White Shepherd Stories

Pool Management

 

Someone has got to take charge.  I am not doing a very good job.  There are too many doors into the pool house and Pirate has a better memory than I do.   

He is a swimming maniac now and he likes swimming any time of the night or day.  He goes out and pitches his toys into the pool and then, as if it is mandatory, he dives after the toys.  He used to wait for permission, but now he figures the toy hitting the water is his "OK".   More often than not, Quest joins him, but Pirate really does not seem to care if he is alone.  

Although I like to be out there to remind them to "slow down" , when they are racing around the pool, I do feel a little better about it since I put carpet runners at the corners so they don't slip.  At this time the pool is about 75 degrees.  The temperature is dropping slowly but it won't be long until I have to cover the pool for the winter.  Then what will happen?   I cannot just block it off because since Spirit is no longer stair-safe, we need to go through the pool house for him to get to the dog yard.  This will be a test of wits and I think I may have a hard time against Pirate.  I don't want to ruin his possible chances at the Olympics.  He is really good!

Oh darn, I dropped it... guess I will have to go in after it.   

The swimming is not the only problem.  It is very refreshing and invigorating and it is not long before they feel the need to come in the house to find me and share.  It is hard to believe how much water two Shepherds can bring in through a doggy door.

Let's go tell mom how neat it is. 

Aside from the fact that after they make a couple trips inside my carpet feels like a wet sponge, there is also the problem with my bed.   If I don't have the door shut to the bedroom they usually make a few passes across the bed and when I go to bed I find out that I need to change the bedding.  

We are definitely going to need to find a new past time when the pool temperature really dips. I hate being the kill-joy.  I have already taken deer chasing off the list.  I have also vetoed fence fighting with the neighbors cantankerous dogs.  Cat chasing is out.  We do have the new little lawn tractor and that is fun to run beside.   Now that Quest is better maybe we will set up the agility course again. 

Quest & Pirate

Soon there will be leaf piles to destroy.  Just running in the wind is always fun!   Isn't it time for pumpkins?  Then maybe mom will dress us up funny and take pictures.  Except, not Spirit, he hates dressing up.  

Spirit the angry honey bee. 

Our neighbor has a new puppy to get to know.  Quest is good at face painting with mud.   And there is always sliding down the hills and turning green - mom loves that!  Guess we will find enough to do.  Maybe we should have a new puppy too!  You think?   We could help Spirit train him.....  

 

 
 

Sunsets, Clouds and Storms

 

 
 

I feel very lucky to live in this beautiful area.  It makes me wish I was an artist.  I believe there is an art to appreciating beauty though and I DO appreciate it.   I took these sunset  pictures a couple days ago.  

I also love "storm watching'  from my vantage point on the top of the hill.  I can see storms moving up the river, inland from the sea.  The clouds are sometimes steel gray or almost navy blue.  White seagulls dot the sky as they seek inland shelter from the weather.  On windy days the white billowy clouds pass by in their wondrous shapes and sizes.  I love to sit on the deck and imagine giant animals and familiar objects that the wind creates of the clouds.  

 Sometimes a river of fog covers the town below.

 Rain clouds moving in

 Storm over the rivers.

Winter storm

Snow storm

Dogs in the snow. 

Watching hawks and eagles.

Watching ships on the Columbia River.

I guess all this watching is one of the reasons I do not get a lot done during the days.  When I lived in Southern California I thought a house with a view was highly over rated, especially when you looked at the price for maybe one little square of flat ocean view out of one window. After living here, with these views, I no longer feel that way.  Every time I look out of my windows or off of my deck I marvel at the view and it makes me feel very rich.   A view like this in California, (if you could find a view like this in California), would be a multi-million dollar view. Here in the Northwest it is not that uncommon, though it seems very special to me.  .  

Sometimes, on a gorgeous day like today I watch ships headed out to sea and wish I could go along. Other days when it is cold and stormy I sit on my couch all cozy and content, watching them head to sea when the sky and the river look fearsome..   

Almost every day the Red Tail Hawks put on a show for us.  Sometimes smaller hawks also hunt our landscape or ride the air currents above us.  One spring a pair of Bald Eagles took up residence on our hillside.  Usually the eagles stay down closer to the river so they can catch big salmon.   In the spring and in the fall the Canadian Geese come and go with their wonderful calls that bring us outside to count them in their V formations.  I once counted 104 in one V.

Occasionally a Great Blue Heron crosses the sky voicing a raucous cry.   Near dusk or very early morning I have seen huge owls beginning or finishing their hunt for food.   

As you may have guessed, I value these sightings far more than I care about the chores I don't complete.  Some evenings it is just too pretty to go inside, so instead, I grab a comforter if it is cool, and the dogs and I sit out on the deck.  They listen to sounds that I cannot hear and smell night visitors that I can only enjoy through their senses.  We stay outside until the sunset is only embers ...