Good morning. 🐶🐈☕2 December 2025Charlie is right here, nudging me to scratch his head—it’s a thing, you know. He gets something out of it, perhaps a feeling of kinship or belonging, and of course I do too. Scientifically speaking, petting a dog releases oxytocin—the “love hormone”—that bonds us together. Dog or cat, it works beautifully. I doubt it’s the same for an iguana or a goldfish, but what do I know. At the same time, cortisol—the stress hormone—drops, calming you, while dopamine and serotonin rise, further inducing contentment. So if you have a furry friend nearby, reach out.I glance out the window and see darkness and gloom—not doom, just a cold, drizzly morning. The birds are absent, but the squirrels are busy raiding the feeders, as usual. Until I let Charlie out the back door, that is. For him, it’s sport—chasing squirrels. Sometimes it’s fun to watch the sudden scatter of birds and squirrels when Charlie charges outside.I’ve thought about installing a pet door in the back storm door, or perhaps replacing it with one that already includes a pet door. For those across the water, a storm door is simply a door that’s one big window, sitting outside the entry door. But I wonder—would I be inviting critters in if I did that? The last thing I need is a squirrel, raccoon, or possum bouncing around inside the house. And what about the local reptiles? Would they see it as an open invitation? I’ll need to give it some more thought. 🤔“Happiness is a warm puppy.” – Charles M. Schulz“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass… it’s about learning to dance in the rain.” – Vivian Greene“Nature is alive with surprises; just look at the squirrels racing through the trees.” – William Faulkner#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #morning #barn #architecture #dogs #pets #weather