Not really a story about a walk

Our walk today was uneventful. We hurried a bit and the dogs were not cooperating, but all in all it was a normal morning. We started before the papers were thrown, but ended after.

DH had to be at work early and so I hustled into the house, fixed his breakfast and sat down with a cup of coffee.

After about 45 minutes I realized I was still wearing my neon green baseball cap - including the flashing red lights I use to make sure drivers see me.

Maybe you had to be here. How weird to be sitting in the living room "all geared up" while DH never mentioned the beacon on my head.

I guess we are getting old...or just distracted...

Springtime! (And that means ICE CREAM!)

How could I forget that I would have time some bright evenings when I could take a stroll - to the ICE CREAM STAND!

DH has dibs on the television on Wednesdays. So I grabbed a couple of dogs and headed down the street towards the park. We goofed around - no need to hurry as there was nothing to hurry for.

Lots of people were outside enjoying the beautiful cool evening.

We saw birds and flowers and weird signs painted on the ground. I will save some of the photos for another day, but here are some others just for fun:

Pay attention - a circle around a pole.

"Locate"?  (Or is it Spanish and pronounced like "Tecate"? Hahaha!)

Are you following me? More circles around a pole...Celtic symbols? Aliens? Crop circles? Mower having fun?

The cat watched us as we headed home.

 OK. We know you are waiting to see these. The girl at the ice cream stand overfilled our bowls and I had to stop the pups before they ate too much. A little vanilla every now and then is fine. But we must not overdo:

Paddy enjoying her bowl.

Paddy takes the bowl on a trip - pushing it around until she slides up next to Scruffy.

Cujo and other weirdness - kind of early to be fishing

We were up and walking before the papers were thrown this morning. Realizing that, we noted the one neighbor who had not picked up yesterday's paper. Further down the street the garage door was open at the cat man's old house where the artist, Jane, now lives. The car was in the garage. She never leaves the garage open. So I will be checking on these folks today. After the news of yesterday,* I am once again reminded that we are neighbors and need to pay a little more attention.

We also saw signs of a large - big - HUGE dog wandering loose. I won't go into too many details, but the paws were as big as my fist. How do I know this? Well, at the top of the hill near the park is a storm drain. The sidewalk is uneven there and dirt collects in the corners. We are careful there (we have slipped there multiple times when not paying attention). There in the mud was the print - Cujo.

See the print to the right of my foot? [I wear a size 9 folks!] ~ CUJO ~

I was glad to have DH walking along today.**

We have had storms over the past few days and the signs were everywhere. One of the big trees in the woods is now stacked in pieces along the roadway.***



We walked almost to the pavilion before turning around. Just after we turned I saw headlights from the far end of the parking lot. I had not noticed a car until then. A sedan drove away followed by a pickup. Wonder what was up with that. It is not unusual to see vehicles in the park. Walkers and runners and dog trainers often would share the place with us. [And we are no longer law-breakers. The hours of the park have been expanded - formerly the ridiculous 8:00 a.m. to something or other and now 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.]Still, most folks park in the well lighted area at the front of the park, not in the dark far lot.

Of course, fishermen might park closer to the small deck/pier, but this was kind of early to be fishing.

Once again I told DH I was relieved he joined the pups and me.

So here's my list:

1. Check on the house where the papers weren't picked up****
2. Check on Jane*****
3. Beware of a big footed dog wandering in the neighborhood******

NOTES:

*http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/skeletal-remains-twin-brothers-found-tennessee-home-article-1.1748267

** He knows better to skip his usual morning run. Maybe he wanted to come with us today.

***These neighbors finally picked up their old newspapers. Still, the cars aren't being moved and I haven't seen any people. I will keep watching.

****Jane came to the door and thanked me for being worried about her. She left the garage door open by accident. Whew!

*****BIG tree trunks.

These are the larger stumps. The other wood was picked up before we could take a picture.

****** There were chickens loose across the street when I ran errands at lunch yesterday. I am less concerned with an attack chicken, than a big dog.

Our sad oak tree

Exhausted (yesterday was a long day), we arose and made ourselves walk the dogs.

I turned the corner from the side street to the busy road that passes the front of our house to discover an enormous tree limb had fallen from the big red oak that once graced the front yard. I say it once graced the front of the house because limbs have fallen and the utility companies have "gotched" it up by cutting limbs back.* There's also a scar from the day the police officer shot a raccoon that had terrorized the children (he mostly hit the tree the first time and had to shoot the poor raccoon** twice). This should have been the best "climbing tree" ever. It never was.

