Casey's Worlds

Some dog-person

2012-02-16T19:43:00.000-08:00

Sometimes there are no words.

And this guy wants to be President.

Stake out while rockin'

2012-02-15T23:20:00.000-08:00

There is absolutely nothing more exciting to Casey in themorning than to spot a squirrel, and especiallyto chase it if he was in the same acre. Oddly enough he always pulls up shortif he’s lucky enough to take off after one that deserves to be caught – speed-challenged,swerves left instead of right etc.

This morning he drew a bead on a squirrel while he wasvegging in a rocking chair, not the steadiest of lookout posts.

(It's OK. I know what I'm doin' here.)

Morning ritual

2012-02-15T01:39:00.000-08:00

When Casey was treated for chronic superficial keratitis orpannus over a year and a half ago, we hoped we were going to be able to savehis eyesight. Eventually, after six months of twice a day applications ofsteroid eye drops and topical tacrolimus ointment, a 50% vision loss was completelyrestored. Not an eye malady to ignore – symptoms include discharge, dry eye, andin Casey’s case, a corneal inflammation appearing to be allergy related.

He’s a lucky guy though - this close call had a happyending. Now, each morning, the tacrolimus is applied to each eye by Victoria,and Casey doesn’t really seem to mind.

OK, that's not entiely true, but he's always eager to get itover with. And a sitting position with front paws extended, or some variationof this pose, is usually good for a laugh, an irresistible hug, and a morning rawhide chew. Man, the things you have to put up with to keep the humans happy.

Favorite weekend photo

2012-02-12T23:51:00.000-08:00

It wasn't too tough of a call to make this weekend. Now if only Stella was as much of a scene stealer as Casey or 3-year-old grandson Silas, but she couldn't care less.

Mama and baby deerest

2012-02-11T22:49:00.000-08:00

Sometimes when you’re just hanging around the house, oldfriends drop by when you least expect it. In fact this morning we hadn’t evenhad our second cup of coffee when a lady friend of ours stopped by with heryoungster. Today Casey spotted them right away – a doe and a yearling –sampling the remains of winter leftovers.

Black tailed deer areplentiful in and around Bellingham, especially this year, and now that thingsare warming up a little they come out of hiding more and more.

The kid would have liked nothing more than to get acloser look, but he listened to us for once and stayed put.

Good boy.

They never hang around long, before they melt back into the closest overgrowth or tree line.

Bet you wanna see my rabbit

2012-02-10T09:23:00.000-08:00

There are times when you least expect it, like when you’rethinking about kicking back and watching a podcast or reading, that Case thinksthat you’d like nothing more than to see his new favorite stuffed toy...or have a tug.

Tonight it’s “Howdo you like my new rabbit, Pop?” - from the Goodwill - and “How would you like it if I threw him inyour lap?”

New favorite tee shirt logo

2012-02-09T00:38:00.000-08:00

I've gotta believe that the jury's still out on the authenticity of the canine thought process and its relationship to agility physics, but this logo - and I'm not biased or anything - is definitely on my new favorite tee shirt.

Trail togetherness

2012-02-08T20:36:00.000-08:00

If there's one thing Casey enjoys on an outing, it's when he's accompanied by both of his humans. It's like the whole pack is together - minus Stella, who's fine with staying home. Casey is far less intimidated by other dogs and humans, and might even drop back occasionally to see if his charges are doing OK.

Or to make sure they haven't strayed too far.

Favorite weekend photo

2012-02-07T22:42:00.000-08:00

Just an accidental shot of the kid "takin' five" off-trail. It's no fun taking a breather just sauntering alongside his human anchors...and besides, the view's a whole lot better from up here.

Someone's been paying attention

2012-02-05T13:46:00.000-08:00

The difficult I'll do right now, the impossible will take a little longer.
Billy Holiday Crazy He Calls Me lyrics (1949)

Who was it who said if you want or need to accomplish the improbable or impossible, it doesn't help to sit around and be afraid to try? Just do it - and don't let weighing less than a kilo stand in your way. Watch gutsy little Champis, the herding rabbit, in a clip that's gotten almost a million and a half hits already. Notice the Border Collie crouch that our fearless bunny learned from his canine Jedi master, seen here in the background blocking the herd's escape route.

ET meets Old Hemp

2012-02-04T02:11:00.001-08:00

Cowboy and Aliens starring 007's Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford,Keith Carradine, and Olivia Wilde, for god's sake...now who's not going to betempted to waste a couple of precious hours of life to watch a flick with thatline-up?

Just had to do it, but thehook for us was the nameless Border Collie that showed up in almost everyscene, tagging along with Craig in confrontation after confrontation with one big,resource-grabbing ET meanie after another - a credible, and less mangy takeoff of JohnWayne’s dog in the classic Western Hondo.

The plot was simpleenough. Like most extraterrestrials, they were after earth’s gold, and in theprocess, kidnapped every other cast member for prodding and experimentation,and…well never mind, it doesn’t matter. It’s just that the collie seems to bethe only earthling that seems to know when these velociraptor-sized aliens arearound, continually saving the day by barking.

