walking

We took it easy today, at least Molly and I did. Misty on the other hand probably did 5 km for every 1 km Molly and I did. Misty raced ahead, circled wide and passed us from behind many times. Often, her excited shrill bark could be heard far in the woods. Molly is becoming less excitable and it was fairly easy to persuade her to stay near me. I was conscious that we were walking pretty close to dusk so the possibility of encountering porcupines was greater. You know Molly has a bad history with porcupines!

It's practically impossible to walk without the noise of crunching leaves underfoot.

The leaves of wild grapevines have fallen away, exposing vines heavy with grapes. This vine wrapped itself around a maple sapling. I can't recall a time when I've seen such a heavy crop of grapes!

I'd love to know what the growths on this leaf are -- a fungal infection?

An oak sapling showing off it's red autumn finery.

The dogs stop to refresh themselves. Molly was panting, but because I walked instead of doing a run today, she was able to keep up.

The cry of what I think might be a red-tailed hawk let us know he/she was irritated by our intrusion on his/her domain.

I'm a big fan of the fuzzy foliage of verbascum. Next year, it will send up its spires in an architectural statement to rival any cathedral spire.

It's dusk, but perhaps the flash illuminates betten than natural light the way this grass that curls when it dries in a way that I adore,

as it also seems to highlight the seedheads of the same grass. The seedheads often tower to just over my head!
The homes of the porcupines we have encountered in the past still seem to be occupied by porcupines. The odour of their recent excrement was quite distinct downwind, even to a non-canine nose! Misty tried to climb a tree or two, but as we neared home, Molly hardly paid any attention at all, she was so winded.