The River is High
– December 30, 2016 Toby –
Today when we walked along the trail, we ran into a large pond. We couldn’t see the other side. I got my feet wet and Johnnie laughed and said. “There’s no way through unless you want to swim” It was cold and I don’t really like swimming. I took a taste of the water. Fresh and cool. Tasty.
We backtracked along the trail, cut across the field. Nobody here today, usually people shoot arrows into hay bales. Weird. But I’m a dog so the whole idea of holding something is kind of freaky. Sometimes Johnnie grabs my paw and tells me to pet him. What. He’s kidding of course. I just give him the look and he rubs my head. Humans can be funny that way.
So, we slip around the side of the field to avoid the blackberries. I hate blackberry brambles as they hurt my paws. We follow a trail into the woods, past an old encampment. All the smells are fresh and wet as the floodwaters washed it clean, except for the stuff left behind. Plastic, paper, junk, all sorts of trash.
Finally, a real trail, I want to go right, but we go left to the creek. The trail is muddy with lots of puddles where I can splash around. I don’t mind puddles. It is too cold for swimming, but pudlin is fun. Anyway, Johnnie wants me to stay close as the sun will set soon.
So many smells along this trail. I love fresh mud or muck, the stinkier the better. I want to roll in it but Johnnie sees me and calls me to come. I hesitate, give him a look, sniff the tasty spot, and amble his way. He watches to make sure I don’t curl back for a second round so I pick up the pace a little.
Back at home, Johnnie washes the mud off my feet in the shower, dries me off and gives me a full body rub. Oh Yeah, I love a Johnnie rub. To top it off is a little peperoni. Yum!
