Silent Hike

I looked down at the laundry basket that needed folding. I glanced at it again as I walked by it.  I then reached out and poked it.
It didn't poke back.
It obviously did not need my immediate attention.
Morris curled up on the couch with his freshly washed blanket that I'd taken out of the dryer. It was still warm.
He looked at me and stuck his nose under the blanket.

He didn't need my attention either.
Rich laid down for his afternoon nap.

Well now, the animals were fed and watered. However there was one critter that seemed to warrant attention.
I had two hours or so before chores. Everyone was going to be napping.

I donned a coat and grabbed a bottle of water. On the way out the porch I grabbed Dixie's red rope and my walking stick that had been made by my photo pal.

Dixie wagged her whole body. I wonder if some day she may just wag herself into pieces. She walked along side of me and waited for me to open the electric gates.
We headed out. Hike time.
The sky was blue and it was probably almost 20 degrees out.

Most of the time while hiking with a dog I only see their rear ends. Same with Dixie. I get the waving tail and her backside.

I wandered down to the creek and we followed it to the snow mobile trail. I shrugged and decided to head up the trail out of the valley and across the corn field on the ridge that divided the woods.

Soon we dipped back into the forest and the steep back valley. Dixie stopped and stood like a statue. Her tail even went still. I stopped also.
I've learned to pay attention to those with better senses than I. Dixie is one of those, her nose is extremely powerful. She can spot wildlife long before I would even be able to see it.

Then on the ridge above us came 3 deer, 4 deer, 3 deer, and then 2 more. They pranced and trotted in a long line.
Dixie didn't move when I whispered "No."

We headed further down into the valley. Both of us silent. I could hear some crows in the distance somewhere and the wind sigh and rattle the oak leaves that were still clinging to branches above us.
I headed down the steep incline towards the west end of the valley. I negotiated the hill, using saplings as hand railings. Each step was carefully placed and I made sure it wouldn't slip before putting forward the next foot.

Dixie brushed past me twice. She would go ahead and then come back. Her feet padded silently.
I looked down. There it was the Lost Valley, The Back Valley, The Hidden Valley. I could hear the stream running over rocks.
I squatted and slid down a short distance.
I was there.

The wide stream.
The stream where I can sit and watch trout flit back and forth.
It didn't take me long to spot them. Dixie trotted alongside the water and I saw their ripples.
I stood still and watched them swim up stream past me.

Nice.
I clucked to Dixie, not a loud noise but the sort of little noise you make to ask your equine to step up or pay attention.
Dixie turned around and came to me. She sat and waited for me to put my hand on her head.
That long tail of hers swished the snow.

Walking through the valley requires a bit of crisscrossing the stream. The stick was helpful in stabilizing me as I picked out rocks to make my crossings.
My hiking boots are supposed to be water proof. But perhaps soaking them 2 miles from home wouldn't be a good idea.

Dixie walked on the edge of the stream until an ice shelf broke and she plunged into a deep section. It was only hock high on her, but she avoided walking so close again.

Towards the east end of the valley Dixie found two partially eaten deer carcasses.They were buried deep in the snow and ice, too deep to tell if they were killed by coyotes or leftovers from hunting season.

I kept going until I found a good spot to cross again and head back up the steep hill.
Dixie wasn't convinced I'd picked a good place and I had to pat my leg.

Again, I just reached down and touched her on the head. She looked up at me and then scrambled up the hillside following some of the many tracks that were all over.

As we neared the field again on the ridge top, I realized that I really hadn't spoken a word since we began our hike. Normally I keep up a rambling dialogue with Dixie so that she will pay attention to me.
Obviously we'd gotten to the point in our partnership that we just were good with each other's company.

We trucked across the ridge top and followed the snowmobile trail until we could duck back into our woods and down to Awesome Creek.

I wanted to take a photo of the creek with the pretty reflections in it.
Dixie photo-bombed it.
And I think it turned out much better that way.

Dixie led the way. Just as Morris always does.
She waited for me at the electric gate.

And then our hike ended.