The first October after we moved to Washington, we decided to take a road trip south to visit a famous short family’s pumpkin farm. On our way home in the early afternoon we searched the map for a park to take Rory out for a walk. We were in Felida, which is in the southern part of Washington and we had just eaten the best gluten free Cubano sandwich either of us had ever had. We came across Whipple Creek Regional Park and decided to check it out. Like most parks in the PNW, it’s forested land with a series of trails winding through.

Whipple Creek just had a unique essence to it. Mysterious maybe. Beautiful of course. The leaves had been changing colors for weeks, so oranges, yellows and reds were strewn through the branches from the ground surging up hundreds of feet. Many trees already given up their foliage for the year, creating dark shadow like figures through the forest. It had not yet rained much, so the trails were now filled with a crisp colorful patchwork of leaves. Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. The glorious satisfaction of the leaves crackling underfoot. The light autumn breeze would occasionally pick up creating a flutter of twinkling leaves in the sunlight.

As we meandered through the park, enjoying the sights and sounds of a new place, something seemed to catch Rory’s attention. We never saw any squirrels or rabbits along the way, but maybe she caught a scent of the something on the wind. Or maybe she was also caught up in the spooky sense of awe and wonder in this perfect Halloween like setting as she started to take off running down the path. I let John chase behind her and the fully extended leash. After they disappeared around a turn, I could still hear them galloping through the leaves and then Rory started to bay. She howled her deep beagle “baroo” as she made her way through the forest. Over and over again. I laughed, enjoying this new wild instinct in my girl. I paused in a spot where paths crossed to wait for them and on a trail slightly below, I could see a group of teen girls passing by. Talking, laughing and probably wondering about the howling animal running through the forest. And they were dressed as witches. A pre-Halloween costume walk perhaps? It just added to the eerie effect of the autumn woods.

When John, Rory and I finally reconnected, we tried to make sense of this new phenomena. The best we could come up with is the call of the wild. After moving to the PNW, all these new senses seemed to awaken in Rory. More adventure. More freedom. More alive. It was a joy and a gift to get to watch her experience it all. This walk with Rory will forever remain my favorite fall memory.