All shadows point to me.
As befits the princess that I am.
Want to see some more cool shadow images? Check out this one and this one, or go to the link above and explore on your own!
Tag Archives: Katie
Reilly and me
Katie here. HEY! After years and years of a long distance relationship I finally got to meet Reilly the Cowspot Dog in person! Nose to nose! Well, more like nose to behind at first, but now we’re on a nose to nose basis. He is so tall, dark and handsome! I just love him to pieces. I think he likes me too.
Me and Reilly – taken by Reilly’s mom.
Mama and I got down to Florida on Thursday evening, and we all spent some time getting to know each other. There’s Reilly the big boy, and his little brother and best man Denny. And of course his mom and dad.
My Reilly and his brother Denny.
I like everyone here, though I have to admit I did show Reilly my teeth a tiny bit right at first. But now all three of us doggies can run and chase the ball in the living room. Reilly usually wins, cause he’s the biggest. And to be truthful, I generally just jump up on the sofa when they’re playing, as is due my stature as a princess. That way I can watch the action without getting stepped on.
I also have sucked up…um…bonded.. with Riley’s mom and dad. In fact my mama and Reilly’s mom went away for most of the day today and I hung out with Reilly’s dad. It was fun. I got to sit on the sofa with him and chill out. All us pups slept a lot today which is a good thing. Cause the moms are making us go on lots of mini adventures while I’m here.
Our first adventure was a walk on the beach!
I’ve been to the beach! On the Atlantic Ocean! Oh my dog, that’s one big lake!
But mama! Reilly and I want to explore those sandy hills over there!
And I’ve visited a couple of Reilly’s parks Everything is so green!
It looks like summer around here mama!
I’m not used to that in February; usually I have snow to play in…but it’s pretty wonderful here right now. No snow, but not so hot as to make a sheltie-girl miserable. No bugs to speak of either. Mama saw some great campgrounds that we would have loved to explore. Maybe someday we’ll be back with our tent!
It’s like a jungle here!
I had a lot of fun. When mama asked me last week if I wanted to go on an adventure I never dreamed it would be like this!
Going for a walk with my guys.
I’m not sure what we’re going to do tomorrow, but I heard someone say something about a sunrise. Maybe I better hit the sack early tonight so I can be sure to get mama up extra early.
I know she’d appreciate that.
My man Reilly. Isn’t he beautiful?
Mama is so confused
Katie here. Geeze. I let mama blog for one day without me dogervising her and she fails! Did you see what she did? She posted a “Wordless Wednesday” while I was napping and it was Tuesday! She doesn’t even know what day it is anymore. Obviously she can not be left alone. Good thing I’m around to straighten everything up.
So here it is Wednesday. No sense doing a wordless post, I mean seriously have you ever heard of a quiet sheltie? I thought not. So I’ll give you a brief update.
The Pigeon River flows through downtown.
We are still stuck in this stupid hotel. I know, I know. I am supposed to be grateful that we are somewhere warm and safe and stuff. But I am bored! I’m tired of hogging all the pillows. I’m tired of hearing weird sounds outside my door and having my mama tell me not to bark. Of course I have to bark! It’s a weird sound mama!
The car fixer place was supposed to have my car all fixed by this morning, but yesterday afternoon mama found out that it won’t be done today either. I don’t know if we’ll ever see my car again. I’m an adventurous kind of girl, but this is getting ridiculous.
Big sign for this park!
Yesterday mama took me to a city park so that I could have some time outside that is away from the hotel. It was an OK park. It was pretty big with tennis courts and softball fields. Lots of jungle gym type stuff for kids to play on too. I wasn’t interested in playing. I was having a pretty good time just sniffing all those smells.
What are those kids doing over there mama?
There was a bright red train car in the park; I have no idea why, there weren’t any signs explaining it. Mama thought it was interesting and of course I had to sit in front of it. Boring mama!
No one cares mama!
