Alicia

These days I'm trying to be grateful for what I have. I live in West Philly and I'm so lucky to have John Heinz in my proverbial back yard. What a gift. About a year ago, I started to try and take my dog to all the local parks during the week. She's reactive to other dogs, which make most of the parks off limits during the weekend. She loves it at John Heinz. She has nose to the ground most of the time and trots up and down the trail for the whole three-mile loop. Her joy and presence feels infectious.  

This trip I put her on the long lead earlier than usual and while I wasn't looking I heard her splash into the water and there she was paddling. I had to get on my hands and knees to drag her out of the water. We saw a swan, heard the geese, watched the red winged blackbirds fly about. I hadn't been there since the green in the trees started to come back. 

The rest of my day involved:

• Giving my dog a bath due to river swim

• Working

• Meetings 

• and a happy hour beer with a friend off Passyunk. 

I had a lot of "to dos" this day, but choosing to start the day in the trees was just what me and the pup needed. <3 

Alicia lives in West Philly with her four year old pup, Bebe, short for Brown Bear. You can follow along on their adventures @aratkinson.