Ted’s Forest Adventure: Time to Walk and Talk

Ted's adventureOnce again my day went out of shape. Ted’s forest adventure pulled me away from sitting still. And gave me a very enjoyable afternoon outdoors.

I love the random nature of my days. My Passion Planner hardly gets chance to stay the way I wrote it. Appointments change. Or get cancelled. Usually so that someone with a greater need can get what I can help them with. And sometimes I get to do things I wasn’t necessarily planning but which lift my spirits. Today was one of those days. I have a lovely friend with a dog. In fact I have lots of lovely friends with dogs. Since I lost both my dogs a few years ago I miss the chance to walk the dog. Somehow, unless you have the responsibility of your own dog, the dog walking passes you by. I’m busy working at improving my general fitness. And I love to walk. But do I take myself off to do so? Of course not. Yet today Ted’s adventure changed that.

This morning on his walk Ted decided that he would scamper off to investigate. My friend wasn’t sure what he decided to investigate. But three hours later he was still AWOL. No one else in the forest had seen him. As you can imagine, my friend was very upset. I know that feeling. My dog Connie was a wanderer. She came to us as a result of one of her wanderings off. Ted’s nature is a lot like Connie. He’s a wanderer too. But not usually for so long. So after checking that he hadn’t actually wandered home there was only one thing for it. Another walk in the woods to see if Ted’s trail could be picked up. This time I went along to add my voice, eyes and ears to the efforts to round up Ted.

I checked in with the the gnomes. And the water sprites. I asked my Guides for signs and they sent them. But Ted’s camouflage was perfect. Not a sniff of him anywhere.

However, by intuition we decided we were following the trail of where he had been. And all the people walking the route, except one, were alerted and promised to look out for him. So the sun shone as I climbed up hill and down dale, plodged through mud, and slid down banking. Ted’s dark brown coat was hardly going to stand out amongst the fallen leaves and tree roots. But I peered into the undergrowth nevertheless. The river added is music to the scene making it hard to hear noises. Though every now and again a bird sang out. Always when I was asking myself do I go left or right. This hillside or that. As we stood at the top of one hill gazing across the valley I felt on top of the world. The exercise was definitely doing me good.

Yet Ted’s trail was still hard to follow. There are rabbits to sniff out. Pheasant to chase. Other dogs and walkers to say hallo to with a determinely wagging tail. As we looked and walked we talked. One of the real pleasures of dog walking. A deep yet easy conversation that flows along taking me who knows where. Something much missed. And here was Ted’s great gift to me. Exercise, debate and loads of fresh air. All in the bright afternoon sun. The smell of the forest floor mulch. The green still in the trees. I stood for a moment and felt so happy to be alive. I guess much like Ted really. His adventure was my adventure. Even the chance to put a hand on a tree and tune in to tree energy.

Ted’s doggy senses must have been working overtime. Just as we were on top of the world he was barking in the bottom of the valley.

Had he heard our calls? Or my friend’s whistling? Had Ted sensed that we were determined to find him? We avoided having to climb over the wall to go in the direction of the barks. But only by going back over the path we had just walked. The long way round I guess. Then the phone went. Ted had been captured. Contained by a Good Samaritan. He was down by the river at someone’s house. Delight! Joy! Relief! Off both of us trotted to get the adventure dog. I was pleased for my friend. A happy ending is always the best way to finish a story. When we got there Ted was as cool as a cucumber. Looking all innocent he greeted us both with wags and jumps. Much to the delight of the dog of the house, who felt he was entitled to do the same.

Tonight Ted is safely home. Ted’s stomach brought him to a place of food at just on meal time. Why should we have been worried? Because our animals are our family too. I know I love all my pets as if they are my children. Not because I’m a weird or silly person. But because loving those beings who fill your life with unconditional love is the most wonderful thing to do. I wish that everyone could experience that kind of love. And I know many people who don’t. So they might not understand how much the kindness of strangers meant to two people on a dog hunt this afternoon. How the good wishes, promises to keep an eye out and understanding smiles lifted what could have been a grim task.

Ted’s adventure was an interesting journey for me too. It moved me out of the stressy energy I’ve been battling all week. I reconnected with Mother Earth. And I shared some positive energy with a good friend. Thank you Universe ❤️

Day 675 of my blogging challenge