Sleeping Dingo Dreaming Of The Hiking (and more)

iPad drawing 2020

Early fall last year, we went to Mount Lillian Loop trail of Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in Washington. The beginning of the route was a bit hard to find. Thankfully we met very nice people at the campground who showed us a map and the direction.

It was about a seven-mile trail, but it got longer because we kept going out of the path. A couple of sections of the course didn’t have enough trees to protect us from the sun. Because of these unexpected hiccups, the hike was more difficult than we imagined. In the end, we had to stop pretty often, and every time we did, Dingo lay down next to our feet.
But I loved the trail. Burnt trees from the fire back in 2012 made the forest feel eerie. Occasionally We met a bunch of colorful flowers. Intense-colored flowers on mostly dusty roads made it surreal.

When we finally finished the hiking and spotted our car, Dingo was ready to hop on. He started whining and pulling the leas so hard towards the car.

The road to the trail was narrow, and one side was next to a cliff. Many off-road vehicles were coming to the trail when we were leaving. We had to wait at a corner to be safe. It was a bit of a wait but fun to look at all the different cars.

When we got home, all of us took a nice long nap. After my husband and I woke up, Dingo followed us but decided to sleep more on his bed. I was looking at him, wondering if he was dreaming about the hike—so many smells to sniff for him from the trees, flowers, dirt, and small animals. I enjoy taking Dingo to mountains or flatland trails. I can see him being extra happy in those environments. I’m not sure when, but I’m already looking forward to our next hiking.

Dingo walking on a narrow path surrounded by pink flowers, 2020
Acrylic and pencil on clay board 8″ x 10″ (20.32 x 25.4 cm)

After a couple of days from the hike, I made this small painting of Dingo walking on a narrow path surrounded by pink flowers. This scene was the most memorable area for me from the trail.

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Gouache on Paper 4″ x 6″

I also made Day Color paintings about the hike. I fear height, so I couldn’t go close to the cliff to take a good picture or video at the peak. But I took a nice picture of my husband. Drawing and painting only from the memories have a charm that making art from a photograph doesn’t have.

I hope everyone has a beautiful week!

Sleeping Dingo on the couch while I’m reading

Whenever I decide to read for a while, I like to make myself comfortable on the couch. When it’s a bit chilly, I put cushions all around and cover myself with a blanket. When I about to start reading, Dingo brings his colorful dotted blanket to me. He wants to join me on the couch. I put his blanket between my legs so I can still stretch out. When I tap on his spot, Dingo jumps on and circle around a few times before lying down. After a while, I start hearing his snoring. I slowly put my book down and grab my iPad very quietly and start drawing him. I sketch him first just in case he changes his position, which he does a lot. After done sketching and adding colors, I carefully put my iPad down and open my book again. Even though reading is a very private activity, his company just makes it better.

Garden of the cabin in Monroe

Early this year, my husband and I and our dog had a short trip to Monroe, Washington, for our anniversary. We rented a lovely cabin with a good-sized garden. Early morning the next day, I went out to the porch with some hot coffee. The rain was drizzling. The cold, wet morning made my coffee tastier. I sat at a table watching my dog exploring the new place and certainly had an urge to paint. I set my small painting kit up and painted the center of the garden. While I was painting, my dog kept asking me to throw his ball for him. I always have a hard time ignoring my dog’s play invite; it’s my weak spot. Thankfully he moved on to sniffing, and I could manage to finish the painting. Painting outside is pretty new to me. It quickly became my must-do thing when I go on vacation, especially if I stay at a quiet place like this. (Even though there was a helicopter hovering forever somewhere near us.) My husband joined me at the end of the painting process. Watching him playing with our dog put a smile on my face. Small memories like this will give me the strength to live day by day a bit happier. What memories do you have that help you to push through your life? I hope everyone can feel today as the day that will make the next day happier.

[iPad Drawing] Sleeping Dingo under my desk

I have an ‘L’ shaped computer desk in my workroom. I placed Dingo’s cushion under one side of the desk so he can relax more comfortably. He is like a shadow of me in the house. He follows me everywhere almost all the time. When I don’t move around, he tries to lay down as close as possible to me. When I sit at the computer desk and work for a while, he often sleeps right next to the chair, and sometimes I kick him by accident when I stand up to leave the room. I hoped putting the cushion under the desk would prevent that trouble. But for some reason, he still rests right next to my chair. So whenever I see him on the cushion chilling safely, it puts a smile on my face.

 

[iPad Drawing] Sleeping Dingo on his bed like baby

Have you seen your dog lying on a pillow?  I heard that dogs like to hide their bodies but their faces to watch the surroundings.  And the pillow is a useful object for supporting their heads.  It’s an interesting theory.  However, it still doesn’t explain why they sleep on it.  I wonder if wild dogs or wolfs have access to something similar to pillows, would they use it?  I think this kind of mysteries makes us anthropomorphize dogs.  Sometimes when I look at Dingo’s face, I don’t see a dog but a baby.

[iPad Drawing] Sleeping Two faces dingo on his blanket

I sometimes wonder what the blanket means to dogs. Some dogs like to lay on top of it. Some dogs prefer to go under it. Dingo likes both. Sometimes he scratches it to make some shape, then lays on top. He doesn’t go under it by himself, but he stays under it if we cover him. Some days he pulls it out of his bed and lay on it. A few times I saw him shake it like a toy. I’m not sure if dogs know the blanket’s purpose, but Dingo knows it belongs to him.

[iPad Drawing] Sleeping Dingo in front of fireplace

It was lightly raining. I knew people wouldn’t come out in this weather, so I took Dingo out to the park. My sensitive little dog doesn’t like to get wet. But fetching is more important to him. We enjoyed the quiet rainy park all by ourselves. He happily ran around and chased his favorite ball. When we came back home, I turn on the fireplace. It is like a magnet for Dingo. I didn’t need to dry him off. I can’t wait for the winter to come so he can enjoy his favorite place all day long.

[iPad Drawing] Sleeping Dingo’s tight face

 

Sometimes Dingo sleeps in a ball. His face is also tightly shut. It reminds me of some nights that I cannot go to sleep. I squeeze my eyes to keep them closed, hoping it will let me fall asleep. I wonder if Dingo also wants to relax, but something keeps him awake.

 

[iPad Drawing] Sleeping Dingo’s face

 

I love to stare at Dingo’s face when his face is close to me. He was yet again sleeping between my legs put his head on my thigh. I was looking at his face for a while, and couldn’t resist not do draw it. He is definitely a dog, but I often see a babyface in him. Probably because he is my baby and always will be.

 

 

[iPad Drawing] Sleeping Dingo with a folded paw

 

When I see Dingo sleeping in a bit strange pose, I always want to draw him. Unfortunately, he doesn’t hold that position long enough for me to finish the drawing. Dingo has his signature pose that I tempted to draw here but failed with only one folded paw. One day I’ll capture the pose!

 

[iPad Drawing] Sleeping Dingo between my feet

 

My silly little dog Dingo often chooses to be a doggie ball between my feet instead of being on his comfortable bed. I read about the dog’s obsession with our smelly slippers. We all the dog owners know that our furry friends like our smell and our feet are the high source of it. Therefore our shoes or sandals are the best things ever for them to smell. I always thought it was weird that my old dogs ate their treats on my mom’s slippers. Now I know it was a comfort thing for them.

 

[iPad Drawing] Sleeping Dingo between my husband’s legs

 

 

I wrote about how Dingo likes to lie between our legs when we get down on the ground for him. Sitting on the ground isn’t comfy, so after a while, my butt feels numb. I’m always a bit hesitant to move because Dingo looks so comfortable sleeping between my legs. Then my kind husband offers to switch our role so that I can chill on the couch, and also, Dingo doesn’t need to be alone on the ground. I did a quick drawing of my two boys before any of them moved. It always puts a smile on my face to see them get snuggled together.