Zinnia is turning into a dog’s dog. She tears after balls in the pasture, plunges into ponds, rolls in the mud. She is filthy much of the time.

At 7 a.m., if we are not out of bed, she climbs up, put her big head on my shoulder, and licks from chink to head. She does the same thing to Maria. Then we get the message and get up.

This photo was taken right after she came out of a swam soaking wet, covered in mud, and happy as a Lab.