The dogs on Juniper Flats

It was a quiet day. Susan's daughter and granddaughter are here for the week and I wanted to give her her privacy. I have met her daughter Andrea and granddaughter Isabelle and get along with them. They are both dog lovers like Susan, but not necessarily outdoor people. They live on Long Island and have that New York accent, which I always find refreshing. 

Andrea, however, injured her foot last year when her patio collapsed. The foot has never healed and still remains in a flexicast, making her disabled and unable to walk much. Isabelle has a minor heart issue that prevents her from exerting herself much.

Susan wanted me to come over for a visit. I last met her family in February when they were here for spring break. I agreed, after taking all dogs minus Sadie for a walk down the river. 

The river has been calm these last few days. The last few days have been in the upper 30s, low 40s and too chilly to wade in the water anymore, but I still take the dogs down the trail where they can opt down into the water. Fallen leaves cover the gently-flowing water, covering the river in golds and yellows..

It was a very quiet morning along the river. There was barely any breeze. I didn't even hear any birds. I am used to Allie's barking when she is with my pack, but my dogs were quiet today. The pups chased after birds, Sweetie went on her own, and Zeke stayed by my side while only Minnie seemed untouched by the chilly water.  She is the reason I take the dogs down to the river.  The water provides her some therapeutic exercise.

The two miles took me an hour.  I was done by 10:20am, giving me plenty of time to drive back home, relax a bit, before going to Susan's place shortly after noon.  I brought the pups, Sweetie and Zeke.

Allie loves hosting her dog pals and seemed to enjoy a game of chase in the garden with the pups.  This made Susan happy, as Allie has few friends to interact with.  This is the first time we witnessed Allie playing with both pups.  

Zeke and Sweetie were inside with us as we chatted over some pumpkin pie and whipped cream (in my case, whipped cream flavored with some pumpkin pie) when Andrea got the idea to treat the dogs to whipped cream straight out of the can.  That was a big hit with the dogs!  Watching Hansel lick the cream off his snout was as funny as watching a dog eat peanut butter

Susan wanted to show Isabelle Juniper Flats and the side canyon we were on briefly on that McEntee hike.  I agreed to go along in my own car.  I forgot the walk down to the side canyon from the parking area is 0.8 miles, almost too much for cityslicker Isabelle, dressed in flat sneakers and torn jeans and a black puffer jacket.  She brought her Canon camera and was busy taking photos while the dogs explored the rocks.  We didn't go far as the mid-afternoon sun was already low and the canyon walls shaded and cool, but it was a pleasure to see the dogs enjoying being dogs with no one else around.  This was another two-mile exploration,  giving the dogs four miles total of exercise today.

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