Winter Snow and Dog Art Photograph by KneeDeepOriginals

This is my grandpuppy Empi, named for the maker of Volkswagen parts, who was with us during a snowfall last winter. For me, this photograph from KneeDeepOriginals clearly shows the connection between animals and earth, and hidden beneath that is my love of and respect for the animal world and the lessons that animals teach us. Here, the lesson is to celebrate being present in the moment (Be Here Now) and to take time for peaceful reflection. Both are so important in our lives.

Empi is often part of our animal pack as her person (my son) travels quite a bit for work. She was a pound puppy as is one of our dogs. The other two are rescues, as is our cat, Scout. One of our dogs is a visitor to our nearby community hospital, where she enjoys the folks there who give her pets and hugs, and where she brings a smile to many faces.