Quest at Lake Sacajawea
On Wednesday, this week, it seemed a good day for a Mom & Me day. Journey was in an agility trial last Saturday. Pirate went to the agility trial with me on Sunday, to pick up Journey's pictures. Clearly it was Quest's turn - a little overdue. I was waiting for a cooler day.
Wednesday we woke up to a very misty morning. One of my favorite kind of days here. I live in the right area. The tempreture was in the middle 60's. Quest goes to the Y pool with me and naps in the car while I do an hour of pool aerobics. He enjoys it and the car is not too hot for him. After I finished in the pool I came out and we went to Lake Sacajawea. It is a beautiful lake in the middle of town. It is a pretty place with many birds, squirrels, and even some critters in the lake - I think they are called Nutria also known as Coypu. They look a little like Beavers. My boys would love to go in the lake for a better look at them, but I don't let them.
The park around the lake has hundreds of different species of trees, all marked with little brass placks - nice for learning the local tree species. The first of the falling leaves were already on the grass. We enjoyed watching the Mallard Ducks and the squirrels. Quest does not care that much about the ducks. Spirit sure used to love to chase them. Quest is more into squirrels and the Canadian Geese, when they arrive.
I sat on a bench and Quest and I watched the dogs and people walking by on the various pathways. We found Rhododendrons that were still blooming and a few other blooming bushes too. The trees have not really started changing colors yet but it will not be long. Lake Sacajawea is one of the best place to see the changing colors - every shade of gold and red will cover the landscape. It is a beautiful place to walk or just sit at a table or on a bench.
After a little under a mile walk, we went back to the car and our next stop was the grocery store. Quest waited for me in the car. I had to get all the ingredients for Shepherd Pie, which I make for their meals. I bake it in big sheet pans, cut it in squares and freeze the squares individually, to put over their grain-free kibble for dinner. It has lots of good stuff in it: ground beef, ground turkey, various other beef, or pork that happens to be on sale, with luck. I add broccoli or other vegetables mixed with chicken broth, unshelled eggs and a huge can of pumpkin, Sometimes I add a little rice. Anyway, they love it and they do well on it. I began making it when there were so many recalls, and I switched them to a high quality kibble, Fromms grain free, alternated with Caster & Pollux Organix. which they usually have for breakfast, with liver and kale stew. They eat well and they never have any of the tummy upsets they used to have when I used to feed some other foods.
On the way out of the store I stopped for a soft serve cone - one scoup. I get a small empty cup and scrape off about half of the ice cream scoup to share with Quest. I get the cone, but I share a bite with him. It was a great day. When I pull the car into the gate way and close the gate, I usually open the garage door with remote. The other guys come running down to smell Quest and find out where he has been, what he has eaten and I guess just to hear all about his day with mom.
Dogs are so wonderful, even better than kids about sharing. When I am getting ready to leave, they all look up at me to see who, if anyone, gets to go, or if we all are going. When i said "Just Quest", the other guys look a little subdued, but it does not last after we are home. Whose ever name gets called lights up and sits in perfect behavior to receive his collar. The two that stay home are always perfect angels waiting for our return. Then they kiss us and act as if they have not seen us in ages.
Maybe tomorrow it will be Journey's turn. We have a lot of different places we visit and they enjoy them all. I think Pirate and Journey like Home Depot best. They also like the pet supply stores. Journey likes the pool supply store. All are good places to socialize. Since Journey goes to agility class once a week, and sometimes agility trials on the weekends, it keeps me busy to take the others special places on their own. I do take them all at times, but it is a little difficult to walk all three of them at once. They are getting better though. We did pretty well at Dogapalooza a couple weeks ago, even with the Lure coursing going on.
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