Nature Friday – Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess with Lucy and Chia

The Cardinal on Nature Friday

Published on May 1, 2026April 28, 2026 by Xena, Lucy and Chia20 Comments

Being in Tennessee, we have cardinals. They do not migrate. I have cardinals living in the woods surrounding the house.

As you probably know, the bright red ones are male. I took this picture a couple of weeks ago. Today I started thinking about it, and found this on the internet:

Many people view cardinals as a sign from heaven or a visit from a departed loved one, often citing the phrase “Cardinals appear when Angels are near“. These vibrant red birds are widely considered symbols of hope, comfort, and divine presence, representing the idea that spirits continue to surround us.

Symbolism: They symbolize life, vitality, and warmth, often appearing when people miss loved ones most.
Cultural Belief: The idea is rooted in folklore rather than scripture, but it serves as a comforting reminder of divine love and the enduring nature of affection.
Religious Perspective: While not a biblical promise, some, such as noted by Guideposts and discussed on Epiphany Ministries, view the birds as a reminder of God’s care or a way for Him to send comfort, particularly when dealing with grief.
Folklore Origin: The association may stem from the word “cardinal” sharing a root with cardo, meaning “hinge,” suggesting the bird acts as a bridge or hinge between the earthly and spiritual realms.

Whether viewed as a literal message or a comforting thought, a cardinal’s appearance is often interpreted as a sign of love and a spiritual boost.

Maybe I’ll name this one “Andrew.” And start feeding it.

Thanks to Rosy and Sunny of The LLB Life for hosting Nature Friday!

Hiking On Mobry Mountain with Chia

Published on May 9, 2025May 10, 2025 by Xena, Lucy and Chia20 Comments

Hi, It me, Chia! I finally got to go somewhere with Mom that no one else got to go. Mom took just me in the car and we went on an adventure!! So I asked her to share it with all my friends here. She said Nature Friday would be the perfect place, so here we are. Hope you’re here too!!!

Y’all know who Miss Jentry is, right? She’s my favorite person in the whole world!!! She asked Mom to go hiking with her, so brother Andrew tagged along (it was going to be a girls’ hike, but that’s ok, we love Andrew too.) We went to a nearly mountain, only about 15 minutes from our house. It’s called Mobry Mountain and is part of the Appalachian chain. I’m told it’s a small mountain, as mountains go, but it sure looked big to me!

For the hike I got to wear 2 different harnesses with 2 different leashes. Mom said it’s cause she loves me, and that it’s fashionable, but I think it’s cause I slipped my harness and ran the neighborhood the other day during a walk. We weren’t really walking when it happened…Mom was visiting with Miss Pam just up the road and didn’t notice when real fast-like I turned around and pulled the harness up over my head. She noticed as soon as the harness hit the ground, but I was already in full run mode by then. Just thought I’d explain in case you noticed that in the pictures.

OK, back to our hike. *tail wags*. We drove up the mountain, but not to the top. A good ways up there was a park with a hiking trail. All the peeps took turns holding onto my leash(es).

We hiked through the woods for a while. I didn’t even pull on my leash(es)! This was all so different for me. I’d never been taken hiking before. Mom wouldn’t go near the edge of this drop-off. She’s ascared of heights. And I stayed away from it too with Miss Jentry.

If you look close at his next picture, you can see the alligator rock laying on another rock.

Way in the background on the left you can see the two towers at the nuclear power plant that’s just a few miles from where we live. When Mom had her pontoon boat, she would sometimes go up there, cause it sits right on the Tennessee River. The water was always much warmer there, and once she saw a fish with 3 eyes!! (Mom never went in the water near there.)

Then we got into an area that had a great big ship embedded in the rock. We all walked through the cutout in the huge rock.

Here I am with bro Andrew. I’ve hear that there’s a place called Fat Man’s Squeeze up at Rock City that’s a lot like this.

I finally got to the other side and got to walk with Miss Jentry.

I guess that’s it for the story of my first hike. I sure hope I get to go hiking again! Oh, hey, Thanks to Sunny (and Rosy) of The LLB Life for hosting Nature Friday!

Lucy and Snow

Published on January 10, 2025 by Xena, Lucy and Chia19 Comments

*shiver* I’m just thinking about how cold that snow is that I have to walk in to go potty! It started right on time at eight o’clock this morning. After about an hour Mom took me and Xena out to do our busyness in the front yard.

You can see there wasn’t much snow, but neither of us would go walking in it to do what we needed to do! A little while later Mom suited up Chia and out we went again.

None of us still would go far enough in it to do our busyness. Chia wouldn’t even come off the top step, not even to run down and say hi to the neighbor folks walking their Jack Russel mix. This is Chia’s first snow!

A few hours later there were three or four inches of snow on the ground.

I finally made the snow yellow. I know this isn’t a big deal to most of our friends. But we haven’t had any snow since Chia came to live with us three years ago. Our driveway, as you can see, is downhill, and the exit from our subdivision is downhill too, where you have to turn right or the other direction on a busy two lane highway. So pretty much no one goes anywhere when it’s like this, and most businesses close. Even Mom and Dad’s monthly dance cancelled for tonight — not that they were venturing out in this anyhow!

Chia found bare ground under the living room’s overhang and she did what she had to there.
I finally said enough is enough. I want to go in the house and curl up somewhere warm and without this cold, wet, white stuff.

I fell on my face coming up those snowy stairs. That’s why I have snow on my nose! Don’t worry, though, I’m OK.

Hoping all y’all are safe and happy. And thanks to Rosy and Sunny of The LLB Life for hosting this snowy Nature Friday!

Love, Lucy, the birthday month girl!

This ‘n’ That on Nature Friday

Published on November 17, 2023November 16, 2023 by Xena, Lucy and Chia21 Comments

Thanks to Rosy and Sunny of The LLB Life for hosting Nature Friday!

Xena: First, here’s our feeble attempt at Nature Friday, BOL!

This is a baby oak tree who barely has his trunk yet. But he’s sure putting on a pretty show for the fall season. And we think the evergreen is a baby fir tree, cozying up to the baby oak. Can anyone say “awww?” Mom says she’ll replant them in the spring when the ground is softer.

Next, we wanted to share this license plate with Miss Cecilia and Angel Madi.

Mom bought a big bag of little bitty candy bars to give out at Halloween. We had a lot left. She kept seeing letters on the little snicker bars, just one letter on each, and couldn’t figure out why. When Riley’s Person Andrew came over last Sunday he set the candy bars out in this order. Mystery solved!

Finally, this is Lucy at work on Monday. It was still pretty early in the morning when she started staring out the windows wondering when the Pastor – her new BFF – was going to show up.

I guess that’s all I’ve got to bark about today, friends. Hope you have a lovely weekend.
Oh, wait, I forgot to put in my picture! I’m Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess

Nature Friday in Fort Wayne

Published on September 1, 2023September 1, 2023 by Xena, Lucy and Chia24 Comments

Hi, it’s me, Xena. Yesterday me and Chia rode together in the car kennel for 87 hours. We do really well at that! A bonus was that we got to eat breakfast before 5:00 in the morning…woo hoo! Lucy rode in the back seat next to us, and slowly wormed her way up between the front seats so that she was mostly laying on the divider thingie between Mommy and Daddy. She pretty much panted the whole 87 hour drive, so we didn’t begrudge her that comfort. Riley? Oh, he stayed home with His Person Andrew, who came to stay at our house with him. Anyhoo, we went especially to spend time with my Grandma who turned 93 on Thursday.

From all the stress of the drive, Lucy’s had the squirts and…

Lucy: No, Xena, you don’t need to tell everyone about that, please!

Xena: Oh, ok Luce. So this morning Lucy went to the nursing home to visit with our Grandma. While she was there, she did some unofficial therapy work with other residents who wanted to pet her. It was nice that she made people smile and have a little bit better day.

Lucy: (Looking grateful) Thanks, Xena.

Xena: It was nice and cool here in In Dee Anna, and Mommy took us all for a long walk. We walked down to a pretty place called Forest Park. Here’s me and Lucy in front of some pretty roses and something called a pergola. There was also a very small lake and more pergola thingies and lots of paved walkways.

