She asked if I wanted to go for a walk. What a dumb question. It would be like I asked her if she wanted to breathe.
I pounced around and put on my most adorable face. She leaned down and stroked my head and told me how cute I was and how grey in the face I was getting.
I sat and looked at her. She was no spring chicken herself, but I didn't tell her that. I didn't even mention that she had lots of grey hairs now on her head too. Only she wears a stocking cap in the winter to cover it up.
At least I wear my age proudly!
Harumph.
Off we went. We ran into coyote tracks right as we got into the Dexter's Summer Pasture. They crisscrossed the leftover snow. I got busy and tried to smell them all. They hadn't been around since last night, their scents were old.
She went out ahead of me and we followed a deer trail to the creek. She explained that she was looking for antler sheds. I think she just makes up excuses to get out and hike.
That's okay, as long as she takes me.
We spent quite a while at the Big Ice Wall. I love to climb it because she can't. I am nimble and fast. I can scramble right up the ice and go on the deer trail above the rocks.
She was fascinated by the fact that she found some hollow ice. The run off from the other day ran over the top of the ice strip and there was just a small amount of water still running underneath it.
Um. Okay, but I didn't think it was much of a big deal.
I certainly was not impressed. It had no good smells in it and no coyote tracks which made me very happy.
We went pretty far down the valley. She followed the creek looking at places that had tracks in the mud and in the snow.
We came to a place that has some big rock formations above the creek. I came and stood on her feet. Coyotes. Raccoon.
I could smell them, they were bigger and wilder animals than me and they lived somewhere close.
She studied the ground for a while and then looked up into the rocky area. There was a tell tail [or tale] trail of muddy footprints. And they sure were not mine.
I stood and quivered, then put a paw on her leg.
Uffdah. She can be dense sometimes. Finally she got the hint and we moved on. I kept a wary nose out and didn't get very far from her.
I'm not stupid. There were coyote tracks all over the place and they were fresher than the ones in the pasture at home.
Coyotes see me as a meager snack. I don't find that very amusing at all.
I am glad she carries a pistol to protect me.
When she started to take photos of the little creek, I stuck very close and I can't believe she took one shot that shows my butt! Oh my!
See how my tail is down and I am hunched? I am watching for those evil coyotes. Especially the one with the super huge feet that She calls Big Foot.
After all, that Monster could have been anywhere. And here she is taking pictures of the water.
Sigh.
We finally turned around and headed home. I was never so happy about that. There were several places I had to stop and nibble on smart pellets. I just love to hear her get after me for that.
When we got near home, she picked me up and carried me so I wouldn't get all full of mud. I even tolerated her toweling me off when we got in the house.
I heard the couch calling my name, so I jumped up on it and made a nest with my blanket.
All was good.
If my memory serves me right, after the snow is gone, she'll want to look for more sheds and start looking for signs that spring will come.
Those coyotes ought to be out of their mating season so it will be safer for me to go into the woods.
For now, I'm going to snuggle into my blanket and dream about smart pellets and walking in the creek.
I took a short walk yesterday afternoon after our trip to town.
It was late in the day and the winds were not howling. The sun was shining.
Morris started leaping around as soon as I grabbed the camera bag.
I figured he'd be okay for a short trip so I let him come along.
I also figured I wouldn't need the snow shoes.
Hmmm. Shouldn't 'figure' like that!
The coyotes are busy this time of the year, it is mating season and we found plenty of tracks. All the animals right now are keeping to well worn trails.
I realized quite a while ago, that I like to take the same trails that the animals do. Well, it makes sense, it is near the water and the going is easier.
After all the creek is the life-blood of the forest and its creatures.
In this trail there was quite the mix of raccoon, 'possum, coyote, and deer. The animals were walking over each other's tracks and drinking from the same open areas of water.
Morris was not impressed. The 'yote tracks must leave a scent and he really kept close to me.
I normally don't take him for long walks during the Coyotes' mating season for this simple reason.
