Acorn Bombardier

I've started to take Coca Bear on my morning walks.  It helps her with her stress levels, as she is getting more anxious as she ages.  It used to be that she would get nervous whenever it rained and try to get in our bedroom, toss dog beds, and clothing.  She would gnaw at the doorknob, tearing it up and causing her mouth to bleed, so we put a tennis ball on the doorknob.  She still can get it in, but it doesn't hurt her mouth.  It has now grown to be that she does anytime both Alison and I are gone.

The walks have helped a little bit.  It certainly hasn't hurt her.  The walk is pretty steady, except for an occasional pitstop.  At first, I wasn't bringing "pick up bags," but I've learned that lesson.  She doesn't have a problem leaving surprises not just in people's yards, but also in the middle of the road.  She needs to let people and animals know that "Cocoa Bear was here." I fight to prevent that message.

On the way back, over a block away from our house, I heard these thuds and pings, like little bombs, or large pieces of hail.  What house was so noisy?

It was our house.  We have a large oak tree in our back yard, and it spends a lot of the Fall and Early Winter shedding acorns all over our back yard.  Many of them hit our metal roof, making it sound like our house is always under siege.  Alison thinks it's one of the things contributing to Cocoa Bear's nervous, the military-like barrage striking the metal roof, then rolling down into our backyard.

Limbs periodically fall off this mighty oak.  That's a real thud when they hit.  One punched a hole in the top of our screened-in porch.  That was fun to fix.

Squirrels are attracted to our yard.  This creates a lot of entertainment for our dogs. They don't really catch the squirrels.  I don't know if they would know what to do with them if they did.  But it does provide exercise for all involved.

There is a hole in the tree near the base.  I think the hole is growing deeper, but I am not sure.  I am not sure of the overall health of the tree,  I think it's ok.  I'm sure it's one of those types of trees that have been there for a very, very long time.  I'm pretty sure it's the largest tree in our neighborhood.  We may get somebody to look at it, someone who can make an honest assessment, and not just have the ulterior motive of earning a lot of money to chop it down.

For now, we put up with our acorn bombardier and the occasional fallen limb.  It is a pretty tree.  It is a mighty tree. 

And when Cocoa Bear and I go for walks, we don't have to worry about getting lost.  We can follow the sound of the acorn explosions until we reach home again.