Gettin' out

It seems that spring is here. The plum tree out back is in bloom and my youngest has started his garden. Bees will be getting here the second week in April - so not much longer.

I got the opportunity to get Gordon out for a stroll through the dunes today. The temperature had dropped from 74 yesterday to 40 with the wind blowing at 30 mph. Wind chill brings it down to close to freezing.

I took the kids to soccer and then headed up into the dunes in search of fox or raccoon. I wanted to get the smell in Gordon's nose. Gordon stayed close, investigating nearby. We meandered through the sand hills following game trails and looking for places where fox may lie up. We found a few promising spots that seemed to delight the dog's nose, but no live animals.

We headed off the dune and into an area where the forest was being swallowed by the sand. A great horned owl flushed in front of us and cruised low across the ponds below us.

The birds were out in force. Little black jobs jumping from branch to branch as the dog sniffed down below. This area looked great for squirrels except for the water. There were large green pools tenuously connected by narrow land bridges. A red shouldered hawk screamed at us from the trees.

It was a good walk - I am needing some excuses to get out into the woods this time of year.