The limb isn't completely down. It hangs down waiting for us to call a tree person. We no longer climb up to saw things down. We leave it to the professionals. But it is another thing on the list of yard work. I already knew I had mowing ahead - and planting - and throwing stuff away.

This is the bottom part.

Limb is still connected about 20 feet up.

Putting the waiting work behind us (DH and the dogs didn't even notice the tree limb), we pressed on towards the park. First the dogs alerted on a yellow cat*** prowling in the next block. Scruffy was especially excited as he is the hunter. We walked on.

Our neighbor down the way (she generally has the beautiful flowers in spring and summer) had come out to pick up her paper and waited to talk to us. She had wondered where we were. We explained that the time change and our schedules didn't always allow morning dog-walks. She agreed that the time change always played havoc with her wake-sleep cycles. I am always happy to visit with our neighbors. We don't have many "permanent" folks. The neighborhood is becoming more and more a rental neighborhood.

At the park we encountered running man. He spoke about the construction blocking the park running/walking path.

Even though we were late starting (and finishing) it was good to see some neighbors. It made us wonder what has happened to all the park walkers. We have not seen Banana man David or any of the walkers who shared the park when we started walking there. We also have not seen the robot dogs, Dewayne, or Sissie in a while either.

Perhaps they walk at different time. And they may have wondered what has happened to us. I miss them. And I will have to change my walking goals as I do not enter the park unless someone I "recognize" is there.



*They utility crews have no clue what they are doing and leave horrors in their wake. My blood pressure rises just thinking about it.

**It turned out the raccoon was not "rabid." We had been concerned because the nocturnal raccoon was out in the middle of the day, chasing children in the yard. I managed to gather all of the children (mine and neighborhood kiddos) into the house (there was a Patton saber involved, but that is another story). The raccoon charged down the tree at the police officer and the oak tree received  its scar.

***We believe that most yellow cats in the neighborhood are relatives of Hobbes as he wandered into our lives after a walk 14 years ago. In any case, we believe chasing yellow neighborhood cats would be improper behavior - seeing that they are kin.

Few wildflowers in the "new" park

It was my day, so DH was willing to do a few errands and take a short trip to the park. We did not bring the puppies because we expected loads of mud after the wild storm of yesterday. It would be enough to deal with muddy shoes...neither of us wanted to chase puppies through the mud or clean them up to get them into the car.*

We parked at the gate and picked our way through the abandoned shotgun shells and broken clay from skeet shooters at this entrance. Then we found a deer trail to follow and zigzagged towards the creek.

Where were  the bluebonnets?

The sun was already high and we were only prepared for a short hike.** We did not see the blue vistas we expected.

We did see a few scattered wildflowers and interesting plants. The seasons should show us some interesting changes if we can get out here regularly.

Wild verbena

Little yellow composite

Another stray flower

But mostly, I am disappointed in the trash throwers. It was worse than I remember from our earlier trip. I guess I was just raised differently, but one is supposed to pick up. You leave a place better than you found it. ***

Some of the scattered trash

Shotgun shell

More shells. I hesitate to show the expanse of trash. You would be shocked. I'll post the trash bags.

I will be bringing gloves and trash bags (and maybe some reinforcements). I have to start working on this mess...although I know the hunters (some shells are scattered throughout the meadows - from hunters, not target shooters) and target shooters and irresponsible users of this public area will be back and will continue to litter.

There are many yuccas at this location. I am anxious to see them blooming. These are the remains of last year's.

These yuccas only look dead. New growth shows green.

* Paddy will let me dry her off and clean her paws. Scruffy nips if you attempt to touch his feet. (I get it.)

** I looked down to see that DH was walking in Crocks! Really?

*** "If it ain't yours, don't break it." 
       "If it doesn't belong to you, don't climb on it."
       "Don't be a litterbug. Be a beauty bug."
       "Don't trash Mother Earth."

Hail!

A wild afternoon storm flooded the yard and frightened the pups*. Both came in, were dried off, and sheltered inside until this evening. Paddy the crate-hater went outside for the night after the water drained off and sky emptied of clouds and filled with stars.

Scruffy sleeps inside. If he is outside he will bark at every falling leaf. Crate-trained, our Scruff is uncomfortable still in the living room or kitchen. He prefers his crate.

He had been inside since 3 or 4 o'clock. So he and I took a quick walk under the starry sky - Orion bright above us. Scruff was so easy to walk, no pulling at the leash. He did smell everything once and a few things twice, but it was a quick trip and little bother.

