Friday, December 25, 2009

Good tidings 2009

And So This Is Christmas...
And What Have We Done?
Another Year's Over;
And A New One's Just Begun;
And So Happy Christmas;
I Hope You Have Fun;
The Near And The Dear Ones;
The Old And The Young.

John Lennon, Happy Christmas (War Is Over)

I think we've got everyone - and everything - covered thanks to John.

Merry Christmas,

Victoria, Gene, Casey, and Stella

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Midwinter comes to Bellingham

Winter is Nature's way of saying, "Up yours."
Robert Byrne


Unlike last year, no snow, but we can almost taste spring. Now we just have to persevere until our daylight quits hugging the horizon in the Great Northwest.

Saturday, December 19, 2009

'Twas a week before Christmas



With less than a week to go before Christmas these creatures are barely stirring. 

(Vic's coming around though, recovering from a wicked case of what she's been calling the flu (does H1N1 sound right?), finally perusing her most visited blogs in other than a prone position,



and me and Stella stacking zzz's, while Gene stares at some strange sounding black and grey and white folks on the flat screen for the longest time.)



(And he seems to know just what to say, to no one in particular - like Merry Christmas, Mr. Scrooge!...

...In keeping with the situation! What-ever!)


Thursday, December 10, 2009

The grandkids first Christmas show

(Pups aren't the only cute peeps in town...and Kaya and Silas' Daycare Christmas show is proof.)
 

(Of course Border Collies are a lot less contagious.

Come on, Boomps,don't be a dick. It's Christmas. Just lay off the Rice Krispie treats in Silas' classroom.)



Monday, December 7, 2009

Birthday Boy

Doesn't matter how cold it is, no matter the occasion...
nothing tops Frisbee at the park.
Except maybe your very own piece of meatloaf at home on your 2nd birthday.




"They say it's your birthday...happy birthday to you."

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Peace Collie's first antiwar march

(I don't have a clue what's going on, but it must be very important. Vic's walking right down the middle of the street. I usually get in trouble for being out here. Whadda we want... Troops Out!...When do we want it...Now! Now what's that all about. And who's Obama?)



(Some "Bye-Bye" this is. The interurban trail's got this beat. And it's a lot less crowded.

OK, where's the Prius? We gotta be getting close.)

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Thanksgiving weekend on Island Time

Last week the Thanksgiving Holiday was so much more than a turkey dinner with all the trimmings. Scraps and hugs were plentiful last year; more than this Minnesota rescue dog ever thought possible. This year though, a real island getaway, with lots of new faces and places … priceless.


Friday Harbor, the Tucker House Inn (our hosts even made Stella feel welcome), and lots of sights and fresh air on “Island Time”. I’ll bet I’m the only Bellingham Border Collie that ever watched porpoises (whatever they are) feed. And the daily homemade cookies and biscuits from Anna Maria's kitchen – wow - we are so coming back.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Perfect day on Mount Baker



With the visibilty close to clear as a friggin' bell and Indian Summer off to a great start a trip up Mount Baker was the perfect way to spend a day.




Against a backdrop of mountains, heather, and the remaining wildflowers, Picture Lake was more than picturesque today - and Mount Shuksan's mirrowed image was in class by itself.



Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Ushering in the equinox

Look what we've got going here on the first day of autumn.

It's our favorite time of year. Really - just look around.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Beating the heat

Sometimes it's just the simple things in life.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

What a Week!




(The hottest day on record in Bellingham - 97 degrees - was the start of the most exhausting week this summer for Vic and Gene.)

(If hosting Cindy Sheehan and 36 friends and admirers to a huge Mexican buffet before a Veterans for Peace speaking engagement in town wasn't enough...

...closing out a week later at the National Veterans for Peace Convention in College Park, Maryland and DC was plenty.)

(It's just nice to have them back home and all to myself.)

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Thunder bumpers rolling in





(Uh oh...did anybody hear that?!)











That last one sounded just like back on the farm in Minnesota...





(I'm for doing the Frisbee thing later.)


(I can't believe Gene and Victoria can't hear those thunder bumpers...right here...on Salmonberry Lane.)





Monday, June 29, 2009

Our three favorite words - Summer in Bellingham

We knew if we hung around long enough summer would get here.

Vic's garden is looking great - fox gloves, lilacs, fuchsias, herbs, vegetables, name it.
The Frisbee training has really paid off too.


First sunny Saturday in a long while. 72 degrees, a little breezy by the water, but who's complaining.

Sunday even better, no haze, a little warmer - official soft-serve ice cream weather. No real rain until October - and do not let the word get out.

Friday, June 19, 2009

Ezra's first

(Just back from our long trip to California and back...then we headed back down the Interstate to Ben and Ernies' for a big celebration. It seemed like a celebration anyway. You can just never be sure with crowds.

Lots of food, most I'd never sampled before. The tasty little tube things with meat in the middle, really good...and easy to con out of people too.)


(Luckily I wasn't the focal point - way too much pressure. Everyone was doting on and passing around the tiny little guy called Ezra, even Vic and Gene. I never did figure out why he was so special. He could barely stand on his own two feet, much less catch a Frisbee. And who doesn't like green beans and cake?)


