tags

 Today's walk is like yesterday's morning walk, following the same path over the same hills. There is the case of a dog straining at his leash to show aggression to the stranger and to impress his owner. She states that he normally goes for squirrels. It is a nice occasion to feel good about the size and the weight, both of which are quite definitely not like a squirrel.

Later on, on the stretch by the river, that is to say on the final two kilometres, stop to talk to a man in a red high visibility outfit. He is standing in front of a tree making notes. Ask him if he does this as an annual thing, and if it has to do with the numbers on tags that are nailed to the tree's trunk. He says it is, that he is assessing all the trees, measuring their girth, looking at the size of the crown and looking to see if there are any signs of disease. He points out a large black fungus on a nearby maple, and says that that is the first of those that he has come across in this row of trees. Ask whether there is any damage by beavers, and he explains that the local beavers do not appear to like maple. He explained that the animals appear more partial to poplar trunks.

Thank him for all his information, and walk on up the long alley beside the river bank. See now that every slightly more significant tree has a small tag with a number nailed to it using stainless steel nails.

Take the cup of coffee at the Italian place, try to take it out of doors today. It is not a problem, but it is unpleasantly cold.