo
Was it here that they last saw him
so many summers ago
or was it somewhere
on their long winter journey?

Pops and I went to the Presidio again today. After we came home he went to work in the garden. Boy, he did a lot of work today, pruning some trees - actually bushes that had turned into trees - and all the bamboos in the back. I haven't seen him work this hard in the garden in a long time. Don't know what got into him. He's been out of sorts lately, with his injured lip, and all. Must be feeling better. Anyway, he wanted me to post this poem and picture of the fuchsias next to Kaleo's memorial. They're blooming beautifully. Pops got all teary-eyed. Sometimes I can really feel Kaleo's spirit around here. Guess he always hung out with Pops when he worked in the garden.

Till next time...

Sniffer's heaven

2009-07-07T17:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went to the Presidio where I got to play with other dogs... but the best part was... aw, man... the smells...! There was SO much to sniff at. I thought I died and went to heaven. Everything's blooming and little critters scampering all over the place, and even though I was bad-ass like a wolf, there were some things I just couldn't catch - they fly and climb trees! What kinda "fair game" is that? Pops is always stopping to take pictures, which is fine with me, 'cause when he's not paying attention to me I get to run off! And I found a ball! I carried it all the way home and last night I slept with it next to my bed.

Here, There, Almost Everywhere

2009-07-05T13:43:00.000-07:00

Pops took me to Land's End this morning. Yesterday we rode through Golden Gate Park and ran into some of Pops' friends. Not much to report - just that it was nice to go out with him again and we sat on the ledge and looked at the ocean and just chilled. He and Moms had been gone all day yesterday, leaving me and Trina Jieh-jieh at home all by ourselves. Uncle Frank came and fed us but it's not the same. They went to see Uncle Matt and Auntie Michelle and Kevin down in Montery for July 4 and didn't take us! Uncle Matt left his cool car with Pops and he got to drive it all over the place, but he didn't take me with him for that either! Oh well...

Pops did take me to a lot of other places, though. Some people said to him, "You take that dog everywhere, huh?" "Yeah, I thought. I like that... I like that a lot." We went to J-town to remember Pops' friend Al Robles, who must have been a great guy, 'cause everyome got up and said nice things about him. They sang and danced and read poetry - even Pops read one, and I got to go up there with him. I remember Uncle Al. Pops used to take me down to J-town Arts Writers Workshop with him, when he and Uncle Pete and Uncle Al would sit around and talk stories, and drink wine, and Uncle Al would always have bread in his back pack that he would take out and share with everyone, including me! Uncle Al always looked at me and said, "Man, that dog is deep. Look at his eyes!"

Pops knew that already. That's why he likes us Huskies. My brother Kaleo, who came before me, had the deepest eyes - "like an ancient spirit," Pops says. Poor Pops had a really hard time getting over Kaleo. He LOVED that dog, and even had a hard time loving me the same until only recently. I do understand, but sometimes it was a bit hard - annoying - I'd say. Like, he'd be thinking of him while looking at me. Made me hold back too. But, as they say, time heals everything, and we're pretty tight now. It helps that I'm not such a rambunctious teenager any more... heh heh... I'm more mature now.

Headlands - good for the soul

2009-06-25T14:20:00.000-07:00

More fine days

2009-06-24T12:48:00.000-07:00

Pops was right - time does seem to fly by quickly. But was I having fun? Yeah, you could say so. At least there are no bad times - not since I came to live with Moms and Pops!

So... let's see if I remember what's been happening since my last post. The big thing was Uncle Matt, Auntie Michelle and Kevin coming over for Father's Day. Uncle Matt is Pops' real son. People call me his son when Uncle Matt is not here. Usually it's when I do something bad, and Moms says, "You know what YOUR son did?" The other day, Pops said to Moms, "You better not say that in front of Matt!"

I like Uncle Matt. He's the only guy who plays with me the way huskies like to play - rough! That's 'cause Uncle Matt is a soldier. He's a captain in the U.S. Army and flies helicopters! How cool is that?!

He's not a bad chef either. He cooked steaks on the barbie for Pops. They both love their red meat. I should say, we all love our red meat. Only the girls - Moms and Michelle - like chicken better. Trina Jieh-jieh is cool though. She likes meat too. Mmmm-m-m... it was GOOD! Moms made a fresh strawberry pie that everyone went ga-ga over, but it's all just fruit to me. Only good thing about it is that it's red... like meat. MEAT!

Today Pops took me to run around Stowe Lake - up Strawberry Hill. Bet you didn't even know it was called that, did you? We started out for the Headlands, with Pops' bike and all, but then he remembered he had a dental appointment so we did the Stowe Lake thing instead. Then, when we got home, he realized he had the weeks mixed up and didn't have no appointment after all! Hiyah!

Anyway, it was fun. There were lots of squirrels and gophers and scents left by other dogs for me to sniff at. Pops says sniffing is good for developing intelligence, cause the brain has to process all that data that the nose aquires. Well, them's his words, but I think I get the drift. There were all sorts of pretty flowers too. Pops brought his new point-and-shoot and took a bunch of pictures. He liked the stone bridge. Said something about 19th Century Romanticism and him being born into the wrong time... Huh, wha...?

Another Fine Day

2009-06-19T12:41:00.000-07:00

Ah, yes, life is good. Lucky to live around here, as Pops always says. Today we went up a trail we had never been on before. It's also in the Marin Headlands but closer to the Golden Gate. Fun seeing familiar places from a different spot. Took me a while to recognize some of them, but then it was like, Oh yeah! I know where that is! Check out these views!

Whadya lookin' at?!

2009-06-18T15:31:00.000-07:00

Dang! First nice day and what do I get? A bath! So what if I've been sloshing around in the ocean, or running around in the sand, or tromping through the bushes! What did dogs do back in the wild? Did they take baths? N-o-o-o! And if you think these pictures are cute, you're sick! A prevert like Pops!

But... I gotta admit, I look pretty damn good afterwards. Check out the picture of moi sunning on the deck! If I were a girl, I'd be in love!

Well, I know it's been a while since I posted anything but nothing unusual's been happening. Don't get me wrong, it HAS been fun. Been going to Baker Beach a lot. Pops lets me play with other dogs now. That's 'cause I've been a good boy. I come when he calls me... well, eventually I do, anyway. Heh heh... once, when I was little, I played and played and totally ignored him. I started to follow the other dog home! Oh, man, was Pops pissed! But don't tell him I said this - he's a softie. Once he catches up to me, he always says "Good boy!" and gives me a treat. He never stays mad - kinda like us dogs, know what I mean?

Anyway, just thought I'd drop by with a few words - didn't want to stay away too long. Pops insisted on posting these pictures. Oh well, gotta humor the old guys sometimes. I'm over it.

Headlands Marathon

2009-06-08T08:32:00.000-07:00

Hey! I'm back! A whole week has gone by with not much to report except for yesterday. Whew! Pops took me on a marathon run! We started from our usual spot at the Miwok trailhead, across from Rodeo Lagoon. It was a beautiful day - sunny but cool. All the flowers were still blooming, the grasses were high and swaying in the breeze. It was still early so it was just Pops and me, nothing but the sound of his bicycle tires on the gravel, the occasional cries of birds -oh, speaking which - we heard a rustle off to the side and there were about five big-ass buzzards coming out of a ditch. I mean, they were HUGE - their skinny red heads stood taller than me! I wasn't about to chase them! Even pops got a little nervous and pulled me along, sayin' "C'mon!" When they heard us, they all took off in flight. What a sight! And what a noise their wings made as they lifted themselves up into the air - whup whup whup whup whup!

The Miwok trail is steep but Pops and I have done it so many times it seems easier each time. Before we knew it we were at the top. We stopped at our usual spot where Pops gives me water while I catch my breath. Usually, by now, I'm pretty hot. Not tired, just hot. Not used to this Southern climate. This time Pops gave me some food out of a packet he brought with him in his CamelBak. Strange, I thought. Little did I know then that he was energizing me for the long run ahead! Good thing I ate some, even though I wasn't feeling that hungry.

Soon, another cyclist came up the trail where we had come. Pops asked him if he was going down the Old Spring Trail. He wanted to know the trail conditions and the guy said it was fine, nothing technical or real hard, just a couple of sharp turns and abrupt, rocky rises and dips. "You just gotta be careful around those," he said.

"Oh yeah, I know about those," said Pops. "But it's been years since I went down there and back then it was really deeply rutted and I'm worried about going down there with him tied to me," he said, pointing at me.

