ATB: To Simply "Be"

To simply be... this is where I am tonight.  A "place" of peace and contentment.  I arrived here randomly, through a selection of music playing on Pandora.  Above, is the piece which has touched my heart, reflective of all that I was all that I am all that I ever hope to be.  The name, SEA AND SILENCE is so appropriate. I saw photos on the Facebook page of my niece as she was kayaking in the afternoon, over in New Castle, New Hampshire.  Photographs of the waters just off of Portsmouth Harbor.  Waters that I grew up, where we all grew up living on a beautiful island of Colonial homes, a magical and mystical island to grow up on as a child, a place full of memories in my mind and in my heart. Funny the thoughts come tonight on this day, my sister's birthday.  Funny the sense of peace and calm arrive at the beginning of a week which will end with a joyous celebration of the wedding, of another dear friends daughter.  Time passes by. But life is good and sometimes even better than ever hoped for. Not always. But most often.  As I blog tonight the music carries me in the same way it once did at my very first creative writing class, a class where I also heard Pachobels Canon in D for the very first time.  All is calm.  And all is bright.  And All things Brittany is very peaceful tonight. 

I have so loved the many updates and photos of Bullet and Treasures puppies these recent weeks and days.  They are so loved and they are so treasured, what more could I ask?  And their daddy, Bullet, he has finished in the ring! Not only as a show champion owned and loved by Julie but also as the very first J & A's Brittanys show champion in the history of our gundog breeding program. We said we hoped he would finish before his pups all went home, and Bullet did just that. Right to the day.  I never want to forget what this 'feels' like to me.  I never ever want to take for granted how this grand event came to be.  I want to always remember being there in the ring as the judge pointed to Bullet and my heart leaped for joy for so many reasons, not the least of which was the beautiful Brittany himself.  A boy so full of love and affection, so playful, yet so keenly intelligent and filled with the strongest hunting instincts, instincts that continually rise to the surface and demand to be fulfilled in the field.  Julie told him that when he finished he would never have to go into the ring again, that job would be done but that from now on he'd be spending time doing what he loves to do best - hunting and field work.

This day John and I began the arduous task of transforming the whelping area and puppy playpen back into a grooming studio.  Truthfully I had been putting it off. Not so much due to the nature of the job, but more to the reality of the closure of the rearing  of the Triple J&A litter.  11 pupppies each one in their new home this night as I reflect.  11 puppies born on the 11th of April to our beautiful Treasure.  And to our first show champion, Bullet.  

All the shavings and toys, blankets, whelping supplies, the box itself and all manner of things relative to raising a litter of new Brittany pupppies - disappeared as the afternoon wore on.  In it's stead the grooming table, crate, mirrors, tack box and other tools.  All manner of things necessary now to keep this crew looking it's best in the days, weeks, and months ahead.  And I like grooming our crew. From a simple check at their ears to a full body summer field clip, it is time spent with each dog that I enjoy. They like it too. When I still went to have my hair "done", I usually loved the way I felt when I walked out of the hair salon.  The dogs love that feeling too as evidenced by their wild and crazy romps around the yard.

Treasure is doing wonderful. Her coat is shedding profusely but that is typical after having a litter of pups.  But her eyes are bright and her coat is glowing still.  On the day that Pearl (Patience) left, she and Treasure ran through the open door into the puppy play area.  Pearl jumped up on the stool and sat and looked at Treasure as she nosed around sniffing and pawing.  Then together they ran up and over back outdoors to play.  Treasure continued to show an interest in her pups right up to the leaving of each one.  She was a part of it.  After Pearl left for Rhode Island Treasure went and found a puppy toy.  She ran all around the yard with it as if to be sure no one had been left behind. Satisfied all was well, Treasure focused her attention upon me and begged me to engage with her in a game of keep away. I happily obliged. 

When it was still June I joked and said I was going to hang a shingle that said CLOSED during the month of July. But I realize I really cannot be 'CLOSED'.  Besides that each weekend is already full of plans and schedules including a nearly week long visit by two of our grandsons. We have plans though and it will be fun. July is a month of several dog shows but right now after our Brittany club specialty I have no energy nor desire to go to one single show. I will however look forward to getting down to the field as much as I can with John and the crew. 

It is a time to simply be. It is a time to remind John that he does not need to be planning the entire next week while we sit quietly at the edge of the ATB pond.  We need to remember to watch the dogs closer as they play. They live in the moment.  They are happy no matter what they are doing and never ever fail to let us know how much we are loved.  Yesterday morning we sat in the shade as the sun came up over the pond with each and every Brittany all out together at the same time.  I love our pack. I love our life. I love being loved and I love loving those in my life, sharing it all with John.

The joy of the Lord is my strength and indeed, this is true. Every moment of my day this can be a reality.  Joy.  Can be. A. Reality.   Joy is not an emotion or a feeling.  Joy is a state of mind which we can choose to live in.  And I do.  Joy is found in quietness and in simplicity, places of solitude.   It is only when we are stilled, quieted and make a choice to be still.  To be still.  To be still and to know. That HE is God. There it is.  Suddenly again.  How clear and how simple.  To simply 'be'. 

My goal for the month is to simply be.  Simplify my life.  Become unencumbered.  Place no high expectations on myself, John, family, friends and certainly not the dogs. Instead, I'm going to spend more time with all of them as well as with each of them than I have for a few months. They already are aware of this and they seem very happy about it.  They place no expectations on me and somehow understand and accept when time must be divided and shared. But this month, for the most part I am certainly all theirs. I think it's going to be a great month.

I'm thankful for those of you who read and follow this blog.  Even more so for those of you who love this amazing breed and of course - ours in particular! Stay in touch and may God always bless you and yours... John, Ann, and our canine crew of Brittany dogs.  (wow we bred a champion...wow)