The Lost Collar

I did take Olga to the Heath yesterday, as promised. I'm pretty sure we haven't been there since late June, which is crazy. Dave and I got busy with traveling over the summer, and I've also been concerned about Olga and her stiff back legs -- sometimes when we walk her a long way she has trouble getting up and moving around later. But she did fine on this walk and had a great time, and she didn't seem too stiff last night, so I don't think we need to rein in her activity much. We just need to check in with the vet about how to ease her aches and pains when needed.

The Heath is looking a bit autumnal, with the chestnut trees turning yellowish, their leaves browning at the edges.

There was time for a dip in the duckweed pond on Sandy Heath.

And then we had a bit of excitement when Olga lost her collar. I realized as we were walking across one of the football fields on Hampstead Heath Extension that her dog tags weren't jangling as usual -- because they were gone! I knew she had her collar when we crossed onto the extension, because I put her leash on to cross the road. So we retraced our steps along the paths, but found nothing. She races around in the woods as we walk, so -- losing hope -- I began peering into the underbrush every ten feet or so. By some miracle, I spied the collar on the bank of a dry ditch where she'd been chasing squirrels.

I was glad because she's had that collar since we got her in 2013, and the dog tags have my and Dave's contact information on them. I'd rather not have them just roaming around out there.

In other news, the mystery bud in our garden does indeed appear to be a miniature sunflower, probably planted by birds or squirrels from the birdseed we put out. I've got to go get some more birdseed today, in fact. Those birds can really put it away!