A fine fall day

Today was just a fine fall day. The air was cool and dry, the sun was shining, the dogs were as happy and excited about it as I was, maybe even more so. I took Maya and Della out for a late afternoon hike, and still later I took the four foster dogs, Paisley, Olivia, Rita, and Elvis, plus Max, out to the pasture to run.

And run they did. I walked a mile and took pictures of the dogs as they came running towards me or away from me. They all covered a lot of ground, but especially Olivia who is incredibly fast and seems to never tire. She must have ran ten miles in the time we were out there. In the beginning they stuck to the trails and they explored them just like a bunch of kids would do on trails through the woods. A couple of them then seemed to realize that they could dive into the tall grass and wildflowers, but they had to leap frog in order to see where they were going. The trails were better for speed.

The pasture is really pretty now with the grasses as tall as they can get and all the late summer wildflowers in bloom. I still think I'll get it someone with a bushhog to cut it down this fall, but come spring, after the buttercups have bloomed I think I'll let it grow again and make another trail system out there.

The dogs had a wonderful time and I'm sure they will sleep soundly. I couldn't get Paisley back inside tonight, though. She was still worked up and was acting feral again. When we were out there she was the one who stuck closest to me and checked in most frequently. But I couldn't get the damn bitch in the house tonight. I did finally manage to lure her into Daneland and I just shut the gate and left her out there. She may prefer it. I think I'm going to start her on some of Max's prozac tomorrow. She's just not right. 

Left to right: Rita, Max, Paisley, and Olivia. Only Elvis is missing from this picture.

Olivia, looking down another trail, trying to decide which way to go.

There are so many colors in the pasture right now between various grasses and all the wildflowers.

Olivia lapped everyone many times over, but everyone pretty much

stuck together, they were obviously enjoying this as a group.

That's little Elvis coming up the hill on the trail to the left.

It wasn't unusual for three or four of them to come running past me.

Rita, Elvis, and Max

Max and Paisley

Elvis was at a slight disadvantage, not because he's deaf but because he's short.

Breaking free from the trails

See, Paisley's in more pictures than anyone. She really thinks she's my dog.

She even pissed over my own pee spot outdoors this evening, and lifted her leg while doing it.

The only other dog that does that is Maya. 

I love this one, Olivia and Rita both bounding through the tall grass.

Maybe she wouldn't come in tonight because she just didn't want the fun to end.