Spring turns to summer

Rugger is determined to be helpful in some way, but he
can't quite figure out how. Everything he grabs or digs at
produces a strong "no" from me so he's not sure what to do.

Theo loves to be out with me, but he's really
only interested in playing ball.

The mornings have been cool this week, but it's been getting progressively warmer during the days. Today, Thursday, was not as cool in the morning and much warmer in the afternoon. I was out for a mid-day walk with Maya and TJ and we were really feeling the heat and humidity. A thunderstorm cooked up and passed through without leaving us much rain. The dogs aren't fond of thunder. Trooper is probably the worst about it now. Vince has lost enough hearing that he doesn't go into the state of panic that he used to. Still, I had five dogs gathered around me during the worst of the storm. Theo stood outside in the dog yard barking at it.

I've been busy planting still, and almost have all the pots filled but not quite. One more trip to the nursery should do it, maybe two.

Watering is a game for Rugger. He wants to
bite at the water stream and jumps away when
I aim it at him. He thinks it's great fun.

This is Rugger trying to explain the game to Theo.

Theo doesn't get it. There's no ball involved.

Rugger is content to play the game alone.

I went looking for pink ladyslippers yesterday
and didn't find them, but did run across this.

Maya and Rugger are a pretty good walking pair.

Mountain laurel, I believe. It blooms in one particular
spot along the trail each year.

I saw this on Thursday's hike with Maya and
TJ. I'm not sure what it was. It was on a tree
but I think it was actually a vine growing on
the tree. Very pretty.

We saw the back end of this snake on the
trail today. It was harmless, but I still pulled
the dogs close to me and hustled them passed
it as quick as possible.

We just did two miles and walked the part of the trail that
goes down to the river. I usually avoid this section of the
trail because of people, but it was fine today and we saw
the pileated woodpecker that I almost always see on this trail.

Everything is much greener than before our trip.
The trees and shrubs are fully leafed out.

There will be no more walking TJ in
85 degree heat. Even the short walk was
hard on him, although he will want to go
again regardless of the weather.