Willow and I finished up our volunteer time in the mountains last week. The fall colors were coming on strong. Weather was a mix of damp and dry days and we had a short snow squall. We enjoyed lots of time on the trails, remembering the times we shared them with Sky. The night sky was illuminated by the waxing gibbous moon. It’s a beautiful season.
This was almost two weeks ago when the high temperatures here in the valley were over 100. I had hoped we’d find some relief in the mountains and chose a hike that took us to 8000′. It still felt hot and very exposed. The wildflowers were beautiful. The bugs were brutal. Willow agreed. On the way home, we stopped to cool off in the creek and Willow was very grateful. Sky didn’t get to go. She is facing some health issues so I won’t be taking her on longer summer hikes. It’s hard to get old and miss out on the fun.
Since Sky started her new med for arthritis in November, she has become more tolerant of Willow, even playful! She doesn’t have the energy of the young dog but sometimes they have a lot of fun together. I made these photos on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Willow sprained her toe so they are not supposed to play for a while. Can you explain that to Willow who is seventeen months old?
The snow has a frozen crust and it’s easy to walk across the top of it. This is great because much of our road is covered in ice and treacherous for walking. Yesterday, the girls and I walked to the top of the hill. We haven’t been there in many months. The views are outstanding and sometimes we get to see coyote or deer but not yesterday. We did see new survey markers and new fencing with new ‘no trespassing’ signs along it. A bunch of the land up there is for sale or has already sold so we can expect changes in the future. Change is inevitable.
Speaking of change, Willow looks more and more like a dog but still has a puppy brain. Sky says she is an alligator and maybe we should return her! Willow is quite playful and Sky has never been playful so sometimes the puppy is a bit much. Willow adores Sky and wants to do everything she does, plus have lots of fun. She does stay close and mostly comes when called. We have many training opportunities with her.
We enjoyed the sunshine and cold temperatures and endless views. We also noted that some of the deciduous trees and shrubs STILL have last year’s leaves. Most notably, serviceberry (or Saskatoon), aspen and elderberry. Some of the aspen trees’ buds are already swelling so the leaves need to go!
What a day! We’ve had many gray days and even rainy days, it seems like for the last two weeks or more. Around here, we are used to blue skies and bright sunshine reflecting off the cold, deep snow. Today was that day! The sunrise produced beautiful alpenglow on the mountains inviting us to explore on foot.
After agility practice (Willow watched), we headed for the hills above town and walked on a well-trodden path through the pines and out in the open. I looked at the road above us and saw movement. My brain went from what’s that, to is it a horse, no wait, that’s a moose! How cool! Moose occur nearly anywhere in the valley but are only occasionally seen. It’s always a treat. We crossed its trail and then followed its tracks back til we found the spot where it got on the path. There were also tracks of tiny creatures who had been out since yesterday’s fluffy snowfall.
Willow likes to lead the way but, so far, she doesn’t get out too far ahead. She is always turning back to see me and/or Sky. And today, she posed nicely with her big sister for portraits in front of the mountains. She is five months old and learning so much. Maybe she is a Good Girl, after all.
My Everyday Photos 