After The Rescue - Part 2

The dogs and I had hiked for miles when our car had gotten mired in a mud hole (see previous posts). After it had been pulled out, we stopped at the CCC reservoir for some cooling recreation. We walked to the tip of the peninsula and the dogs went right into the water:

Seamus is old and partially lame (like me), but he played like a goofy puppy when he was in the water:

Look at the happy smile on Seamus' face!:

Fergus usually goes into the water with the other dogs, but this time he stayed up on the highest part of the peninsula. We found him there when we began walking back:

We traveled along the ridge of the peninsula, with water on both sides of us:

And of course we took our time and enjoyed the beauty:

The dogs made a few attempts at going into the water again, but it's not so easy here as it was at the end of the peninsula. So we just kept walking:

We stopped a moment to appreciate the scenery. Seamus seemed particularly awed by it all:

And then we continued on our return walk back to the car:

The shallow parts of the reservoir were filled with white waterlilies in bloom:

And then we saw our little red car up ahead. It was totally covered with mud and a few things didn't work right after being immersed in water, but we climbed into it and headed for home, lunch and a long nap:

After The Rescue - Part 1

Once the tow truck left and I'd driven with the dogs as far as the CCC reservoir (see previous posts), I decided to stop and enjoy the cool forest and lovely waters. After all, that's why we'd come here in the first place. I parked and let the dogs run into the forest:

Little Daphne and Clover ran full speed toward the water:

I momentarily thought this was Joe-Pye-Weed but the leaves were not whorled, so it couldn't have been. Then I thought it was New York Ironweed but the leaves were opposite, not alternate. I finally gave up trying to figure it out. Does anyone know how to identify this wildflower?

We walked out onto the peninsula, keeping near the water all the way:

A look out over a section of the reservoir was a lovely sight:

And the dogs were again drawn to the water:

It was a fun place to cool off after a long hike:

Cool water to wade in and to drink, with beautiful scenery. Perhaps this day was not so bad after all:

These tiny white flowers were Wood Strawberry. No fruit yet, though:

Jack ran joyously along the top of the peninsula:

And then we headed toward the tip of the land which jutted out into the reservoir. I'll post Part 2 tomorrow:

Walter Pratt Camping & Picnic Area

It had been too long since I took the dogs out hiking, but I wasn't feeling at all energetic. My compromise was to take them to the Walter Pratt Camping and Picnic area in the Brasher State Forest. It has tall pines, a scenic reservoir - and seldom any people:

We come here often because it is nearby and beautiful:

The picnic area is beside the water and beneath a grove of tall White Pines. The dogs seem to consider it their personal racetrack:

My favorite spot is a peninsula which juts out into the water, and the dogs know it well:

They raced ahead and ascended to the top of the raised center of the peninsula. I like to stay down below, walking along the water's edge:

At the end of the peninsula, we all poked around in the sand and explored the water's edge:

And then we began returning along the length of the raised peninsula, the dogs so excited that I had to keep calling them back:

We slowed down when we neared the road. It's a great place for the dogs to investigate the cattails, presumably hunting for wild crocodiles:

Not finding any crocodiles, they had to settle for collecting at interesting smells and imagining what wild critter had preceded them there:

We were by then almost back to our car, and Seamus and Fergus led the way through the pines:

This is a short walk, but just what I need some days:

With our little red car just over the next rise, though, I was already contemplating another nearby trail I'd wanted to explore. I'll post about that tomorrow:

Walter F. Pratt Picnic Area - Part 2

The dogs and I were hiking along the reservoir in the Walter Pratt picnic area (see also Part 1, posted yesterday):

We came to the peninsula and the dogs ran to the top of the ridge, apparently smelling something interesting:

I stayed down by the water and gave the pooches a call to join me:

We got to the end of the peninsula, a favorite spot out in the middle of the water:

From there I saw a small flock of what appeared to be Bufflehead Ducks who hurriedly moved away from us, out towards the ice:


We all walked up to the crest of the peninsula, another fine place for a scenic photo:

And apparently also a fine place for interesting smells:

Fergus and Seamus stayed close to me while Clover and Daphne explored the water's edge. Jack, as usual, was busy running full speed in giant circles:

White Pine cones and needles, with clumps of green moss. After our long and difficult winter, it sure was a joy to see the color green:

And speaking of joy, take a look at happy Seamus as he frolicked beneath the trees:

But we were almost back to where I'd parked the car, which involved more time walking among these venerable old White Pines:

All the dogs stopped for a quick sniff and a couple more pees, and then I declared our walk at an end:

Walter F. Pratt Picnic Area - Part 1

Finally, after the longest winter I can remember living through, we had a warm, sunny day - and the promise that it would continue and turn into springtime. I took the dogs to the nearby Walter Pratt Picnic Area, a favorite place for quick and scenic walks:

There was still ice on the reservoir, but no snow on the ground, so we started off by walking toward the dam. The dogs were as excited as usual, and I tried to keep them reined in by blowing on my silent dog whistle. To my surprise, it worked pretty well:

 The pooches are particularly fond of the picnic tables and fire pits, places they always hope to find food scraps. I am happy to report, however, that they seldom find anything:


 We rounded the corner and began walking to the top of the earthen dam:

Fergus ran down to the water's edge by the cattails, but Seamus and Daphne excitedly ran to the top of the dam. Clover was all the way ahead of us, up near that gate with the yellow bar. Jack, as usual, was running in giant circles. Notice how skinny Seamus looks. That's partly because he had a haircut, but also because he lost a lot of weight. I've now increased his food lest he get too thin. He's in fine shape right now, as evidenced by his lively gait and happily flopping ears:


I stopped to admire the scenery, one of the nicest things about this spot. That peninsula which juts out into the water from the left is another favorite spot, and I knew we'd be heading there shortly:

We started toward the spillway:

And then I thought how we'd been that way many times before. So I walked down the opposite side of the dam into the woods. Seamus, however, stayed up at the crest:

I briefly examined the forest below the dam and then we headed back up to join with Seamus. The cool thing about dogs is that they are beside themselves with joy to be going in any direction. For them, the joy is in the journey. Oh, that I should be so wise:

They stopped often to pee and to sniff what I call the Doggie Newspaper:

My sniffer doesn't work as well, but I did stop to examine the lichens, mosses and single pine seedling at the base of an old White Pine:


We headed off through the forest toward the peninsula which you saw in one of the above photos. I'll post Part 2 tomorrow: