Change Is Hard

…but change is certain.


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It’s hard to hear the frogs when the freeway roar is so loud

Private camp site

Private camp site

Katie and I camped out last night.  In the backyard.   I know, I know, only a crazy woman and her crazy dog would choose to sleep in the damp and cold only yards from a comfy king sized bed.  Right?

Well call us crazy.

The moon was full and beckoned us out into the dark around 11:30.  We trooped through the already dewy wet grass carrying all the essentials, pillows, blankets, flashlight, phone, Katie tugging at the leash.  It was her first backyard camping adventure of the season and she knew exactly where she wanted to be.

 

I'll keep watch mama!

I’ll keep watch mama!

On her pillow in her tent guarding her yard.

I have a romantic notion about sleeping in the backyard; I like to listen to the frogs in the pond across the road.  There are at least a couple of different kinds including the bull frogs’ deep voices and I love to hear them in the evening from the deck.  Falling asleep to the frog choir always seems like such a lovely idea.

The reality, however, is that I am constantly surprised how loud the freeway is at night.  It’s a mile away but across a lake from us and I guess that magnifies the sound.  Because what I don’t notice much during the day is suddenly a deafening roar in the middle of the night.   Still, how many loud cars and trucks and motorcycles would be roaring down the freeway at 3 in the morning?

Turns out quite a few.

So many in fact that I really couldn’t hear the frogs at all.   Katie-girl and I are going to have to go on another camping adventure in a real campground very soon.  Hopefully far away from a freeway.  Before she settled in for her morning nap today she urged me to start planning.  A girl needs her outdoor time.

Don’t you know.

Morning moon hanging on

Morning moon hanging on

 


25 Comments

Epic, windy, wet adventure

Our beautiful campsite!

Our beautiful campsite!

Katie here.  Mama says I’m monopolizing her blog but what’s she got to talk about anyway now that she’s retired?  Right?  Of course I’m right.  I’m a princess.

So anyway, last January mama reserved a campsite for this weekend right on the shore of Lake Michigan! It’s about five hours from home and I have to say I was an excellent traveler.  I didn’t bark at her once the whole way up there!

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

First there was the planning and the packing and the loading of the car.  I was afraid she might forget to take me so I stuck really close to her.

Don't forget me mama!

Don’t forget me mama!

She didn’t forget me but she did forget my bed!  GEEZE mama!  She must be getting old.  That’s OK…I figured I’d just sleep on hers.

This is for me - - right?

This is for me – – right?

Our campsite was really beautiful, right on the shore.  Friday afternoon mama took me for a walk along the sand by the waves.  I did not like it.  Not one bit.

Not getting any closer than this mama!

Not getting any closer than this mama!

The only water I want anything to do with is the water in my bowl and it doesn’t make scarey noises like those waves did!

Since all mama’s romantic notions of walking me on the beach were dashed we went into town.  This was more like it!  I went up and down the steps of the marina no problem.  (Mama is beginning to realize I’m scamming her about not doing steps at home.)

Buy me one of these mama!

Buy me one of these mama!

I even went out on the floating docks at the marina, and the boats were rocking and squeaking and the docks were moving and I was OK with it.  Mostly.

I guess I’m more of a city kid than a beach bum.  But I did like my tent!  Every night my mama made a campfire and settled in to read her book next to it and every night I went over and pawed at the tent door.  Cause I wanted to go to bed already.  Mama just sighed and we went to bed.

Mama made me a bed out of her pillows.

Mama made me a bed out of her pillows.

Because a princess always gets what she wants.  Don’t you know.  And every morning I got my mama up around 5:00, because even though we were on vacation I didn’t shirk my responsibilities.

Time to get up mama!

Time to get up mama!

Do you know that people in campgrounds don’t get up that early?  That was cool, we had the whole place to ourselves.  We tiptoed down the road and I did my jobs and then we tiptoed back and went back to bed.  It worked out great

We had two evenings of beautiful sunsets.  Mama made me go back out on the beach to see those.  It was OK, I was sort of getting used to the waves.

