A Snowy Day in Tacoma

(00:00:00) Welcome to Rest
(00:00:49) Introducing tonight's story
(00:03:06) Sleep Story - A Snowy Day in Tacoma

Host: Jessika Gössl 🌙

Writer: Hollis Barkhaus ✍️ 

Includes mentions of: Dogs, Snow, Park, Cold, Sledding, Tacoma ❄️

Welcome back my friend. Tonight, we travel to the snowy city of Tacoma, where two dogs spend a winter day outdoors with their parents, playing in the snow at one of their favorite parks.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Good evening and welcome to Rest, your sanctuary for peaceful
sleep and relaxation. Whether you're escaping daily stresses or seeking
a nightly companion, you're in the right place. My name
is Jessica, and I'll be your host this evening. Before

(00:27):
we begin, why don't you turn off your screens and
turn down your volume. Now that's done, let's unwind and
help you ease into a blessed rest. For tonight's sleep story,

(00:52):
we'll be traveling to the Pacific Northwest, home to a
city called Tacoma. It sits nestled among soaring mountains, sprawling forests,
and the deep waters of the Puget Sound. It's warm

(01:14):
and sunny in the summer months, vibrantly colorful in the autumn,
and abounding with wildflowers in the spring. But our story
takes place well into the winter, long after the last
of the leaves have fallen, and long before the first

(01:39):
warm days of spring. In this part of the world,
winters are often cold and dreary, with a persistent drizzle
falling from the low gray clouds. But on the rarest

(02:00):
of days, a day like today, the air grows cold
and the rain turns to snow. It falls from the
sky in great white flakes that blanket the rooftops and roads,

(02:21):
valleys and hilltops, forests and gardens like a magical winter wonderland.
On days like these, time seems to stand still. Few
stray from the warmth of their homes, leaving the thick

(02:44):
layer of snow undisturbed. But it is in the home
of some of those few that our story begins. In
the home of two black dogs named Rainier and Cascade.

(03:07):
The first and oldest was a Labrador mixed with a
German shepherd. She was clever and sweet, her fur shiny
and sleek, and on her coat she had little splashes
of white from her chin to her chest to her feet.

(03:33):
The other, her little sister, was also a Labrador with
a hint of Irish Terrier in her lineage. She was
loyal and cuddly, her personality loving and bubbly, and she
loved to get pets on her chest and her tummy.

(03:58):
Many people were describe Rainier as clever, ambitious, a bit anxious,
and perhaps a little too smart for her own good. Cascade,
on the other hand, was loyal and brave, relying on

(04:21):
her instincts to guide her rather than her brain. They
were different in many ways, but there were two things
on which they could both agree. They loved sleep, and
they loved snow. And on this wintry morning, they were

(04:47):
wide awake, waiting for their mother and father to stir
as the snow rustled gently against the window. When at
last their parents awoke from their slumber, Rainier and Cascade
jumped from the bed, their claws clicking and clacking as

(05:13):
they paced across the floor. They raced to the kitchen,
where they sat patiently, tipping and tapping their little paws
as they waited for their breakfast. Rainier ate hers quickly

(05:35):
and stared at Cascade, searching for any stray bit of
kibble that might get left behind. With happy wagging tails,
the dogs ran to the door, where upon its opening,
they dashed out into the snow. They barked and chomped

(06:02):
at the spiraling flakes, leaving a flurry of white in
their wake. Their parents watched and laughed from the doorway,
then picked up clumps of snow and threw it into
the air. Rainier caught them in her mouth and was

(06:25):
thrilled as they burst into tiny pieces across the yard.
Cascade had her nose to the ground, tail wagging as
she found herself confused and delighted by the strange cold smells.

(06:47):
She snuffled about, not stopping until she bumped her head.
She looked up to find her father smiling at her,
and he laughed at the snow clinging to her fairy face.
All the while her tail never stopped wagging. All too soon,

(07:13):
Rainier and cascades parents called them to the door, where
they dried them off with big fluffy towels before letting
them into the house. To both the dog's surprise, they
found their leashes, coats, and collars waiting for them inside.

