Too Hot

When it gets too hot to do much else...

we go berry pickin' for a while in the woods.

Charlie can't stand being cooped up all day in the house. He likes sitting on the porch, but loves his walks much more.

I haven't been taking him in the early mornings lately. I just have been scurrying to get stock tanks filled and the garden hoed before 8am instead of taking him for an early morning stroll.

So yesterday we were bored. Very bored and restless. So I took him for a walk along the 'ridge' trail. After all, I felt I owed him some extra attention.

Charlie has gotten used having us to himself all of the time.

Last week he really seemed relieved when I came home from being in the nursing home for hours. He was just beside himself when I returned.

Then with the 4th of July booms [fireworks], I again abandoned him to go on the ridge and photograph the fireworks.

Apparently he had a melt down and Rich had all he could do to console Charlie.

I walked slowly along the ridge road and picked berries while Charlie sniffed around and hunted the ever elusive Chipmunk. 

From the trail cameras, I know that we've had twin fawns, coyotes, a bobcat, and turkeys up and down this trail so ... Charlie had a LOT of sniffing to do.

And Charlie likes berries too!

There were two spots along the trail that were rather nice and cool. A whiff of a breeze flowed under the trees. But in other spots it was stifling. 

However! Lucky us! I found two small patches of wild yellow raspberries!

At some point in time, someone around here must have planted these as I don't think they are a wild type. But they are extremely tasty.

Charlie was in heaven, he chased noises, smelled good scents, and trotted along happily. 

Because he is half Pekinese I do have to watch him carefully in the extreme heat. However since he is a 'low' energy dog, he self regulates by slowing down and just ambling along.

I picked enough berries for a bowl full and we headed back home. Charlie walked in the door and immediately plopped down at Rich's feet.

Mission accomplished. Charlie was walked and happy, I found some berries and was happy.

It was HOT.

The big patch of black berries is just about ready at the neighbor's house. They have a huge patch that is easy to get to.

And...they share. I can usually pick enough there to make about two batches of Jelly. 

Enough so my neighbors get some and we get some.

This morning I can see it is nothing but a haze of humidity out there. Another blazing hot day is in store.

We have to drive two hours one way to get a lab done on Rich. 

Uffdah.

Something about pre dawn

Before the sun comes up.
I awaken.

This morning I poured a cup of coffee and warmed it up. I grabbed my camera bag and walked past the sleeping dog and went looking for morning colors.

I decided to visit the bridge on a hunch that the colors might just be fantastic.
The spot did not disappoint me at all.

I headed back and stopped on Riley road to 'shoot' the first burst of daylight.

I used my zoom lens to pull the sun towards me.
All I could think of is ...wow, this day will be hot!
Look at that sun!

I drove half a mile and realized that the sun would rise again in this spot. Bonus!
Two sunrises in 10 minutes!

I scooted home and caught up Mica. She is elderly, calm, and an excellent all around mule.
She has some breathing issues but I hoped to avoid them by riding her on easy terrain.

Hills? I walk and lead her. Flat? We can ride.

We went out to watch the fog lift from the low areas and inspect the rolled hay bales on the neighbor's cropland.

She is the tallest mule we have.
This morning she seemed to have a real issue with leaving home and her pals.

The woods were actually quite cool and comfortable compared to the open sunlight on the ridge.

On second thought, this is where we should have ridden instead of the new morning's blazing hot sun.

Live and learn.



Middays are just too hot right now to do much other than read a book or sit on the porch in the rocking chair with a fan on.

I can't wait for tomorrow's dawn.

Hiking in the creek is refreshing

On a hot summer day.  As pictured, I wear my Vibrams to walk in the creek.  I stay nice and cool while the heat and humidity soak up the woods.  I've had these 'shoes' now for three years and absolutely love wearing them.  That is, in case anyone was interested.

Morris and I came down through the woods and meandered along the creek.
What was our purpose?  To check fences of course and then to just wander and look at things.

We found some Self Heal growing in the woods.  This is commonly found in the pasture also.

The Elderberry bushes are beginning to blossom:

We found poison ivy [not in my woods or near the creek, but I thought I'd add it here because those who got into it last week did not recognize it and are suffering for it now.  It was located behind the mailbox and next to where they did all the work on the phone cable.]

This was hidden in with the native pink rose.

This was near the phone 'box' near the road.

Truly truly, if you live in a wooded area please be aware of these plants!

So Morris and I continued on our merry way through the creek.

He is a pretty smart little dog.  When it is hot.  He walks right in the creek instead of fighting the tall grass.  But when the creek gets too deep, he leaps to the bank and runs through the grass until he can drop back into the cooling waters.

 The grass is so tall!  He could get lost in it!

But being the 'cool' dog that he is.  He picked a shady spot and stood in it to cool off.

And then we found the dreaded Wild Parsnip.  The roots are good to eat in the early spring and late fall, this is an invasive weed.
If you break the plant while it is in blossom and get the sap on your exposed skin, and it gets exposed to sunlight, you will get a burn from it.
Not that I am going to test it out any time soon.

As a blossom, it is pretty though.

Last stop before going home was sitting in the creek on a boulder and cooling off a bit before hiking back home.
The gnats finally made it impossible to enjoy it any longer.

We had a wonderful time doing nothing but exploring.
Morris was very happy.

Morris was also very worn out when we did get home.
He napped on the couch the rest of the day.

Whatever you do, enjoy your summer days.
Remember, winter comes too soon!