Toby and his human companion explore and climb the Roaches in England.

Writer Shawn McClure remembers baby chicks: “In the basement of his old farmhouse, my grandfather had a brooder. It looked like a multi-storied apartment building for chicks. They would crowd around the light bulb for heat, like yellow electrons darting around a red nucleus.”

What do you do when you know your aged goldfish is dying? You write about him. “I believe every animal deserves to have its story heard. So this has been the memoir of Sid or Alex, the 14-year-old goldfish who died on February 24th, 2018. He was a good fish.”

What do you do when pigeons are plaguing the guests at a luxury hotel in Dubai? You send in the falcons and the falconer to chase them away.

Blogger Ann is especially grateful to have one more Christmas with her beloved dog, Lucy. “And the fact that Lucy will get at least one more chance to find the special present that Santa Dog left under the tree will just make this Christmas that much sweeter.”

Tim Ginty profiles Juan Rubio Martínez, a veteran rider at the Andalusian Royal School of Equestrian Art: “It’s said that the horse transmits the character of the person.”

In which Dan and his poodle mix, Aki, discover pre-winter beauty in Juneau, Alaska: “Yesterday…a deer crossed over the sandy beach. Frost has filled in one of the cloven tracks, now preserved in frozen sand until the next thaw.”

“In the space of two weeks, I changed from a disheartened, unmotivated, lethargic ghost, to a person with something to live for.” At Marty South, Madeline Lucas reflects on Daisy, her Japanese Spitz, and how this dog has become incredibly precious to her and her family.

Jess and Graham’s aging Rhodesian Ridgeback, Bromley, has been a difficult dog to get close to: “she’s a miserable, loveless creature with no need to please anyone.” But after a bone cancer scare, they finally figure out how to love her.

Lacy reflects on her aging dog, Una: “I know that summer and its fruit, like the life of a good dog, won’t last long. Or at least not nearly long enough.”

In which Fifi Mcleod recalls the hilarious story of how her pup, Tinkle, ate the carpet, expelled rope poo out of his pooter, and had to go on doggy Xanax.

Paul Zizka travels to one of the most remote places on earth: Antarctica. His stunning photos of the White Continent are both grand and intimate. (Plus: penguins!)

Will on guidance from his dogs: “He raced in one direction . . . then chased a floating leaf, then jumped on a bench . . . then took off running happier than before. He had no idea what he was doing and he loved every minute of it. I can relate.”

See who photographer Tim Ginty meets on his 20 km bike ride through the Sierra Morena mountains in the Andalusian region of southern Spain.

“When life gives you / hospital beds, / turn those / sunlit windows / into your / inner balconies / instead.”
 
Christy Bharath meditates on life in India, post-surgery.