Chanacee Ruth-Killgore (C. L. Killgore) lives with her husband, Michael, in the mountains of East Tennessee where they enjoy hiking and taking in all the natural beauty the area has to offer. Together they have two wild pups, Wrigley and Arkkis Pond.
Wrigley came to them by way of the local animal shelter and is believed to be a German Shepherd/Greyhound mix. His howl, a roo in the greyhound world, gives credence to at least part of that. It comes from his toes and often makes the glasses on the wine rack rattle. The neighbors, they’re sure, are huge fans.
Arkkis Pond appeared in their yard one day and they never let her go. Yes, of course, they did due diligence in searching for her human(s), but truth be told it’s believed some people in their neighborhood moved and simply didn’t want to take this sweet girl with them. As disgusting and maddening as this is, they needed her and Wrigley did too. She’s a cuddler. She received part of her name from a neighbor girl and earned the other part after her penchant for getting more water on the floor than in her mouth was discovered.
Featured poem:
Crooked
Some see crooked,
by way of the wind I’m marked,
jagged upon the horizon.
She comes and goes, the wind,
sweeping the earth,
chasing the clouds…
carving out her will.
Sometimes she’s wild, fierce,
bending and breaking.
Other times she’s gentle, calm.
But the sun reached down,
through every tempest,
drawing me up, ever nearer.
Stretching me, growing me,
coaxing me to bloom.
C. L. Killgore, 2023