Woody after a long walk

Woody isn't as helpful as his predecessors, Chessie and Mocha, in the garden, as he has an affinity for cat poop (unfortunately abundant in our urban neighborhood).

My gardening assistant

This is NOT a good thing, as he's prone to (expensive) digestive upsets, so he's now banished from wandering around not on a leash. (Even in our large yard in our former house in the Piedmont, he was not to be trusted...)

But, he's a wonderful fellow, and totally beautiful. 

His role in life is to make people happy when they look at him, we think. 

Here, he's welcoming folks to the Well-Bred Bakery, in Weaverville, NC, after a long walk with a good friend.

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Woody's perch

I thought I had some better photos of Woody's perch.  He looks so delightful when we return from dinner or an outing without him (not frequent....)

A rescue boy, with an affinity for getting into trouble (think cat poop, decomposing debris, etc., with resulting MAJOR digestive issues, and expensive vet bills), he's become an indoor fellow, in spite of his size. 

He gets very long walks several times a day, so no need to feel sorry for him.

He snoozes most of the day, but when we're away from the house, he loves his perch!

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Remembering...

We often walk through downtown after dinner, when we're in the mountains. 

We enjoy seeing the scene -- tourists, locals, street musicians, and restaurants full of folks.  Our dog Woody likes the walk, too.

Asheville has been a destination for visitors throughout its history, from its heyday in the early 20th century, to its resurgence over the last three decades.

There are many "travelers" of all ages who pass through, too, as well as people that are really at the end of their resources, too. Fortunately, Asheville has bed and soup kitchen capacity for most all of them, unlike many southern cities.

This evening, we walked past a fellow on a bench near Pack Square (clearly 'down on his luck') who noticed Woody.  Woody's a rescue Golden, so is sometimes a bit timid, but he responded right away to this fellow.

It was magical to see how the man on the bench responded.  It clearly brought back memories of dogs that he had loved in his past.  It brought tears for me, too.

It reminded me of another moment, some years ago, watching a homeless woman, waiting for a meal, transplanting weeds.

These experiences are magical for all of us.

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