He is inside now and settled. After the challenges of this day, I will settle down early too. There is still a plan to check the wildflowers tomorrow.

NOTES:

*News reports show houses and cars with windows broken by the hail. I was out (driving) in it, but fared OK. It was some storm. http://www.kxxv.com/story/25102785/severe-weather-expected-through-central-texas

Bluebonnets in the new park

I have not been out to the park, but my friend the dog whisperer was there and took these photos. The flowers are just starting to bloom. More photos will follow.

Bluebonnets along the creek, north of town

TDW says that these were the first two he saw blooming.

Obviously, he is quite the photographer. Hope you enjoy this beginning of spring.

New York City?

DH and I are waiting for a delivery today. The dishwasher is being replaced and we know some of the negotiation of machines could be a challenge in this old, oddly shaped house. I am taking the day. He is taking the morning.

So, we slept late and walked late...in the middle of the rush...to the sounds of the 7:00 train with its screaming brakes against iron tracks. I turned to the man and shouted, "We might as well be in New York." He nodded.

So we strolled down the sidewalk as the cars and trucks and school buses rushed by. The misty weather couldn't decide whether to be a drizzle or fog.  We navigated our way around the giant trash containers (I love 'em, but forget that they become obstacles on trash day).

DH didn't even flinch when we started to walk towards the dirt road. "Let's just see how muddy it is," said I.

It was dry. But you could see that a truck had come by when it was wet. Deep ruts have created a hazard for smaller vehicles* that might try to head down to the practice fields in the meadows.

The meadows have been mowed and tree limbs (that had extended over the road) cut. I saw nothing blooming big or showy, but tiny white flowers along the edge of the woods indicated dewberry vines would fruit this year (of course the deer and birds will get all the berries).

A bird flew low across the road as we neared the far meadow (OK - I know that sounds weird - just go with it). The dogs paid attention. Three does were feeding at the edge of the clearing. The sighting was quick. We saw them, they saw us, they turned to flee, the dogs alerted and it was over.

The dogs were agitated the rest of the walk back. Scruffy found every deer trail off the road and tried to follow each of them (Paddy may be a retriever, but Scruffy is a tracker).

We think one of the deer circled around as we saw one cross the trail back at the first meadow after we turned around.

Paddy dragged on the trip home. I don't know if she was tired or "out of shape" or (a possibility I do not really want to consider) if she is simply getting old. 


NOTES:

*http://www.definition-of.com/Stuck+on+high+center

Stranger danger: If you have worried about all the wanderers in the neighborhood and are curious about what we found today: One man passed us a few blocks from the house. He greeted us first and all seemed normal. Then two older walkers (I have to watch my terminology. I suspect I will always consider myself "middle aged" although I am really beyond that designation and I am not getting any younger.) walked past me as I returned the dogs to the yard. They were all bundled up against the damp. DH and I had walked in T-shirts and caps (so do we "judge" age based on gear - the more bundled, the older?). I spoke and they replied.

Wildflowers: I was surprised to see the buttercups closed. They were wide open the other morning at 6, so why were they closed today? Was it the moisture? Had they bloomed out? I will walk down later and check. MY BLUEBONNETS are recovering from the transplant and appear to be trying to bloom!

Trains and runners and walkers and trash

5:15 a.m. Walk? Plant? Read?

OK - The decision was made - make coffee and walk.

These dark mornings mean we are limited - not enough light to plant anything (see yesterday and the wealth of iris - bulk of iris - insanity of iris?) and we always need to get some exercise - so we four walked to the park. A sliver of moon smiled down on us - bright enough to provide a little light and dim enough to allow us to see some of the more identifiable constellations (the big dipper was one).

Sliver of moon. My camera makes it look a little bigger than it is.

It was light jacket/no hat weather this morning. A jacket just means more pockets to check when looking for the flashlight or camera or dog bags. The cool and damp felt, rather than looked, like fog. And my breath fogged my glasses.

The dogs stopped everywhere. DH and I talked - I shared the iris adventure (I guess that is what happens as you age. Your dear spouse doesn't ask why you get home late, knowing you will share when you are ready or when you think about it or when you remember that you haven't told them where you were and why you had dirt in your shoes.).

I noticed what first appeared to be trash scattered in the neighbor's yard, but the white splotches turned out to be buttercups. I mentioned the buttercups ("Wow. Look at the buttercups.") to DH and noticed he lagged behind a few steps.* When I turned around to see what was keeping him, he was turning off his flashlight. "Didn't you believe me?" I asked. "Well, it looked like trash to me," said he.