(07:39):
They stood patiently, their bodies wiggling and their tails swinging
back and forth, as their father buckled their collars around
their necks and adjusted their coats over their bodies. Rainier

(07:59):
was first through the door when it was opened by
their mother, and she hopped up and down waiting to
get into the car. Cascade forced her way in first,
then Rainier jumped up beside her. When the door closed,

(08:22):
She nudged at the window, wishing it would lower so
that she could enjoy all the scents that were sure
to pass her by. She let out a subtle sigh,
then another. Then she gently tapped the glass with her claws.

(08:48):
One more, ever so patient sigh fogged up the window
before she shoved her head between the side of the
car and the head rest and nudged her father's ear. Okay, okay,

(09:09):
her father said, with a sigh of his own. A
moment later, the window opened just an inch, and Rainier
lunged up as high as she could reach. Cascade wedged
herself between the seat and her sister, happily panting and

(09:32):
wagging her tail, even if she didn't understand all the excitement.
When the cold air finally got the best of Rainier,
she begrudgingly laid down beside her sister. Together, they wondered

(09:53):
where they were going. Car rides almost always lead to
somewhere f Perhaps they were going on a hike where
they could smell all the different scents of the forest.
Or maybe they were going to the beach where they

(10:15):
could dig in the sand and swim in the surf.
What if it were to a restaurant where crumbs were
plentiful and strangers stopped to say hi. The more Rainier
and Cascade thought about where they were going, the more

(10:40):
their eyes began to droop. They had almost fallen asleep
when the car slowed and came to a stop. Cascade
bolted upright and let out a big yawn as she

(11:01):
looked through the window. Rainier, at first annoyed by the
disruption of what was surely to be a delightful nap,
grew excited as well and pushed past her sister so

(11:21):
that she could see. As soon as the door opened,
Rainia leaped from the car and into the deep snow.
Such was her strength that she dragged her father, who
held her leash, into the snow beside her. Rainier sniffed

(11:48):
at his face and licked his nose as he laughed
and rustled her fur. Their mother was more cautious when
she let Casso Gate out of the car. She stood
with a grin on her face as their father brushed

(12:08):
the snow from his jacket. Rainier sniffed the air and
tugged at her leash. Even buried in a thick blanket
of snow, she recognized the park. Cascade spotted a squirrel

(12:29):
and whimpered as she stared in its direction. To both
dogs great disappointment, their parents began leading them away from
the park. And across a quiet street. Rainier perked up again.

(12:51):
She knew her favorite pet store was over there. She
could see the bone shaped neon sign through the snow.
Was she going to get to pick out a new
toy or try a few samples from the barrels of treats?

(13:13):
She tugged at her leash, but her parents pulled back
and led her and her sister into a small cozy building.
Cascade shook the snow from her fur, then let out
a few quiet whimpers, wanting to go back outside. Rainier, however,

(13:41):
had spotted the small glass jar on the counter. It
could only mean one thing, treats. She sat and held
very still, waiting to be rewarded. For a moment, her

(14:02):
heart sank and she feared she would go hungry. Then
she heard the magic words, Can they have a treat?
The man behind the counter asked, peering down at the
two dogs, Rainy as tail began to wag and she

(14:25):
lifted first one poor then another, shifting back and forth,
shaking with anticipation. Cascade knew the word as well and
turned away from the door. She was more curious than excited,

(14:48):
but only because she preferred pieces of fruit or vege
to dry dog biscuits, or even better, peanut butter. The
man took a few treats from the jar and held
them out to the dogs. Rainier opened her mouth and

(15:13):
gently nibbled on his fingers as she tried to pry
loose the little snack. He laughed and let her have it,
and with a single crunch, swallowed it. She looked at Cascade,

(15:33):
who had only just taken her treat. She didn't chew
it and instead only held it in her mouth as
the man scratched behind her ears and ruffled her fur.
Drew dripped from Rainier's mouth as she watched Cascade, hoping

(15:57):
that perhaps she would drop the tree, but to her
great disappointment, she was forced to go hungry as her
sister nibbled away at the dog biscuit. Thank you, Rainier,
and Cascade's mother said, as she took a steaming cup

(16:21):
of coffee from the man behind the counter. Have a
nice day, enjoy the snow. We will, the dog's father said.
Come on, pups, let's go play. Cascade snapped at the

(16:42):
falling snow. As they left the little shop. Rainier glanced
first at the pet store, then at the park, across
the street. Trying not to get her hopes up. They
crossed the road, then turned to walk back toward the car.

