Following the Pooch: Early Autumn Views and Muddy Paws
Published on HivePostify by @ellenripley · Tue Sep 01 2026
https://images.hive.blog/DQmVrsJTZZXnQLYGcnQqLvH4iSS4gDziXuZnsER7ezFRwym/InCollage20260831115759447.jpg
After heavy overnight rain, the sun finally came out this morning. I grabbed the lead and took the dog out to make the most of the clear weather. We headed over to the trail through the woods near the golf course to see how the paths were looking after the downpour.
https://images.hive.blog/DQmc3B5KjH3Yz37jmgaJhchLvcFvQfSugdmi6sA1C2ra8aX/202608310836392.jpg
I parked the car in the old bus layby, and we made our way up the hill, which doesn’t get any easier!
https://images.hive.blog/DQmcURBfem6JXmZF551RBo78DNdPdeGQvc4jepWps176HGB/202608310841322.jpg
The first thing we came across was an area where there had been a fire recently. It looked like a big patch of ground had been completely scorched black, with the trees around it all singed. For several months now, it has been really hot and wildfires have broken out. Sadly, a lot of the time, it’s because of stupid people having makeshift barbecues in the countryside or deliberately starting fires. Luckily, this one wasn’t over a large area.
https://images.hive.blog/DQmQPsBY4xAF3dkchE33sZep3X83HuCfjaTg8NczeePijVB/202608310843252.jpg
Further up, the pooch led the way past an old concrete boundary post sticking out of the ground at the start of the woods.
https://images.hive.blog/DQmZZpo2zQejzt861kLes4LhstAsuL5iFn5fLYsRNK2CREu/202608310856072.jpg
Down the steep footpath, I spotted a single brown leaf tucked into the wooden fence, real autumn signs are starting to show.
https://images.hive.blog/DQmWthcWnAA3phpww2aguZi8FDWSqrQrojEj5iHAcxu4jXZ/202608310858172.jpg
We carried on down the path alongside the fence, with the pooch leading the way again. With all the rain we’ve had recently, I thought it would be waterlogged as usual, but even though it was wet, it was relatively fine underfoot. Just a little muddy. The dry ground seems to have soaked it up quite well.
https://images.hive.blog/DQmPYeSEuixfjnLzdk3XSiLdFvFBxyybjziSj3oHiPpzdu1/20260831085853.jpg
At one point, the pooch trotted back towards me. He always likes to make sure I'm still following him.
https://images.hive.blog/DQmRxg4SdaE1qu8jqxyL2KAxrMW6PW47EPopsAZfLp75CDP/202608310903332.jpg
There were plenty of elderberries out on the bushes. People used to make wine with them when I was a kid, but not many people bother these days.
https://images.hive.blog/DQmPgRBNUSD3XKrYaAz6LYYmnNoXST6ehVjM4tQP3Ac5AX2/202608310859192.jpg
We had a helicopter buzz right over us against the clear blue sky. It looked like a gnat on my screen!
https://images.hive.blog/DQmNn2QiQYmKkmL4zdimVp2USenHZYoDpDRq9RrLjJnjFjM/202608310906452.jpg
I spotted a little ladybird hiding out inside a dead leaf.
https://images.hive.blog/DQmVQvmAmbz9DqC2JQ2oNshR7qSER7haX9oBVWcUvXctc9R/202608310910563.jpg
https://images.hive.blog/DQmcGjHhcpBq7zi82FuUMVtyKehKMg5Tct1t2VoxBGTVfDr/202608310910403.jpg
We came out onto the edge of the golf course and the pooch immediately stopped to sniff the grass. He’d ignored every patch of ground on the path, but had to stop right on the manicured green. I had to move him on fast as a few golfers nearby were already watching us. I didn’t want him peeing up the pin!
https://images.hive.blog/DQmTGFCoEcFLU9zZYd9UnH43g9Jfu8xo3hFpG3u39ghLAQW/202608310933252.jpg
Catching the sun, a dead leaf hung dangling by a stem. Dead things can still be pretty, I think!
https://images.hive.blog/DQmYDQsebHmYEjUdwjBxXurwVMNYLjwaRYTTSvPFvtrbGy6/202608310904302.jpg
Sycamore seeds were hanging down in bunches, looking completely dried out.
https://images.hive.blog/DQmby2xe1rcsTS4KWwutk4iWeWmSdFyHVFmYbg9RHWSUwWK/202608310919452.jpg
https://images.hive.blog/DQmQpuXCvWAFcf8qQv56hSyGKpZGiZ1sWGsCZSfpaGs2Ljf/202608310933073.jpg
It was so good to see the streams and brooks filling up again, running through the woods. Everything had dried up, so of course the pooch had to stop for a paddle and a drink in the little stream by the wooden bridge.
https://images.hive.blog/DQmb9t8wuZLr3JRPY1iPiUpnobZcyEFT9PnCk9X4awUUFad/202608310927562.jpg
https://images.hive.blog/DQmPeqBZhWnzgg45VoKbcap5FRekVR9z861kJxcZr3sZPM2/202608310931252.jpg
https://images.hive.blog/DQmehxmyEBZ93qxWySkgpQJH2yf87XH9zpP7rU1jeBH3u6H/202608310929522.jpg
Looking back across the harvested wheat field, you could see the yellow line of sunflowers stretching all the way along the treeline in the distance. There aren’t as many as we had last year, but they still looked good. The pooch posed next to the flowers like a good boy.
https://images.hive.blog/DQmSx9ZkWJxCqz7ZxXEMqPjjCmNvd5BX2ZSHuaQYn8ssJrg/20260831093051.jpg
Up close, you could see a bee busy working away on one of the flower faces.
https://images.hive.blog/DQmQQc4Z9yP2YR6o4bPSnKckA95anTuitZ17iXNTqnvdaY4/202608310918572.jpg
I took a photo of a pale yellow rowan leaf resting on an old tree stump, just because the pale leaf popped against the dark background.
https://images.hive.blog/DQmSyttD6FfXGxWFDxJ9r7oN7fCCCwjiXZDu6XoXm2pg7kd/20260831091720.jpg
And then it was back through the woods and down towards the car, with the pooch looking considerably less clean than when we'd set off. A good walk, a bit of sunshine, plenty of autumn signs and one very dirty dog. My little flat is going to smell as though it has been pulled through the hedge backwards! Oh, well ...
https://images.hive.blog/DQmTQF6wQW4xj6B6wQh99WqmNgkL1JrpKsWChsLv5k5Lq4b/PaRgthAvamAmR7uZi4RENh3BWaKjnQbhHtF9iaSV1cVaeSir8SCZYpmzMLvBrDLdiD44L3w4RUXvxqnkBg2eqoHbbUCFgVMLCokxymJ6uR...g2EUvmwMbS8rDTmwiZZiXJVfaSEG5zu7KhSz75fp2aWUpTTXMModEMjmcJDocpskjENinHpDX2Xfhqs6PzWxPZxGDEgVmqwVo162Vb1AHTA1YxrG6iGLyJ3Dqw.gif
Tags: #hive-119845#archon#cityofneoxian#waivio#walking#julie