Change Is Hard

…but change is certain.

Tag Archives: fun stuff


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Adventures galore

Katie here.

Boy I had a big day yesterday! I thought maybe it was my birthday or something! Cause my mama took me all sorts of places and each of them was fun with lots of stuff to sniff. And can you believe that she chauffeured me around all day long? But I was sure it wasn’t my birthday, cause I remember my folks ignored me completely that day.

So I wondered… what was up?

Anyway, I woke mama up early and she said that was good because we wanted to be at the Winter Dog Show before 10 to watch our friends Karen and Deuce compete in conformation that morning. In case you haven’t met Deuce, he’s an absolutely beautiful cocker spaniel. He came to my park last winter and we had fun, but he’s been so busy doing classes and his therapy dog work that he hasn’t been able to come back out for another walk. Here’s Deuce and me last winter. (Click on any photo to see more detail.)

Me and Deuce. He's a good guy.

Me and Deuce. He’s a good guy.

And here is Deuce and his mom yesterday at the show! She was getting him all beautiful. He did really good, and won an award which made his mom very very happy. Deuce is happy all the time, so it was hard to tell if he was excited about his award.

Getting his handsome on.

Getting his handsome on.

Deuce got his picture taken with a celebrity doggie. I could have gotten mine taken with the celebrity too..but I told my mama no way was I going to allow some huge doggie to hold me! No siree! My mama said that was OK, it wasn’t all about me anyway. I did let people pet me when they asked though. I’m not so shy as I used to be and lots of people said I was really soft. Several of the adults told my mama stories about shelties they had as kids. I guess I remind people of happy times.

Deuce was looking for a treat.

Deuce was looking for a treat.

We were at the dog show for a couple hours, and as it got more crowded I got sort of hot and started to lag behind my mama. I was ready to get out by the time we left.

We didn't see any lineups of shelties.

We didn’t see any lineups of shelties.

Then mama took me to her favorite park, Kensington, and we walked a bit on the bike path. That was more like it mama! It was cool and I trotted out front of my mama sniffing, sniffing, sniffing! Eventually mama got cold She’s kinda prissy, my mama, so we got back in the car and drove over to her home town!

This is fun mama! And cooler too!

This is fun mama! And cooler too!

Mama said she wondered if the city park was open. She used to take swimming lessons there on the lake. The beach is on the opposite end of the lake she lived on as a kid. She hasn’t been back to that park since at least 1978, maybe before that! And guess what? It was open! So we went down to the beach and walked around a bunch and watched kids sledding down the hill, and other kids playing hockey out on the lake right where mama used to swim. We even went out on the ice! Mama said that was a very weird feeling.

On the ice of my mama's childhood lake!

On the ice of my mama’s childhood lake!

We drove by her old house too, and the garage door was open and people were home. She almost stopped, but then she decided that would be weird so we kept driving.

And then we went to my other park, Indian Springs, and watched more kids sledding. And I chased a mouse (or something) under the snow. And we ran up and down the hills. It was just so much fun. I wasn’t even tired, but mama was cold and her feet were wet.

I smell something under here mama!

I smell something under here mama!

So we finally went home and I figured out what was going on. Daddy was making a whole bunch of noise fixing something in the house. And guess what? He wasn’t finished! He’d go up these weird stairs and then disappear into the ceiling and then there was all this clunking and pounding above my head and I did not like it! No I did not! So I barked and barked and barked and mama told daddy she was taking me out again. (HEY! That works!!!)

We ended up at a store where we walked around and around and around and …well, you get the picture. I got to sniff a lot of stuff including CAT FOOD! Did you know that cat food smells really really good?

Eventually mama picked out a very small package of treats and we went up to the cash register. I don’t get to go to the store very often but I remember very specifically that if I walk up behind the cashier, right into her little space, she will give me a treat! So I got one! HA! Mama forgot to bring me treats the whole day we were going all over, but I got one at the store! Cause I am seriously cute you know.

This one smells good mama!

This one smells good mama!

It was a great day. We drove lots, and I even fell asleep in the car, which I never do. Mama says I am a very good traveler. I think we should do this again.

What do you think? Should we go on another adventure soon?

Looks interesting over there...

Looks interesting over there…


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WordPress Photo Challenge: Optimistic

I’m feeling pretty lucky to be living up here in Michigan right now, as the blizzard Jonah is bearing down on the south and east. So far this winter has pretty much passed us by. Sure we’ve got a tiny bit of snow on the ground. And it has been cold for a couple of weeks, but this winter is nothing like the last two evil and nasty winters we all suffered through.

Still, this week’s photo challenge is all about looking forward from the middle of the long winter. What makes us feel hopeful that we’re headed toward warmer weather? What keeps us going when we’re tired of shoveling, scraping frost off windshields, bundling up, driving on treacherous roads?

Stopping for a quick visit at Matthaei Conservatory always lifts my winter blues. It’s tropical inside with lush green trees and flowering plants. And in the back is the dry hot air of a desert complete with intriguing desert plant life. For a little while you can lose yourself in another place. A warm place.

I always like to stop and visit a huge rotating pot full of colorful plants. The plants are changed with the seasons, but the best part of this exhibit is the kaleidoscope that transforms the colors in the pot into changeable art. I took this image through the eye of the kaleidoscope. As the pot of plants rotates the image changes.

Spring in the eyepiece.

Spring in the eyepiece.

It’s magic and always makes me smile. And smiling in winter? Well, that’s the first step on the road to optimism.

See other optimistic responses at the original link above. It’s early…so I haven’t picked out any favorites yet. But optimism is such a wonderful concept, they’re all bound to be great.

Another view...just turn the pot.

Another view…just turn the pot.


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WordPress Photo Challenge: Weight(less)

Sandhill cranes, though large birds, fly as though they weigh nothing at all…

Weightless cranes

Weightless cranes

…way up against the puffy, weightless clouds in the beautiful blue sky.

You can see other interpretations of weight(less) at the original WP post. Or check out a few of my favorites here, here and here.

OK…here’s another favorite from my archives:

Let's go fly a kite.

Let’s go fly a kite.

Taken last spring on a blustery day, this couple stood on top of the sledding hill flying their kite.

For me it was easier to think about this challenge from the weightless side. But I wonder what I have in my archives that would represent weight.

I bet there’s something.


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I had to forgive her

Katie here.

I suppose you’ve all been enjoying my mama’s photos from her trip way up north. Might I remind you that she was gone for two weeks and she left me and my daddy behind! I don’t know what she was thinking.

This is my back yard!

This is my back yard!

And do you know what is worse? When she came home she smelled like another animal! Not me! Something smaller and…dare I say it…more like a….a…squirrel! Whatever it was it had been all over her!

When she first came home I was all excited. I couldn’t control my wriggle-butt, it just kept moving! Then I smelled the evil on her. I still couldn’t keep my tail from wagging…and I had to give her a couple of kisses. But then it hit me….she had cheated on me!

This is my park!

This is my park!

Well, I backed right up and sat down and barked at her! And you know what she did then? She laughed at me! How could she!?

I thought about it long and hard, (OK…for about 3 minutes) and decided I was going to have to be the bigger doggie and forgive her. After all, she took me to my park the very next day.

And she’s been giving me tummy and ear rubs. And she feeds me. And gets up in the middle of the night to take me outside if I ask.

I couldn't stop smiling!

I couldn’t stop smiling!

So I guess I should let it go, right? I shouldn’t feel all jealous and cranky. I mean she did come home to me and daddy. I don’t know where she went or who she hung out with, but she came home to me. And that’s what matters.

That and treats. Of course.

Imported Photos 00055


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Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Buildings

You know my favorite buildings to photograph are barns. So when Cee sent out a challenge for black and white photos of buildings I knew I needed to look at my barn archive. Especially since I have recent barn photos that you haven’t seen.

While I was up north I spent a day driving through the orchards and farmlands in the center of the peninsula. There were a lot of great barns, and someday I’ll do a post about them and show you more, but for right now enjoy this one. Tucked into the hill it was home to several cows that viewed me suspiciously when I stopped to take a photo.

Cow house.

Cow house.

And you might get a kick out of this barn which is located closer to where I live. There’s an organization here that is trying to preserve old barns. And Kid Rock does live around here. So I guess they were hoping for a donation.

Kid's house?

Kid’s house?

Just down the road is this relatively small horse barn. I always look over at it as I head into town. There are three really big horses that live here, and I look to see if they are out and about. The other day all three were lined up in front of their barn and today I was hoping they’d be doing that again. Not so lucky today. Still, it’s a cute little barn and at least a couple of the residents hung out for me long enough to snap this.

Horse house.

Horse house.

You can see other people’s interpretations of “buildings” over at Cee’s original post.

I think another fun way to approach this challenge would be to head into the city. There are some interesting buildings there, but time is fleeting and I don’t think I’ll get down there soon enough. What buildings do you have around you that would convert to black and white and retain their interest? Share them with us!

Thanks Cee!


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A place

Sun sets on another magical day.

Sun sets on another magical day.

What is it about a place? What is it that imprints a place on your heart? What makes a place feel like home whenever you’re there, even if it isn’t?

Sand ripples in rose light.

Sand ripples in rose light.

Are there places that put a magic spell over you? That cling to you when it’s time to leave, begging you not to go?

Wide expanse of beautiful.

Wide expanse of beautiful.

Can you only have one special place like this? Or can a person have these feelings in more than one? Does everyone have such a place, perhaps hidden in their heart?

Happy little wave.

Happy little wave.

And who among us is lucky enough to live in that place that tugs at their heart? For a few months or even full time?

Orchards resting until spring.

Orchards resting until spring.

I’ve spent two weeks in one of my special places, way up in the tip of Michigan’s little finger.

Used to be a working farm.

Used to be a working farm.

But I feel the same sense of belonging, the same tug on my heart when I’m in the Keweenaw Peninsula way way up north. So I know I can love more than one place at a time.

Maybe it’s the peninsula thing. Being on a spit of land surrounded by huge bodies of water. Maybe it’s being far away from a city and city lights.

Celebrating magical places.

Celebrating magical places.

Maybe it’s the crisp air, the huge vistas, the wind in the trees and the splash of waves on the beach.

In the shadow of Sleeping Bear.

In the shadow of Sleeping Bear.

Maybe it’s just magic. Maybe it doesn’t have to be understood.

Mountains of fun.

Mountains of fun.

Maybe it just is.

The magic begins in nature.

The magic begins in nature.