Sunday, April 25, 2010

Thanks Susan!



We came across our friends Susan and Steven at Pony Pasture this morning and Susan graciously agreed to take a picture of the five of us. Since Pat and Megan also graciously agreed to allow us to bring Tyler along to the river this AM. If you've ever photographed dogs you'll know what a challenge it is to get five to sit still long enough to take a picture. 

My fb picture is (was) still one of us hiking in the snow; I felt it was time for a more spring-like theme. So we were on the lookout for a competent photographer and it was our great good fortune to encounter Susan and Steven at the river this morning.

For those of you who don't know us, that's the lovely Tyler in the foreground. Max is just behind her and Roux is the only one looking left. Mackey is under my right arm and Ivory is gazing at the river. I suspect he's looking at a duck and thinking a second breakfast might be in order. For a dog who has never missed a meal in sixteen years, he always seems concerned that the next one might not show up. And he may have to take matters into his own paws.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

First baby ducks of 2010


 Mother Mallard and five babies

First ones I saw anyway, first ones on the James at Pony Pasture. I apologize for the low quality image; I had to zoom in from a pretty long distance. When you have four big dogs with lots of energy, a prudent parent like the one shown here tends to keep her new family at a distance. 

I've also seen two turtles, one big one in the river last week at PP and one today while riding. But no pictures yet. Soon the turtles will be everywhere. And there are more flowers every day.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Brothers from Other Mothers

Ivory and Max and I just got back from what may have been our best campout ever. Thanks Alex for taking care of Roux, Mackey, Dash and Kite while we were gone!


And thanks to Jill and her excellent (4-legged, of course) hiking companions Piper and Bessie for taking our picture. Jill being the only one with an opposable thumb took the picture. My camera was being balky, I later learned, but she managed to get this shot. 

The weather was beyond spectacular; it was crisp and cool and clear and lovely. Max and Ivory were amazing hikers. In my journal from 7:39 this AM it says "watching the sun come up, this is in every sense unimprovable" and at 10:06 - about twenty minutes before we started - it says "There is absolutely no improving this weather". Just amazing. Perhaps more pictures to follow.