Late this afternoon, as I was driving down Murphy Road, I saw a Rainbow. It was not just any rainbow, it was a huge rainbow with a perfect arc. It appeared to me as though one end was in Sutton and the other end was at Moose Creek. It was the most beautiful rainbow I had ever seen.

I pulled into the pulloff area overlooking the Chugach Range, near the Buffalo Mine-Glenn Highway intersection. I got out of the car and stood on a pile of dirt on the overlook. It looked as though the source of one side of the rainbow was Moose Creek Ranch. Yep, right there, that was where the pot of gold was.

I momentarily thought that this was a sign for me, of good things to come. But then later, in talking with people, everyone

Rainbow and her horses

said they saw it. Was it still special? Maybe, just maybe it is a sign that collective good luck is coming our way and that there is going to be a turn in the political tide for us here in Alaska. Maybe, just maybe, the oil companies purchasing the oil leases on the North Slope will find nothing of worth. Fingers are crossed. It is a bit too easy to destroy that which is good.

I did, in seeing the Rainbow, think of our dog, Rainbow. She had a great name for she is what real Rainbows bring to mind. Maybe, just maybe, the rainbow was her spirit retreating. She could have decided that, indeed, now is the time to leave here and go elsewhere. She could have hung out, waiting to make sure that we were okay in her absence.

Okay or not, I will always miss her. She was when she was younger, a very energetic spirit. And we were lucky in that as high energy as she was, that she chose to remain with us. She could have, at any time, taken off.

This fall I found her Scorpion ball in the brush. We used to play for hours. I’d kick it, she’d grab it, and race at top speed around the property. Once, at a party, she took a flying leap over our neighbor Judy, who was sitting in a lawn chair. She would also, when she was young, play for hours with other dogs. She might have brawled a few times over food – I don’t remember.

Odd, how the Rainbow brought all the associated memories back to me. But that is all they are now, memories. As I wrote this, Ryder placed her paws on my computer and shoulder. She’s restless because we did not get out today – the rain finally started to get me down. So tomorrow, rain or shine, I will take her for a walk. And tonight, in fact in a few minutes, I will do as Pete does when he’s here and I will play a bit of tug with her. This is important. If I am residing in the past I’m missing out on what’s in the presence.

Next: 294. October 24, 2017: Bushwacking 101