Sun and Clouds

The first of these pics were taken on a sunny evening, I think it was last Friday. It was one of those 80 degree days and I waited until late in the day before going out to walk with Maya and Rugger.

Rugger loves, really loves, our walks. I don't know if he had ever done anything like this in his past,  but he enjoys it immensely. After all that time spent living in a basement, laying on concrete, he's ready for a dog's life the way it's supposed to be. His fur is looking better all the time and you can really see that it has filled in around his eyes.

Sunday night we had the "Big Storm." The truly severe weather missed us, and I'm very glad, but we still got about 4" of rain overnight. Monday wasn't bad and the sun even tried to break out a few times so I took Maya, Rugger, and TJ up to Pleasant Grove for a walk. The trails were officially closed, which I generally ignore, but after 4" of rain I knew they would be muddy. We just walked the roadways and some well-drained and grassy trail sections and managed to get in four miles.

In addition to the beautiful color of his coat in the late day sun,
you can see in these pics that the fur is filling in around his
eyes so he doesn't have those big bare, black circles around
his eyes that made him look so old and tired. 

We encountered a lot of runners today, some of whom stopped and asked if they could pet the dogs. I had friendly dogs with me today so I said ok and the dogs all enjoyed the encounters, even Maya. When they took off running Rugger wanted to go with them, but I had to explain that I could not manage that pace. I'm not sure Rugger understood, but he's stuck with me until he can find someone faster.

Unless she has just spotted a deer, there is usually some slack in Maya's leash.
Rugger's leash is usually pulled tight, although he may be either ahead of me or behind me.

A dogwood tree on the edge of the woods beginning to bloom.

I brushed TJ after today's hike, but got surprisingly little fur
off of him. When his coat begins to blow it will be a major event.

I don't know if anyone has given this great oak a name,
but it deserves one. 

The redbud trees are really beautiful now. This is their week.

Rugger always turns around to look at me when I stop.