NO, no no no no...or Icky icky icy might be good names 'cuz that is what SHE always says. I like to bite things with my amazing sharp teeth. When I do that, she shoves a toy in my face.
Then I bite that instead of her hands.
I like picking up treats in the yard that the pony leaves. Then she calls me Icky icky icky. Sometimes she calls me Leave it, Leave it, Leave it!
She only says Hannah once in a while, so that must not be important.
Charlie says that Hannah is my name and the other words are just what she says when she is not happy.
I get so confused. I just wish she'd settle on one name.
No no no no is fine. Hannah? Icky? Leave it?
Other times she just laughs and laughs at me. I think I like that much better than NO, no no no.
She says I am
cute when I am
sleeping.
Yesterday I learned a new trick with no No's!! She just watched!
I gotta go. She asked if we want to go outside. And she picked up her keys so that means an adventure for Charlie and me. No, no, no?
I got a nice reminder the other day in the comment section from DeniseinVA regarding my toy photography which looks like I had abandoned lately.
I sort of had in a way as my mind has been hyper-focused on taking care of business at our place and hunting for spring plants. I decided that even though the day was cold and overcast that I'd leave things for a little while and take some items out for 'play time'.
The dogs and I ended up in one of the dry runs exploring what the latest heavy rainfalls had done to the area. The water had rushed down from the ridge so hard that it removed all the fallen leaves and cleaned some moss off the rocks.
The creek and this spot are some of my favorite places on our land.
I really wanted to try some shots in the creek with toys. I enjoy trying to get reflections in the water.
The ducks kept floating away too quickly. There is actually some flowing water in the creek this spring!
Oh hello.
Shark Duck?
To do some of my playful toy photography, I generally load up a backpack and ... well, you guessed it, the dogs come along. They like inspecting my work.
I had to stand in the creek [rubber boots on!] and stack tiny rocks up in the water to set the Lego kayak on. I must have done it a dozen times or so. The kayak kept tipping over or sinking. [It doesn't float]
Twice, Hannah jumped in the water and knocked them over. Patience is the key. Hannah will learn to just observe.
I didn't have the best light and I didn't have the best angles, but I shot these anyway. Just to enjoy the challenge of it.
There is mini-me in the middle and the two dogs. My Life in Legos.
This is the final shot. It is okayish, but at least I have the reflections in the creek.
The fun shot I took of the day was the one below of the Titan 13 'action' figure and his robot dog jumping the creek.
Hannah is starting to figure out I don't want her to knock my toys down.
She will get it eventually. Charlie was the same way when we started doing things like this together.
The difference between these two dogs is that Charlie is focused on everything else going on in the forest.
Hannah is always watching me.
I often wonder what Hannah is thinking.
We spent the early chilly morning exploring and the afternoon doing yard work.
Shhhh. Don't tell anyone. I left dirty dishes in the sink, clothes strewn across the unmade bed, and a mess of papers tossed on the table next to a half filled cup of coffee I abandoned.
Why?
Spring Ephemerals. You know the flowers that come up in the spring for a few days and then disappear until next year.
If I miss them, I am sad to have to wait for another chance at it again in the spring.
My friend Pat wanted to come along and see these flowers for herself. She has caught the bug of finding flowers, native plants, and of course mushrooms. Great minds think alike.
We decided to meet in town at 7AM and head out.
I haven't had anyone else like my early morning hikes [I do them a lot in the warmer months to avoid the heat]. So I jumped at the chance.
Here is a shot of Pat taking a shot of a trillium. We seem to enjoy shots of each other from behind...
Here is her shot of me and Hannah...
Charlie stayed home. He was informed that he needed a rest day. [He was not impressed and held a grudge against both myself and Hannah when we got home! A pouting dog!]
Below are Bishops Caps
I know, I should link to the scientific name
but I like the common names better.
They are easier to remember.
Another favorite one of mine.
Ginger
The flowers are under the foliage
like they are hiding!
Mayflowers. Mayapples.
As a kid I called them Umbrella Plants.
I think that describes them well.
They have not flowered yet.
