Shady Path

 On our morning walks in the summertime, I like to follow the shady path. The sun is low enough behind the trees and houses that it creates a harbor of dark lines and shapes. The dogs like to follow their curiosities, and mostly where their noses pick up a good scent, so their plan and my plan often conflict. I do try to compromise between their pleasures and my comfort. This is the longest walk of the day, and during the summer months there is time to linger. As the sun rises, the shadows will fade into the earth. By midmorning there will be no refuge, so the remaining walks of the day will be unprotected. And much shorter.