Mattie walks

Bon jour, Monsieur Monet

Our dog's name is Mattie.

Mattie is a shelter pup. Chow Chow-retriever mix (why two chows? One does the job). Sweet disposition, excepting smaller dogs. An issue we're working on.

But Mattie is a people-person. Constantly amassing Facebook friends.

She allows me two sections of the paper in the mornings, then we have to hit the road.

Evenings we wait out the heat.

Every walk shows me a potential painting. I thought up a challenge of doing just that: A painting per walk. The Mattie Walk show. Someday I'll take that challenge.

The painting above, "Pond Lilly", resulted from a walk at Lake Hall, Maclay Gardens State Park.

Walking the girl can be a challenge where people are concerned. Parks have leash rules, so we're always in tandem. Lake Hall has a sand beach where dogs are not allowed. Some people don't want or need a dog interrupting their moment of serenity.

So walking Mattie is a constant judgment call of navigation.

Mattie has a great ability to moderate her response to those she approaches. She is calm and even demure with little kids and older people. Frisky and energetic with those who can handle it. I'm always impressed by her intuition.

But, mostly, I wimp out and take her on trails where the population thins out.

One trail goes around part of the lake. I like that walk a lot. It meanders through the woods and touches the shoreline here and there.

Mattie's indifferent. She keeps an eye out for lions, tigers or bears.

We came to a shoreline view of this shaded cove, covered with lily pads. And one blossom catching a spot of sunlight.

I'm no Claude Monet, but this was a Monet moment. How could I resist?

Mattie, Monet and me. Out for a walk.