Sierra Rose

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T11:29:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year!

Join us on our last walkie of 2011....A beautiful day. So glad to have this time.....
Quiet and bright...we reflected on how quickly 2011 had passed.

How lucky to share this day with new friends.

To find beauty in each view.

We found delight in those around us.

Remembering all the blessings in my life.

Thank you for sharing this year with us.

May 2012 bring new journeys....smiles and tears...and special pieces to hold close to our hearts.

Just local....

2011-12-09T11:13:00.000-08:00

Happy almost weekend friends! I wanted to share a walk mom and I enjoy each week. Always practicing camera angles...I stayed still about 1 second each for these photos.Such quiet and beauty. Along our way....

Moss covered trees...on the route leading up to Phoenix Lake in our local Muncipal Watershed

Fall colors have been delighting us this year!

Canopies of light and dark as we hike a single track up to the lake.

Greeted by grey hues.. Phoenix lake is just behind the Buckeye tree.

And...lots of trees with beards :)

This was a special walk, as dad had joined us! The day was fading...time to head home.

Until next time!

24-hrs of Calistoga

2011-12-05T11:56:00.001-08:00

Oh!!! It's been too long.

Hope you all are doing well, and have had a nice fall.

We have been enjoying some great hikes, and lovely fall colors...Friday, we joined our furpals for a walk in Rush Creek Open Space . One of our favorite local hikes.
Late Saturday, we decided on a little camp trip to Calistoga, just an hour up the road in Napa Valley. So glad for our little getaway! I found a great walking stick during our Sunday hike in Calistoga.
We did a beautiful hike Sunday morning on the Oat Hill Mine Trail starting at the north-western tip of downtown Calistoga. Clear skies and brisk air, this was a great start to Sunday!

We had to watch our steps in some parts. Looking towards Calistoga.

A funny history on the naming of this town: From a Visitor site "Sam Brannan, who once owned most of the town, was asked what he planned to do with his northern Napa property. He intended to make it the Saratoga Springs of California, but with his diction slurred by alcohol Brannan replied, "I'm going to make it the Calistoga of Sarafornia!" The Oat Hill Mine Trail is home to forests of Oak, Douglas Fir, Gray Pine and Cypress as well as grasslands covered in mosses.....quite lovely.

Post-hike...while dad cycled off on his road bike down the Silverado Trail...mom and I meandered through the valley stopping at a few local shops, and to take a number of photos.

Mom had wanted to see what the Clif Family Winery was like..as she is a big fan of Clif Bars! We made a pit stop at Velo Vino, the tasting room. A festive spot!

Driving down the valley, fall colors are fading, yet some beautiful areas lit by late afternoon sun.

All are from properties along the Silverado Trail which winds through the Napa Valley.

We picked dad up where the Silverado Trail meets the town of Napa. The moon was out, it was time to journey home....a great little getaway! Hope we do it again soon :)

A parting shot from our hike back on Friday....I was trying to snaggle a cookie from mom's fingers.... My elf pose!

Have a really nice week my friends :)

Lake Tahoe...so much nicer in the fall :)

2011-09-22T17:47:00.001-07:00

Hello my friends!

We started this post a week ago...eek! I finally get to share it with you. We made a brief camping weekend in Lake Tahoe recently.
Fall is a treat in Tahoe, as the crowds have departed, and the temps are often quite nice.

We stumbled upon a small campground Saturday eve just behind this fabulous dock and beach.
No problem getting a site. We even saw a big bear rumbling through the grounds!

Sunday morning. I could have stayed right here ALL DAY!

Had the lake almost to myself! Fabulous!

Lake stones were quite entertaining...I enjoyed rolling them around!

Clear waters.

Practicing my sea-horsie maneuver!

Sun and warmth.

Calm waters. This was Saturday ...we spent the day in the Truckee area, for Dad's favorite ride on the Emigrant Trail, while mom and I hiked around.

Looking towards a reservoir we had camped near Friday eve.

This is the little trail at the Donner Party Memorial Park that we always visit while in Truckee.

Our Friday night campground at Lakeside, Prosser Reservoir outside of Truckee.

On our walk Saturday morning...looking towards the reservoir.

It was a really nice get-away from the busy around here.

Hope to visit with you all again soon!

Summer campin'....

2011-08-27T23:02:00.000-07:00

Greetings all! Missing my bloggy pals :) And, hoping those on the East Coast are doing ok.

Finally able to post some images from our trip to Hume Lake early August.

I was so excited to be camped at the lake, with 87 acres of warm water fun!

Hume Lake is located in Sequoia National Forest, in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains range. A favorite spot for our big summer camp trip.
Ready for swimmin' any time of day!

Just beyond the end of the lake is Kings Canyon National Park, one of the deepest canyons in the United States, at 8,000 feet deep.

We camped at Hume Lake Campground (5,200 ft) for 10 nights.

Hiked, swam, paddled...

Found the biggest stickies...

Enjoyed the rushing creeks...

And the calm beauty of the lake.

Kings Canyon..always just beyond the lake dam. Kings Canyon was formed by massive glaciers during the last Ice Age and includes 461,901 acres of impressive and expansive wild terrain.

One afternoon, hu-dad rode his skinny-tire bike from the campground deep into Kings Canyon until the road goes no farther....called Roads End.

Mom and I carefully navigated in our new rig down the narrow winding roads to meet dad, explore the canyon a bit, and give him a sag out back to our campground.

One of the Kings River forks. Moving fast.

A variety of jagged formations looming on either side of the canyon...many shades of stone...

Looking down towards a convergence of the Middle and South Forks of Kings River.

We made a number of little day trips to other areas of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National areas, but I was always happy to get back to the lake!

Sticks!

Splashes!

And evening paddles with mom and dad.

A fantastic trip, time went too fast...hope I get to return next summer!

See you again soon pals :)

Summer explorin'!

2011-08-11T23:50:00.000-07:00

Big summer greetings!

I've been out and about with my peeps for some summer fun!Can my pals (especially those familiar with Oregon) guess which mountain is hiding?
This is Trillium Lake.
We rolled in late the night before on a recommendation... it was so dark, we couldn't tell where we were! Turned out to be a beautiful lake and campground!

And view of Mt. Hood!

The lake was so tempting!

I had to take a swim after my ball....I mean pals....I mean, some fast feathered swimmers!

Too fast for me! But what a glorious day for swimming.

After a few nights in Oregon, including a night at the camper manufacturer...for a day of lots of little repairs...off we went in our new rig, headed home to CA. Mount Shasta in the background.

A pit stop overnight at Castle Lake in the Shasta area, and a promissed great hike the next day...Dad led us up a big hill for some fantastic views.

Had to catch my breath looking out at Castle Lake, Mt. Shasta and the surrounding area.

With a really big drop just off this rock shelf...mom had a good grip on me!

Some fun times...and camper dealings...but we survived, and even made it to our next stop for 10 days! Hume Lake in Sequoia National Forest...

Will tell you about it soon 'cause, whew...I'm still pooped from these explorin's!

Have a great weekend my friends.

Summer has arrived!

2011-07-24T11:26:00.000-07:00

Greetings to all my fabulous bloggie pals! Summer finally arrived....mom's been working a lot from home....my pals, Sammie & Avalon have been hanging out with me quite a bit... Above is my 'come get the ball!' look...I like to be just on the other side of the deck and peeking out!
And, of course, Avalon went for it, and got it!

Sammie and I on a lap across the deck...back to the pool side...

Well...just a quickie check in with all of you...

We are heading out today for a drive north to Oregon...to pick up a new camper...then home for a day or so...then if all good with the new rig, hoping to do our annual trip to Hume Lake...

