Yup, I came THIS close...

The new week started, and we got back to our walking program.

On some days, we left home pretty early.

Sometimes we were even fortunate enough to catch the sun just coming up.

One morning, I was rewarded for having a quick shutter finger.

I had the camera on and at the ready, and captured this mother-daughter pair just as they crested a hill in front of us, headed in our direction.

They were on their way to their daily activities, oblivious to our presence.

And Erlinda showed her photographic flair, catching me as I descended one of the hills along our walking path.

I kinda like her composition. It's almost as if I were riding the shafts of light that the sun was using to bathe the countryside.

We occasionally ran into some opposition as we took our exercise.

Local guard dogs tended to take exception to our passing, even when we weren't suggesting any attack on their premises.

Don't be fooled by the fact that they're kinda small. Their teeth are just as sharp as if they were German Shepherds.

I never get tired of poinciana trees, so I shoot them wherever I see them.

Have you ever seen a tree so gorgeous?

Maybe later I'll show you a close-up so you can see how the blossoms are constructed.

Here's another look at the same poinciana tree, from a different angle.

(Actually, it's just an excuse to show you the incision after about another week and a half of healing.)

One day we paused at the crest of a hill on our route, overlooking a posse of houses in the dale below.

In the distance, toward the horizon, you can make out a variety of homes and other structures in the general area of downtown Mandeville.

Erlinda took another shot that provides a better look at the neighborhood.

Since I couldn't think of another place to stand, I just happened to be in the shot.

We've found that there's a number of homes we like along our route.

One of them is actually visible as you look at Mom's house. It's probably half a mile behind it.

Notice the rounded turret of one of the bedrooms.

A lot of houses sport large floral pieces out in front.

Some are adorned with, or flanked by, poinciana trees.

This time of year is especially great, because the poincianas are in bloom.

This house is one of Erlinda's favorites, with a distinct European flair.

I keep thinking it's a Tudor design, but I'm not sure.

She doesn't care whether it's Tudor or Schmoodor, she just loves it.

This one is set on a large estate not far from Mom's place. Nice digs, huh?

In fact, I often like to pause for a breather on the way back from our trek.

I rest on a low wall that's just beside the road in front of the house I showed you in the previous photo.

And whenever I can, I pause with my partner.

You know, pauses are always a lot more fun when Erlinda's around.

Lots of things are more fun when Erlinda's part of them.

My hospital experience was so much better because she was a Florence Nightingale to me while I was there.

How would I make it without her? I don't know, and I hope I never have to find out.