March Mornings

I have to say that I am really enjoying the morning walks so far this month. It's much lighter when we go out so I no longer need my big bright yellow hi viz 'minion' coat and can resort to my royal blue waterproof and fleece instead. 

Life just seems so much better when you are getting up when it is just light and as the sun is rising, there have been some beautiful sunrises.  Last week there were some lovely cold, still mornings with a thick layer of frost on the ground, although it was still very muddy under foot, not that Leelu cares as long as the frisbee is flying high for him to chase!

This time of year sees the start of spring and whilst the ground is slowly drying out we have had some lovely walks listening to the blackbirds and thrushes singing, watching the Canada and pink footed geese fly overhead, the rooks building their nests, the daffodils flowering and not forgetting the bloomin pied wagtail couple that have come back to our mooring for the third year running and whose lovely tune I wake up to each morning! I've even put a nesting box up for them this year as there is no longer a secret wood pile or canoe to build a nest in or under! I hope they use it.

We have also had the 'teenage ' swans, last years young, group up together and come and mob us!

On our Saturday morning walk up the towpath we even saw the rubbish boat moored.  That is the boat that goes and fishes out all sorts of delights from in the canal (as opposed to a boat that is rubbish!).  We checked it for errant tennis balls but didn't see any so carried on.

We had to do a vet visit last week when I finally found the small bump on his shoulder that I had found and then lost again (that was a slightly embarrassing moment at the vets...er... He has a bump but I, err, can't find it...). The concern was that the bump is the same place that I removed a tick from at the end of last year, although clearly i can't have removed it properly.  It had obviously been itching him as he wrecked his collar trying to itch his shoulder against the brick wall.  Got some magic steroid cream and had a good chat to the vet about Lyme disease and also am going to get some combined flea and tick treatment to give him over the summer which is useful to know.

This weekend has been designated bath time, he doesn't know yet but will no doubt be practising his baleful look!

Happy spring everyone!

Viv & Leelu