The temperature was in the mid-60’s but the sun was warm.

And here’s Chia in front of some other flowers. Speaking of Chia..

Chia: Xena, don’t!
Xena: Speaking of Chia, for three years, no matter what Mommy has tried, Chia’s been a terror to take on a walk. She pulls so hard on the leash the whole time that Mommy hates to even walk her (but she does anyhow ’cause Chia needs so much exercise). So we get here, and Julia — who owns the Air B&B where we are staying, not my friend and Freestyle trainer Julia — lives next door. She was outside when we arrived and she and Mommy and Daddy started talking. They found out that Julia is a dog trainer. (I wonder if all dog trainers are called Julia??) Mommy begged her to take Chia and leash train her, saying she would pay her whatever she wanted if she could do that. Julia went in her house and came back out with a thin metal collar that she slipped over Chia’s head. (If you biggify the picture you can see the collar.) She put the leash on it and walked down the block and back with Chia. The whole time Mommy and Daddy’s mouths were hanging open cause Chia didn’t even try to pull. OMD! Then Mommy tried it and the same thing happened. Julia gave Mommy the collar! And that made for a much nicer walk this morning.

Finally, something beautiful happened while we were at the park. Mommy took a picture of us and it looked like there was a halo outlining me.

Can you see it?
Then she took this picture.

Lucy: It looks like laser beams like in Star Wars.
Xena: It does, but it’s not. I think it’s Angel Lexi letting us know she is with us.

That’s all for today, except to thank Rosy and Sunny of The LLB Life for hosting Nature Friday!

Xena’s Nature Friday Cactus

Published on June 23, 2023June 14, 2023 by Xena, Lucy and Chia20 Comments

Xena here. Mommy often opens the porch door and lets me run around the rest of our back and side yard. She knows I won’t leave the yard, and always stays outside to be sure I’m safe. I love rooting around in any holes I find, and following scents. I especially like the area around the shed and the area along the far side of the driveway and the area where the cactus garden is. So, for Nature Friday, with Rosy and Sunny of The LLB Life hosting, I wanted y’all to see this pretty cactus flower.

Me and Mommy think it’s very unusual. Although I guess if you live where there’s lots of cactus, you don’t think it’s more unusual than we think tulips and daffodils are. (We don’t think they are unusual..just wanted to be clear about that.) So I’m gonna wrap up with a picture of the cactus and me! Well, and some yucca plants and other things we don’t know what they are.

Have a great weekend, friends! XOX Xena

A Bunny Nature Friday

Published on April 7, 2023April 7, 2023 by Xena, Lucy and Chia34 Comments

Big wags to Rosy and Sunny over at the LLB Gang for hosting Nature Friday! We don’t have a lot of nature to show today, but, in keeping with Easter, we do have a coupla bunnies.

The next bunny is, well, maybe it is “somebunny.” Our friends Sunshine and Ruthie went to visit the Easter Bunny and sent us some pictures.

Above is Sunshine, a 15-year-old long haired cairn terrier/beagle mix. She’s been coming to see us to look pretty for quite a while now. Do you think that’s really the Easter bunny who’s holding her?

Here’s Ruthie, a rescued greyhound. She comes along with her sister Sunshine to get a pedicure.

Whether or not that is really the Easter Bunny, we all want to wish our friends a happy and blessed Easter and Chanukah.

Riley, Lucy, Xena, Chia, Mom Amy and Dad Jeff

Grazing at Home on Nature Friday

Published on March 31, 2023March 30, 2023 by Xena, Lucy and Chia27 Comments

First, big wags to Rosy and Sunny over at the LLB Gang for hosting Nature Friday!

Riley: Mom Amy seems to love the wild violets we’re seeing everywhere. These are in our dog lot. It’s a wonder they survive what is always happening out there.

Xena: Hey there, totally changing the subject, we’ve got our very own grazing grass right here in our side/back yard. You see, Mommy left parts of a bale of straw sitting around after Halloween last fall, and they started to grow grass. Our side and backyard is losing dirt and grass, so that was a pleasant surprise! Riley found it first and we heard him say, “Mmmmmm, so goooood!” So of course, the next time we got out in the yard, we all had to check it out!

Chia walked through first to see what all the fuss was about and to sample it.

Chia’s like our Mikey from that cereal commercial. So if Chia liked it we knew to jump right in. Lucy and me, we staked out our claim.

Then, because Chia thinks she has to be close to Lucy at all times, she went and started grazing in Lucy’s area.

Lucy: I didn’t care, as long as she didn’t start her crap with me. I am just so over that. Thank goodness she was too interested in this new treat we’d found.

Meanwhile…

Riley: Hey, where’d everyone go?

Xena, Lucy and Chia wishing everyone a happy Friday. Hey, where’d Riley go?

Lucy’s Nature Friday

Published on October 28, 2022October 24, 2022 by Xena, Lucy and Chia29 Comments

First, big wags to our friends over at the LLB Gang for hosting Nature Friday! Even though I got to do Awww Monday this week, Mom gave me first dibs on presenting Nature Friday. *wags* I didn’t even mind my picture being taken this time!

Hmm, I wonder where the best spot would be for this presentation…

There’s some pretty stuff down that way, but I don’t really feel like going off the porch right now. I haven’t had my post-breakfast nap yet.

Oh, looky there! Nature right here on my own front porch.

OK, Mom, take the picture, I’m ready.

What? I am smiling.
Happy weekend everyone!! *wags* Lucy

Nature Friday Around the Neighborhood

Published on October 7, 2022October 6, 2022 by Xena, Lucy and Chia17 Comments

Hi Folks, Lucy here. First, big wags to our friends over at of the LLB Gang for hosting Nature Friday! Riley and Xena and I took a walk around the neighborhood yesterday and saw all the pretty colors and fun Halloween decorations. Chia goes early every morning for a fast, 30 minute walk with Mom, but we don’t get to go. Riley can’t handle it (shhh, don’t let him know I told you) and Mom says Chia by herself is enough of a handful, BOL! So she stayed home (and screamed) while we finally got our walk. Here’s some of what we saw.

This first house looks like a crime scene!

Aren’t the leaves on that tree beautiful? And I wagged my tail at the happy jack-o-lanterns.

While Mom was waiting for Riley to make his slow way up the driveway once we got back home, she got a picture of me and Xena in front of our fall flag.

I promise we’re not sticking our tongues out at you. It had gotten pretty hot in the sun, and with Riley, we had a very slow, sunny walk! We don’t care though. We were all just happy to be out walking with our Mom on a gorgeous fall day. Have a great weekend, everyone!

*wags* and *wiggles* Lucy, Xena and Riley
Xena: Hey Riley, you almost to the house yet?

Blount Mansion Nature Friday with Selfies

Published on May 27, 2022May 27, 2022 by Xena, Lucy and Chia17 Comments

We are joining Angel Arty, Jakey, Rosy and Sunny of the LLB Gang with much thanks for hosting Nature Friday.

At the beginning of the year, our Mom and Dad took a trip to Knoxville, where they danced and visited restaurants and old houses. Us and our sitter, Miss Christy, told y’all about it here.

Today, for Nature Friday, we want to show you the gardens at the Blount Mansion that they visited on that trip.

We didn’t think one of our blog posts would be complete without pictures of us, too!

XOX Riley, Lucy, Xena and Chia

Pots and Dirt and Scary Cart Thingies

Published on April 22, 2022 by Xena, Lucy and Chia18 Comments

Lucy: Hey Xena, you went shopping with Mom. Did she get her basil to plant? I might try some of it this year.

Xena: I don’t think so. Something about still having nights below 40.

Chia: We better get more dogs if she needs more than 40 at night! Are you sure she didn’t say she needs more than four? That we’re getting another dog? Woohoo! We’re getting another dog, another dog I can be boss of!

Lucy: No, no more dogs. So, Xena, where did y’all go?

Xena: Oh, we just went to the big store with big carts that attacked me. I was brave and *quiver* hidbehindMomandshehadtocarryme. Then she bought a really big bowl which I hoped is my new food bowl and dirt, which I totally don’t understand since we have plenty of dirt in the dog lot. Remember when we came home and she dumped the dirt out in the woods from that other, smaller bowl and then poured the new dirt into what I hoped was my new food bowl and dug a hole in it for the plant thingie?

Lucy: Oh yeah. I remember her saying the aloe plant had a ton of new babies and outgrew its current pot. There it is on the porch table, with the mama plant surrounded by all her babies. So cute!

Chia: Then she took the other house plant that wasn’t looking so good and dumped all the dirt out in the woods – and I didn’t manage to get out of the fence that time – and pour a bunch of new dirt in the same pot.

It must like it’s new dirt cause it’s already looking better! I wonder what it tastes like. Hey! There’s my stone up there with it. Hey, Xena Sis, whatcha doin’?

Xena: Watching the plants grow.

We are joining Jakey, Rosy and Sunny (happy birthday month, Sunny) of the LLB Gang with much thanks for hosting Nature Friday.

Nature Friday: Xena versus the Tomato Plants

Published on November 19, 2021November 19, 2021 by Xena, Lucy and Chia31 Comments

We are joining Angel Arty, Jakey, Rosy and Sunny of the LLB Gang with much thanks for hosting Nature Friday.

Xena: We finally got a sunny day when Mommy had time to go out front with me and bring her phone camera. When brother Andrew gave these tomato plants to Mommy, they were barely as tall as my knee. Now they’ve taken over the sidealk and killed the hosta that was growing behind them. I think the hosta will have it’s revenge when it comes back next year and the tomato plants don’t!

I found out that this is where Mommy’s been getting the yummy little red tomatoes that she tosses to us like edible balls. Mmmm. So whenever I get a chance, I hunt them.

Here, mater, mater! Where, oh where are you? Hmm, gotta go deeper.

Wait! Is that one? Nope, just the edge of the pot that one is in. Can you believe these are all growing in pots? Seems Mommy isn’t much of a planter. When they first started to grow, she went to the hardware store to buy something for them to climb up. She saw these big things for plants to climb on, and thought they were way too big. Now she knows better, BOL! No one can even travel down our front walk without going around them into the yard.

What’s that?

Agh! Something’s in there! It almost got my nose! What, Mommy? It’s time to go back in and work? OK, I’m right behind you!

Happy Nature Friday and Weekend, friends, with a reminder to keep your nose outa trouble. XOX Xena

Natureless Friday

Published on November 12, 2021November 12, 2021 by Xena, Lucy and Chia25 Comments

We are joining Arty, Jakey, Rosy and Sunny of the LLB Gang with much thanks for hosting Nature Friday.

Xena: Mommy promised to take pictures of me checking out the huge tomato plants when she got home from work today. I like to stick half my body into the tomato forest and hunt for little red tomatoes. Yummy! It’s only got green ones now, but I’ve heard those are delish sliced and fried in cornmeal. Mmmm. Mommy said she’s not going to try to slice and dip and fry little maters that aren’t much bigger than my nose, BOL! Anyhow, it was starting to rain hard when Mommy got home, and it hasn’t stopped all evening. So. No. Pictures. That’s why we’re having a Natureless Friday.

Chia: Xena! Hey Xena! Look what I found in the recycle bin on the kitchen counter!

Xena: So what? Oooo, you opened someone else’s mail. You could go to jail.

Chia: No, numbnut, come look closer. Just whose mail is this!? Do you see the name right there under $0

Xena: DON’T CALL ME NUM…it’s…it’s got my name on it! It’s my mail! Wowzers! First I make a new texting friend, and now I’m getting my own mail! I need to call them. Has anyone seen where Mommy left her phone?

Chia: I want mail! I want mail! I want mail!

Xena: Look at this! This mail’s for me, too! I can’t believe it!

I’m going to be busy for a while, Chia. I need to answer my mail. Maybe I’ll have even more friends…and maybe they’ll all have treats…

I am Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess with mail

Nature Friday Blooper

Published on August 27, 2021August 25, 2021 by Xena, Lucy and Chia31 Comments

We are joining Arty, Jakey, Rosy and Sunny of the LLB Gang with much thanks for hosting Nature Friday.

Mom’s Trip Part 2 on Nature Friday

Published on July 30, 2021July 29, 2021 by Xena, Lucy and Chia23 Comments

We are joining Arty, Jakey, Rosy and Sunny of the LLB Gang with much thanks for hosting Nature Friday.

Hi there, I – the Schnauzer Warrior Princess – get to tell our story today. Let’s continue with our tale about the Birds in the Parrot Mountain Bird Reserve. On Tuesday we showed you pictures of brightly colored macaws and of the pesky cockatoo named Rosy, and of course a nice picture of us at the end so you didn’t go away disappointed. We have more bird pictures and stories for you, and maybe even a bonus picture of me (and maybe Lucy or someone else in the pack, too.)

Let’s start off with this Timnah Parrot.

She was a curious bird. Doen’t she look like a sweet girl? Look at that beak. I think I would make a point to be nice to her.

Next is a Solomon Parrot.

She looks rather solomn. I wonder if that’s how that species got it’s name…

Here’s some more colorful Red and Green Macaws.

I don’t know why those two on the right were in a cage. The one on the left by himself looks really friendly. When Mommy offered him her hand to see if he wanted to perch on her, he gently touched it with his beak to say no without hurting her.

These Toucans kept each other company in a big cage. I think the Toucan on the right was sticking her big beak into the other one’s business. You know, telling him what he should and shouldn’t do. Maybe they’re married.

And I think the one on the left finally told her to shut up, that what he did was none of her business! Doesn’t she look startled?

Lucy: Why would you say that, Xena?

Xena: Because I like good stories. They’re everwhere. You just have to look for them. Now get outa mine, Lucy.

Toucan Sam was there too.

Mommy and Rhonda were looking for the area where they were supposed to use the cup of nectar they had bought.

This Yellow Crested Macaw helpfully pointed the way.

Next, Mommy and her friend Rhonda went into the section where they could feed cups of nectar to the little birds. They always have adventures when they’re together, and this was no exception. It started out with one little bird feeding from the nectar.

Then a second birdie joined in, but the nectar was all gone, so they started licking the sweat off her neck and shoulder.

Before she knew it, there were four baby birds licking her sweat and perching on her head.

Mommy tried to help her, but the birds only bit at Mommy and kept licking Rhonda. People lured two of them off with cups of nectar, and Mommy had to use her hand to swipe the remaining two off. They got out of there really fast after that!

I know you want to see a picture of me before we say bye bye. But Chia asked if I would put a picture of her in since she has been sick, and, being a good sister, I said yes.

Nice pose there, Chia!

Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess

Xena and Larry on Nature Friday

Published on July 9, 2021July 6, 2021 by Xena, Lucy and Chia22 Comments

We are joining Arty, Jakey, Rosy and Sunny of the LLB Gang with much thanks for hosting Nature Friday.

Xena: I was ready to go to bed, and who do you think was in my bed? Larry the Lemur who I got for my June birthday.

Why are you in my bed, Larry? I didn’t invite you, and I think you should get down.

Larry: “But I love you Xena, and I want to be close to you. I can smell your beard from up here.”

Get off me Larry before your demise becomes a lemurick.

There once was a lemur named Larry.
His body was all orange and hairy.
He picked the wrong dog
To jump on her bod
So he got carried off by an eyrie.

Larry: That’s one mean schnauzer.

Lucy: How do I always seem to be the one the stuffies run to? *sigh*

The Mom: Here’s the actual “Nature Friday” entry.

I got some flowers (no idea what they are) on sale at Lowe’s and repurposed an old grill that I couldn’t even give away on the Next Door app. Now I have to figure out what to do with the extra pot of flowers.

Shadow Dog on Nature Friday

Published on May 28, 2021June 30, 2021 by Xena, Lucy and Chia25 Comments

We are joining Arty, Jakey, Rosy and Sunny of the LLB Gang with much thanks for hosting Nature Friday.

Look! I’m making good use of matching my surroundings.

