[tou-zer] noun a big dog. Informal. a big, hearty person, especially one who is very energetic. One of my favorite people sent me an email with today’s word of the day and this note: “I am sure that Dictionary.com is reading Beth of Fresh Air….I had to laugh when I saw this!” I guess I have a bit to say about a certain big dog. A girlContinue reading “towser.”
Category Archives: Pal
zeitgeber.
[tsahyt-gey-ber] noun an environmental cue, as the length of daylight or the degree of temperature, that helps to regulate the cycles of an organism’s biological clock. “Ma, the zeitgeber! Let’s take the environmental cue and go on an evening hike.”
palpable.
Adjective 1. readily or plainly seen, heard, perceived, etc.; obvious; evident: a palpable lie; palpable absurdity. 2. capable of being touched or felt; tangible. PALpable love. I can’t imagine my life without this big fella after only three months of rescuing each other. This photo was taken by the talented Bekka at theContinue reading “palpable.”
larruping.
[lar–uh-ping] adverb, Chiefly Western U.S. very; exceedingly. Season changes in Idaho overwhelm me. I thought nothing could beat autumn, but I find myself in awe because of the beauty of spring. After a long cold winter, it’s as if each flower is a message from God. One is saying, “You did it! Way to go!” Another:Continue reading “larruping.”
wafflestompers.
[wof–uh l-stom-perz] Plural noun ankle boots with ridged soles, used especially for hiking. I feel very lucky to now have many people in my life who will strap on their wafflestompers and go on an adventure with me and my polar bear. About halfway through the hike, they start brainstorming about what they want for brunch. Waffles hopefully. Some place where breakfast is servedContinue reading “wafflestompers.”
cognomen.
noun, plural cognomens, cognomina [kog-nom–uh-nuh] 1. a surname. 2. any name, especially a nickname. On our way up a mountain, Pal pranced up to a tiny five-year-old gal. She squealed, “He’s the biggest dog I’ve ever seen!” His nose touched hers. She giggled and put her little hand on his huge head. I beamed like a proudContinue reading “cognomen.”
renascent.
[ri-nas–uh nt, –ney-suh nt] adjective being reborn; springing again into being or vigor. The warmth of the first day of spring feels renascent and Pal can feel the vigor as much as I can. There’s a pep in his step that increases my pep exponentially. I shed layers maybe prematurely because the breeze is still cool. My skin soaks up the warmth ofContinue reading “renascent.”
commodious.
[kuh–moh-dee-uh s] adjective spacious and convenient. ample or adequate for a particular purpose. The cozy cabin is so comfortably not commodious. It’s convenient for me, because I’m little and I like not having to take too many steps to make coffee. Now I have a gigantic polar bear and when I look at him taking up an eighth of the wholeContinue reading “commodious.”
natter.
[nat-er] verb (used without object) to talk incessantly; chatter. noun a conversation; chat. My black hiking pants and black jacket are covered in white hair. I have drool-specific rags on my cute teal coffee table. The pure white snow around my cabin is now the inedible yellow people warn you about. I adopted a huge six-year-old polar-bearesque 81-pound Akbash dog. His name isContinue reading “natter.”