I hope to say hello from camping!

Summer wishes to all :)

Waking up in the mountains....

2011-07-04T21:09:00.000-07:00

This ball toss goes out to my furpal Sophie!

A late drive last Friday eve..mom feeling much better and so excited to make a little trip. We woke up in the mountains Saturday morning to warm temps, and soft snows!
Shorts and boots! Ready? Let's play!
Orange ball throws... recall practice...all more fun when I can jump around in the SNOW!

Dad....the flip flop guy..hey, throw my ball! Such a teaser dad is!

Yeaooo!

After I pooped out, my human's rode the lifts to hike a bit for some swooshing through July corn snow.

Friends that had been out since 7:30am, knew where the good snow was! Following friends down the ski hill.

Lots of ski wax and big smiles!

Not a breeze, just warm temps and great views.

Post-ski, and more play with moi, mom and dad headed out on a little mtn. bike pedal... They found some sweet spots. This cabin has Caples Lake views.

Caples Lake, late day sun.

We camped with friends Saturday eve, and Sunday arrived quickly...

Early afternoon Sunday..and with a short drive North on Hwy 88... I could barely contain myself.... lake swimming!

Mom and I hung out by this refreshing little lake while dad took a road bike pedal up Blue Lakes Road in Eldorado National Forest.

A beautiful area. We headed for home sweet home after the temps had cooled... A brief get-away, yet so enjoyable!
Happy 4th to my friends!

In my backyard...

2011-06-26T16:32:00.000-07:00

Happy end-of-weekend friends! ...I know, never nice to end a weekend... Mom's has the sickies...too much work stress...not enough sleep...

Easy to pick up bugs, she said. She'll be ok, just needs a few days of rest...

And probably more quality ball tossing time with ME!

I'm patient. Ready when you are Orange Ball.
I reminded mom of the nice places we visit when she is feeling super
...which I hope will be SOON!
I found a few more pix to share from our in Lake Tahoe visit a few weeks back... SWIMMING!

I was on a super duper long line...and of course someone was still worried that I would swim out to greet the passing duckies and geese...like I did last summer at D.L. Bliss..

I still had lots of fun in the chilly waters, and there were some great views at every turn.

Looking out...and a little view of my wet floofy tail :)

Less obstructed view :)

With the HOT days we've had recently, the snow from a few weeks back is melting quite a bit.

I'm always up for a mountain visit...snow or sun! For now, we'll get mom better, and enjoy the sunsets from our little upstairs balcony where I can look out, and keep an eye on mom too.

Give your humans a hug!

See you again soon pals.

Sierra Rose

Last Weekend's Venture

2011-06-18T07:49:00.001-07:00

It has been a busy week....finally getting around to a few pix to share with you from last weekend... Our first really nice warm weekend! My humans and I ventured an hour north last Friday to go to something called the Health & Harmony Festival. A big festival and going on for 33 years! I only got to go because our RV campground was close to the festival, but off site and quiet. Mom and dad put up a pop up tent for shade and we made a bit of an outdoor lounge. I did not like this gravely ground though...it wasn't nice for my tootsies when I went after my ball!
My humans checked out a few of the many many musicians performing... Rootz Underground above.

An all time favorite from Vermont, Grace Potter and the Noctournals, gave a fantastic performance!

There were many booths, health talks, gardens, parades, sculptures Friday through Sunday.

I chilled out in our cool camper and was soooo ready to go when we made a number of 10-minute drives up to Spring Lake! This is one of the regional parks in Sonoma County and great for lots of activities!

So many things caught my eye as we explored the trails.

It was a hot day! Mom let me cool down a few times...as I am not supposed to be swimmin' around in Spring Lake. Oh, but I was so ready to go say hi to all the duckies!

A nice 2 mile trail around the lake, and for human and horsie hiking and mountain biking, Annadel State Park is just next door.

Ahhhhhh! Thanks dad!

A nice weekend... but always nice to get back home :)

I have lots of projects I am working on!

Have a really nice weekend friends!

Finding my spring snows...

2011-06-01T22:13:00.000-07:00

A visit back to the mountains last weekend.... Still finding the bestest stickies! Spring teased us with sun, storms, winds and fresh snow!
The storm that blew in Saturday, provided almost 8 inches of snow!

Making for a fun long walk with my humans Saturday evening.

Little creeks breaking through the meadow snow cover.

Before the storm , we could see the craggy caves of Red Cliffs.

And, Sunday the storm closed in on the upper mountain.

Sun breaks...

Calming weather predicted, we decided to head north on Hwy 88, making the turn towards South Lake Tahoe.With sun the day after, we hiked around near the Emerald Bay area.

Amazing vistas. Fannette Island, the only island in Lake Tahoe.

Constant changing clouds over craggy peaks.

Still a chilly day, but I had my double furs on :)

Looking towards the Camp Richardson area, and Heavenly ski trails.

Certainly nice to be in the mountain air again.

Hope you had a nice weekend!
See you again soon pals.

An Opps! With some roots, and furmom news...

2011-05-25T08:02:00.001-07:00

My busy hoomans! How could they forget that my barkday happens EVERY April!

To make it up, I've been getting extra hugs, extra treats....

And promisses of another summer of cherished trips to this area....my roots!Back under the moons of 2009 my soon-to-be hoomans camped at one of their all time favorite places, below the Sierra Buttes, at Sardine Lakes.
In the Spring of 2009 my soon-to-be hoomans had heavy hearts .....they had said goodbye to Golden Honey a constant companion for almost 14 years.
And, on this one trip to the area, they discovered a special property...went for a visit...and with big silly smiles....
Met some very cute, smart and fun pups!
Furmom and furdad, River and Trip greeted my soon-to-be hoomans at their Plumas County property in the Sierra Nevada's...bordered by Forest Service land and within a short walk to the Feather River. My soon-to-be hoomans made a number of camping trips to the area, and though all my siblings were sweet and cute...they picked me! Late Spring 2009 it was time to head out in to my new life of adventures!

Above is Mom, River. I was part of the Sargent Pepper Litter!

And...well...this story isn't just about me... River is due with her second litter SOON!

Can't wait to visit! Sure to be pretty sweet goldens. Dad, Trip, on their fantastic property!

The most amazing furs, and sparkling eyes.

So, I said goodbye to my siblings, all who have wonderful homes...and some I hope to meet again one day. You can even visit one of my brofurs, Gibbs, over at The Maybe Brothers blog! Gibbs and his handsome brofurs live in Plumas County and get their pick of swimmins' in many high country lakes! These days, with my hoomans, and as a more grown up pup... we make trips to camp under the Sierra Buttes, swim in Sardine Lakes, and pop over for a hello my roots family!
Love the beauty of the area.
And the fantastic stickies!
Have a really nice weekend friends! May we cherish every day with our hoomans!

Coolin' my furs

2011-05-20T07:37:00.001-07:00

Happy Friday my friends.Mom surprised me with a quick drive to the other side of our town yesterday for swimming!

Or, would it be lots of ball tosses and splashing!
So excited and so ready to play!

A perfect afternoon of nice outdoor temps, and refreshing cool waters.

This is mom's mom's yard, where I LOVE to visit...

And, all to myself today!

The yard has some fantastic blooms going off. We didn't know what this was...

Beautiful in the sunlight.Big bushy Rhododendron below. Birds of Paradise.

Patterns.

What a treat!

Mom had allowed me a full hour of pool time, yeaooo!

..between her work schedules, this was a much needed mental break for her too :)

Hope to find myself back here lots!

Have a most wonderful weekend pals.

Impromptu MINI pool pawty!