Don't worry about me, I thought. Have I ever caused you trouble? Haven't I gone with you everywhere, over rocks, down single tracks, loose sand, wet mud and horse poop? You just pay attention to what you're doing and I'll take care of my end. I got four legs, remember!

"No, there aren't any ruts," the bike guy said. "That's a beautiful dog! Is he part wolf?"

And, of course, Pops said, "No."

So... we waited a while for the bike guy to go down and put some distance between us. Then off we went and, Man! Let me tell you how cool it was. First of all the view was fantasic, with the lush green valley dropping down below us to the left. The trail was narrow but had perfect, packed dirt. We went over a couple of wooden bridges where the tires went "kapop-kapop-kapop." Then we went over those sharp turns and rocky dips the bike guy told us about. No problem! Piece of cake! Eventually we came to the stretch where Pops said the ruts used to be. Now it's all paved and smoothed over with hard-packed dirt and - get this - steps! Yeah, they stepped it! That's right - long shallow steps that we rode down making loud crashing noises and Pops went "u-u-u-u-h-h-h-h-h" so that his voice reverberated as we bounced and dropped down each step. What a blast!

Suddenly we were at the bottom and rode right into the back of some horse stables. Pops had to get off the bike and walk so as not to spook the horses. I was having so much fun I didn't even notice them! Normally I'd be goin' crazy with wanting to chase them.

After resting a bit in the Tennessee Valley parking lot we headed up the Marincello Trail. Man, this was a long, tedious grind! By now the sun had come up high and I got really hot. About mid way, Pops stopped in the shade of a lone clump of trees and gave me some more water. Now I'm glad I ate the food back there. We waited till a group of runners passed by and started up again. We were going so slow we couldn't pass the runners! I could tell Pops wasn't used to riding behind pedestrians, but each time he went faster he looked over at me and slowed down.

I was glad to finally reach the top. Once we faced the ocean side there was a wonderful, cool sea breeze and I felt much better. The run down Bobcat was pretty smooth and easy. About half way, we stopped again to look at the beautiful view and to take in more of that cool ocean breeze. After we started down again we came across a lady who was taking pictures. She took some of me and Pops going down the trail toward her. When we came up to her Pops stopped and asked,

"Digital?"

"Yes."

"Can you email me some? I've always wanted some pictures of me and my dog riding out here."

"Sure," she said, and these are the pictures you see here. She was very nice. Her name is Rony.

Soon, we were back at the parking lot. We finally caught up to one of the runners and Pops asked her if she was gonna run all the way back to Tennessee Valley and she said,"Yes," pointing up toward the Miwok Trail.

Pops said, "Wow, you're strong! That's the way we went."

She smiled and didn't say anything.

When we got home I was too tired to even jump all over Trina Jieh-jieh like I usually do. I slept most of the day.

"A tired Husky is a happy Husky," Pops said.

Hmmm... z-z-z-zzzzz

Sun in the Mist

2009-06-02T10:15:00.000-07:00

Well, whadyaknow! Pops inserted a poem here last night! Must have been up late, 'cause I was sound asleep. Surprisingly, he was up early this morning - the first one up! Must have slept good after writing the poem.

For today, we all went to Baker Beach for a quick run-around. The fog today is even thicker than yesterday. In fact we caught a few rain drops on the way out. I didn't get much of a run today and was still pretty riled up after we got home, but nobody wanted to play! Oh well, guess some days are just like that.

Here's another one of the paintings Pops did of me in our Travels with Dharma Dog series - something nice and sunny to balance out the kinda gloomy day. See y'all in the doggie blog-o-sphere!

Possessed

2009-06-01T20:38:00.000-07:00

He ran possessed
by the upturned faces
of flowers blooming
uncomplaining of grey skies
needing no reason to be beautiful
He ran possessed
by the fog cascading
down the hillsides
leaving dewdrops on his hackles
silencing everything but
his breath
He ran possessed

Headlands Retreat

2009-06-01T16:45:00.000-07:00

It's Monday, a day of retreat for Pops. Weekends are a bit intense for him. He likes being with his friends and all but he's basically a loner, so come Mondays he can't wait for some quiet time. I'm the only who gets to hang with him when he wants to be alone, heh heh. Well, he got his wish today. The Headlands was covered - or smothered - in fog. We both love the fog. It makes everything look dreamy and softens up sound too. Pops brought his camera and while he was busy taking pictures I got to roam. He trusts me a lot more now, and I can wander off real far before he starts to whistle for me. Most times I just come back to him on my own anyway. I remember him telling me once, "If you're a good boy and come when I call, I'll let you off leash, Okay? We can have so much fun together if you're good."

Well, we had a lot of fun today - just quiet kinda fun, like, kinda moody. Lately, I've heard Pops say, many times, "Man, I can't believe it's June already!"

I wonder why he says that. Is he running out of time? Was he supposed to have done something? Every once in a while, he'd come up to me, like, right out of the blue, and give me a big hug, like he's kinda sad or somethin'. Seems more like he wants ME to give HIM a hug, or kiss him, but I just can't bring myself to do it, know what I mean? Human lips, ew! Now, his fingers, on the other hand, are real yummy. All right, enough of that.

Anyway, we had a nice time up in the Headlands. Pops calls it his church. After we got to the top of Hill 88, we ran all the way back to the car. We got into a good rhythm too! I guess his knees don't bother him any more. I was pooped by the time we got home.

A Day in the Park

2009-05-28T13:49:00.000-07:00

Today we went to Golden Gate Park. We haven't been there a while and I didn't realize I missed it so much. We went to the Polo Field and saw all the geese out there again. That's where Pops got the idea for the painting you see here. Cool, huh? Don't I look bad like a wolf? Heh heh... sometimes I feel like a wolf, like the time I chased a deer. Boy, if only Pops would let me go at these geese. They'd be history. Or a good meal.

Sometimes people ask Pops, "Is he a wolf?"

Pops always tells the truth (dang!) and says, "No, he's just a dog."

"JUST a dog," he says. Hah! One of these days I'm gonna bare my teeth - just to scare the shit out of them. I know Pops has been real tempted to say "yes" a couple of times but he doesn't want us to get in trouble with the law, know what I mean? Yeah, guess we don't want to spoil the good thing we got going here.

Golden Gate Park is cool. Pops and I like running into the reg'lars, like Mr Alexander - Jacob is his first name - he's been walking the Park since way before I was born. He's always in a good mood. Guess it feels good to be out there walking. I know how that feels. He always says "Happy Tuesday!" or Wednesday or Thursday, or whatever the day is. He never gets it wrong. And Pops has such a hard time remembering what day it is. Sometimes he and Pops give each other a big hug. I wish he'd give me a hug!

Then there's the lady who lives in a camper. We see her parked at different places in the Park "The cops all know me and don't bother me," she told Pops. "I keep quiet, clean up after myself and don't let my dog run around messin' up the place. I work, you know."

"What do you do?" Pops asked her.

"I temp for offices on the Peninsula. The agency calls me whenever they need me, and I get dressed up, clean up at the rest rooms here. Hell, they don't know! I do good work. They like me. I told my daughter, I don't wanna live in a house."

Oh yeah, and there's that Russian couple wo ride their bikes through the park. They're old and not as strong as Pops and me, but strong for their age, and you gotta give it to them - they're out there everyday. Pops thinks the lady must have been a racer at one time, " 'cause she's got real good form," he says.

And there's that Latino couple who walk along the Great Highway all the way to the Sutro Baths. Sometimes they see me and Pops walking and they say, "No bike today?"

Oh, the absolute best person was that nice Russian man with the same name as Pops - Leon. Leon LOVED me. He always greets me before he even says hello to Pops. "Nyikki!" he says in his Russian accent. Then he bends over and pets me on the head and pulls out a big doggie biscuit that he always carried in his pocket just in case he ran into me. He used to have his own dog, but the dog died. "Why don't you get another one," Pops asked him. Well, that's when we found out Leon was sick. You wouldn't know it from the way he walked - chin out and back straight like a soldier marching. In fact, he always gave Pops a salute when he saw him. Leon was a Navy man - in Russia and after he came to America. He was an engineer - a very smart one, at that! You could tell Pops liked him a lot, not just 'cause his name was Leon but I think it's 'cause they are both old guys from the Old World. Pops said Leon was an inspiration because of his pride and dignity and positive spirit. I'm not sure what all those big words mean but, yeah, Pops really liked him. Pops was really sad when Mr. Leon passed away.