In no way are we biased, but it was an award-winning performance by Casey’s nameless distant cousin with no lines. And the movie, well, of all thecowboy/alien genre movies we've ever seen…this one is certainly one of them.

The one less traveled

2012-02-03T00:55:00.000-08:00

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

Robert Frost

You'd better believe it. Casey didn't have to share a yard of it with a single obnoxious puppy or any of the regulars, just the way he likes it.

No complaints here

2012-02-01T23:41:00.000-08:00

Can you tell? This is one happy fella, after almost a week with no Frisbeeing, due to weather and travel. Today though we were just hanging around the house and, while it was chilly, for the most part it was sunny and beautiful. The eagles were soaring (of course with no camera nearby) and so was the Frisbee.

Reverse spooning

2012-01-31T21:17:00.000-08:00

Stella and Casey

There's nothing like a little late-nite, interspecies coziness with a fireplace cranking out waves of warmth and ambiance. Tough life for these two.

Approach/avoidance

2012-01-29T22:10:00.000-08:00

One thing our guy does before heading out on the trail is checking to see if the trail is clear of fellow hikers that may or may not be totally user-friendly. You just never know...some breeds or mixes don't seem one iota threatening, and others? It's usually the tiny canines that make him edgy - cockapoos, Jacks etc. The vibes are out there for sure though, and Casey can always sense that there might be a potential confrontation, or just an obnoxious intrution by a overly playful youngster.

His head's on a swivel here, just before we head out. That's OK though, our rescued guy's come a long way and looks forward to these offleash excursions every time we venture out. Pure approach/avoidance.

My friend Glicka

2012-01-28T22:22:00.000-08:00

I met Glicka tonight, a Lab, Golden Retriever, Rottweiller mix of a sweetheart dog at an informal Veteran For Peace gathering. It was enough that she was 70 pounds of lovable canine, but her companion and Veterans For peace member Steve Noetzel shared a great story that the San Francisco Chronicle ran with his byline. Enjoy.

What happens when you follow adog ball right over the cliff?

Stephen S. Noetzel,Special to The Chronicle

Saturday, October20, 2007

I'mcertain she thinks it's her name. Or at least the most important part of hername, since she hears it a hundred times a day.

From the moment we brought her home from theSan Francisco SPCA, her fervent intent has been to greet every passing strangerwith exuberant kisses and hugs. And as every puppy knows, you've got to jump toplant a kiss on a grown-up. Not that anyone minded. She was 2 months old -velvety black, big floppy ears and even bigger clumsy paws. And when that tailstarted to wag - no, not just the tail but the entire caboose - the cutenessfactor trumped the jumping hazard every time.

"OK, Glicka. Easy, Glicka," I'dwarn as yet another giddy stranger approached in response to her irresistiblepuppiness. "Easy, Glicka ... no, Glicka. No jumping. No jumping. Nojumping!" Too late.

She has proved to be a quick study. She mightnot know that Glicka is the feminine construct of Lucky in Yiddish, but shequickly concluded that "no jumping" was her second name. At the dogpark, on hearing a stranger admonish his own dog with the two-word exclamation,as often as not she'll turn and bolt in that direction. "I'm here! No Jumpingis here!" When I'm looking for recall (training the dog to come whencalled - the holy grail of puppy training), instead of "Here, Glicka"I'm better off shouting: "No Jumping!"

Thatfirst year went like lightning. If parents of preteens lament that their babiesgrow up fast, puppy owners learn that you get just four or five months ofsidewalk-clogging lovefests centered on the cuteness of that bouncing, kissingcanine.

By thetime we celebrated her first birthday at the end of January, Glicka had grownto a svelte 70 pounds - and she knew her name was Glicka. She had also foundher roots - her mama was a golden retriever and her daddy was a blackLabrador-rottweiler mix, or so the SPCA said - and Glicka had become a ballhawk. Retrieving her ball became her mission in life.

At thedog park, I pull my long-handled ball chucker way back and catapult her ballhigh into the air. From a sitting position before me she's in full sprint in aflash, nose in the air, eyes locked on the arc of the ball. She times herarrival to allow the ball to bounce once. Then just as it reaches themotionless pinnacle of the bounce, she leaps 4 feet into the air and snares itin her jaws. It is a thing of beauty. She lands gracefully, turns to me todisplay the rainbow ball now locked between flashing white teeth, then prancesin circles to accept my adulation. "Yahoo!" I shout to her."Good catch, Glicka. Good jump, Glicka!"

"Goodjump? I thought my name was No Jumping." Is that a smile as she racestoward me? "Here you go, Daddy. That was a good one. Now throw itagain!"

All dogowners know this soft-rubber, bright rainbow ball that feels as though it'sstuffed with a marshmallow. It has surface ridges for texture. Best of all, itcontains a loud, indestructible squeaker at its core. Glicka cherishes herrainbow ball. She's faithfully retrieved the very same ball going on almost sixmonths.

