Sunday's Crisp Weather

This is the 2nd post of the day. I had too many pictures to put in just one post and in fact there might be too many pictures for this post.

Looking at Wunderground, it showed it was 30° when we were ready for our first walk of the day. I pulled out my 20 year old Mountain Wear down jacket w/hood and some The North Face gloves. As usual Sadie grabbed my left hand with her mouth to help me get started on the walk.

Both were really excited to get started for Sunday morning walk and took off. You'll notice the frost on the ground. Not as bad as the weather hundreds of miles north of us.

The skies were clear, the temperature was cold and no wind. It's going to be a great day.

They moved so fast this morning I was sure they were going to head around the first turn without waiting for me. It was the fastest I've seen them take off ... I couldn't remember the last time they got this far ahead of me.

Stella at her normal first stop.

Sadie sees something or smells something ... then took off around the first turn.

Stella was very active, moving in different directions. Before I could take a picture of Sadie and then turn back to take another plus check on Stella ... she came sprinting around me.

No stopping for Stella this morning ... she had to catch up with Sadie to prevent her from getting something she could have.

At this time I thought I'd be able to join them in the far right corner but that was not the case. Things got real interesting before I could even make that corner where they turn.

Sadie took off along the back edge of the field ... running ... and nose to the ground.

With Stella stayed back at the corner I now had a problem with both in opposite directions. Sadie was still highly excited with the scent she had found and was running ... Stella was hanging back. I had to turn my head in both directions to keep track of them.

It's hard to catch with the camera but at this point Sadie was still running along the edge of the field.

She was up by the cornfield, near the high power tower and I was pretty sure she was headed for their 'no-fly' zone. Stella was still back at the corner and I was not even near the back of the field.

I turned to check to see what Stella was doing and when I turned back around to see Sadie ... she was gone !!! Just like I thought she would be.

Sadie has always been good when running out of view. She does not run away and will come back to check to see where I am. Stella would take off in the same situation.

I turned to check Stella and take a picture and by the time I could do that she was already halfway down the back edge of the field, sprinting toward Sadie. I was still not close to the back of the field. I was taking all of these pictures with my zoom lens out to 200mm.

When I saw them in this position, I knew both of them were taking off and and out sight.

As I continued to yell at them to come back, they both were off out of sight. About the time I thought I'd be waking toward that direction to find them, the both came running over the hill toward me.

Evidently they had all the excitement they needed to satisfy their nose. They ran past me like I wasn't even there and headed down the path toward home.

But just because they might follow that path, doesn't mean they will follow that path all the way home and they might take a few detours along the way.

That is what happened today ... they took their own slow time to get home.

After they declared their walk officially over, they both headed to their favorite spots in the house, for a short nap before they eat lunch. Even with some NFL games today, we will still get out for another walk or two.

It's cold but it's really a great day here in 'the tropics' in southern Indiana.

The Weather Changed Fast

When I opened the door for the hounds to have their first trip outside Saturday ... what a rude awakening ... it was freezing.

The strong winds from the southwest had blown the memories of summer completely away and far enough that I could not even remember just how warm it was just 24 hours before. Even Sadie didn't stay outside long for her trip after eating breakfast.

By the time coffee had been consumed, internet reading finished and my two pages of the tv schedule of college football games printed out ... it was time for the first and only walk of the day. It felt warmer then it looked when we first started the walk ... that would soon change.

Of coarse the hounds never care about the temperatures. As long as they are walking in the field working their noses, they don't seem to care if it is grass they are walking on or snow. I am the only one that has to adjust what I wear.

Without saying anything Stella kept up with Sadie and I but was still able to get her running in by hanging back at all of her familiar spots.

I mentioned Friday that Sadie likes chasing two things that fly ... birds and leaves. With the strong 15-20mph winds, the blowing leaves were driving her crazy. There were so many of them airborne she didn't know which one to choose so she would just stand there looking at them.

About the time we turned that first corner ... that 'warmth' we felt was blown away. What felt warmer was now freezing. Cold enough where I wished I had worn a pair of gloves along with a heavier coat besides the "all season" jacket I had on from Lands End.

Sadie planted her nose to the ground and ever looked back and she tracked that worn deer path all the way to the far right corner.

Stella stayed back for just a few minutes before she came running around me and headed to join Sadie. She never knows what Sadie might be getting instead of her.

It surprised me that they both followed me as I made the left turn to follow the back edge of the field.

About the time I thought they were headed for the 'no-fly' zone, once again they turned and came running to follow me home. Were the colder temps making them a little more motivated today to get home?

They stopped and waited for me to catch up to them I guess I wasn't moving fast enough.

Later in the afternoon we came back outside after their lunch and before my first football game to watch. Neither one got much farther than this before they trotted back to the door to be let back inside. You can always tell how cold it is by how close they sleep together. Saturday afternoon they both settled on the couch next to each other and me to sleep during the games.

I would check the temperature on my iPhone during the games. It kept dropping. As I watched the IU / Michigan game, those snow flurries in Ann Arbor, MI turned to heavy snow by the end of the game 3+ hours later. Locally my temps were also dropping. All afternoon walks were canceled.

I was still in denial that winter was here.

It was 26° this morning when we stepped outside. It's still early here so the first walk has not taken place yet. I also have just a little coffee to finish before I put on my Down Coat and gloves today, along with a ski cap to stay warm on the first walk.

Highs in the 50's are forecasted this next week ... I can live with that.

Cold and sunny this morning in 'the tropics' of southern Indiana.