Across the Pond

It was a brilliantly sunny day today... ambient temps hovering around -11C... but a biting wind from the north dropped it to a 'feel' of -20C. Despite the nip in the air, the dog and I headed to the local off leash park for a run about. Or a walk about for me and a trundle about for her. Zoë rarely actually runs full out these days. She's just past 6 1/2 but is getting grey on her chin and a noticeable slowing down. She's never been a speed demon, even in her younger years, but a steady jog is more her tempo these days.

She does, however, still get quite excited when we get suited up for a walk, and even more so when she sees the keys for the Blazer come out. Then she knows we're going to the dog park!


To stay as much out of the wind as possible, we headed for the creek bed, to follow the wide and winding reed lined path.


The reeds, reddish golden with a few cattails still intact, stand taller than my 5'9". This shot was taken at eye level.



Looking back from whence we came.



The creek feeds into a pond which, in summer, is home to many ducks and geese. A lot of dogs love to swim and play in it as well. Zoë has yet to get her toes more than barely wet. As far as she is concerned, water is for drinking... out of a bowl. If you have to step in it to get at it, she wants nothing to do with it! So this time of year is the only time she's ever actually 'in' the pond.



That's the entrance to the creek way behind the dog. It's a well used path. Sometimes, especially early in winter, the pond is actually bare ice. Recently we've had a few good snowfalls, so you'd not know you were walking on water.



A view from up on the shore. It's a good sized pond. Nice that it is part of the dog park and not a skating pond. There are so few areas in the city where dogs can run loose that this park is heavily frequented by carousing canines and their human companions.



Here Zoë stops to say hi to one of the people. She's always much more interested in humans than the other dogs, as she knows just about everyone will stop and pet her. She suckers them in every time!



Heading back towards the parking lot, the early evening sun was blinding. By this time, I'd warmed up enough from the brisk walk that I had fogged up my sunglasses and had to take them off to see anything at all!



Even in winter, she drools. Only this time of year, it is frozen in thick lines of ice wrapped abstractly around her face each time she shakes her head. She had a great time!



The setting sun's warm glow caught the rosy-ness of my cheeks in the rear view mirror on the drive home. No, that's not a tear in my eye... just another reflection off the truck glinting at me.