camping | Change Is Hard

June 24, 2016
by dawnkinster 11 Comments

Other pretty things

When Katie and I camped in northern Michigan over on Lake Huron we had a great time even though we had to cut the trip short due to rain.

Fishing boat chugging along the horizon at sunrise.

Ship chugging along the horizon at sunrise.

But when she was telling you all about it she focused on herself. As befits a princess I guess.

Our first day was beautiful.

Still, there were plenty of pretty things up there that you didn’t get to see because they weren’t always about her.

Loved how the lake disappeared into the morning sky.

There was beauty in the big expanse of the space, and tiny things too.

Is this a buttercup?

So I thought you might want to see a couple of the things that didn’t get shared. And yes. One or two of them might even include the princess.

Low clouds closing in.

But don’t tell her.

“The spotlight should ALWAYS be on ME mama!”

She’s already got a big head.

“Which is prettier? The lake or me?”

June 17, 2016
by dawnkinster 24 Comments

No it’s not mama who thinks waves are evil. It is I, Princess Katie, who doesn’t trust those noisy, ever moving, elusively wet things. Not at all. And mama knows I don’t like them, yet she took me on an adventure where there were lots of waves! Sometimes I don’t understand my mama. At all.

Our home away from home.

But you know what? I had a really good time anyway. You know how much I love to camp with my mama and we went to a park we’ve never been to before, way up north, on the shores of Lake Huron. Mama scored a beautiful campsite with our own private path to the beach (and those pesky waves!). Lucky for me it was a ‘no dogs allowed’ beach so I didn’t have to spend much time out there!

Some people ask me what I do all day when we’re camping. Well! Let me show you! We go on lots of walks around the campground where I can show off my beautiful self…

Not too many people around to admire me!

…and we take lots of naps. When my mama is reading in the tent I like to nap up on her bed, right next to her…

Reading is boring mama!

…unless I’m busy keeping watch on my private pillow from my own private window.

What’s going on out there?

And when my mama is reading in her chair outside I like to keep track of the world while keeping cool under the picnic table. It’s my secret hideaway. Nothing gets by me!

My secret hiding place!

But we explored lots of other places too. This campground has a dog beach and the first evening we went to find it. The path went through some tall trees and the sun was getting low which made the trees (and me!) just glow. Mama spent a long time in there taking pictures of everything.

Isn’t the light cool in here?

When we finally got to the dog beach I made it very clear with my flat ears that I did not like it mama! I especially didn’t like when the noisy waves were behind me. Mama tried to tell me that these were just little, harmless waves and she wasn’t going to make me get my feet wet but I was still very glad we didn’t stay there long.

What IS that mama?

The next morning mama almost missed the sunrise! I slept all night, hardly moving at all, while my mama shivered under four blankets while wearing layers of clothes. She finally fell asleep in the early morning hours and expected that I’d wake her up at the usual 5:30. But I didn’t! It was so nice sleeping in the cool night air that I just rolled over and kept sleeping. She woke up at 5:45 and woke me up! She wanted to go out on the beach to see the sun? Is she crazy?

The sunrise was nice but I didn’t want to be there, so she brought me back to camp, put me on my long leash and gave me breakfast to keep me busy while she went back out on the sand to take more pictures.

Morning light on my fur.

Well. I do not like to be separated from my mama! So after I finished my breakfast (You didn’t think I was going to leave that in the bowl did you?) I figured out my leash wasn’t really attached to my collar and so I walked casually right back out to the beach to find her!

Hey mama! Whatcha doing out there?

She turned around to check on me and there I was, standing next to the path (I don’t like the sand in my toes.) watching her! Mama came running and I got hooked up to my leash really good. I think she was sort of surprised that I came back out on the beach on my own. I like surprising my mama. Keeps her on her toes.

Later that day we went on a little road trip. And guess what? I got to see a real lighthouse in person! This is Sturgeon Point lighthouse. It’s very beautiful. Mama would have walked up to the top, but the tower was only open on the weekends. And she had me. As you know I don’t do stairs.

What is more beautiful than a lighthouse? Why ME of course!

Of course there was a beach there too, with even bigger waves and I didn’t like it. So mama and I walked around the grounds of the lighthouse instead of out by the water like she wanted. She’s good about compromise, my mama.

There is also a one room school, the Old Bailey School, on the site. Mama said that since there weren’t any waves nearby could I please sit and look pretty so she could take a picture with me and the school. But I was more interested in what that thing was over to the right of me. Plus there were two people on the other side of the school and I could hear them talking and I wanted to go see what was over there. So all my mama got was this.

What IS that mama?