I'm not very good at telling different ferns apart.
These were ferns unfurling.
Yellow Rocket.
I've always
seen this as just a weed but found
out it is edible. Not that I have
tried it.
We found this flower too, but it was hard
to figure it out. Swamp Buttercup I think years ago I just called it a buttercup and
left it at that.
This plant is easy to overlook.
It is tiny and grows in very shaded areas.
I believe it is a False or Wild Lily of the Valley.
The green in the middle will have tiny white flowers.
Oh... last but not least...
There was this wild Thing we had with us. Her energy was boundless and she showed off by leaping up on logs and diving off from them with wild abandon.
We applauded her achievements and laughed. She handled the hike like it was second nature to her.
I was surprised when I got home that the Dirty Dishes were still there, as was the other messes I'd left. Apparently the Dish Faery and the Housekeeping Faery had also taken the morning off.
Some days I wonder why I thought 2 dogs were better than one. The extra demands, the extra attention, the extra training, and the extra effort along with considerations seem in some moments --- a stupid decision.
Then after a day of yard work, play, and walks, the 2 of them fall sound asleep next to me as I read a book on the couch.
And I know...
My blood pressure drops low, my heart rate slows, my heart fills with something warm.
My longer hikes are slowed to an older dog pace while the pup races back and forth on her line that is tied to my belt.
The slow, quiet walk allows me more time to stop and look. There is no hurry. Charlie doesn't hurry when the weather is warm. He even asks for me to carry him so his short legs can take a rest [or he is tricking me into giving him a ride!].
Hannah bounds into quite a few photos that I try to take of the wild spring flowers. But she is learning that usually what I am looking at is nothing that is interesting enough to chew on, eat, or roll in.
Bellwort
Fern Curls
Jack in the Pulpit
Wild Ginger
The Crooked Kickapoo
Mayflowers
We take about 4 hours to explore the trails. I keep thinking I should hurry up and then I remember that I don't have to rush.
There is so much to look at on these out of the way trails.
The dogs get a drink and a dunk in the foundation of an old artesian well house.
We head back to the parking area and I think...
Maybe the chaos isn't so bad.
It is keeping my mind busy and my body active.
Charlie goes to his side of the car and waits. I put him in his car seat and he settles down for a nap. Hannah tries to climb into the car too, she is ready to fall asleep in her crate.
When we get home the two dogs get up on the porch bench and watch me do yard work and hang out laundry.
I eventually join them on the bench and open my book on Hiking Wisconsin. I turn down pages of trails I am interested in and are labeled 'Dog Friendly'.
Each year, I strive for some sort of goal. This hiking 'thing' started out a few years ago when I turned 65. I wanted to do something special for my birthday.
I decided to do the Tromp and Chomp trail that the Kickapoo Valley Reserve put on each year. The half marathon used roads and the 8+ mile route stayed on the trails. My first distance hike was here---> The Hike.
I simply followed the 8 mile route that year since it seemed easy enough to follow on the map. I continue to do that route just because it is a nice hike.
Two years ago, I found out about something called the MammothMarch. It is a long distance hike held as an event in different states.
I couldn't afford the time off to travel to the March and pay the rather expensive fees to hike with a group of strangers so I tried another distance hike in the Reserve just to see what it was like. I didn't take Charlie, I wanted to see exactly how fast I could hike the hills and rough trails.
It was a challenge between my mind, my body, and myself. The challenge ended up being 11.45 miles. I will admit. Fall is the best time for a long distance hike. The temperatures are more moderate and so are the insects.
Looking back ---👇
In my 20's and 30's I ran 5k's and 10k's and a Half Marathon. My sister and I did a 140 mile bike ride in two days. In my 40's and 50's I rode my mule in Endurance competitions [only a couple] but we trained together all year long for those events.
That led to the hikes. I like doing things that just challenge myself. My 60's led to hiking and caring for my husband. I'd hike when I could. I discovered that it eased the stress of Caregiving.
All I need to complete hiking is good shoes and some common sense. All I need to challenge myself is a route.
