They were in the woods - really!

Two excited dogs nearly dragged me down the street this morning. I suppose they could not believe that we were getting back to our long daily walks. Even though we were just headed to the neighborhood park, they were READY.

So, down the busy street walked we three. We were in the morning rush and felt sorry for people who HAD to go to work. I would go to work because of a couple of things I lined up (actually family members lined up for me. I'm just a girl who cain't say no...thanks family and thank YOU, Oscar Hammerstein).

Cars were everywhere, but it was clear some folks didn't have to get up as there were still newspapers in yards as the sun, already up and rising higher in the sky, blinded us. Another reason to walk early - our walk begins to the east into the rising sun.

We saw David in the distance. He saw us too and we gave and received big waves. Then we headed down the dirt road. We were after deer and hoped we weren't too late.

We saw the way they had crushed the dried grass in the first meadow. We saw their tracks in the road. The dogs caught their scent a few times. And we heard them twice in the woods. But we saw no deer today (yesterday's adventure must satisfy for now).



You can see where deer have pushed the grass down at the right.

Almost everything was dead and dry. The grass rustled in the slight breeze and gleames golden in the sun. But a few plants had put out new shoots - green against the crispy browned meadow plants.

We avoided the sharp thorns of the mesquite which seemed to reach out along the path and headed home to get after the day, picking up after ourselves along the way.*

Determined dogs heading to the second meadow.

Wow! That must have been some scent.

Spot of green amidst the dead grass.

Scruff sees something in the brush. I just noticed the size of those mesquite thorns.

* It has been so long since we walked that this irresponsible pet owner forgot plastic bags and had to snag some in the park.