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Category Archives: dogs

A New Border Collie Puppy

My friend Lynne got a new border collie last month! How sweet is that? Everyone thinks Bree is just the cutest little girl they ever saw. No doubt, she will be an agility champion someday. She already wants to do what her big brother, Trip, does in the ring.

Bree sits
Bree looks up to Lynne!
Bree reflecting Lynne
Bree trying to chase down Luna with her bone
Bree trying to figure out how to get her bone from Luna
Bree with her bone
Bree has Luna’s tennis ball while Trip watches
Trip with Luna’s tennis ball
Sweet Bree

Golden Retrievers

Our part-time neighbors have a beautiful pair of golden retrievers. Yesterday, after a long weekend of fun with their family and friends they come up to visit while Ken worked with his bees. The dogs are beautiful and real sweethearts. Sadie is the mom and Oggie (the doggie) is her pup. I could not resist making a few images of them.

 

 

Splash!

Ok, I admit it. I like my dogs. And I like to photograph my dogs. Especially when they are having fun. These dogs love to play in the water. Sam, the brown one, just loves to swim. It takes all the weight off of her old sore joints and she is once again mobile and she remembers her glory days of youth and good health. For her sake, I wish we lived on a lake. Luna loves to swim after something we’ve thrown. Tennis balls are her favorite. In hot weather she can do this longer than we can throw the ball.

 

 

 

 

What Luna lacks in grace and style she makes up for with enthusiasm.

 

Look at those ears! No wonder she gets water in them.

 

I love how the water comes off of her in sheets.

 

Sam displays calm determination.

 

 

 

I got it, ok? I got the job done. I’m a working dog.

 

Just swimming for fun on a hot afternoon.

 

 

Look – I can get the job done too.

 

 

The Doggie Dash – A Six Legged Race

Every winter the Methow Valley Nordic Club sponsors the always popular Doggie Dash in Winthrop near the Town Trailhead. It is one of the most fun events of the year for dog lovers and their friends. In addition to being a race, it’s also a costume contest. Many people put more effort into their costume design than the race itself in hopes of taking home the traveling trophy – a magnificent golden poodle! The race categories included kids, adults with big dogs, adults with little dogs and skijoring teams. Generous sponsors provide lots of doggie treats and prizes.

 

This puppy really has a ‘game face’

 

I’m always partial to doodles

 

 What can I say about this?

 

Luna is having second thoughts

 

And the race is on!

 

The little jockey is being followed by the super hero team from Mazama

 

 

It’s ok to fall and get up – you cannot let go of your dog though

 

And she’s off again

 

Normally mild mannered Kristen turned into a new woman when she donned the roller girl outfit!

 

 

At the starting line, Luna is still thinking……

 

Looks like Trip is also thinking about other stuff

 

There’s a good team

 

Trip – don’t look at the girls over there

 

This is just before Luna ran over to me and sat down.

 

One of the skijoring contestants

Just one big happy family

 

 

 

And the winnter of the coveted golden poodle!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rest in Peace, Old Friend

Yesterday, our dog Kelly passed away. She was just a few days’ shy of her fourteenth birthday and had lived a good healthy life. Kelly was a lab shepard mix adopted at a shelter by my mom in 1998. It seems like a long time ago now. Mom passed away nearly six years ago and I had no way to keep Kelly. After two weeks of trying to find her a new home, Ken, my then-boyfriend, said he’d take her home with him and try to find someone to adopt her. Kelly latched onto Ken and his two dogs and decided she wasn’t going anywhere else. She had found her new home and pack. More time passed and we all came together to form a new pack in our home in the Methow and Kelly was happy here too. She was a good dog and we will miss her. Kelly loved walks and rides in the truck and swimming in mountain lakes. She loved to act like the guard dog, barking ferociously while wagging he tail. She was the sweetest dog.

 

I imagine her rolling in snowy fields under bluebird skies now

 

Walking over hill and dale smelling all the smells

 

And smiling her happy smile

Ken made this last photo of Kelly smiling and wrote this poem.

Snow fell gently
from gray skies
when
our old friend
passed to the other side.

I felt her heart
stop
her breathing, suffering,
ended

and she ran free
again
across open ways
celestial doggie
trails
full of scent
and sun
free
liberated, dissapated

moving on
into memory
on that
other shore

staying with us
always
as our good dog
Kelly…..