He gave me this look and kept shivering. I picked him up and we headed back towards home. When we got away from the coyote tracks, he ran ahead plowing through the deep snow and the hard icy crust.
When we got to the 'Merry Meadow', I stopped to take some photos. He was clearly in a rush to get home.
I had to call him back a few times to make sure he didn't get out of sight.
Lucky me that he is such a good ol' fella and he actually will come back.
That is, until he reaches the shed, then no matter what he is headed to the back door and will leap on it until you catch up and let him in the house.
The deer have been out browsing and digging under the scrub apple trees in the evening or early morning. I found several deer beds in the Dexter's summer pasture.
I wanted to go to look at these tracks better, but Morris had other plans. Besides, I really did need the snowshoes!
By the time I got home I was quite warm and even sweating from slogging through the crusted snow. I kept cursing myself for not wearing my snowshoes.
Today is supposed to be bitter cold.
But it is sunny and I have goggles and a face mask.
I want to go back out and 'read the stories' in the snow.
I can hike so I stay out of the wind so it won't be too bad.
The New Year's Eve came in frigid and the winds were wicked. The house rattled and I swear it shook.
I stayed pretty much inside and for doing chores we wore our ski goggles. They sure help from keeping the eyes from tearing up and feeling burnt after being outside.
The sudden deep freeze caused portions of the creek to go into quick 'freeze'. In places it looks as if this portion of the creek froze in middle of running!
New Year's Day consisted of taking down the Christmas Chair and putting Morris's crate back in its proper place.
Then the two of us went for a walk. The temps were mild! It was nearly 30 degrees.
The ice in the creek bed was a startling contrast to the greens and browns surrounding it.
Last year the snow was quite deep and I could only get around with snowshoes.
Morris was extremely active and really about the only interesting thing I could seem to find. The sun went under the clouds and everything seemed pretty dreary.
One of his more fun looks....and then this one when he gets bored...
The ice formations in unexpected places though were pretty neat.
It was very wet for about a week before we hit the first hard and sudden freeze, so as moisture slowly seeps from the moss and rocks, it creates this beautiful ice formation.
Starting tonight we are to get freezing drizzle/snow/wintery mix which will change over to snow later.
Then the Artic temperatures come in.
According to the NOAA forecast, the temps will drop from 32 to -8 in 24 hours.
I guess I am ready for it, hard to adjust to these wild up and down temperatures though.
I've said goodbye to 2014 and remembered to change my calendar to 2015.
As for Morris? He is starting to show a bit of his age.
Yesterday he was a wild child in the Merry Meadow, he ran and ran like a crazy fool looking for mouse nests in the grasses.
This morning he is acting like a bit of an elderly dog as if he aches.
I suppose he does. He turns 11 years old in July. Hard to believe that isn't it?
Seriously.
Should the Grumpy ol' Guy really trust HER out in the woods by herself? I think not. I'm sure he is secretly glad that I go along and keep an eye on her.
And keep an eye out for Coyotes, Bears, Grizzlies, Pterodactyls, Mountain Lions, Wild 'possum, and the such like.
You think I am kidding?
I am always investigating tracks.
I mean look at the tracks here on the ice. Made by a 2 toed prehistoric creature. SHE says it was a deer. Little does SHE know.
I did find deer and rabbit pellets and secretly took magic smart pills to enhance my awareness of all the dangers one kind find in the forest.
SHE on the other hand, took pictures.
I waited by patiently as possible, guarding her against all nasty forces and creepy things that can be found in this forest.
See my tracks from pacing back and forth watching for monsters and such? Once the wind blew [that's what SHE said] and made trees moan. Uh huh. I saw bushes move and got the hair up on my back .... I growled and backed up right into HER and her tripod camera thing.
When the crisis was over I ate some nasty stuff and enjoyed her hollers of 'Icky Icky!' I like doing that to her.
We traveled quite a ways down the valley. SHE found some water falls to take pictures of. I don't get the big deal over that, but SHE seems to like it a lot.