Today we went really late 'cause Pops slept in late. Guess we missed everybody. It's so nice when its early but... oh well... next time!

ho-hum week

2009-05-27T14:48:00.000-07:00

OK, I see why Pops slacks off on posting. Sometimes there's just not much to report, so I've been slack too. Let's see now, where was I last? Oh yeah, J-town Arts garage sale. SCUZE me! Can anything be more fun that that? (Sarcasm intended). First off, Pops rode the bike down to J-town with me in tow - all city streets! Nothing but concrete, asphalt and idiots in death machines, i.e., "cars" to the rest of you. The he hitches me to himself while he helps set up - back and forth, back and forth, schelpping all this junk out to the parking lot. The rest of the day was spent hanging around the parking lot in the dreary weather. Good thing I don't mind the cold, unlike them humans, who were complaining ALL frickin' day. The worst part of it was they had all this fabulous meat, I mean MEAT, cooking on the barbie and what does Pops say? "No feeding the dog!" What's up with that? I got a few scraps from him, but man! Life is not fair! Oh yeah, check out the picture, you can tell just how wild it was. Duh... snore... By the way, I never did figure out just what the heck they were doing, but Pops sure was having a great time... all that yackin' and hand-shakin and laughing. Sheesh... I'm like, can we GO already?

The next few days were a little better, though it's a bit hard to remember one day from the next. They say that happens when you get old - can't remember anything - but I'm only 3! That's 21 in human years, barely starting prime of life. Well, I know one day we went to Baker Beach with Trina and Moms. That's always fun, but I just can't remember what we did. Probably chased her around and grab her by the scuff of her neck. She doesn't like that but I just can't help myself. I love Trina Jieh-jieh and that's what I do when I love someone.

Oh, I know... Pops been getting back into running again, so we ran a few times. That's always fun. I just pretend Pops is the lead dog and we're on an iditarod or somethin'. Well, you know, you gotta have 'magination.

OK, I'm rambling... let me get back to y'all when there's more to report. Oh, Hey... don't forget to check out my book - I mean, the book Pops made of me. Of MOI! How cool is that? Remember, Travels with Dharma Dog, available at blurb.com. Hurry, while supplies last!

Later...

The Deer Hunter

2009-05-21T15:20:00.000-07:00

Moms, Trina, Pops and me - the whole pack went to the Marin Headlands today. Pops and I have been lovin' it there for a long time but now Moms and Trina always want to come too. I don't mind. Trina Jieh-jieh and I have a lot fun sniffing around and exploring and finding new ways to hide from Moms and Pops and then showing up unexpected somewhere and... oh, yeah, the coolest thing happened today. We were just walking and all of a sudden, out of the corner of my eye, I saw something move on the hillside to my left. I looked up and it was two deers! They were the same color as the grass and bushes around them but they didn't fool me! All I had to do was watch for movement. I stared at them and felt my heart beating faster and faster. Soon the blood was rushing to my ears and Pops' voice started to fade out. My whole body started quivering and then I found myself tearing up the hillside, brush snapping and flying by all around me. The wind was blowing my way and I could smell the two deers - one was faster and the other lagged behind and I could see their little white tails bobbing up and down and they were terrified and I felt BAD-ASS! Nothing in the world existed except me and the deer, the deer and me, and the great big sky so full of fog and I couldn't even tell where the sky touched the ground 'cause I was like, IN the sky. Then... then the deers reached the ridge crest and disappeared over the top. By the time I got there, they were no where in sight. They were FAST! I stood there panting with my tongue hangin' out in the cool mist, looking, scanning the horizon and felt the wind laughing around my ears and the birds were laughing too and that was when I started to hear Pops calling me. Turns out he followed me for a while down the road but, of course, there was no way he could keep up with me. Poor Pops, he just stood there calling my name with his hands cupped facing the other hill 'cause he thought I went over there. I felt sorry for him so I came back down and reached the road just behind him. He turned around when he heard me panting and pretended he knew where I was all along. He's funny that way. I didn't call him on it. He doesn't even know the number of times I've spared him embarassment. I guess humans are pretty useless out there in nature. I gotta admit I've gotten pretty soft living with them but, man, that chase made me feel GOOD! After that it was just more exploring with Trina Jieh-jieh. We tried to go after some mice but that was nothing compared to the deer chase. Then we headed for home and Trina and Moms fell asleep in the car. Girls are such wusses, know what I mean? Pops and I were starving by the time we got home so we really chowed down. WOLFED down our food, ha ha... get it?

Mile Rock Beach

2009-05-15T12:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went to Corona Heights Park and Buena Vista Park. Pops always take me there when he wants quiet time so he can think while he's walking. He thinks a lot. Not much fun for me. Me, I just think of whatever's in front of me, know what I mean? No need to think about what to think. Makes me tired.

Today was a lot more fun. We went to Land's End and walked down the long stairs to Mile Rock Beach. At the end of the steps Pops let me off leash. This is an incredible place. Reminds me a lot of places I've been to before but can't figure out where, exactly. I tried sniffing around, but everything smelled fresh and new. Well, new to me, that is. Nothing reminded me of what I thought I was being reminded of. Very strange!

After a while we went back to the top. Pops always runs up the stairs. I don't know why. He always seems to get a lot of energy just when I'm tiring out. Go figure!

What a Morning!

2009-05-13T14:26:00.000-07:00

Whew, what a morning! First, I got to run on Ocean Beach, where I chased a crow. Then Pops ran into an old buddy in this cool truck. He had two dogs in the back so we yelled at each other for a while. Yeah, that's right! Then we made our way up to Sutro Baths. When pops was busy taking pictures, I ran off down to the ruins. Lots of cool smells down there! Yeah, that's me you see in the picture! Then, when I looked back to check on Pops to see if he was mad, he was just a small orange speck up on the bluffs! Dang! I had to haul ass back up this steep hill to catch up to him. He wasn't mad. Gave me a treat and took my picture. I love him! When we got to that place where I jumped over the wall last time - you know, that time when Pops had to catch me in mid air or I would have landed in the ocean? Well, we ran into this woman with a cutie girl dog named Haupia. Mmmm... made my mouth water! She was hot, and she liked me too! Pops and the lady let us off leash and I chased her and she chased me and I chased her and... Then it got hot and we both got tired. After that, we went all the way up to our usual spot on Land's End and, whadyaknow! Some guy was sitting there with HIS dog in OUR favorite spot! Frickin' copy-cats! And the dog - what a dork! Kept whining and wanting to come to me but he was leashed, so he couldn't. I just ignored him and sat with my Pops for a while. Then it got too hot so we headed back to the car. On our way, we met yet another one of Pops' friends. She was riding a fixie (da heck is that?!) up the hill in front of the Cliff House. Whatever a "fixie" was, Pops seemed impressed. He and I ride up this hill all the time too, you know. Piece of cake! They were standing there yacking when Uncle Matt called and Kevin was on the phone too. Pops wanted to take my picture with "Fixie Chick" for MY blog, but his battery was dead. Poor Pops, he was ticked! Finally we got back to the car. I was getting pooped 'cause it was getting too hot. I'm a Northerner, you know.

At Baker Beach with my sister Trina

2009-05-12T15:02:00.000-07:00

Woohoo! The beach, two days in a row! Today even more better - Moms and Trina Jieh-jieh came with us too. I got to chase her and I found this cool ball that I got to play with. Too cool!

I love to tun

2009-05-11T10:58:00.000-07:00

Oh, how I love to run! Pops took me down to Ocean Beach today. This beach is SO wide! I can run all-out and never run out of space! I always look back, though, to make sure I can still see Pops. He's got treats in his left pocket and whenever I see his hand go in there I go running to him at full speed. I can tell he loves it when I do that 'cause he crouches down and does that weird human dance and says, "C'mon, boy! Good boy!" and hands me the treat. I LOVE that! Then I took a dump. A massive, manly dump right there in the middle of all that sand. Yeah, the salty air, the ocean winds blowing into my face and everything just coming out so freely... Man, life is good!

Hi, it's me!

2009-05-07T12:57:00.000-07:00

OK, since Pops been slackin' off on posting, I'm gonna take it over myself. This morning we had hecka fun riding the trails in Golden Gate Park. We went on single tracks and "no-track" a coupla times 'cause one time we came upon a fallen tree and we had to go around it. The dirt was great -still damp from the rain, packed but not hard. Only a few muddy spots. I did so good, Pops didn't have to worry about me at all - I just tucked in behind his back wheel and went wherever he went. Then we stopped and he gave me water from his bottle that he squirted into my very own folding bowl. I was so hungry when I got home I ate Trina's food too. Well, she didn't want it! She eats mine all the time, anyway.

