One of the many things I loved about the late Lenore was her ability to make people smile. Some of my favorite online photos came from people who hung Lenore’s photo up on the wall of their surgical suites so they would smile when they went in, and smile when they came out.

People adore Red, but Fate makes them smile. Her pirate eye, her curious, rascally nature. Everywhere she goes, even on people she jumps on with muddy paws, she leaves a trail of smiles. She is a smile dog, a Joy Dog. This afternoon, in the cold, rain and shrieking winds, we went for a walk up a nearby hill. I pulled over to get some photos of some turning leaves, Fate jumped into the front seat and tried to climb out and join me.

She was intensely curious, and upset that something was happening she was not a part of. Maria, all hooded up in the cold, sat behind her, mysterious. Two women that make me smile.