Why did you name him Charlie?

/ authorlaurablog / 6 Comments

Two months ago, I brought home a wonderfully sweet Goldendoodle puppy and named him Charlie. The three questions I am most often asked:

What kind of dog is he? What’s his name? (Followed by)

Why did you name him Charlie?

I had decided on the name Charlie earlier in the week, knowing we were going to meet him that Saturday. I thought about other names, tried saying them softly and calling them loudly. I never wavered. Charlie felt right. I didn’t have any specific connection to the name, no it’s not the name of an old boyfriend, I just liked the way it sounded. I had a few other names suggested to me but nothing came close. I waited until the following day, having said “Charlie” to my new bundle of joy many times in the first 36 hours and watching him respond. It’s a happy name that fits the expert criteria of naming a dog: 2 syllables and ending in an E sound so they can distinguish their name from other commands.

It wasn’t until this week, when I reread my favorite book from childhood, All of a Kind Family by Sydney Taylor, that I realized where my affinity for the name began. This charming story published in 1951 and set in 1912, centers around a Jewish immigrant family living on the lower east side of New York with five daughters. Their family friend, one of only two nonJewish characters in the book is named Charlie. I don’t want to give anything away, because I highly recommend this book, but I now understand why I loved the name from all those years ago.

Charlie hikes by the Creek

/ authorlaurablog / 2 Comments

Charlie, just turning 4 months old is so full of energy and curiosity that he is a source of constant amusement. A few days ago we did fabulous trail hike with my friend and her 2 Newfoundlands. They are excellent dogs with years of training on the trail, how to find the nearby creek for a drink, and proved to be good role models for a puppy who’s just learning the ropes.

Today Charlie and I did another hike on a well-traveled trail and he stayed on leash. I think he still had fun and it was especially entertaining to watch him navigate the creek and balance his desire for a stick with his goal to not get too wet.

Puppy adventures are the best!

Pine pollen – everything you didn’t know about pine trees

/ authorlaurablog / 7 Comments

We live in a forest of pine trees. Unlike flowering plants, pine trees don’t attract bees or butterflies for pollination. The wind does the job of transferring pollen from male cones to female cones or on other trees.

The first two photos are male pine cones and the third one, what we think of as a traditional pine cone is a female. The video captures the wind blowing the pollen from the trees.

WAVE light, water, and sound

/ authorlaurablog / 3 Comments

The spectacular Mountain views of Breckenridge Colorado are enough to attract crowds no matter the season. But the first weekend of June each year brings artists from around the world to inspire and dazzle those lucky enough to visit.

The helium filled kites seen in the first several photos were illuminated with different colors and “danced” to the accompanying string musicians.

Nearby, on a tiny island in the creek we enjoyed the cello playing at dusk with swallows flying overhead and trout coming to the surface finding their bedtime snacks.

Other displays included a variety of colorful umbrella sculptures that were on bridges and other areas around town providing a wonderful backdrop for photo ops.

Angel wings that were lit up at night allowed those of us who think we’re angelic to try them on for size.

Another crowd pleaser were seesaws big enough for a whole family to enjoy that also were illuminated at night and made music as they went up and down.