(17:06):
Rainius head drooped and Cascade whimpered several more times. The
car beeped, and both dogs felt their hearts sink in
their chests, all this for coffee. Rainius father walked to

(17:29):
the car but didn't open the door to the back seat.
She and Cascade tilted their heads and watched as he
opened the back hatch and pulled out a pair of
blue circular sleds. He turned to their mother, smiled, and

(17:52):
shut the door. Rainier was almost prancing as they finally
made their way into the park. They walked all over
the snow covered park, with Rainier and Cascade sniffing every

(18:13):
tree and bush to their hearts content. They watched the
darks swimming in the pond until a large clump of
snow landed on Cascade's head. The dogs looked up and
stared into the trees. Another pillow of snow fell a

(18:39):
short distance away as a branch shook ever so slightly.
Cascade was the first to spot the culprit, but Rainier
was a quick second, with their parents a distant third.
And high above, a raccoon was watching them with its

(19:06):
little black eyes on its masked face. The dogs barked
and Wind then jumped and put their paws on the
tree trunk to get a better look. The dog's parents
urged them away from the tree, but Cascade kept looking

(19:31):
over her shoulder long after it had faded from view,
hoping for one final glimpse. Thoughts of the raccoon soon
vanished from both of the dog's mines when the glass
dome of the Right Park Conservatory came into view. The

(19:57):
foggy windows and snow covered roof made the whole greenhouse
look like it was made of ice. Of course, neither
dog cared for such things. All that mattered to them
was that it sat atop the tallest hill in the park.

(20:25):
Rainier and cascades mother and father removed the leashes from
the dogs and tucked them into their jackets. Then their
mother sat on her sled and their father gave her
a gentle push down the hill. She went, with Rainier

(20:50):
and Cascade dashing after her snow flew through the air
from the dog's pores. They chased the saucer all the
way to the bottom of the hill. Where they licked
their mother's face and wagged their tails with delight. When

(21:15):
the dog's father began his descent, they charged back up
the slope. Cascade collided with the sled, and her father
scooped her up in his arms. The saucer turned around
as he lost control, and they slid the rest of

(21:39):
the way down the hill facing backward. Rainier came trotting
up when the sled came to a stop, and her
father laid down, panting and out of breath, Cascade still
on his lap. Then it was back up the hill

(22:04):
and down again, again and again and again until they
could no longer make it to the top. Rainy A
slumped onto her mother's lap, only now realizing how tired

(22:26):
she had become. Cascade remained standing. The clumps of snow
clinging to her fur had grown so large that she
could hardly move. Despite this, she had a happy grin

(22:46):
on her furry face, and her tail had yet to
stop wagging. Cascade's father removed his gloves and used his
bare hands to gently pull the snow from her legs
and pours. When she could move again, her father stood

(23:10):
up and helped pull her mother to her feet. They
picked up the sleds and tucked them under their arms.
Then they pulled out the leashes from their pockets and
clipped them to the dog's collars. Come on, girls, their

(23:33):
father said, that's enough for today. Look what we did
to the hill, their mother said, with a soft laugh.
The side of the hill, once a floorless, smooth blanket
of white, was marred with deep ruts and zig zagging parts.

(24:01):
In some places, the sleds had worn away the snow
all the way to the grass below, leaving long, verdant
streaks down the slope. I feel a little bad, their
father said, Oh, but just look at them, said their mother.

