walking on a warm but not hot day

Penny and her two humans didn't have to walk at the crack of dawn today, because it's a warm day, not as fiendishly hot as it's been lately.

But a dog still needs to have a drink when she's taking her humans for a brisk walk.

It's best if you can instruct your humans to turn the tap on, so you can drink from running water.

The great thing about this drinking bowl is the hole in the bottom, because once a dog has had her fill, the water empties out along a clever little drain, presumably to be directed to the nearby Yarra River.

We're so lucky that someone had the foresight to create this beautiful bush setting just a few kilometres from the centre of a huge modern city.

a giant outline of a bird in the grass

Finally I've discovered which artist created the great outline on the hillside in Quarries Park in Clifton Hill. How could we have walked across this artwork for so many years and not have noticed this plaque in the grass?

Ivan Cindric. I haven't been able to find anything about him on the Net, except this letter about the sculpture.

In the letter there's mention of vandalism of the plaque and the intention to replace it, so perhaps it has just been placed where we came across it. I hope it's not vandalised again.


Here's Penny reading about the giant heron.

Well, it's actually Penny trying to snaffle the piece of dried chicken I tossed onto the gound near the plaque.

dogs walking close to traffic

One of our favorite walking places is Yarra Bend Park. We cross the Darebin Creek and continue onto the Clifton Hill side, a circular walk which leaves us with a short hike alongside traffic in Heidelberg Road, before we enter the Yarra Bend Park once more.

Once upon a time we used to come out to Heidelberg Road on this little path.

The good thing about coming out at this spot was that there was a protective barrier along the edge of Heidelberg Road to keep us safe from the cars.

But, as you can see from the first photo, our preferred path has been blocked off with a fence. So now we have to emerge on to the road further along, and take our chance walking alongside lanes of busy traffic.

It's aggravating that someone in a planning department has made a decision that impacts on our safety, without any consultation about what we prefer. I wrote to the council to explain my concerns, but received the usual noncommittal response. 

However, once we navigate the short scary stretch of street, it's back into the lovely, lovely Yarra Bend park, one of the most dog-friendly places in Melbourne. (You have to be on lead on the hard-surfaced bike paths, but everywhere else is off-lead.)

a strange bird shape on the hill

Penny and I had a lovely walk today, and it seemed she wasn't limping. Hooray! We went to a favorite place, Yarra Bend park. As I glanced across the Merri Creek to the parklands on the opposite bank, I was struck by the outline of a huge bird on the hillside. I knew it was there, but I've never seen it so beautifully outlined with the shadows cast by the setting sun.



Seeing Penny seemed to be coping well with a longer walk, we headed off to have a close look at it. When we got there, it no longer looked like a bird. It just seemed to be a little pebbled path in the hillside.



I wonder who made the bird, and why. It's obviously maintained well, because the grass hasn't been allowed to invade the gravel lines. A thing of beauty and mystery.