Feeling Hot?

We mustn't complain about the heat as finally we are experiencing a touch of summer. However, my biggest issue right now is keeping mutt cool, and today, on a day when I heard that yet another dog owner had left their pet in the car for two hours (?!!!) and then dashed to the vet to ask if they could help their already dead dog (!!!), I was, as always, mindful of mutt + car.

However, I did venture out in the car on a 10 minute drive with the windows wide open, to get to one of my favourite walks, knowing that most of the walk is along tree-lined bridleways, and in the relative shade.

Along the walk, I pass the little meadow corner where back in May I observed the emerging leaves of the common spotted orchid and vowed to return to see it in full flower.

Fail!

By the time of this visit, it had already gone to seed, just like at the grass surrounding it. Then I realised how time had whizzed by since I was last at this little corner of nature heaven.
Still, the knapweed (above) was dazzling and playing host to the pollen beetles, butterflies flitted, sometimes even as conjoined couples, bees buzzed and crickets chirped. From the trees, the calls of the yellow hammer and the chiff-chaff punctuated the amazing hum coming from roasting grass around me. By now, Mutt had retreated and flopped under the shade of the surrounding trees, whilst I took in the view again. No longer all green as it was in May, but instead, a sandy tinged meadow, a sure sign of the summer progressing.

Simple pleasures.




Please do be aware during this spell of high temperatures, dogs can quickly die in hot cars.