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Tag Archives: Methow River

Evening Walk

We had some hot weather this past week with temperatures going to 100 three days in a row. Needless to say, the dogs and I did not get outside much during the days. That brown dog was pretty bored. On one of the evenings we drove to a place where we could get to the river and it was so nice. The girls were busy checking the pee mail all along the trail. So much news to catch up on. Once we got to the river, we found some sticks and the real fun got started. Willow has learned to appreciate big sticks like Sky but Sky had to assert herself and let Willow know that she is still the chief branch manager. Back at home, we were treated to an amazing sunset.

Dogs Having Fun

A few of the Good Girls’ Club members got together over the weekend to talk about the weather (the most common subject these days), sticks, swimming and upcoming travel plans. It was a small group so no votes were taken and Wyatt Ann was not present to do the minutes. Sky found a stick. Willow tried to take it from her. Rozie ran faster than Willow. Willow jumped in the river and discovered that the water was colder than she expected.

Scenes From a November Walk

Sky was off on her own adventure so Willow and I shared some lovely walks last weekend.

A Fine Walk

Our favorite dog walking trail has been off limits for months to protect nesting Sandhill Cranes. It was their second attempt to nest there. Last year, predators got their colts. A baby Sandhill Crane is called a colt and it is orange! This year, they lost one to a coyote but the other survived and the three of them have moved on. It is great news to have cranes nesting in our valley.

The girls were happy to get back to the wide flat trail through the woods, to the river. Luna can no longer negotiate steeper, rough trails, even with her braces. The braces give her good support and she gets along ok but not for far. Her back legs are growing weaker with the laryngeal paralysis and the braces are relatively heavy but they support her damaged Achilles tendons. It’s hard to get old. She still has an optimistic attitude most days and really WANTS to be her old self.

This was earlier in the month after we’d had a bit of rain. Lately we’ve had endless sunny, dry days.

Morning Skiing

Sunday was a glorious day to be outside. I headed to the Methow Trails Community Trail and classic skied a few miles. Few others were out on the trail, maybe because the temperature was 9° F? It was incredibly beautiful – blue skies forever, powdery snow groomed to perfection, birds chirping their winter calls, and some white-tailed deer slowly walking the packed pathway. I crossed the suspension bridge and stopped in a (cold) warming hut to adjust my boots. The frosted windows framed a lovely view of the river.

Birds I heard, and saw, included Pileated Woodpecker, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Black-capped Chickadees, American Dipper (formerly known as a water ouzel) and Common Redpolls.

It was a fine morning.