We are on the cusp of summer with hot humid weather and lots of mosquito’s. It has been a strange spring with lots of rain and cool weather. The good news is that we may have had a 3 day black fly season. They hatched and it got cold and wet and they are gone. That will make up for the fact it was a 2 month black fly season last year. The mosquito’s are out in full regalia but the dragon fly’s have also made an appearance so the mosquito population should soon dwindle.

Yesterday we were marching through the woods trying to out pace the mosquito’s when Timber decided to go over a hill and start barking her little Terrier head off at it. My intital reaction was to keep walking and calling her to come. Most dogs do not want to be left behind and will follow. That didn’t work. It only made her bark harder and harder. I kept calling and even threw the words cookies and treat in there. All the other dogs partook in that little coffee break.

I finally had to go in after Timber. I knew by the sound of her Terrier bark that she had found something alive to confront. I was amazed that my dog Dot wasn’t in there with Timber as usually if there is a strange dog to confront and do the Terrier dance for Dot is right in there. So my quandry was what kind of animal has Timber found and do I really want all 6 of these dogs confronting it all at once. Do I want to come face to face with it? Is it a bear in a tree, a coyote, a porcupine or a ground hog? Or worse?
After many minutes of trying to get Timber to come to me and her refusing to leave her guard position we all climbed the hill to Timber. It turned out to be a very large Snapping Turtle who thank goodness had decided to be passive and had retracted his head and feet.

The minute I arrived Timber ran back to our path and had no more interest in Mr Snapping Turtle. Her need was to show me he was there. She must have a really good nose because he was far from out path. Of course now the other dogs were really interested in checking out the snapping turtle. Even Laika who had to be carried out of the woods a few years ago when she met a not so passive Snapping Turtle on our path. I am glad today’s adventure ended with no injuries.