Friday night

Friday night

And in the end whatever makes mama happy makes me happy.

We were supposed to be there three nights, but there were thunderstorms coming.  The clouds were low and heavy on Sunday morning.  Mama began to worry.

Mama used the 'dramatic' button on the camera to show you the clouds.

Mama used the ‘dramatic’ button on the camera to show you the clouds better.

She talked to dad on the phone and decided we’d leave early.  Of course we had to go into town to use the phone and by the time we got back it was raining.  Mama packed up the car as fast as she could.

Hurry up mama!

Hurry up mama!

Everything was soggy.  Even me!

Can't we stay mama?

Can’t we stay mama?

We were sad to leave a day early, but we are very happy that we got to go at all!

On the way home we stopped at a little park and I got to walk on a bridge over the Au Sable River.

Still raining.

Still raining.

Mama says she used to canoe on this river when she was a little girl.  It made her smile.  And I found her a beautiful flower along the river too!  Cause I love my mama.

Along the river.

Along the river.

We had a wonderful time, but I’m glad to be home.  I missed my dad a lot.  Plus it was cold, and I don’t like cold so much.  And then there were those waves.  And the sand.  And the mud.  I got wet.  I wasn’t that thrilled about the campfire either.  Hmmmm…..maybe camping in the back yard isn’t all that bad!

Anyway…I guess that’s all for now from your friend Katie – camper extraordinaire.

Kind of.

Don't like sand in my fur mama!

Don’t like sand in my fur mama!

 

 

 


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What’s up?

Hey!  Is this what I think it is?

What's in here mama?

What’s in here mama?

It is!  It is!  Let me help you!

I know you need my help!

I know you need my help!

Can we go camping right now?  I’m so excited!

I'll run for camping!  No treats needed!

I’ll run for camping! No treats needed!

Can’t wait, can’t wait, can’t wait!

Eureka!

Eureka!

Hey.  It’s not going to be cold out tonight…is it mama?

Might need an extra blanket.  Or two.  Mama.

Might need an extra blanket. Or two. Mama.


15 Comments

Katie pronounces it officially summer.

Katie here.  Guess what, guess what, guess what?

At my park last night.

At my park last night.

It finally got warm!  And our grass is green!  And sometimes I get to sit in my kennel and watch the birds and bark at anyone on my street!  It’s amazing.  This weekend my mama even said she might put up the tent!  That means it’s summer, right?

Well, maybe not quite summer cause she never did put the tent up and we had to sleep inside the boring old house.  She said she was too tired.  I swear, that mama is always too tired to do fun stuff.

Well, I take it back, she did come home Sunday evening from somewhere all dressed up and she rushed out of her good clothes and put on her park clothes and we got to go to my park just as the sun was going down!

She said we had to get my dandelion photo, whatever that is.  And something about the park people mowing the grass if we didn’t hurry up.  So we rushed over there so fast she forgot my treats…and she marched me out to the middle of the field and guess what?  Apparently dandelions close up when the sun goes down!  Who knew?  So she found a little patch of them in the last bit of sun and said that would have to do for this year.

Boooorrrring

Boooorrrring

I found the whole thing terribly boring.  But then she and I walked all the way around the park and it was just wonderful.  Don’t you think the sun makes my coat look good?  I hear I’m going to the groomer Friday.  Maybe if you all tell her how beautiful I already look she won’t make me go.  It’s worth a shot, right?  I’d give you her private cell number to call her, but she won’t tell me what it is.

Golden sun on my golden coat.

Golden sun on my golden coat.

So anyway.  We also got to do weeding this weekend.  I’m not sure what that is either, but it seems to mean I get to lie out in the soft grass while my mama digs around in the dirt and gets all smelly.  She is definitely not a princess.  Sometimes I wonder why I hang out with her at all.