Buttercups - had to use the flash.

And I confessed that I had thought the same at first. But as I had been raised on wildflowers and my heart has been willing them to start blooming for a month now, I leaned close and realized they were the first showy bloomers. Even after forty years in Texas DH - raised in apartments and used to battlefields not blooming ones - does not look for the flowers. And it is this kind of trickery that the darkness creates.**

We continued down the street towards barking dogs and the chill of the park where the temperature seems to drop 10 degrees as we near the river.

I must admit I am not always glad that DH tags along on walks (even though I remain, at over a half-century old, afraid of the dark). Some days he is short-tempered and cranky with the dogs (and me). But today I was glad to have him along. There were wanderers in the neighborhood.

We expect a runner or two. One neighbor is sometimes seen riding his bicycle. People retrieve their newspapers or load their cars and head off to work. Today we passed two runners and three men walking up our street. The walkers were unexpected, certainly out of OUR norm. I sensed DH react to them, tensing a little - body on alert - as he spoke and greeted them with a "Good morning." It would be rare for someone to challenge a walker with two large dogs (even my two sweet and friendly pups-they look scary), but a walker with two large dogs AND a bodyguard is even safer.***


Our walk was once again timed for the cacophony of the trains (two today!) and trash truck. How have we missed this noise before? Maybe we are not the only ones thrown off by the time change or maybe other schedules have been changed. The trains (of my memory) are usually a mournful whistle in the distance, not the chug-chug-chug, rumble, roar and blast - ear numbing noise we have experienced of late.

The dogs and I muddled along behind DH the last few blocks. He seemed ready for the day and we stalled, trying to delay it.

AFTER: I sat down with my coffee and yogurt and computer. I jotted notes about the walk and waited for daylight. Finally, a glance at the window disclosed the sky brightening outside. Time to plant those bluebonnets (should have planted last night, but the darkness caught me).


NOTES:

* Look, sometimes conversation isn't too sharp at 5 a.m.

** The roads become narrower and curve more dramatically. Shadows confuse - even the dogs start at dark patches on some walks.

***Weird as the dogs and I must look as we walk down the dark streets, it is likely no one would bother the crazy lady with the big hounds. Still...

Wildflowers and iris...and we broke the rules.

Never thank someone for a gift from their garden.* It is not a rule I learned from my family, but from gardeners I met in this town where I live today. Better yet, they would say, steal the plant.

And I have stolen my fair share - iris that grew into the street, coreopsis that seeded in the gutter along the street edge, bulbs that were about to be bulldozed to make room for houses, and cuttings from althea shrubs whose colors I admired. And I cannot count the number of occasions I have gathered seeds - from everywhere.**

I received a call mid-day from my friend, RC. A road in our town is being widened. She noticed a woman digging up iris along the area of construction.My friend stopped her truck and started a conversation with the gardener. ["Are you dividing your iris?"] It seems the widened road will extend over this iris bed (this yard was full of iris - probably hundreds of square feet of flowerbeds full of iris) and so the lady was moving them - saving a few for herself and for church friends. My friend had arranged for us to go there tonight and dig iris.

We drove just out of town towards a rural development, not so rural anymore. A roadrunner scooted out from the brush, ran along the road a bit and then headed back to safety. "There's Daisy!" said my friend, like I knew she would. Roadrunners remind both of us of our mothers. It may be the only thing they had in common. But we both acknowledge these odd birds as messengers from our mothers.

We stopped at a neat brick house located across the road from new school construction. We knocked on the door and out came the husband, Mr. E, in his denim overalls. He called back into the house for his wife. She had almost given up on us and was about to take her shower. So she came out in her slippers and house coat with a smile on her face and a crown of silky white hair on her head. "No, no, you aren't late,"  she said as my friend introduced me and we asked what plants she wanted to share. Mr. E sat on the porch and watched us as we worked.***

Mrs. E and her brother, I think, had dug up most of the iris she wanted to keep and had found some bluebonnets along the roadway that she also transplanted. We loaded our bags and pots with some of the plants left behind. We talked about gardening and friendship. We dug up the remaining iris and moved the "extra" clumps to a place where they were safe and saved for the church friends.

Then she took us to the place where other bluebonnets were waiting and she let us take a few of those.****

We thanked her and she thanked us. And she hugged us. And she blessed us - really. She said, "God bless you."

AMEN.

Iris waiting to be divided and planted.

