One Last Rest Stop Along The Ausable River

We were on our way home, the dogs and I, from a particularly busy and productive visit to the farm and had almost reached the main highway. I had only one last opportunity to give the dogs a rest stop and pulled into our favorite little campsite hidden in the forest next to the Ausable River:

We trotted down the hill to the river's edge:

There were a few patches of snow remaining in spite of the incredibly warm weather:

The happy pooches ran from interesting smell to interesting smell, checking each one out with great enthusiasm:

Seamus and Daphne trotted confidently through the Hemlocks and Cedars with the lovely Ausable River burbling on the opposite side of the trail:

Clover, Winky and Fergus climbed uphill just a bit and surveyed this magic wonderland of nature. I often think at moments like this how blessed I am to enjoy such forest grandeur and happy dogs:

Daphne trotted across the mossy forest floor to my side and looked up, apparently wanting to make sure I was OK:

And crabby old Winky, in spite of what looks like a frown, was happy and bouncing like a puppy:

The waters of the Ausable River were a bit too high for me to go rock hopping so I just admired the beauty from the safety of the forest path:

And then it was time to return to the car. I kept an especially close watch on Wally because his eyesight is failing. He has slowed down considerably but seemed to have no difficulty finding his way through the boulders and up the steep hill toward our car:

Wally did, however, insist on stopping one last time at an interesting smell along the trail. But in a few moments I had all the dogs loaded back up into the car and was on my way home: