Water Loving Dogs At Whippoorwill Corners - Part 1

I'd been thinking about our first trip to Whippoorwill Corners State Forest last year which didn't go well because we began at the wrong end of the trail. I promised myself to go to the nicer part of the trail this year. So, with a heat wave expected to begin that afternoon, I drove there early in the morning, parked in the shade and let the dogs out to run:

The trail runs right along the banks of beautiful Plumb Brook (Plum Brook, without the "b," is north of here):

Plumb Brook is noted for its rapids and cascades, but most of it was relatively placid, and it certainly thrilled the dogs:

They investigated the cool waters at every opportunity - and even more so as the day warmed up:

I don't know if that dam is something beavers made or just the result of water rushing between the rocks, where the sticks get jammed (I suspect it was the latter), but either way, the dogs loved it:

And they went right in. In this photo, they appeared to be calling to Clover to come down and join in the fun:

In places, the trail went uphill, above the turbulent water below:

And in the dark, damp forest there were lots of Partridgeberries blooming. You can see their four-petaled white flowers and pink buds. You can also see one red berry and a White Pine cone from last year:

Fergus and Jack were very well behaved:

Oh look, Seamus, a quiet spot where we can swim:

And swim they did, prancing and splashing like happy children:

And then we again hit the trail. Jack and Daphne raced past a large Yellow Birch. But we were just getting started. I'll post Part 2 tomorrow: