May Day, before and after

Sparky and Maya. That post is a trail marker, but I
consider them to be photo stations because I can drop the
leash over it and step away to take a picture.

May Day as a spring festival doesn't seem to be celebrated much any more. I remember as a kid in elementary school making May Day baskets out of colored construction paper and filling them with lilacs from the park on the way home to give to my mother. That was probably the first flowers I ever brought to my mother and they are still one of my favorite scents.

A dogwood, reaching for the sky.

My mother and I developed and shared an interest in gardening that we have continued to share through the years. My sisters weren't much help with yard work as I recall, although I'll admit that they have gotten better at it. My mother often comes to visit about this time in the spring and we spend most of it planning and planting my container garden and generally getting my yard in shape for the spring and summer. This year I'm going out to her place to return the favor.


I leave very early Monday morning for a week in Salina, Kansas. (Google that if you want a glimpse into the wholesome heartland upbringing that formed my twisted mind.) But it's spring here too, which means the grass and weeds are growing like crazy. Consequently, I've been seriously slacking off on the hiking for the past week because I'm trying to get things done before I go.

Barkley (left) and Sparky (right). I had Sparky in the dog
yard with Barkley, Max, and Trooper for a week. It went
generally well, but he and Trooper got into it once or twice.
I moved Sparky back to his habitat after Cooper and Teddy
went home. I think he prefers it anyway. 

I've leaving Clay at home with just seven dogs this time. That must be a record low number and most of them are mostly ours, although he might quibble about Barkley and Max.

Bluebells(?) in bloom along the trail.

These pictures were taken over the past week or so, in the days leading up to May Day and several of them on yesterday's hike when I finally got back to the trails.

On Friday I drove Jonsey up to Culpeper to
meet Debbie who is keeping him while I'm
away. He's a sweet boy, still very shy, but
he was coming around. He'll get more
exposure to more new things this next week
and that should be good for him.

Thank you to everyone who offered to help Anika or will do so. She's got an appointment for May 12th after I'm back and I'll have a better idea about her needs after that. I know that many of you responded simply because I asked, and that means a lot to me, more than I can say.

Barkley and Max walking together. Max is all business on
the trails. It's almost like he has a clue.

This isn't a great picture of Barkley and Sparky
but I love all the rottweiler legs in every possible
position of movement.

Max

Barkley has that nice rottie smile.

Gigi, Trooper, and Maya, on yesterday's first walk.
Gigi ran to the van, wanting to go, so I took her.
The thyroid supplement is definitely giving her more energy.

Trooper and Gigi are both
one mile dogs. They don't care for
much more than that.

Her skin and coat are improving immensely.

You can see how shiny her coat is now.

Redbuds in the forest.

Handsome Trooper

Sparky on a bench under a dogwood tree.

Sparky never fails to roll in the grass when the
opportunity presents itself.