The Joy of a Walk

“Walkies”, one word and Lego is ready to go, ears are picked and tail is wagging running to the front door. Today I took my dog Lego out for a walk around the local area and let myself enjoy the sights and sounds around us. I focused on taking our time, letting him sniff almost everything (he tends to try to eat cat poop!) and it was so rewarding. Heading out of the door Lego was super excited, him with his harness on, me with treats and poo bags in my walking pouch and we were ready to go. The top of our road is a popular stopping point for many dogs. There were so many sniffs for Lego to enjoy. His nose was working overtime. 

Once through the houses we were into the countryside. A trio of kites were overhead, calling to each other and gliding effortlessly in the wind. They were so low you could see the patterns on the underside of their wings. It was so amazing to see them so close and the stresses of life seemed to slowly start to ebb away. Lego was too busy sniffing to notice them.

Down a small lane Lego was nose down to the ground following the scent of some creature. With lots of local wildlife who knows what he was following, but he enjoyed following the meandering path as it led us on down the lane. Watching him reminded me of all the little animals and birds that live so close and yet are rarely seen. I tried to pay attention to the small details, seeing what I could identify around us. I looked down to the ground and there were imprints of horse hooves in the (thankfully dry) mud. Small downy feathers, perhaps from early nest builders were dotted around. Concentrating on these details meant that everyday life strains were completely forgotten. Lego also took the time to sniff the airs, picking up on scents wafting around, you could see his nose twitching fervently. 

Heading back into the village and the noises of village life came back into focus. The chatter of someone on their phone, car doors being opened, children on scooters heading home from the shop. Once home, Lego was exhausted. Sniffing is more tiring than walking for dogs, so he cuddled up on the sofa to sleep. I felt refreshed, relaxed and more prepared to tackle the challenges life can throw at me.