A Walk Around the Pond

Bruce is sick.  He came down with his first cellulitis infection of the summer and is now home with a hurting leg and a fever.  He feels miserable, but we've been through this before, and there's nothing to do but load up on antibiotics and Tylenol, rest, and basically just wait it out.  So that's what we're doing.

Every morning at dawn, as regular as clockwork, Bruce takes the dogs for a brisk walk around the pond.  I stay in and sip coffee (if I'm awake, that is).  This morning, I looked up to see Seal, Arlo and Murphy staring in at Bruce as he lay on the sofa.  They were obviously eagerly waiting for their walk, and Bruce was just as obviously not going to spring up and give it to them.  So they got the next best thing, which was me with my cup of coffee in one hand and camera in the other.  No brisk walk today, but more of a stroll around the pond with lots of pauses along the way to look at things and take pictures.  Here, then, is a little bit of daybreak at Frogpond.

Raft still not fouled by fowl

Neighbor's heifer in lower pasture below dam

Gopher Ridge

Arlo loves to pack along a rock in his mouth

The road along the dam

"The Queen": we were married under this grey pine

A wild turkey hightailing it away from the grain pan

This scene is classic California

The stone bridge: water from solar pump flows to pond

Note the charming poison oak leaf among the berries

The solar panel and storage tank

Groggy hens...

...and a groggy Mulligan (streeeeeetch)

 

This ended my official walk around the pond.  However, before going back in the house, I had to say good morning to the hens and see how the orchard garden was doing.

Multipass meditating at the birdbath

The driveway down to the orchard garden

Wind chimes in the old plum tree

More morning glories -- I love these flowers!

And then I, my camera and what was left of a cold cup of coffee came back in the house.  Bruce's fever was down, so I sat him at the table and fed him tomato soup and toast.  And then, I looked up to see this:                                                               

"Hey, Mom!  How's about a walk?"