Friday This ‘n’ That and Here ‘n’ There

First of all, your kindness and thoughtfulness made my Dad really happy. We can’t thank you enough! And now I’m going to spend all my waking time trying to catch up with everyone. Well, after a little cat nap in my condo.

Mom knows I have to get out and run several days a week (that’s over and above the daily walks and my agility lesson and shoppin’ and stuff).  She says I’m high-maintenance, but I know she loves it.

We managed a few of my favorite places and one I haven’t been to recently.

The other day, as I sat at the base of a tree high above the Columbia River, I contemplated my next move. Do I race down the cliff and run around on the riverbank, or race down the cliff and hop in the river? I have such hard life-decisions to make sometimes.

Yesterday, Mom and I went on a hike up Powell Butte. We love it there…lots of big trees, and ferns and sometimes a black-tailed deer. I  run and run, never getting far away. There are lots of things to explore…like this pipe.

It’s like a tunnel, Mom!

Please note the water coming out. I just don’t understand why Mom says I could find a mud-hole in the Sahara Desert. You know I have to find one somewhere. I just pretended to look in the pipe.

Fooled you, Mom!!

I liked this fallen tree. It had an opening I could look through and it framed the forest behind, even though it’s a bit blurry.

 

And this spot in the forest is actually quite beautiful…except I was more interested in the squirrel I thought was there. Not. 

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I leave you with one of my favorite things to do. This was at 1000 Acres. 

Mom! Not the hose? Really??????

Muddy Monday Mischief

It was a really nice day today…67 degrees F (19.4 C)…with a high cloud cover. AND, no rain. A perfect day for 1000 Acres. Mom must have thought so too, especially after I dug a second hole in the yard….

The meadows are made for racing as fast as I can and I sure did. I know you’re expecting to see me in all my muddy glory, but somehow it didn’t work out. Not that I didn’t see plenty of these.I think it was the timing, but I’m not telling Mom that, so keep it a big secret! She mistakenly thinks I’m growing up (I’ll be 3-years old in 3 weeks) and I’m letting her stay in her delusional state…it’s easier that way.

We made our way out to the Columbia River. I HAD to do some swimming, after all. When we were at this same spot a couple of months ago, it was nothing but beach! What a difference a few months (and some rain) makes!

We walked along the river for a bit and found a couple of funny structures. Branches and sticks were cut up and made a funny shelter. I though maybe the sticks were for throwing out in the water so their dog could go fetch (like I do), but Mom said they were duck blinds. I didn’t know ducks were blind…..

The human who made this one even brought his own seat and left some very interesting smells.

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I was glad no one was there. They might have thought I was a duck!

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I didn’t want to disappoint you with no Muddy Monday picture, so I dug one up just for you! Remember this?
Mom entered me in a Petfinder.org Foundation/Wahl® Dirty Dog contest and they’re picking the top 25 contestants on November 9. If I make it to this level, I’ll let you know and hope you’ll go vote for me. There’s $5,000 going to the Oregon Humane Shelter (where Mom & Dad rescued me) if I win!

The Dog Days of…Early Fall

I wanted to say ‘summer’, but Mom told me it was all over. Seems like summer to me!

The rain’s coming in a couple of days, so we high-tailed it out to 1000 Acres. Not for mud-puddles, mind you, but a good romp.

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And we saw some of these Wooly Bear Caterpillar things. OK, Mom, I’ll give it to you. It’s fall. I sure thought it was still summer….

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The Corps of Engineers put up this fence recently to keep humans out of the park wetlands. Sure didn’t stop me!  I think the operative word here is…human.

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One leap over

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And another back!

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I have this secret mission when I go exploring in the grasses.  If I tell you, you won’t tell anyone?

Shhhhhhhh

It’s to find a ball. And I do! EVERYTIME! Drives Mom nuts, but she says it’s better than mud. Whatever that means….

We walked all the way to the Columbia River this time. Toby II and I had fun playing in a little inlet.If you look waaaaaaaaaay out there, you’ll see the main part of the river.All that ‘beach’ in-between is usually covered with water. I couldn’t even go swimming! Bummer, huh?

At least it was wet.

We skedaddled (don’t you just love that word?) up the hill. Me leading the way.

Don’t say ‘I look good behind bars’, Mom. It’s not nice.

We rounded a bend and this is what I saw!

Biggest creature I’ve EVER seen. And guess who was more skeered?

me

A Rainy Day

While a lot of the US is sweltering or enduring horrible wildfires, summer in our little part of the world has yet to arrive. I’d be happy if it stayed just like it is, but, I know it’s coming…probably in a week or so. I don’t really like the heat, but if there’s enough water around, I’ll manage. Mom says I don’t have any choice.

Speaking of water, we went on a hike to a new place a couple of days ago. It was near my favorite place in the whole world–1000 Acres.

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I was in the mood for some good ol’ romping with my pals Caly & Tucker 

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and a lot of zoomies!

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That felt sooooooo good!

 

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On the way to the Columbia River, we found some little cairns on a wall that might have been a dike. We didn’t know why they were there…maybe someone though that dike needed some decorations.

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Of course, I had to check it out…

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On we went.

I had lots of opportunity to get my furs wet along the way. We made it to the Columbia.

Did a little swimming.

Romped a bit.