By the time we got back to camp I was exhausted! I slept all night again, and mama shivered all night. She put on all her clothes and even wore a pair of socks on her hands and she was still cold! I don’t know about you mama! I was wearing all my clothes too and I thought the weather was perfect for sleeping! Anyway, this time my mama set her alarm to wake us up at 5:30 so we could go out and see the sunrise. It was spectacular. I couldn’t stop looking at it.

The sun’s got nothing on me!

Wouldn’t you? Out on the horizon was a fishing boat which made it even more interesting. The sky was just gorgeous. Everything was gorgeous, and this time I didn’t even act scared of the waves! I let mama enjoy everything!

Colors beyond description!

But then the clouds started rolling in….

Uh oh…

…and it began to rain. And rain….and rain. Mama and I hung out in the car. We drove into town so she could check the radar. We drove back to camp. We hung out in the car again and it continued to rain. And the wind picked up and the waves were getting bigger and noisier.

Getting noisier out here!

Mama thought about another night of sleeping in the cold. And now we were both wet from me making her take me on walks to do my thing. Even if she wore all her clothes again she’d be cold. And she didn’t think we’d ever be dry again. So she packed up camp. She didn’t even ask me if I wanted to go home! And I did not!

Goodbye lake! We’ll be back!

Sometimes mama uses that old excuse “because I said so” and I have to just go with the flow. But I have to admit I was really happy to see my Dad when I got home. I guess it’s nice to be here too. I slept upside down on my king sized bed that night. But now I want to know….what are you going to do to top this one mama? Huh? Huh?

What’s next mama?

It better be good, that’s all I have to say. Because a princess has certain expectations you know. And it’s very bad if she’s disappointed. I’m going to go take a nap now, in preparation for the next royal event.

I like the woods best!

June 16, 2016
by dawnkinster 17 Comments

WordPress Photo Challenge – Pure

Those of you that live in or around Michigan have surely seen and heard the promotional advertisements aimed at getting tourism. So when I saw that this week’s WordPress Challenge was Pure…and knew I’d be ‘up north’ enjoying some of the best that Michigan has to offer….

Pure Michigan

…well, I couldn’t resist tying the two together.

June 4, 2016
by dawnkinster 13 Comments

I had a blast!

Katie here. I’ve been bugging my mama (so what else is true, right?) to let me tell you about our camping trip. Here it is almost two weeks since I went on my season opening camping adventure and she still hasn’t let me on her blog!

My campsite!

She says she’s been busy. Sure mama. I think she just doesn’t want me to tell you about it in case you get jealous of all the fun I’m having. That’s what I think. So anyway, mama is outside weeding and I figured I could sneak in here and show you, cause she’ll be too tired when she gets back inside to even notice I was messing around with her laptop. You can click on any of the photos to see them better.

Trillium! And me. 🙂

We went right down the road to our local state park which was lucky because it was really really hot the four days we were out there and in the middle of each day we got to come home to get out of the sun! In fact mama had to come home a couple of times to get stuff she forgot! I don’t think she was very organize but don’t tell her I noticed. I don’t want her to feel bad. But I hope makes a list of what to take next time, because we’re going camping far far away pretty soon!

We were camping in the woods and the spring flowers were blooming. Trillium and geranium were everywhere! This next picture is mama’s favorite from the trip. (Make sure you click on it so you can see beautiful me even better!) She made me sit here for a looooong time and then I didn’t even get a treat! Mama says she’s cutting back on treats, and I can understand that for her, but I don’t think it’s fair that I have to go on a diet too.

So pretty in the woods!

One day my friend Deuce and his mom stopped by and we went for a walk in the woods together. We didn’t go real far because it was so warm, but we went far enough so that Deuce could see what a beautiful woods it is. He likes to get on top of stuff, like logs and rocks. I don’t like to do that so much so I just stayed with my mom who was busy taking pictures. For once it wasn’t me she was making pose!

My friend Deuce

Then they stayed into the evening and mama made a big fire. She said it was the best fire ever, because Deuce’s mom brought her some fire starter! The moms made themselves treats…

Hey! Whatcha got there?

… and they didn’t even share! I think that is just unforgivable, don’t you? Deuce and I were very good though and only begged a little. Then he got to sit on his mom’s lap while they watched the fire. I asked my mom if I could go take a nap in the tent but she ignored me so I went off and slept under the picnic table while they talked.

By the time we went to bed I was totally exhusted! Mama said I slept in some pretty weird ways that night…

zzzzz…..

…and she can’t figure out how this is comfortable at all:

More zzzzzzz…..