I bet you can hardly see me. I’m part of the earth. That’s nature, right? Now I’m invisible except for my shadow. You can just call me “Shadow Dog.”

Wags and happy woofs, Shadow Dog

Xena: Is it Before the end of the month yet? (see here)

Shadow Dog: I have been advised by Dad to always say “No,” when you ask me that question. So, no.

Xena: But you’re not Lucy, you’re Shadow Dog. So you can answer me the truth.

Shadow Dog: Umm, well, umm, uhh…he advised Shadow Dog to answer the same way. (Whew, dodged that bullet.) Now get outa my post.

Shadow Dog, over and outa here.

Nature Friday at Greenway (again)

Published on April 30, 2021July 7, 2021 by Xena, Lucy and Chia17 Comments

We are joining Arty, Jakey, Rosy and Sunny of the LLB Gang with much thanks for hosting Nature Friday.

After our grand adventure at the Greenway last week, Mommy took us back the next day to try another trail off the main path. This trail started out with a sign saying the Boy Scouts had created it. That sounded promising, right? Well, sorta. Soon after we started along it, it started to climb. Not as steeply as the day before, but we were definitly going up.

The sun was shining in between the trees and everything was either green or brown. Once again, Mommy let go of our leashes and let us lead the way. Lucy didn’t want to get too far from Mom, so it was me who led. Before long, the path narrowed as the trees closed in.

We saw off to our left a huge tree that was uprooted. All the dirt was still on the roots, so we think it must not have fallen over too long ago.

The trail finally leveled out and me and Lucy, we both decided we wanted to be really close to Mommy. The problem was that she kept tripping over us or stepping on our leashes. You should have seen the nice little dances she did to avoid falling. Except once. She did fall once and her right ankle twisted just a little and she landed on the palms of her hands. We both were worried she got hurt and ran to her to see if she was ok. She said, “You know, girls, if I fall out here in the middle of nowhere and get hurt, it could be days before anyone found us.” (She wasn’t hurt.) So, thinking about all the meals we would miss in that time, we were much more careful — especially after Mommy said we would need to let her lead the way so we weren’t in her way.

We saw a lot of trees that had fallen over and were rotting, along with some that were rotting while still standing in place.

That one on the right scared Mommy and she hurried us past it.

There were a couple of signs with the word “Trail” and pointing which way to go. One was at a point where we could have gone kinda to the right and definitely up. As we started to go back down we got to a big downed log that had been cut in the middle to make a couple of steps.

That was nice. It was kinda like finding a present out in the middle of what seemed like nowhere.

The trail eventually led back down to the start of the trail we followed the day before. That explained the part of the trail where we could have turned to keep going up. We’re all getting to know the trails better, but there are a lot more to explore. We’ll save those for another day.

*wiggles and wags*

Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess

Nature Friday in my Hoodie (Pththth)

Published on December 11, 2020August 15, 2021 by Xena, Lucy and Chia33 Comments

We are joining Arty, Jakey, Rosy and Sunny of the LLB Gang with much thanks for hosting Nature Friday.

Xena: Since the weather has gotten a bit colder Mommy insists I wear my jammies at night and my hoodie on our walks. Now, while I would like to honor my Angel Piper – it was his hoodie — I would much rather not wear it. Why, you ask. Because Angel Lexi taught me that clothes are like a punishment and now I. Hate. Clothes. Sure, I used to wear them and look pretty darned cute when I was a puppy. But I’m a big girl now (I’m 3 whole years old) and I am just fine without them thank you very much. Anyhoo, this is what happened when Mommy first put the R2D2 hoodie on me.

Help! I’ve been blinded. Everything has gone dark!

How can I go for a walk if I can’t see!!

This is simply un-nature-all. I’m not going anywhere looking like this.
Moments later…

Hey Lucy, bet I can walk faster than you.

Lucy: You’re not walking, you’re trotting like you always do, Xena.

Xena: Haven’t you heard, Lucy? Trot is the new walk, BOL! Besides, when was the last time you actually saw me walk? My new motto: Why walk when you can trot?

Lucy: We’re supposed to be posting about nature, not racing.