2011-05-14T18:27:00.001-07:00

Hi ya! Did I say 'mini' pool pawty....well, I really meant it :) [Someone, who's name begins with M...seemed to have a little trouble transporting anything bigger than THIS little pink number! ] Waaaaaaa!

I'm a good sport...and with great pals... Here's a favorite friend, E. who is staying with my pal Dixie for the week... E stopped by for a visit!
Then, with great timing...guess who! Miss Avalon showed up!

Sweet pal, Sammie enjoyed some backyard stickies :)

Avalon was down with the mini-pool pawty....

And we all enjoyed the stickies!

Sammie's turn with stickie monster, Avalon, while I took a dip in the mini.

All in on the action!

We provided our hoomans with much needed belly laughs, so we kept this up as long as possible!

Still-in-progress backyard can indeed provide a fun place with my pals!

Avalon outlasted Sammie and I....winning the stick every time!Ah, back to the mini pool.

Whew! Thanks for stopping by friends! Gotta take a roach now.

Smilin' at ya.

And, back to the cool waters.

Have a nice weekend.

See you again soon.

Season Finale

2011-05-05T07:54:00.000-07:00

Hello! It's been a while. Photos from this past weekend at our favorite ski area, Kirkwood. Mom and I found lots of icicles on our morning walks.
Mmmm, icicles!
Clear skies, cold temps, retreating snows.
Post-ski, hanging out, watching the sun go down.

These snow shapes were everywhere.

Sunday morning...mom and I walked through the plaza.

A mid-mountain favorite picnic spot. Great place to put your feet up for a few!

Sunday afternoon, we made a stop at beautiful, Silver Lake for a short walk.

The rock looked grand!

The lake was beautiful.

Some patches of blue waters showing under the thin ice.

You know I am always up for the biggest stickie I can find!

I wasn't ready to leave, as usual....

We made our three hour drive home.

Back to another busy week!

Have a wonderful day my friends :)

Afternoon hike on the Loma Alta Fireroad

2011-04-16T19:41:00.000-07:00

Hope you are enjoying your weekend. Saturday started with lots of backyard hang-time and much needed relaxing. A short afternoon drive found us here...the base of Big Rock Ridge.

Greeted by new wildflowers, we followed the Loma Alta Fireroad.

This year is not predicted to be a big wildflower season here, but it's early yet...

Patches of serpentine rich soil, as found on Ring Mountain Open Space, makes for a variety of interesting blooms.

California poppies.

Cooling off in the breezes.

San Pablo Bay in the distance.

Ahhhhh.

A fog band teased us.

Big Rock Ranch.

So glad we made this hike....there was more trail to explore, more uphill....

For another day :)

See you again soon pals.

Wordless Wednesday - April Snows

2011-04-13T07:52:00.000-07:00

Greetings to all my pals!

So happy to visit my snows again :)

Hope you have a nice week!

Sunday Afternoon

2011-04-03T20:03:00.000-07:00

Sunday was quite warm here. Dad and I were playing yet another ball session in the backyard, when mom appeared home early from work. I was happy! Enough time for mom to try more camera lens practice....

..And, a mini-hike on a nearby fireroad.

Don't think there is a name to this road. A short walk, lots of views and wildflowers faintly appearing.

Looking towards Big Rock Ridge.

It was breezy! I loved it!

Posing on a very narrow trail.

We had to remind dad of what poison oak looks like this time of year...waxy, green, bushy..He is quite allergic and there was a lot lining the trail.A pair of Western Bluebirds delighted us in their flights around the trail.

Tending to land near each other.

Sniffing the Monkey Flowers.

Ahhh... Nice.

Have a great week pals!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-03-29T23:57:00.000-07:00

Road Closures and Pawty Pals

2011-03-27T22:56:00.000-07:00

More on my pawty hat later.... Busy days continue here at home...fewer posts and blog visits these days...

So, a big hello all and nice to see you again :) Every so often mom and I just hop in the car...no specific destination in mind, but definitely up for some sort of walk. Sunday morning we happened upon this....

A few miles up the curvy Bolinas-Fairfax Road leading towards Mt. Tamalpais Watershed, our recent storms had prompted this road to be closed due to slides and damage.

The road closure was a surprise to us, but we were ready for something different! Off we went, meandering up the road...no vehicles...no mud... Just quiet.

It was early enough in the day, very little foot, paw and bicycle traffic.

The sun peeked out every once in a while, providing a glimmer to the canopy of leaves above.

Looking towards Mt. Tamalpais State Park.

New waterfalls. Lush velvety moss.

This area is part of the Marin Municipal Water District, the first in California.

Created in April of 1912 and includes 21,000 acres of protected land.Sun, wind and rain teased us throughout our hike.

After quite a lot of uphill hiking, we turned back before the road made a steep descent towards Alpine Dam.

Treated with more views all the way down.

After this fantastic walk, we caught up with a birthday pup Guess who!?

AND a mud puddle!

A welcomed cool down dip! The birthday celebration had just begun!

These pals KNOW HOW TO PAWTY!

So glad to be included!!! Happy Birthday Miss Avalon!

Adjustable ears! And, fantastic eyeballs!

We were outside an ice cream parlor to celebrate!

We'll let Miss Avalon tell you more about her day!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR AVALON!

Have a great week pals!

Catch up Wednesday!

2011-03-16T13:18:00.000-07:00

Hello to all! I have been meaning to check in.
It's been quite busy at home...
As you can see, we finally made a little dash to the mountains :)

This was Monday. Oh yeah!

Love it...

My snows! My sticks!

Views.

Investigatin' some stuff...

Just peeking out to say hello!

Hope to stop by and visit more :)

Have a fantastic week my friends!

Ring Mountain Loop

2011-02-26T17:38:00.000-08:00

Saturday morning. My usual backyard warmup before taking on the day.... I had hoped to wake up in the big snowy mountains...it was not to be. We did venture out for a local hike with views galore.
Ring Mountain Open Space Preserve.
This piece of Open Space is 367 acres, and home to a very unique geology and microclimate.
Grassy slopes, coastal oaks and rocks thought to once lay at the bottom of the ocean.
We could see far with today's clear skies. Looking toward San Quentin, we meandered to the top of this 602 ft. mountain.

Mt. Tamalpais in the distance, with it's own ever changing weather hovering above.

Rocks, like rasins in a batter are at every footstep and in all sizes. The soil here contains much serpentine, which hosts extensive wildflowers come spring.

Rounding this bend we were now headed east.

Dad lingered.

Passing by views of San Francisco, and closer are the towns of Tiburon & Belvedere Island.

Happy face.

An amazingly clear day!

Ahhhh! Thank you!

Always nice to get a hug from mom :)

We could really see the shape of the Tiburon Peninsula.

The Richmond Bridge appeared in the distance.

Shadows with us.

East Bay in the distance.

We had now made a full circle.

Passing by a favorite local climbing crag, called Split Rock.

Another look back through mustard grass towards the Richmond Bridge.

We finished our hike with smiles.

A bit of a magical local spot. Hope we can return here for the wildflower blooms.

Have a nice rest of the weekend friends!

Day trips and updates :)

2011-02-24T21:54:00.000-08:00

Wednesday morning roadtrip with mom and mom's mom :) to Pt. Reyes Station... The Bovine Bakery....a must-stop for many locals as well as travelers, for a cup of java and a most amazing pastry... A lap through Pt. Reyes Station...Toby's Feed Barn, family owned & operated since 1942!

Historic building with an upcoming art display...covered in bicycle rims...couldn't find information on this event.... If any friends remember this entry from March 2010 or before.....family property in Inverness....scheduled for a big remodel!

Changes started in Spring 2010..... demolition photo...mom's brother in charge, and in photo.

