fall – Dexter

Mists and mellow fruitfulness

Ok, Ok I may have borrowed the title from someone more famous.

It’s got chillier recently. As a beagle of an advancing age I can feel the chill more in my bones now. This doesn’t mean I don’t run around the garden in the rain and wind like a hound possessed, all the while singing the song of the breed so the locals all know I am out and about.

Lenny went for a walk earlier this week and saw the mists sitting across the field which fronts our house. We live behind the trees in the picture.

Then it rained. And rained. And rained. Just for one day and one night. The river rose around 2 metres and the field turned into a giant swimming pool for the ducks and geese, the sheep had to graze on the higher grounds and our walks were taken in slightly different directions.

It has receded now, to be replaced by some excellent muddy soggy patches where we can go splashing through, all the while give ourselves dirty bellies. Returning home to be towelled and dried, provided with food and being forced to sleep on/in our comfy warm beds makes us feel very fortunate to have a safe home.

This will be the norm for the next few months whilst winter spreads her icy fingers across our lives and pushes us to snooze more often in front of the log burner. I may be feeling the chill, but it won’t stop me going out and exploring. There is so much to see and appreciate where we live and to see the seasons give us new palettes of colour every day.

What to say?

I have been remiss once more on the blogging front. I can only say that it has been busy around here and, as a result of our being occupied, there hasn’t been much to report.

As summer turns to autumn, we notice that the leaves are turning brown as we go on our walks, the winds rise and the rain becomes more frequent. The times of our walks are changed according to whether our parents are going to get soaked to the skin or not. No thought or consideration about Lenny or I getting bedraggled I notice. Having said that we are seeing that Lenny doesn’t like walking in the rain, nor does he like walking through puddles. This is strange as that doesn’t seem very beagle to me and I don’t understand him. I like to scour the hedges and roadside verges for critters and scents whilst Lenny seems happiest in the open areas so, again a strange boy. We went field walks over the weekend and he seems to have mastered the art of looking handsome and noble. Ok, treats were involved but I am proud of my tutoring.

We have revisited our good walk to the top of Chanctonbury Ring which affords us some lovely views over the surrounding countryside. We couldn’t go too far as there were cows grazing and I don’t do too well with cows to be honest. I tend to yell at them so the prospect of being chased around a hilltop by three quarters of a ton of ruminant isn’t particularly appealing.

I have thankfully recovered from my visit to the vets to have my teeth cleaned. I am not sure I have wholly forgiven my parents for tricking me into going there. Yet. I am back on proper food and I can still pull and jerk on the lead so I am feeling fine.

We are not looking forward to Guy Fawkes Night in a couple of days time. I despise fireworks and I always shiver and try to dig holes in the carpet to escape the sonic cacophony which erupts. I am hoping that it won’t be as bad this year as we have moved house and no longer live within two hundred metres of the local football club whose display was enormous and very scary for Lenny and myself. We shall see what transpires but we know we will be safe in the house and the television will probably be turned up far too loud to try and drown out any explosions.

It’s a busy life being a beagle, I seem to have something and nothing to do at the same time. I’m off for a lay down.

Hopefully I can report some more exciting shenanigans soon.

As autumn falls

Sometimes there is no reason to post a long and winding blog about where I have been and what I have got up to. This is one of those occasions upon which I will not verbally ramble. I shall instead let my paws do the walking and the pictures do the talking.

Lenny and I went off on a stroll around the fields yesterday. The early morning mist and fog was beginning to release the land from its nocturnal slumber. The air was fresh and cool enough to see our breath as we ensured the deer population in the vicinity were aware of our presence.

There is a stark beauty to the fields when the leaves are falling and the sun is lower in the sky.

Then it is home for a well earned rest.

We are very lucky to have this on our doorstep.