We took time out yesterday to spend some time out of the house on a most glorious fall day. It was much needed time, I was less exhausted having caught up on a lot of sleep and I was very much ready to spend some time out of doors with my family. We took the dogs, Miss Butterfly, and her friend out to a state park to do a little walking.

With the girls in tow, it turned into a creek stomping trip for them. They quickly got rid of their shoes and got right into the water, following the water rather than the trail.

They are hard to see here, but it’s hard to take a picture of them down in a gully while I am standing at the top of the gully on a trail!

Soon enough, Lizzie had to join them, barreling down the side of the gully like the dynamic adventure dog she is and splashing right into the creek.

She’s not a dog who likes swimming, but walking through the water is completely her thing. Here are a few more of her wandering through the water.

She was nice and wet and muddy with leaves stuck all over her underside and hind legs once she was done. I am pretty sure she called it a successful day. She’s such an amazing dog. Many times I’d look at what she was trying to accomplish, the two rocks she was trying to jump between, or the side of the hill she really should be unable to climb, and watch with my mouth hanging open as she did exactly what I was sure she couldn’t do. This is exactly my reaction each time we take her on a trip like this. She’s really the best dog ever. Persistent, adventurous, athletic, and extremely good at endurance. She may not be the fastest dog, but that’s because she’s busy thinking things through and processing her next move.

Rose had a great time too, though each new situation worries her a bit. The trains going by on a nearby railroad worried her, and while she desperately wanted to join Lizzie in the creek stomping, every time she’d try she’d get in the water she would freak out, jump and splash, then run out of the water a little terrified and back onto the trail. No matter, she’s young and she has all the time in the world to continue to work on her concern about the world around her. She’s gotten so much better in just the short time we’ve had her.

She really seemed to be having a most excellent time even with her concerns.

You may already know my love for spiders, and Miss Butterfly found me a particularly spectacular one!

If anyone is able to identify this one, I’d greatly appreciate it! It was large and fascinating!

Once we were done at the park, the dogs, who were trying riding in the very back of the vehicle this time around, were good and exhausted.

Miss Lizzie sunned herself, probably chilly after her water adventure. And Rose thought a nap would be entirely appropriate.

We had a dog training class with Rose that same evening, so after we got home we got a few things done around the house, fed Lizzie, then took Rose to the dog park and then to training. She was so exhausted at training that she was perfectly lovely and mostly stayed laying down while the teacher was instructing.

This was most definitely one of those days I needed, a truly great one. I would do it all over again today if I could!