Carnival in town/Into the woods

I haven't posted any pictures of walks in the past week but that's not because I haven't been walking. I actually got out both morning and evening every day last week except Friday (once) and Saturday (once, but four miles). There's been a carnival at Pleasant Grove this week and the dogs and I watched the setup in the early part of the week, but after it officially started on Thursday, we've gone back to taking our walks in the woods leaving from the trailhead behind the Fluvanna library.

The carnival walks feature Della, Bailey, Della and Elvis, and Della and Baily. 

I mostly stay out of the woods in the summer because of my fear of ticks. It's only a partially irrational fear. I do seem to attract them, even more than the dogs. I've been spraying myself before starting out and showering when we get home, to check for ticks and also to wash off the bug spray. And I'm using trails that aren't particularly overgrown with a lot of tall grass and a shrubs that I have to brush against while walking. So far, so good.

The pictures here are mostly all of Bailey, who will hop up onto boulders and give me a nice pose when I ask her to do so. She looks on it as a better vantage point from which to scan the woods and tree tops for birds, squirrel, deer, or anything in motion. I took Bette on one of the evening walks before she went home as well.

Bailey doing her "get close" where she pushes herself between my legs.

The mornings were cool this week so Della was very insistent about coming along. So much so that we may have overdone it. She's still limping today but is beginning to at least touch down with the lame leg/foot. Carrying her back end upstairs is awkward but she knows she needs the help right now and is very cooperative about it. I'll probably be calling for a vet appointment tomorrow to see if we can find out if there's anything other than a soft tissue injury going on.