Sunday, May 24, 2009

Weekend birthday clutter


(Joe's 40th, Joe's 40th...whatever that means?! It seemed to be enough though to have a strange variety of people - big and small - all over the place. At first it was OK, but after a while there were 5 or more conversations going on - all at the same time.


Nothing like this ever happened back on the farm.


The little ones were the weirdest, but it looks like they're here to stay. It'll just take some time getting used to ever sharing center stage again.)









Saturday, May 2, 2009

Early Wakeup


(Just when you think you've seen it all from the front door, Vic and I watched these guys this morning when the sun was coming up.)



I have never herded anything like these big boys.)





(Kinda glad it was never an option. They didn't hang around long, bounding off down the street on cats' feet).



Friday, May 1, 2009

Cul de Sac Highlights


Cherry blossoms and sunshine, with temperatures pushing 70 degrees all week! Not taking this good stuff for granted though. I’ve been here long enough to know rain showers will likely change any routine real quick on Salmonberry Lane.






Vic and Gene were obviously taking advantage of fair weather to move a lot of dirt.
 






A lot of "hurry up and wait", but interesting.









Never saw anything like this back on the farm. I gotta admit. But their bricks turned out great and I know they're gonna feel great during morning naps.

Sure starting to take a up lot of Frisbee space though.








Thursday, April 23, 2009

Tracking dandelions














(Today is way too pleasant to hang out with Victoria and Gene digging in the backyard.)

(Hunting dandelions seems like a much better use of my time - taking it easy before Frisbee practice.)

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Weekend collage


(You couldn't ask for better weather the past couple of days. Well you could, but from what other Southside pooches tell me, don't hold you breath - not in April in Bellingham by the Bay. And I've noticed Gene and Vic have still got their fleece within easy reach just in case.)

(But this weekend...awesome! This kid doesn't miss Minnesota one bit.)

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Front Yard Frisbee



(I really think I'm getting the hang of catching this thing. And if this is all I've gotta do for a fist full of cheesy chews, just point the way.)

(I think I'm gonna milk this training routine for as long as the good weather weather and Gene's arm holds out.)

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Back in school


Another Sunday morning, another rally session. No Sunday school for this agnostic Collie. I'm a regular worshipper at the altar of training treats.

(Gene and Vic don't really need to know that I'd do this stuff without the tasty morsels.)


(It's really a drag waiting for my turn.
And to have to stay kenneled up...come on.)

(When does agility training start anyway?!)








Saturday, April 4, 2009

Opening Day














Rain or shine, on the opening day of the Bellingham Farmers Market everyone comes out. It just so happens today was beautiful.
 
Local produce, crafts, musicians, and vendors dishing generous samplings of favorite restaurants. Lunch with friends or city politicos is just as common as sharing a picnic table, and maybe Ethiopian or French cuisine, with total strangers.

Unfortunately, it's No Dogs Allowed. That's OK with me...way too many folks for this border collie. I'm just fine in the Prius thanks...a great place to people watch.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Spring's back. Can you tell?








A leisurely walk downhill to the water and the ferry terminal might not be a trek but it can be scenic – and hopeful of a time when the temperatures might creep up to pleasant, like July.


As long as Victoria's Montana clematis made it through a rough winter it'll be a good sign for the rest of the garden.

And it won't be long before Frisbee training can resume in full.

"Spring - An experience in immortality"


Okay. So the sun finally came out this week...but it happens to be the first day of spring in Bellingham. That’s kind of cool.

Fairhaven, the south side of town, was packed with sunworshippers, but notice the attire.

Monday, March 16, 2009

What a week…or two!

Two anti-war conferences, a local VFP-111 (http://www.vfp111.org/) Chapter-hosted event…and I finished our taxes. As you can see from Casey’s demeanor, he’s pooped too.

Casey spent his first night in a pet-friendly motel in Kirkland, Washington and did great. There was no way we could ask anyone to baby-sit our little guy, with his “issues” and everything, so he came to the NW Regional Veterans for Peace conference with us last weekend. But the really big hurdle he overcame was day camp. Vic and I bit the bullet and let him stay in the Hyline Hotel training facility in for a day last week. We thought he needed it – us too.

We knew we’d miss him – and we did – but now he knows that he’ll never be abandoned again…and we now know we’ll be able to get up and go somewhere if we need to. They really do love him out there though - his trainers (Kathi and Brianne) and groomer (Melissa) have seen over his progress/comeback since week one and watched him like hawks. Great place. Check it out www.hylinehotel.com.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Let's see how this goes

This site will truly be a work in progress.



The name Casey's Worlds refers mainly to my wife and my network of friends and experiences in Bellingham, Washington - the "City of Subdued Excitement".

We've found since retiring that Casey our 13-month-old rescued Border Collie has become a focal point and dictates much of what we do, or try to do, on a daily basis. Of course I'm not telling Border Collie owners anything new.


We do have a full life immersed in the goings-on of this beautiful part of the Northwest US but...well, it'll become apparent how this little guy has captured our hearts and, by default, sets daily agendas.