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

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?

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

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

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

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

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.