Taking My Dog With Me

I'm back with this post a little later than I wanted to be because I didn't really have anything to write about. It gets kind of tough when most of my new pictures are much too similar to some of my other recent pictures. That's what happens when I don't see many animals.

I used to write mostly about all the little forest creatures I'd come across, but I just don't see them here, and when I do I never get the picture. Just yesterday I saw a fun little squirrel playing outside my front door, but my phone crashed and I had to reset it to get the pictures. By the time I got back the squirrel was gone.

Then when I was on the trails you see in these pictures, I came across a black-capped chickadee hopping around the trail in front of me. I wanted badly to get a few pictures, but unfortunately I had my dog with me. Isabella also saw the cute little bird. She lunged forward in an attempt to grab it, and it flew away just in time.

I have to keep a close eye on Isabella as far as birds are concerned. She's an expert bird catcher. I buy her lots of toys with squeakers in them. She loves to squeeze them and fling them around while chewing on them to get them to make the squeaking sound. She does that with birds too, and she also likes the sounds they make.

A long time ago when I couldn't have a dog, I walked the nature trails alone, telling myself that when I moved to a place where I could have a dog I would take it on the trails with me every time. I knew the dog would love it as much as I do, and now I know that I was right.

Isabella loves going to the nature parks with me, but sometimes I wonder if I should go without her sometimes. Even though she stops whenever I need her to, I wonder if getting pictures of animals might be a little easier without her. I'm not ready to cruelly leave her behind yet, but I still think about it sometimes.

I'm still not sure if I'd have any better success though. I was getting some good pictures of birds with her a couple of years ago. And some of the feistier squirrels will run close enough so they can do their best to tease her. I think I'll keep her along for the time being.

Oh, I guess I should explain today's pictures a little bit. They are all from the little park I was complaining about a couple of posts ago. As you can see, this place is much better than I made it out to be then. There are plenty of trees in some places, and I love that foot bridge. I haven't figured out that little theater area yet. I wonder what it's used for.

The only problem I have really is all of the hills I have to walk up and down here. Hills just kill my back, especially recently. I used to be able to handle these smaller hills just fine, but lately I can't even do those. I think I need to practice a bit more on my treadmill so I can get back into shape. Maybe then I'll like the hills again. I'll talk to you later.