Dogs In The Wood

Someone posted some nice autumn leaves on Twitter taken at Balls Wood Nature Reserve. I've never been there but I had a trip to John Lewis in Welwyn planned and it's on the way, so I decided to check it out. The SatNav directed me down a private road between houses in Hertford Heath and sure enough there was the entrance to a lovely wooded area. I didn't see much wildlife but met some nice people and their dogs. The pic above is of Toby the beagle and his mistress. She lost her husband to cancer and got Toby as a companion. She said that he is wonderful with her granddaughter who has cerebral palsy. Toby was born with that kink in his tail.

I also met Muffin, an Irish Wolfhound. I didn't realise how big these gentle animals are. Muffin belongs to a young man who was paralysed in a road accident. He can't take him for walks so the man's father takes him to have a good sniff around in the woods. 

Vesper the working cocker spaniel was named after Vesper the Bond girl. I don't think I've ever watched a Bond film in its entirety and I didn't know of the character. All I could think of was Vespers, the name for an evening church service. I've Googled and Vesper was so named because she was born on a stormy evening, Vesper being Latin for evening. Interesting that the well-known, 'shaken not stirred' cocktail was created by Bond for the character and dubbed the Vesper Martini.   

Toby's mistress pointed out to me that I wasn't in Balls Wood, that's on the other side of the road. I quickly checked that out and will return another day.

Today's poem is Lair by Robert Pinsky. https://press.princeton.edu/titles/1721.html

Well I do know from reading US blippers' posts that a Phoebe is common bird over there. :)