Change Is Hard

…but change is certain.

Tag Archives: Katie


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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

 


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WordPress Photo Challenge: Muse

This week’s photo challenge is to show something you photograph regularly, something that inspires you to take more photos.  To show us muse.

Pretty clouds...and a sheltie.

Pretty clouds…and a sheltie.

For me it’s often the sky.  Prior to retirement I had a window at work on the top floor and regularly posted ‘window weather’ photos taken on my phone of the clouds, rain, and sun streaming by.

Now that I’m not working I have to go a bit further to find that wide open sky.  But it’s still one of my favorite things to photograph; it changes frequently, it can be beautiful or dramatic; sometimes both.  I’m always watching the sky, early morning, midday, and late into the evening.  You never know what you’ll see.

Oh.  Yes there’s also the sheltie-girl Katie in this shot, another muse.  I have a few thousand photos of her in her many different moods.  Today, as you can see, she’s a very happy girl.  Because she loves to run, and because she knows I have treats.

You can see other interpretations of ‘muse’ at the original post.  Or if you like, check out a few of my favorites, here, here and here.

And don’t miss this one.

 

What’s your photographic muse?  You have time to show us, just post a photo on your blog and link to the original post.  I can’t wait to see!

Katie-girl.

Katie-girl.

 

 


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My turn

Katie here.

I’ve been bugging and bugging mama.  Every single day I ask her if I can tell all of you about my adventure visiting my friends Ricky and his sister Callie, but mama said I had to wait my turn.  Obviously she has forgotten that I am a princess.  Though I don’t know how cause I remind her daily.

Anyway, mama and I were taking Callie my teeter and some weave poles cause Callie is an awesome agility dog and I don’t really like to play on the teeter, so we took daddy’s truck.  That meant mama couldn’t put me in my crate in the back of the car.  So guess what?  I got to sit up front with her!

This is my daddy's truck!

This is my daddy’s truck!

My boyfriend Reilly sent my mama a seat belt and she got me a harness and I was her copilot!  I’m not so good at reading maps, so she used Garmin to find our way, but it was awesome being up front.  Mama says, though, that when we’re in the car I’m still going to be in the back seat cause it’s safer back there.  Whatever mama.

I was a good girl and didn’t bother my mama at all except when I wanted to get out and do my business.  Then I just stood up and stared at her.  She’s pretty good at reading my mind so we’d stop at the next rest stop and I’d get to sniff around a bit before we moved on our way.

Resting at a rest stop.

Resting at a rest stop.

After a long time (OK, 5 hours) we got to Ricky and Callie’s house!  Ricky and I are old friends so we weren’t that excited to see each other, but Callie was very excited to see me!  I guess she’s never seen a real life princess before.

Beautiful Callie

Beautiful Callie

I tried to be very regal, but it was totally hot that day.  Mostly I sniffed around the yard and hung out in the shade with my mom and Ricky and Callie’s mom.  I wasn’t interested in playing on the teeter or running weaves but it was fun to watch them do that!

Tandem teeter!

Tandem teeter!

And guess what else?  I figured I’d have to come clean and show my mama that I can do stairs after all.  Outside I had no problem going up and down the deck stairs, but inside I would only go down the stairs, and only if my mama was going down.  Then I’d race down so as not to be left behind, which startled mama the first time.

Handsome Ricky!

Handsome Ricky!

The next day we went for a walk in the park.  It was still so HOT that I was pretty slow, always lagging behind. My mama decided we better not go too far so we cut the walk short.  We’ve decided we will visit again sometime when the weather is cooler!

Going to the park!

Going to the park!

I had a really good time.  I think if I was around other shelties every day I’d learn to play with them.  Poor Callie really wanted me to play but I just wanted to sit near my mama.  She even offered me one of her favorite toys and I wasn’t interested.   Ricky says he understands and we just hung out together.

 

Me and Ricky near the pool.

Me and Ricky near the pool.

Mama and I left that afternoon, heading home to daddy.  It was a long drive home because weather wasn’t very good and we stopped a lot along the way.  I pretty much rested my eyes the whole way, no sleeping, but a lot of head nodding.  Toward the end I put my head down and with a big sigh fell asleep.  My mama laughed at me, but I think a princess is allowed a little nap, don’t you?

I really want to thank Ricky and Callie and their mom and dad for letting me and my mama visit them!  We had a lot of fun and we’re looking forward to another visit sometime!

Posing for the camera.

Posing for the camera.

 


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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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Norwood’s star

Norwood's star reminds us how wonderful the world is.

Norwood’s star reminds us how wonderful the world is.

Katie here.

You remember when I told you about Norwood last March?  He and his mom Debi used to go out every day for a run or a walk and they shared it with all of us.  Norwood was a very cool dog who had to go to the Rainbow Bridge unexpectedly and way too soon.  Mama always called him “Dude” cause he was so cool.

Photo of Dude by Debi his mom.

Photo of Dude by Debi his mom.

Well anyway, Norwood is now a bright star way up in the sky.  His mom made a lot of his friends their own stars and asked us to put them up near our favorite trails, cause he loved to run with his mom on trails through the woods and parks.  We got our star in the mail a couple of weeks ago.  It’s been sitting on the counter where mama looked at it every day, deciding where it should be hung.

I said it was a no brainer mama!  It has to go in my park!

So Wednesday we went over to my park to have a private memorial for Norwood.  Just my mama and me.  Mama told me I couldn’t call him Dude that afternoon, cause I needed to be respectful.  So I called him Mr. Dude instead.

We found a perfect spot, in a grove of cottonwood trees, where the gentle wind in the leaves makes a soothing sound, almost like waves on a beach.  We tucked it back into the trees a little bit, so Mr. Dude will have shade but still be able to watch the people and dogs that pass by on their walks.

