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Tag Archives: dogs

Good Times at the Beach

Last week the dogs and I drove across the state and met Ken for a few days of razor clam digging. He’d been working on the Olympic Peninsula and the timing was good for a clam season. These seasons happen about once a month between November and April on the Washington coast. In addition to clam digging there was lots of other fun on the beach. Ken fished for surf perch. His brother joined us for one night. Our friend Mary Ann and her dog Frida and her friend Linda spent two nights there. The dogs loved running and chasing balls on the beach. Sky became seriously addicted to the ‘chuck it’ toy. We had some seriously good weather for February and some normal overcast and rainy weather too.

With three feet of snow on the ground at home, these crocuses were a welcome sight.
The view from our room
One of many creeks that pour into the ocean
We had some really good weather
Clammers at sunset
Bull kelp
Bull kelp
Northwest Crow
Surf perch
Sky is more interested in her ball than the fish
A stringer of surf perch
Luna wonders why Ken won’t throw the ball for her
A flock of peeps
Fishing for surf perch in the rain

Black Dogs in the Snow

What kind of photo situation is the most difficult? I am always challenged with photographing my black dogs and today to make it worse, it was snowing this morning, the light was flat and there was more than half a foot of new snow. But how much fun is this? These dogs like snow and they know how to have fun. It looks like they are fighting and trying to hurt each at times but they never do. Well, when Sky was younger and had her puppy teeth, she did make Luna’s ears bleed more than once. Speaking of Sky, she is now over six months old and weighs more than 50 pounds! How big will she get? Luna is 65 pounds and she has lots of long curly hair. She needs a haircut soon. I know, this is a lot of images of black dogs in the snow but we like dogs.

Here comes Sky
Yes, that is my stick, why do you ask?
Luna’s white beard
Oh look, the neighbors are going to church.
Let the games begin
Break
Luna pushes Sky into a snowbank
Sky explodes out of the snowbank
Shake
Even with all that shaking Luna is still covered with snow
Sky nearly flies down the hill
Why yes, I do have another stick.

Ice and Snow

Another fun day outside! Eight of us – four dogs and four women – travelled with classic skis and waxed paws to look at the frozen Falls Creek Falls. Yes, that’s its name.

Falls Creek Falls. It’s a place that we frequently take out of town guests, even the elderly that can’t get around to well, to see in the warmer months. It’s a reasonably short drive from town and the short trail is paved for wheelchairs and the falls are really a sight to see. In the spring and early summer, the water is high and spray cools the air and keeps the surfaces wet and slippery. Later in the summer, it’s a refreshingly cool spot. And fall is lovely with colorful foliage.

I’ve always wanted to see it in the winter but you can’t drive there. The road is closed and maintained for snow machines but that doesn’t mean you can’t ski to it. So when Jennifer said she wanted to go, I was ready. We thought about taking fat bikes but someone said they are not allowed. That left us with classic cross-country skis. I must say, I have not used my classic skis in at least a couple of years having become a devoted skate skier. This year, with little snow in the Cascades I have not done much of any skiing so I figured I may as well dust off the classics and give it a go. Jennifer’s skis are so old (how old are they?) that they have 3 pin bindings! She bought them used more years ago then she cares to say. We recruited MA to join us and she got Christiana to go too (and drive) and we were set. A sno-park pass is required so we needed to cram all of us into one vehicle to make it not too costly. Four women, four dogs and all the ski stuff and other gear – well it takes up some space. And to top it off, the roads were not in good shape – new snow was covering the old ice.

Not only did we have the fun of skiing with our dogs on a day that went from nearly sunny to snowing hard, we also enjoyed the trail to the falls and its icy beauty and on the way back, we stopped to observe some ancient pictographs. It was another fun day in the Methow.

Frida leads the way
Sky is trying to keep up with the big dogs
Now why would I do that?
The puppy sneak
The puppy leap
No wonder Wyatt Ann doesn’t like Sky.
Treats? Anyone got treats for dogs?
No treats here.
Frida is reasoning with Christiana
Treats?
Treats?
What are you looking at?
Note that her paws are not clumped with snow. They have ‘mushers’ wax on them.
You’ve got something on your nose.
Falls Creek from the bridge
The frozen falls
Lots of water coming down
A small hole in the ice
Cedar tree trunks
Pictographs along the road
Sky found something special
Real winter weather
I like the snow

Walks with Friends

The dogs and I love walks with friends  – both canine and human. These images are from a couple of walks on the Wildlife Area near Frost Road. It’s really just a mile or two from our house as the raven flies, however there is private land in between here and there. Consequently we have to drive about fifteen miles to get there.

I wonder what Sky is thinking about?
Better quit thinking and catch up with the pack
January? Really?
Look what Sky brought us!
Frida leads the way
A frozen hay field
Here comes Frida!
And Luna is right behind her
Terrific clouds
Looking towards Frost Lake

We Walk at Home

We walk at home just about everyday. Even if we have a bigger outing, we will often do a quick loop just so the dogs can get their yaw yaws out and I can stretch my legs. And on a sunny day like this one – we go for longer walks.

Luna needs a haircut and more attention
We don’t usually get this close to deer. This one must have been enjoying the sun too.
Peek a boo