Photo Interlude

Crofton Lake

While I sit here missing the Wednesday Walk and watching Charley (who is resting comfortably and wondering why I am starving her to death), I figured I would put up some of the photos of the past few days. I was going to weave them into a story, but EvenSong assures me I don't have to wax poetic in order to post photos. Besides, pictures of happy dogs and of nature help keep me centred and lower my stress level. And posting pics is waaaaay more fun than cleaning house or weeding gardens.

On Thursday, several of us took our dogs up to Crofton Lake and then returned via the long route down. This was the first time I'd done this longer hike, and it was a delight (well, except when Sadie took off into the bush and didn't return for a looooong three or four minutes while I called and called and called!). The whole area was covered with masses of white daisies and yellow dandelions, and through the trees one could see all the way to the ocean.

Field of Flowers

Field of Flowers 2

From Trail to Ocean

Daisies and Dandelions

The Whippet Boyz and Sadie

Wet Wolfhound Kisses

View from the Trail

View from the Trail 2

View from the Trail 3

On Sunday, Else and I took Archie and Tess, Sadie and Charley out to Swallowfield where Archie and Tess enjoyed a swim, while Sadie cheered them on, Charley checked out the surrounding area, and Else and I watched a pair of geese with their newly hatched goslings.

Tess and her Stick

Swallowfield Serenity

Pink and Green

Happy Sadie

Geese with Goslings

Archie

Turkey Vulture in Flight

Maple Tree Growing in Rock

Tess

Tess on Diving Rock

Charley

Bloomin' Bushes

Later Sunday evening, Ellen and I took the dogs for a walk on the beach near my home. Kinley wasn't too sure about those wet salty waves!

Are you sure it's safe?

The day ended with the setting sun washing the shoreline with gold.

Log at Sunset

Oliver Tours the Town

Oliver has made great strides since our first pre-move trip to this community, when he wouldn't even go to the end of the driveway on leash. I know he was leash trained before coming to live with me, but since then he was always off leash in the pasture. His reaction to being leashed again was humourous if not downright frustrating at times. And so we were taking things one step - or four paws - at a time. First the end of the driveway and back. Then past the neighbour's house and back. Next, the end of the block and back. On a good day, he would go a block and a half.

All of a sudden, three nights ago, a lightbulb went off in that tired little brain of his and he "got it". In fact, he didn't just "get it", he reverted to the behaviours he exhibited when I first adopted him, expecting to go for a walk each evening. On Thursday night, around 8:00 pm, he began pacing back and forth between me and the door; we had gone for a little walk to the end of the block and back earlier in the day, and so I assumed he just needed to go out in the yard. But no, he didn't need to pee. He didn't need to poop. He just kept looking at me expectantly, whether he was outside or in.

And so I grabbed his leash and took him for a walk, hoping to settle him down. WELL!!! Off he went, down the block, happy as a clam in sand. I confess, he wasn't "leading" me, or even heeling at my side, but he trotted along behind (okay, "trot" is an exageration - he is almost as good at dawdling as Princess Belle is), and any time I went to turn around he sat down and refused to head back. He went to the park and back again, a total of about seven blocks round trip.

Friday, same thing. And last night.....well, there was no stopping him. He not only went to the park, he happily introduced himself to some boys skateboarding, some seniors out for a stroll, other dog walkers, and anyone who chanced to look his way and say hello. He proceeded past the park, down to the sea walk, and did the whole route the big dogs usually do, except we reversed direction for the return trip rather than doing a loop that involves climbing 52 stairs.

We stood for a while watching the boats in the bay:

Boats in Osbourne Bay at sunset

He stopped at the park to watch a family with five boys under the age of ten (!!!) blowing bubbles, and a five year old was tickled to find out he shared the same name as the dog.

Bubbles in the park

Because Oliver is a slow walker (ssslllllooooooooowwwwwwwwww walker), we were gone an hour, and the big dogs ended up having their evening walk in the "almost dark".

Charley on the sea walk at dusk

The harbour at dusk

The big dogs didn't mind the late night walk, but tonight I will have to start a wee bit earlier if Oliver is going to take me on another snail's pace tour of the town.

The Wednesday Walk

Yesterday, Charley and Sadie and I joined the Crofton gang for the usual Wednesday walk. Once again, we went to Swallowfield. Spring flowers are really starting to put on a show now, new grasses are shooting up quickly across the delta, and apple and hawthorne trees are in full bloom.

Unfortunately, the batteries for my camera died after my first shot and for once I was without spares. Fortunately, my new friend and neighbour, Mary, took lots of photos which she has kindly given me permission to use on the blog (Thanks, Mary!).

First, the flowers.

Narcissus - this was the only photo I took before my batteries died.

The amazingly beautiful blue wild onion

Broom was in bloom everywhere, and we all particularly liked this red-splashed variety.

And then the dogs:

Tarben, Mary's dog, always makes me laugh - and for a dog that isn't crazy about water, he was very determined to get a stick from the river:

Glug glug

Almost got it!

Success!

The three wolfhounds also make me smile. They are very, very big and graze on the grass like horses. I can't tell them apart, though Bonnie and Bob, their humans, have no difficulty knowing who's who:

Grazers

Checking things out

Here's a good size comparison - Charley is nearly 60 pounds, and Sadie (sitting down) is about 70 pounds, but they look very small compared to the wolfhounds!

Some of the dogs love to play in the water,

Archie and Hugo make a big splash

but Charley was more cautious:

Hmmmm....it's wet

I can't seem to walk on water

And although Sadie paddled about, she spent more time mooching treats, barking, and lazing around:

All of the dogs had lots of fun:

Group circle

Trekking home

On the last stretch

Sadie and Charley were tired, and made no objection later that day when I took Oliver and Belle for sunset walks and left the big dogs at home.

Home....funny how quickly Crofton has become "home". Today we returned to the mainland, for a final three weeks of packing and sorting and organizing, and I'm chomping at the bit to get "home" to Crofton. The dogs were happy to see the pasture, and Allie was glad to see me (a friend from up north vacationed in the house, looking after her while we were in Crofton - thanks, Vadie), but for the first time I saw my place here without feeling the usual sense of relief at being "home". Home is now on Vancouver Island, and and I'm counting the days to the Big Move.

(Thanks again to Mary C. for providing the photos for today's blog)

In my own backyard

The hike to Crofton Lake

I have been walking the big dogs around our new town, getting to know its paths and beaches, streets and stairways. It is such a small town, that I thought I had pretty much seen all within walking distance of the house. However, I'm still not familiar with the places within a short drive, so when Else phoned to suggest a hike to Crofton Lake I jumped at the opportunity to check out yet another dog-friendly area.

To my surprise, the trail begins just at the end of my road - about five blocks away. An obscure trail off the end of the dead-end and through the bush opens onto a wider old roadway.

Dogs on the trail

Charley on the trail

A very gentle 20 minute climb, and we were there - a beautiful lake accessible only on foot, set amidst trees and a backdrop of mountains.

Crofton Lake

Crofton Lake

Ripples on the water

Lilies just starting to bloom

The dogs ran and ran and ran. Else's dogs, Tess and Archie, didn't hesitate to jump in the water; Charley and Sadie chose to stay on dry land though Sadie took great delight in slopping her way through the biggest and the best of the mud puddles.

Tess and Archie

At the end of the day, we had happy, happy dogs and I had discovered another great place right in my own back yard.

Sadie

Archie