The fewtimes she's lost her ball, she's gotten anxious, almost frantic, as I helpedher find it. She runs in circles, sniffing, searching, looking. Twice I havesuffered an injury while searching for it off trail. Once, just as I found itlodged in the crevice between two rocks on Bernal Hill, I slipped and twistedmy knee. I yelped in pain and Glicka ran to help me. I stuffed the ball in mypocket and hobbled down the hill and into the car. She stuck with me,whimpering almost as loudly as I. She knew I was in trouble. Eventually thetorn meniscus healed. We were only recently back to the old routine when Isprained my ankle (same leg) hunting for the ball in the woods.

Tellingmy Glicka stories in a long-distance phone call to my son, he asked,"Aren't you guys a little old to be raising a kid?"

"Absolutely,"I answered, but I knew there was no turning back.

"Thatdog" he concluded, "is going to kill you someday."

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/10/19/HO4LSBUVE.DTL#ixzz1kpFT5PxV

We were going, remember?

2012-01-27T23:36:00.000-08:00

If you bring up a magic word like walk, run, woods, or, God forbid, bye-bye, you'd better mean it. A four-year-old Border Collie will hold you to it - forget hanging around the house when there's the first sign of a sun break. This otherwise tranquil, domestic family scene above, a quick shot on a beee-utiful day, has become a real bottleneck to moving out the door. Just like a big kid, "Remember, you said we were going for a walk...remember?"

Can you tell who's getting anxious? (Stella doesn't count, she's always a little anxious.)

Vic with her "lap" dog

How about now?

Close but no cigar

2012-01-27T00:19:00.000-08:00

On the left, a print we received in the mail from our son and daughter-in-law that really captured the essence of Casey Mac after a good workout. At first glance we thought it had actually been reproduced from one of his blog photos. But come on, check out Mr Photogenic on the right - on the first sunny day in a week by the way.

A big smile

2012-01-25T23:29:00.000-08:00

After two days of mostly continuous rainshowers and occasional gusty winds, enough to result in our first power outage since moving back to Bellingham. We just really needed a good laugh, and decent weather for a change...somewhere. Check out this little guy from DogWork.

Cat nap cocoon

2012-01-24T00:40:00.000-08:00

Spreading a sheet cover during the day to protect a favorite quilt from cat or dog shedding is usually a good plan, but fair game for Stella as she retires for the morning, noon, or night. She will grab a sheet corner - she usually prefers the side of the bed by our window for some reason - and roll into a comfy nap cocoon.

You gotta hand it to her. This comfort queen knows what she likes...and what she can get away with.

Sixth or seventh sense

2012-01-22T17:16:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you can't even think about taking
Casey's picture. He always seems to sense when
anyone is pointing, even reaching for the camera.

Now you see it

2012-01-22T01:24:00.000-08:00

So much for this round of winter. In less than 24 hours we've gone from sub-zero temps and a half a foot of snow to over 50 degrees and a mess. At least we were spared the ice storm conditions that hit the Seattle area. And we might have been imagining it but it seems like Casey's been a little down about his missing white stuff all day. The clip below shows the transition in less than a day.

Sub-zero ecstasy, while it lasts

2012-01-20T00:58:00.000-08:00

More than likely this will be the last chance in a while for the kid to let it all hang out with such abandon on a late night roll in the snow. Tomorrow night it'll be a slushy mess and not nearly as inviting.

Teaching Katie an old trick

2012-01-19T10:45:00.000-08:00

We ran across this today and had to share it - infant Katie being taught the finer points of catching and throwing a ball by a Border Collie. It looks like this distant cousin of Casey isn't about to let child development and maturation stand in the way of learning this trick. After all, he learned it in five minutes at about the same age. What's seems to be the problem?

The white out that never showed

2012-01-18T20:15:00.000-08:00

As expected, we waited all day for the Seattle and Northwest Interior Snowpocalypse of 2011…and as a matter of fact we’re still waiting, by the fire, and pouring our first glass of wine. Casey did manage to coax us outside a couple of times today though, right in the middle of the blizzard that never materialized and temperatures in the teens, for a neighborhood snow trek - stopping to enhance every splotch of yellow snow he found.

And if that wasn’t enough, he was ready for a Frisbee toss as soon as his paws warmed up. Listen to the quiet in this clip, soundproofed by at least six inches of snow, at a time when winds were blustering at the airport with gusts over 35 knots.

Stella and Casey waiting on the white out

2012-01-18T00:35:00.000-08:00

Careful what you wish for

2012-01-17T15:36:00.000-08:00

Well, it really paid off this time for Casey with a freshblanket of the white stuff. The kid was anxious to get outside before the suncame up and probably wondered why we weren’t so enthusiastic.

You see lastnight was supposed to be the break before the next big blow tonight throughThursday morning. Bellingham will becoping with another 4 to 8 inches with an urgent weather watch in effect for theduration while an Arctic front moves south.

The novelty’s bound to be wearing off real soon if thiskeeps up like this.

Casey with the grandkids, Silas (l) and Kaya.

We don’t have any right to complain yet with the Seattle area expecting its most significant snow fall since 1985, and the Inaugural Day storm of 1993 was no slouch.

