I can't believe it! We are back to the same park where I published my first "Happy Trails" column last year. This year it is much hotter and hasn't rained yet and there are more flowers.
Me and Mom have been going for some walks. Mom takes pictures while I look for bunnies and sniff at all of the pretty plants.
OK guys: see that sign about not picking up wood, rocks, or plants? Believe it.
See the pretty yellow flowers?
See the fuzzy teddy bear plant right next to the flowers?
I walked too close to it and my tail brushed it. (Of course it was Mom's fault that she was not paying attention to me.) She said "Don't get too close to that cholla" then looked down and saw a big piece on my tail. I didn't feel it then and I wagged my tail at her and a piece of it stuck to my shoulder! That hurt! Mom tried to pull it out but didn't have a way to grab it so I tried to help and I turned around and bit it. Let me tell you: Mom freaked out! So then Mom was down on the ground beside me pulling stickers out of my mouth as fast as she can not even worrying about the pieces getting in her own fingers. At least she remembered her phone for a change so she called Dad and told him where we were and bring a towel. Sometime in there I tucked my tail between my legs and the piece that had been in my tail came off of it and stuck to the inside of my leg. Just where there is soft pink skin and not much hair. Ouch.
After getting most of it out Mom and Dad walked home with me then made me sit on Dad's lap while Mom pulled the rest of the stickers out with tweezers. I had some in my gum and in my lips. That was not a fun time.
It is not a good idea to pick up plants here. I am surprised that they even need signs to tell you that.
I'm going to be more careful on our bunny-hunts now.
Do you see the bunny in this picture?
Right there.
And here's another bunny. Why doesn't cholla stick to them when they run into a patch of it?
There are also lots of little squirrels that live in holes in the ground and lots of birds. It's been fun to hunt for them too. At night there are coyotes so we don't go out then.
Until next time, Happy Trails! And don't pick the cholla.
