The 8th annual Open House is just an hour away, and I think in some ways, I can measure the different years by the dogs who wait at the gate. So many different dogs have scanned the lives of our Open Houses, Izzy, Lenore, Rose, Frieda.

Dogs are a passing parade, they reflect the different passages of our lives. This is Bud’s first Open House, Red and Fate are veterans, they love the crowd, the attention, the work.

I thought Bud would have to spend the day in his crate, but he already seems like a veteran. We’ll see how it goes.

Will anybody show up?

Will it have the warm and  gentle feeling we hope for?

Will Maria and her troupe of gifted artists  sell their work?

No way to know. The Open Houses are meaningful to Maria and to me, a celebration of our work and creativity and life with animals and in nature.