(24:27):
The dog's father's expression softened, and he smiled with a nod.
Rainier would have liked to stay and play a little longer,
but now that she was standing still, she realized just

(24:48):
how tired she had become. So she plodded along beside
her sister. As her mother and father began to walk
away from the hill, a large white snowflake drifted from
the sky and landed on cascade Snose. Rainier looked up

(25:15):
at the clouds. Neither of them had noticed that it
had stopped snowing while they played, but now it was
coming down heavier and faster than before. By the time
they reached the car, they could no longer see the

(25:38):
hill through the falling flakes. Rainier lifted her head and
made a few half hearted chomps before she climbed into
the car. Her father removed her coat, shook it off,

(25:58):
then laid it beside her to use as a pillow.
Rainier laid down. She was weary from her day of
play and was glad to be heading home. Behind her,
Cascade had placed her front paws on the seat and

(26:21):
was looking at their mother for help with a tired laugh.
Their mother scooped her up and got her settled in
beside Rainier. It was cold inside the car, and though
their coats had helped, both dogs were wet from the

(26:45):
snow melting on their warm furry bodies. They began to
shiver and scooted closer to one another for warmth. Rainier
laid her head on her coat and let out a
heavy sigh. Cascade wiggled in closer, then rested her chin

(27:12):
on Rainier's back. Rainier was cold, damp, and ready for
her warm cozy bed. Beside the fireplace. She watched the
snow through the window. As the car wound its way

(27:32):
through town toward home, the sky was growing darker, and
soon all Cascade could see were the hazy halos of
light cast by the street lamps, storefronts, and apartment windows.

(27:53):
Then the lights grew fewer and far between as the
buildings gave way to houses. The purr of the engine
was soothing, and the rhythmic swishing of the windshield wiper
was almost hypnotic. Both dogs were all but asleep when

(28:19):
the car came to a gentle stop and the engine
fell silent. They yawned and sat up when the door opened.
Their muscles were sore, and they took great care when

(28:40):
they stepped down to the snow. Rainier trotted to the house,
not wanting to be out in the cold for any
longer than necessary. She stood by the door waiting to
be let in and wondered what was taking so long.

(29:07):
Cascade refused to move from beside the car as she
shivered in the snow. Their mother urged her along, but
in the end her father scooped her up in his
arms and carried her inside. Once there, he placed her

(29:32):
on the floor, and she half limped, half hobbled to
her water bowl and took a long drink. When she finished,
Rainier went to the bowl only to find it empty.

(29:53):
She nudged it with her nose once, twice, and third time,
asking ever so patiently, for someone to fill it up
for her. Once Rainier had her drink, she inspected her

(30:15):
food bowl, just in case she might have overlooked something earlier.
She looked at her father and gave the slightest wag
of her tail, hoping to convince him to give her
an evening snack. When her efforts failed, she made her

(30:40):
way across the house to her bed beside cascades in
front of the fireplace. It was such a wonderful comfortable bed.
It was made of thick, cushiony foam and covered in

(31:03):
soft gray fabric. On top of the bed was a
cozy blanket and a large fluffy pillow. She laid down,
only for her father to pull the blanket out from

(31:24):
under her. Her groan of displeasure turned to gratitude when
he tucked it in around her, and she licked his hand.
Rainier rested her head on the pillow and watched Cascade.

(31:46):
Trying to get comfortable. She turned in circles stumping and
scratching at the bed, trying to get it just right. Satisfied,
she flopped onto the bed and nestled into the pillow.

(32:11):
She wagged her tail when her mother picked up her blanket,
which had wound up on the floor, and draped it
over her. Both dogs let out a contented sigh and
watched the flames flickering in the fireplace as warmth spread

(32:36):
through their bodies. Soon, their breathing became slow and grew
soft and deep. With a final stretch, Rainier settled deeper
into her bed and let her eyes drift shut. Cascade, however,

(33:06):
was still not quite comfortable. She looked at her parents,
who were relaxing on the couch sharing a large cozy blanket.
She stood up from her bed, walked around the coffee table,

(33:30):
and hopped up between them. There, she laid down and
rested her head on her mother's lap. She let out
a final yawn and snuggled in closer as her mother

(33:52):
gently stroked her fur. Content at last, she closed her
eyes and let herself drift off to sleep. Have a

(34:12):
blessed rest, sweet dreams, Good night,