From March 8, 2010...and here we are now... We visited Wednesday morning...wow progress! The design is a straw-bale home, that will accompany an existing stray-bale cottage. Designed by mom's father (engineer), and is being constructed by mom's brother (contractor)... Take a look :) Quite far along...straw-bales already in....

Brother (in brown) and co-worker working on arched decking pieces during our visit.

I inspected the upper deck....ummmm...ehem! Careful here!

From the old deck, looking towards the new construction...and a hint of "nuckle hill"

And...here's the bigger view towards "nuckle hill!" A West Marin landmark :) From the garden, we looked up towards the older cottage (left) and newer structure (right and higher roof-line)

I sniffed out grandad's WORM COMPOST! Oh yeah! Super composty...and wormy. Wootwoot. Lots of snooter sniffs :)

Mossy trees looking towards the Pt. Reyes National Seashore, Vision Road area. Quite a spectacular area....lots of great hikes...and recent sightings of mountain lion...

Checking things out....

Whispy clouds blowing in the next day storms...new roof-line.

Ahhhhh....but must leave you with a shot of where I ended up upon returning to MY neck-of-the woods! Run time...corral time...pal time....and mud time!

Have a most wonderful weekend my friends....we are watching the roads in hopes to hit some snow...but waiting for a better weather window! :)

Just a nice day

2011-02-15T22:20:00.000-08:00

Today was mom's day off... Fantastic! Always happy to have a mom & me day. Errands and chores took up most of the day...but we did enjoy the pre-storm light and breezesStopping along a rock break, we watched kite-surfers sail around in the winds. Richmond Bridge in the background.

They criss-crossed the choppy waters

We took the senic way home from our errands. Passing through China Camp State Park. No doggies on trails, but we stopped for a short walk along the road shoulder.

The winds were blowin' my furs. I could taste the breezes.A road side farm stand was set up as a prop for a photo shoot taking place in the park Mossy colors, new buds and green grasses teased us with the possibility of Spring.Not quite yet...winter has indeed blown back in as we write this. High tide. We watched the waters then headed home before the rain started.

Mom's bracing for another busy round of work, and I'm resting up for camp!

Rains and wind are indeed upon us now.

Will see you again soon friends.

Happy Valentine's Day to my friends!

2011-02-14T08:22:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day to all my friends out there :)

Not much to report from here....above is late day backyard hang time :)
Mom's on another one of those big work project things...with lots of driving and lots of dropping me with friends at Camp K-9! I always jump out of the car when I see we are pulling up to camp...and at the end of the day, I always run to greet mom when she picks me up.

Back home. Where the heart is.
Have a fantastic day and week!

Storms are rolling back in to our mountains....I hope I get to play in the snows again soon :)

Midweek snooter fun and late Friday light...

2011-01-28T23:28:00.000-08:00

Wednesday morning found me here. Pink harness with top buckle, long line, my nose was tuned up and ready to go to work!
Our first dabble at Tracking! Coached by a wonderful and patient Elizabeth, who explained the goals, and carefully planted the most delicious treats with the stomp of her boot.

If you take a visit over to Sammie & Avalon's page, you will find more details about Tracking.

Elizabeth carefully lays down a separate track before each of our turns, making sure we are watching her.

With a sizeable treat bag in hand, of course we were watching!

On the long line, my snooter in action...I tracked footfalls (treats helped!) ...and also found a few deer goodies too :)

What a fun morning! And thank you to our friends for including us!

Hope we can try this sport again soon.

Onward to Friday...before the sun disappeared....a call to pals, made for a nice date at our Civic Center Park Just minutes from home, we had this sandy ring all to ourselves.

Action!

Fast floppy ears.

Ear back zooms.

Ring around the Kong.

Breathless. Ah so needed!

From the sandy corral, we headed out for a lap around the lagoon.

Sammie with grandpeep C, below.

Exploring the sky...they became silhouettes.

Avalon and I kept an eye out in all directions.

Shared a stick.

Though not for long...yet, you knew I couldn't leave stickie behind.

Watched the lagoon change light from the late day sun.

We greeted our feathered friends.

Home to Mallards, gulls, sometimes geese, and on occasion river otters.

And too quickly parkie time was over and off we went....our separate ways.

Glad to bask in the late day light.

Until we meet again! Have a nice weekend.

January is FLYING..what I've been up to lately.

2011-01-25T20:57:00.000-08:00

Me eyes..... on Monday...just waiting for my turn.Mom and I working obedience and listening to our coach, Barbara at the Oakland Dog Training Club.

Barbara L.H....telling it like it is....to improve the bit of training mom and I are working on...

Barbara L.H. telling me I'm a good girl....mom giving the 'eeeeeee' face... And, Sammie & Avalon's mom at the camera.

Here we go..heeling around the room... I'm watchin' ya mom :)

And....the Friday before....we met up with Avalon and Shasta, along with their big sis's, Sammie and Shanti for some parkie obedience practice! Always a good time. The puppers, Shasta, Avalon and me...practicing our sit & stay for one minute.

Our long downs...

I was kind of snoozling through the down....

Rewind to the weekend before, when we got to do walkies with dad. Yay!

Watching the sunset from the Las Gallinas levies...a nice flat, late day walkie. These are treated water ponds, on land just next to our fave park, McInnis...a great place for leashed walkies, as well as, bird and otter watching!

The bank of solar panels is hidden at the far end. We made a point to check these out. Quite a lot of them...and they power this entire treatment plant and have extra energy to give back!

Rewind to just this past Sunday...a me and mom hike. We LOVE these :)

Up up up....mom's favorite. And, a new fireroad for us to explore.

Up we go...into more Open Space areas..not a major traffic trail, but for the few that wanted a great workout, this was pristine.

Upper views of Mt. Tamalpais.... We met some dedicated hiker pals...Angel, on the right is 15 yo!

Happy to tag along with mom...we kept our pace...a new trail, new smells...

Of course I needed a stikie to hike with! This one was just the right size :)

Did I say "up we go"...yes, I meant it....and this was on the way back...what?!

Finally.....down we went...onward back to our starting point. Lovely green, quiet and peaceful. Beautiful skies and calm winds. Ahhhhhhh.... Hope you have a nice week my friends!

Time to catch up....

2011-01-12T19:45:00.000-08:00

New Year's Day has come and gone... Time is moving so quickly these days...just sitting down to catch up.

New Year's Eve we headed from our Silver Lake Snowshoe, over the Carson Spur and rolled on in to the Kirkwood area.

Bonfire raging, New Year's Eve revelers gathering.

The traditional torchlight parade down the ski hill dazzled us once again.

A fine way to celebrate...fireworks and all....(not fond of the firework kabooms, I hung back and stayed cozy in the camper.) New Year's Day dawned a stormy one and continued through the weekend...yet I was always ready for games and snow time no matter what the weather offered.

Sunday afternoon we carefully wound our way down the mountain toward home.

The days that followed have provided busy schedules and heartfelt news...

Tears with the passing of

Sweet Golden Boy Luke. A cherished pal, who will remain in our hearts forever.

Run Free and out of pain my friend.Just as the brook below turns and changes, so do strange events at home.

Sammie and Avalon's sweet kitty, Ozzie had a mysterious incident. We know Ozzie is tough and hope for a succesful surgery tommorrow and a quick recovery.

As we gathered round the mountain campfire, so to speak, on weekends that we do make it to this snowy place, there are always friends checking in with job and family changes, and onward adventures. Sometimes great news, sometimes not.Then, back to town and back to busy for us. I have been spending quite a few days with my pals at Camp K-9... and always happy at the end of each day, to be back home for a warm greeting and great snacks from mom and dad... Tired and thankful for rest. A nap and moment of silence.

