Morning walk

Back from a morning walk. This morning I dragged my niece and nephew with me. (My nephew, Colin, has gone back back to bed. 7:30 in the morning is too early a start during summer vacation.) On a short walk we manage about an hour through the hills and around the high school. When everyone has more energy we hike way above the city and get a grand view. Today was the short version.

Actually we had no more than left the front yard when at the top of the driveway what should come waddling along but a very fat (I fear, pregnant) possum. Ugly little thing (to human eyes, I guess she must have been attractive to her mate) and she didn't waddle very fast but seemed out for a morning stroll. Although my brother's house is on the outskirts of the city, still we are not in farm land. Cars zooming along a four lane highway, sounds of traffic and airplanes. Yet there is a surprising amount of wildlife. Squirrels and hummingbirds in the garden, skunks and possums cut through the yard. I've seen an occasional coyote and can hear them howling at night.

My hometown is called "The City of Oranges" although there really aren't many orange groves anymore. However a few stray trees that bear small not too tasty fruit in the neighbors' yards.








Truly humongous lemons though, and we freely pick those for lemonade.

And because Leiya complained that I only had two pictures in my last post, here is one of me, Scrappy, and Cassie. I swear, these dogs are so smart. I love Choco but she doesn't pay attention to a word I say. She doesn't even much look me in the eye. Scrappy is a dear and picks up on words and even spellings! (I know, but if you spell E-A-T he starts barking. Of course when you say "eat" he starts barking too, and the word and the spelling are not far off...)