I take Sundays off each week.  This Sunday I decided to spend my morning leisurely meandering through the Camp Wakonda grounds – during a family photography session the day before I happened upon a camp map that designated hiking trails.  For my pups, a trip through the woods is like Christmas morning.

Bright and early, I packed the three of us into the car and off we went!  I found one of the points on the map that marked the beginning of a trail but a mere 10 yards into the expedition I must have petered off the designated path because I was knee deep in thorny territory.  I persevered and found moments of respite within trail blazed by wild animals.

At two points in our journey we were forced to cross the creek.  Sam, my brave little soul, traveled confidently across a fallen tree upon my prompting.  Haley took some persuading.  She hates water, particularly moving water.  The moment I got my intention across to her she cautiously made her way to the other side, but then she froze and tried to turn back as she could not come up with a way to get off the log and onto land again.  Sam is just small enough to have been able to weasel around a block in our path to dismount, but I knew Haley wasn’t going to be able to do it.  So, what did I do?  I decided I would have to throw across the three foot gap to solid ground.  I crouched down low and picked Haley up, praying I wouldn’t fall off or have my freaked out pooch pitch both of us off in a panic – Haley’s second least favorite thing is being picked up, she tenses up into a frozen statue with wide eyes and all her limbs and neck extended to the max.  Somehow, the toss was a success and Haley freaked out with excitement on her new found safe territory.

So, you can guess, on the way back we had to find another fallen tree to cross.  This tree was higher off the ground and skinnier.  I lifted Sam up first trusting him to be brave.  But he waited until I positioned both Haley and myself on the log before he trusted that we were coming with him.  Again, Haley was a mess.  I don’t even remember what I said or did that convinced her to go for it, but I do remember that before she decided there was no getting out of it she tried to jump back onto the ground we came from several times.  At least on the other side of this log I didn’t have to toss her to shore again.

By the time I got back to the car I was flush with joy at having watched my bunny-like Sam hop all around the woods with my deer-like Haley prancing beside him.  The only down side, I had a poo covered Sam and pulled patches of thread on my jeans and scarf from the ever present thorns.

Later, when Josh got home from a gig, I told him my story.  Turns out there are faithful paths leading through the woods, I just lost track of them.  He’s promised to take me there and show me the way 🙂