Among the wildflowers.

The hills are alive right now.

What was recently barren and white is now green and healthy, growing by the minute. Full of life– chipmunks, ground squirrels, birds and bugs galore, and our little fox friends scurry between rocks and thick shrubs. And flowers- so many wildflowers!

On Tuesday, needing to clear my head, I took Cholula to a favorite trail from last year, near her swimming pond. Over the weekend, she’d joined John on a mountain bike ride and came home with stiff legs and sore pads on her paws. Two days of exhausted downtime later, Cholula was anxious for exercise but not quite at 100%, so we did a mellow trail.

The trail wound through the trees, a series of switchbacks toward the summit. Each flower smiled at us as we passed. Flowers everywhere.

The sun was hot, and the shaded spots felt good. The exposed parts of the trail were dry and dusty, but the views there were the best. I could even see our house, far across the valley!

My trail hound did a lot of pausing and waiting for Mama as I breathed in the sunshine and felt my worries fade. I selected a happy yellow bloom to tuck behind my ear and hummed Tom Petty’s song, Wildflowers. It seemed an appropriate soundtrack for the afternoon.

You belong among the wildflowers

You belong somewhere close to me

Far away from your trouble and worry

You belong somewhere you feel free

I attempted to capture a Mama-doggie photo, there on the lovely hillside. I’ve decided that Cholula is anti-camera- but I gave her a smooch, anyway.

We ended our excursion with a swim– Cholula’s favorite part. Wet and happy, she seemed to forget her still-sore paws as I gave her a few treats to nibble on. The words of wisdom on the treat bag made me smile: Wag more. Bark less.

Two girls, happier now than when they arrived, headed back across the valley.

The sunshine and wildflowers had worked their magic once again.