Jo and I have taken to going outside during the day. First, we explore. We wander around the flower gardens, looking to see who is blooming or about to bloom (the daffodils are done for but the paper whites are about to open). We go around behind the shed to where the rocks are. This is usually when Jo does her business. Then we come back around and go down into the “garden” and back. There’s not much to see there but Jo says there’s plenty to sniff.
Sometimes we go beyond the mowed section of the garden and make a trail through the tall grass. Usually that means I wind up dragging a stick or two out with me. Today it was briars!
Then, after we’ve done a bit of wandering, we settle in the sun or shade near the house. Jo lays on the grass near me. She’s got a hole she’s been working on. There’s the ants that go by. The bees that want to check out the Snapple bottle. I tilt back and either watch the clouds or I snooze.
Sunday we came out with Lorna. She brought two of the other dogs out too and we spent a good half hour trying to find them again. Later, she took them all in for dinner but I remained outside. Down by the stream, crossing what’s left of the old “bridge”, was this huge possum. Since they are usually nocturnal, I was surprised to see it out. I think we woke it up with all the yelling at the dogs.
Monday Jo and I came out and down at the same place, crossing the same old bridge, was a small squirrel. It wasn’t in much of a hurry until it saw Jo.
Today we came out and of course I look to see who is there. No one. We did our wandering and then I parked in the shade and watched the clouds go by. At some point I look up and, heading across the yard toward the old bridge, is this huge ground hog. It wasn’t in any hurry either. Luckily, Jo didn’t see it.
You’d think living out in the country far enough that we have this kind of wildlife, that it would be quiet here. Nope. Those damn birds could wake the dead! There’s a pair of mourning doves that do not like Jo and I to sit out here. They call to us almost the whole time. Good thing they are not mockingbirds or we would have been attacked by now.