By Emma the White Dog
Hello everyone! Can you feel it? Spring has officially moved into our desert home. The air is warm, the morning walks are getting a little earlier to beat the heat, and Dad and I have been busy bees—or should I say, busy lizards? We have so much to catch up on!
Out for Easter
Earlier in April, we were invited to a friend’s home for Easter dinner. It was a beautiful day, and I got to spend it with my pal Piper. Piper was the perfect host—very polite, very welcoming, and didn’t mind sharing the spotlight one.
The humans had a traditional feast with ham and all the fixings. Now, I did get a little taste of that ham, and I have to tell you a secret: it tasted just like chicken! Actually, everything I eat tastes like chicken. That might be because Dad serves me his “famous” boiled chicken every single night. He really does have a way with it, though—it’s always tender and delicious.
While humans love to see a different menu every night, us dogs are actually quite happy with a regular, healthy routine. A consistent diet is much easier on our tummies and keeps our energy levels steady for those long walks. As long as the bowl is full at 5:00 PM, I’m a happy girl! Of course, an interesting treat now and then makes any day a special day.
A New Roof
You might have noticed some extra noise coming from our place recently. It was time for a big project: a new roof! Here in Arizona, many of our homes have those pretty clay tiles, but the real magic is the black “underlayment” underneath that keeps the water out. Every few decades, that layer needs to be refreshed.
It took a week of loud banging and lots of patience, but we are all renewed now! The best part? This roof comes with a 30-year warranty. That means neither Dad nor I have to worry about it ever again. Our contractor even gave us a video from his drone. It started with a bird’s-eye view of the tiles and then went way up high—like a crow’s nest in the sky—giving us a 360-degree view of our whole neighborhood. The view is pretty good from up there!
A Very Big Cat
Speaking of views, I spotted something on our morning walk the other day that made me sit up very straight. High up in a tree limb sat a “very big kitty”—a bobcat!
I sat very carefully and watched while Dad took a photo.
In the desert, we share our space with all sorts of neighbors: coyotes, javelina, mule deer, and plenty of slithering snakes and lizards. We respect them all, but we definitely give the bobcats an extra wide berth. It’s their desert, too, after all!
Ask Emma: The Neighborhood To wrap up this month’s blog, I wanted to share a recent column I wrote. It all started when a neighbor asked for a little inspiration…
Dear Emma:
Have you and your dad done anything interesting lately? We are looking for some inspiration to keep our “paw-sitive” spirits up!
— A Fellow Neighbor
As a matter of fact, we spent a very quiet, cozy evening in the TV room recently. Dad was watching a movie called A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, which is all about a man named Mr. Rogers, the famous children’s TV personality.
While the credits were rolling, I happened to glance at a stack of mail on the coffee table and then back at the screen. I did a double-take! I barked at him, “Hey! That man on the TV has your name!” You see, most of you just know him as “Emma’s Dad,” but his mail says Mr. Rodgers. We are just one letter away from being famous because Dad has an extra “D” in his name that Fred didn’t have!
I sat there watching this man on the screen being incredibly patient and soft-spoken, and then I looked over at my dad, who was currently struggling to find the “mute” button on the remote and grumbling about the Wi-Fi. I thought, “Well, they aren’t twins, but they’re definitely on the same team!”
As I watched, I realized that Mr. Rogers had a very “paw-sitive” approach to life that us dogs have known about for years. Here is what I picked up from the “other” Mr. Rogers:
• The “Neighborhood” Spirit: He believed everyone is special just as they are. That is exactly how I feel when I’m out on my walks. I don’t care about what kind of car you drive or if you’re having a bad hair day; I just think you’re the most interesting person in the world at that moment.
• The Power of Listening: Mr. Rogers was a world-class listener. We dogs are experts at this, too. We don’t interrupt, we don’t check our phones, and we don’t judge. Sometimes, the kindest thing you can do for a neighbor is just to sit quietly and listen with your whole heart (and maybe a tilted head).
- Big Feelings: He taught people that it’s okay to feel sad or overwhelmed. When I see Dad or a neighbor looking a bit down, I don’t try to “fix” it with a long speech. I just lean against their leg or offer a paw. Sometimes a steady, peaceful presence is all the “advice” someone needs.
It turns out that being a good neighbor isn’t about doing big, heroic things. It’s about the small, kind moments—the way we treat each other when we’re just passing by on the sidewalk.
P.S. from Emma: I finally figured out that extra “D” in our last name. It has to stand for Dog. While the Mr. Rogers on TV was busy being a hero to humans, my Mr. Rodgers is busy making sure my dinner is served at exactly 5:00 PM. That’s a different kind of greatness! I think Fred would have appreciated the “D”—he seemed like the kind of neighbor who always kept extra treats in his sweater pocket.
If you have a question for me, I’d love to hear it. You can email me at emmathewhitedog@gmail.com, and I just might answer it in a future blog.
With love and wagging optimism,
Emma 🐾
Life With Emma in the Desert 