A Michigan July Part 3- Finding fun in our own town

I don't know about you, but I can't believe that it's August already!  Our Michigan Summer is flying by and while we made the most of the month of July, we still have so much more to do. While Covid is keeping us closer to home, we've been trying to take advantage of more local trails and nature centers for our adventures.  I have to admit that I've been surprised by some of the nice trails we have found to explore-places I wasn't aware of previously and have really enjoyed.

Because we've had some really hot and humid weather, we've had to shorten our walks to allow Maddie to join us as much as possible because she has been extra excited about going on adventures lately.  While some days I'd like to sneak out while she's sleeping and take Piper and Peaches for some longer walks, somehow Maddie always seems to wake up ready to go any time I begin to prepare to leave, so we adjust to allow her to join.  She is an adventure dog, after all, and she deserves as many adventures as she can handle!

What I have found that is working really well is regularly visiting new spots and allowing Piper and Peaches more freedom to act crazy and sniff everything while Maddie plods along slowly beside me.  Even a short walk does wonders if all of the girls get time to explore and sniff.  Using their brains is a great way to poop them out without needing a long walk and nothing does that better than exploring an area with lots of new smells.  Supplement these shorter walks with some time in the yard every night and I've got some very happy girls.  A couple of days when it was extra hot and humid, we even did several really short 10-20 minute walks and spread them out throughout the day so that they could still get some exercise, but stay safe and comfortable too.

The other thing I have discovered, or maybe just have been more aware of, are the Summer wildflowers.  I have done many Spring wildflower walks in order to enjoy all of the amazing flowers as the world comes alive in the Spring, but Summer wildflowers have just gone unnoticed.  But I think that staying closer to home and visiting some areas that have grassy areas filled with these flowers has definitely brought them to the forefront and I'm really appreciating their beauty, even if I don't have any idea what they are!

We have not only explored new trails, but also have visited places like the Landscape Arboretum on  campus at MSU.  That day was SO humid that we really couldn't walk far.  But knowing how miserable my night would be if Piper and Peaches didn't get some exploration time, I decided this would be a great spot to stop.  There were lots of birds and squirrels around which always peaks their interest, and while there is no trail, there are several small garden areas to explore and lots of places for great smells to hide  I think this was one of the best adventures of the month for all of them.  And as a bonus, I got to do a little geocaching.  It was a good time for all of us.

The one place we've probably visited the most over the last month is Fenner Nature Center.  With several trails to choose from we can switch up our walk every time we're there.  There is abundant wildlife as well and I can tell where the deer bedded down for the previous night.  Boy does Peaches go crazy sniffing those spots.  I can barely drag her away!  Plus the terrain is different in each area of the park-there are grasslands, woods, and paved paths, so we can change up what we see too.  

The grasslands are definitely Peaches favorite spot because she loves to stop and roll in the grass.  This is where I've seen a lot of the wildflowers that I've enjoyed over the month too.  Maddie prefers the wooded paths because they are out of the sun and tend to be cooler.  Piper's just happy to be anywhere I am!  An added bonus is that this area is not too far from home, but makes us feel like we're out in the country enjoying a nice hike.  As you can see, they enjoy their walks at Fenner a lot.

We have especially enjoyed finding new wooded areas to explore that aren't as well known and are therefore much less busy.  In this era of social distancing, we look forward to finding uncrowded paths to enjoy.  Plus less people means fewer dogs that we'll encounter, which makes life easier when walking with Peaches.

I've also been able to find some interesting fungi while out exploring.  I enjoy see all of the different forms that fungi can take, some of them are pretty awesome.  And a stop to get a picture is a great way to give Maddie a break on a hot day.  Surprisingly, I've even been able to get Peaches to sit still for more pictures lately...and she's actually looking at me!

Earlier this week, Maddie was so sound asleep that I was even able to get Piper and Peaches out for a walk alone.  It was a much needed extra-long walk for them and we really enjoyed it.  It is great to see the progress Piper has made walking on leash since she came to me.  Honestly, it's awesome to see how much better Peaches has gotten as well.  They did such a great job on our walk that I was very proud of both of them and went longer than I had originally planned.  We really had a fun time.

Not all of our walks have been through natural areas though.  After all, we do live in the city, so some of our walks are bound to be a little more urban.  But we've found a couple of really nice parks on those walks too.  And where there are lots of people and dogs, there are lots of things to smell!

We're excited to continue to enjoy our Summer and hopefully we'll find more cool new places to explore.  We've gotten into a pretty good rhythm and I'm feeling like life is pretty well balanced between working from home, finding fun new places to explore with the girls, and enjoying time in the yard every night.  

My garden is growing well and I've started to reap the rewards which is pretty exciting.  Piper continues to learn and grow and she's become such a great little dog.  I am really enjoying watching her learn and become a better dog every day.  I really can't wait until she finds her very own family, although I know we'll miss her.  Maddie has been doing great.  She's loving life and is excited for every adventure we take, even if it's just a ride in the car with the windows down.  Peaches is loving every day.  She is thrilled to be able to spend lots of time outside and she is living life to the fullest...which is even more exciting considering 2 1/2 years ago, I was told she probably only had 2 years to live.  It makes me happy every day to see each of them happy, content, and living their best lives.   

We have had a great month, and as we move into August, we look forward to continuing our adventures, wherever they may take us.  We've got a lot of craziness going on in the world around us, but we're not going to let that keep us from making the most of every day.  We only have one life to live, after all.