Crisp air, warm sunshine, vivid blue skies and blossoms all around…who can resist being outdoors? My dogs and I walk in a huge park only a stone’s throw away from our home nearly every evening as weather allows. But our recent weather is what we really wait all year for.

The nearby park that we enjoy so much is truly wild as far as the echo system goes. Because hunting is not permitted inside city limits, the animals enjoy a much more relaxed life style than those in the country can. A whitetail doe takes a peek at me as my dogs and I stroll by. The deer here actually know me and my dogs and we can often get almost within spitting distance of them. Because I live in the woods, my dogs are quite used to wild animals of all kinds. Deer are frankly a bit boring to them now…”oh, THOSE again…” So the dogs pay them no mind. All wild animals are masters at reading the energy and intent of others. They seem to know that my dogs and I are harmless and often barely lift their heads to watch as we stroll by.

Redbuds reflecting on a pond…

Wager and Kip pose in front of a backdrop of Redbuds.