We stopped by a river walk on the Pigeon River downtown too. The river was pretty, but a storm was coming in so we didn’t stay long. Not that exciting either.
Stop with the pictures mama!
Once we got back to the hotel and mama found out that we won’t get the car today she got all bummed out. I decided to be a very good girl and not bark so much at the rain. It was hard. But I can be good if I try.
Storm blowing in.
I understand that sometimes mama just needs a break.
Winds fluff me up.
Progress. Of sorts.
I’m giving Katie-girl a couple of days off from blogging. She’s exhausted from all that work and is taking a well deserved break. She requests not to be disturbed.
Quit bugging me mama!
Some of you are wondering what’s happening with our car which broke down in the mountains of East Tennessee and was towed to a dealership on Saturday afternoon. Katie handled the stress of all that pretty well, though she did throw up in the front passenger seat (which thankfully I had covered by a sheet prior to setting her up there.) while we were waiting on the side of the freeway. I felt like throwing up too, but I had to be the responsible adult.
The upshot is that parts have been ordered and they will begin working on the car tomorrow. They might get done tomorrow late, but most probably won’t be finished till sometime Wednesday.
I’m good with that.
Though it would be nice to be on the road tomorrow, I know we were really lucky that the car quit right next to an exit that has a dealership. And that we got a really nice tow truck operator that took me and the car to that dealership, then took me up the road to a hotel that allows dogs, and waited until he knew I had a room before he left. And I’m lucky that people at the dealership put us ahead of others and began working on it this morning, and then helped me get a rental car, and actually carried stuff from my car to the rental car so that I have enough dog food for Katie during this extended stay.
After we got all that squared away Katie and I took a little tourist trip into the Smokey Mountain National Park, and from there into Gatlinburg. The guy at the dealership recommended we explore Gatlinburg, saying there were lots of places for us to walk. Katie was getting stir crazy hanging out in the hotel room, and we’d already explored the hotel parking lot in minute detail, so I was game for heading out for a mini adventure.
I noted on my Garmin that the Smokey Visitor Center was up the road about 20 miles, so I put that into the system and headed north. After about 30 minutes we arrived at what I presumed would be a national park visitor center. But no. It was the visitor center for a baseball team named the Tennessee Smokies. Right.
Not the Smokey Mountains. Nope.
So I tried again, typing in Gatlinburg Pigeon Forge, figuring I’d get closer. That got me to the Pigeon Forge airport. No pictures as Katie was beginning to huff at me. And time was getting away from us.
I tried a third time, being more particular and typed in Gatlinburg town. That worked! And along the way we traveled into the Smokey Mountain National Park, which is more of what I was really looking for. The stress in my shoulders loosened up as we entered the woods, driving along a rock rubble filled stream.
Then a sign said we could go to the national park via a Gatlinburg bypass! I was on it! Up the mountain we drove, winding around and around. I was noticing the bright green grass, thinking that Tennessee is way ahead of Michigan in terms of spring. It was so pretty, all that bright green.
Spring time green!
And then I realized it was fresh growth because the forest was totally burned! The trees were black, standing in all that green. Just about when I was realizing that we came upon a scenic overlook. Of course we stopped.
And way down below was the village of Gatlinburg, surrounded by charred mountains that were rapidly renewing themselves. It was beautiful in a sad sort of way.
Beautiful and sad all at the same time.
We continued up the mountain, then down the other side to a visitor center inside the park. I ran inside to get a map and saw that Cades Cove was another 25 miles into the park. I would have loved to go there, but it was already 3, and the 25 miles was on a little squiggly road which I knew would take a very long time. I didn’t want to be out there in the dark. I hope to go back and visit sometime.
Can’t get enough of views like this.
I drove a bit more, looking for a trail where Katie and I could walk a little bit. There was one not too far away, with a place to pull over. I got her out of the car, she huffing at me because all this driving was no adventure in her eyes. We started down the trail and immediately came across this sign.
What do you mean I can’t go down this trail?
