Introduction

Living in the greater North West region of this country one gets used to hearing words like “tree hugger” and or “naturalist” , all describing a group of people who—how should I put it—don’t use deodorant. Well, no matter the stereotype, it is true that we love to wave our environmental causes here in the Pacific North West. And who wouldn’t be a tad overzealous when living in God’s country? (I can hear Montana residence moaning from here. Ok, Ok, I’ve been there, I’ve seen it, and yes you are magnificent! Now back to us!) One has only to drive down any Oregon/Washington freeway to catch sight of the majestic Cascade Mountain range circling us—Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams, Mt Rainier to name a few. All topped with a white powdery snow, they’re like a great fortress, shielding us from the rest of the world.

Who are we hiding from? I’d say Californian, but they discovered our hidden secrets long ago. They’ve been coming over the grapevine pass in droves, and I can’t blame them. After all, they have smog, and we have crystal clean, rarely clear, skies. They’re overcrowded and real land—acreage—is virtually nonexistent and unaffordable. Shoot, they even voted in the Terminator as governor. As far as I can tell, the smog must have fogged all their minds!

“I’ll be back”. No, they won’t! They’re here in the North West to stay.

Basically, when the awesome wonder of nature surrounds you, seemingly greeting you every morning, it’s easy to understand why the locals here are so passionate about protecting Mother Nature. Now, it would be wrong for me to lead everyone to believe that all of us living in the North West are outdoor lovers, but I personally don’t know many natives that aren’t on some small level. Even if they’re idea of getting in touch with nature requires a 50 thousand dollar sail boat to be used on the Columbian River Gorge. They’re still out there! But with all of natures finest enjoyments just an hour and half’s drive, east or west from Portland, Oregon, and the Southern Washington area, it’s unlikely that anyone moved here for the shopping. (I regress.) That’s not to say that the quaint businesses in the Pearl district downtown wouldn’t beg to differ, and they’d have a legitimate argument. But that’s another story meant for another blog.

This blog is really about a dog. Hard to tell? It’s about my dog Sebastian, or as we all liked to call him, Dobie-Dog. To begin to understand Sebastian, and enjoy his quirky ways, it seems fitting for me to explain where Sebastian came from, because just like people, a dog’s personality is shaped by their environment and early experiences. And I’m sure you’ve already guessed, but let me just say, officially, that this blog is about another human who after the passing of her most trusted companion, some two months ago, simply just can’t let him go.

Now here’s where you may choose to stop reading, but I hope that you don’t. Sebastian truly was worth knowing, and in the end, just like in his life, he was so brave. He taught me more than I could ever hope to learn on my own. In fact, his life’s journey was so full of enlightenment, that I hope in by sharing them with you all, I will find strength to heal. I guess I won’t know until the blogs end, whether I’ve come away with my whole heart. We’ll have to wait and see as this is just the beginning.