Last week we walked at Hembree Park in Roswell, the first time for Izzy to go there. We hadn't progressed very far when two ladies heading in the opposite direction stopped us and one addressed Isabelle with the statement "You are a beauteous dog"! I think that is one compliment Beauregard never received. You don't hear that word much any more, but it certainly applies both to Izzy and to the lovely autumn weather we are experiencing - both Friday and today have been plentifully beauteous, with hopefully one more similar day Sunday to complete the trifecta of a perfect fall 3-day weekend.
Now that it's cooler, Izzy is showing more enthusiasm for the trail, and is starting to take the lead and forge on ahead. Little by little she's becoming a hiking dog. Yesterday we went to Island Ford (unit of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area) and had a solitary walk along the river and through some of the picnic areas. It's one of the largest and nicest of the CRNRA units, and is adjacent to an area where the city of Sandy Springs has developed some additional trails. Island Ford seems to especially attract hikers with large dogs, and it's not uncommon to meet various types of retrievers, sheepdogs or Newfoundlands. Today though we were on our own.
Surveying the Chattahoochee (Mile 320) at Island Ford - 27 September 2013
I also had to buy a new annual pass, a September ritual that always seems to happen on the same day as a local garden club meets at the Island Ford visitor center. There they were, all the ladies dressed up for their morning get-together complete with catered box breakfasts from the Varsity; and there I was, in dirty t-shirt and shorts - but I managed to wade through the crowd and get to the gift shop for the pass. All this time, Miz Izz was resting in the van after her 1.5 hour hike.
The Beauteous Dog on the Trail at Island Ford with Sunbeams - 27 September 2013
Today we stopped at Morgan Falls Park in Sandy Springs, and in a rare oversight, I forgot to take the cell phone with me when we left the van, so there are no photos to commemorate this occasion. This was one of Beauregard's favorite haunts, but today was not the best day to explore since there was some sort of river event creating lots of traffic that the park isn't really designed to handle. Still, we had about an hour of wandering around, including Isabelle's first real view of a big lake (Bull Sluice Lake, upstream of the Morgan Falls dam). When we got back to the car, there was a Siberian Husky playing in the dog park, and Izzy touched noses through the fence and seemed inclined to play. But my caveat on going to dog parks with big dogs is that they may get some exercise, but they are more likely to get injured, and they are very expensive to fix. So being on the outside looking in is the best approach.
Time is flying, and it's hard to believe but Isabelle has been living with me for nearly four months. I couldn't ask for a sweeter girl, although I'm not sure the local chipmunks agree! After she got home both today and yesterday, she spent the balance of the day chasing them, even more than once trying to dig up their little nests (as evidenced by her dirty face and nose!). She doesn't seem to be having any deterrent effect - the population is still thriving - but the hunts are good exercise for her. She's lying on her back on the "dog futon" watching me as I type this, with a contented look that says "I'm ready to call it a day when you are". Maybe in a couple more hours, Miz Izz...
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