 

Do you see Mr. N's star above me?

Do you see Mr. Dude’s star above me?

There was a little breeze and Mr. Dude’s star rocked gently.  Sometimes the sun would make it glow, sometimes it hid among the leaves.

We stood quiet a little bit and sent a prayer up to Mr. Dude to watch over his mom and the new puppy Seager.  Then Mama arranged for some songbirds to do a musical number and we walked slowly back toward the car.

Mama let me sniff as much as I wanted, no hurry she said.  And then a beautiful Monarch butterfly flew by and fluttered for a little bit right in front of mama’s face.  She says she thinks Mr. Dude sent it to say thank you.  You’re welcome Mr. Dude!   Sure was pretty.  And then the best thing of all!  A flock of ceder waxwings flew in formation right overhead!  Mama said that Mr. Dude had a perfect ending to his memorial — his very own fly over!

All in all it was a beautiful memorial to our friend Norwood.  Thanks to his mom for sending us the star.  People are putting their NorStars up in parks across the country.  If you see one on any of your adventures think of Mr. Dude.

Norwood–the dog that touched hearts around the world.  And made us all smile.

For you Mr. N

For you Mr. Dude!

 

 


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Katie’s Day 1

Katie here.

Well.

By now you all know that my mama retired.  Whatever that means.  It doesn’t seem to be about me so I’m not all that interested.  But today I’m starting to figure out that life as I knew it is over!

This is my house and I make the rules. Don't I?

This is my house and I make the rules. Don’t I?

First of all, mama was home all weekend, which is a little strange cause she usually goes to work at least some of the time.  That’s my favorite time to nap and get ready for an adventure.  When she gets home from work on the weekends we almost always go somewhere fun and she lets me sniff and sniff and sniff while she walks around sighing and daydreaming and stuff.

But this weekend was all rainy and we didn’t do anything exciting.  Mostly she napped on the sofa.  I bugged her a lot to try to get her to play but she was in some sort of coma, you know?

Anyway…today is Monday and she’s supposed to get up early, so I did my usual…and got her out of bed at 4:40 a.m.  She did not seem pleased.  But you know what she did?  She just went out to the sofa and went back to sleep!  Huh!  So I went to sleep for awhile too.  Then I woke her up again and she told me to go lay down.  So I did though I was confused.  This went on for some time till finally she got up and took me out and then we went back to sleep again!

And then she didn’t go to work!!  She just hung around all morning!  What’s with that?  I am missing my princess nap! How am I supposed to keep up my princess looks without my late morning nap?

And then she took me outside and she started weeding!

Yep that's supposed to be a garden back there.

Yep that’s supposed to be a garden back there.

Well!  I LOVE weeding cause I get to be outside a long time with my mama and I get to bark at all the cars that go by, and the jogger, and my neighbor, and a truck, and a duck, and a rabbit, and my neighbor again.

After awhile my mama said I needed to go inside.  But then she bagged up the garbage…so I just had to bark some more!  Geeze mama, if you want me to be quiet you’ve got to sit down woman!

So anyway, I think my mama’s new full time job is weeding.  She says we’re going to go outside every single morning and work on the gardens.  Or she might just mow over the top of them.  We’ll see.

I’m undecided if this retirement thingy is good for me.  So far I haven’t seen any adventures come out of it; mostly I’ve just gotten yelled at for barking too much.  I kinda liked it when she went to work, but I guess I’ll adjust.  Maybe tomorrow morning I’ll wait till 5:15 to get her out of bed.

You think she’ll like that better?

Kisses mama!

Love, your gal Katie.


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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.


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Five photos, five days #5

Katie here.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Mama says she can’t go five days and five photos without including me!  She says I get to tell the story this time too.

So here goes.

A long long time ago mama and dad had another sheltie-girl.  Her name was Bonnie and she was a very good girl.  She didn’t get to go to doggie school, and she didn’t compete in trials.  She didn’t get to go to the park or for rides or to visit people.  She pretty much stayed at home and loved my mama and dad.

For a lot of years she couldn’t hear at all, but she was so good at reading body language it took my folks a long time to figure it out.  She didn’t bark at thunder or the UPS truck, and she didn’t chase cars.  Hard to believe that she was even a sheltie!

Anyway, she lived a long time and went through a lot.  She lost a toe and her tail and had arthritis pretty bad.  She was on lots of meds, but she was a happy girl.  One day she had a really big seizure and she died.  Mama and dad were with her, so she didn’t have to go to the bridge alone.

Mama and dad were very very sad.  But they didn’t know that I had already been born and was waiting impatiently for them!   You know the rest of the story, right?  I came along and cheered them up.  I did silly bonehead puppy stuff and barked at everything including thunder and the UPS truck.  In fact I still do.  Cause they wouldn’t know enough to take care of stuff like that without me.

I know that someday I will break their hearts and go find my sister at the Rainbow Bridge.  But until then I’ll pose for mom and her silly camera.  I’ll sit right here between the breaking hearts and the forget-me-not flowers.

Cause I know for sure they’re never going to forget me.  Just like they haven’t ever forgotten my sister Bonnie.

This is the last installment of Carol’s challenge Five photos, five days.  The rules were to post a photo and a story, fiction or non, or even poetry.  And then we were to nominate someone each day to play along.  Well, we like what Carol did for her photo #5, anyone out there that I’ve missed that wants to show us 5 photos is welcome to join in!  Show us what you’ve got!

I’ll turn the blog back over to my mama now.  She got a little teary when she got thinking about her Bon-Bon.  But I think she’s going to be OK cause I kissed her a bunch when she got home tonight.

That usually works.

Bonnie 014