For I shall smile at you again soon. See you in a blink my friends. Zzzzzzzzz.

Silver Lake Snowshoe

2011-01-06T08:11:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Time is flying already! Just below the Carson Spur, on Highway 88 and 5 miles below Kirkwood....we stopped New Year's Eve for a late day snowshoe at Silver Lake. I led the way.
Then made a dash for it! The trail was well marked by snowmobile.

My snow bootie cuffs filled with snow very quickly...so we made a few snow removal pit stops. Onward to Silver Lake.

It was late afternoon and the sun was starting to sink away.

Views all around. Clouds flowing overhead....on their way to bringing big snows during the weekend.

There was a number of folks fishing through the frozen lake...you can see a dot of one in towards middle left in the photo below. We had originally thought to snowshoe onto the lake and perhaps across...but mom fell into a snow hole on the lake, and we quickly re-routed to higher ground and found these icicle trees! Mmmmmmm...you're tasty!

Yummers! I love you icicles!

The 'it's snowing' game with dad. Found a sweet snowed-in dock which is part of the Kit Carsen Lodge . A great spot for watching the sun sink away. Ahhh....I'll just stay.

We made our way back on the trail before dark, and a short drive found us at Kirkwood just in time for the New Year's Eve torch light parade down the mountain.

Happy New Year friends.

Christmas Get-Away

2010-12-26T23:15:00.000-08:00

Wishing all a nice holiday.... We made a dash for the mountains and landed just in time for Christmas Eve sundown.... This little tree seemed to like our few ornaments.
Dad and I played the "it's snowing" game! Of course, I try to eat all the chunks of snows heading my way :)

Oh....and a pressie appeared in the little Christmas branches..along with a Milk Bone Ornament gifted to us by a neighbor who works at Sill Life Gifts. They make some amazing pieces.
Can you see the golden bone?

It was a pressie for mom....can you guess what it was? Hmmm...think think think.

No gentle-wrapper opening for this pressie....

Of course I helped manage the paper! Still guessing? From photo no. 5 in this post... Mom got a tripod! Happy mom :)

After lots of camera play, we headed to dinner at the Kirkwood Inn, and then to the Community Association for a Christmas Service that included much caroling. It was a nice evening, and I was even a very patient doggie during the service.

Saturday dawned with tremendous winds. Not much downhill skiing happening, so we found walks to do and things to check out. Above we see frozen ice and falls in the Red Cliffs area.

Inspecting the snow pack. Yes, there's lots of snows here.

We had our fun in the meadow at the base of Kirkwood Resort...

Watching out for Mr. Get-out-of-my-way!

Love this game! "Find It!"

Still lookin'!

Heehee! Up for air :) We didn't lose any balls this trip, whew!

Oh...and more smiles for mom. Dad gave her a new little super cool camera. The Panasonic Lumix. So much fun taking photos. And, so convenient for a pocket!

Lots and lots of mountain photos. Sunday made for a more pleasant ski day. About 12inches of new snow fell overnight, and much less winds. Mom and dad got in a few runs on the ski hill.

Dad in grey below...pondering his next turn. I was always ready for more rolls in the snow and "find it" games! The weekend was again over too soon....and we made our way safely and slowly down the very slippery mountain towards home. Ahhh... Have a nice week pals!

Tis the season....delight, joy, wishes

2010-12-21T22:43:00.000-08:00

A busy season for all. We continue to have constant rains, and lingering fog. Yet, seasonal lights still dazzle the eyes.... The biggest snowflakes I've ever seen.....
Among the rains and busy days we've found moments of smiles and joy. Spending time with some of my bestest pals...

This two part project was so much fun! Take a visit over to Sammie & Avalon's site for part 1 and 2 of this delicious endeavor... We captured a few 'outtakes' here :)

Watch out mom...Sammie and I NEED those cookies!

Mom was a good sport about it....we were gentle...but really needed to get to the COOOOKIES! Beautiful and yummers!

We were able to actually sit still for a few seconds.

Powdered sugars, carobs, yogurt chips, peanut butters...all the good stuff. Hugs thanks to Sammie & Avalon's mom for hosting!! Of course, she smelled and tasted the bestest too. Right Avalon? I gave M. my 2-paw high five! Wootwoot! Avalon followed with her high snooter snaggle! Ahhhhh. Project done. Time to enjoy!

We have delighted in the sweet holiday e-cards, and cards we have received.

Sending all of you very warm wishes this season.

And a very big wish to sweet Golden Boy Luke and family. Please join us....Power of the Paw.

Pals + MUD equals...

2010-12-10T18:26:00.000-08:00

So...I'll just say that this is the parting shot... As you will see...WHO WOULD WANT TO LEAVE THIS FANTASTIC PLACE!? Not me....so my best effort to make a run for it. Let me introduce you to the most fabulous parkie.... the Mill Valley Dog Park.

Did I say Fun? Grab some pals...wait for LOTS OF RAIN...and let's go :)

Come on Sammie....back in the mud pal...over here... Oh yeah. Lots of these sweet puddles!

You can see my running form....Sammie + Avalon, some super fast pals...gotta keep up!

Here I come! Wait up! Mmmmmm.... Back in the bath. I've heard mud is great for the complexion...so let's hang here for a bit ok?...geez..and mom was worried I would run away!

Ok...so below is mom holding her lonely box of chicken bites... Just in case I needed to RECALL... Whatever! I don't even care about FOOD at this point! But the ball, oh yeah... IN THE MUD! Got it! ...no I got it!... No me!... Just look at this parkie! It's the bestest, no?! Mom again ....with her chicken, AND her Cesar Treat coupons she was hired to hand out this week. She's been fighting the flu, and whatnot so not as out there as intended. But working on it.

Guess what pals! The mud wasn't the whole story behind the Mill Valley Dog Parkie...Avalon and I knew there was more... Mmmmmm! Heeeheee! Sammie was already in! With Kong :) Wow! Way too much fun here.... This is a tributary from Richardson Bay to the San Francisco Bay.... a safe doggie swim spot. And, WE FOUND IT!!

Oh my! Did we have a fantastic time in this spot!

Get a load of Avalon's diving skills! She is one pro already! This is mom's favorite photo :) Water break? Exploring the muddy shoreline...

Phph! On the shore? Yeah right...Not for long! Back in! Whose got the ball? In unison now. Got the Kong!

In unison the other way.....

In sync....we haven't been practicin' or nuthin' :)

Get out? Hmmmm. I'll think about that...

We weren't the only ones hoggin' this fun place...

Love the mud!

Love the water!

Everybody in!

Ok mom...I'll 'recall to ya now....and have some of those tasty snacks you keep hiding in the tree!

Then I'll see ya....for another dunk in the pool :) And...here...sadly...the fun ended and we were all headed off for some hosing off! Well...if mom could catch me :)

We're in for more rains...and hopefully more of these fantastic times.

We would like to give a HUGE Thank You to Sammie & Avalon's mom, who has accompanied us on many a dog parkie adventure, and credit most of these photos to her!

Have a nice weekend pals!

Storms blowing by

2010-12-05T22:17:00.001-08:00

Sunday morning, breezes cleared the sky.Blue Wubba and I taking it all in.

As winds hurried one storm out, another was scheduled to pull in later in the day. We watched snow swirl around the ridge tops.

Sunlight and breezes kept us company while we enjoyed our morning meadow time.

Mmmmm....

Mmmmm...

Little creeks meandering through. So tempting for an icy swim.

Always more to explore...never enough time. Hmmmph? What? Go? Already?

See you again soon pals :)

Saturday morning fun

2010-12-04T14:23:00.000-08:00

Did I really just wake up here again? Yep.

