It's a wild life

Another doggy day...of sorts. I am still watching the neighbor's dogs and taking them for morning and evening walks. I took all of these shots with my cell phone. It is a Google Pixel and while it isn't too bad of a camera, I just decided to use it instead of my other one.

When walking the dogs mornings and evenings, it is easier to stuff a tiny phone into my pocket. I asked the camera to enhance the two shots. It added brilliance and colors. I think the shots are more brilliant and colorful than I saw it with my eyes. 
But I'm not going to change it. It is prettier than it was to the naked eye.

 I had a meeting at the bank with one of their financial people, got help from a teller for doing an auto deposit, got a few items from the store. Interestingly enough, I have not been shopping except for milk and cereal since the week before Rich passed away.

He was the ferocious eater in our house. Steaks and potatoes were the meals he requested for the last 6 months of his life along with many special requests. I honored all of them. Now I have frozen meat packages that I can't imagine cooking -- unless my grandkids come up and want steak with their supper.

I probably have a couple of years' worth of food stored in the freezer for myself.  My neighbor gets a CSA box throughout the growing season. CSA= Community Supported Agriculture. The box contains fresh produce each week from local home grown farms. I've had zucchini, squash, onions, peppers, tomatoes, fennel, kale, broccoli, and more stuffed in the boxes from the past two Thursdays from doing my dog sitting.

So my meals come about like this. I cut a bunch of stuff up that is fresh, toss it in a pan with some Olive Oil and sauté it. I eat it like that or make some rice to put it on. In a pinch for some protein, I grab some fresh farm eggs from Olive and mix it in with the rice and veggies.

Viola! I eat!

Anyway.......................

When I got done with my errands, I loaded my bicycle up along with Charlie's pet carrier and decided to try out the trail I'd done two weeks ago. 

Charlie did not seem excited or even happy about being stuffed in the trailer at the trail head, but he didn't whine or cry while I cycled. 

We stopped once in a while so he could get out and look around.

About 3 miles in some ladies were walking and asked if they could see my little dog. Charlie got out and charmed the heck out of them. I learned that one lady had just lost her husband a few weeks ago too. The other lady was also named Valerie, she'd just lost her doggy buddy of 14 years. We chatted on the trial about all the good things in life. 

It really lifted me up to meet them.

By the end of 7 miles, Charlie was feeling quite comfortable in his chauffeured carrier.  I did feel the extra 15 lbs of Charlie and the 15 lbs of the carrier by the time I finished the ride. Not so I'd be sore, but it was a nice workout. We'll do it again as long as I can find good flat trails. Charlie didn't even seem to mind the bumpy trail.

Views along the Pine River Bike Trail.

I will definitely come back in the spring during migration and walk this trail with my camera. I saw Kingfisher birds along with so many cool insects and dragonflies. I'll be heading to LaCrosse to get some things at a craft store and start to explore all of the nature trails that that city has to offer on Wednesday.

We ended the day with another dog walk along with packing up all the old stuff from Rich's sock/undie drawer. It made me sad to see that drawer so empty. So I filled it with my workout clothes.