Carmen Mostowfi

06/10/2020

02/27/2019

01/22/2019

Roza with Carmen, Lucky and Rubi

11/22/2018

Happy birthday Carmen!

08/25/2018

Last night I attended a lecture at 1440 Multiversity by Deepak Chopra. He spoke of a time when he ran into someone at a conference in Arizona. She mentioned to Deepak that she could talk to the birds! Deepak said he first dismissed her as new wave mumbo jumbo, but got interested after she explained she was a neurologist doing research at a prominent research organization and talking to the birds is what she did her PhD paper on. Curious, Deepak went on to experience with her at lunch time when they sat in the garden, and she proceeded to summon a bird from the tree, the bird came to sit on her lap as she caressed the bird. Deepak used this as an example of the connectedness of life and tele-communing, in this case interspecies by getting access to the place where all life is connected.

Once I heard this, I looked at Tara and we were both overjoyed by an incredible memory of Carmen. At 120+ pounds, Carmen was never a lap dog! Even when she was a baby, she only allowed herself to be held close for just a short time. She was taught from childhood to never get on the chairs and beds. As she grew up, I used to love to lay next to her on the floor and hug her but after a couple of minutes she would get up and move a few steps almost overwhelmed by closeness. I could never hug her enough to get my fill..

One summer, we took Carmen to Squaw Resort in Tahoe with us on a weekend trip. Carmen was then maybe 9 years old. She loved to play and hike in the mountains with us. There are several pictures of her in Tahoe hiking with us on this page.

One night Tara and I were sitting outside on a bench in front of the big outdoor fireplace in Squaw, it was a beautiful summer night in the mountains and air was crisp and light at 6000’ elevation. Carmen was sitting on the ground watching us as we were watching the stars. In that moment of incredible lightness of being among the beautiful mountains hugging us I whispered quietly to Tara how I wished for Carmen to come to my “baghal”, which roughly translates to sit on my lap. Carmen looked up into my eyes, got up, put her paws on the bench and managed to squeeze herself between Tara and I on the bench, with her head on Tara’s lap and her feet on me, it was an incredible connection. Maybe we met where our souls was connected. That night I got my fill of being connected to Carmen. It was beautiful.

02/21/2017

Not Carmen, but she would do this!

10/17/2016

We had the firs rain this season in the Bay Area yesterday. Spent the rainy day at Saratoga house watching the rain and the falling ash tree leaves in the front yard. Once again it reminded me of the day we brought Carmen home for the first time. She was only 10 weeks old and was playing in the garden under the same trees, tumbling around between the fallen leaves, smelling the grass and becoming familiar with the land that would be her territory to protect and enjoy for the next 11 years.
As she grew up, she spent many hours on the matt in front of the house where the awning would protect her from the rain, she would watch the birds, the rain and the falling leaves. She would knock on the door to be let in and would drop herself on the matt just inside. At times I would poke my head outside the door to watch the rain and catch the fresh air and she would get up and do the same, with her body half way in the middle of the door, leaning on my legs and her head sticking out. So was our routine on rainy days every few hours...
In heavy rains, just like yesterday, she would only go out to p*e. She would hold herself as long as she could. then she would get up again to knock on the door to be let out. Then she would quickly run to the grass to relieve herself and run back in, but she knew that she had to pause in front of the door for me to dry her up before she walked back in. So was our routine on rainy days every few hours...

05/27/2015

This 19 year old Shepherd being cradled in his father's arms last night in Lake Superior. Shepherd falls asleep every night when he is carried into the lake. The buoyancy of the water soothes his arthritic bones. Lake Superior is very warm right now, so the temp of the water is perfect. By the way, John rescued Shepherd as an 8 month old puppy, and he's been by his side through many adventures Picture credits: Hannah Stonehouse photography.

04/25/2015

Lake Tahoe, Oct / 29/ 2011

03/16/2015