COMPANY! A maincured ramble followed by the wilds - does it get any better?

Our walking friends have been gone almost a year now. We promised to visit them. They promised to visit us. We all got busy. Life intervened. But, work brought them back for a day and we played.

Walk #1:

TDW* had to be at a meeting for a few hours. I volunteered to keep Stanley, Hugo, and Ruby company while he was away. I did not bring Paddy for this hike as I wasn't sure I could manage three dogs (and Paddy is the least well behaved of the bunch. Well, maybe Paddy and Ruby tie for trouble).

We walked, and walked. The leads became tangled. We found friends. We found water. We found TDW finishing up.

The redbuds are blooming all over campus. I had never taken a hike through the campus with dogs. It is a different experience.

Hugo has the most soulful gaze.

These guys do not normally walk "on leash." Watch the leash tangle develop over the walk.**

You can almost hear them think, "little does she know that we can get out of the collars at any time."

At the back of the campus we found containment ponds - dry now - surrounded by trees and Texas buckeyes.

Which way do we go?

I love this sign.

But the entrance is locked/opening too small for us.

Really, what's in there?

Stanley has slowed, but is still the stately wise-one.

Ruby is ready for mischief. It's had to get an un-blurred photo of her.

Sorry about the lighting...but just look at this face.

These redbud blooms were covered with bees and other pollinators.

Last spring's nest.

It is a surprise to see birds nesting this close to the ground (about 3 feet high) in a late blooming redbud.

We stopped for water and my one bottle was quickly consumed. A kind student refilled it at a fountain, but it was clear the dogs were still thirsty. Luckily we found a faucet near one of the buildings. An indentation in a rock provided the perfect bowl.

Not exactly taking turns.

After their drink the dogs found "something" in the oleander bush and would not let me move beyond it. They went back time and time again. A friend who stopped to talk watched the dogs pull me back to the oleander clump and exclaimed, "It's just like Ouiser in Steel Magnolias!"***

I am holding the leash, but cannot see any dogs.

I think this is Hugo - deep in the oleanders.

Stanley thinks he has found something.

The younger dogs were determined to go back. [Note the tangle.]

We headed back to where we last saw TDW and, sure enough, he was there, but still meeting with people. We sat on the deck. The dogs watched TDW go in and out of the building. They jumped up each time they heard the door open.

"Isn't he ever coming out for good?"

The boys settled down, but Ruby - always a bundle of energy - did not completely relax.

"How can you guys rest?"

Still waiting.

We had a wonderful walk. These guys are powerful. They can slip out of their collars at will (they did slip out a few times, but that was my fault trying to make them go where I wanted to go). On those occasions when a collar came free the subject animal waited patiently as I adjusted the collar and leash. They could have "taken me for a drag" at any point, but only lost their manners when they found that interesting oleander. And even then, they were able to regain composure.

Finally, TDW finished and the dogs were reunited with him for a drive out to the wildlife area (after a couple more stops).

Walk #2 

After a brief respite - I went home, took some cold medicine, woke DH, and grabbed Paddy - we headed out to the wilds for a run.

There are few wildflowers at the wildlife area.  The wild verbena was spotted along the trail. Bluebonnets plants are growing everywhere, but are not close to blooming. A few large buttercups****bloomed at the creek.

The dogs ran, swam, gathered bones, and explored. The people walked and talked and caught up, making plans for dinner after settling the animals for the evening.

Wild verbena

"Bone, what bone?"

"Oh, THIS bone."

"Give me a break, Mom. Let me keep it."

I love watching the race across the prairie.

Promises of bluebonnets to come.

Paddy running "full out."

Last one in! [I love the sunlight on the water. It was a brilliantly sunny day.]

A large buttercup, I believe.

DH and TDW sit for a chat creekside. The dogs and I milled around a bit.*****

Signs of the fall flooding were all around.

Trees are still bare. Creek view downstream.

The creek is surprisingly full. Most years it is almost dry at this point.

Sorry, the tale rather peters out at this point. I was so tired and foggy headed from my cold that I was not myself for much of the second hike. I do know the guys followed me back towards the gate. We took a path that should be dry, but found soggy ground. It is as if the rains from last year refreshed springs.

"You've walked me into a bog," commented DH. So I encouraged them to go ahead and find the path back to the gate.


NOTES:

*You remember my friend, The Dog Whisperer.
** I stopped and untangled the leashes at least 3 times over 2 hours.
***A character in the movie has a large (maybe Saint Bernard) and is always struggling with the powerful dog.
****The flowers we (as children) called "butter cups" are actually different varieties of primroses.
*****I was afraid that, once I sat down, I would be too tired to get up.