First steps towards a Nature-guide-dog, name recognition and learning to be patient on her sit spot.

She's learning quickly to take naps to pass the time.

Introducing Cosmo !

Beloved youngest member of the pack and future Nature-guide-dog

Half Australian Shepherd and half Belgian Malinois (an oops litter).

She'll be a family dog but trained to act as a partner when I go to the woods to explore or guide.

I love her already!

Today I am grateful for the fact that my workplace considers "the sunrise was beautiful and I had to photograph it" to be a valid explanation for arriving late.

One of my favorite parts of this time of year at my workplace is the fact that I get to witness the wetlands doing their job.

Our park is intended to flood. The Mehaigne is a challenging river in that it doesn't take much to start rising and can flood within a very short amount of time.(1 of more)

Spent my morning counting birds from the moat bridge of Fallais Castle. In twenty minutes: 42 jackdaws, 7 moorhens, a wren, a blackbird, 11 Canadian geese with 1 hybrid, and 8 very angry Egyptian geese.

It's hard to believe sometimes that this is my life now. #birdwatching #chateaudefallais

My first visit to the Jardins d'Annevoie was for the most beautiful Christmas market I've seen so far. Besides the wonderful gardens and gorgeous castle, there was a variety of artisans with seasonal offers and a wonderful atmosphere which easily took our minds off of the cold. #christmasmarket

One of my favorite parts of life in Belgium has begun.

It's Christmas Market season! Hot chocolate for all!

I broke my little toe three weeks ago and have been forbidden to go run around in the wetlands like the feral beast I am.

I'm going stir crazy! I feel so disconnected and uprooted.

Did I really survive over a decade without regular nature walks? So happy I've figured out how to rewild myself!

The atmosphere at the first Christmas market of the year was greatly improved by the presence of the farm's professional welcome hen.

Benni (the yellow one) was our first foster dog. He was supposed to be a companion for our elderly shepherd mix but she passed less than a week before he arrived. We helped him trust and he helped us grieve.

He's now a spoiled apartment dog with his own dog park pack and I love how happy he is.

I heard a strange noise while in my bed, like crisp leaves snapping.

I went to investigate and realized that my foster dog, Susi had finally eaten a full meal and had decided that my monstera would be a great after dinner treat.

I'm so happy that she's finally comfortable enough to be naughty!

My daughter recently told me that one of her favorite things in life is to go for a nature walk with me and record "all of the gorgeousness" in our notebooks.

I think she's going to be just fine.

With places like this hiding in every corner of Wallonia, why would I ever want to leave?

Maybe I didn't have roots when I transplanted myself here, but they have grown with every step of my many, many walks.

(Photo taken along the RAVEL in Modave)

Oh how I long to shrink myself down and get lost in the moss looking for tardigrades.

A rescued shelter dog and a feral kitten, these soulmates have been blessed to find one another and to find themselves spoiled beyond measure for the rest of their lives.