The rains comes in and I head out

Tuesday is supposed to be a rainy day. I'm not fond of rain for more than about 20 minutes, but we need it. I'll be driving to Kentucky for Thanksgiving. Clay is staying here with the dogs and his job. I didn't have time to hike today but here are a few pictures from around the yard early this morning.

Bailey and Paisley are trying to figure out what Maya has been into.

I found it later, it was a package of treats someone had stolen off the front porch

after I had emptied everything out of my van for the trip. 

Part of my container garden after the clean up.

It sure looks desolate now, but I have plans for a large, possibly tacky, 

Christmas arrangement in this spot. I'll work on it after Thanksgiving.

Elvis playing with Dodger. This was good to see.

Maya did not reveal what she had found and been into. I only found it later.

Bailey is the color of fall.

Paisley and Della. 

Della with the flamingos and empty containers.

Della, Bailey, and Elvis

Paisley

Fall clean up

I know we need rain, and I'm actually hoping we get some, but this beautiful, dry autumn weather has been just wonderful. I'm going to Kentucky on Tuesday for Thanksgiving but I spent most of the weekend doing fall clean up around here. I usually wait until spring to clean up the dead plants and fallen leaves, but there was a certain satisfaction and sense of accomplishment in doing it this weekend. Now, I know that there are still leaves to fall and blow and I'll need to do it again, and yet again in the spring, but I got a good start on it this weekend, as well as covering or putting away the garden fountains to keep them safe until spring. 

I spent quite a few hours outdoors both days but only took pictures today. We put a new coat on Della this morning because it was quite chilly. It made her feel special and she got a lot of attention so of course, she loved it. Everyone got plenty of pasture time and it was quite pleasant in the afternoon sun.

Bailey is the only dog that Della allows to join her in the van.

We didn't see much of Elvis because he was out in the pasture hunting.

Della, Maya, and Candace

Maya and Paisley

Bailey and Elvis, on the hunt for field rats and mice.

Maya, Candace, Paisley, and Dodger

Candace really enjoys the pasture time.

Bailey, a/k/a Baby Girl

Dodger

Della, Candace, and Paisley, as I was cleaning up the flamingo garden.

Dodger is becoming slightly more trusting.

Paisley

Maya also spent a lot of time on the hunt.

Paisley and Candace

Elvis when he finally came in from hunting in the pasture.

All about Elvis

Elvis was complaining about his lack of blog coverage lately, so I'm making it up to him tonight.

These first few pictures are from this morning's walk with Bailey. Elvis is a very good walking companion. He sets a good pace if he's in front and he keeps up if he's behind. He likes to stop and sniff a bit, but he's easier to keep moving than Della, mostly because he's about a quarter of her weight.

Well, I had to slip in at least one picture of Baby Girl.

Friday evening we took Elvis to Decipher Brewery in Charlottesville. He's a great brewery dog, extremely social. He worked the crowd as much as I'd let him and he's cute enough that people come to him. His former owner was an elderly woman so I'm guessing that brewery visits were new to him, but he must have been well socialized with people in some way because he really likes them, and people respond to him.

Do you remember the pretty merle Dane, Millie, from back in July? Her owners were at Decipher this evening too. They bring her there sometimes but didn't happen to this evening. She's doing great and they love her.

Work and walk

 I didn't sleep very well last night, probably because I hadn't walked the day before, so I wasn't in the best of moods and really didn't feel like hiking this morning in the cold. But I knew that I should because it would make me feel better. So I did, and it did make me feel better. I took just Della because I didn't feel like wrangling a lot of dog. She was happy with that and we did a nice two mile hike.

I got to work and had a pretty productive day so in the late afternoon I took Bailey and Dodger for a three mile hike. We had two pretty close encounters with deer so I'm wondering if Bailey will forget about squirrels and set her sites on bigger game. 

I'm enjoying walking this time of year and splitting the distance into two and three mile segments works better for my work day and is probably better for my health as well. I'm more than a little frustrated that it's not resulting in any weight loss at this point, however. 

2.06 miles

3.09 miles