We recently got a "Happy Birthday" email from our fantastic vet, the VCA Forestville Animal Hospital, that reminded us that February will mark two years with our wonderful vineyard dog, Jake. He's essential to making this place run: He points out active gopher holes, he stomps lizards out of the ivy, he chases off wild turkeys, and he loudly warns us of circling hawks and innocent joggers who dare to run past our fence. He urges us out of bed first thing in the morning, and he makes the same couple of walks feel new and exhilarating every time. At the end of a long work day, he knows how to kick back. He's a relaxing master, and his deep breaths as he lies like dead weight against us make us feel the long, hard day we've worked and the rest we've earned.
Jake has made the ranch his own. Sometimes we think how lucky Jake is that we picked him out of the shelter. More often than not, though, we think how lucky we are that he picked us.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
