This post was first published January 24, 2009.
Today saw the return of winter with freezing temperatures and snow. The wind chill added to the briskness. The other day was a different story. Gorgeous sunshine and warm temperatures begged me to go for a walk to the mailbox. My months of inactivity showed themselves as it took me longer than normal to make the 2 mile trek. But I had company and enjoyed the walk and the weather immensely. The view from the highway and my mailbox looks like this.
![mail1](https://reddirtinmysoul.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/mail1.jpg)
This area is called the Double Crossing as the old stagecoach road that ran through here had to cross the Nowood River twice in a short span. We call this entry road the Beaver Slide… if you know anything about beavers they will create ramps like this to slide their wood into creeks.
![mail2](https://reddirtinmysoul.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/mail2.jpg)
A closer look reveals my walking partners. In the distance is the sheep bridge I have talked about.
![mail3](https://reddirtinmysoul.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/mail3.jpg)
My partners are in a down stay at the cattle guard. If they come with me to the actual mailbox, more often than not, a tempting cottontail bunny will dash in front of them and lead them onto the highway and across. Now, my highway isn’t a busy one… but I decided that those mad dashes across pavement were going to give me a heart attack if ever it happened with traffic. This is my remedy.
![mail4](https://reddirtinmysoul.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/mail4.jpg)
Could they get any closer to the cattle guard?? They’d lay on it if they could… just to be those few inches closer to where I am.
![mail5](https://reddirtinmysoul.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/mail5.jpg)
One is patient, the other reflects the horrible abuse I put her through when I don’t allow her to be at my side.
![mail6](https://reddirtinmysoul.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/mail6.jpg)
“Do you like me??? Do you really, *really* like me? Please say you do!”
![mail7](https://reddirtinmysoul.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/mail7.jpg)
“Yeah… Here I am. Can we go now?”We can’t wait to go to the mailbox again… but we only get mail three times a week. So we have to wait until Monday whether we want to or not!
Find me here!
well trained pups! my dog,Sam, a cocker spaniel, would have chased that rabbit to the next county, he always had a mind of his own!