Then tonight after supper she and dad went back outside to weed some more.  I loved it because I got to sit in the grass again and watch my road.  I kept them safe from two marauding joggers and a couple of trucks.  Good thing I’m around.

But when the sun started going down mama said that was enough and now she and I are hanging out on the deck!f  The sky is getting all apricot, and there’s a big pink puffy cloud to the south.  AND…best of all mama saw the green herons come back for the summer!  All three of them flew over and made a big production of landing in our trees.  Boy they are noisy!  She seemed awfully glad to see them though.

AND we just saw a humming bird!  Mama put the feeder up yesterday cause she figured they’d be around by now and sure enough, just a few minutes ago a little hummer flew around our heads and went to the feeder!  He seems more skittish then he was when he left last fall, but he’ll get used to me.  I never bark at hummingbirds.  They are so cool and they make my mama happy.

So anyway, I almost forgot…mama says that by Friday it’s supposed to be hot here!  And if there aren’t any storms for sure we’re going to go camping in the back yard!  I almost can’t remember what that means, but I’m sure when I help her put up the tent I’ll be all excited again.

This was me last year!

This was me last year!

So all of that means it’s summer.  Right?  I think it is.  Princess Katie proclaims that summer has arrived.  I don’t care about stupid calendars and official dates.  I can’t count anyway.

Everybody enjoy this beautiful weather!  I hope no one has storms and you all get to go out for walks with your peoples or your dogs or (I suppose) even your cats.

Now I need a nap.  This weeding thing gets a girl exhausted.

See you soon in my tent!

Come camping with me!

Come camping with me!


7 Comments

Freedom v.s.security

I ran across this documentary today, and though I can’t say I identify with every person in it, and I don’t necessarily think the government is deliberately creating fear and demanding that we buy more stuff for some evil purpose, I do identify with those in this piece that value their freedom enough to learn to live with less in order to enjoy it.

I recognize that everyone has different dreams and that sometimes practicality wins over any dreams at all.  But I don’t think a person should give up on the dream, and in the end that’s what this documentary is all about.

It’s 50 minutes, and for me the best parts were scattered throughout.   If you’ve got the time, watch.  And then think about what stuff you would be willing to  live without if you could trade all your stuff for the ability to do what you love every day.

Even if what you love doesn’t include living in a van off the grid in the wilderness.

 


18 Comments

Adventures! And more adventures!

Katie here.  Hey!  Did you know I got to go camping with my mama?  A lot?  I bet you saw it on Facebook.  I swear, she needs to get me my own page, she’s always letting the cat out of the bag on that thing.  And I hate cats!  All cats should stay in the bag,  I’m sure there’s a law about that somewhere.

 

Another of my favorite parks!

Another of my favorite parks!

So anyway, today I got her to take me to a  park, because daddy said she owed me cause she went to work this morning and Saturday’s are supposed to be about me!  I used to go to school and everything and now she says I’m ‘retired’ whatever that means so I don’t get to do anything!    You believe me, right?  That I’m a poor abused ignored dog?  They never feed me and I have to stay at home all the time.  You should probably send help.

Oh.  You don’t believe that?  Well it was worth a shot.

 

Soaking up a little shade on my walk today.

Soaking up a little shade on my walk today.

So today I made my mama feel guilty and she took me to a big park nearby.  We walked down the bike path and I was very good, didn’t bark at any bikes or cars or anything.  OK.  One car that was hauling a noisy trailer…but really who could resist barking at that!

 

Not worried about that bike in back of me.

Not worried about that bike in back of me.

But I bet what you really want to hear about is the camping my mama and I did a couple of weeks ago!  We went to a real park and I got to sleep in my tent for two nights!  There were lots of kids there and mostly I sat in our camp site and watched them go around and around and around the campground on their bikes and scooters.  And I did not bark at any of them!  Not even once!

Watching the kids go by.

Watching the kids go by.