Looking west to Sehome Hill

So much for that forecast

2012-01-16T20:31:00.000-08:00

We should have paid more attention to Casey last night. Atabout the time it was lights out, he had to go outside, and we thought it was just to take careof business. But when I'd check on him, there was Case, just standing on the backyard deck, carefully sampling the crisp air of a moonlessmidnight. He’s stoic like that late at night, sort of a sensory mapping of hisimmediate surroundings. It seems more likely now that Casey sensed a change inthe weather, no matter what the National Weather Service had forecasted.

Tonight and tomorrow, the county is getting ready for accumulations of 4 to 12 inches in Northwest Washington. And something tells me it won't be any surprise at all to Casey.

Post script

2012-01-15T22:56:00.000-08:00

Late afternoon skies during walk around the neighborhood.

Sorry, Case. This morning was just a teaser. A few snow showers to get us all excited.

And tonight, from the looks of the National Weather Service terminal forecast for Bellingham, just bone chilling cold with mostly clear skies.

KBLI160532Z 1606/1706 00000KT P6SM SKC

TEMPO 1606/1610 1/2SM FZFG

FM161000 00000KT P6SM SCT040

TEMPO 1610/1614 1/2SM FZFG

FM161400 16010KT P6SM BKN040 BKN120

FM162100 18012KT 5SM -SHSN BKN020 OVC040

FM170200 18010KT P6SM SCT025 BKN060

White stuff

2012-01-15T11:33:00.000-08:00

Finally. A snowfall...and more snow showers forecasted all day long.

Casey's stuffed Santa won't even be an afterthought if we get any kind of accumulation.

Friending in VB

2012-01-14T23:11:00.000-08:00

On a swing through dog-friendly Village Books today Caseywas presented with a great opportunity to make new friends. After all, when hefirst came to town after being rescued, dog-friendly VB was one of his primaryrehab locales for socialization, learning that there wasn’t necessarily adanger from people and canines lurking around every corner.

Tonight on the main floor he took a liking to a coupleof potential buddies, a malamute
and a Dalmatian, but had a little trouble breaking theice.

Luckily we had a camera handy to capture Casey giving them both theonce-over, with even sniff checks at both ends.

It took him almost no time atall to lose interest in this standoffish pair of imports (we were so proud), moving on to the realhook for this Border - a checkout counter complete with dog treats. I mean why else would anybody visit a bookstore?

A definite maybe for the first snowfall

2012-01-13T21:57:00.000-08:00

Latein the day while we were making the rounds of the neighborhood, including thesanctuary we call Casey’s Field, the filtered sunlight gave the ridge and surroundingsa cast of pre-snowfall conditions. Temperatures were pushing the mid-thirtiesat best, and our now barren field looked like it had been prepped for a halffoot of the white stuff.

Conflicting forecasts will probably keep us guessing allweekend, but for the first time this winter some accumulation seems inevitable.And when it comes right down to it, our snow-junkie deserves it. It’s been solong.

New local R and B find

2012-01-12T22:13:00.000-08:00

Appearing tonight at Bellingham's Western Washington University is a remarkable R&B talent from Seattle, Allen Stone. See if you catch a hint of a Stevie Wonder/Donny Hathaway hybrid wrapped around his pure falsetto riffs. Something tells me you're going to see a whole lot more of this kid. Enjoy.

Just...one...more. How 'bout it?

2012-01-11T22:09:00.000-08:00

After ten or fifteen minutes of Frisbee tosses, which usually includes more catch contortions than I care to watch, we start to wind down with "OK, just three more...just two more...then, last one, make it good."

Each session, after making the last catch, Casey goes into his "just-one more, how-about-it" pose. It's always eye-ball-to-eye-ball, in a crouch, head down with the disc planted vertically in front.

Kind of cheeky for our shy guy. And it works every time.

Casey posing after a couple of "last ones"

What a difference a year makes

2012-01-11T10:46:00.000-08:00

December 2010

January 2012

Just over a year ago it would have been impossible to pose on the rim of Whatcom Falls as we were doing today. The overflow at that time was torrential and extended the full width of the outcrop.

What a difference a year makes, and Casey is still as fearless (oblivious?) of the height of the drop-off and the rush of frigid Whatcom Creek as ever.

You’ll notice I didn’t let him venture out to the waterline; someone had to show a little respect for whitewater and the twenty-foot drop.

Did you forget something?

2012-01-10T00:06:00.000-08:00

No one knows how to play the guilt card like Casey when he knows perfectly well that the time has come and gone for his afternoon run around the neighborhood.

And dragging out the leash is a nice touch…what else can you do but close the laptop, lace up, and let the kid lead the way around Samish Ridge before the next rain shower. Get a load of that look. He's got that down.

Take a number

2012-01-08T22:46:00.000-08:00

When have you ever seen four-legged family members enjoy, in fact look forward to being groomed? Okay, jonesin' for a bath might be a stretch, but a good brushing or combing is a ritual that Casey and Stella will actually line up for, as if they had each taken a number and don’t want to lose their place in the queue.

In fact it’s common that Stella, instead of ducking for cover like most cats, will watch intently while Victoria works her magic making Casey a little bit more presentable, or at least snag-free.

Knowing his place

2012-01-08T00:31:00.000-08:00

A big shout out to Patrick MacDonnell of Mutts for capturing the essence of what can happen if pet owners fail to lay down the law right from the start. By setting groundrules from the time they're puppies, man's best friends will learn how not to act around the house, and what they can and can't get away with.

