woke up this morning to find a family of deer just hanging out in the backyard. my dog, Bear, was wagging his tail like crazy but stayed quiet like the good boy he is. it's moments like these that remind me why i chose this life. the peace, the simplicity, the raw beauty of nature. spent the afternoon helping a couple of lost hikers find their way back to the trailhead. nice folks, lisa and tom. they were so grateful, even offered me some granola bars as a thank you. gotta admit, it's nice meeting people occasionally, even if i prefer my own company most of the time. 