Well the flying Heeler has arrived! Ladysmith has been hinting about a sidekick to take over, but it took quite awhile to get here. Lady has earned her rest.
Let me introduce myself. I am Redhawk Rose, a pretty classy name for this scrappy little desert dog, and I love it! 
As is tradition around here, cowdogs are named after fine weaponry, and I after a good Ruger pistol.
Now you may be wondering how I’m a flying Heeler, although most of us can get pretty good air just playing, leaping, practicing our normal Joy de Vivre. 
But I actually arrived here to my new northern Rockies home at 15,000 feet, by plane.
Three planes, in fact. And it is truly a miracle how the whole story played out.
It started, I’m told, months ago, when Ladysmith and her family began looking for another Heeler; of course it was agreed, it would be a rescue who needed a real home. There were many chosen, mostly from Texas and the south, but every one was adopted before transport could be arranged.
Lucky for me, because mom kept returning to my picture and story on Rescue Me. https://www.rescueme.org/
You see, I was safe in a good foster home. No one knows what happened before, but I was found ‘way out in the desert, and came to the only place in sight to rest. Unfortunately, I got on the wrong side of a ornery little Chihuahua there and that family wanted me gone. By God’s grace, they knew a kind lady who fostered dogs, and asked for her help. She came expecting to trap me, as apparently my reputation, not wholly accurate, preceded me! 
But she called, I came running, and jumped right into her car. I do love a good ride!
So I lived there in Arizona for months. I had friends to play with, enough to eat, and a safe place to sleep.
I liked almost all my dog friends there. Well, there was that one, but more about her another time.
I didn’t know then, but plans were in the works for me to move north. Do you know there are some real saints and angels at work in the world? I found quite a crew to help me, with Pilots N Paws. https://www.pilotsnpaws.org/
We applied, and right away Jerome took over coordination.
For me, it took weeks, because the weather in the Rockies in late winter was not friendly to flight. 
But finally, it was a GO!
My flight took 3 legs, one from Arizona to Utah, 
then Utah to Idaho, 
and finally Idaho to land at my new home turf!
That took coordinating all 3 planes and pilots, good weather all the way, and a lot of prayer. I was glad my foster mom got to ride along on the first leg, since I was pretty scared and didn’t know what was happening. It was after all, my first airplane ride! My first pilot even said I was perfectly behaved the entire trip, and better than some of his human passengers!
We left very early, and the flight was 820 nautical miles. We landed in my new town about 5 PM.
They even brought me a kid to play with right off! 
I caught on pretty quick, and slept most of the way. I had fun meeting people every time we landed, and enjoyed the backseat view and conversation with my pilots – Tim, Stew and Chris – I know there is a special place in heaven for all of you. Since I arrived on St Patrick’s Day, I just think I had my own set of saints helping out, and it was a celebration.
Right away I celebrated with a good roll in the snow; it is everywhere up here, and I found my first snowbank just off the runway. Then I went from my Freedom Flight to my Freedom Ride, and on the way we stopped for a puppy cone. I pretty well shut down McDonald’s, as all the staff admired me and heard the story of the flying cowdog!
It was a long trip and I have lot to learn. Right now, I am just sleeping a lot, rolling in the snow, and smelling the fresh mountain air outside.
I do love to roll in the snow!
I did get a ride in dad’s truck and that is a favorite, too.
Ladysmith has a lot of wisdom. You can read about her introduction, back a few years ago, here: https://cowdogsadvice.com/2020/08/meet-ladysmith/
I’m young and not so wise, but plenty sassy and, like any good cowdog, will have a few things to say.
Who knows what happened to me before I was dumped in the desert?
But God had a plan for even little old me, and wove together many elements into the tapestry that is Redhawk Rose. The brilliant gold threads in my tapestry are those saints that orchestrated a great cowdog flight, all for one simple dog.
If everyone can just keep rescuing the abandoned, the hurt, the lonely among us – donating, volunteering, driving, flying, loving – perhaps the shelters could be emptied, and all pets would be wanted and loved.
Right now, somewhere overhead, there is a dog in a plane finding out what that means.
There are a few airborne transports, but if you want to help out my favorite, you can go here to donate and buy items, like the neat calendar showing some of the canine co-pilots and their friends:https://pnpstuff.com/
For now, all I have to say is THANKS!
