Hounds Love The Fog

I started to type this and realized from the clock in the upper right corner of my monitor, it was not even 10am. The hounds and I are still adjusting to the time change ... no big deal.

One thing I am not adjusting to is colder temps and knowing that winter is just around the corner.

It was quite a surprise this morning as I opened the door to let the hounds outside and freezing coolness hit me. I'm not a fan of that type of weather. The fog made it a nice morning though, a different feel to the day ... the hounds didn't notice.
 

They were ready to walk around 7:30am, I wasn't ... nothing starts until coffee is consumed in my world. I did not drink coffee until I was 40 years old but in the early 1990's living in the Seattle area, the addiction started. Small espresso stands scattered throughout my town of 10,000, even with a couple of drive-thru businesses.

With Sadie not adjusting to the time change at all, she was giving me the stare down to 'go walk' by 8:30am ... we started it a little after 9am. This fog and the temperature at 37° ... but didn't feel that cold.

Stella tried eating some wet leaves, then a pile of wet dirt and later some grass to add to her early morning snacks.

With their speed I became aware that deer might be on the horizon. Would they be in the woods waiting to jump out? Would they be in the far right corner not knowing that the hounds were on their way to that area.

Stella took off left and I thought she was gone. She stood and stared, looking north and I was sure that she was going to take off on a sprint toward potential deer. While I was trying to capture her pose, with the fog the lens would not focus ... luckily Stella turned around and headed back to toward Sadie and the normal path.

I decided that I'd let Stella have open range so to speak. I would let her come and go as she wanted unless .... she headed to the 'no fly zone'. That never happened, although she stayed behind so far that she could not be seen in the fog, nor could the camera lens focus due to the fog.

As usual Stella came sprinting to catch up with Sadie and I and both headed home at their normal slow pace.

Stella had one last spot to check before she came inside. Sadie and I had already returned inside the house and by the time I had hung up my coach, Stella was at the door to be let inside.

I mentioned yesterday that we would probably walk without the camera and maybe take the retractable leash but that did not happen. Here are some pictures of our afternoon on Wednesday ... another great day.

The process that started weeks ago on the highway, was started by the highway crew of grinding out the cracks in the highway in preparation for the filing those with tar what was pictured yesterday. Here is part of that right in front of my driveway. Luckily it was dried very very fast, with a truck trailing the crew and giving it time to dry. They did this for at least 12 miles of highway, maybe more.

The sun was bright for our afternoon walk but that sunshine did not equate to warm temperatures. I guess fall is here and the winter is hiding right around the corner here in 'the tropics'.

It's good to see Sadie's trim waistline and I hope she can maintain that even through the winter.

Well it is good that you can watch tv without the political ads during each commercial break. It's interesting to see the news commentary change since the election results. I guess the large crowds at the Trump campaign speeches, the larger ratio of Trump/Pence signs in yards compared to Clinton signs ended up being a pretty accurate indicator for what was going to happen.

I'm not a historian, and maybe some readers are ... if so, I am sure they also remember demonstrations in the streets after Nixon was elected, Viet Nam era, then against Reagan and 'the nukes' ... a few more demonstrations that I don't remember in detail. So, nothing really new, just more coverage on tv and also of coarse the internet and social media.

I may post again later this afternoon or early evening to get back on a schedule of blogging at the end of the day instead of trying to post photos and write about a 24 hour period from one mid-day to the mid-day the following day. We will see how that works.

Not much planned today, at least nothing that is blog worthy.

We are cold today here in 'the tropics' of southern Indiana.

Hounds Refuse Leaf Duty

With plans to replenish the food supply while the leaves dried from the morning dew, then raking and burning them in the afternoon ... I knew it was going to be a busy day and one where I would probably need supervision.

Before either of those two tasks were started I decided to get the first walk in around 9:30am (new time). Is anyone else looking at the clocks now and automatically adding an hour to tell yourself what the real time should be? Except those people in Hawaii and Arizona. Well I am .... I got up too early so I knew the day had not lined up correctly with the moon and stars for today's leaf project.

As usual the hounds took off and as usual when I lose an hour sleep my pictures are not the sharpest or the clearest ... so a few of the pictures I took and would have included in this post, didn't make it out of the editing room.

It's beginning to bother me that Stella has decided she would rather eat everything in the field instead of getting her running in. She was even scratching at a fresh pile of mud in hopes of finding some dry powered dirt to eat ... Remember when I told you the day had not lined up correctly, this is a sign.

While Sadie moved along the back edge of the field alone, I had to go back and talk Stella into moving away from the 'feast of the day' and join us. She has almost won "The Most Stubborn Hound I've Every Owned Award".

She sprinted up to Sadie, more or less running away from my lecture.

She then turned right around and headed for her 'no fly zone' and ignored me while Sadie and I continued home.

I decided I'd take a seat and let the hounds come home at their own speed. It was slow and slower ... I reminded myself once again that the day was not lined up to be a smooth one ... so be aware.

Not only in this field but on my way to the store I saw another farmer doing the same technique to his field. I can't remember ever seeing them do this to prepare their field for the winters. They might disc some but this has large rakes moving through the dirt instead of plowing.

I'm a little late posting tonight but the leaves I raked in the front yard, the north side yard and along the fence line kicked my ass today. I ended up taking a short siesta for a couple of hours after raking and still did not feel any better. It's amazing what the movement of raking leaves can do as far as a good exercise.

Rain is forecasted for tomorrow, so the few leaves I have left in the back will take a couple of days to dry out and I should be able to finish on Thursday, unless the weatherman is wrong with this prediction. I need a day off so I am hoping for a little rain.

I almost forgot to tell you the store of the hounds revolting against the Leaf Project 2016. Last year I had the team to supervise if you remember. Click here to see the supervision team. Heidi of coarse refused for the 2nd year in a row but did spend time outside today roaming both the front and back yards.

They didn't stay nearby while I raked. Instead of enjoying the 7 acres behind them in the field, that wasn't good enough for them either. The hounds can't see that well but they did notice the neighbor had hung her clothes out on the line to dry. There they went, slowly sneaking off while I raked the leaves. She was not outside but they had to approve her work instead of supervising mine.

That left me no choice but to put them inside while I raked the front yard. Otherwise they bark and howl if I tether them in the back while I am in the front. I can only assume with the lack of leadership from Winston this year, The Leaf Project Team 2016 was not a true team effort and a total failure.

Otherwise ... another great day in 'the tropics' of southern Indiana.