DOG DAYS OF SUMMER

365 Days of Thanksliving — Day 219

Ever feel like your head is in a haze? That’s been me for the last 24+ hours. The air is just thick with something: humidity most definitely, and I’m guessing a new batch of pollens. (I wonder if the corn is starting to pollinate. This happened last year and my sinuses went berserk for weeks). Guess we’re in the “dog days of summer,” huh.

Anyway, that all said, my weather app has been telling me all day that there’s an air quality advisory outside. Gee... I couldn’t have guessed. Snark fully intended and inserted, by the way!

Seriously though, in part due to the outside conditions, today’s just been one of those slow, lingering days where inspiration feels somewhat... flat. Not helping any, I awoke feeling unrested and weighed down from a super-duper weird dream last night; that, and three large claw marks on my arm.

Seriously. No kidding.

I didn’t feel a thing either, just noticed them when I was in the shower this morning. I can only hope those were from a dog and not something demonic. Just sayin'! (I've seen videos from exorcists, and they be scary!)

All that fussin' and stuff aside, gratitude has a funny way of showing up exactly when you need it, often disguised as a comforting weight.

Tonight, that weight was quite literal. Up until two seconds ago—literally—for more than an hour I’ve been buried under a pile of Boxer love. Gus Gus turned three today, and having him and Arlo anchor me to the couch is exactly the grounding I needed. There is also a quiet excitement resting on the table tonight.

My new star tracker from Move Shoot Move arrived this afternoon, opening a whole new world for capturing the Milky Way once this atmospheric soup clears up. I’d been contemplating buying a tracker for the last couple of years and finally decided to pull the trigger. I’m hoping this device takes my imaging to new heights, bringing more clarity to the stars while also letting in more light. Time will tell, right? It’ll soon be time to play.

Whelp, I’m trying my darndest to keep this one shorter. So with that said, I guess, tonight, I am thankful for the unconditional, heavy comfort of my dogs; the anticipation of clear night skies; and the simple grace to just rest right now.

What are you grateful for today?