Bluebonnet (with clover and some other junk tagging along)

NOTES:


*http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/favorite/msg0620260827315.html?7 (I am going to insist that our "thanks" were not for the plants, but for the kindness.)

**There are saved seeds in bags and boxes all over my house. I have wondered what response we might get if someone found them. "What kinda seeds are these? Looks like contraband."

***He was wielding a cane and was not (according to Mrs. E) up to yard work. I felt a bit like he was also guarding his sweet wife from the wild heathen middle-aged women (We were carrying sharp shooters!).

****Bluebonnets do not transplant well, but I am willing to try.

[I should note that I have a great deal of work ahead - dividing iris and finding spots for them in the yard. Still, what a lovely evening we had! When I got home I took off my shoes and emptied out the dirt that had migrated into them while I was digging. (DH never asked where I had been and how I got dirt in my shoes.) I may be transplanting the bluebonnets by the light of a flashlight or first thing in the morning as night has arrived.]

Friday walk (under a waning gibbous moon...)

The moon was beautiful this morning - high in the sky. Fingers of thin fluffy clouds reached out towards it. Just a few days past full, the moon stayed with us for the entire walk. There was no hiding in the clouds or trees, no falling below the horizon.

DH and I had a lovely and calm conversation - catching up on the children, respective work projects, weekend plans, and other things.

As we turned dogs (none too happy about it) away from the park we heard (did we?) the first morning bird  song.  This early bird struggled to sing over the noise of the 6:00 a.m. train as it chugging along, blasting a warning at the four crossings in our part of town.  Added to the sudden chaotic noise was the clanking and banging of the trash truck emptying dumpsters (yeah, the clumsy metal type, not our soft and silent new containers).

DH turned to me and said, "Glad we're not trying to have a conversation."

We both laughed and walked on past the newly thrown newspapers, the tuxedo cat* resting on a neighbor's front steps, and the school buses beginning their morning parade.

 My sweet boy loaned me his cell phone for a few snaps of the moon....

I didn't realize I caught the neighbor's house in the lower corner. The moon appears full, but it is 5 days past.

This oak framed the moon beautifully.

NOTES:

* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicolor_cat

You don't have to be a weather man...

We were in the middle of a change in the weather as we headed to the park today. Still dark at 6:00 a.m.(thank you daylight savings - meh), the wind gusted from the west blowing away the fog we had expected. But the sky was still overcast, blocking the stars and our anticipated view of the sunrise.

A raccoon lumbered across the street as we neared the top of the steep hill. He ignored us and the dogs barely noticed him.* Paddy seemed more concerned about shadows - alerting on ours each time we passed a street light, when our shadows seemed the greatest threat.

We skipped the muddy dirt road and the soggy fields, and tried to stay on the walking paths, but our way was blocked by construction netting. We didn't notice the barrier until we were upon it (and read the sign) but knew we could cut through the clover of four ball fields (they sit backstops backed into the corners of crossed walkways**).

As we turned to start back across the park we saw that the clouds were gone - blown far to the east. The morning star (Yeah, I know. It was really a planet - Venus.***) was shining in the east.****

Venus in the eastern sky

And we were surprised to see the almost full moon, hanging in the western sky. We had not realized we were walking under a full moon until that moment. The moon felt close and we could see the dark patterns across its surface. And we watched as it dropped lower and lower until it disappeared from view.

Moon

Hovering over the woods

Last of the clouds in the distance

We followed directions - dogs were leashed, in this park anyway.

 The streets were still deserted as we headed home in the early light. Neighbors were waking. Lights came on in house after house and we walked up the street to the morning music of barking dogs and singing birds.

* DH and I often disagree about the identification of creatures - especially in the dark. But there was no mistaking the size/shape/gait of the raccoon.

** I thought of including a Google map of the park, but then thought better of it.

*** Another planet was shining in the western sky. Which one?

**** DH provided his phone for the photos. What a guy!

New park, beautiful day!

After an early lunch with OC, DH and I decided (actually, I talked him into it) to scope out the entrance to a new walking spot. The dog whisperer had told me about this place so we were not surprised to see his car parked at one of the gates.

Well, first we had to go home to get the puppies! They were ready for the hike (just like they are now worn out and sleeping in sunny spots in the back yard) and rushed the car. Upon arrival we quickly figured out how to navigate the weird entrance - designed to keep vehicles out, but allow people and dogs in. Then we headed to the creek.

The Whisperer had explained by telephone (I didn't want to wander around and scare him - or miss him - so I called him.) that his dogs had gone after a deer and he was in pursuit by the creek.

