Hi, it's me, Mister Poochie!
Mom and I were out at Lowes Creek County Park, today. It was fun fun fun! As Mom pointed out, everything is coming back to life after a very long cold winter, it is. There were buds on trees and bushes, and plenty of green along some of the trails.
We saw a dragonfly, oh, and a mourning cloak butterfly! It took a liking to me and followed after us, it did! Mom said we were probably in its territory and was checking me out, it was.
On Ridgeline Trail, we saw a turkey, we did. It flew over the creek right toward us! I wanted to make nice to it, but Mom told me to "leave it", she did. I'm a good boy, so I left it, I did.
Mom decided to lead along a less traveled trail you need a machete to walk through during the summer months. This path follows along the water's edge before stopping at a bend in the winding creek. I got a nice long drink of cool cool water, I did, and splashed around. This was while Mom took pictures of what I thought were funny looking insects. I pulled her, and she pulled me. I need a longer leash, I do!
There were also lots and lots of deer tracks all over, there were. It must be a popular place for them to cross over to the other side, Mom said. I sniff sniff sniffed. No one I recognized, this time! I know many deer that come through our yard, I do--at least by scent!
Walking back to the trail we strayed from, Mom stopped to flick a tick from her shoulder. Then she looked down at her legs, she did. I did too, and uh oh! A steady stream of ticks was crawling up both her legs, they were! Quickly and calmly she flick flick flicked them off one by one. Through it all, she seemed strangely amused, she did, but that is Mom. I lost count after 30, I did. I would not want that many on me, oh no!
We went home and Mom started dinner, she did. Many times she stopped, plucked off, and drowned even more ticks. Mom later told Alpha she found a dozen more on her after we got home. Thankfully Mom only found two on me! --Mister Poochie
Yesterday was the first day of summer vacation for our three cherubs. We celebrated by visiting Willow River State Park, the Science Museum of Minnesota, and friends in Bloomington. This was our relaxing time at the falls:
My youngest found several of these caterpillars that had fallen into the water and asked if I'd rescue them. About a dozen were scooped out of pools of water and revived. 
Two of these Mourning Cloak butterflies greeted us, but my (older) camera wasn't quick enough to capture them fluttering around until one finally landed.
A Garter snake was sunning itself on the side of the path, but quickly slithered away when it became the center of attention! --LKR
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