We had a lot of fun camping near the woods. We went on lots of walks, and took lots of naps.

Come ON! Let’s go this way!

It was almost perfect. Perfect would be if we were near a big lake. At least that’s what mama says.

It’s a little warm to be running mama!

On Thursday, before the big Memorial Day weekend, mama packed up. I was not so happy for her to dismantle my camp! But she promises that we’ll be out there in my tent again soon!

What are you DOING mama?

I can’t wait to see where she takes me next!

Let’s go again soon mama!

May 24, 2016
by dawnkinster 6 Comments

Bits of this and that

Katie and I are officially camping right now. Only we’re not.

I have the last concert of the season tonight, dress rehearsal was last night. So after rehearsal, late in the night, I gathered her up and we drove over to the State Park where I have a campsite reserved.

Katie was very confused. I woke her up out of a sound sleep when I got home, asked her if she wanted to go camping, she ran to the back door very excited to camp in the back yard, and I picked her up and put her in the car! Oh no she thought! Where are we going? This can’t be good! This is not normal! I like normal!

What’s going on mama? (This is from last year because I haven’t taken the camera to camp yet this trip!)

Once at our campsite, in the dark with only stars overhead she sniffed a bit, wanted to go on a long walk (which I vetoed…it’s good to be the mama) and finally consented to getting in the tent. But she wouldn’t settle down. This was not right! It smelled different! What are we doing mama? Where are we? Why are we here? Where’s my daddy?!?!

Eventually she settled down and we both shivered through the cold night until 5:30 when, according to Sheltie rules, it is important to be wide awake. So we went out, walked down to the bath house, both of us did what we needed to do and we walked back to the tent and went back to sleep.

It all worked out.

Last year we camped a lot!

But now we’re back at the house while I get ready for tonight’s concert. She seems very sleepy. I am too.

We’re playing a bunch of music tonight, and will be joined by selected 7th graders for two pieces. They came to rehearsal last night; they are very good and play like they’re in high school. Oh but the drama of it all! I’d forgotten what it was like to be in 7th grade, so confident, so giggly, so out there. They made our band sound great and it will be fun to preform with them tonight.

And totally unrelated, this happened a couple of mornings ago at home.

Mom and Dad visited for a moment.

A good friend painted the mockingbird on the rock when my parents died. It’s a long story, but I consider the mockingbird to represent my mom, and when one pops up around me I always say hi because it feels like a visit from her.

And the rainbow? Well, after mom died someone in dad’s church gave him a little prism that on sunny days spread a rainbow across his kitchen. That’s still on the windowsill of our lake house. This particular rainbow was created by the sun shining through my front door. I’ve never seen it before, and certainly not shining on mom’s mockingbird.

So I figure I got a joint visit this week. Made me smile pretty wide.

Hope it makes you smile too.

You HAVE to smile at me!

April 21, 2016
by dawnkinster 22 Comments

April showers

HI!!!!

Katie here! It’s raining today and I’m bored so I thought I’d share some of my latest adventures with you. Cause I figure you’re bored too and why not share!

Mama says I shouldn’t be sad that it’s raining. We haven’t had any in a long time, and besides, she says, it’s not SNOW! Good point mama. Of course I sort of like snow so I guess I wouldn’t have minded if we got some to play in. Mama, on the other hand, does not want to see any more of that white stuff till next Christmas!

Anyway.

I’ve been to lots of parks lately. Mama is home all the time and we get to go go go! I love that. I think mama does too, though maybe not quite as much as me. Cause she doesn’t get treats at the park, not being a princess and all.

I’ve been over to my park quite a bit already this month. It still doesn’t look like spring over there, but at least the snow is gone. There aren’t any leaves yet, but after this rain I bet things begin to bud out!

This is my majestic look.

It’s been a bit wet with all the snow melt, and windy, but I don’t mind. I even walked through a puddle at the back of the park this year! Mama was surprised; she usually has to carry me through that part of the trail every spring. I guess I’m growing up and taking on more responsibility now that I’m almost ten.

Art in my park!

Did you know they are advertising the DIA (Detroit Institute of Arts) at my park? There are these big pictures with notes about the artist there! My mama reads them all to me but she says I can’t go to the DIA because I’m a dog. Seems unfair. I mean, why put art in my park if I can’t go?

One day at my park I didn’t feel like walking all the way around, so I took my mama over to the library and we walked around there. And you know what I accidentally did?

Uh, she’s on to me!

I walked down this long line of stairs! Without thinking! I forgot that I don’t do stairs! Now my mama is sure that I’ve been scamming her all these years when I made her carry me up and down.