My red Wubba from weekend last, never made it home...must be burried somewhere in these snows.... Good thing dad quickly found me a replacement! Blue Wubba :)

Hi you!

A low ceiling and gusty morning... Yet, always ready for some meadow time in the not-as-fluffy as last weekend white stuff.

Met up with my pal, Walter. We had a big rough and tumble for a few.

Whew! Walter finally headed off one way, and mom and I went the other.

We hiked the outer trail of the Kirkwood meadow.

Playing with blue Wubba, practicing recalls and having a few chats with stickies :)

Oh right...and some rolls! Definitely not as soft as last weekend.

Meadow view. We watched the clouds flow past, and felt the wind blow. Below...so tempting to investigate...but, guess not. Find it! Well...I'm off for a bit of a snooze...rest up before my next meadow session :) Only get to come up here some weekends...so, gotta live it up!

Have a nice Saturday friends.

Finding Winter

2010-11-28T22:19:00.000-08:00

Oh my mmmmmmmm! After a clear drive to the Kirkwood area late Friday afternoon, we woke up Saturday morning to big snows! I had been dreaming about this all summer! Finally, ahhhh.

It was a cold and wintery day on Saturday.

Snow storm? No worries! I'm an all weather gal.

Saturday's storm delivered many more inches of snow and we woke up Sunday morning to blue skies and more of the fluffy white stuff.

It was an amazing day. Quite a big start for winter in this section of our Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. I was thrilled!Lots and lots of playing the 'find it' game and practicing long line powder recalls with mom.

Taking a few seconds break time.... And, off I go....can you find me? You still there?

Face-plant swimmin'. Wootwoot! A lot of work yet, so much fun. The weekend went by too fast....and soon we were headed home...

A slow drive down the very slippery mountain roads.

Will definitely be resting up, ready for another visit to the mountains!

Have a nice week friends :)

Fast Parkie

2010-11-23T12:23:00.000-08:00

The rains had just stopped and there was enough time for a super fast parkie stroll yesterday. We had joined dad on a trip to the town of Los Gatos, where he used to live (before mom snagged him) to some appointments. Lots of car riding, so this was a treat.

The fall colors were all over...late day light...crisp air... We were exploring a small area of the 150 acre Vasona County Park.

We scooted around this parkie pretty quick, and with big smiles!

Below is the Oak Meadow area. Brilliant colors.

We stopped by the park train. Called the Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad. Wootwoot!

Strolling throgh Pepper Tree Lane.

This parkie is on leash, and you'll see why.... a few pix below. I took a silly faces break :)

Ah. The light was growing low, but we could see still see this beautiful egret.

I was good. Watching quietly and keeping very still.

Giving me the look....that was a thank you look :)

And, off we went to more parkie....stopping for a quick surprise eyed snap.

Amazing skies above.

We caught up with more egrets enjoying their parkie time in the creek closer to Vasona Lake.

This park is home to many Great White Egrets and herons.

Those dramatic skies following us.

Our turn around point was at the end of this bridge.

As the park festive light sculptures were just being turned on.

And, back we flew....

Catching that light and wishing we had just a few more minutes.

We'll be back. Lots more to explore. Had to grab a stickie for my parting dash :)

We had a fantastic time here. Not so many folks out and about, beautiful autumn walk. Ah! Hope to make it back here, and also to catch up with a bloggy pal we realized is in the area...hmmmm mystery.

Have a great rest of the week friends :)

Rainy Saturday Photo Review

2010-11-20T13:10:00.000-08:00

Lots and lots of photos.... Mom has been working on framing better snapshots and understanding camera settings.

Practicing my sitting still for photo taking. Watching...watching...

My ghost (obviously), caught on camera, playing with the awesome smelly toys the hoomans leave around...

And, why is it that I tend to get in trouble for ghost's actions!? Proof is in the photo, eh?

Onward to scenery.... Framing those crisp fall colors.

The mix of blues, greens...and a dabble of greys. Dramatic skies, and lovely drives. Will finish with parkie greens, and the variety of coat colors seen on Leila, Avalon and Callie...

The real me...below...having a nice run with a pal. All fun, and no ghosts :)

Have a super weekend friends. Rain here, snow in the mountains...

Wordless (parkie) Wednesday

2010-11-17T12:38:00.000-08:00

Worldwide Moment

2010-11-14T14:47:00.000-08:00

Thoughts. Hopes. Prayers.
Sharing these moments all around the globe.

We had a small outing today, starting at the Golden Gate Bridge.

Then winding up towards the Marin Headlands where we made a short hike.

We could feel the pawsitive global energy.

In this amazing light we had our moment of silence. Reflect. Hope. Breathe.Amazing weather...moment...day. Our trail. And, back...

Blessings to all our friends.

So glad to be a part.

What a pawty!

2010-11-08T14:03:00.000-08:00

Yeaooo! This past Saturday I was overjoyed to attend the K-9 Carnival at my favorite parkie! Thank you McInnis Park Rangers for hosting this super fun event! Must examine pool pawty favors....

Below is Ranger Aubrey, and Roscoe, along with Ranger Rob in the background. Aubrey welcomed us all and let us know about the events including a raffle, obedience show by Sue, Shanti and guess who!?, also a chat with Trish King from the Humane Society, bbq for the hoomans and lots of fun stuff for us to do. Recognize any furpals below?! A great turnout, and nice weather...as the rains moved back in the next day.

All in! Can you guess what my favorite part of the day was and who was already in the pool?

Golden Samantha and her mom practice in the ring...Shanti practicing on the right.

We all were amazed to watch the variety heeling patterns, drop on recalls, jumps, find-it's... that Sammie & Shanti had accomplished. Great teamwork! Shanti with her mom, in the ring, Golden Samantha's mom officiating. Nice jump Shanti!

After the obedience show, there was the bbq, more time with pals. Closeup of parkie frequenters Olivia and Roxy...

Then a picnic chat with Trish King from the Marin Humane Society.

Lots of questions!

The jars on the table are filled with delicious cookies for us! After a bit of listening....I was ready for another dip in the tub. Coming mom? :)

Fun for all.

Later we spotted one of Golden Samantha's grandpeeps taking a lap with Sammie in the ring :) Sammie, a pro at this, followed grandpeep perfectly.

And....a few friends took a try at the practice jump! Cabana and Tioga ready to give it a go with the encouragement from Sammie's mom.

Coach said... lead by example :)

I was on a mission.....orange ball....pool....ball....pool.... What can be better than that!?

Having a pal join me in the pool. Nice to see ya Cabana!

But not for long....this pal was off and running...pawty favor and all! Me too! Wait up!

A very fun day! I slept so well the rest of Saturday.... and on Monday when I returned for my regularly scheduled parkie session, I searched all over for that pool....it had vanished! Oh well...no worries...quickly snoofed out a spot for a soak. Thank you Sunday's rain-drops :)

Ahhhhh. Have a nice week friends.

Thoughts and Skies

2010-11-05T12:57:00.000-07:00

Been thinking about my amazing blog-world furiends lately. There have been many emotions... Our hearts so saddened by the passings of wonderful furpals...and life taking it's unexpected turns. Never to forget the love and joy you shared.

Furiends I have watched grow and are now heading off to their next journey with a partner that will be thankful every day to the hoomans that played the big part in raising and training.

The wonders of following, and getting to know about the lives of furpals around the world. It's fantastic.

Our skies have been transitional. Sun, fog, clouds, rain....

Light that is so amazing, and quite blinding sometimes. These transitional skies make us think, wonder, be thankful.

Cherish every day. Breathe.

Thank you. See you again soon.

