Two walks and a story

Walk #1 was Saturday morning...

Everybody was out that beautiful morning.  There wasn't a lot of people anywhere- but there sure was someone everywhere.

Grass was still wet with dew.

Hey! the actual, permanent guardrails on south bridge are up!

Down by the swamp we found a puffball the size of a volleyball- and it sounded like a basketball when you tapped it!

We've all seen the pictures of road crews who painted lines over roadkill, litter, etc.  Well, how about leaves...

...and grass?

Near the ravine "hidden entrance".

See Scrappy looking down at the ravine floor?  That is what he made me climb under to get up topside a few days back.

This guy likes to pose.

That brings us to the story from Monday night.  About seven PM, we went down to the Hump'n'Dump to see what was shakin' and he spent some time sniffing a wiener dog named Rocky.  Named for Rocky Raccoon, I asked him where his Gideon Bible was, but his owner said she didn't want him getting shot up in a bar, either.  (You gotta know the song, youngsters!)  After they left, Rocky was replaced by a chocolate lab pup named Roscoe. (Why no pictures?  Getting too dark by this point.)  Scrappy and Roscoe, who was young enough to be just about Scrappy's size, hit it off right off the bat, chasing each other, sniffing each other ("Yes, that's a butt", his male master said at one point.)

 After a time, Roscoe took a shine to me (probably because my hands still smelled like Mancino's garlic sauce) and he had this little game.  He'd jump at Scrappy from different angles, with Scrappy making short, fast turns almost on his haunches to face him.  Suddenly, he'd pretend he was scared, and ran tail-between-legs behind me!  They did this on and off for quite a while.  Then I saw something I literally couldn't believe (and I don't think Roscoe's mom and dad could, either).  After jumping OVER Scrappy, and playing the circle game, Roscoe suddenly planted his front legs and snapped out his back ones in a sideways ninja kick right on Scrappy's butt!

Artist's conception.

By this time it was getting cold, and I asked Scrappy if he was ready to go.  He came running to answer, but when he was about 4 feet away, Roscoe stepped in between us.  Then he went on full offensive, and Scrappy was actually getting a little cheesed, even play-growling at him.  Finally his master called him (which hadn't worked too well all night) and SAcrappy came over to get his leash on.  Again Roscoe intervened- and by this I mean he got close enough that Scrappy's hook-up almost became Roscoe's nose ring.  But a good time was had by all.


Second walk, this afternoon.

Once again, we met up with Grandpa the giant ground hog.

It occurred to me today that I've never shared with you our "secret woods entrance by the big tree" (Which has a well worn animal path through the tall grass right to it).  Here's going in...

A lot clearer once inside.  The legendary big tree is dead center background.

Watch yer step!  Darn horse chestnuts are everywhere.

We checked out the little woods by the medical park.  Nothing much up there.

So, we went to The Spot.

I texted a picture to my boss.  She said it looked neat and wished she could go there.  I replied, "You might not if you knew what it takes to get here!"

Around the bend and up the bank- after doing all that texting, much to Scrappy's impatience.

And what do we find?  A pink plastic egg!

And this is where you come out... dry stream bed that runs between the two main rises in this side of the woods.

Moments later, we were going down the ravine trail when I noticed Scrappy- he was holding his right rear leg out when he walked as if he'd dislocated his hip!  I turned us around and was contemplating calling Laurie for rescue when Boofus just had to check the dens again.  He wrapped around a bush, and as I scolded him for being such an idiot as to wrap himself up when he was hurting, a funny thing happened.  By the time he was unwrapped, the limp was gone.  And never came back!  Gonna drive me to drinkin'...