The trails here aren't well traveled.* We tried to follow deer trails that crisscrossed the meadow. Cactus and brambles greeted us at the woody area near the creek. We carefully picked our way through (I came out scratched and bleeding in spite of my caution). I will have to check the dogs again to make sure they are clear of burrs and thorns.

The detritus of  hunters and target shooters and others was everywhere to be seen near the gate and throughout the meadow. Bird hunters are allowed here. Apparently no one picks up their empty shotgun shells anymore.**

We whistled for our friends and called out their names. Suddenly, there was Hugo. We wandered closer to the creek and found the Whisperer, but the other two dogs were still wandering elsewhere. The Whisperer's frustration was evident.

I walked the dogs up and down the rocky creek bank. They jumped in and out of the water, shook themselves off, and begged for cookies. Then they ran off and joined DH and I had to find a way up from the creek.

I ended up well to the east in a wooded area. I flushed a cottontail. Knowing I was probably getting lost, I called to DH. "Keep calling me so I can find you"

He was less than 40 feet from me, but the brush was just thick enough to keep me from seeing him***

The men and our dogs and Hugo were just at the edge of the meadow when I reached them. There was still no sign of the missing Stanley and Ruby. The Whisperer decided to head to the car and change into cooler clothes before heading back to look for the missing dogs.

We said our goodbyes and drove along the north edge of the park, stopping and calling without luck.****

PHOTOS:

Paddy doesn't look very excited, but she is.

Look closely at the center of this photo. The leaves of the bluebonnet promise a blanket in this park. I cannot wait.

DH takes the lead. The dogs are still on their lead. I am reluctant to let them run until we are deeper in the park.

We found sweet Hugo or he found us.

Yum...nasty green creek water!

Paddy splashes.

Scruffy splashes too.

He doesn't seem to enjoy the water as much as she does, but he tries.

I think she said "cookie"!

The guys walk well ahead of us.

 

We found tiny bird bones along the creek. They are in the silt filled hollows.

Another view of the tiny bones.

 

While lost-ish I snapped this additional view of the wildflower foliage springing up. More bluebonnet leaves at the center of the shadow.

NOTES:

* The ground was mushy from the recent rain.

** We may have to adopt this park. I suppose we could pick up trash while the dogs run.

*** DH always wears some variety of tan or olive or brown or camo. It doesn't take much for him to disappear into the tans and browns of the winter landscape here.

****I will check with the Whisperer later. His puppies do this from time to time. I trust he will find them.

Dogs and deer and shovels - no walk

I didn't walk this morning as we had early showers. I had planned to walk this evening, but an hour or so ago I noticed one bright lightning bolt and rushed to get the dogs as the thunder crashed around us.

Paddy is terrified of thunder. Scruff just wants to be inside (out of the rain). So I hustled them in.* Scruffy went to his crate - that is his habit. Paddy came into the living room to sit and relax before going into her crate. It is pouring outside - a surprise storm as we were only to have light showers, if that. If this rain will pass through I will take the dogs down the street for a few minutes...it will be late, but it will be something.

I drove to another town with a friend. Deer were everywhere.

We first saw four deer and three guinea hens come out of the woods and into the road. By the time we left the area we counted at least 20 deer, usually in groups of four or five.  It was mid-morning and they wandered through the neighborhoods grazing in the yards. I took a few pictures of them and a lovely gnarly old oak tree.

What a nightmare it must be to try and garden with this large population of deer.**

As if in a park, I walked into this yard to get a shot of the deer. Only after I got the photos did I think, "These folks probably don't want people running around their yard either."

These guys were fearless.

No, I did not walk up this close. I am using my pitiful telephoto lens.

They started to ignore me (continued grazing) so I clapped my hands (nothing) and then shouted at them to get their faces.

This old oak was so interesting.

Here is a closer look at the gnarled trunk.

Notes:

* The last time I rushed outside to bring a frightened dog in out of the rain I tripped over my own feet, fell face first into a minnow bucket (missing the concrete steps by inches) and broke my nose - necessitating a trip to the ER and a night spent in the hospital for 3 stitches. This night went a little smoother.

** I still think they are beautiful. I am just not going to move to this town and I will keep big dogs in my yard for now.

*** I found a few gifts and stuff at estate sales (my friend made me do it). One treasure was a sharp shooter shovel. This is my favorite kind of shovel. I have a couple of stories about adventures with sharp shooters...well, those stories will have to wait for another day.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiQHIXjhwsc