I THINK THAT I SHALL NEVER SEE . . .

A billboard lovely as a tree.
Perhaps, unless the billboards fall,
I'll never see a tree at all.

~ Ogden Nash, "Song of the Open Road," 1933

Now that I'm starting to feel better, Sadie puppy is taking me for walks more often. Today we walked through the civic park just a block from our house, and had a chance to observe some of the beautiful trees there.

(The Larches are turning. These are the only coniferous trees to shed
their leaves, or needles, all at the same time.
The Aspen at the borders of the picture have already shed their leaves)

(The Blue Spruce stand tall and ready for winter. In the
background you can see the stately elms, which are tuning.)

(The Junipers are ready for winter too, and will continue to be
green while the shrubs in the background are leafless.)

It is really such a joy to live where we do. One block to the east, we're at the river. One block to the west, we're at the park (where there are also play structures for children, and a baseball diamond further west).

A DOG, A DOG; MY KINGDOM FOR , . . . WELL, YOU KNOW THE REST (8)

I took the dog for his last walk today. I'm too sore to try it again. I'm also way too sore to work in the yard (or do much of anything else, except that I've cleaned up both kitchens). G3 will have to take him later. In the meantime, he's starting to get bored, and thus "into things."Not a good sign.

There's one peculiar thing that forgot to share. Young Dog likes to walk with a stick in his mouth. That's not too uncommon. However, this is a remarkable dog. Most dogs who carry a stock carry it crosswise in their mouths. Young Dog, however, carries the stick by the end. He walks around looking like a dog with a cigar in his mouth. (Fhi & FF: Il ressemble un chien qui fume. Vraiment!)