Soul Sister

Capturing pictures of Newo yawning and trying to make a similar face. This is one of my favorite hobbies. Get over it kbye

Look

June

This month, I get to celebrate my darling Newo Ikkin. Last year, she adopted me into her heart. In these twelve months, we have traveled over 7 states, we've moved to San Diego together, we camped, backpacked, hiked, and played a minimum of 365 games of ball.
Our lives have been totally different since we've been together. I've learned a lot of patience, as well as putting her before me. I've learned to love someone completely, despite their flaws; and I think she has, too. It's been a wild adventure so far, and I can't wait to spend many more years with my little Woofus. She does a perfect job at loving me, through her affectionate heart and her persistent nature. Even in the darkest moments of the last year, she has been a great light for me. It's so comforting to know that, even if she is an animal, she loves me unconditionally. And I love her too. Mushy gushy, stuff, I know. Get over it.

Question of the blog:
JUNE is also the month that I get to celebrate my sweet sister's birthday. We live two states away, so it is very hard to get together to celebrate with her. I hope I see her again soon. What does the month of June represent for you?

Planes, Love Bugs, and The Times

Leaving tomorrow for a little vacation down south.. I'll be gone for about a week, so don't expect elaborate blogs for a little while (although when have I ever been one to write elaborate blogs?). Despite being excited for this trip, I can't help but be more sad that anything. I'm going to miss my Newo Pups so much. This is the longest we've been away from each other! My heart is breaking.

Question of the blog:
You have a few hours to kill. What do you do while you wait?

Puppy Scratches

Newo scratched her chin and was bleeding. And no I did not cry like an overemotional mother..

Pup Naps

I love you most.

Twinkle In Her Eye

Image Via WeHeartIt

I didn't write much this summer. In my travels, I expected to spend my days writing all about the things I discovered, my thoughts, my feelings. I came home with 4 pages; one of notes from my photography workshop, two pages were a letter I wrote and never sent, and one with a quote of some sort. As I look back on the quote, I try time and time again to think of where I heard it, or read it. Maybe I wrote it down because I felt a connection to it, or that it rang true to the moment I was in. Before I wrote this blog, I typed it into Google so I could write an author after it, but there was nothing. As I write this, my thoughts are leading me to think that maybe I wrote it one night, presumably in my tent with my dog Newo. A week into our trip, I realized nights got very cold in some places, so I bought a new sleeping bag for myself and gave her my old one. Before bed, I'd read for a little while by flashlight as Newo snuggled up to me.

"Are you happy?" I ask as she lays comfortably on her favorite blanket. There is a twinkle in her eye. "Me too."

Question of the blog:
What is one of your favorite quotes?

Terrible Twosome

And we are right at home.

Just you and me, pups. 

Question of the blog:

Who is your other half of your fearsome twosome? 

Finish this sentence: It's just you and me, _______

The Newo Pups Adventurer

I am eternally grateful for my darling dog, Newo. I adopted her right before I left on my magnificent trip. This first photo, above, was taken on our first night camping together, in Mount Shasta, in Northern California. We played, hiked, built fires, and took the best cat naps ever.

Above, our time in Silver Falls State Park, in Oregon. So rainy, so beautiful. One of the nights I opened a bottle of rose wine to sip on after my small dinner, and read my book. Of course, I forgot a cup on my trip, so I was just drinking out of the bottle. About 45 minutes later, I look down to see I'm on my last chapter of my book, and I have an empty bottle. Needless to say, I was totally drunk. I happened to be reading Where The Red Fern Grows, all about the love between a dog and its master. For those of you who haven't read it, the last chapter is probably the most depressing end to a novel EVER. I spent the evening SOBBING alone in my tent with Newo.

This classy photo was taken in Seattle, Washington. I spent a little over a week with my wonderful sister Moorea. We had a great 4th of July, I helped model for her jewelry store, and Newo made TONS of friends. We were very sad to leave Moorea and Max, Newo's two biggest fans. She lovesss Auntie Moorea.

To be completely honest, this was the most pointless and frustrating part of our trip. I KNEW that the forest spirits or karma or omens or whatever did NOT want me at Heyburn State Park, in Northern Idaho, but I did not listen. After three days, hundreds of mosquito bites, locking my keys in my car, going hungry for 12 hours, Newo and I got out of there as soon as we possibly could. This photo captured the only smile of the trip.

Montana was amazing. Undoubtedly the best part of my entire summer adventure. Here we are, looking wonderful as always, in Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park, in South Western Montana. Newo had gotten that ball from my package of Dog Chow and it drove me absolutely nuts, but she loved it. Every day for the 5 days we were in Montana, there was an afternoon thunderstorm either overhead, or off in the distance. The time this photo was taken, it was sunny overhead, and maybe a couple of football fields away, there were huge storm clouds and lightning and thunder. We read outside in the warm sunshine as the thunder groaned. It was lovely.

We went to see some of my favorite friends in Rexburg, Eastern Idaho. Newo loved it here, because she had so many friends who wanted to play! We stayed with my favorite little married couple, who are expecting, and they were such lovely hosts. This is us at Rigby Lake, enjoying the sunshine and being annoying to Newo as always. She puts up with so much.

A truly horrendous night occurred 12 hours before this photo was taken. We went to see my friends in South Lake Tahoe, which turned out to be one night of awesome and one night of not so awesome. They knighted me with the name "Zandgrr", a personality of mine that has only been shown twice to them. Newo loved them, too. At least I had a nice lemon drop that night.

I just got back from a trip to San Diego and Long Beach, and unfortunately did not take any photos of Newo on those trips. San Diego was great, though, and we had a lovely time with some old friends that I missed very much. My trip to Long Beach was very important, as it was for the funeral and burial of my sweet sweet grandmother, whom I call Gaga. We stayed at my cousin's house, and he has a dog as well. Lhamo and Newo got along SO well, and I feel as though she finally made a real dog friend. Her very first one! I am so proud. This photo, above, was taken at the Yuba River in Nevada City. Bella and I camped at the river for the night. About an hour after this photo was taken, my grandmother departed this world. I miss her very much.

This concludes story time with Newo and Alexandra. But in fact, it's really just beginning!

I love my girl so much. Through our travels, we have grown very close, and I am so grateful she and I have ended up together. The Newo Pups has traveled 6 states with me this summer, and we intend to keep traveling around the US in the future. Since being home, we do a lot of river trips and visits to friends nearby. I can't wait to see where the road takes us next.

Question of the blog:

Where did you last travel to?

& What is your favorite form of transportation?