Wow, the colors of fall are really popping out this week. Last Sunday our hiking group went to the Tallulah River area. I took this photo while standing on rocks above the gorge area. Then Kate and Cocoa wanted to jump from rock to rock in an effort to get closer to the water.

I’m always pretty proud of Cocoa because she remembers the commands she learned at Dog School 101 (the best dog trainers in the Atlanta area). I can tell her to go “slow” and “most” of the time she slows down. I say, “Go jump” and she does! So we hopped and jumped until we could see the old electrical plant in the background of this photo. At one point, Kate got a ahead of us and called back: “I don’t think Cocoa can come this far because there is a log over the water that she will have to cross.”

When we got to the crossing Cocoa marched right across it just like she learned to do at Dog School! Thank you Xalina and Sandy; all you taught us is still working!

Have I told you this week that I love this dog? I do. In this photo, she’s watching to see where Kate is going next.

Look at Chip. He seems so small against this beautiful backdrop. Since his last “near fatal” swimming incident, he has not offered to go back in the water. That is something that makes me very happy. On this last trip to Hemlock Falls, he concentrated on just being a trail dog.

I really liked Evan’s T-Shirt and wanted to take a photo of it. Lately, everywhere I turn, I see guys driving antique pickup trucks.

And here is Sharon’s wonderful smile. When she smiles or laughs, the people around her feel brighter and happier, too.

After last week’s two mile hike straight uphill, you would think I had learned a lesson. But when I saw a “short” trail that wound its way up Springer mountain and to the top of Amicalola Falls, I was off with dogs in tow. I did think to ask friends if they thought we could make it. “Sure.” And “Sure” again were the answers, but like me they were caught up in the moment of being a part of a dog pack and watching everyone be nice to one another.

Half way to the top of the mountain, we stopped for water. That’s when a lady and her son rushed past us. They only stopped long enough to tell us that they had heard a growl up ahead. I laughed, but friend Mary Erna didn’t.

“I’m worried about bears,” she said as she reached in her day sack and pulled out a huge can of pepper spray.

“Yikes!” I said. “Make sure you only point that stuff at bears!” Secretly, I liked the idea she had it with her, but I also knew that no respectable bear would come after four dogs and three screaming women!

We reached the top without incident and fell in love with the view! It was windy and so refreshing.

Here’s Michael. (I couldn’t resist posting this) He’s smiling and why wouldn’t he? He’s checking out Cocoa Joy. Several people stopped to talk with us about the dogs and we told everyone that they were all trained by the trainers at Dog School 101 in Atlanta. They’re the best!

There must have been some really good sniffs around this tree.

Here’s the take away from the day: a beautiful waterfall—one that is four times higher than Niagara. This is only the top section.

And here is the lower section. We stood in the middle at the overlook while the dogs worried about the moving water below us.

Then it was time to head out to eat dinner and home. The dogs were exhausted and I was, too. But we had tons of fun! Thank you, ME for driving north and for bringing your “Bear Spray!”

 I had someone last week ask me if I had read Zane Grey and I said, “No. Not yet.” I remembered that Jan Karen had read Zane Grey’s novels and often had her lead character Father Tim engrossed in a Zane Grey novel but had never picked one up. I love old books so yesterday when I saw an abandoned collection of his first editions, I could hardly resist. But I still didn’t know if these books would be good additions to Chip’s Jack London collection. Would the dogs like them? Would they enjoy hearing stories written in the early 1900′s about cowboys, horses, and the wild west?

I decided to purchase only one of the many available. The one I bought was titled Wildfire and after reading the opening paragraph, I was hooked and knew this new story would definitely stir the imaginations of both Chip and Cocoa Joy. Here’s just a few lines, “For some reason the desert scene before Lucy Bostil awoke varying emotions—a sweet gratitude for the fullness of her life there at the Ford, yet a haunting remorse that she could not be wholly content—a vague loneliness of soul—a thrill and a fear for the strangely calling future, glorious, unknown. She longed for something to happen. It might be terrible, so long as it was wonderful.

“This day, when Lucy had stolen away on a forbidden horse, she was eighteen years old. . . .” Oh, yea, they are going to like this book!

My day began with this and plenty of coffee. BJ’s is the best!

It included a quick stop to buy sunflowers for a party with friends.

Then there was dinner and time to talk and play with paper dolls.

We celebrated with Rebecca and Albert and Johanna.

And here is how we ended the day. Pretty perfect. Thank You, God.