And one time, over by one of the ponds mama thought she’d take a photo of the two of us enjoying my park. But she never did get the hang of setting the camera up. Most of the shots looked like this.

Mama doesn’t move fast enough.

I’ve also spent lots of time at home in my own pretty yard. Mama is getting worried that she’s already behind on the weeding, but I think the flowers are beautiful just the way they are.

I look good in blue, don’t you think?

AND…best news of all! Mama and I got to go camping in the back yard two nights in a row! I was very very good and only barked a little (OK a lot the first night and only a little the second night) at the snorting deer that trespassed on our camp site around two a.m. each night. The second night I slept all night and never even moved around on my princess pillow!

This is MY tent and MY stuff. Mama takes care of it for me.

Of course I got mama up at 5:15 a.m. each morning but she doesn’t seem to mind now that she doesn’t have to go to work anymore. I love camping! She says we’re going to a real campground in May and another one somewhere up north in June! I can not wait!

And you know what else? Last night I got to go for a wonderful walk with my pal Deuce and his mom at his park! It’s in a town and there’s a creek that runs through it and there’s ducks and lots of people and oh! The wonderful smells!

Deuce and me at his park!

I could hardly lift my nose from the ground anywhere, it was heaven! I walked a mile and a half and wasn’t even tired. I didn’t want to leave! Deuce was a real good host and showed me all the best spots to sniff. And his mom was so patient and let me sniff as long as I wanted. Even my own mama was pretty indulgent about it all.

I’ve been having the best time this spring so I guess it’s OK there’s one day of rain. I could probably use the rest anyway. I’m sure mama has more adventures up her sleeve, and I need to be ready!

Signing off now,

Katie.

PS: I got a little damp this morning.

The wet dog look.

April 20, 2016
by dawnkinster 9 Comments

Wordless Wednesday

August 14, 2015
by dawnkinster 7 Comments

Bet you miss me!

Katie here. I bet you’ve missed me a whole bunch cause my mama won’t let me blog very often. She says it’s not all about me. Whatever do you think she’s talking about? Everything is all about me! Anyway since she’s sleeping in after our big adventure I thought I’d just hijack this blog and tell you all about it. Hurry, she could wake up any minute!

Last Tuesday mama started packing stuff in the car. Well! Last time she did that she left without me, so I made sure to stay underfoot all the time so she didn’t forget me. And guess what? Next thing I know I’m in my crate and we’re on our way!

Ready for take off mama!

We didn’t drive for very long and we ended up here at my favorite campground. We had a big campsite all to ourselves, and it had lots of grass for me to sniff! It was a pretty campsite, though not as private as the last place we camped. Still, I liked it a lot. So did my mama.

This is my tent. I let my mama share it.

This is my camp. I let my mama share it.

Mama set up the tent. I have my own bed and pillows. I like pillows on top of my bed because I can see out of my own private window better. And because I’m a princess. But just to make mama laugh I often sleep next to my princess bed. On the floor. Without pillows. Cause I’m a crazy camping girl and always do what I want regardless of what mama thinks is good for me.

What are you looking at?

I do that outside too. In the morning when the grass is wet mama gives me a towel to hang out on. Just to prove my point I go lay down somewhere else. In the wet grass. Because I can.

I don’t need a towel mama!

I don’t think mama understands me at all.

But anyway. We had a lot of fun. I got to go on lots of walks and take lots of naps…well not really a lot of naps. I stayed awake all the time protecting my mama. Yes I did. A camping dog’s responsibilities are very demanding. You have to be very vigilant!

Just resting my eyes.

Our second night mama says we had a visitor to our campsite. She thinks it was a raccoon. Or a camp monster. It stayed around our tent for at least an hour and mama was kinda upset. I slept through most of it until the ugly smell woke me up. I think the racoon monster needed to take a shower. I barked once at it and lunged at my window, but mama held me and said ‘shhhhhhh’ and so I went back to sleep. It appeared she had it under control and I was tired. Mama was sad because she wanted to go outside right about then to watch for meteorites, but she felt like it was easier to control me while we were inside the tent rather than us being outside with the camp monster. Sigh. At least that’s what she says. Personally I think she was just scared.

Don’t be scared mama!

I love camping. All you doggies out there — I can’t encourage you enough to get your moms and dads to take you camping! You’ll get to spend quality time with them under the night sky and on walks and just hanging out at the campground! You’ll get to meet other dogs too. You won’t believe how many dogs get to go camping! All kinds! And the smells! Amazing! You’ve just got to try it! Even if you do get a little damp!

Damp curls.

