Tika & Buddhas

Leaving Tika with "Gramma Kay" last year, hubby and I were privileged to tour the island of Taiwan. Of course I zeroed in on unusual things to photo with the thought to compare them to something genealogy.

Visiting one temple, and as we climbed the many steps up to that temple, we passed several small gardens along side the stairway. In one garden were dozens of white marble statues of different Buddhas....... different poses, different faces, some happy and some not so.

Looking at all the varying faces of these Buddhas in this garden, I thought of a family cemetery. In a family cemetery are all the varied faces of our ancestors...... some happy and some not so. But all there, looking back out at us.

I found this to be a warm-fuzzy view and a very comforting thought.

Tika would have thought so too.

Tika & The Porcupine

Our mothers and leaders have long given us (repeatedly) this good counsel and advice:

"Don't stick your nose into other people's business."

"If it doesn't concern you, it should not concern you."

On Sunday last, Tika learned about this the hard way:

She went dashing into the brush, nose first, and look what she found.............. no fun, that was for sure.

Whenever I am tempted to say something I really shouldn't, or go where I really shouldn't,  or do something I really shouldn't, I will bring up this image of Tika's poor little "quilled" snout.

And I will learn from her unspoken words of counsel and advice. 

Tika & Beaches

Laura Bush, former First Lady, said at RootsTech 2015:  "All we know we have is now so walk on the beach every chance you get." Tika and I could not agree more!

Any beach is a beautiful place but some are more beautiful than others. Here Tika walks along the beach of the west side of Banks Lake with Steamboat Rock in the background.

Here Tika investigates a crab shell on the seashore beach at Moclips, Washington. 

One of her (and our) favorite beaches is right in our backyard. Long Lake is the Spokane River contained between two dams.  We get within a few feet of a beach (the shore) and Tika jumps over the bow ready to explore (but I do keep her on a leash). 

Tika even has her own bikini! But she hates to wear it and prefers skinny dipping.

Romping on beaches can get Tika in trouble.........here I'm picking from her fur bits of the most obnoxious sticky weeds.

What is our point to talk about beaches today?  I think mankind is genetically wired to enjoy water whether ocean, lake or river. Tika and I think the opportunity to walk on a beach is one of the best gifts God ever gave to us. 

And I'm betting our ancestors thought so too.