The Wander-er

 I have a lot of catching up to do. 

This week we had ice on Monday, snow and sleet on Wednesday. Charlie and I headed out in the morning to visit the Forest/Rock Garden. I've finally figured out that this little place is perfect for tall shade plants, but it takes a lot of work

The old Christmas Chair. I may decide to bring that back to the house for next year. The seat is split and it is very weathered, just how I like it. Right now, it is on a tiny rock bluff that overlooks the neighbor's woods west of us.

The photo below is of the Buckthorn Woods. The trees are horrible and invasive, but have been there for nearly 20 years or so. The deer love being in there. I put my trail camera back up after having it in another spot for the last few months.
It generally picks up deer napping right in front of the camera. The trail here is used by all woodland creatures.

Our neighbor and plow guy came Thursday morning and cleaned up our place. He sent another fella out to sand our hill and in front of the house. I am grateful that he agreed to plow for us this winter. It sure took a lot of worry off my mind. 

Charlie and I headed out for a mile walk. For a little dog, he has a lot of energy that needs to be spent. I'm trying to keep track of how far I hike right now just out of curiosity.

This particular day, I only hiked one mile of hills and the creek. The snow was soft and mushy and would have clumped up in ice chunks under my snowshoes. The workout was worth the effort.

Now I'm trying something a bit different and I am not exactly sure if this is the best method. I need to know from the readers if this is interesting or not....
this ends up being something like 23 seconds. It is sort of fun and funky.
I downloaded a trial of Corel Video Studio after trying several time to get MovieMaker from Microsoft which used to be free. 
Now they want a monthly fee or yearly fee. 

I have been taking a few more videos with my Olympus camera and thought this might work for mixing panorama videos of areas with some photos. Meh. I'm not too sure about it.

I don't always want to watch a video when reading blogs, but this seems to be the new-ish trend. I can see where learning the program could be fun with more creative ideas.

I did a lot more Wandering this week. I hiked back to the Lost Valley, Hidden Valley, or The Back Valley which is a 3 mile snowshoe trek on Friday. I haven't been back there in over a year.

That was a neat discovering adventure. Saturday I wandered the west bank of the Kickapoo River and found some amazing sites.

Those updates will come later. 

I am finding my winter groove in Exploring and it brings me so much peace.

Let me know how you feel about the vid. I have a LOT to learn, but during those long cold dreary days of winter, it could be a new creative skill to learn.

Have a Great Sunday.

Life ~ By Charlie

Charlie! Do you want to go for a Walk???

Hmmm. Hmmm. I'm currently holding down the couch and thinking about my camouflaged look. Don't bother me.

Aww come on, it is your Birthday!

As if I would recall that! Still, not impressed lady human. Go away.

I have cookies AND it is SNOWING!

Cookies? Snowing? COOOKIES??? Hmmmm. Hmmmm. Cookies. Yes! Let's go you fool!

It is simply amazing the amount of stuff that a people has to put on for a simple walk in the woods. It would be so much easier if humans just had fur like me and could go right out. 

However I imagine her feet would get cold while crossing the creek and walking in snow and ice.

She is always stopping to look at things. Always. I sniff around to find what is so interesting and she will tell me things like: Look at that ice forming!

And I am like. Hmmmm, no mice and no vole in the ice. I don't care. Let's keep moving!

Can we GO now???

Can we keep moving please?

There are deer carcasses to be sniffed and mice to be found. Let's go!

OH Wait. Um. Hmmm. Well, Okay, NOW I will be carried. I smell a kitty that is bigger than I am. 
Nope. Not afraid. Um, well. I think my feet are getting cold.

Perhaps if I shiver and look pitiful, she will pick me up and carry me through all this dangerous stuff. I smell cat. So I shiver and shake and look up at her ...I put my paws on her snowpants and implore with big Googly Eyes.

Oh goody. Coyote ~ Big Wild Dog too!

Sweet! I got a mini cookie and a lift! Phew, sometimes she can be awesome for a human person.

In fact she gave me a lift out of the scary place where the coyote and kitty have trails. Finally when we reached a 'good' place, she set me back down and off I ran. I can pounce and it makes her laugh. When she is so good to me, I like to make her laugh.

If I get too far ahead, she beeps me and I return. 

I don't know, but I kinda like these birthday walks, maybe I can have a lot more. 

Best part of these walks? SHE takes me home and I can resume my duties as a lap/couch/supervisor dog with the Him Human.

Life is good when you rule the house. Even better if you have Big Googly Eyes!

Morning in the creek

This world of late...

has left me a bit uninspired.

I turn to the easy stuff.

You know, photography and light.

Hiking and working on pastures, yard, and garden.

I always feel a bit left out of something though. As if I am missing.

Missing what?

It could be the length of time we have closed ourselves off to the outside world.

86 days. But who is counting?

Who wants to see/read the news? I want to write how I feel about it and found myself trying to explain this verbally to Rich last night.

That didn't go well. I was watching peaceful protesters from all around the United States.

I understand that there are so many factors that have bubbled up and over-spilled into our society right now that it is a cauldron of simmering emotions, feelings, and indignation. 

I tried to explain it to him.

And I found myself really not very good at it. 

I know I feel unease inside of me. Some of the same horrified unease I had in 1968 when I watched Martin Luther King, protests, riots, calls for peace and not War. I wasn't sure of what to make of it all then except to know that things were very wrong.

And all that wrong-ness has not really changed. It has just simmered under the surface to pop up here and there.

So I take a walk down to the creek. The day is going to be hot. I walk along in partial darkness looking for some light.

I walk with Charlie up and down a small stretch of the creek exploring it through the view finder.

It takes my mind off this troubled world. It is my escape.

And in turn I look for beautiful things.

There are the rocks...

...and Greens

And..
then
the light
begins to appear through 
the
forest...

And then I begin to feel better. 

Refreshed and renewed.

At least for a bit.

I whistle.

Charlie and I head home.

Just a bit of wandering...

Yesterday I took a break from watching Rich watch Netflix.

I can't take that much TV and it is loud!
I did CrossFit at 8:30 for two mornings in a row and had set everything up for him. Meds, coffee, and whatnot.

After we had lunch, I was going stir crazy so I grabbed the camera bag and set out for a short walk.

The little sandstone wall where the trout like to hang out in the deep pool....

Just beyond the wall. This tiny fall changes daily. Tomorrow it will be frozen over with water running under the ice....

A slightly different view of what I normally take. The trout spot is just in front of me and the icy wall is what is on the left beyond the log.

The cold was ferocious here and a cold wind skimmed over the waters.

I didn't linger long and hadn't brought snow shoes so I could only follow my trail from the other day.

I'm skipping CrossFit today for a muscle rest and going to try and get out to the Reserve to look at Ice formations on the bluffs along the Kickapoo River.

A change of scenery would be helpful.
I'll come back to this spot in the creek after the next arctic blast and snow and see what has changed.

I think I am going to have to find Rich some more programming. He watches TV so intently now that he rarely moves from his spot.

I feel like I am sitting in limbo. Just waiting for something.

Sven got de-budded yesterday and as soon as the weather breaks and he can come here, he will start his leash training.