Teeming with life and death

Every day after work my first priority and order of business is to take the girls for their big walk. This walk has changed over the years but currently takes place at some abandoned railroad tracks close to our house. This is primarily so the girls can get some exercise off-leash. They aren’t the kind of dogs one can walk around the block and that’s it.

This is what the Silver Comet used to look like when it was operational

When we first discovered the railroad tracks, which are actually part of the Silver Comet trail it was exciting and scary. I had always been kindof scared to go back there because I was (and am) convinced there were ‘train people’ living in the train cars parked nearby. Not like the boxcar kids or anything but nefarious characters.

This is the idea of the abandoned scary train cars.. except this is  in a parallel universe across the pond

Then they moved the train cars out past 285 and the coyote population also seemed to thin. All the sudden, the tracks were fair game again. On our first exploration walks, we discovered an encampment. I already knew who lived there, a shady character that I have seen around the neighborhood.  I’m pretty sure there are people living under 285, too Well we simply decided not to walk that direction anymore and now the area from Oakdale to 285 is our ‘territory.’

This is pretty much what it looks like now

It’s our territory except for the crazy population of animals this year. I don’t know if it’s more the early warm weather or the fact that it’s all just been getting wilder for another year.

For instance, Sadie and bailey have been finding an average of two turtles a day now. Along with all the yellow jackets and snakes. The train tracks are abandoned and now rotting. Perfect place for yellow jackets to take residence. So they have over the past two years. Dozens of nests. They like the wooden slats best that just have tiny holes in them. If you watch them they fly in and out, you can start to imagine how many thousands there actually are.

 I do best if I just ignore them.. if I watch them fly in and out of the little holes I can feel my blood pressure start to rise. Instead I just step quickly on the boards.. or preferably between them, trying not to look too closely. The next issue is snakes. I have seen more snakes in the past several weeks than I have seen in years or perhaps ever. The first time Bailey and Sadie saw one they were appropriately scared and respectful. They barked and stayed somewhat out of striking distance. Now they have become more bold.  The snakes love to curl up on the tracks and soak up in the sun. Fine, I have looked them up and they are mostly of the king snake variety.. scary looking but actually feed on poisonous snakes. Good enough for me.

King snake. I'm sure there are thousands that I don't see

But nothing could have prepared me for Bailey actually running on top of a snake a few weeks ago. I wish I had a video of this. So bailey is trotting along happy as a little wild dingo and she’s about a hundred yards ahead of me. I am watching her but mostly concentrating on not stepping on a yellow jacket hole. She reaches this part of the tracks where there are like some thick electrical cords once meant for who knows what (great place to let dogs or children play, huh) and all the sudden something leaps up and strikes at her from behind. It was scary but also hilarious mostly because of her reaction and the fact that I was sure it was a non-poisonous snake. So the snake leaps, she turns her little baby runt head and does a double take and then just keeps on trotting along. Soo funny I was rolling. I couldn’t find the snake but clearly she was bitten so it was fine.

Unconcerned.. about anything at all

Finally the turtles. The turtle situation is getting a little out of control. A few months ago Bailey and Sadie were scared of turtles so they would only bark and not touch. They have gotten over that fear and now like to carry the turtles proudly  around in their mouths, eventually dropping them with a loud ‘clack’ in front of me. Then I scold them and put the more traumatized turtle back outside of the train track enclosure and basically guard it until walk time is over. 

At first I feared they were permanently damaging these poor guys until I watched one long enough to see it come ‘back to life’  Today was one turtle too many. I braved the yellow jacket holes to walk probably a half mile down the track with one of the girls. I almost missed it, but on the way back I saw a tiny turtle, belly facing the sky. Strange thing was it’s head was poking out and it was staring straight up at me with huge beady eyes. I wondered if it was dead. Really hoped that it was one that Bailey/Sadie had found and deposited today and it hadn’t been like that for 24 hours. At first I thought it might be dead but when I picked it up it let out this little turtle scream and retreated back into it’s shell.

Truly it was traumatic for me and the turtle. I found a nice grassy spot and set it there. Then I did a little detour into the woods to avoid a stirred up yellow jacket hole. Then I rescued another Large turtle from Sadie's jaws. Just another exciting afternoon walk

In related dog life news, my brothers childhood dog passed away at the age of 18. Ralph was a fine miniature poodle. When I was young I didn’t have much use for Ralph. My parents got him when I was in 8^th grade and I was much too interested in talking to boys on our new cordless phone, frequenting chat rooms on AOL, and obsessing over high school issues to care about dogs.  Ralph was a faithful companion with a heart of gold. When he was about 8 years old, my parents decided he could use a friend himself.  

They found another ‘purebred’ poodle advertised in a newspaper and named him Bob. Bob was from the shallow end of the gene pool and was probably about one quarter poodle, if that. He was also scared of everything and herding him gave Ralph new purpose in life. Bob couldn’t go out and go to the bathroom without Ralph to guide him and he wouldn’t eat without Ralphs permission. The brothers did everything together … played, ate, slept and loved each other with the strongest dog bond imaginable.

Bob, my mom, and Ralphie

 As Ralph got older, their roles started to reverse.  First Ralph went blind, then deaf, then developed seizures. Bobs new purpose in life was to help Ralph. He told him when it was time to go out, time to eat or sleep. I became quite fond of Ralph over the years. He really didn’t need much of anything .. as long as he had his brother and someone to let him in and out he was pretty much satisfied.

Last time I was home, I had a feeling it was almost Ralph’s time to go to doggy heaven. I have worried about this for years, but now it seemed like a preferable option to his clear confusion and pain. RIP, Ralphie! We will miss you and see you in doggy heaven.