Casey has always been a quick study.

Freight train intrusion

2012-01-06T00:49:00.000-08:00

An idyllic Marine Park interval at sunset, during a much needed time out from a relentless series of rain showers and nearly gale force winds that have been battering Bellingham for the better part of a week, was severed by the long and short wails of an approaching Burlington Northern Santa Fe coal train bound for Vancouver, BC for off load.

The environmental impact of these shipments through the state of Washington, originating from the Powder River Basin in Wyoming, has continued to spark activism here at home and will undoubtedly be a prime motivator for a well-oiled Occupy Bellingham organization and the passing of a No Coal initiative for all of 2012.

Sustainability and environmental activism, including non-violent civil disobedience, has paid off in the past, even halting the construction of the proposed Skagit Valley nuclear power plant in 1980.

Environmentally committed Bellinghamsters know the stakes, and they remain confident. They have known for decades that they have to stay focused and active, to protect and preserve these panoramas for future generations...as much as they are certain the rain will definitely let up in May.

A slice of comfort food

2012-01-03T23:45:00.000-08:00

Victoria was a little under the weather tonight. Well, more than a little, with a monster cold that’s hung on for a couple of days longer than we thought was fair. The perfect comfort food in situations like this? Pizza. And as long as one of us is ambulatory, with car keys, a take-out half veggie/half pepperoni from Rudy’s Pizzeria is just 10 minutes away.

After two or three days on a diet of soup and juice, Vic is definitely turning a corner with this beauty. While take out pizza is not exactly a cornucopia of nutrition, it can sure lift you out of a funk. And if Casey plays his cards right, particularly the guilt card, you never know...a piece of crust? He's a master at working you for that.

On your list of 2012 resolutions, See War Horse

2012-01-02T02:22:00.000-08:00

Do yourself a favor. Buy a ticket to War Horse. You know you want to, in spite of the fact that it’s based on a children’s novel by Michael Morpurgo and from what you hear is barely gritty enough to have earned its PG-13 rating.

I gave in today, with no expectations beyond a hope for a decent treatment of a genre that has always been a literary and film draw for me – Paths of Glory, All Quiet on the Western Front, Gallipoli, To End All Wars and way more – and now I can’t wait until I can share a bucket of popcorn with my grandkids and see War Horse again for the umpteenth time. Especially with the lessons learned, since director Steven Spielberg didn't flinch from the cruelty and futility of war, and even PTSD, as these issues are woven with dignity throughout a well-crafted subplot.

As one dog person and animal lover to another, just trust me. This adventure story, with a terrific cast, a John Williams score and photography by Janusz Kaminski, is the total package. It will also be best to settle back in your theater seat, as close to the screen as your movie-viewing dignity will allow – you just might have to go by yourself to pull that off – and watch Spielberg's Golden Globe nominated film. You’ve been waiting for a potentially classic period piece like this since Saving Private Ryan. And when the credits roll, you'll be applauding with everyone else, after first wiping your eyes.

Well hello 2012

2012-01-01T01:50:00.000-08:00

Its way too late on New Year’s Eve to spend a lot of time posting, but I think I heard the last of the fireworks within ear shot let loose only minutes ago. The only sounds that are intruding on this much deserved tranquility now, just minutes into 2012, are the relentless ticking of a wall clock and the rhythmic breathing of a Border Collie leaning on my lap.

Maybe the revelers are just as tired of 2011 as we are, anticipating much better days ahead. Nothing wrong with that.

A leg up on the holiday season

2011-12-30T23:16:00.000-08:00

Each holiday season someone goes to the trouble of spreading a little extra Christmas cheer - not the wet variety, just a little whimsical ambience - by decorating a Charlie Brown evergreen somewhere, out of the way, near one of our favorite trails.

This year we were happy to see this annual tradition continue. And even without a blanket of snow, this tiny conifer would likely be a welcome Christmas landmark at any trailhead.

But let's not get carried away. While this particular pee break might not qualify as an enough already declaration, Casey just might be trying to tell us it's time to bring on the New Year. Right, kid?

Lead the ways, Casey

2011-12-29T22:26:00.000-08:00

A simple hike, beginning on the Interurban Trail near Old Fairhaven Parkway frequently turns into a sniff quest for Casey, with multiple off-trail mini-treks. Three miles of aerobics for me, four to five miles for the trailblazer, with no sign of a let-up.

Oh yeah

2011-12-27T23:58:00.000-08:00

There is absolutely nothing more secure in this collie's world than a rubdown, an ear massage, on the couch - with what's left of a favorite stuffed, raggedy toy in your mouth.

And nothing more sleep inducing for an opportunist like Casey.

Through a glass luminescent

2011-12-26T23:47:00.000-08:00

Rain on a window pain, whether drop by drop or rivulets, can be mood altering, a calming influence best experienced in the morning with that first cup of coffee.

This seasonal nighttime version on this peaceful day after Christmas not too shabby either and has to be our favorite photo of the week – particularly with the curious onlooker.

