A DOG DAY

All shots taken with Canon 70-300 IS Telephoto Lens

Good heavens, it was 90 degrees two days ago and the very next day it's 73 degrees. I had to break out the blankets for the girls and me last night.  Fall is coming in fast and hard and it makes me wonder about what kind of Winter we shall have.

I'm off today and tomorrow and the weather is absolutely as perfect as can be, yet I couldn't decide how to spend today, or tomorrow for that matter.  There isn't a lake within 60 miles that I want to put my boat in and there aren't any real interesting roads around her for a decent bike ride.  The dogs need an outing but there isn't anywhere to take them except for the 65 mile drive back to where I used to live near the Cherokee National Forest and associated pristine lakes.  Oh, I'm not complaining much.  I'm just remembering the fantastic place I lived back there.  There's too much traffic over here and too much private property and sheriffs and police.  They're everywhere.  Always someone pushing me down the road.  Too many people!  That all being said - I wiled away the morning kicking around the yard and sitting on the porch, which is absolutely not me, and made a decision to take a bike ride to the North East toward Greenville.  

I saw a gravel road that turned off to my left and made a split moment decision to just take it.  I rode for about five miles on it when a private property sign appeared ahead. That did it.  I turned it around and headed for home.  I'd load up the dogs and head for the wildlife management area, the only place available where they can run and be dogs.  This is such a disappointing area of East Tennessee.  I'm doing my best to deal with it.

There were trucks and cars and tons of people up at the work center at the wildlife management area (WMA) so I turned back down the road and pulled into the fish hatchery.  There's a picnic area in there where I could park and start a short hike to the outflow of the hatchery.  The dogs like that place and that's all that counts.

 Chestnut is the most curious little hound.

This is a flowery place at all times of the year.  I need to get a flower guide soon.
They found the ice cold water and started to have a ball - especially Shade.

 She immediately plunged into the water and sat down.  What a sweetheart!

 Well, she's a lab so what else would be expected?

I wished she would sit up and still in those flowers so I could get a post card shot of her immersed in flowery color but, it wasn't to be.

 It's so much fun to watch her when she gets out of the water.  She rolls, twists and turns every which way.  Part of it is to dry off and part is pure joy.

 Happy does everything exactly like Shade does.

They were off again.

I heard Chestnut hound letting out a few of her hound howls and I knew she found something of interest.  We took off in her direction.

As I came up to where she was standing, I noticed a movement in front of her.  What ever she found was white in color and I immediately thought "skunk."  I had to hurry over to get her.  She charged before I got there.  Then, I saw what she had found.

It was a feral cat who could go up a tree faster than I ever saw a critter climb.  She or he was a pretty thing, all white.  A shame people can't be better caretakers of their animals - their family members.

The cat didn't appear to be shook up at all.  He was probably used to dodging danger in this manner.  He didn't look happy either.

Chestnut didn't see the cat up in the tree and gave up the chase.  She wouldn't know what to do with it if she did catch it.  Probably run the other way.

That was the day for us.  I'll be on water somewhere tomorrow for sure.  I can't deal with hanging around a house for more than an hour.  I'm not domestic in any sense of the word.  Not at all.  We'll see what tomorrow brings.