My previous dog Kaya, an energetic Weimaraner/Pointer cross, had an insatiable appetite for exercise. Therefore I’d often take her into Pacific Spirit Park, a magical forested woodland with myriad trails upon which my unleashed dog could run, her long gangly legs zig-zagging back and forth along the pathway, nose to the ground, surprising unsuspecting squirrels and other wild creatures. It was a great way to spend some time together, she’d get the stimulation and exercise she needed and I’d not only get a long brisk walk, but also some quiet reflection time as we passed under the magnificent towering west coast conifers. Now that Kaya has passed on and I have a small dog with much less  exercise requirement, instead of a long walk, I often find myself opting for a shorter walk along the beach that’s close by my home; however, after spending too much of this past weekend in front of my office desk, I felt an uncontrollable urge to again walk the Pacific Spirit trails. I grabbed Penny and off we headed and were soon exploring those incredible woodland trails together. The scent of the forest and the cool evening air washed over me and soon all work-day tension was gone.  I need to do this more often! 

Here’s  Penny, ready to go…

Walking through the forest, so many of the berry-producing plants were in flower as is the Thimble Berry below and some of the Salmon Berry bushes (subsequent photo) had already produced fruit that both the birds and I enjoyed that day.

Don’t you think this rock looks like a whale?

The tops of the conifers tower over us…