When you are retired the isn't a lot of difference in routine between weekends and weekdays. There might be a few differences but I find in the life with the hounds ... nothing changes much. Weekends mean ballgames start earlier. That covers football, basketball and baseball. Therefor with good weather the hounds and I try to get that daily walk in earlier in the day if not try two walks for Saturday and Sunday.
This morning started with temperatures back in the low 20's. Heavy frost on the ground. It didn't matter to Sadie and Stella ... their noses always go to the ground immediately. They didn't stay out long on that 2nd trip of the day, right after their breakfast. Yet I noticed it was a day they were into ignoring my calls to 'come on'. They were more interested in checking out all the new scents.
I think Stella's new bright orange collar is showing up well in the drab background.
By 11:00 am or so, the temps had moved up close to the 40's, sunny and it was time for a walk. The ground was a little more saturated than it normally is, so certain parts of the path were muddy. I could tell right from the start that deer scent was stronger today just by the speed and action of the bloodhound's paths.
Just after starting they both took off, not waiting for me.
Stella decided today that she would wonder deeper into the wooded areas throughout the walk. There were a few times I wondered if she might take off but as I stepped in that direction to see if she would follow me, she would usually turn and knew she was a little outside her boundary.
When they didn't wait for me before they made that first right hand turn - where the deer hang out - I knew the scents were really strong this morning. Stella had already moved deeper into the bush area than I like ... it makes it too easy for her taking off down into that gully if she thinks something is down there. In one of these photos you can barely see her tail among the bushes.
She then took off running for her next favorite spot. Whatever was there in the wooded area, she did not want to share with Sadie.
They followed the treeline and once we make the turn left we are on the 2nd half of the walk, heading for home.
Only today on the way back, Stella decided whatever she found on the way out was good enough to go back and check again. You can barely see her standing by one of the trees. In that area there is a place flattened, so deer do sleep there at times.
She doesn't look happy that she has to stop her exploring and head back down the path to the house.
Her and Sadie found one more thing to check out before they finished their walk.
As you can tell the daily walk doesn't deviate much in scenery or different action shots. It's midwinter, the trees are bare and drab. Very little color to add to the photos while in the field. It could be worse though, at least we are not buried in white snow.
Not much will be happening the rest of the day. It's a full afternoon and night of college basketball, some book reading between the games I want to see and I am sure about the time I post this, Stella will be howling for lunch and will try to get Heidi's bark to join her. Yes, it's that time of day again.
It's a lazy Saturday here in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.