An Easter Walk to Comfort Area Wineries

Saturday, April 23, 2011: I rode in the vehicle for a while today out to the Hermann Sons Youth Camp near Comfort. Diane brought me on the Easter Walk (& Wine) and we walked with Marcella and Mark. The sky was semi-overcast, but it became more sunny as the day continued. The temperature was in the 80s, but there was a good breeze, especially at some points along the walk. The walk was in the country along lightly traveled roads. We did have to walk over about 6 cattle guards--I didn't know what to think of those metal grates, but I was wary of them. The first two I was able to walk along the edge, like Diane did. On one guard I was able to walk down a metal strip in the middle. The last two I leapt over with some encouragement.

There were many hillside views along the route. As we got off the road and turned on the driveway to Singing Water Vineyards, we saw a field with more than 30 brown, and white and brown goats--both adults and kids. The kids scampered around and bleated. We got to the checkpoint and Diane, Marcella, and Mark went inside a building where they saw wine casks, tanks, and sampled wines. Meanwhile, I stayed outside with Pat at the checkpoint table. When Diane came back, Pat told her I was well behaved. That's because I was lying down most of the time, because I appreciated the opportunity to rest in the shade.

We continued back along the road where we had walked. In the distance, we saw cattle walking near a creek. Later we saw some donkeys and horses. The walk continued to Bending Branch Winery. This is a new winery. The tasting room opened in August 2010. I sat outside under the shade of a large live oak tree. There was another dog also resting nearby. He appeared to be part sheep dog and part blue heeler. The walk continued along several roads and there was not very much shade along the last stretch of the walk.

Marcella found a plastic egg along the route fairly early in our walk. If you find a plastic egg, you get a prize, such as a live plant. Near the end of the walk, one of the walk organizers drove by in a truck and asked if we had found any eggs. The humans said they had found one. By the end of the walk, we found two more eggs--one for each human. Diane and her friends called these "pity eggs" since they were sure that the organizer had put these eggs out along the trail after talking to us. But the humans liked their prizes; they selected plants. We walked a total of 12 kilometers. I sat fairly still in the car on the ride home, because I was tired!

An Evening Walk from Lady Bird Johnson Park

Friday, April 22, 2011: We did another walk with the San Antonio Nature Hounds. It was warmer and more humid tonight than it was last week. However, at 86 degrees and 50% humidity, it was still comfortable, compared to what we expect this summer, and we enjoyed the walk.

When we arrived at Lady Bird Johnson Park, we met a few other people and dogs. Diane knew one couple we saw. Then we found out that the meeting point was further into the park. (Diane didn't read the directions carefully enough.) Others drove, but Diane and I walked to meet the other Nature Hounds near the linkage to the Salado Creek Greenway. There were 12 dogs and 10 people in our group.

The walk organizer brought one of his Great Danes, and there was a new walker with his Australian Ridgeback, named Rigby. There was another dog who was part Red Heeler (like me!) and probably part Husky (with blue eyes) named Tang! There were a number of other smaller dogs, and Maggie, who is a border collie mix and who barks more than the other dogs do.

The trail was a wide concrete sidewalk and suitable for strollers, and probably even wheelchairs for most of the route. A few people on bikes and skateboards passed us, but there weren't a lot of other people or dogs out walking on the trail besides us. When we got to Loop 410, where we heard and saw lots of vehicles passing by, we stopped, waited for the rest of the group, and some of us got water. I was hoping I would get a treat, but I didn't. We turned around and re-traced our steps on the Salado Creek Greenway, back to our starting point. Diane and I returned to the car. I was fairly content on the ride home.

Fiesta Time Walks, 2011

I’ve been lax in getting my blog updated lately. However, I’ve had a couple walks lately that are noteworthy.

On Saturday, April 9, Diane loaded me up in the back of the Prius after a meeting she had, and we went to Fort Sam Houston. Diane thought that when she went through the checkpoint at the entrance to the base that there might be some scrutiny of the dog in the back of the vehicle, but there wasn’t.

Diane kept me in the car while she checked in. I got a little anxious and moved into the backseat (rather than the cargo area) by the time Diane returned. However, we had an enjoyable walk together. At one point, I hopped on three legs for a minute or so, and Diane wondered what was wrong with me. I guess I stepped on something sharp, but then it was ok.

As we walked along the edge of the golf course, we marveled at the variety of Texas wildflowers in bloom along the edge of the golf course, which seemed to be the most prolific wildflower bloom we’ve seen in the city limits. As we walked, we encountered 3 children. One child, a young girl in a purple jumper pet me and rubbed my ears and remarked on how soft they were. The children tried to sell Diane pieces of broken tile. We continued walking. It became hotter and I was thirsty as we neared the end of the walk. During the last portion of the walk, every time we walked in shade and I felt a breeze, I tried to lie down. Diane generally wasn’t too receptive of my lying down, except once or twice.

