Altitude

Went for my usual walk to the small reservoir a couple of miles up the dirt road past our house this morning with one of our golden retrievers, Kenai.  There really isn’t as much oxygen here as there is at sea level.  Whew.  Puff, puff, puff as I walked slowly up the hill to the reservoir.  I threw a stick into the water for Kenai, who loves to swim.  We’ve used the same stick for several years.  Each time I wedge it back into the exposed roots of a gnarled pine tree and it manages to stay there.  It’s becoming a family heirloom.  I love doing the same walk over and over.  I notice something new every single time, either because my gaze falls on it for the first time, or because the plants are changing and the creek is changing and everything is always changing.  This morning a blue heron flew along the creek as we approached, long and sleek and silent.  Walking back up the quite steep driveway to the house, which is located at 6,250 feet above sea level, I was really looking for some more oxygen, as Kenai ran mad circles through the meadow, nose down, happy.