My Morning Walk

Every morning I take a walk up my dirt road with my little dog. We walk just under two miles. We used to walk just over two miles until some people moved in with BIG territorial dogs. Now we turn around at the power pole before their house, which is off to the right behind their farm equipment.

I’ve been doing this same walk every day for 20 years. Some people wonder how I can stand walking the same route every day, but for me, it’s a pleasure. It’s different from day to day, but there’s always something to enjoy. I took all these pictures on just one morning.

There’s a patch of tiny wild strawberries on the side of the road. The weather has to be just right to enjoy them. Enough rain to make the berries juicy, enough warmth to make them grow, and not so much dust that they’re filthy from vehicular traffic.

Just as I start up the hill I cross over a creek. The water flies downhill in the rain and just sort of trickles when it’s as dry as it has been lately.

In fact, after a good rain, the hill across the road from me has several miniature falls in it. I have yet to get a good shot of them.

In lots of places along my walk I have terrific woods to look into. These are just a few shots.

All the way at the top of the hill – a good breath-shortening climb – is my nearest permanent neighbor. She has 3 of her own dogs, two of which are very sweet, and is generally fostering a handful for a nearby rescue agency. Most of the foster dogs are swell. Still, although Red is social, he gets overwhelmed by the sheer number of dogs that live here.

After that we see some really quiet little guys. There are several of them who live at this part-time hunting camp. I find it an interesting dichotomy – hunting camp and…

gnomes! Who’d have guessed that? Not me. This is the only gnome that can be seen from the road. So how do I know the others are there? When the property owners are only here a few weeks a year, I feel pretty comfortable crossing their land with my little dog. We never do any damage or leave any garbage, and most of my part-time neighbors welcome my wanderings.

After this place, I pass a few more hunting camps. The owner of this one

has made lots of roads through the woods, so it’s a fun time to walk through the woods from their place down to mine. Or just to walk around and see different scenery. I admit, this is one of the only landowners I’ve never met, so I can’t say how they feel about my trespassing.

Next we come to this lovely hidden spot nestled in the trees.

I’ve never seen any animals resting in there, but I’m sure they do. The grass is often tamped down. Just a few feet off the road, it’s protected on three sides by trees. Often makes me want to go in there and lie down.

Shortly after this hidden spot I come to the telephone pole signaling that it’s time to turn around. And then I see this little fruiting tree.

I believe this is a hawthorn, although I don’t see the characteristic thorns in the photo. There are also some wild apples, but I don’t think their leaves look like this.

Heading back home, I came across this really sweet little guy sitting and singing on the wire.

I never see indigo bunting at my house as I don’t have enough open field for them, but they do love the top of my road. I’m lucky enough to see them a few times a year, so it was a treat that this one let me get a picture of him.

Speaking of birds, someone put several bird houses along the road a few years ago.

They look like bluebird houses to me, but I’ve never seen anyone use them. Bluebirds, in fact most birds, wouldn’t like their neighbors living right behind them. Plus, bluebird (and probably all bird) houses have to be cleaned out every year to make sure that they aren’t breeding lice and other nasties, and whoever built these houses didn’t make a way to do that without a power tool. I never carry my cordless drill on my walk, so I’ve not been able to clean them out for the birdies.

The ditches at the side of the road often have wildflowers in them.

We’re almost home when we come to one of Red’s favorite spots.

This part-time neighbor is often here, and they take wonderful care of their property. In fact, their lawn usually looks better than mine. Plus they have a swell little veggie garden, and encourage me to pick whatever I want when they’re not here. I can’t really grow veggies at my house – the hordes of chipmunks steal everything except my asparagus. So I pick zucchini when they’re small like I like them, tomatoes, peas, and beans when they’re ripe. YUM!

Red likes it for the wide open space. And the fact that when they’re here they bring Millie, their little beagle, who he enjoys.