The Dog Walkers Journal Winter covered the features of the land this year--obliterating creeks, rocks, fallen trees, holes, isolated strands of old barb wire (a good reason not to run a snowmobile cross country in NE), heavy vines, exposed tree roots. My last attempt to walk my Leonberger revealed his rescue breeding--when I dropped into a hole, with snow pouring down my neck and no footing, Pookah plowed back to me and held his body so that I could pull myself up, then backed up as I held on with handfulls of his fur, which must have hurt. It was more swimming than walking. While he got me out, it was clear that walks werent working. So, as a small reward, we were spared some brutal cold excursions: -14 with a chill factor of -22 and it never got above -12 for a time, -18, -20, (and I had always presumed that hell was HOT), -22 that jumped to 42 the next day, a 64-degree swing in 12 hours!! A few warm days brought picturesque rock humps, releasing crazy energy that tempted us to brazen the bony land. Im tough! I can do this!! WRONG! Now the ice crust had settled, turning into black ice. Even the four-leggers have to mince around, occasionally doing a fast split or sit down, breaking through, plunged neck or chest deep with no purchase to climb up. They had to make like icebreakers to progress. We lucked out, made it home without serious damage--just sore canines, broken walking stick, elbow contusion, and a bruised camera. The dogs began quarreling. By now I was snarling at reflections of myself in the windows. I craved the morning sound of birds, and free vitamin D, and took to sharpening my teeth. Im too old for this shit. Enough snow has melted now that we can, once again, perambulate in the woods with our critters. Now there is just the familiar quick sand and swamp and oily-black earth--what natives affectionately call mud season. But were used to that and it whispers summer, and its cheaper than a trip to Florida. Now were back to filthy, happy dogs and cold feet, something we can appreciate.
Posted on: Tue, 25 Mar 2014 21:57:46 +0000
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