Notice one of the “NOT ALLOWED” things are pets. Sigh. We got back in the car. Katie gave me the stink eye. So I figured we’d go into Gatlinburg after all and walk around there.
What a zoo. The town is blocks of restaurants and curio shops. You know what I mean. The kind of place you might want to walk if you weren’t a dog. She stood up in the front seat and watched it all go by, fairly interested and if there had been a free place to park I might have walked a block or so, but I didn’t want to pay for parking when we’d only be there for a few minutes. There’s no way she’d have that much fun on concrete.
See the little house down there?
So we headed back to the hotel. She says this was an epic fail adventure. But I liked the view from the top of the mountain. And I really liked not being in the hotel room for a few hours. She’s zonked out now, so there must have been a bit of adventure in there somewhere for her too.
Hey mama! They made the bed while we were gone!
I hope our next post is all about us back on the road. I’m ready to move on. Katie is too.
Mama! Did the fire burn down the rest of this fence?
Let the adventuring begin!
Katie here. Surprise! You didn’t think you’d hear from me again so soon did you! Well mama says she’s tired and if I want to tell you about our adventures I’m just going to have to write it myself. Plus she says we haven’t even really gotten to the real adventure yet so I should just go lie down.
Right. Like a princess is going to take a nap in the middle of an adventure.
So anyway, this morning mama didn’t argue with me when I got her up at 4:30. She said she had packing to do. Packing? I started getting nervous. Usually when they get the suitcases out I end up at doggie camp. It’s not like she pulled my tent up from the basement or anything. Oh no. These were suitcases!
But it turns out that I got to go! At least I think so. I was kind of worried at the beginning, figuring she was going to drop me off at camp and take off on me. But so far so good. Tonight mama says we’re in Kentucky.
Checking out tomorrow’s route mama!
I don’t know what a “Tucky” is….but it comes with two beds and I get to decide which one I’m sleeping on. I thought I’d sleep on the one over there, but then this one over here looked good, and now I can’t decide. I guess I’ll sleep on both of them.
I don’t know where we’re going next, but if it’s as good as “Tucky,” then I’m in.
See you tomorrow…
Your tour gal Katie.
I think we both need a nap!
And then we got stuck
Katie here.
It’s been a mild winter here in Michigan. There’s been hardly any snow which I personally find very disappointing. I’m a sheltie and I love the snow, as long as it’s not higher than my tummy. And as long as my folks plow me a potty path. I am, after all, a princess.
Anyway, the last couple of nights it’s snowed here! Just the perfect amount too! And then the most amazing thing happened. The sun came out! We haven’t seen the sun in weeks and weeks, maybe even 10 dog years! Mama got all excited and told me that we could not waste a day like this.
I love snow!
So she grabbed her camera and me and we hustled it over to one of my favorite parks!
I got to walk on my trail through the woods. We were the first ones out there that morning and I trotted off, nose to ground so excited to be out in my woods. Mama kept saying ‘easy easy baby’ but I ignored her. Especially when we were going down hills.
She finally just dropped my leash so she could protect the camera as she inched her way down the bigger hills. I had to wait for her a whole bunch. Mama is sort of slow.
Come ON mama!
I got to do a lot of running too. Mama didn’t always get great pictures of me, what with all the shadows from the big tall trees, but I had a blast anyway.
Get those treats ready mama!
Oh – I have a new policy! I’ve let my mama know she’s only got one chance to get her shot. I’ll pose for her, cause I know she’s got treats. But once I hear that camera click I’m going to get right up and trot straight up to her and expect payment. One shot, one treat. That’s the way it’s going to be mama. Get used to it.
One treat, one shot mama!
Anyway, after we’d walked a long way back into the woods mama said her hands were cold and we needed to turn around. I said ‘no way mama!’ but she turned around and headed back. I hung around for a bit but then I remembered she had all the treats, so I ran after her. I’m a smart princess.