Here are a coupla shots of me and Trina Jieh-jieh (older sister) hangin' around the house and garden. We sleep a lot and I LOVE to lay out in the sun.

Dharma Dog at Home

2009-04-28T11:02:00.000-07:00

2009-04-21T20:10:00.000-07:00

Another hot day in the City by the Bay. Too hot for us Northerners! Couldn't go anywhere to run or play or even for just a long walk. Ended up just hangin' out around the house. Good thing the garden is cool. Usually, it's too cold and windy out here but today, it's been a perfect place to chill.

At Baker Beach

2009-04-17T10:45:00.001-07:00

Yes we can! Who says you can't let a Husky off leash? I've been training Nikki to go off leash for a couple of months now, and it's been paying off, though very gradually. I'm still cautious as to where and when I can let him off, but for most situations now, I can do it with 90% confidence. It sure changes the character of these outings - the fun factor is definitely up a few notches and... well, isn't this what it's all about - to run free, yet stay together by choice?

Is this November or April?

2009-04-14T17:18:00.000-07:00

Whew! Everyone must be talking about the winds today. Took Nikki running this morning. We ran from the Polo Field to Ocean Beach and up to the top of Land's End and back. Ocean Beach at 7:00 a.m. was beautiful! Not another soul in sight, and the sand was undisturbed - not by human feet, anyway. The wind left its mark, making the beach look like the dunes of the Kalahari or something! We sat down at Land's End to rest at our favorite spot, and watched an armada of white caps invade the Golden Gate. Winds and surf combined to make a loud continuous sigh, broken only by the occasional pounding of the surf on the rocks below. The cold, fast wind ruffling Nikki's fur must have made him feel good. Wonder if it reminded him of the arctic? Probably not! Didn't have my camera with me, so I'm including one of the paintings from Travels with Dharma Dog. It depicts a scene from the exact same spot.

Another Day

2009-04-13T19:38:00.000-07:00

Actually, today has been kinda busy. First order of business, of course, was to take Nikki out for his run - his morning constitution. Remember that term? Well it's my a.m. C, as well. The rest of the morning was spent driving around the Peninsula, taking photos for a client. Then a quick stop at OSH for a couple of planters. Then, lunch at home, and out into the garden.

I had planted a Japanese maple tree between clumps of bamboo a couple of years ago, but it hasn't been getting much sun, as the bamboos have overwhelmed it. So... here I am, transplanting the bamboos to the back. This also gives us some privacy from the neighbors.

When Nikki saw me with he garden hose, he thought I was going to give him a bath, but I reassured him I was not, and coaxed him back for a picture. He loves to lay out in the sun. I love working in the sun. Makes the cold beer afterward taste that much better!

Spring Sunday in the Garden

2009-04-12T16:39:00.000-07:00

The sun is blazing, lavenders dance, camelias blush, a neighbor is laughing, bees hum, birds chatter, someone is sweeping... sweep... sweep... sleep... SLEEP

One Fine Day

2009-04-11T15:24:00.000-07:00

One fine day, happy to be alive, grateful to be here, lucky to have friends - Nikki running with me, Eric Chow riding with me and taking pictures. That's why you can't see him.

On the Miwok Trail, On the Coastal Trail, in the Marin Headlands. Everything is green, everything is blooming. The sky is blue, the ocean even bluer. Nikki is panting with happiness.

Me, my Dog and my Book

2009-04-09T11:45:00.000-07:00

This is my Siberian Husky named Nikki. Every morning we go out and about San Francisco and, sometimes, the Marin Headlands. We bike, run, hike or just walk. No, he doesn't ride a bike - just runs alongside.

These daily outings have become an ongoing meditation for me. I've put these experiences into a book titled, Travels with Dharma Dog. The book consists of eight oil-on-canvas paintings of Nikki in the various situations in which we have found ourselves. Accompanying the paintings are short, Zen inspired poems.

You can get a preview of this book at Blurb.com. At the top is one of the paintings from the book.