Kojak Storm

Kojak Storm

May 15, 2015

It had been a good while since I had gone down to investigate Cottonwood Pond. In the meantime, the woods had exploded in green, former spaces filled with leaves. I knew that recent rains were continuing to replenish everything and that there must be more wildlife activity. It had been hot and humid.

It was about to rain again. As spaces in the sky filled with clouds and the atmosphere darkened, I took and opportunity to slip into the woods and see what was going on.

 

It looked quite soggy down there. The creek was running, Jewelweed carpeted the lower ground, the pond was full, and plants cascaded lushly over the top of the Root Ball. I felt some sprinkling.

Would there be frogs in the pond? Snakes nearby? Tracks in the mud?

Something came rushing down the slope behind me, leaping and barreling through the greenery. The dark blur ran past me to the Creek, sloshed through, and galloped to the edge of Cottonwood Pond ...

 

… and into the pond.

 The neighbors' Doberman, Kojak, had gotten past his invisible fence, romped on over to my place to visit my dogs, then decided it would be a great adventure to follow me into the woods.

How happy he was to find this natural swimming pool!

With great joy, he galloped into the water …

 

...and splashed around.

I'm sure that any frogs mad a quick retreat, and that Water Striders skated off to the edges.

He shook pond water from his shiny black coat and leaped out of the pond, looking for the next adventure, becoming a blur again.

 

Kojak galloped again with joy back and forth, his feet making slap-happy sounds in the mud.

 

I went around to the other side of the Root Ball to see what was going on with “little pond” and the swampy area.

Kojak came along, happy to see yet another pool of water …

 … which he had to explore.

 

This day, I would not be seeing much wildlife – not frogs, not snakes, not rabbits – just maybe some bugs and the more oblivious birds calling from the canopy.  The only obvious animal was large and domestic, and the main prints in the mud were large and canine.

But, it was fun watching Kojak discover the water and make the most of it. It was fun to see his joy and to experience Cottonwood Pond through yet another creature.

The visit would have to be short, anyway. Rain fell more steadily, then increased. It poured enough to hinder any further observation. Everything would be taking cover.

 

I am sure the frogs would not mind the rain and would come out from cover after the coast was clear.

Crawdads would have retreated far down their tunnels below soggy chimneys.  

 

It was raining very hard, and thunder was rolling in. I took one more look at Cottonwood Pond …

 

...crossed the creek, climbed the slope (Kojak following), then headed for the house.

I did not hear the dogs barking anymore. They had probably retreated under the deck, out of the rain, feeling safe from a coming storm.

Kojak must have headed home to his safe haven, too. He would probably try to tell his people about his delinquent adventures, not sorry that he had escaped his domain long enough to visit Cottonwood Pond with me.