Cooler, and a good day for a walk

Seems incredible that I would start a post noting that it is cooler than yesterday, but it is worth mentioning; yesterday was "southern-like." It was unbearable.

At any rate, I noticed the watercress have grown back, and since this blog is about things noticed while walking the dachshund, I need to tell you about the watercress. Along a patch of road is what I think of as our own lovely little nature sanctuary. A beautiful march chocked full of wildlife. In the early Spring, it is the first place you can hear the Tree Frogs chirp. Stalks of purple Salvia grow tall in the late summer. It's cooler there then too. Lucy is especially stubborn here to stop and watch the rabbits or chase a frog.

Each year, right about this time, we always see people harvesting whatever is growing there. This has caused some consternation for Janine and me. What are they gathering? Who are these people? Not knowing what it was, we wondered if it was legal. And let's face it, no one likes to have strangers wading through the mush.

Last week, Lucy and I were out and lo if I didn't see yet another car and another woman whacking away. She had huge black trash bags filled with the stuff. With Lucy as my cover, I gathered my courage and asked her just what it was. "Watercress," she answered. "I'm from the islands. We use it in salad, soups and stews. Try it."

So, I did. And watercress it was. But it left me wondering, does anyone really need that much of it? Each week there is another van gathering bags of it. Are they reselling it and is that what we are getting at green grocers - watercress from the side of the road. Either that, or is there something else that can be done with it. Maybe it is a hallucinogenic. We need to google and see.

Walking with Dachshund

Lucy, our Dachshund, and I, have been walking what we call, "The Loop" a hilly one and two tenths miles, for the past four years. Often we walk with our partners, Janine, and her Vizla, Sadie. But when they are not around, we go it alone. Actually, this blog would more aptly be called, "Pulling the Dachshund ," because as you can see, that is what it takes. Lucy is just as likely to lock her elbows and refuse to move as she is to walk. Dachshunds are notoriously stubborn, and Lucy is no exception to the rule.

As the name implies, and with their long snout as evidence, a Dachshund is a hound. I'm convinced that for her the word, "walk" really means "sniff," because that's usually all she wants to do. She gets all perky when I say "walk." Sits up, ears bend out and she has this endearing little trick of lifting her right paw, as if that makes the walk happen. To me a walk is a chance to move my legs, swing my arms, get fresh air and notice the world around me. To Lucy, it is just a chance to sniff.

Dachshund World