The bond we share with our dogs is one of the most special experiences we can have. And Ivy is no exception. She is a shining example of what unconditional love truly is. The room lights up when she is in it and heart rates lower. The smiles she gives and the smiles she gets are as calming as a walk in her beloved Golden Gate Park.
Especially during these trying times, critters help keep us attached to a world outside ourselves. What goes on inside her pretty little head is a mystery worth exploring. Watching what piques her interest during her long walks gives us the best evidence. Let’s take roses…
She has an uncanny ability to truffle-out a rose no matter what pile of brambles is draped before her. What story does she tell herself while sniffing the flower of love? Does it smell like someone she knows or is it merely that she’s looking for its sweet nectar? Trying to decipher each other’s thoughts weaves our two species together. While we watch her inquisitive eyes, she’s likely watching us, waiting for that signal that it’s family time. Time for bonding. Time for the heart.
Konrad Lorenz once said, “The bond with a true dog is as lasting as the ties of this earth will ever be.” May this family bond flourish for many years to come.
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About the piece: Image transfers are melded to a birch panel to show Ivy amidst dancing roses. Whitewashed acrylics act to soften the focus bringing her image to a tighter view. Slashes of black come and go indicating her ability to melt away the day’s harshness.