Togo Goes on a Nature Walk

I watched a show about dogs going on a walk with their people in a forest. It looked like a lot of fun. And there were some scary moments involving bears and porcupines. The best part of the show was just seeing the trees and the flowers.

Daddy and I talked about that for a while. Daddy wondered whether or not I wanted to go to the mountains and on a nature walk. I thought about it. But no, that’s not for me.

For one thing, it would involve a long car ride. And no one, including me, stays comfortable very long when I’m along for a car ride. We went for one just this week and it was a lot of work. I don’t know if all cars are like Daddy’s. There are windows in every direction. I don’t think it’s a formal rule, but I feel it is my sworn duty to look out every one of them to monitor our “situation.”

I also like to encourage Daddy to be a good driver. Thus, I find it important to poke my head up into the front. Daddy had them build his car with a big hole between the front seats just so I could do that. I also help him stay awake by breathing in his ear and tapping him with my paw.

As I said, it’s all a lot of work. Momma tells me it’s okay for me to lie down and rest. But as soon as I do, I sense that something outside of one of those windows needs to be monitored and I’m up again.

So, no, I don’t want to go to the mountains. Besides, there’s a whole lot of nature right here in my home town.

Daddy and I (and sometimes Momma) walk in our neighborhood and then up on the university campus a few blocks away. Nature is everywhere!

Trees, bushes, and flowers are all along our way. Daddy tells me that this is my walk, so he lets me stop and sniff. That’s one of my great pleasures in life — right next to pats and snacks.

Other dogs come down this same path sometimes. We have to be careful around them because several of them are young and still a little rambunctious. A few of them bark at me and it’s hard to tell if they’re just being friendly. But I am so glad to see them.

And the cats! Up at the university, there are a lot of cats. The man who feeds them told Daddy that he is keeping up with 63 of them. Daddy and I have talked about this, too. That’s a lot of cats and we never see all 63. I think my personal record is spotting 14. We have our favorites, like Grumpy Cat, Mr. Gray, Orangy (the one we had to rescue from the storm drain), the other Orangy who sleeps on the patio tables at the World Famous Bean, the black cats at the Tower of Light, and the tabbies who hang around the Fatted Cafe court. We don’t have names for all of them. But they all know us. As spooky as they can act sometimes, I like them. I steer Daddy way around them when we see them. Every once and a while, I do have to do a head fake in their direction just to keep them on their toes. I admire their quickness. Daddy always scolds me and I don’t do it very often. I always act repentant. Yet, I know in my heart of hearts that I bring joy to their lives — and stories to their dinner tables.

The university has lots and lots of flowers and trees. I think they would pay me to inspect them, but I do it for free on our walks. I’m not an idle observer. I boldly go among them. And yes, I often pose next to them. You probably know that I’m a connoisseur of great beauty.

Early in the morning, I also get to see the sunrise and beautiful skies. And on our walk home in the spring and summer, I often find certain grasses to chew on.

Back home, we have nature in my yard. We have beautiful flowers. I have learned that they are only to be sniffed and observed — no snacking on them. And I have a whole maze of bushes to explore and hike through.

We even have a neighborhood fox. She rarely comes in my yard — at least when I’m awake. She’s more of a night-time visitor. And Sammy, the Squirrel is always around somewhere.

And we have lots of birds. You might remember Doug, the Dove. He hung around our yard for several years. Sadly, he didn’t come back this year, but he sent several replacements. We haven’t named them because we have trouble telling them apart. They also invited a mockingbird and a pair of blue jays. I suppose we should name them even though they are not as social as the doves.

As you can see, I have plenty of nature right here in West Texas. You have nature around you, too. So, do what I do. Go for a walk. Sniff everything. Take selfies by the flowers. Pause as the sun rises.