And then headed back to the car.

So, you ask, “What’s this about a rainy day?“

Mom and her friend both checked the weather before we headed out and there was only a 20% chance of rain. That’s NOTHING. Well, guess what? That 20% suddenly became 100%–about a mile or so from the car. Being the intrepid hikers that we are, I said “what’s a little rain?” But, Mom sure looked funny with water dripping off her head. I had to show her how to do a proper shake!

Snowberries & Mud

I know, I know. There’s suppose to be mud. Well, there was some, but let me tell you what happened. We went for a looooong hike out at 1000 Acres–about 6 miles–and ended up at the Columbia River again. A new part. We took a new trail and walked and walked and walked. I ran, Mom walked.

Then I swam. In case you’re wondering, that’s Camas, Washington on the other side of the river. I wonder if I can swim that far?

And then we walked some more. I was pooped, let me tell you. I think Mom was trying to run me into the ground! She was in a hurry to get back so she could put this stain stuff on the basement floor. Remember I told you they were working on it? The guy that keeps coming over is almost done. I’m sure glad about that!

But you want to know about mud. I just KNOW it! Well, we found some. Sure did! And I stayed out of it. Walked right around this and tons and tons of mud-puddles. Without a leash! Pretty good, huh?

I didn’t want to tell Mom it was because I was T I R E D. Let her think I’m being clean for once.

On our way back, we saw these funny white balls growing on bushes. Mom said they were Snowberries. Wow! Wooly Caterpillars one time and now Snowberries. What does that mean?

Muddy Monday

The rains have started and you know what that means! M. U. D. mud. Glorious mud. There aren’t any mud-puddles yet, but there’s no shortage of water at 1000 Acres. And we were on the prowl looking for some. Mom didn’t like the looks of this water, so we weren’t allowed to stay in this pond. Too icky, she said.  So, we forged onward and found a new trail through some ghostly looking trees. Tucker & I decided this was a pretty weird place. But it led us to a small hole filled with water. I was in it in a nano-second! What is there about water that’s so wonderful?But this isn’t the end of our adventure! We slogged on (I like that word–it’s what we do) and all of a sudden. There is was. The Columbia! Well, a small inlet of it. Come on, guys. Get a move on–I want to go swimming! We didn’t have a ball, so Caly and I started swimming for sticks. There’s always a lot around.Except she brought back both of them! That’s OK with me–I give up my ball or stick if someone else wants it. But don’t worry, I got my share.That’s what we do.

Fun in the Sun!

We went to 1000 Acres yesterday–FINALLY. I didn’t think I was ever going back out there. Mom kept saying it was too flooded. I think she was just being lazy. She has her Slogger boots now, so what’s the big deal?

I guess it was a bit wet–this part of the park is always dry (except for a mud-puddle or two). Now it was all under water, probably all the way back to the Columbia.But there are actually 1400 acres out here. There HAD to be someplace dry…

And, we found it! Caly and I raced and raced and raced. OMD, it felt good–I couldn’t stop running.

I stopped for a minute to see some horses going by. I could tell Mom was watching me, but I really wasn’t interested and they didn’t look like they wanted to play. So I went back to Mom–it was treat time!There was a hawk circling overhead–I wonder what it was hunting? Mom said it wasn’t the horses–I think she was being silly again. There’s always little garter snakes and mice out here. We even found a few! Here hawk–come get it!!We always go to one of the ponds that are full from winter rains. (This wasn’t part of the flooded area, by the way.) I get to work on my swimming here. See–1000 acres is a full-exercise park. OK, I’m waiting–throw that kong, will ya?A lab and I had a race to see who would get it. He was bigger, but I swam really hard! He wanted to claim part of the victory, so I let him share in bringing it back.We went back to the flooded area and I had the kong all to myself, well, sorta. Even my friend Caly swam out to get it! She’s never swum before.I’ll leave you today with a view of Mt. Hood in all its majesty. But check back tomorrow for another installation of Muddy Monday! I can guarantee you it was the absolute worst yet!!Pee Ess: I was tired…………..

The Dog Chute

I heard Mom say we were going to the dog shoot next. I didn’t know what to think? Was she going to shoot ME? I’m focusing, Mom, I’m focusing!! I promise I’ll do better. Just say “COME” and I’ll be there. I will…

But, we got there and, pshewwwwww, I found out there was another word that sounded like shoot. It was a dog CHUTE. We stood on the edge and checked it out. Pretty much straight down but that’s OK. We are fearless, Kaly and me! But, first, we had to wrestled a bit, then,

down we went! There were a bunch of other dogs playing there too. We had a dog party!!

Up and down we went! I thought I was pretty agile! Do you think this counts for my agility training?

By the way, this is the chute. I was shooting right up it. I wonder if that’s what Mom meant????

We finally had to leave. Mom said it was going to rain and we’d get wet. Wet? Is she nuts? I’m already soaked! But on the way back, Kaly & I had to make a detour down into an inlet of the Columbia.

I washed off some of that mud, but Mom said I STUNK and smelled like seaweed. I thought it was rather a pleasant odor, but a bath was worth it. Pretty good adventure, wasn’t it?

PS: It hailed when we got back to the car. Silly weather…….

Check out the Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop! I don’t think I was very “wordless” today.

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