A few years ago me and our family dog, a beautiful English Setter named Cassie, used to walk a trail that was nearby, in Denton. It was a former railroad line that came from Dallas. There is a national program called Rails To Trails that helps communities with financial grants to remove the tracks and clean up the trail for walkers. It is nice walk that meanders on the edge of town through to the old mill that is now a manufacturer that makes biscuit mix and individual corn bread mixes. It has a couple of ruff spots near some neighborhoods where the people look at you hard enough to make you uncomfortable. Poor old Cassie died in February, her hips finally went. I do miss her companionship on my walks.

I walked a new trail I've not walked before today. It was south of where I live about 20 miles. It's funny that you have to travel 40 miles to walk 8 miles. It was worth it though. Unlike my country roads this had water, trees and some hills. I got there close to 8 am and nobody was in the parking area. I had the whole trail to myself and some small wildlife that I scared up here and there. The poor brown rabbit that I saw first as I rounded the corner did not know what to do so he froze and so did I. We stood like that for a couple of minutes, he waiting for me and me for him. And neither of us moved until I decided that I wanted to get up the trail and with my move he hopped off, white tail shinning in the gloom of the low growth.

There were a few pastures and a small pond with a park bench overlooking it. We had rain a few days last week, the first good soaking we've had all summer, so the ground was muddy in spots. When I reached the parking lot at the center section I sat and had breakfast and while there I scared up a couple of mice. I felt bad for that so I left my apple core as an apology. I was putting my pack back on when a truck with a horse trailer came driving in and I thought to myself that my solitude would be interrupted very soon but that did not come to pass. They must have gone the other way.

Wildlife count; 4 bunnies, 4 squirrels, 3 Cardinals, and a road runner. If tracks count I saw a lot of deer. And the spot where it looked like fairy dust raining on the trail was magical.

I appreciate Rosie(and Ian) encouraging me. It is true about the recovery rate. I am surprised I notice that by making small changes in my gait that I can keep my knee from getting sore and I think my boots are stretching and wearing in a bit too. I'm hoping to do something in the morning becuase I think 2 days together will be a good thing. I did not manage last week to get in the extra day. I'll be seeing you.