Blustery Christmas morning

2011-12-25T14:34:00.000-08:00

Waking up this morning was a far cry from last year, windy and rainy, downright blustery, nothing like the Currier and Ives setting of 2010. Casey didn’t seem near as perplexed as Stella, who’s been zoning in on every tumbling twig and shaking branch since we began stirring this morning.

But you know what, it’s still Christmas.

And however you celebrate this occasion, Casey and family wish everyone – and especially Border Collie lovers – the best of the spirit of this season and a peaceful holiday.

Christmas morning from 22,000 feet

Merry Christmas!

Staking out Santa

2011-12-24T23:19:00.000-08:00

Stella usually keeps her distance from the Christmas tree. She must know something.

Happy Festivus for the restivus

2011-12-23T20:12:00.000-08:00

Just couldn't resist this, afterall it is December 23rd.

Nipply outside

2011-12-22T12:49:00.000-08:00

Just one step outside this morning and it was so apparent why the furnace was running all night long. Temperatures in the area hovered around the mid and high 20s and the glaze of ice looks like it will be hanging around for a while.

The biting cold doesn’t seem to bother the kid a bit and probably wonders why I want to hustle back inside for another cup of coffee.

Christmas dreams

2011-12-21T00:00:00.003-08:00

The best present under the tree so far

Guilty Christmas pleasure

2011-12-20T00:26:00.000-08:00

Vic and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity of our lifetimes yesterday, sort of. The Pickford Film Center was screening an HD version of It’s a Wonderful Life on the big screen. So a popcorn lunch, in the dark, in Bedford Falls, lipsyncing our favorite lines was how we spent our afternoon. Could you blame us?

I couldn’t even begin to estimate how many times Vic and I have watched network, VHS, Netflix and DVD versions of this 1946 Christmas classic, including a colorized release years ago. But the Pickford showing on Sunday to a full house was something special, and just like our Greatest Generation relatives saw it in January 1947.

Too bad Casey had to wait out in the car, but he did catch tonight’s YouTube screening at home (below). He'll - OK, we'll - just have to finish it up tomorrow though...it's getting late, at least in this time zone.

Christmas countdown

2011-12-18T00:53:00.000-08:00

Outside Village Books

Geez...it just hit us. There's just a week to go until Christmas Eve. Fairhaven is starting to show signs of a frantic Yuletime windup, but we still found quiet corners here and there tonight where Christmas has not yet started to wear on passersby. Give it a couple of days.

Two Border Collies and one treat bowl in Paws Awhile

Village green stage and outdoor theater

Move over Food Channel

2011-12-17T01:24:00.000-08:00

Not even a finalist

Well, the long awaited Garden Street Pre-School Gingerbread class took place today while Casey and the proud grandparents paced the floor in anticipation of 3-year-old grandson Silas’ creation this afternoon.

Ta dah!

As you can see, we weren’t disappointed. And of all the graham cracker confection creations like this we ever seen, Silas’ was the

absolute best.

But if we would have taken our eyes off the offspring or collie for more than a minute or two, they would have made family Christmas history with a sugar overload worse than a double helping of Fruit Loops.

Goodbye, Rose

2011-12-16T01:18:00.000-08:00

Rose of Bedlam Farm

We couldn’t let this week pass without focussing attention on the passing last weekend of one of our favorite dogs, Rose of Bedlam Farms (see Dec 6th post). We've followed, chapter by chapter, author Jon Katz and The Dogs of Bedlam Farm for years. Of course the hooks for us were his Border Collies, Rose being the class act of that lot. She was special in the ways a reader can identify with a protagonist in a novel, but even more so. Rosie always reminded us of Molly, our first Border Collie, not so much in appearance, but temperament.

Victoria and Molly (2000)

Like Rosie, Molly always set the agenda and was never one to show any interest in a hug or an ear rub. ..unlike our love junkie, Casey. But just like Casey, in virtually every interaction, Rosie and Molly spoke volumes with their eyes, clear down to their souls.

I’ve been following Jon Katz’ journal this week as he has been reminiscing and celebrating Rosie’s life. One particular entry resonates:

My life is about moving forward and I will surely grieve for Rose, but I will move forward to. There is a lot of life around here, and a lot of love, and I will be on that train. Grief is not the absence of life. It is an affirmation of it.

Yeah, but it’s still hard. And we’ll miss you Rose.

Morning Snooze

2011-12-13T23:10:00.000-08:00

Shhh...Casey's just conserving energy with a morning nap.

(What? I was just resting my eyes.)

Kennel Coziness

2011-12-13T03:20:00.000-08:00

Casey got caught a little bit off guard tonight...and it was really fun watching him do a double take on his kennel at bed-time. After all it had been a while since we'd replaced his mat and we were wondering how he was going to take to this version from the Organic Pet Boutique. This replacement actually looked sanitary, and made from....

*100% organic cotton/bamboo fabric using all natural vegetable dyes, providing a soft feel and durability

**Generously filled with all natural kapok from the cotton tree

I guess that pretty much answers that question.

So much for the trauma of getting rid of the kid's favorite ratty crate mate.

How can you miss with natural kapok anyway?

