Monday, April 5, 2021

Spring Day with Crack Pipe



Yesterday turned out to be a beautiful spring day -- bright blue sky, lots of sun, cool but not cold. Olga and I took a long walk around the Heath.


I know I've said this before, but walks with Olga are more mellow affairs nowadays. She moves more slowly, and although still excited by squirrels and willing to dive into the underbrush to chase them, she is farther than ever from actually catching one. A lot of times she doesn't even see them. This one, above, sat at the base of a tree and brazenly stared at us as we passed nearby.


These two old oaks stand within an enclosure on Sandy Heath. A nearby sign explains that they're the only trees that predate the sand quarrying that took place on that site beginning in the 1860s. I'm not sure how we know that -- they don't look much different from the other trees on Sandy Heath -- but I'm no expert.


Remember how I said the coltsfoot seemed more sparse this year? Well, we went back to check it out and there's more of it blooming now. While Olga contentedly soaked up the sun and gnawed on her tennis ball, I went to sit on a nearby bench...


...and found what I'm pretty sure is a crack or meth pipe lying nearby. This is a first for me. I don't recall ever finding drug paraphernalia in all the years I've been going to the Heath. (Well, except for little plastic drug bags, but they're harmless enough.) I'm sure I just don't notice a lot of stuff like this. Needless to say, I did not touch it.


On Hampstead Heath Extension, the snake's head fritillaries are blooming. Dave and I have planted these a couple of times in our garden, and ideally they should come up year after year -- but the squirrels love them and always manage to demolish the bulbs. We don't seem to have any this year. I wonder how the ones on the Heath manage to hang on?

This morning it's windy and gray -- probably a prelude to our colder weather, which arrives today. White cherry petals from the neighbor's tree are fluttering into our garden like snow.

36 comments:

Anonymous said...

Crack is cheap and it seems the pipes to smoke it in are too. With a dog, the ageing process we see in humans is compressed to a shorter time. I don't think we have snake's head plants here. Maybe I just haven't seen them.

Bob said...

We have two of our four "kids" getting older and having a little more difficulty moving about. It hurts to see them like that, but, then, that's the way life works, I guess. You take care of them and they take care of you.

Michael said...

I always enjoy looking at your photos. It is hard to see our pets age as it seems to happen so quickly. I see the same thing with my dog, who will be 10 next September. I cannot imagine my life without him. It is great to have a companion to walk with every morning.

The Bug said...

Love the Olga sploot in the grass. She's a work of art no matter what she's doing. :)

Ms. Moon said...

Sweet Olga! It's funny how dogs' aging is so much more apparent than cats'. Of course, cats basically lie about all the time anyway after they've passed the kitten stage.
I do wonder how they know the age of those trees. Very curious.
Linda Sue posted a squirrel picture today too. They are quite busy all over the world right now, aren't they?

Moving with Mitchell said...

These photos are all so beautiful... except for the crack pipe. I've never come across one of those. Sad to see. That second shot of Olga is hilarious. The cool grass must have felt good on her parts. Those oaks are magnificent.

Red said...

Your title caught my attention. I wondered what was coming in this post.

Anonymous said...

Really beautiful photos of your walk at the heath. What a lovely day before the cold spell.

ellen abbott said...

It's been mostly overcast and windy and cool the last few days here. and Minnie doesn't even try and chase squirrels now. this is a really nice set of photos.

Sharon said...

These are all such great photos (except for the crack pipe and that's just because of the subject). I love those trees, they look like something out of a fairy tale. Like I might see Little Red Riding Hood emerge at any moment. And that flower in the last photo is so pretty.

Yorkshire Pudding said...

Why would you touch that crack pipe when you have your own custom made Moroccan crack pipe? It wouldn't make sense.

Linda Sue said...

Olga's markings are so artsy! Squirrels do look like they were made from the same pattern however we can tell ours apart from one another, mostly because of their different personalities. Same with the raccoons. I know who they all are, but Dennis can not see the differences. Easy if you really look. I would have taken the pipe and made something of it. Maybe a light post for small creatures or plastic orphans.

Allison said...

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood. Dogs kill me when they lay on their stomachs like that, it doesn't look comfortable, but clearly it is or they wouldn't do it.

Debby said...

A friend lived over on a dead end side street, the very last house. She nearly had a heart attack when she went out with her twins so they could play in the pool...and discovered a crack pipe laying in her yard. Her own yard!

Alphie Soup said...

Tree age can be measured mathematically or by counting the growth rings. These trees are not that old and can be measured easily.
As for fritilleries. They are grown in southern states Down Under and are notoriously difficult to breed and grow.
I must have a look and see how busy squirrels are south of the equator these days.
Alphie

Elizabeth said...

Olga is looking good! How old is she now?

Steve Reed said...

You'd think a crack pipe would be something a person would want to hold onto -- but I suppose if they're on crack, responsibility is not a high priority.

Steve Reed said...

It's all part of being in a pack!

Steve Reed said...

Olga and Murphy are about the same age -- Olga may be slightly older. We're not sure, but we think she's about 11.

Steve Reed said...

I agree!

Steve Reed said...

Yeah, cats are so sedentary most of the time. The only way to tell they're getting older is that they tend to gain weight. I guess the squirrels are waking up and getting ready to breed!

Steve Reed said...

She always lies like that, with her belly flat on the ground. It's such a funny pose.

Steve Reed said...

I delivered just what I promised!

Steve Reed said...

It was a really nice day. I'm loving the bright spring sun.

Steve Reed said...

Olga still tries, but with more barking and less running!

Steve Reed said...

Sandy Heath is my favorite part of Hampstead Heath, and all the twisty trees are part of the reason!

Steve Reed said...

It's a HASH pipe, thank you very much. Keep your drugs straight.

Steve Reed said...

I could mail you the crack pipe! Do you suppose that's against the law? LOL

Steve Reed said...

Some breeds seem more likely to lie in that position than others -- staffies often do, apparently. Something about the way their hips are built.

Steve Reed said...

Yikes! That's scary. It really makes you wonder what goes on out there in the world.

Steve Reed said...

Well, yeah, but don't you have to cut the tree down to count the rings? I don't know how they can age trees that are still standing.

Interesting that you even have fritillaries down there. Seems like it would be awfully hot in Australia! I guess that's what makes them difficult? Here they're usually easy, but not for us.

Steve Reed said...

We got her in January 2013 and she was three, or so the rescue agency told us. So she must be 11, if their age estimate was right at the time.

Alphie Soup said...

Your math parent/s would have known how to do this...
Parts of Australia ARE hot but not all of it. Tasmania is our coolest state and the people I know who grow them, live there.
Alphie

Alphie Soup said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Yorkshire Pudding said...

When I am high I do not know what I am saying dude.

Janie Junebug said...

Brazen squirrels have big balls.

Love,
Janie