park | Change Is Hard

September 29, 2013
by dawnkinster 14 Comments

Adventuring we go

Pretty picnic area

Katie made me feel guilty enough to make sure she got to go on an adventure this weekend. Knowing that it was going to rain most of Sunday Katie and I headed over to a park late Saturday. We were introduced to this park by Katie’s doggie friend Peep last spring and it’s taken us all this time to visit it again. Because we went on the spur of the moment we couldn’t coordinate with Peep this time but we’re pretty sure we’ll be able to get together again this fall.

Katie and Peep

This park has a lot of trails through the woods and I figured I’d find a trail head and we’d just walk for a bit. The first place I parked turned out to be the parking lot for disc golf so it was a bit too busy for us, but the picnic area was pretty. The second place we stopped was also a picnic area, but it was empty and had a trail leading back into the woods. So we were off!

Exploring

It was a lovely afternoon; no bugs and lots of sunshine.

A walk in the woods

There are a couple lakes at the park too, and we walked down through a boat launch to explore a fishing dock. It moved and squeaked a bit as we walked on it making Katie jump at first. But after she figured out there wasn’t anything scary there she was happy enough to be near the water.

Fishing dock

Mostly though we walked on the paths through the woods and enjoyed being out in nature. Lots of squirrels chattering and chipmunks squeaking, but Katie was very good when we did a little recall.

Recall!

She loves doing recall when we’re at a park. But I only do it once, and only if she is focused on me. She didn’t let a little chipmunk distract her. She’s a very good girl.

And she wants to know what we’re doing next weekend. I don’t know little one…but I’m sure it will be fun!

Riding home

August 18, 2013
by dawnkinster 17 Comments

Camping experiment results

Arriving

As many of you know Katie-girl and I enjoy sleeping out in the backyard on warm (and sometimes not so warm) summer nights. If there’s no rain predicted we leave the rain fly off the tent and watch the stars until we fall asleep. I’d like to do more camping with her, further from home but she’s a Sheltie and Shelties bark which made me wonder about how she’d behave in a campground. So I booked a camping site at a local KOA, one located only one exit up the road. And last night we went camping for real with a backup plan of scooping her up and heading home if she barked too much at night.

This is my campsite!

Turns out she doesn’t mind being in a tiny campsite right next to other people (and their dogs) at all. She’s interested, but not particularly offended by their presence. She watched them until it got dark and then she settled down with a sigh on her pillows in front of her window and went to sleep. During the night she got up a few times and settled somewhere new, sometimes up on the air mattress with me, sometimes somewhere else in the tent, but she’s always been a dog that sleeps in multiple places during any one night.

Watching the neighbor’s campfire.

She woke me around midnight with a series of soft yips but I don’t know what bothered her. Maybe she just woke up in a strange place and was confused. I tickled her tummy and we both went right back to sleep. She barked about 4:45 a.m. but it turns out the next door camper was out with his dog, whose tags were jangling and he was coughing himself. She had to let him know he was infringing on her space. I told her ‘no bark’ once and patted her head and she settled back down with another sigh for an hour or so of sleep.

And then it was 6 a.m. and she was UP! Want to get up now Mama?

Hey Mama! You awake?

Huh? How about now Mama? I really do have to gooooo!

We went out and found a good place, then went back to bed for another hour…when many people in the campground were up including neighbors on both sides of us, so we got up, packed up and went home.

Sheltie sized window. Perfect.

She was a very very good dog. I’d go camping with her again no problem. Not at this particular campground which was crowded and noisy and not near anything interesting. But for this experiment it was exactly what I needed; lots of people, lots of dogs, lots of noisy cars…radios, TVs, bikes, you name it. She wasn’t distressed by anything other than an early morning walk by the neighbor dog dangerously close to her bed. Cant fault her on that.

I think she’s a natural camper!

Can we do it again soon Mama?

August 5, 2013
by dawnkinster 15 Comments

Awesome weekend!

Katie here. Bet you just can’t wait to hear about my awesome weekend! It was great! I’m going to have to sleep for three straight days just to get rested up!

First of all I got to go to school Saturday morning. I love love love going to my school. Mama said something about me paying attention cause we have some doggie trial or something next weekend. But I just did my thing. Came in crooked on the recall. Lagged behind Mama during the off leash heeling. But still. Being a princess and all that was pretty good. I DID sit still while all the other doggies moved on the long sit and long down. I know for sure that when I’m uncertain I only have to look at my Mama and if she’s staring at me I’m not supposed to move. So I don’t. Cause I’m a good girl. Yes I am.

This picture was taken a couple of weeks ago when my Aunt B was here, but it shows you me at school. Cause I knew you’d want to see.

Sitting straight

Then Saturday afternoon I supervised Mama while she was working in the garden. I love sitting out there while she’s working. We stayed outside a long time and I couldn’t have been happier.

Mama’s flowers. And me.