LED garish

2011-12-11T23:47:00.000-08:00

This is not necessarily the best Christmas pose, but Casey was asking to go outside and he just happened to be near the final stage of the Christmas tree decoration.

It's kind of an lighting overkill this year for a skinny little fake evergreen, but what the heck. Most of the lights are LEDs anyway.

New top of the heap

2011-12-10T00:42:00.000-08:00

Another new front runner has emerged from the seasonal ales sampled so far, Boundary Bay's Cabin Fever. The rankings seem to change every week, I know, but this year's batch from Bellingham's favorite brew pub is especially memorable.

A strong ale or "Winter Warmer" with dark red-brown color and a very rich malty flavor, this seasonal hit the stores earlier than usual in 2011, right around Thanksgiving. And this year, it's the full package, whether in the pub or off the shelf - full bodied, smooth, and just spicy enough.

With this batch it's time to start stocking up, on this new number one in the rankings, for those long winter nights.

John Lennon October 1940 - December 8,1980*

2011-12-08T22:42:00.000-08:00

I'm not claiming divinity. I've never claimed purity of soul. I've never claimed to have the answers to life. I only put out songs and answer questions as honestly as I can. But I still believe in peace, love and understanding.

John Lennon

Peace dog

2011-12-08T21:42:00.000-08:00

Casey and Whatcom Peace and Justice ED Janet Marino

Every Wednesday Bellingham's Veterans For Peace chapter vigils with banners and flies the VFP flag at busy intersections in town during peak commuter traffic as part of VFP's How Is the War Economy Working for You? campaign. The message is always the same, that the US fights senseless, illegal wars that result in collateral damage that includes an economic spiral eventually costing the country trillions.

Gene, Casey and Janet

The commuters, regardless of politics, always seem to get a kick out of the Peace Dog in Veterans For peace colors.

Birthday pawsin'

2011-12-07T23:53:00.001-08:00

December 7th might conjure up a remembrance of a different sort to most American families, but to us it’s simply Casey’s special day, his birthday – and this year, it’s the big number 4.

Like most days our guy is the center of attention, but today, well, we took a trip down to Fairhaven and his favorite shop Paws Awhile. How cool is that.

This Whatcom Humane Society consignment store just happens to be our guy’s preferred stopover, and it is more than obvious that it’s because of the free doggie handouts. The ear rubs and compliments dished out by the volunteer staff are great, but that treat bowl by the entrance…now that’s a nice touch no matter whose birthday it is.

And on a special occasion like today Casey might even get away with a second helping. OK, go ahead, birthday boy.

On the same wavelength

2011-12-06T23:49:00.000-08:00

One of our favorite Border Collies, Rose of Bedlam Farm, photographed while in a familiar pose for the squirrel-obsessed.

This little lady is also the courageous protaganist of a great canine read for 2010, Rose in a Storm by Jon Katz.

And this photo of Casey was taken over a week ago, within hours of Rose’s, almost a continent away. How’s that for a coincidence?

A work in progress

2011-12-05T21:02:00.000-08:00

The Christmas tree went up yesterday. The lights were hung last night, and the first ornaments started gracing the branches this afternoon. After all, what’s the hurry…the only kids around here are the 4-legged variety. And even Casey’s not that impressed.

Who knows though, it just might be totally dressed, an O Tannenbaum beauty, before New Year's Eve rolls around.

Aw, come on Mom

2011-12-04T01:05:00.000-08:00

What a good boy. Over a year, last September, of eye ointment applications to each eye and Casey is still a model of good conduct.

It was discovered then that instead of developing an allergy, he was losing his vision due to pannus that summer. Thanks though to Bellingham's Animal Eye Care, and an eye drops and tacrolimus ointment treatment that lasted months, everything was turned around.

Case had lost nearly half of his eyesight back then. Now he's at 100% visually and still smiling...sort of...when Victoria works her magic each morning with a dab of ointment on each eye. A small price to pay for still being able to snatch Frisbees.

He's not only a perfect patient, but one lucky guy.

Casey pulling out all the stops

Golden harbor display

2011-12-03T00:06:00.000-08:00

A jog across Taylor Dock to Boulevard Park took longer than normal late this afternoon because of the dazzling distraction to the southwest.

A classic for this season

2011-12-01T22:40:00.000-08:00

Yeah, there's a lot of bad 'isms' floatin' around this world, but one of the worst is commercialism. Make a buck, make a buck. Even in Brooklyn it's the same - don't care what Christmas stands for, just make a buck, make a buck.

Alfred, the Macy janitor, to Kris Kringle in Miracle on 34th Street

Edmund Gwenn and Natalie Wood

December 1st, it’s time bring on the Christmas flicks. Tonight’s living room screening is 1947's Miracle on 34th Street, starring Edmund Gwen, in an Academy award winning role as Kris Kringle, Maureen O’Hara, John Payne, and 8-year-old Natalie Wood.

We don’t know if Casey prefers the colorized version, but tonight he’s out of luck…we’re purists. Nothing but the black and white versions of our favorites, and Miracle is definitely in the top 5 and holds up nicely.

Do yourself a favor. Check it out again. It's treatment of Santa's genuine disappointment with the commercialization of Christmas resonates even more so today.

