June 2025 - Millie and Poppy's Wildlife Special

Please make yourself comfortable, and let's begin.

Poppy and I have been getting along marvellously since she was spayed. She still doesn't like it when I chew a bone  (she calls them all 'her' bones), but she has stopped barging in when I'm drinking from the water bowl.

"I'm not a bad girl. I'm misunderstood."

June has been a fantastic month again for the weather. Mostly it was hot and sunny. We spent over a week at the cabin.

Our first morning was spent nature watching. It was a bit boring for us dogs, stuck in the wildlife viewing hut in the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park, but at least it kept us safe from the showers. I wasn't allowed to chase the squirrels, because they were red and probably poisonous, like the berries. Shame, because I might have had a chance of catching one, given there were loads of them and they are much smaller than the grey ones.

Spider-man!
No, it's a red squirrel.

Woodpecker

Duck

Sparrow and Sisken

Blackbird

Jay

Wren

Red Squirrels

Our next trip was to Falkirk to see the Kelpies. This was Poppy's first time. It was so hot, we were both allowed doggy ice cream. Delicious! It even came with a gravy bone flake.

 

After this, we headed out to Linlithgow. We didn't go into the palace; instead, we lunched at the dog-friendly 1807 cafebar. The humans loved it. They didn't order anything for us, having remembered to bring our Dentastix. Like it was their plan all along.

We then headed over to Beecraigs Country Park. It was still boiling. The flies were annoying, and the bridge was shut, so we couldn't do the full circle walk. The cafe was good, though. 
  

We wanted more ice cream,
 but didn't get any.

Back at the cabin, Poppy was in a playful mood. Overheating, she got up to lots of couch mischief.

Mischief?

This isn't mischief.

This is mischief.

So is this.

"I was only kidding."

The heron returned

We visited Brig O Turk on the day of a cycle race. They'd baggsied the roads, so we took to the hills.

No racing bikes are going to be using this path

The humans promised to return, now that they know where the official trails are located. The Brig O Turk tea room had some tasty vegan food choices for the humans.

Then we had to go home to Paisley because I had an appointment for a haircut. The new groomer, Zoe, did a great job.

Before

After

What will Poppy think of my new haircut?

"Who did this to you?"

"Do you want me to hurt them?"

I hid upstairs to get away from her nonsense.

We also heard some rather sad news this month. While we were away, our neighbour, Holly, developed a heart condition, which declined quickly in the heat. The vet had to put her to sleep. Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of her to share. She was a tan-coated cocker spaniel. She's probably still barking in Heaven, waiting for her humans to join her.