A Scary Moment

The rain decreases to a misty drizzle and we decide to take a walk rather than go to the health club. Significant Other has a bum knee and takes a cane when he walks. We are 1/3 way down our standard route, the sidewalk through the neighborhood and see a runner with a dog. They get closer and its a man with a German shepherd, a big healthy looking specimen. Dog is on a leash. When we meet we say hello and move to the edge of the sidewalk to let them by. Dog snarl and lunges. I emit little scream. Owner controls (barely) dog who seems to want to tear us into little pieces. Scared the hell out of me. Away from us, owner gives dog a talking to. Hope it works. This kind of ruins nice walk in rain. Try to decide what would we actually do if attached by big vicious dog. Don't know.

We take the first path off the sidewalk and walk toward the little lake. When we get down there, we discover lake has overflowed banks and is running over the road, feeding the slough that runs behind our house. No ducks in sight. Turn around and walk back. Now the rain is coming down again. When we get to the sidewalk, we take a long cautious look both directions. No dog. I am of the opinion that the beast took exception to S.O.'s cane, but that is no excuse, really. Maybe someone had whacked the dog with a stick. Still, a very scary experience.

I am very careful where I walk alone, due to having come within a hair's breath of walking into a murder scene years ago.

When we got home, I made a tour of the garden. Wild orchids ready to bloom, trillium blooming, bleeding heart blooming, Solomon's seal blooming, columbine's ready to bloom as is lilac. Tulips looking sodden.

In the vegetable plot where the spinach should be growing, we are going to have a bumper crop of dill and cilantro. I think I've identified a few small spinach plants. They should be much larger by now. Lettuce has, for some reason, tanked. Poppy assumed dead shows signs of life. You just can't ever tell.

Speak softly and don't carry any stick.

Grapeshot