Wordless Wednesday....Friend Spotting

2010-11-03T14:22:00.000-07:00

Had to 'drag' our Break Time pals out for a game of ball :)

Back to Mondays....

2010-11-01T12:52:00.000-07:00

Welcome! Another successful Halloween party by our dear friends. The clouds parted and gave way to clear skies and loads of trick-or-treaters coming by J & T's transformed patio.

I didn't pull together a costume this year, but did have on my super spooky skarf (for a few minutes)...until I thought it might taste delicious...

And, yay!! Here's Mugsy! Just a few weeks ago, he was Tweedles and in need of a good home at the Milo Foundation. This is now his castle, and he is fitting in wonderfully with J & T!

Mugsy and I knew what to do....snooter checks, first off :)

Nope....not edible....

Oh Mugsy! You found the treats all right pal :) Grab a chair!

The first tricksters arrived...and the party really got started!

A blur of colors and costumes and big smiles.

Costumes hanging out at the s'mores station! Guess who are neighbors of J & T! So glad to see them! In their costumes :)

Well...a fantastic eve....and after a night of snoozles...I was definitely ready for some PARKIE TIME :)

Super pals joining me again. Come on Avalon...let's go!

Sammie!

Someone had a special Go Giants! collar on. GO GIANTS!

A bit of bitey face to finish the session off. Had to get our puppy energy out.

Never ready to leave fun places...even when the toys are tough to get! :)

Well...that's the wrap up for now.....

Have a really nice week pals :)

Some of the best mornings....parkie pix

2010-10-25T13:00:00.000-07:00

When that rain departs and the sun decides to show.... Time to call the pals....and run run run!

McInnis Park was the happen' spot this morning. Wesley's dad had the longest throws...but, we were up for it! Run!

I was so happy! Behind me is our hoomans' best effort at blocking the really fun and gooey mud patch. Wesley! He was more into pocket sniffin', than running with us. Come on Wesley, let's go!

"I'm fine here friends....just chillin' and lookin' as handsome as ever :)" Go Sammie! It did not take long for thirst to kick in...always up for sharing a drinkie.

Avalon is ready for another round....or, perhaps a belly rub!

And....her best See Ya Again Soon Pals' snicker!

Oh yeah...the happs...with a touch of festive....

2010-10-19T07:56:00.000-07:00

Hello furiends! Hanging out at Camp K-9.. Wootwoot! My tail wags super fast when I find mom pulling up to Camp. I get to go a few times a month, so it is always a treat :) In the spirit of spookiness....got my snagglers on with these camp buddies. Wooooo!

Yesterday was like double fun.....a day at Camp K-9 and then oh yeah...parkie time! Guess who was there :)

Lots of furpals at McInnis Park...we met Tweedles...who is being adopted from the Milo Foundation...he's there running towards Finnigan's mom in blue. Tweedles had a great time and covered lots and lots of parkie acreage visiting with everyone!

Mom's been busy again with event booths and demos and such. Long days at the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival this past weekend..... Product testers below :)

The big pumpkin contest!!! The winning pumpkin weighed in at 1,535 pounds. Safeway was sponsoring the contest, but also making donations to local chairities.

Lots of costumes that brought big smiles! Holiday skarves AND a chariot :)

Trying to photograph the little fella in the red bumble bee(???) costume..but someone with wild teeth really wanted to be in the photo :)

Ahhhh.... Guess I'm glad I missed all the costume and festival craziness... My fun this past weekend was hanging out with dad and spending time with Camp K-9 furpals. AND, time in my new snoozle spot.... Zzzzzzzz.

Have a nice week!

Mostly Wordless Wednesday

2010-10-13T07:58:00.000-07:00

Windy....

but clear....Amazing performance by the Blue Angels .

Didn't like the loud engine roars :(

Mmmmmmmm Part 2

2010-09-30T22:58:00.000-07:00

On our journey to DL Bliss State Park last weekend, we did a bit of exploring in other areas as well. Below I am checking things out at the start of the Flume Trail, near Spooner Lake. While our campmates were out cycling the Flume Trail, a popular and senic trail, mom and I had a jog around Martlette Lake...then relaxed on the park deck...

Back at the campground we walked a few trails with views looking down on Lake Tahoe's Emerald Bay area. Throughout our weekend, as you can guess, I was most keen on my swims! Ready to go any distance, any time...just throw that ball!

Below at the little water-access-only cove we paddled to each day....

Loved playing on these granite boulders! And, a bit of running in the sand...

When motor boats weren't speeding by, the waters were pretty calm and nice for paddling. In my usual boat-riding position.... Quite an interesting band of rock cliffs. Can you see the daring fella on the boulder, photo right... Guess what he did! Youza!

We enjoyed camping and paddling with our friend Christina!

One of the days at our little beach...I met a new pal. You can see Maya waiting for me below...not much of a swimmer, but sure interested in playing each time I swam back to shore :) Maya came with her humans in the Mean Jean Tahoe motor boat! And, had a stylish life vest on!

Hi ya!

On our paddle back to the campground beach one afternoon, we passed these lucky furpals. A classic ride, and superb backdrop.

We were also amazed at the cliff climbers!

I was not at all hesitant to swim out pretty far....even gave mom a few gasps when I swam fast and quite a distance towards a lone mallard on TWO different occasions..... I didn't hear any of her recalls...(opps!) I did turn around at some point after swimming way out....couldn't tell mom why I did what I did...but I guess I finally made the right choice to come back to shore...according to mom :)

I'm out there...just a bit of brown fur in the waters...

Oh nice weekend.......hope we have more. It was great to visit this area off-season without all the typical crowds.

Hope you are having a nice week friends.

Mmmmmmmm....

2010-09-28T00:18:00.001-07:00

I think I've found my bliss...... Warm days, quiet shore, clear waters...

We've just returned from a 3 night camp trip to DL Bliss State Park which is just off the shores of Lake Tahoe.... In 1929, the Bliss family donated 744 acres to the State Park system. We were wow'd at the campground, beaches and trails! This was the last weekend of the season, so not as many folks as a typical Tahoe summer weekend.

Each day we paddled to a cove that only had water access...it was like our private beach.

Loved playing on the granite boulders..... Peeking out...where's my ball!?

Oh, there we go. Launch that one far, ok?

Great boulders and awesome views. Below, our friend, Christina paddles behind my boulders.

What magical weather and clear waters. Such a treat! Tough to leave this sweet spot....will have a few more pix another time...

Have a nice week friends :)

Pinecrest Part II

2010-09-20T20:28:00.001-07:00

Well...yes, there is a Part II to the climbing part I... last weekend... The annual Pinecrest Climb-in with the American Alpine Club found us here, at the climbing area called Gianelli Edges, beautiful granite and great climbing.

About 40+ folks attend each year, and this event is one of our favorites. Mom's climbing partner below, scoping out the next route with her belayer...Royal Robbins....host of the event.

At the climb site, I was keeping busy with some long lasting treats.... And, having a nice time meeting new pals. The golden below is 6 year old Hailey, and her hoomans. We loved the backdrop in this photo. It's me, below (sort of sideways) next to one of the super cute toller retrievers, named Madeline. There were about 6 furpals with climbing peeps here at the crag. Mom seemed quite popular....(didn't have to do with treats or anything).... These were some well behaved and very friendly furries!

Short but challenging routes. I didn't let mom stray too far out of my sight....I was pretty vocal when I felt that she getting a bit too high or too far! And, off she went...

It was a really nice day at the crag, we were pooped as we headed back down the trail. Come on! Back at Pinecrest Lake....calm winds and lovely temps. A few folks out for an early eve paddle.

Our group gathered for a barbeque Saturday evening. It was great to catch up and visit with folks we only see at this event.