Yep, I had a wonderful time and as always I was sorry when mama took the tent down. But she says we’ll go camping again someday. Now I have to go take a nap. I’m going to dream of sweet green grass and hundreds of stars in the dark sky and the fresh air blowing the leaves on the trees, and special smells, and lots of love.

Until next time!

Cause that’s camping!!

I took mama’s chair.

August 13, 2015
by dawnkinster 13 Comments

Share Your World

Cee has a new list of questions to answer…want to play along? It’s fun. You can answer these questions on your blog and link back to hers. Here are my own responses.

Collecting tiles that represent different factions of my life

Are you a collector of anything?

I collect the art tiles of Pat Custer Denison. For a long time I’ve purchased one tile a year. I have enough now to build a unique coffee table. Maybe someday I will. They just make me smile. Most years I buy the one tile from that year’s collection that represents something I enjoy doing. She does larger wall art too. Check out her website. She has a studio in northern Michigan and someday maybe I’ll visit.

What is your biggest fear or phobia? (no photos please)

I’m afraid of being trapped in a car underwater. I actually know someone that survived that, but I could hardly listen to his story it upset me so much. There’s an ad running on TV right now that has a woman in a car trying to get out. I don’t even know what the ad is for because I have to switch the channel immediately when it comes on. I don’t know how I got this phobia but I’ve had it for years.

Do you prefer reading coffee table books (picture), biographies, fiction, non-fiction, educational?

I mostly read fiction, though I have read many biographies and memoirs that I enjoyed. I also love coffee table books because I love good photography of places I’ve been and others I’ll never see any other way.

In fact I like to poke around in just about any kind of book. I almost always find something fun or interesting, even if I don’t buy the book or read the entire thing. You never know what might interest you unless you explore. This is one of the reasons I like libraries and book stores…you can browse books on either side of the one you thought you wanted. You’ll often find much more than you anticipated when you visit your local library or independent bookseller.

Complete this sentence: If I Must Be Reincarnated, In the Next Life I Want to Be…

Well, obviously, I would want to be reincarnated as a dog at my house! But I suppose if I was being reincarnated then there wouldn’t be my house to be a dog in..right? So if that were the case I guess I would want to be a dog in any of my dog friends’ homes…we all spoil our furkids and wouldn’t have it any other way. I want a place with my own pillow and lots of toys, but where I get to sleep in the human bed at night. A place that feeds me great dog food but also shares a bit of their own food with me. A place where my people take me on adventures and I get to share their world. Yep. In my next life I’m going to shoot for being a spoiled rotten dog.

Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up

I’m retired; I can’t remember last week. But I think last week I was up north enjoying my favorite lake, Lake Michigan, and the company of good friends. That might have been the week before, but it feels like last week, and I’m getting elderly, so indulge me. This week Katie and I are going camping and I’m looking forward to that so much. Katie doesn’t know yet so she’s not particularly excited. But she will be.

Trust me.

Did you say CAMPING mama?

July 13, 2015
by dawnkinster 27 Comments

Camping contemplations

Many of you know that Katie the dog and I went camping last week. What you might not have known is that the State Park where we pitched our tent is only one exit and six miles north of home.

This is my campsite!

But it’s a world away.

I’ve been thinking the last few days about why we’d go camping so close to home. Why not just pitch the tent in the back yard? (And you know we do that too.) Why go to the trouble of packing up the car with tent and bedroll, pillows, blankets, food, leashes, dog dishes, cameras, tinder, firewood. The dog and her crate.

Got any snacks mama?

Why walk almost 1500 steps to the bathroom and back in the middle of the night? Why drench yourself and the dog with bug spray and sunblock, sleep in two (or three) layers of clothes under several blankets, wake up with a start at every snapped branch in the woods.

Welcome to my tent!

Why not just take walks in the woods with your dog during the day and sleep in your own bed safe, sound and warm in your own house every night? Why, as soon as you get home, do you immediately want to plan the next trip?

And here’s what I’ve realized. When you’re out in the woods for hours on end, you slow down. You notice that bird you’ve never seen before. You listen to all the birds begin to sing long before the sun comes up. You read a book. You take a walk. You take a nap. Then you read some more, contemplate the campfire, maybe raise a roasted marshmallow in toast to the memories of camping with family all those years ago.

You relax.

Our perfect private site!

When you camp away from home there is no laundry that should be started, no gardens to weed, no groceries to be found, meals to be cooked. When you camp away from home you find peace and freedom and beauty and quiet joy.

And that’s why Katie and I are already thinking about our next adventure.

Close to home.

Wake up mama!

Change Is Hard

…but change is certain.

Tag Archives: camping