The Brackenridge Belles didn’t walk in the park the Monday of Thanksgiving week. Which is A.O.K., given that Chica and I had the walk of our lives that Friday.
We spent the holiday in the country with our master and mistress and their two sons. William and his wife, Mariana, have two small children; Maverick has two big dogs. All of us savored the organic, never-frozen bird that Maverick bought, brined and baked for family and friends. Among them was one of the Belles, Pat Semmes, whose husband was in Europe. I really liked her dog, J. D., but for some reason Chica took an instant dislike to him and drove us crazy barking.
The next morning we drove up to Utopia, about half an hour from Tarpley, to see the maples in full color at Lost Maples State Natural Area. The nice thing is that us dogs are welcome there, as long as we are on leashes. And believe me that is a comfort when a matched pair of Dobermans like the ones we saw comes your way.
At first, we strolled along the short path in the canyon where most of the maples stand. Then, Maverick, his dogs, and Lewis and Mary decided to take what they believed to be a slightly longer loop. Six miles later, we staggered back down from the top of the mountain in a rising wind. Amazingly none of us slipped on the treacherous trail. But make no mistake: we were pooped.
In fact, we were barely in better shape than the dead fox Mary picked up by the side of the road to show everyone. Unfortunately she learned from a taxidermist that since it’s not winter coat time, the hide isn’t worth tanning. It was a beautiful animal nonetheless, roughly my size and coloration but with a far fuzzier tail.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Another Bridge Across
It was perfect walking weather on Monday, not too hot not too cold. Perhaps that’s why the Brackenridge Belles broke their record by more than half a mile. Mary Lil’s pedometer noted that there were 6,481 steps taken, totaling 2.38 miles. Of course the steps were human ones. Who knows how many Chica and I took, considering both the length and number of legs we have?
Where did we go to cover so much territory? Starting at the Zoo we crossed the San Antonio River and headed to the Frog Bridge on Mulberry. New member Sally Buchanan informed us there’s another bridge crossing the Catalpa-Pershing ditch, decorated by the same artist, Diana Kersey. It's near the Brackenridge Park Golf Course headquarters, which we learned has a mini-museum featuring luminaries who have played on the course. I say "we" because they were gracious enough to let us pups in.
While the frog bridge has ceramic plaques in shades of green celebrating their life cycle, the golf course bridge’s plaques celebrate the game. A profile of a golfer, a portrait of the course’s designer, and an image of a little dog named Queenie are depicted in shades of orange. (Chica and I liked the look of Queenie and wondered if she had been a golfer’s mascot.) There’s also a portrait of philanthropist George Brackenridge. The whimsical bridge joins the list of San Antonio’s hidden jewels.
The five of us made our way back to the zoo along the periphery of the golf course and an unimproved stretch of the river. My mistress begged Sally, who was just reelected to the San Antonio River Authority, to make sure no one “improves” that section of the river, as its primeval aspect harks back to before there was a Brackenridge Park. Or Brackenridge Belles and Bitches for that matter.
Where did we go to cover so much territory? Starting at the Zoo we crossed the San Antonio River and headed to the Frog Bridge on Mulberry. New member Sally Buchanan informed us there’s another bridge crossing the Catalpa-Pershing ditch, decorated by the same artist, Diana Kersey. It's near the Brackenridge Park Golf Course headquarters, which we learned has a mini-museum featuring luminaries who have played on the course. I say "we" because they were gracious enough to let us pups in.
While the frog bridge has ceramic plaques in shades of green celebrating their life cycle, the golf course bridge’s plaques celebrate the game. A profile of a golfer, a portrait of the course’s designer, and an image of a little dog named Queenie are depicted in shades of orange. (Chica and I liked the look of Queenie and wondered if she had been a golfer’s mascot.) There’s also a portrait of philanthropist George Brackenridge. The whimsical bridge joins the list of San Antonio’s hidden jewels.
The five of us made our way back to the zoo along the periphery of the golf course and an unimproved stretch of the river. My mistress begged Sally, who was just reelected to the San Antonio River Authority, to make sure no one “improves” that section of the river, as its primeval aspect harks back to before there was a Brackenridge Park. Or Brackenridge Belles and Bitches for that matter.
Friday, November 11, 2011
From Politicians to Pedometers
On Monday, four belles and two bitches reveled in autumn air as crisp as an apple as they walked for an hour in Brackenridge Park. Sally Buchanan, who lives near the Park, joined us for the first time. It was election day and she was on the ballot for the San Antonio River Authority board. That night, we learned she had won in a landslide.
Another office holder who joined us was Susan Gragg, mayor of Olmos Park. Chica and I had been missing her and were happy to see her again since she is a confirmed dog lover, as evidenced by the dog statues in front of her house that she dresses up seasonally.
Mary Lil Chappell clocked us on her pedometer. Our route from the Zoo to the Sunken Garden, up to Alpine Drive, down past the Sunken Garden Theater and back to the Zoo was 1.6 miles. That's a bit less than the 1.8 we walked one week, but it gave us dogs a smidgen more time to savor the riot of scents that abound in the Park. Can’t wait for Monday to roll around again so we can show off the new fleece sweaters Mary bought us. Girlie girls that we are, we LOVE new clothes.
Another office holder who joined us was Susan Gragg, mayor of Olmos Park. Chica and I had been missing her and were happy to see her again since she is a confirmed dog lover, as evidenced by the dog statues in front of her house that she dresses up seasonally.
Mary Lil Chappell clocked us on her pedometer. Our route from the Zoo to the Sunken Garden, up to Alpine Drive, down past the Sunken Garden Theater and back to the Zoo was 1.6 miles. That's a bit less than the 1.8 we walked one week, but it gave us dogs a smidgen more time to savor the riot of scents that abound in the Park. Can’t wait for Monday to roll around again so we can show off the new fleece sweaters Mary bought us. Girlie girls that we are, we LOVE new clothes.
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