A Morning Walk

It was a picturesque, crisp, Fall morning. The sky was a perfect blue and the sun had just shot its first radiant beams above Mt. Dominion’s heights. I was heading down our  mountain-goat-like path to the barn to collect my “lions” and do my dog chores.
   
Lady, my first Golden Retriever, leapt to her feet at my  approach and excitedly darted around when I opened her door. Exuberantly, she told everyone “good morning” and ran around some more while I let the other two dogs out.
With the pack of three Golden beasts swarming and dancing about me, I dashed over to the field gate. Putting my hand on the latch, I commanded in my most masterful tone “Sit!”.

One by one each of the leaping retrievers forced itself into the commanded posture. Smilingly, I looked at them, and slowly opened the twelve foot gate. Then, swinging it wide I said “OK!” and they bolted past me into the welcoming frosted pasture.
After readying each dog’s breakfast, a few minutes later I joined the dogs. Whistling for them to follow, I set off across the closely cropped grass to check the pond pasture.

At the end of the pasture I stopped in the gateway to marvel at the massive thistle thicket that borders the ponds. It was probably seven feet tall in places, and the Canadian thistles, even though they were long dead and yellowed, were still formidably prickly! It would have proven quite a barrier, had not my flock of 30 hungry sheep been hard at work trimming it up and beating paths through to water. So, carefully twisting my way in, I made it to the edge of the pond.

The dogs had already beat me to the water, and were swimming about happily. Lady was prancing about with a piece of algae covered styrofoam she had found left over from our homemade raft project, so I told myself to bring a trash bag with me next time I came out this way…
Skirting the edge of the pond on a treacherously muddy and slippery sheep trail, I took stock of the other pond, then, calling my dogs, I plunged into our “swamp”.

Hanging onto the little willow bush-trees that grow here, I balanced on the semi-solid tussocks of grass. Many times had I lost my footing before, and gotten a boot full of mud, and once mother sunk knee deep! So, carefully, I made my way to the little “waterfall” on the edge of the marsh in a tiny clearing that feeds the ponds year round. Its cheerful rush enlivens this place making it feel secluded and special.
There I stood, a minute or two, admiring the diversity, beauty, and order of God’s marvelous creation, listening to the bubbling water, while the peculiar, damp smell of the place wafted about with the crisp fall scents. But, just then I remembered that Dad was preparing breakfast back at the house, and he does NOT like his food to get cold! So, with a last quick glance around, I left refreshed from my outing and headed home.

~Ann