Well, that’s not quite exactly perfectly true. I got even happier later in the day when my Mama put up my tent! OH BOY OH BOY OH BOY! We got to go camping!! I just LOVE camping! I could hardly wait to get out there and go to sleep next to my little window in the cool evening air.

My tent.

Ah yes this is doggie heaven! Mama was sleeping under four blankets, but I was perfectly happy to just be out there. She gives me two pillows and a blanket all my own and I’m good.

My window

Of course I got her up at 5:00 to go out. But she wasn’t even mad because the stars were so bright and pretty when we walked around the back yard.

Camping in our yard

I helped her pack the tent up last night but I’m hoping we’ll get to camp next weekend too. Mama even said something about going to a real campground! Wouldn’t that be cool?

THEN guess what? We got to go to my park on Sunday! TWICE!

Resting on our walk

The first time was the farmer’s market where I got to sniff a bunch of stuff and I even ran into the vegetable guy’s sheltie. I’m not too sure about him, but I liked everyone else that talked to me. And THEN Mama took be back to my park Sunday evening! Hot dog! A walk in my park where I got to look for ground squirrels and baby rabbits!

My park

This weekend turned out to be super fun! Too bad Mama has to go to work today. On the other hand, I could use the rest. I sure am one happy tired puppy!

Have a happy Monday everyone!

Happy dog!

July 27, 2013
by dawnkinster 12 Comments

Park days

The weather has been wonderful this past week; cooler with high temperatures in the 80’s (21’s C) and less humidity. Katie and I took advantage of that one evening after work and went to her favorite park.

Just sitting with my Mama.

I took my book, thinking I could sit on the hillside and read, and she could explore while on her long line. For a little bit she sat with me. Then she went and stood at the end of her long line, facing the walking trail. She didn’t cry, she didn’t tug. She just stood there and waited. She made me feel bad. After all what is the point of going to the park if you aren’t going to go for a walk?

OK little one.

So we went for a long walk, all the way around. Then because it was beautiful out we took a side trail over to the library and meandered up the library driveway back to another entrance to the park. I figured we’d head back to the car and go home.

Mama…I always have to wait for her.

But as we approached the park entrance we saw a car we recognized enter the park and drive way over to the parking lot. We were quite a ways away but we picked up our pace. Still, by the time we got to the parking lot they were already unloaded and out of sight down the walking path.

So we hustled along and eventually caught up with Maddie, a miniature Australian Shepard and her folks. Katie and I met Maddie when we were all in an agility class together a few years ago. We learned then that we lived in the same town and went to the same park but we hardly ever run into them. It’s been a couple years since we saw them last.

So of course we had to go on the walk with them, all the way around the park again. Katie thought she was in heaven to get to do the walk again! Though she slowed down some near the end. After all she’d already had a long walk.

Maddie is just full of energy, and ran circles around Katie. At one point, though, Katie did a play bow with Maddie and sort of leaped into the play. For a moment. Then she remembered she is a princess and stopped. I think if they saw each other more often and were left to it they might actually play together.

Katie and Maddie

Aren’t they cute? We hope we run into them again this summer!

Evening with Katie

July 26, 2013
by dawnkinster 8 Comments

No respect

I woke this morning to the news that someone has vandalized the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC.

Mr. Lincoln

One of the beautiful things about our monuments is that you can visit around the clock. Wandering them late on a warm summer night, when they are all lit up, when they are quiet without the hundreds of tourists, is a gift. Perhaps it’s a gift we won’t always have.

Climbing to meet an important man.

All I can say to the person or people responsible is this: If you don’t have any respect for yourselves at least have respect for your own history.

Number 16

June 23, 2013
by dawnkinster 7 Comments

Biking through the park and mooing with ice cream.

Last Tuesday sister and I met our Aunt at one of my favorite parks. (Click on photos to see more detail.) We brought our bikes and before lunch we rode the 8 mile trail around the big lake. Did I mention there are hills here?

We just came up this hill!

It was a beautiful day, sunny with a little breeze to keep the flies at bay.

Riding through the woods.

We also hiked a little bit in the nature area; we saw some sandhill cranes, swans, ducks, and blue herons with young ones still in the nest.

Looking for the cranes.

We had a lot of fun goofing off, enjoying the sunshine, the park, and each other…

We took lots of pictures.

…and we found out it’s not always easy to keep up with an 80 year old!

The girls

Friday night sister and husband and I went to the local dairy for ice cream. It’s the best ice cream around. I had udder butter (peanut butter and chocolate) and my sister had moocachino (coffee flavored).

Ice cream maker.

We got to pet a really cute calf.

Big brown eyes.

And stand beside really big cows.

BIG cows.

I’m convinced you can’t have exceptional ice cream without the cow scent to accompany it. Darn that was good.

Evening sun.

All in all a very good week.

Water lily at the park.

June 20, 2013
by dawnkinster 10 Comments

So far behind

I have lots of stories to tell you. A visit to the family farm (barns!) and a bike ride in the park. But I’m back to work now and I’m behind again. Well. I guess I could blame being behind on work but the reality is I’m just behind in general.

