A Stroll with Tuck and Sophia

This past week I have been extremely busy with the opening of school and all that entails as well as taking care of my Mom and as a result have had little time to Gather or to take walks with Tuck.  By Wenesday, I was feeling a little bit housebound and was yearning to be outside in my forest.  My brother-in-law Duffy was on the schedule to be Mom's caretaker for the evening and so when I came home from school, I gathered Tuck and we went on a hike.  Before we even hit the tall sand hill leading into the forest, we were joined by Sophia, my independent feline.  I think Sophia was feeling a little bit like she had been abandoned over the past few days because I was no longer sleeping with her in my bed.  For the most part, I was at Mom's sleeping in her loft, listening for her voice at night.  So to my surprise, Sophia decided to join Tuck and I on our walk. 

I couldn't help but notice the differences between my two companions.  Whereas Tuck walks with me or runs up the trail....Sophia does neither one.....no trail will she follow...a true Lewis and Clark, she is forging her own trail over tree limbs and under green ferns.

  I commented to Papa later in the evening that I was thinking of writing a photo-essay on the differences I detected between my two hiking companions and titling it "The Differences Between a Male and a Female"...he just scoffed at me and said I would get a lot of nasty comments for didn't the President of Harvard just get his walking papers for having similiar thoughts.  So I'm going to let you decide...come stroll with us and see what you think??

Sophia's attention is drawn towards a hole at the base of a tree...she stops to investigate. 

Oh my, a hornet's nest.   "Come on Sophia, I don't think you want to mess with them!" 

Incredible light shines upon Sophia in this picture.  Can you see her?

Tuck wonders where that "wandering feline" is?! 

 Both Tuck and I are a wee bit concerned when we don't see Sophia for awhile.  Has she gotten herself lost, we wonder.  To our relief, we find her taking a rest on the forest floor.

Soon, she decides it's time for a bath.  Tuck is  dismayed with this turn of events.  Whoever heard of taking a bath when your out hiking?

 Patiently, Tuck lays down nearby.

 Bored to tears and quite disgusted with our hiking companion, Tuck decides to take out his frustrations on his fleas!

 Enough is enough and he gets up and implores Sophie to forget about her grooming and come hike once again.

 Back on the trail, we head home.

Near the top of the hill, just before the sand pit, Sophia is once again, missing in action.  Tuck goes back and finds her resting once again....she's not ready to leave the forest so green.

This is her forest....and for now, she's content to stay a little while longer and so Tuck and I leave for home.