https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00IVSL6Ysko

So this morning we walked down along the front heading south-ish. We were almost to the end of the trail (it leads up to the lane) but then we decided to stay off the laneways as Bear and Sam’s paws would get super mucky as it is not as cold as we would like it to be. So just there, before you get to the lane, there is an almost invisible trail to what we have now dubbed “Moose Hollow”. If you could see it, you would know why we call it that; it looks like the perfect place to catch a moose stopping in for a graze and a drink from the lil pool of water which is well protected from a somewhat shabby stand of grizzly old pines. And tough suckers they are too; they survived a forest fire which felled lesser trees. Anyway, we think this is where we are going to catch a glimpse of a moose.

We ventured along to the second pool and tip-toed through the almost-but-not-quite frozen grasses, carefully seeking out safe spots to allow our feet to rest for a split second before proceeding with our next precarious step.  Once we got out of that bit of marsh and onto dry land the going was a lil quicker as we followed an old trail. We were just meant to go to the end, peek around the corner and then turn around; curiosity got the best of us and we carried on as the old trail was proving quite reliable. Oh, if only I could have foreseen how the trail would all but disappear a mere 50 metres ahead I would have turned around there and then.

The trail on dry land soon vanished. Bear was happily splooshing and splashing about in the tall grasses, picking his way along; Luke followed suit, though trying to keep to slightly drier mounds. “That’s all you have to do, Deanna; just put your foot on what looks like a solid clump of grass and it’s all good.” Yea, right! Now, I’m going to tell you a lil secret; I actually HATE putting my foot down, ahead of me, if I can’t SEE what I am going to be stepping on! I have trod on too many freakin’ scary things over my lifetime to trust my feet! And it doesn’t help that I have been watching Lord of the Rings and our marsh reminds me of the Dead Marshes that Frodo and Samwise Gamgee had to pick their way through!!! Gives me the shivers just thinking about it! So you can well imagine that near the top of my list of trails to build is one out around the spit and back home…there and back again.

Now IF everything was as frozen as I had hoped it might be at this time of the year, we could simply walk over the frozen marshes! Don’t ask me why THAT doesn’t freak me out; it doesn’t. I suppose it is because my foot will not disappear down some dark fathomless hole but will easily rest on top of the ice. I can’t wait until the marsh and creek freeze over! There is an old homestead just over the creek that I am dying to explore. I have half-heartedly tried twice along a totally dry land route but the old blow downs were just too much for Bear. Our Bear is quite the trooper; he will give his all to get over, around or under  blow-downs but there comes a time when he’ll just look at us and we know he is done. Samwise, Mr. Agility, NEVER has a problem going ANYWHERE! His agility never ceases to amaze me!

Once we got back to the fork in the path and headed home Bear and Sam surprised a flock of grouse! Eight or nine birds flew off with Bear and Sam in hot pursuit! There were two who thought they would play dead but then Sammy was upon their hiding spot and they flew off too! I think they gave Sammy a fright and he was determined he was going to get ’em! Ah, if only he had wings! Bear was way long gone, still chasing the initial flock. The boys definitely got their exercise in this morning.