Calm back out on the lake.

Another nice weekend trip......I made one last visit to the lake Sunday morning...campfire smoke lingering as the sun was shining, and we found a spot to play ball that wasn't near the many folks fishing from the shore. I was a happy pup :)

Ahhhhhh....

Have a nice week friends!

Pedigree Foodable Event! Let's Pawticipate!

2010-09-18T18:07:00.000-07:00

Happy Saturday friends :)

As many of you know, only one day left to pawticipate in the blog post event that will donate a 20lb bag of foodables for each entry sponsored by Pedigree! Fantastic!!

We'll just say that our family gatherings are that much richer by our forever pals, that joined us from shelters.

Dixie! She's my pool pal and a super fast swimmer! Before I have even decided to jump in for the ball, she's in and out of the water and ready for another throw! A sweetie chocolate lab, that brings so much joy to mom's folks.

And, Dozer! Who is always up for an adventure....like jumping on busses, and bounding over 6ft fences. A big love and lives with mom's brother's family.

To all the furpals that are waiting in shelters for their forever homes, we are happy to pawticipate!

Each year, more than 4 million dogs end up in shelters and breed rescue organizations. Pedigree created The PEDIGREE Adoption Drive to help shine a spotlight on the plight of these homeless dogs.
Special for BlogPaws West: For each blog that posts about the PEDIGREE® Adoption Drive through September 19th, PEDIGREE® will donate a bag of their new Healthy Longevity Food for Dogs to shelters nationwide. It’s simple: Write a post, help a dog.

Please see Pedigree's Facebook page or I Love Rescue Animals for MORE info on how to participate.

Pinecrest Climbing Weekend - Pt 1

2010-09-15T16:43:00.001-07:00

This was me last Friday. We had found a great little hike out of Kennedy Meadows (Stanislaus National Forest) off Highway 108. It was a beautiful walk after a long drive to the mountains. We began our hike along Kennedy Creek and through the neat Kennedy Meadows Resort. I was ready to jump right in!!! However...we had a bit of hiking to do first.

Mmmmmm! I'll be back for some yummies :) We passed through the cabins and camping areas and headed out on a lovely flat trail...

Our first big view!! And, wow! Mt. Levitt 10,800ft in the far background. We took our time walking through the meadow. Found this neat bridge....too bad folks felt like writing on it :( The trail started heading UP! It was bouldery! Luckily, I'm pretty good at rock hoppin'.

High above the creeks at this point. This was our turn around point after many "let's just see what's around the next corner...."s. As it was getting late in the day we needed to head back...but this area was a new one to us and quite beautiful. Our hike down the rocky trail. Didn't want to step too close to that edge! We met a pack group that had been riding about 7 hours from their campsite farther in the Emigrant Wilderness. I was so patient while this group passed...there were a lot of them too. A few riders thanked me for sitting quietly. Ah! We finally found our way back to the water and a lovely beach!!

So ready to SOAK :)

While I navigated a new found stickie, mom's good friend and climbing partner

enjoyed the views and examined our topo map. Ah! Nice stickie. This past weekend was the annual Pinecrest Climb-In that mom attends. After our hike, we headed back to our cabin in Pinecrest.....more on this another time...but will just say there were great pals and super company!!Happy week friends.

Last weekend wrap up

2010-09-12T20:55:00.000-07:00

It's been a wrap for a week now, but I'm still having great memories of my Sardine Lake time :) Sorry if these photos get a bit boring....I know what ya mean....yawnnnnnnn!

This is lower Sardine Lake. Just a 5 minute walk from our campsite. I am really not supposed to be in this lake....but 'opps!'. Just couldn't help myself! The historic boat house. Host of Happy Hour before the twice-eve seating dinners at Sardine Lakes Resort.

Crusin' on the Interpretive Trail behind the campground.

Always finding trail 'treasures'!

Fascinating lichen

Lower Sardine boat and stickie play :) Smiles all around.

My kayak 'riding' position. Paws up!

We had pulled over to a steep embankment on one side of the lake for a human 'tree finding' mission.... I just had to get out of the boat and PLAY! It's always more fun with a little stickie :)

Boat hoppin' for better stickie snaggling....... Whew! Got my stickie. Nice dad, let me bring stickie in the boat with us :)

Low light on the Buttes.

And, ya know....little eve hang time with mom :)

Well....that's about it for last weekend....but whew, not much time to recover before I was tagging along with mom on another adventure....here's a pic from yesterday at the Gianelli Edges, above Pinecrest Lake... You can barely make out the smoke from lightening strike fires, then deemed controlled burns and monitored....but growing and smoking...on a not-too-far off mountain area.

More next time... I'm definitely ready for some big zzzzzzzzzzzzz's!
Have a nice Monday my friends :)

Fun from last weekend

2010-09-09T18:26:00.000-07:00

Hello hello! This week is flying by! Hope you are all having a good one. This is me last Friday at Alder Creek Campground...one of our favorites in Truckee, CA. Guess who stayed there a few weeks before us???

We got a LATE start last Thursday eve, and in an effort to miss all the Hwy. 80 Labor Day traffic, we ended up launching our trip at 9:30PM Thursday eve...arriving to Alder Creek at 1AM and waking up to find us surrounded by some rock star busses! :)

That's us in the middle (pic above)...small fry between the coaches!

Alder Creek Campground is a private campground in Tahoe Donner. Love this campground! Nice, quite clean and cute!

Saw some tree furries there. We spent the day in Truckee and then headed to our weekend destination of Sardine Lakes!

I was so ready for some lake swimmin'!

Hanging out at the Lower Sardine Lake boat launch.

Looking up towards the Sierra Buttes. Always stunning.

A wonderful family owned resort since 1941. Love this place, and the Sardine Lake Campground just a 5 minute walk from the lake.

Pondering.

Pondering....on our hike to Upper Sardine Lake. A bumpy fireroad hike to Upper Sardine.

Wow....only daring 4X4's make this one...but many try.

Ah! Could just stay in this spot. Upper Sardine Lake and the Sierra Buttes.

Of course! I was in the water before mom even arrived at the lake :)

Swimmin'!

Let's move on... Below...dad (right) and weekend friend, Eric, who worked at Sardine Lake Resort 35 years ago! He had so many memories.

Lots and lots to talk about!

Photo op with me and visor-clad mom!

Another angle...as we hiked up between Upper and Lower lakes.

Walking back down to the campground.... We made a number of trips up to the upper lake, as there were less people, very few boats and great views :)

Chitter chatter...the fellas chattering in the background. Me in the foreground :)

Mmmmmm. Love my camping lounger!!!

There might be more pix of this little adventure...but we are off to our next...

Have a wonderful weekend my friends!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-07T21:22:00.000-07:00

Skies and wind and weekend plan change

2010-08-29T18:34:00.000-07:00

Furs blowin' quite a bit on our Saturday morning Open Space hike. With one of my humans not feeling good, and change of temps and weather in the mountains, we didn't make the trip to meet super pals, Sammie and Avalon. We were packed and ready to go!! You can imagine how excited I had been about this trip, and so disappointed I didn't get to enjoy some camp time with pals!

Wild skies, and breezy conditions back on our local hike, would have been nice to catch a wind plume to the big mountains...

A quiet hike, but for the breezes whispering in our ears.

Buttercups.

Side trail detours. Our brown hills heading off towards the West.

We caught up by phone to Sammie and family. They were now at Silver Lake, exploring the area and hiking into some neat high country lakes.

Wishing I was there too! We lingered on this hike. Enjoying the distracting gusts and wild skies.

Our today's walkie photos disappeared, so we'll end here and just say....

Have a sweet week pals :)