WATCHING TV WITH A DOG IS ALSO THERAPY

I’m wrung out and watching “Princess Mononoke” on the couch with Coco the dog. We are so happy to be together. Studio Ghibli artists have bothered to animate the dew on moss for a scene in the spirit forest and twenty seven years later I tear up considering how long this must have taken and how earthshaking it is that a group of people cared so much for a seemingly little detail; dew on moss. I’m home at the wettest time of year and now would be a good time to get out and appreciate some in real life. The spring peepers just started singing about an hour ago! So I feel this is a special occasion. 

What is special? Last years’ yellow-brown winter grass flattened and contoured like rivers swirling around the topography of my hilly home, all the heavy snow having just melted leaving it attached like gold leaf to the ground. This is the two second pause before all that is green erupts from the ground with a vengeance. There was a massive wind and rainstorm today that threatened to blow my windows in (A dramatic intro for the peepers) but I held fast and kept working to soothe my broken heart. Trees are down all over the county and electricity flickered on and off throughout the day. The horses are shedding and soaking wet. They are pushy and itchy but there is not much I can do for them until they dry out. I scratch under their forelocks to try to soothe them a little. 

Spring has kicked down the door. There will be more snow storms as it is a schizophrenic season in this part of the world. The vultures, geese and ducks are returning en masse and so we will be populated with huge birds once more. The air smells a delicious metallic that makes me thirsty. Any day now the shadow of a heron will pass over me and I will marvel like it’s the first time all over again.

What is special where you are?