Dogs Loose All Over - Small Town Wednesday Morning

Discipline isn't about showing a dog who's boss; 

it's about taking responsibility 

for a living creature 

you have brought into your world.

~Cesar Millan

Zelda shook with excitement as we turned towards the park. Exiting the car she watched for her friends. The silver truck was parked just where it should be. One friend got out of the driver's seat, but Keelynn wasn't in the truck. Z greeted VM and promptly forgot her "running buddy" was absent.

Swarms of insects surrounded us as we walked along the sidewalk. There were runners in neon vests moving back and forth. [It was a PE class from the college taking their final - a 5 mile run.] The footbridge moved under the pounding feet. It was such a weird sensation to feel that concrete and steel structure give and sway with each step. It's supposed to do that I suppose, but still...

Prickly Poppy and beetle

We were already a little off-balance. Police and sheriff's deputies had been stopping traffic a few blocks from the park. It looked like they were checking vehicles and I had wondered if there was a jail escape, but it turned out they were attempting to retrieve two small terrier/chihuahua mix pups who were taking a stroll down the center line on Main Street.

The bird lady has been here. I guess we could call her the cat lady too. She feeds both EARLY - earlier than I was up today anyway.

Maybe my favorite feral cat. I've taken his photo before.

As we turned to walk beyond the bridge that runs over the park paths we heard and then saw a "gang" of black Scotties/terriers  as they came running into the park. Good grief! Where are the dog owners today?

The Great Blue Heron spread its wings and flew up the creek - stopping at a new fishing spot. It waded and may or may not have caught a few things as we watched (if it caught something, the catch was small and quickly swallowed). It is such a lovely bird and seems to ignore all the chaos of ducks, geese, feral cats, loose dogs, and miscellaneous people populating the park.

I love this bird.

The day heated up and wise people headed for air conditioning, coffee, and breakfast. And some of us drove past yet another couple of dogs - loose on the world. I worry about these wanderers...but at least they had company. They were not wandering alone.