Oscar at the Arboretum
During the Fall, we took Ozzie to a beautiful place: The Arboretum.
The arboretum is the perfect place to go in the Fall. All the leaves were changing color, there was a satisfying crunch beneath our shoes (and paws) as we walked and the cool air breezing around us and in the tree leaves was invigorating.
Oscar had a great time sniffing everything. He seemed more interested in sniffing here then anywhere else I have ever seen him sniff. At arboretums there are hundreds of different species of trees from many different regions. His intense need to sniff made me wonder if different species of trees all have really distinct different smells. If so, Oscar was probably caught in a whirlwind of fascination over the variety of smells. He probably also was smelling trees he has never smelled before in his life.
Oscar has a great appreciation for trees which I think derived from his great appreciation of squirrels. He has watched with reverence and deep concentration and fascination as the squirrels in the neighborhood dash up the trees. He has a deep understanding of the majestic safety of trees, because once that squirrel is hiding up their in that tree, it is safe from all including Ozzie's prying curiosity.
Dogs can't see the same colors that we can so part of me feels sad for Oscar. He couldn't appreciate the pure beauty of the changing fall colors. But of course he could appreciate things I couldn't like all the smells. One day at work a man came in and asked about a brown car blocking his. But the car wasn't brown, it was orange. He was colorblind. When he walks around a forest of fall trees, they all must look brown to him. I wonder if he is sad about what he is missing or curious or not bothered at all. Although he was born with colorblindness, he was probably born with skills other people don't have and we can all only be ourselves with our own talents and limitations.
The mantis shrimp would feel sorry for us, because they can see colors in a way we can't. People with synesthesia can sometime taste colors and see sounds. Some people see a blue and black dress and think it is gold and white. We all live in our own world of perception.
Oscar's still learning how he perceives the world. Sometimes he perceives threats that aren't real. While we were exploring the arboretum, he barked at a stranger who he had identified as untrustworthy. Mainly though, I think he perceives the world as an exciting place full of adventure and curiosities to investigate!
Even if at the arboretum Ozzie is appreciating the smells while his humans are appreciating the colors, we can all agree that the wonder world of trees is a peaceful majestic place to spend an afternoon.