So stay tuned. I promise barn photos are coming to a blog near you.

Maybe a bicycle photo or two as well.

Maybe.

Sneak peek.

June 17, 2013
by dawnkinster 22 Comments

Busy weekend

It’s been a busy weekend here. Friday night I played with the community band as the warm up act at a local park.

Playing in the park.

The main act was “The Magic Bus,” a group of guys playing 60’s and 70’s music.

Member of the Bus.

We stayed and listened to them play…

Dancing to memories.

…and watched the happy dancers of our generation feeling the beat once again.

Giant dancer puppet

Saturday Katie’s Aunt B and I took Katie to doggie school where she got to practice heeling and jumping and circling and such.

Exercise over!

There’s another sheltie in class now and they seem to like each other pretty much. As much as shelties like any other dog I guess.

Toby and Katie

Saturday afternoon we got Katie’s agility stuff out and she ran and jumped some more.

Heading for the tunnel!

She doesn’t like teeter, but the rest was pure fun.

Jump!

Sunday morning we went to the farmer’s market, Katie tagged along and she got lots of petting.

Walking at the park!

Then we went to her favorite park and had even more fun!

Sharing the park with my Aunt B!

But Sunday night Aunt B found a tick on Katie! OH NO! This is her first tick ever! So now we know we have to be vigilant. Katie was so good, sitting still while her Aunt and her Dad put alcohol on the tick and pulled it off.

She’s such a good girl. She wants to know what we’re going to do for fun today!

Sunday husband, sister and I went to visit husband’s Aunt V. She probably deserves her own blog post…so I’ll write that one later.

At the park

May 28, 2013
by dawnkinster 13 Comments

A lovely weekend

This is all mine!

Katie here….Three day weekends should be the norm because then I’d have my Mama around more and we could do more fun things. Like going to my park! Mama kept promising me all weekend that we’d go to the park. She said that a lot while she was weeding and hauling mulch and stuff. After awhile I didn’t believe her anymore.

So when Dad said “Hey Katie-girl (I was sleeping and he woke me up!)…do you want to go to the park!?” I knew something was up. He never asks me that. So I got all excited and missed the evil look my Mama gave my Dad, cause I guess she was busy with something and now she was going to have to stop doing it and take me right away because Dad got me all riled up. It worked too! I should probably pay Dad a commission or something.

Come on Mama, hurry up!

We had the park all to ourselves. I guess Mama had planned on taking me to a bigger park, but then she realized that those parks would be full of people doing Memorial Day stuff so we just went to my local park. I didn’t care, I was so excited to be there I didn’t even want any treats when Mama offered. I just wanted to sniff!

Every year Mama takes me to this park to take my picture with the pretty yellow flowers. I don’t know why, I always look the same. She says this year we were a little late. I don’t know what she’s talking about. I still look beautiful even though I am six and a half years old. Little late. Sheesh.

A Sheltie is never late.

We practiced some obedience along the way too. And of course Mama did that distracted recall thing. I’m really really good at that. I love running back to my Mama when she calls.

Coming Mama!

Toward the end of our walk the sky got dark and it started to sprinkle. I don’t care so much, but Mama said we had to get back. You see, we tried camping last night in the back yard for the first time this season and Mama said we needed to get back to the house so we could get all the camping stuff back inside. Whatever Mama. It’s not like we spent very long out in the tent last night. It was stinking cold! But I’m not worried, I know there’s going to be plenty of camping nights this summer.

Here’s me being ‘dramatic’ before the rain.

I had a great weekend. Too bad Mama has to go back to work today. On the other hand, I could use a nap!

What are we doing next weekend Mama?

May 17, 2013
by dawnkinster 7 Comments

Katie has a play date!

Not getting her feet wet.

By prearrangement I took Katie to a state park a few miles up the road to meet a friend and her dog Peep. Peep was in the same obedience class with Katie a long time ago, and we’ve been following her trials via facebook for the last couple of years.

When I got home from work tonight I asked Katie if she wanted to go to the park! And of course she did, spinning her excitement as I chopped up some cheese for treats. Her Dad brought up the fact that she was getting to go for a walk at the park and a ride in the car AND she was getting treats! Katie spun faster. I had to put her in the car before I was ready to leave, she was so excited.

Anyway, we made it to the park, one I’ve never visited before, and met up with Peep and her Mom. It’s a beautiful park and the dogs enjoyed exploring, both along the lakefront and on a trail into the woods.

Peep and Katie

I wondered how Katie would be with another dog, and it turns out neither of them cared particularly that the other one was there.

Noses busy.

In fact it was just about impossible to get a photo of the two of them together, how those of you with two dogs ever get them to sit still at the same time, in the same place is beyond me!

Regardless of the photo quality we all had a great time!

This was as close as we could get them…

Katie and I are looking forward to our next visit to the park with her new doggie friend!

…unless treats were involved.

Change Is Hard

…but change is certain.

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