Steve`s Country
For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
Solitude On My Deck. #9
Good morning everyone and Happy Saturday! Do you ever get one of those days? Or perhaps a whole week? You know, when things just do not go quite right. Like finally getting a couple of extra days off and you end up getting the flu on those days. Or other plans that you had made needed to be canceled at the last minute due to circumstances, whatever they might be.
Perhaps just a bunch of little things keep going wrong day after day and you are almost ready to bang your head on the wall in frustration. Or, no matter what you do, people complain. Then there is solitude. Sitting on my deck enjoying a cup of coffee in the morning without worrying about the bear. I think my new neighbor’s dog is helping to keep the bear away, which is nice.
If he would obey me a bit more than he does I would take him with me for walks to the river. Unfortunately he does not like being on a leash. That stops things right there. Too bad really. He would be good company on my walks and I would be able to go more often. Oh well. Walks to the river. Just the thought brings solitude. Walking along that winding path, up and down hills. Walking through tall green grass, and across granite “sidewalks”. Hillsides strewn with boulders of all sizes.
Thick underbrush and more open areas under towering pines. Some parts of the trail are packed with mud, other parts are covered with a thick mat of pine needles. Along the way the birds are singing, mostly high in the trees, but some are lower in smaller trees and bushes. Squirrels scampering across the path in different locations, sometimes getting too close to another squirrels territory and the chattering begins. All along the way are many different insects, especially dragonflies and butterflies.
Some dragonflies, like the chalk-fronted corporal, are very friendly and often sit on my shoulder as I walk along, then quickly dart after a fly or mosquito and back onto my shoulder to munch lunch. I love to look up at the tall pines overhead, what a view it would be from up there. But I enjoy the view just looking up.
Sometimes, here and there along the path, there are spruce trees that are actually taller than the pines. They are huge trees. I can just imagine an excited squirrel at the top of one, eyes popping out as he sees all the spruce cones which will provide it with a lot of seeds for the winter. Then there is my little friend Scramble, I like to give him treats of peanuts whenever I go past his place, which is not very often this year.
Then finally getting to the river to watch the ducks and pelicans and whatever else might be around. All of this is true solitude. Beautiful solitude. Monday will be our next sunny day, so hopefully I can get down to the river again. I never get tired of that walk, always something new to see or hear. Have a most wonderful Saturday everyone and God bless!
Steve and Muffin.
©2022 Steve McLeod.
Steve`s Country 
Hey, Steve, you might consider a waist leach for your neighbor’s dog. Easier on the arms than a regular leash, so you are hand’s free and you can tether it as short as the dog will allow. 😉
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Thanks C A! But if he pulled even once too hard with that it would leave me screaming with pain!😮 My back could not handle something like that. This dog is rather big, and strong and rather energetic unfortunately. He would be dragging me through the bush every time he saw a squirrel!😂😹
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Have a great weekend Steve
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Thank you so much Sheree!
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Spectacular images today. Looks like Uncle Steve is on a wild mood sharing us beautiful pictures 😍… I had this whole week of things going wrong, to keep me out of stress I took coffee as my companion and blog as my therapist. Both worked perfectly, now I can be a bit clear than before with my thoughts 😊😇Hope the dog will soon obey you and come along with you for the walk. Train him so you don’t need a leash at all 😇. Have a fantastic weekend 🥰
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Hey, that’s a good way to do it Simon! Different things work for different people.😁☕☕☕ I think that after a while this dog and I will be good friends and with some dog treats he will learn to obey me quite well I’m sure!😂😹 Have a great weekend Simon!😁🌞🌜☕☕☕
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That’s great Uncle Steve 😍 And ensure no leash, dogs can be trained without leash, i used to have dogs when i was a kid. After work i couldn’t maintain them. Maybe by twins will bring up a street dog for sure 😂 just like their dad 😅. enjoy your sunday morning ✨💐
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Yes, I used to walk a dog for some people, she had no leash and she behaved very nicely. She was a very beautiful dog that one. Hey, great idea, one dog for each of them, or maybe they will want a whole house full of dogs.😃😄 Dogs on the floor and blocking the door, dogs in your bed and sitting on your head, dogs bad and good and eating your food!😂😂😹😹 Have a great Monday!😁🌞☕☕☕
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No no no, not them on my bed, I swear 😂😂 it was good for them, not for me, with a sensitive skin, I’ll be more cautious 😁. Then you don’t have problem training this new friendly neighbor😉
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But just think, they could help keep you warm in the summer. I mean winter. I think. Some dogs just don’t learn easily though and I think this dog is one of them.🤔🙄🙄
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Ha ha.. hmmm… No I don’t want to lose my food ,🤣 my family had enough of dogs already 😂 Simon 🤣🤣
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But your sons will come one day with those big sad eyes asking for a puppy for each of them and Simon will not be able to say no.😂😂😹😹
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Ha ha ha I should train them 😜😂😂in advance 🤣
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Good thinking!😃😂😹
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I know, sometimes I’m like Plato and Socrates 😜 don’t mention it 🤣🤣
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Okay, I’ll take your word for it.😁😁
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I was expecting an opposite reaction 🤐😋😜
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😂😂😹😹
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Steve, thank you for sharing some of life’s solitude from your deck and beyond. Praises for the new neighbor’s dog. May the bear continue to stay away.
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Yes, I am quite happy the bear is staying away! Thank you Richard, glad you enjoyed it today. Have a great weekend!😊😺☕☕
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