Heidi's Alive And Well

Yes Heidi appears before the camera but that picture was from two weeks ago. That day I glanced out the living room window and didn't see her. Looked out the window of the computer room into the backyard and didn't see her. Nor was she along the bank on the south side. About the time I started to walk outside I looked out the bedroom window and there she was. This photo was taken through a screen window, so slightly dark.

You can see color is increasing by the day. That field will be completely yellow by the time they plow the field. The dirt area you see is where it was flooded just last week. Based on photos from this day last year, they are running a week behind in their planting.

This part of the field is always the tallest of the 7 acres. Partly because that is the lowest part of the field and but it is helped by bloodhound fertilizer over the winter months.

She had already hydrated herself before we came outside as usual but today decided some wet grass was needed before she attempted any kind of aerobic activity.

Perfect weather this morning minus the gnats that bothered me. Mid 60's slightly overcast and no wind.

Stella's slow stroll begins.

She will walk at her pace and her pace only. It's up to me what I want to do but she is always in control of this walk, both in the morning and afternoon. I am only around to take photos of it, blog about it all under her supervision.

You can see how fast the grass is growing. They will not cut and bale it until late June or early July. Eventually I will barely see her when she is off the path.

I tried once again this morning to take the 'old' way home but she wasn't listening to me. She kept walking on her path as if she didn't hear a word. Again, it was up to me which way I was going to go.

I think you can tell that she knows she always wins.

I like letting that corner of the yard grow wild like it use to be all over the north section of the yard. It should help a little on the rain flow and soil erosion.

I don't have to say anything because you know once you see this picture the morning walk is officially over.

I wasn't sure what the plan was for this afternoon when I saw neither hound wanted to do much after their lunch. It wasn't an hour later when Heidi wanted to go outside. I snuck around the north side of the house to take some photos of her. I was able to walk up to her and take photos at will as she was very cooperative today.

It is another beautiful day here in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.

It Was A Great Weekend

Between rain on Saturday and hearing gunshots in the field across the highway on Sunday, out of sight (common in rural area), Stella canceled both of her morning walks. We were able to walk later Sunday once she realized she was safe and the weather was tremendous.

With temps in the 40's at night and back up to the 70's by late afternoon, a wet field is to be expected. My hiking boots were soaked soon after we started.

When I glanced outside this morning waiting for Stella to give me the word to walk, it looked like the field had grown over a foot taller since Friday. I could see the path was going to be another morning of heavy dew, basically both of us would be soaked by the end of the walk.

Stella didn't hesitate and knew right from the start that would would take the 'rain option' where she will start the walk on the return path, then move over to the regular path about the time we get to the first corner.

It seems like a Monday for some reason. It will be another day full of outdoor activity. I have a few saplings that I cut last month that need to be cut to ground level. I also will be going around the edge of the roof checking all the screws that attach the gutter to the soffit. It seems like after every winter I find one or two that need to be retightened.

She was doing a lot of smelling this morning, no eating and was on a pretty fast pace for her.

The old return path was beginning to disappear with the growth of the field. We took this way a few times last week in the afternoon so I wanted to go this way this morning to keep it visible. Stella had other ideas

She was following the normal return path that ends up in the north part of the yard. I have to follow her otherwise the chances are high that she will sneak over to the neighbors backyard.

She stopped to glance back at me to see if I had gone the other way and what the possibilities were of sneaking away.

About the time I thought the walk was ending, she decide she had one more spot to smell before heading inside and turned around to do it. At first I thought she had seen a spot of mud she wanted to bite into.

It is official ... the morning walk has been recorded.

A good example of just how wet the field was this morning.

Where's Heidi???

She has been boycotting all attempts of getting her picture taken since Friday. With all the sunshine yesterday she spent most of the afternoon alone sleeping in the grass in the back. If not there she has been camping out on the couch or in her big leather chair, depending  how cold it is with the windows open.

With warmer weather the flies are showing up inside the house. A few other bugs have been seen outside in the carport area and I had two mice that decided to torment me and the hounds for a few days until they were eliminated. I luckily didn't find one in my shoe but did find a couple of pellets meant for them. Someway those pellets were moved from inside the cabinet under the kitchen sink to my computer room where the shoes were sitting next to my desk.

They love Stella's hair they find in the trash after I brush and comb her.

That is about all that has been going on. Since I am not sure I'll be doing much with the camera this afternoon I am going to post this now, right before lunch.