Tonight I slipped over to the pond and noticed two things. One, the branch that I pointed out in the Peko pond post has been trimmed. Which amazes me to no end, since the only time I have ever seen branches actually cut over there was to retrieve fishing lures stuck up in branches.

The other thing was that all the sedge behind Peko in the picture had been trampled. The two may or may not have been related, as I saw a couple walking a dog out of there last night. Peko didn't care for that dog too much. It was sort of ironic, as they are the far neighbors, whose dog in question has lunged barking at my car every time I have passed them walking for the last five years. Now it was my turn, I guess.. "He's new," I offerred in apology while dragging the lunging barking Peko into the woods with the little Willow and camera. for some dusk stream shots. (which didn't come out well-too late in the evening)

This morning I returned alone with the camera to get the mushroom pics. I passed a car that someone was sitting in and startled me, "Hey, how's it going?" I said, as I turned into the woods with the camera, wondering what they thought of that...he he.

Tonight the Willow and I took the dog down and saw a truck at the pond, so we turned up the hill to see if the road sprayers had hit our roadside with herbicide this morning, as much of the road ditches were showing signs of herbicide application this afternoon. We turned and headed back down the road, me pointing out the huge mud dauber nest to the Willow that the Firebird and I had discovered two days ago, and Peko started to growl.

I looked up and saw the truck, and chastised the dog for his imagination, and then noticed boots from under the tailgate-someone was at the back of the truck, good eye, Peko. Peko let out some good, "hey, I know you are there." barks, while I tried to hush him and head back up the drive.

"Sorry about that," a voice called from the truck.

"It's ok, I replied, pausing at a familiar tone in the voice, but unable to make out more than the boots, so I turned and headed off with the Willow and the pup, still wondering if I knew that person.

The Firebird suprised Peko on our return, and I had to drop his leash before he took one of us out with his lightning circles and jumps-he was really being a happy dog. Willow and I picked some blackberries, and the phone rang...and by the time I decided to take a solo look at the pond, the truck had left.

I will probably never puzzle out the mystery of the trimmed branch and trampled sedge, but at least the alder probably feels better. :)