Friday, April 15, 2011: The San Antonio Nature Hounds. 14 dogs walked with 11 people at Comanche Lookout Park on the northeast side of San Antonio. Some of the views were from hills, so that was nice. The weather was perfect, according to Diane. The humidity was low (about 10%) and the temperature was in the 70s. The other dogs were pretty well behaved. I interacted a little with a few of the other dogs, but I kept to myself quite a bit, too. At one point I was limping a little and a nice woman pulled a sharp sliver out of my paw. That felt better and I walked normally after that. The only downside of the walk was that it was so dry and dusty that Diane's shoes were covered with dust by the time we got home.

Nature Hounds: Wednesday Market & Riverwalk Stroll

Diane and I had an adventure Wednesday night. I rode in the back of the Prius downtown and we parked under the highway, near the Pearl Brewery. We first went to the Wednesday evening Market near the Riverwalk, where we met several other Nature Hounds walkers (humans with dogs). After hanging out for a few minutes, we went over to the Yellow Train by the Pearl Stable to meet other dogs with their humans. We met up with about 10 other dogs and humans. We then proceeded to the Museum Reach of the San Antonio River Walk.

Many of us dogs were a little reluctant to walk down the metal stairs to the Riverwalk, but we did it. There were about 8 additional humans (without dogs) who joined us on our walk. I enjoyed the 4+ mile walk along the river and back to our starting point. At one point, we witnessed a stabbing victim getting attended to by police and filmed by some local news camera people.

I walked alongside several different dogs. Diane said I was well behaved. I liked that we walked more than normal. I could have walked farther.

When we finished our walk, some of us went to Timbo's for some human food. Timbo served our humans on the patio outside. Bob, the white Golden Lab, who is about 1 year old, barked and wanted to play with me. I chomped at him several times. His human thought my chomping was rather amuzuing. I was interested in the food served to humans, but I didn't get any human food. Diane gave me a few dog biscuit treats. Bob and I got into it a few times, but I laid down several times, too.

We walked back to the car. I enjoyed the adventures I had Wednesday evening!

A Walk in the Valley of Lions

I haven't posted for a long time (over a year). My interpreter has been preoccupied with other matters, although she does walk me a few times a week, on average. Mike walks me more days per week, but he doesn't vary the routes very much.

Yesterday, Diane came home from a Volksmarch. When she told Mike about "walking" I got very excited. Diane decided that since the Volksmarch was nearby--in Leon Valley--she could take me for a walk there. Diane and Mike put me in the back of the car and she drove to the Leon Valley Public Library. Diane and I were the last walkers of the day, #197. One lady noted how well behaved I seemed. Diane told her that I had been to beginner’s class of obedience school.

I encountered new smells and sights and heard and saw other dogs behind fences along the trail. I did not bark at them or react. When we reached Checkpoint #1, the man who was staffing the table poured some fresh water into the dog dish for me, but I preferred to lap the water as it was pouring out of the container, rather than just lapping the water out of the dish! We walked the bypass through a residential area to Raymond Rimkus Park. We walked on the path around the park and back to the Leon Valley Public Library. Then we walked down Evers Road, took a right on Forest Pine and walked to an open lot, where we saw the historical marker for the Evers family cemetary, and the cemetary behind it. This is the family for whom Evers Road is named. We continued back along the greenway and back to the library. I could have walked farther than this, but I did lie down when we were at the Finish table. In fact, when Diane wanted to take me back to the car, I rolled on my side, as if I didn’t want to move at all. However, I got up and we walked to the car. Diane took me on one errand and then we went home. I had a good walk!

In Pursuit of Blue Jays

Those blue jays make me so mad! Birds do not belong in the yard of a red heeler. They just don't listen when I bark. Those blue jays are devious demons. They know that dogs don't fly.

Last week they started looking around my yard to rest up in the trees, like they do every year. I hate that. I bark and bark, but they just don't go away.

When they made a nest and had babies last year, up in the crepe myrtle trees by the driveway, they would torture me. Every time I went over there, they would swoop down and try to peck the top of my head. That makes me mad.

I am not the least bit embarrassed that my attempt to drive them out on Monday failed. Blue jays must go.

Ok, so I'm limping and I might not want to try this same approach. On Monday evening, when Mike and Diane weren't home, I tried to chase the blue jays up the crepe myrtle tree (pictured here) and my front paw got stuck between the trunks of a couple of the crepe myrtle trees. I yelped and cried so pitifully that the neighbors came from across the street and eventually freed my paw from the trees, where it was caught. My right paw was swollen, as you should see in this photo of me.

Our neighbor was concerned that I was seriously injured, but Mike brought me in the house to recuperate, and despite a slightly sore paw, I'm fine now. Mike is glad that we have such responsive neighbors.

Summer Naughtiness

It's been really hot and dry for way-way too long. To keep cooler during the day when it's hot, I usually stay under the deck Mike built last year. It's officially "Dog Days" now. Yesterday, I dug out of the yard two times.

The first time was in the morning. King, the Rottweiler/Pit Bull mix who lives across the street, was out of his yard, which occurs quite frequently. His people often don't close the gate when they leave the yard, so he often wanders over and we try to play through my fence. Yesterday, he got into a different neighbor's fenced-in yard and he helped me figure out another way to escape. Mike is quite happy to learn that King's people will be moving out at the end of the month.

Later in the day I got into the neighbor's yard by digging under the fence near some bamboo. Mike tried to close the hole. If it continues to be dry, I might find more places to dig out!