So I watched carefully. I was suspicious of what might be happening on the hillside above us.
After much 'shooting' with HER camera, she packed everything up and we started back towards home. Now I was not concerned in the least with anything but finding the trail home to make sure SHE got there safely and that I got a nice warm cozy place to lay on.
At one point I had to stop and turn around. SHE looked like she could be lost. The underbrush is quite thick and sometime the deer trail is hard to find.
I follow the deer pellets.
IF SHE were my size she wouldn't always have to struggle when things got thick now would SHE?
Come on, this way!
When we got to the open field I was able to run on top of the ice crust again. There was a clear path to home from her snow shoes so I decided to take off and run.
When I got home I was pretty tired. You know my age in dog years is something like 58 yrs old. Almost the same age as SHE is. Whoops, probably shouldn't have made that public.
Anyway, I got a nice clean blanket to lay on while SHE went out to do some farm work.
I got sick all over her blanket.
I guess some of that icky stuff wasn't so great after all.
SHE came in and just shook her head at me.
I gave her the innocent look.
Sure would be nice to have another dog, or maybe a house cat to blame THAT on!
Oh yeah.
SHE did get a 'nice' picture of the water falling. I am fairly sure that she could NOT have done it without my help.
Pterodactyls, Bears, Coyotes, Grizzlies, Cougars and other such wildlife knew to stay away while I was on patrol.
SHE sometimes gets her long johns in a bundle when I dig and look for mices to chew up or rabbit pellets to eat.
We went out on Thursday...um, that is what SHE calls it.
I call it 'day'.
In a dog's life there is day and night. There is sleep and play.
There is eat and potty.
But when there is hike you can eat, play, and potty all at the same time.
So people owners listen up.
Take your owners hiking.
Especially if you like to hear your owner screech 'Icky Icky!'
'No NO, don't eat deer/rabbit poop!'
Owners have no sense of delicious taste. Pretty obvious by the fact that they never stick their faces in the snow and grab a mouse nest and chew on them.
SHE says NO NO Morris, don't eat that.
SHE has been saying this for all my doggy life.
And I have been ignoring her for all of that time. I actually delight in horrifying her.
But...
I don't think I horrify her anymore. I mean I doubt I even shock her anymore.
Some days it is very hard to get HER really grossed out.
SHE is a pretty faithful person. SHE will follow me when I find a good deer trail. And I am a good dog too, because I will come right to her when she calls my name.
And then when my feet get cold and I start shivering, SHE is kind enough to sit in the snow and let me climb up on her legs.
Sometimes SHE half stuffs me in her coveralls to warm me up.
And SHE is always pointing that camera at me. I know.
I am handsome as a model.
I can strike the best poses.
But when all is said and done.
Mices are fun to chew on, rabbit pellets are tasty, but there is NO place like a nice couch and a comfy place to rest.
Crunch.Crunch.Crunch.That's how my footfalls sound in the snow. A combination of crunch and squeak. When the temperature reads -7 degrees, snow squeaks and crunches.I stop and listen.There is a small whisper of a rattle above me in an old hickory tree. The brown leaves vibrate in the 'light' breeze. I turn my head. This winter breeze makes my eyes water. It is cold.A leaf falls and skitters over the snow until it is stuck in a gooseberry bush. It shudders as if alive.Morris follows in my footsteps. When I stop he puts his front paws on my coveralls. I pick him up. I can't tell if he is shaking from the cold or he is sensing something.
I look up and around scanning the woods above us. I can't see anything. Perhaps he is just cold and I shouldn't have brought him along.I decide to cut the hike short. Besides, hiking in knee deep snow with a jack russell on your hip [who likes to try to climb to your shoulder to observe] is tough.The woods are quiet. Except for the sigh of the winter breeze there are few noises.Far off in the distance I hear some crows.Morris sees the mule trail and scrambles out of my arms and runs towards the house.My goal today is the creek bottom. Morris may stay home.
