Winter Dreaming

It's winter, and here I am stuck in the middle of the city and not out playing in the woods of Wisconsin. I do notice that it takes a toll on my mental health to be in a city instead of out in the woods. I think it takes a toll on the dog's mental health, too. There is only so much exploration that can happen on a 3/4 acre lot in the middle of Des Moines with temps in the single digits (especially for the demanding Clementine). I know the problem with Clementine will persist in Wisconsin, but I think the human will have more motivation to purchase winter dog apparel and go on more hikes in beautiful spaces to keep her acclimated (since they are within walking distance and not 10+ miles away).

Things I look forward to on a daily basis include:

• The design process for the house and land which is supposed to start this month.

• Checking my property cameras on a daily basis to see how much snow has fallen or what the wildlife is doing (the deer enjoy the space where the house is going to be built).

  
  

  The buck on the right is a common visitor.

You will recognize the buck in this video. Also, the fog is fascinating how it comes across in the video.

I am on the hunt for a new job as most people already know. My current role changed it's job description and requires me to be a resident within 150 miles of Des Moines with the ability to be onsite at hospitals in Iowa in a timely fashion. That's not within range of my new living situation. The nice thing is that I have some time to find the right job and the right place while still maintaining my current job for the time being. It's a luxury not all who are job hunting have, and I am thankful for that.

So, for now, here is your fix of dogs that insist they get NO attention or love

And here is a fix for me on the beautiful space I get to occupy within the next year: