Out & About With The Family

Maggie's pawsability thought for the day:

"The family is one of nature's masterpieces."

George Santayana

Maggie's human sibling Julie

  Yesterday after Maggie's big adventure described in Fog On The Pumpkin Patch we were just chilling on the home front. Then the sun came out. Maggie's human sibling Julie asked if I wanted to "Walk the Stanford Dish?" Maggie gave me the OK, go ahead look in between running her paws in a deep sleep. Only humans can walk the dish. Dogs use to be allowed before Stanford University put in stronger conservation plans. I felt like the last local resident to walk the dish-until yesterday. It was high noon. We set the Map My Run app on the iPhone for a "walk". The first leg up is a killer. It was the first of many killers. Beautiful views and nature everywhere. Squirrels were chilling and scurrying about. It's a squirrels haven up there. Squirrel metropolis?

Red tailed hawks were flying overhead when we came to the "Dish" (which is a radio telescope).

The best part was when a jackrabbit crossed the road.

At the end of our 5 mile hike we were hot, sweaty, and hungry. We went to Sono Sushi to get refreshed. We sat at the sushi bar. Magic. Boats of beautiful sushi floated by. We selected delicious plates of heaven.

Energized we left the Sono Sushi  for some gelato. 

Then it was time to scamper home to walk Maggie for her afternoon walk. Afterwards Maggie and I piled into the Subbie car to drop Julie off elsewhere. It was a happy day spent with family out and about in between pumpkins, nature walks, sushi and home sweet home again. A full, family masterpiece of fun. 

Happy Maggie. Home sweet home.

CLICK THE YOUTUBE "Walkifornia-Stanford Dish"

P.S. GO STANFORD-Ignore the "GO BEARS" written on the trail. 

Fog On The Pumpkin Patch

Maggie's pawsability thought for the day: 

"The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate."

Oprah Winfrey

Maggie picks a pumpkin

  Today is our 200th blog on MaggieMooseTracks. Time for a celebration! Early this morning Maggie and I went to Webb Ranch to look for the perfect MaggieMooseTracks' pumpkin. There were 200+ pumpkins in the patch. Holy pumpkin, which pumpkin should we get? It was like trying to find the perfect Christmas tree in a forest of choices. So many wonderful pumpkins. Webb Ranch had big giant ones too. We saw gourds that looked like geese with yellow freckles, we saw yummy organic strawberries and more. There were friendly faces busy setting up the festive Halloween decorations. Today is the official day of the pumpkin patch opening. All folks are welcome to pick out some pumpkins, visit the haunted house or get some fresh, organic produce. It's open 9 am till dusk. Celebrating our 200th blog at our local Farmer's Market-Webb Ranch (family farm since 1922) was the best. 

MaggieMooseTracks gives a big WOOF WOOF for such a fun place to spend a foggy Saturday morning! 

Part of Webb Ranch pumpkin patch

That wasn't all we saw. There was a monster mash.

Holy fright Scooby-Doo!

Green geese gourds with yellow freckles:

Thank You Webb Ranch!

WAIT a minute! Maybe it's this pumpkin....

Cozy Fits More Than a Teapot

Maggie's pawsability thought for the day:

"Everyone can identify with a fragrant garden, with beauty of sunset, with the quiet of nature, with a warm and cozy cottage."

Thomas Kincade

Can I please get cozy?

  Maggie loves to get cozy. When she's had enough of the world she just wants to go to her favorite place-my bed. My beautiful quilt is covered with a Maggie proof fleece. It's the only furniture she's allowed on. No couch. No chair, nadda to the furniture. The bed is where Maggie will lay next to me (or her human siblings) and get cozy. I might be on my laptop, catching shows on the tele, or reading. At the end of the day when it's Maggie's bedtime, she goes in her crate. The other day I was in the hallway. I looked in my room. There was Maggie with her soulful eyes begging me to get on the bed for cozy time. Second choice for her is to at least let her get on the bed alone. I looked at her with the "No Maggie, not now" look. Since I don't let Maggie jump on the bed she has to wait for me to lift her 50 lb. bum up. She sauntered off to the living room to lay down in her own dog bed. Happily for Maggie, later I acquiesced. Cozy fits Maggie like on a teapot or in a painting of a warm and cozy cottage. 

Cozy at last!

When The Red Tailed Hawk Cries-Listen

Maggie's pawsability thought for the day:

"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better."

Albert Einstein

Red Tailed Hawk

  Yesterday afternoon on our walk Maggie and I kept hearing a crying sound. We couldn't quite figure out if it was a bird or some other animal, perhaps a cat? As we continued our walk we tried to track the direction where the sound was coming from. We struck gold. Camouflaged high up in an oak tree was a red tailed hawk. It's body's feathers above its talons fluttering in the breeze. When we approached the hawk it sat there still. Then, once again it emitted its loud cries. Who or what was it crying for? Maybe crying for its partner who was soaring (hunting) back by where we live? Holy Moly! Maggie's paws and my feet were right beneath it. We felt honored to be in its presence. Our small point & shoot camera  captured the hawk's cries on video, although a bit shaky. Thirty seconds after we stopped filming- the red tailed hawk flew off. Our precious moment deep in nature instantly evaporated. We choose to think this red tailed hawk let us film it because it's familiar with us. We've seen this neighborhood hawk many times before; standing on the ground with prey in its talons, soaring close above our heads, running on the ground just feet away, and now perched high up in the old oak tree. We thank this magnificent bird for allowing us to understand everything better.  Maggie and I reflected on how we are all part of each other although separate and individual. 

Click to see our video: RED TAILED HAWK CRIES

Dog On Board: MaggieMoose Hits The Treadmill!

Maggie's pawsability thought for the day:

"A bear, however hard he tries, grows tubby without exercise."

A.A. Milne

Maggie on the treadmill

 We have a new treadmill in the house. It's quite fancy. Maggie is in treadmill training. She only needs to be able to go forward. No iFit for her, that's for me. Before Maggie arrived (as a puppy) I donated my old treadmill to the Salvation Army. Maggie was to be my "treadmill". She's lived up to my expectations for getting a good workout on our daily walks. Soon winter weather will be here. Burrr. I remember how cold it was last year (human "sissy" here). When the darker mornings & nights or the inclement weather hits we'll be prepared. No chubby bear hibernation for Maggie or me. Exercise it is. Before Maggie I had a little Maltese named Scotty. I trained him on our treadmill. He was quite buff and proud of it. Scotty loved the treadmill so much that when he saw me get ready to hop on, he'd pout unless his workout came first. Now he's running with the big dogs in heaven. My hope is that Maggie will have the same fervor as my little 9 lb. Scotty. Happy Tails Maggie!

Scotty and me

As We Are: Friendship's Freedom

Maggie's pawsability thought for the day:

"Friends can help each other. A true friend is someone who lets you have total freedom to be yourself - and especially to feel. Or, not feel. Whatever you happen to be feeling at the moment is fine with them. That's what real love amounts to - letting a person be what he really is."

Jim Morrison

Maggie feeling the "double" love

  I'm not sure Maggie knows she's a dog. She knows she's a friend. She knows she loves the back massages with paralyzing stillness. She knows she loves her human family. We know we love Maggie even with a raggedy tennis ball stuffed in her mouth. Friends accept friends just as they are. We love how Maggie is in her lumbering way infects us with her love bug contagion. Right side up or right side down we accept Maggie just as she comes. She accepts us. A friendship lick & hug and we're feeling her love back- as we are. 

upside down girl

  

MaggieMoose: There's Pumpkins Aplenty!

Maggie's pawsability thought for the day:

"There is no blue without yellow and without orange."

Vincent Van Gogh

  Down the road there's an organic pumpkin patch. The color orange was so bright it caught my eye from the road. I pulled over and took some photos. I wondered what Maggie might think of these giant balls of orange. She likes her yellow tennis balls. The color orange might be quite popular. I think Vincent Van Gogh was right-there's no blue without yellow and without orange. I needed a MaggieMoose to make my pumpkin patch stop complete. I imagined Maggie sniffing from pumpkin to pumpkin trying to choose the best one. Her wiggle bottom going full throttle with joy. I think this weekend we're taking a field trip to the pumpkin patch. Oh pumpkin, oh pumpkin, which one will it be, amongst the orange pumpkins aplenty?