We got to this one place where the trail hangs on to the edge of a sandy hill that has a big gouge in it from when it rains. It’s sort of tricky to get over in the summer and now it was covered in snow. I jumped right over, but mama hesitated, and then her foot slipped and she flung her bad arm up in the air to catch her balance and that hurt a bunch and she yelled, and I jerked the leash in her other hand just at exactly the right moment and pulled her over to my side safe and sound. She said ‘good job baby!’ But I could tell her shoulder really really hurt. She said she needed to get home to get some aspirin.
But I don’t want to go back mama!
But that didn’t happen right away.
On the way out of the park there is a stop sign at an intersection at the bottom of a big hill. Mama slowed down to make the corner and then she couldn’t get the car to go up that big hill! So she figured she’d back up and get a better running start at it. And as she backed up she slid right off the road. So then we were truly stuck!
I suggested we just go for another nice walk until the snow melted. But she called my daddy instead and he came out with shovels and snow melt. It took a long time. I stayed very very quiet in my crate in the back of the car. I know when to keep my mouth shut, yes I do. Eventually daddy pushed and mama drove and we got going and crept up that stupid hill and made it home safe and sound.
Pretty day to be stuck in the woods.
It was a great adventure, even with the little misstep at the end. I’m glad we went. Mama is too, but we’re both pretty grateful to daddy for coming and saving us!
I know you are all enjoying any sun you get to see. We hope it sticks around here for awhile. Some people in other parts of the country have been hogging the sun and we’re glad they finally decided to share it with us!
I’m off to take a nap now, talk to you all later!
Your gal Katie.
Till next time.
Snow day
You know the mid-winter dark evenings when you stay awake to watch the eleven o’clock news just to see what the weather will be for your morning commute? And you know it’s going to be snowing all night and into that commute. And you can’t sleep because you know you have to get up early, maybe shovel the driveway, and start the commute early, very early, in order to make sure you get to work on time. And that the commute is going to be terrible; slippery with poor visibility and indiscernible lane markings.
Yea. I remember those.
But one of the many joys of being retired is that you can go to bed early, even on snowy nights. (Oh who am I kidding, 9 p.m. is my normal go to bed time.) You can sleep soundly without a worry. You can wake up when you wake up and look out the window to see how much snow fell because you’re curious, not because you’re worried.
And then you can do this.
I know. I’m lucky.
I’m lucky too mama.
WordPress Photo Challenge: Graceful
Nothing sneaks up on us!
It’s raining mama!
It’s raining here in Michigan. In January. Complete with thunder and lightening, which is kind of different for around here in mid-winter. But we have nothing to worry about, no storm arrives that we haven’t been warned.
Loudly and often.
Yes indeed, we have a Storm Sheltie, and she barks to announce rain on the roof no matter the season. I wouldn’t want to be caught in a storm without one.
Good job Katie-girl.
A New Year Begins
It’s 4:30 a.m. and Katie the dog wants to go out. Just like every morning, her timing is meticulously accurate. I shake the sleep from my eyes as she shakes the tags on her collar and together we stumble to the front door where she prances impatiently as I don shoes and coat and gloves.
And then we step out into the blackness that is early morning.
Deep silence surrounds us. No cars out on the freeway, no stirring in the neighborhood. Only the far away wail of a train intrudes on the thick blanket of quiet. I whisper to her, unwilling to pierce the silence myself, to find a good spot as we wander the yard.
Almost directly overhead is the big dipper, sitting upside down, spilling good wishes down upon us. Orion’s belt has long since gone to bed. “Hi Dad,” I whisper. “Here’s to a New Year. Another one starting without you and mom.”
And then I pause, a bit of happiness floating from me up to him. “Well, not really without you…I feel you right here. See you tomorrow morning…say hi to Mom”
Katie and I head silently back to the house. At the front porch she stands on her back legs asking to be picked up. I do, picking up her awkwardly lopsided bobble-headed cone encased self and give her a tight hug and a kiss.
“Happy New Year baby-girl, Happy New Year.”
Happy New Year mama!
Change Is Hard 