The sun is just starting to rise over the mountains and a warm breeze is blowing. The leaves rustle on the trees and my fountain is bubbling. As I look to the beautiful blue sky, the sun tipped clouds slowly drift to the north. Tuco lies on his cot next to me while I sip my coffee. We share our quiet time together in the early morning hour. It’s quite serene, my backyard oasis.

Today is Sunday, the last day of the month. I inhale the warm morning air and wonder, where did the time go? This month of June is over, and I can’t remember exactly what we did. It seems as though every fleeting moment is speeding by me. I try reaching out, but I just can’t catch them. Is this normal or is it just this thing called “aging”? Whatever it is, I want it to slow down. I’m not ready to be old.

So, you might be wondering, what did we do this month? Well, once our book was off to the printer, we took off to Bear Lake State Park in northern Utah. This gorgeous lake is massive and shares a border with Idaho. The turquoise water is deep and breathtaking. We were quite surprised at how warm the water was, as it’s usually quite cold this time of year being this far up north. The sunrises and sunsets were spectacular.

We enjoyed our first two days alone, sharing the beach with no one. Tuco ran along the sand for the first time and got his feet and belly wet. That was a huge accomplishment for him, as he’s not a waterdog and doesn’t swim. We were proud parents. Baby steps, baby steps…

The circus came to town as the campground filled up on the weekend. Lots of people, kids and dogs included, entertained us with an array of excitement and colors. This lake is great for all kinds of water recreation: fishing, wave running, paddle boarding, waterskiing, sailing, swimming, or just floating. And of course, people watching. Some pelicans flew in to show off their fishing skills. They were quite majestic and humorous as well. We met new friends and sold some books. Tuco made some new friends, too. It was a great week.

We are preparing for our new arrival by making room in the shed. It’s funny, or sad however you want to look at it, as to how much stuff one can accumulate. We took inventory of the existing books, reorganized some storage tubs, and did some much-needed house cleaning: vacuumed, broke down empty boxes, stacked signs and displays. We are excited about our new edition. Shipping is July 24th. Can’t wait to get them home!

So as this month closes, I just want to say carpe diem, “seize the day.” Enjoy the pleasures of the moment and live each day as if it’s your last. Get outside, meet new people, find your joy and make some memories; have no regrets, be happy. As it’s said, yesterday is past and gone, the future is unsure, but today is present, make the most of it, carpe diem.

Until next time, God bless.

Skip’s mom, Cb