A Walk in the Woods

Hello all! A few days ago the folks took us for a walk in the forest near our home. For those who know the area, it was off Trail 10 in the State Forest, a trail we've done a number of times before. Dad allowed us to take the camera so we were able to get some pictures.


This is the first picture I took of Coco. She wouldn't stay still and this is all I got.



I'm very pleased with this picture. Notice that the flowers are in the center of the picture. Part of the reason is that the flowers don't move and part of the reason is that I'm getting the hang of taking a picture as the camera sees.



This is the last picture I took for awhile. Of course you can see the folks walking down the trail. It's my last picture because the camera is way too heavy. It may weigh more than a bag of kibbles and my neck kept getting lower and lower and Dad took the camera before it dragged in the dirt.

I finally got my turn at the camera and this is my first picture.



You will notice that Jodie is about out of the picture because she wouldn't stand still. She growls at me when she misses a picture, but she doesn't stay still for me either. Jodie is correct! The camera weighs too much. I was waiting for the ideal picture of a deer or a rabbit, but we never saw one. We saw a few tortoise holes, but I couldn't get in there with a camera and I finally gave up and lat Dad carry it for me. Below are some pictures he and Mom took with our camera.



This was taken by one of the folks. They are SUPPOSED to be so good with a camera, but you may notice that my head is hidden by a tree. You might also notice that Coco and I range well off the trail while the folks just walk down the trail and back. They are missing all the smells. Besides, off in the woods we can sometimes snag a bone or something. What the folks don't know won't hurt them.

From Dog Photography

When I got the camera back I snapped one more picture of Coco. She gets hot very quickly and here she was laying down in the shade. When she does this, I know the walk is almost over.


This picture was taken by Mom. After a long walk, Coco can't jump back in the Jeep because of her hips, so Dad has to help her. I don't want to say anything that will get me in trouble with the censor, but it sure looks like Mom had to help Dad in the car right after this.

I could say something like we need a stronger, younger Dad, but he may think it's time to trade in two Labs for a couple of Yorkies.



I'm pretty sure that Mom took this one, too. We are obviously beat and if they could read my mind they would know that I'm thinking "put the darn camera away. Get in the car and put the air conditioning on full. Then direct all the vents to the rear". Only a few minutes after this we were in the pool. Aaaahhhhh, the pool.

Wouldn't it be nice to see some pictures that Coco and I took around the pool. I thought so, but Dad wouldn't let us take the camera near the water. He is not always around when we're in the pool so at some later date perhaps I can sneak it out while Mom's not looking.

My Turn With The Camera

I got to the camera this morning before Jodie so it was my turn to learn how to take pictures. Like Jodie said, it's a lot more difficult than you'd think, especially without the opposable thumb. However she was sleeping in, as was everyone else, so I had plenty of time to experiment. The camera doesn't always see what I see and that's a problem I'll have to over come.

You thought I was fooling with you when I said it was difficult to operate the camera. Now you know how it is.

OK, I already admitted that. However, I was having a great time and took a lot of good pictures and a lot of garbage too, but you'll never get to see them. What I hadn't considered was the CENSOR!!! Yes, the old m....er Dad views the pictures and he determines what pictures we can post. He didn't like the picture of him running around in just his underwear. Mom didn't like the picture of her as she was waking up. Dad deleted ALL my pictures and took the camera away for awhile.

Great job, dopey, I was having a good time with the camera and I wanted to get comfortable with it before our trip. What were you thinking.....Dad in his underwear! Mom with her hair all mussed and just waking up from a deep sleep. You were asking for it.

I WAS NOT asking for it! Don't you see what they watch on TV, all those silly programs with people falling or doing silly things? My pictures were priceless. Too bad we don't have a video camera. We could turn some of the videos in this house into hard cash and buy a ton of Meaty Bones.

I really don't think you could get the video past Dad. Did you see the look on his face when he saw the pictures on the computer monitor. I could almost see steam coming from his ears when that one in his underwear came up on the screen.

Yeah, I had trouble keeping a straight face.

I personally think we'll have the camera back in a day or two. He just wanted to make sure that we pay more attention to what we're doing and not take pictures that will embarrass anyone.

What fun is that? OK, I'll try to do better, but I'm still going to try to sneak in a surprising picture from time to time. He's getting old and he may miss one.

I don't think that will work until we learn how to upload the pictures and post them in the blog.

So..........we'll have to learn to do that. Jodie, this is a matter of free expression. He is smothering my creative talents.

You know Coco, you're starting to sound like a nut.

The New Camera

Well, Dad gave me one of his old cameras and I'm....

He gave US a camera Jodie, and you've been hogging it!

OK, Dad gave us a camera and I'm not hogging it, I'm just learning how to use it so I can teach Coco. It's a bit more difficult than I thought it would be.

From Dog Photography

This is Coco, of course. The camera doesn't always see what I see as it cut off most of her head. You can see that this is more complicated than I thought and it will take me awhile before I can pass on my photography knowledge to Coco.

From Dog Photography

This is another one of Coco, but I think she moved as I took the picture.



Here is Mom at the computer. I don't know how this happened. She didn't jump as I took the picture, but I SWEAR I could see all of her in the camera TV. As you can see, there is more to learn.


