Sam is not happy. Oh, she's looks comfortable. And don't get her wrong, she loves a walk in the crisp autumn woods, a brisk dance around the neighborhood. But here in the Chicago suburbs, the temperatures have dipped some 10-15 degrees below normals for this time of year. There's already been some snow. We've had … Continue reading How Many More Months of This? →

We left our home just after sunrise and headed south. One-and-a-half hours later we were on a trail at Matthiessen State Park near Utica, Illinois. Brilliant colors, waterfalls, a raging river, and the earthy smell of dampness in the woods. My wife, my dog, and an autumn morning, Sam holding her own, walking some four-and-a-half … Continue reading Autumnal Morning →

My new dog blog friends apparently do a "Wordless Wednesday" post. One photo, no words. I'm just now catching on. So, here's my "Wordless Wednesday" photo on a Thursday.

We are a year away from its official publication, but the stage is set. Walks with Sam: A Man, a Dog, and a Season of Awakening (John Hunt Publishing/Roundfire, UK) will be out in late summer 2020. I'm not only pleased with this book, I am thrilled with the artwork and design, including the image … Continue reading Sam’s Uncanny Image →

My writing friend L.B. Johnson, author of The Book of Barkley, was so kind to read an early manuscript for my forthcoming memoir, Walks with Sam. Her comments became a blurb for the book due out in late summer of 2020 from John Hunt Publishing, UK. During that process, she also turned me on to … Continue reading Here’s a Treat: The Best Dog Blogs →

Sam went to a sleepover the other night. It was far more nerve-wracking for her owners. My wife and I were heading out to the Galena, Illinois area—a three-hour drive from our home in suburban Chicago—for a friend's hog roast. We had plans to stay over one night. It would have been too much to … Continue reading Sam’s Sleepover →

I'm in a doctor's office waiting room. Across from me is an older man reading The Gift of Peace. Not being able to see the entire front cover of the book, I mistakenly think it is one of the Dalai Lama's books. He had written The Book of Joy and The Art of Happiness, he … Continue reading The Risk of the Dog Walker →