Peaches. Her name is Peaches. Well, if you want the long version: Peaches en Regalia (thank you Frank Zappa – via Martin). And she is… a distraction.

If she didn’t already merit the attention she receives by how much she loves to cuddle and engage, the trainer for her puppy classes just sent me an email describing how crucial the first 12 weeks are in a puppy’s life:

While not a perfect analogy, a puppy’s openness to learning social skills is similar to the way young children learn new languages effortlessly. Studies have shown that children younger than seven years old easily pick up new languages because their brains are wired to readily incorporate the words, grammar and structure of multiple languages. Like the puppy socialization period that ends at 12 weeks, this window closes for children around seven years old, after which language acquisition becomes far more difficult.

She’s 9 weeks old now… it’s all about the present! I’ve been given a long list of experiences for her to encounter. Thank goodness it’s not colder outside: I can show her the dock and some water. Crucial for any lake pup.

And for me? It gives me a chance to have her learn how to be an artist’s pet: I’ll give her attention , then keep an eye on her as I take time to create. Hmmmm. That process will be what is referred to as “a work in progress”.

This weekend, Ariella was here with 2 friends. One works at the Stimson Center where I’ll show next spring. I jokingly told her, I may walk in with the puppy on a leash… “Here’s my piece!”

But then, I do wonder how Peaches’s presence will infuse the work I do? Nothing is ever separate. Her energy. My energy. The lake. My art.