I used to hate our walking route.

It sucked. It was along a fairly major city street, with cars, and noise, and the occasional loose dog to make it just that much more exciting.

We changed it late last year. And now, while it takes us to the exact same place, it's along the canal road, with backyards, fields, and much else of interest. The dogs are all fenced, and we laugh at them. There's a pair of Shelties that live next door to an obnoxious little white thing, and we've nicknamed those dogs "Rude Dogs and the Dweeb." There's a really nice Boxer, and an adorable and sweet little Mini Dachshund.

And just today, we saw:

• At least one Goldfinch
  
• At least four muskrats
  
• A California Quail
  
• A garter snake
  
• some Killdeer
  
• Mourning Doves
  
• Red-winged Blackbirds
  
• Black-billed Magpies
  
• Mallards--with babies. Lots and lots of babies.
  
• a House Finch
  
• California Gulls
  
• Barn Swallows

And we got to pet a horse today

In the past, we've seen Western Kingbirds, a Downy Woodpecker, some sort of Hummingbird, and a wild Turkey. There's a Kestrel that hangs out in the neighborhood, and a Red-Tailed Hawk as well, although he's usually in the other direction. And last night we had the privilege of seeing bats.

All this from a relatively minor change we made in our walking route. It rocks.

I used to hate our walking route.

It sucked. It was along a fairly major city street, with cars, and noise, and the occasional loose dog to make it just that much more exciting.

We changed it late last year. And now, while it takes us to the exact same place, it's along the canal road, with backyards, fields, and much else of interest. The dogs are all fenced, and we laugh at them. There's a pair of Shelties that live next door to an obnoxious little white thing, and we've nicknamed those dogs "Rude Dogs and the Dweeb." There's a really nice Boxer, and an adorable and sweet little Mini Dachshund.

And just today, we saw:

• At least one Goldfinch
  
• At least four muskrats
  
• A California Quail
  
• A garter snake
  
• some Killdeer
  
• Mourning Doves
  
• Red-winged Blackbirds
  
• Black-billed Magpies
  
• Mallards--with babies. Lots and lots of babies.
  
• a House Finch
  
• California Gulls
  
• Barn Swallows

And we got to pet a horse today

In the past, we've seen Western Kingbirds, a Downy Woodpecker, some sort of Hummingbird, and a wild Turkey. There's a Kestrel that hangs out in the neighborhood, and a Red-Tailed Hawk as well, although he's usually in the other direction. And last night we had the privilege of seeing bats.

All this from a relatively minor change we made in our walking route. It rocks.