This is my favorite toy right now. Dad plays Tug with me. Sometimes I get it away from him and I run around the pool with him chasing me. I really like that. My favorite toys used to be stuffed animals, but when Coco moved in she chewed then all up. When she got into the stuffing, the folks would throw the animal away. I think it was because she swallowed some of the stuffing.

Nah, I never swallowed any stuffing. That's an old dog's tail. You gonna let me have the camera now?

It's too complicated for you right now, Coco. I'm studying it and when I get better at it I'll be able to teach you.

All you have to do is show me how to turn it on, then get out of my way. I may be another Ansel Adams when we get to Alaska.

Ansel who?

Ha! And you think you're a photographer. You're just a snap shot taker. When you see some of the pictures I will take of the Alaskan landscape, it will be.............artistry.

Humbug, chase me and try to get the camera.

And another great day!

What a grand day we're having today! We went for a LONG walk in the woods and is sooooo much fun. The woods are full of wonderful scents and I know that there are a lot of animals around. Unfortunately I only recognize the scents of Jodi and Dad, but there are TONS more, believe me.

And, we get to run and run and run. I also smell a lot of woodland critters, but I'm not sure what they are. It's just interesting to know that they are out there. We don't see them, so they must come out at night.

Perhaps they come out early in the morning or late in the afternoon, Jodie. We are hear at 1:00 PM because this is when we were allowed over here, but 7:00 Am or PM would be a lot more comfortable.

I agree, but then we get to come home and jump in the pool. A romp in the woods and a jump in the pool are just what we need. Throw in a rare steak for supper and life would be perfect! That's enough for now, I'm going back in the pool.

Watch out Jodie........CANNONBALL!!!!!

Back in the Pool

My ears have finally healed enough that I can go back in the water and what a day I had. First Mr. Paul (I'll tell you about the name later) took me and Jodie outside and played fetch. The weather was perfect and I was hot, catching several balls in the air. Every time Mr. Paul would throw the ball, Jodie would run beside me trying to force me away from the ball, but it never works and I ALWAYS get the ball.

She always gets the ball because that is the SECOND ball. I get the first ball and keep it in my mouth, but enough of that. When we got all worked up and hot, the Dad ( We'll talk about the names later) opened the door to the pool and in we went. Of course Coco immediately jumped in the pool to get a ball while I went down the stairs like a lady and swam a lap or two.

From 2010-04-10

From 2010-04-10

Yeah, the "Lady" will rarely fetch a ball in the pool. She just wants to get her chops on a ball or toy and keep it.

Ok, that may be true. I prefer to "swim" when I'm swimming and when I play I like to play tug with a rope or toy. In fact, I had a great time playing tug with the Dad, though I think it tires him out.

At any rate, we had a grand time and we always do in the pool. I'll go in the pool no matter what the temperature is, but it's nice and warm now and that's what I like best.

Me too, I love the pool, but I'm a swimmer and enjoy a comfortable paddle around the pool a few times. The Dad would throw the ball for Coco and play tug the rings with me and we were having a perfect day.

Right!!! Now, about the names. Apparently Mr. Paul, or Dad or Miz Helen or Mom has been reading our blog. Moreover they choose to censor what we write.

They feel that Coco and I have been a bit.....sassy..in calling them the old folks or the old man and old lady. So if we continue to use degrading terms, we will lose our computer privileges. We would miss the computer. Besides our Blog, we see pictures of all kinds of dogs and get to see some pictures of the dogs who were just puppies not long ago. So we will be nice and call the folks what they want.

Works for me, Jodie, as long as they don't know what we call them in private. :)

Darned if I do and Darned if I don't!

Those of you who read my blog know that from time to time Coco and I get in trouble for rolling in something that offends the old folks. When we come in from such a romp, it's instant bath time, as if the scent of green apple is any better than dead animal.

Ok, yesterday I went in the woods and was VERY careful to avoid any dead animals. I did find a spot of nice soft earth and had a grand roll. It was almost like a session of doggy spa. As soft as the earth was, it was also very black, but DID NOT SMELL! I admit that I looked like a black lab, but I didn't smell.

When I sauntered back in the house the old lady shooed me out of the house and there I was, back in the bath getting another bath. Ugh!!! The old man was out for the day and had no idea what I had to go through. However, when he came home and Coco and I JOYOUSLY greeted him, he noticed that I was still a little damp and he got the story of my day. Fine, if they want to be that way, so be it. I still get my meals, a bed, and a lot of good attention.

So today I was back in the woods and didn't want to get another bath, so I avoided the black earth and found a nice sandy area. Ooh was it nice. I got on my back and rubbed back and forth for a long time and I felt so good. There was no dirt to be seen on my coat and I headed into the house. The old man reached down to pet me and instantly ordered me outside. Huh, I thought. What is this about? Then he said something about my fur being full of sand. Opening the garage door he reached for the blower from his air compressor and called me over. Now, that is something I really enjoy so I quickly went to be groomed. The air blew all over my coat and I guess he got enough sand out to be happy, because I was then allowed inside. I don't know what I'll do tomorrow, but a sand bath followed by a blow down is a pretty good combination.

In the meantime, while Jodie is getting in trouble, I'm just sitting here being an angel and getting into no trouble at all. I think I deserve an extra cookie for that.