The best part of our camping trip was when my friend Peep came to visit and we went on a long walk through the woods.  Actually Peep and I don’t care particularly if the other one is there, we just like that when our mamas get together we get to go on long walks!

Peep and me.

Peep and me.

Sometimes one or the other of us finds a particularly good smell and then the other one of us will go check it out, but mostly we walk our own walk.  We’re very good together because we pretty much ignore each other.   Mostly Peep went ahead and I brought up the rear.  I like to take really long sniffs of stuff you know.  Plus I have this big heavy coat to drag around.

Anyway, mama and I had a really good time.  She read a bunch of books over the weekend and I got to go on a bunch of walks.  Sometimes we walked on trails in the woods and sometimes we walked around the campground.  Lots of people said I was pretty.    And cute.  And really good.  Cause I am.

We went on lots of trails.

We went on lots of trails.

The mosquitoes weren’t as bad as our last big adventure, but there were still enough that sometimes we retreated to the tent.  That was OK, just meant another nap.  Naps are a very important part of camping.  I take my napping responsibilities very seriously.

zzzzzzz

zzzzzzz

The weekend was perfect!

Then last weekend mama and I camped out three nights in a row in the backyard!  The moon was full and she didn’t put the rain fly up and we got to sleep under it and stars.  It was wonderful!  I only barked once when that mama deer snorted at us.  It was her fault for waking us up anyway.  A dog has to to what a dog has to do.  Right?

What's out there?!

What’s out there?!

So all in all I guess my mama really does love me.  And yes my daddy loves me too, he feeds me right on schedule and sometimes early if I make my sad dog eyes at him.  And I get to go on adventures almost every weekend.  So I guess my life’s not so bad, but don’t tell them I said so, OK?  I like to keep them feeling guilty.

I get more treats that way.

Love,

Katie (The Adventuring Sheltie-girl)

 

This is our little secret!

This is our little secret!

 


15 Comments

Katie scores

Katie here.  My mama was going to have me show you around the yard today cause some stuff is really blooming pretty.  But she got busy trying to clean up the basement and forgot.  She even forgot that I was upstairs (I don’t do stairs, it is not princess-like) and she was downstairs for a long time.  But then I howled.  That brought her right up and she took me down there with her while she finished up.  I guess she made a nice bedroom down there but it isn’t really my taste.  I like a king sized bed.  With lots of pillows.  Of course.

But I digress (I get my wandering mind from my mama).  While she was down in the basement doing basement stuff I started barking hysterically and jumping around trying to see out the front window, and my mama could tell I was serious!  So she ran up the stairs and guess what?  I was right!  There had been someone on my front porch!  And the evil mail truck had been in my driveway!  HA!  I scared it away, yes I did, before she got all the way up the steps.  But the mail guy left a box!  For me and mama!

 

Something smells good!

Something smells good!

Well, we had to open it right away because it was from my boyfriend Reilly’s mom.  And whenever we get a box from her it’s full of good stuff!

I'll share some with you mama.  Maybe.

I’ll share some with you mama. Maybe.

 

Look at all the loot I scored!  OK.  Some of it is for my mama, but it’s mostly for me! ME ME ME ME!  Reilly’s mom sent us some stuff to take on our next camping trip!  Bug spray and treats and food and stuff!  And she sent my mama some beautiful music to listen to on her way to that job thing she goes to every day!  AND a shirt to wear that says she’s a Sheltie MOM!  So everyone will know when we’re camping.  Not that I ever let her out of my sight when we’re on an adventure, but in case she gets lost they’ll know to return her to me!

So I just wanted to say a BIG THANK YOU to Reilly’s mom Bree.  Check out her website, or her  Etsy store.  She makes the most pawsome stuff!  My mama just loves everything there!

Thank you Bree!  And hug that Mr. Reilly for me too, so he remembers he’s mine!

Love,

Katie.

My own cow!  Thank you Reilly!

My own cow! Thank you Reilly!