Sometime in February

THE WALKING TRAIL

 It was a cool cloudy morning and I was preparing to visit old friends down in the Sabine River bottoms just south of Mineola, TX. Setting in the back-end of the pilot with hatch lid up, chewing on a sausage, egg and cheese sandwich, a ghostly white form moved by me and back into the darkness. It dawned on me; hmm, Big Dawg! I was also thinking, “Great!” as in, got an early morning jogger here to beat the crowd and he brought his horse with him, just great! Close to the last bite, I stepped out of the pilot only to see the dog again. There it was, paying special attention to my sausage, egg and cheese sandwich. I knew that look. This jus’ won’t work. Big Dawg wanted my last bite. Well, not going to happen.

 I was thinking any minute the owner of this beast would show up and they would be on their way down the trail scaring all of God’s little creatures. Grabbing camera, tripod and backpack I took off with intention of getting the artist releases before the jogger and Big Dawg could break trail.

 Big Dawg ambled out in front and down the trail about 20 yards. Hey You! I hollered, get back here! Stay behind the camera! Sure he would! Not!

 I could hear the Pileated wood pecker and Red tailed hawk out ahead of us for a while and then both were quiet. Dog, who do you belong to, I would ask? He would look up and smile. Finally, after a couple miles walking through a clearing on the trail, Big Dawg stopped like he was listening, smelling or waiting on something to happen. I passed by and scratched him on the ear, said “come on Dawg”, we ain’t there yet.

 Continuing toward the river I stopped and looked back. Big Dawg stood watching me. I called him a couple times, but no movement, not even a tail wag. I continued toward the river, alone.

 Later in the day, other people along the trail said that they had seen the Big Dawg trotting back towards the trail head.

 Sometimes we choose who we walk with and sometime they do the choosing. What is the point, you ask? Make sure your hiking partner is willing and capable to either bring food and water or to carry the photographic equipment. I was told later that ‘Dawg’ was a Great Pyrenees breed of dog.

 My stories are not as eloquent as Tom Clancy , Louis L'Amour or even Clive Cussler but they happen to all of us. I write about mine. I don’t know how to put a spin on the story, it either happens or not.

A long walk in the forest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring is here!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

22 September 2013

Yeah, Mineola,  I know it has been a while. I happened to be in this neck of the woods , so thought I'd wander through. There wasn't too much happening, it  was a cool morning and I was enjoying the walk. If I could figure out how to insert an audio file I'd treat you to the welcome I received this A.M. In the distant a train whistle sounded, that triggered the coyotes to join in a chorus of howls and yipps. It was especially eerie when a group or pack opened up just off trail from me to add to the chorus. It sounded like a mix of coyotes and the hounds of the Baskervilles (old movie). It didn't help any with that almost full moon

On my way out I say a friend that frequents your place. Donna and I talked a bit about current events. She also commented on a snake that was sunning at one of your ponds. This first picture is a group shot. The  snakes just couldn't figure which group to get into. They were literally crawling into place as I moved around them shooting with a  narrow field of view lens.

Top group had at least 3... One to the left ...and immediate fore ground had three



 

 

 

 

 

 

Even this Red Slider wanted in the group shots ...note the two snakes in the back ground.

I think everyone was glad to see the sun. It was chilly, well from averages in the 90s , it was cool.

 

 

12-25-2012

 

 

 

 

 

12-24-2012

 

12-23-2012

 

 

 

10-27-2012 Frosty mornings

 

I was up early this AM.

 Coffee brewing smell does that to me sometimes.

Picked up the old canon and went outside.

 The man in the moon was snoozing.

 The air was crystal. Temperature low to mid--30s

 

 

The Top of the hill held a spectacular morning view.

 

The vista at the pond wasn't too bad either

 

If you look close, you can see the ice crystals.

Yea, I laid down on the ground for this shot

 

 

As the sun rose, so did the mist.

This a close up of a couple old broke pilings from days gone by.

 

This little bird didn't care if his picture was

being taken. He was after that bug.

 

 

 

 A Downy working over the twig like it was

a milkshake made with blue bell ice cream

 

Some kinda Grebe , I think.. Maybe you know.

I know he is sorta ambitious. That is more than a mouthful of fish.

I apologize for the lack of quality in the pic. He was on the far side of the pond .

 

 

Next in a long sequence of beating  that fish into submission.

 I think it took the bird maybe 5~6 minutes to get the

 fish positioned to swallow.

Unfortunately I didn't see the fish being caught

 

Bottoms up!

 

Waal, its not as dramatic as the alligator crunching the turtle,

 but I didn't know these quiet little unassuming duck like birds ate fish.

  

 These two waiting food.

 



 

Later in the day down closer to the river, these birds were out socializing.