I’ve grown to admire Bridget.
Sure, she has her quirks and irritating habits. She howls and yips when I leave her and Spike in the Perfect Tow Vehicle. She is improving a little. I let her sniff my credit card when I park the PTV at the gas pumps.
“See, Honey? I’m only going to pump some gas.”
Then she quietly watches me through the driver’s side window. The credit card maneuver, however, only works at gas pumps. If I take my purse out of the PTV, she howls, full throttle.
Her sit-downs are less frequent these days.
“C’mon, Bridget! Keep up with us!”
I correlate this behavior to teenage rebellion, even though Bridget’s beyond the teens in dog years. She refuses to move in order to assert her independence. It’s her way of saying, “I’m sick of you taking my picture” or “I don’t want to go for a walk.”
Lately Bridget has impressed me with her homing instinct.
Whenever there’s a break in the wind and cold, Bridget, Spike, and I hike off the road to climb the rocks and hills and walk the washes around Darby Well Road and our campsite.
Ever since I recognized Bridget’s ability to find home, I tell her when we’ve gone far enough.
“Okay, Bridge, time to take us home.” Home is a special word for her.
Proudly she turns and sets off.
Spike and I trail behind. (Spike is too influenced by his nose to be the leader home. He’d lead us the wrong way, down the side of a cliff into a ravine, if a jackrabbit went that way.)
“Spike! No! This way!”
Bridget confidently takes us on a winding path of her own making that efficiently navigates the desert to our campsite.
This is pretty amazing, when you think about it, because she can’t see over the many boulders, bushes, and other obstacles between us and home. The desert is unfamiliar territory. She has no past experience to rely upon.
I can tell she enjoys this important responsibility.
If she leads us to a place that’s too treacherous for me or for all of us, she back-tracks, chooses another way, and keeps us on track, nevertheless. It amazes me every time. If I were to become lost, I’d want Bridget with me. But, then, if Bridget were with me, I’d never be lost!
Well, we’re back to one feeder.
I don’t know what brand this strawberry feeder is. The gila woodpeckers apparently don’t care, as long as it works, and it does!
Here’s a third woodpecker trying to join the party, but the palo verde thorns mess up his approach. The smear on the right side of this photo is not the fault of the camera. I took these bird photos through the window of the BLT. I guess you could say it’s the fault of my lax housekeeping!
A few readers recommended their favorite hummingbird feeder.
You can see those feeders on the Shopping Links page, “For your campsite.” I’m going to pick one from that selection. Haven’t decided which one yet!
I added quite a few new items today.
It isn’t a coincidence if you see something you purchased lately being featured on a Shopping Links page. I pick up ideas for products to post from looking at the list of orders you’ve placed. I sincerely thank you for every order you make through my blog.
Well, that’s it for today, folks. I managed to get through the day without running over anything!
rvsue
rvsue and her canine crew 