I've decided not to do the MammothMarch. I'd have to pay for the ticket to go, and find a motel room to stay at. Then I'd hike with complete strangers for 20 miles. Nothing against that at all. However, I like Me competing with Me.
~~~~~~~~
I haven't yet figured out how to make the 13-15 mile hike into a 20 mile hike yet, but I'll keep working on that. One goal at a time.
After all, when the Fall weather comes, I plan on breaking my record for distance hiked so far.
Why?
I don't know. I always fantasized about hiking the Pacific Coast Trail or the Appalachian Trail. But I am a realist. I'll have to hike what I know first.
I may consider Wisconsin's trail system instead and expand beyond the local Reserve and Parks.
The WI Ice Age Trails offer some straight through hiking near where my cousins live. I could hike and make a visit at the same time.
Hmmmm.
Gandy Dancer State Trail [47 miles from Danbury to St. Croix Falls] Tuscobia Trail [ 65 miles from Rice Lake to Birchwood]
The Ice Age Trail offers approximately 1,000 miles of hiking in my own state.
For now? I need to get through the hike at the end of the next month. But I sure do like dreaming!
Thursday I took Hannah and left Charlie at home. I wanted to do a 'hard and swift' hike. I had the route all planned out.
I was using my running vest instead of a backpack.
They sort of look like this:
It is so light! It is nice to carry water and a few useful items in the pocket in back.
My average with Hannah was pretty fast. The fastest pace I set was 12 minutes for a mile. Hannah and I had a blast.
Whoo hoo!
With all of that aside, we saw some amazing sights. Imagine a valley floor covered in Dutchman's Breeches!
We found patches of Blood Root deep in the forest.
Alongside the trail we found hundreds of Trout Lilies.
We took quite a few short breaks. Hannah is a pup so I want to be careful with her.
I have this old coffee cup snapped to my belt loop so Hannah can drink out of it and eat kibbles so she can replenish her energy while I snack on a Protein Bar.
It works really quite well.
The West Ridge Trail was lined with Spring Beauties.
The Old Man Ice Cave looked rather sleepy when we went past.
These were morning views from Bridge 15. I really have to keep an eye on Hannah, she is a daredevil and I wouldn't put it past her to jump off the bridge. I don't think she would but I've seen her do some crazy stuff and ... she likes water.
Starting our journey before 8 o'clock was really quite nice. We had the place to ourselves. Now that we have earlier sunrises and longer days, I'll be adjusting our hike times to very early or very late.
👇
The Kickapoo River has been quite full for this month.
The backwaters have filled in and come right up to the paved trail. This area is teaming with life and will soon be producing hoards of 'skeeters and other bitey flying insects. Although, I am happy to see these areas full of water again.
Here is a link to a video. Every time we pass this spot on Little Canada Trail, she has the super zoomies. The Video is 19 seconds long and just of Hannah running up to the tree roots and then zooming around. Her pure Terrier/puppy joy creates warmth in my heart.
I'm putting it here so when I am blue, I can go back and watch it over and over again.
Our total distance for this hike [we did rest and I was very careful with Hannah]...was 8.47 miles. We got home before noon and spent the rest of the day working on flower beds.
A funny note about dogs. This was Hannah's second time on this trail. When we got a junction on Old 131 trail, she chose left which headed back to the parking area a mile away.
I imagine she either 'knew' which way was back or she was able to smell our backtrack.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Below--->
This is to remind me what I used on this speed hike.
Total time for 5.65 miles: 1 hour:53 minutes. Rated as Moderately Difficult.
Trails taken: Old 131, Little Canada, Ice Cave Trail, start at Parking area on County P Gear: Running Vest with water, First Aid kit, Food
Foot Gear: Merrill Trail Running Shoes
Temperature: 73 F, Humid, North breeze
Additional easy/slow hike to the pond near the Mule Trail and back to County P Parking Distance: 2.70 miles Trail: Old 131, flat, paved Time: 1 hour:02 minutes.
Rest and recovery walk/hike.
At the end of May, I am doing a Birthday Hike to celebrate my 7th decade here on Earth. The goal is to hike at least 15 miles to mark it.
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