Love By The Bookcase

Maggie's thought for the day:

"In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed."

Kahil Gibran

Maggie just chillin'

  It's early morning. Maggie is chilling by the bookcase while I make the morning coffee. That's what I love about Maggie. No matter what I throw her way she remains calm, cool and collected. Her aura radiates joy. Our place has gone through some facelifts lately. We are de-cluttering, getting some new things all while lightening our load. Lots of changes. Some of our routines remain constant such as ball tossing, daily walks, and Maggie always begging for rawhide chips. Our friendship is the glue that cements our laughter and sharing of pleasures. I'm lucky. Maggie is such a mellow and happy girl. Each morning I face the day my heart is refreshed with Maggie at my side. As for my hand, it's full of slobber from throwing her tennis ball. Not a bad trade-off. Tennis ball love for Maggie love.

tennis ball love

Autumn Skies Ahead

Maggie's pawsability thought for the day:

"Autumn mornings: sunshine and crisp air, birds and calmness, year's end and day's beginnings."

Terri Guillemets

1st autumn sky morning

  Today is the first day of autumn. Maggie and I could feel it in our bones as we briskly walked in the 45F degree weather. Cool and crisp with the sunshine over the easterly horizon. It was as if the sky decided to show its leaf like autumn colors for the world. We enjoyed it as we pawsed to take in its colorful beauty. Many different shaped leaves were scattered all around the ground with colors of reds, browns, yellows and tans. In our little neighborhood we feel and see the Fall season each year. Our trees turn many multiple colors. The leaves pile up in our yard and everywhere we walk. Maggie loves running fast through the yard like a torpedo. Behind her the leaves are scattered in a flurry like a whirling dervish. This changing season reminds Maggie and I of snuggle up time as the nights get shorter, loads of pumpkins around and more Stanford football games. GO STANFORD! We're looking forward to burrowing in and experiencing the thrill of the outdoors full of cool, windy days chasing the leaves along our path. It's the year's end and the day's beginnings.

Maggie on the 1st morning of Autumn 

Sunshine of Aspirations

Maggie's pawsability thought for the day:

"Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead."

Louisa May Alcott

"Sunny"- a little girl pup from Maggie's mom Ginger

  The sun is shining on new sweet life. Awhile ago Maggie's mom Ginger had puppies (English Springer Spaniel). Such promises of pawsabilities await these puppies or any dog waiting for their loving home. Back when Maggie was a puppy I believed Maggie had such aspirations. It came true. Today Maggie has a huggability level off the Richter scale. As a young pup she was like a plant who needed watering. I watered her daily with love. She sprouted into the biggest sunflower sharing her inner and outer beauty with all. I'm reminded as I look at the puppy Sunny that it all began far away in the sunshine of aspirations. We believed and followed our aspirations where they led us. Maggie and I are still looking up and following them. It's the same for the littlest ray of sunshine from Maggie's mom. It's true for a dog like B who was adopted from a shelter. Now B thrives with her shower of love back in Boston. The sky's the limit no matter where one starts. Just ask Maggie. 

Maggie lovin' the loving

The Upstairs And Downstairs of Timmy & Tui

Maggie's pawsability thought for the day:

"If you can dream it, then you can achieve it. You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want."

Zig Ziglar

Tui-above & Timmy below

  Maggie's turtles are the coolest. She loves to lay on her red & blue towel and just stare at them while they purposely stare back at her. Tui, the biggest turtle was a rescue turtle. He's lived with us for years. His shell is about 7 1/2" long. We've had Timmy since he was little. His shell back then was about 3-4" long. Now his shell is about 6" long. Tui & Timmy are the best of buddies. They share who gets the upstairs or downstairs in their tank. Sometimes they both go upstairs and pile on top of each other baking under the sun lamp. Sometimes they're both downstairs in the water. While Timmy & Tui might not be people they live the example of helping each other. Their mutual cooperation helps them get what they want too. Maggie loves watching them do the impossible. Timmy's acrobatic feats of getting on top of Tui while on the upstairs level is quite an act to see. It's like they are Cirque Du Soleil performers. They don't know they can't do it so, they just do it. When Maggie comes up close to the tank Timmy & Tui come to the glass to greet her. So it is, friends caring about friends.

Timmy getting on Tui

Maggie's Play Date With Herself

Maggie's pawsability thought for the day:

"Life is a song - sing it. Life is a game - play it. Life is a challenge - meet it. Life is a dream - realize it. Life is a sacrifice - offer it. Life is love - enjoy it."

Sai Baba

Am I interrupting Maggie's privacy?

  I think the best gift I gave Maggie was teaching her how to play by herself. She fully embraced my teachings. Her toys are proof of her proficiency as they are littered all over the floor. Today's rough count of rope toys: 3 different ones are on ground. 1 rope is in her mouth. Elk antlers: 2 are on the ground. 1 Nylabone is behind my chair.

I've already thrown the tennis ball before the rope toys came out. Geez, I spoke too soon. Maggie now wants to play together. She has brought me the red squeaky ball! It's too early Maggie! SQUEAK SQUEAK SQUEAK! Ok, a few tosses of the ball and Maggie is happy. After the squeaky ball toss she brought her toys out by her buddies the turtles Timmy & Tui. They'll give her some privacy as they look down at her from their tank. She's safe to play by herself. The turtles don't have an iPhone to bug her with photo opportunities. Maggie agrees that life is a game-play it!

Love In Bloom: A Dog Named "B"

Maggie's pawsability thought for the day:

"Rescuing an animal may not change the world, but for that animal, their world is changed forever."

Unknown

"B" in Boston is living happily ever after with her humans

  About two months ago Maggie and I wrote about the importance of sharing one's love in Want Love? Add Dog. We showed photos of some dogs that had been adopted by people we know. One of the dogs at the time was Liberty aka Libby and finally just "B". She's a pit bull mix. Well, the update on B is that she's very happy. Her life of wondering the streets alone in her old Dorchester, Boston neighborhood are over. She has a warm bed every night with plenty of toys & food. She takes wonderful walks around Boston.... 

"Wait" Maggie says. 

"What's the most important thing in B's life?" 

Oh that's right.... B thinks L-O-V-E is the most important ingredient she receives from her humans. Her humans think it's all the love they receive back from B the "beautiful" dog. It's a WIN WIN or as Maggie says it's a WOOF WOOF! 

Happy Tails B!

Maggie's favorite flower "pink hibiscus"

Little Hummingbird's Net Of Love

Maggie's pawsability thought for the day:

"Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls."

Mother Teresa

hummingbird in the garden

  The little green hummingbird was fluttering in the garden as Maggie and I watched through the dining room window. I didn't bother to get up to take a photo because the hummingbirds never stays in one spot long enough. This day was different. The bird kept staying in our eyesight. OK, I snapped the iPhone photo. Then poof it was gone. What a beautiful and joyful moment Maggie and I had watching the hummingbird. We felt the love from this little tiny bird. It caught our souls in that magical moment from our garden. Precious. We felt blessed since we don't have a hummingbird feeder to attract this beautiful bird. Just the pink flowers in our garden.

hummingbird gone

Sunday's Walking Reflections

Maggie's pawsability thought for the day:

"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude."

Dennis Waitley

Maggie & me

  Maggie and I walked along the sidewalk. We saw acorns on the ground, birds flying overhead, and squirrels scurrying about. We went on a cool, even paced walk. No hurrying this morning. Maggie and I wanted to soak up the cool, foggy morning reflecting on our blessings. We watched the eager cyclists whiz by our snail's pace. We thought of our family and friends. We agreed that happiness cannot be traveled to a place on a map. Nor consumed or worn. It's within. When the crunch in life hits-it is clear who is generous in spirit. In advance and with gratitude, Maggie & I want to thank our family and friends. We know you'd be there for us if ever needed. 
                                                           WOOF WOOF
          PS. We are grateful Stanford football 21 beat USC football 14! HOLLA!

Fall colors on our walk.

Goalposts Are Set: Maggie's Ready to Rumba

Maggie's pawsability thought for the day:

"In life, as in football, you won't go far unless you know where the goalposts are."

Arnold H. Glasgow

Maggie is ready

  Today is the Stanford University football vs USC football game. Maggie is ready to cheer on her home football team. GO Stanford! WOOF WOOF! Since Maggie's color logo was finished yesterday she is ready to rumba with some new goals. 

The goalpost is set for writing her first MaggieMooseTracks® children's book series. Our logo creator Randy Jennings will illustrate the books. Maggie knows she needs some transcription help so, I'll step in and be her ghost writer. We'll share in the successes like a successful football team shares their victory together. Before today's game starts Maggie is going to get some practice in. She'll be tossing the ole pigskin around to warm up for kick-off. GO STANFORD! WOOF WOOF

Maggie's goals are set & she's ready to rumba!

MaggieMoose's Friday Meditation

Maggie's pawsability thought for the day:

"Sleep is the best meditation."

Dali Lama

Maggie meditating

  Maggie and I decided to do some meditating this morning-we slept in. A whole 2 hours! At first I had a feeling of being behind the curve ball. Maggie could care less. First on her mind was getting the "walk". Off we went into the cool fog. Walking without coffee in the morning was a total out of body experience for me. Is this what meditating is all about? An out of body experience? If it is we highly recommend it. Say goodbye to worries and step into another realm of bliss. Maggie liked her bliss so much she went back to meditating. That is until I took her photo and woke her up. Oops. Maggie half asleep shrugged, closed her eyes and off she went into her nirvana. I think I hear her chanting. OM OM OM....

Maggie's round two of meditation! 

She's Got The Cute Factor

Maggie's pawsability thought for the day:

"Cute is when your personality shines through your looks. Like, when you see someone's personality in the way they walk and you just feel like hugging them every time you see them."

Natalie Portman

Maggie & the cute factor

  Maggie was laying in front of my chair waiting for me while I poked around in my room. I looked at her and thought to myself she is so cute. She's got the cute factor. Her personality shines through her long body with her white freckled paws. The pink blush around her nose is the cutest. I went over to this bundle of cuteness on the floor and we shared some hugging. While I rubbed her velvety chocolate coat my happiness factor increased. Maggie is like a cute baby, or a cute puppy. I feel like I just want to squeeze 'em with love and feel their cuteness. I'm all smiles. It's a great way to start the day!

Maggie's cute pinkness

Back On-Exchange Program for Fall

Maggie's pawsability thought for the day:

"When you do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world."

George Washington Carver 

Maggie and the twig

 I was diligently working at my computer. I looked up. Maggie was just sitting there with a 10" twig hanging out of her mouth looking at me. A twig? Really? I chuckled to myself. I haven't seen Maggie bring in a twig for awhile. Fall is approaching, maybe that's why the sudden appearance of the twig. I reflected on her confidence of walking in the house twig in mouth, and planting herself right in front of me. How could I miss not seeing her? What a bold move executed in a quiet way. She commanded my attention. OK, we're back to the "exchange program". That's where I go get a little treat, ask her to "drop it" and she releases the twig. More like she throws the twig out of her mouth. Oh Maggie. How can I not smile? Maggie does common things (is this common?) in an uncommon way, grabbing my attention every time. I'm a lucky girl.

California Dreaming: Louisiana Food & Elk Antlers

Maggie's pawsability thought for the day:

"One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating."

Luciano Pavarotti & William Wright

Beignets from Cafe DuMonde

  I woke up this morning and looked at some of my New Orleans photos. The food photos stuck out like a red stop light glaring. I was dreaming of those delicious beignets from Cafe DuMonde or the soft shelled crab with asparagus & shrimp from Crescent City Brewhouse. FYI-Both of these food establishments are a must stop and enjoy!

Crescent City Brewhouse

Meanwhile, Maggie ate her breakfast, drank some water and then settled down to chewing on her elk antler. I'm glad Maggie's satisfied by devoting some attention to her palate cleanser-the elk antler. But, where the heck am I going to find beignets or soft-shelled crab Louisiana style here in California? I'm wide awake California dreaming of rich & tasty Louisiana food times.... Maggie, I think Expedia is calling us. Time for a trip?

Maggie & her elk antler chew