It has been a long and uneventful summer for me. My parents, Bobby and Wendi Warren, have been busy with other things, that we haven’t really gotten out to try new things. At least they haven’t done so with me, too much. Oh, sure, I get to walk around the neighborhood at least two times a day and there has been plenty of laying out in the sun, too. But to actually go any place…well let’s just say I haven’t been invited.
I think Mom was starting feel a little guilty, because on Friday, September 28, she asked if Dad and I wanted to go for a walk. Dad suggested Oak Hill Park, which I always enjoy. But Mom had other ideas. Since Oak Hill is quite a large loop (over 2 miles) and Dad has been struggling with plantar fasciitis (that means his heel really hurts a lot), Mom thought a better walk would be at Barnes Preserve out on Sylvan Road in Wooster, Ohio.
Mom looked it up for me and what the website says about it is: “The Barnes Preserve offers nearly a mile of ADA asphalted trails, woods hiking, wildlife and bird watching, and observing aquatic life at the wetland pond.” As a dog, I didn’t need to know all this. I find out most of my information from my nose. And ’cause I’m a beagle/terrier mix, I’ve got an especially good nose!
The first part of going away always begins with me having a sense that I’m going to go. Mom and Dad try to talk in code and not give anything away, but I always guess. Even before they are ready to leave the house, I can tell something is going on. Mom changes her clothes. Dad puts on sneakers. Mom gets ice in her cup. They both use the “facilities.” If I think they are taking too long, I will let them know. I’ll stand at the door and bark. I can be quite persuasive if I want to be.
Then it is time for a car ride! I assume my usual stance, standing on the back ledge with my front paws on the top of the back seat. This gives me the perfect vantage point to survey my surroundings and alert the driver (in this case, Mom) of any upcoming trucks or buses or any large vehicle that I deem dangerous.
I don’t think Dad was very smart this trip. Because as we were driving, he took a business call. I could tell he was pretty focused, so I tried to keep my cool. But the closer we got to the turn to the preserve, I was getting a little antsy. Thankfully he hung up the phone before Mom actually parked, because once she did, all bets were off. I was off like a bullet from the back of the car to Dad’s lap.
I was so excited that my tail kept wagging. It wags so fast that my butt can hardly keep up. Now, I love my parents, but I would not exactly call them speedy. It took Mom some situating of her phone and keys and hands-free belt (i.e. think fanny pack for people who walk dogs) before she would even get me on my leash! I mean really people, work with me here!
But finally we were out of the car. I ran to the first tree I saw and of course left a message for all other animals that “Owney was here.” This is a very important thing to do when you are a dog. Of course, along the entire route, I had to leave a note here and there so that my presence would be well established. Mom and Dad tease me the longer we are out walking that I “run out” of ink so to speak, but I don’t let that deter me in my efforts.
I like that the Barnes Preserve is paved. It makes it nice and easy to walk for my parents. I also like that the rest of the preserve is all natural. There are plants and trees growing everywhere. I’m not a botanist, but I could tell there were different types of late summer/early fall plants. Plus, there was all kinds of grass around. I like to eat grass every now and again, although it sometimes doesn’t stay in my belly.
We walked the larger loop of the preserve. It was all flat, so no one broke a sweat — well there was this one guy who must have been exercising ’cause we saw him a couple of different times on our walk and he was sweating. There are benches that people can sit down and rest and take in the sites along the way if they want. Me, if I’m tired, I just sit on the ground. But I only sat at the preserve when Mom made me.
The preserve also has some little paths cut through the grass at different points of the loop. One led to a secluded bench. Others to bird houses. They would have three bird houses at these clearings. I don’t know the reason for that, but I’m sure there is one!
Then there is a little deck that overlooks their wetland pond. It has a bench where people can sit and relax. And while Mom really wanted to relax a little and Dad wanted to take a ton of pictures, I think we were only half way through. I had to keep the old folks going or we would never get to smell everything.
Oh, yeah, and they had some culverts. Now that might not be exciting to you, but as a beagle/terrier mix, it certainly was for me. The first one I saw I scrambled down the rocks to check it out. Mom, because she was tethered to me, was right there with me. Thankfully for her, she didn’t have to go down the rocks for me to. However, she thought it would make a cute picture, so we had to wait for Dad to catch up. He likes to take pictures and sometimes falls behind Mom and me. Well, he always falls behind because he is naturally slower than Mom and me, but even more so when he is taking pictures.
The preserve is open from dawn to dusk. I think we were pushing the dusk part, especially when we were in the wooded area. It was getting pretty dark by the time we reached that section. Again, it was plenty safe because of the paved path. So there was really no chance of getting lost — or falling and hurting yourself. It was just a little dark.
I think Mom and Dad really enjoyed their time together there, too. While we had visited once before, back in May, it had been rainy that day. This night it was beautiful. Not too hot or cold. Not too crowded. In fact it was perfect, especially for a beagle/terrier mix who likes to take in the whole surrounding through his nose. By the time we got home, I was pleasantly exhausted. It might have taken Mom and Dad an entire summer to take me somewhere fun, but at least they finally did!