White wine in the sun

2011-11-30T22:44:00.000-08:00

This new Christmas song by Tim Minchin is the first I've heard this year that actually hits you squarely in all the right sentimental spots. You might even get a little misty. Enjoy.

It's beginning to look a lot like...well, maybe a wet Christmas.

2011-11-29T23:21:00.000-08:00

A year ago today Bellingham was looking like a Currier and Ives print. Casey was just eating it up...he never seems to get enough of the white stuff.

Tomorrow - High 46, Low 32, and boring

For the next 10 days - Highs around 45 and lows near 30. And I'm not going out on any kind of a limb here - snow in December is very unlikely. Sorry, Case.

Favorite weekend photo

2011-11-28T17:51:00.000-08:00

Stella demonstrating squatters rights, or maybe the right to peaceably assemble in a bread basket, on the dining room table.

Agile dozer

2011-11-27T11:52:00.000-08:00

Look who can still fit - and actually nap - in the old rocking chair. We thought those days were long over a couple of years ago, but it looks like Mr. Agile has still got it, when he wants it.

Windswept collie

2011-11-26T19:54:00.000-08:00

With another windy, rainy night in store for us, we thought we’d check out the Bay at sundown. You can probably tell that Casey pretty much had Marine Park to himself, but was a little wind-blown from the looks of things. Gusty winds just happen to be one of his least favorite weather hazards, and he's had his share this week.

Hope at Thanksgiving

2011-11-25T11:09:00.000-08:00

Mt Baker (10, 781 ft)

Check out this piece by Williams Rivers Pitt. It seems to send the perfect Thanksgiving message, even though referring to Monadnock as a mountain at 3,165 feet is a stretch. Kind of cute though.

In the Shadow of the Mountain

Thursday 24 November 2011

by: William Rivers Pitt, Truthout | Op-Ed

(Photo: freefotouk)

Very soon now, I am going to slide my chair back from my desk and turn off this infernal machine. I am going to do the dishes, take out the trash, give my insane cat three days worth of food, and watch out the window for my wife to come home from work. When she gets here, I am going to throw our bags in the trunk, get behind the wheel, and aim the car north towards New Hampshire, where my mother lives.

It's fantastic drive, one of my all-time favorites, second only in my mind to the Pacific Coast Highway in northern California. While that road is everything that is the West Coast, the road to my mother's house is everything that is the East Coast. Once you get out of the city, which doesn't take long, the way is all small, winding country back roads that seem made for filming BMW commercials on. I don't have a BMW - I have, in fact, a rather battered ten-year-old Toyota - but it's fun to pretend. There are miles of ancient stone walls that run alongside the road, a testament to the pitiless, obdurate New England work ethic that defines this little corner of the world.

We will pass farms and fields, a couple of large lakes, and finally come to a left turn just outside a town so small that it has exactly three buildings to its name, one of which is, of course, a soaring white-board church that is every New England white-board church that was or ever will be. After the turn, the road goes to dirt almost immediately, and for a few miles we are back two centuries in time, with nothing but the wind in the woods and the crunch of the tires to fill our ears. Sometimes there are deer, sometimes there are moose or the occasional lone coyote, and the locals will tell you there are six brown bears in the neighborhood. I've never seen one of those, which is probably for the best.

After a fashion, we will come to my mother's driveway. We will pull up to the house to the sound of her two dogs going berserk. They will charge out the back door and fly to the car, heedless of any notions of personal safety, jumping all around until we finally slide to a slow stop and get out to accept their inevitable slobber-flecked mauling. My mother will be at the door to greet us, and in the distance behind her, as ever, will be the silent sentinel that is Mt. Monadnock.

No one has been able to adequately explain to me what a mountain is doing there to begin with. The White Mountains don't get going in earnest for many miles to the north, the land around Monadnock is almost uniformly flat, but there it is all the same, this bald knob of stone looking down on my mother's house. Someone once told me the reason why the top of Monadnock is bald is that, more than a hundred years ago, sheep farmers whose stock had been getting plundered by wolves herded those wolves up to the top of the mountain, and then set the whole thing on fire. I don't know if that's true or not, but it is one hell of an image to contemplate. Imagine, a century before electric lights stole the mystery of country darkness, looking up to see the top of that mountain wreathed in flames. It would have lit the land for miles around. Like I said, it may be nothing more than local Apocrypha, but there aren't any wolves in those woods anymore, so who knows.

I will be three days in the shadow of the mountain, eating and drinking and playing with dogs, with my wife and mother at my side. I intend to think very few deep thoughts in that time, other than to count and contemplate the blessings in my life. My wife's MS is very much under control - burn in Hell, you bastard disease, you don't scare us - and my mother is in her glory. I have a new nephew named Connor who is all the cute things in the world rolled into one little ball of awesome. I enjoy my work, am surrounded by friends, and have the great privilege of being able to avoid any aforementioned deep thoughts for this little expanse of time.

When we return after the holiday, I will get back to the business of chronicling the Occupy movement, of writing the obituary for the not-so-supercommittee, and begin preparing myself for the year-long horror comedy of the Republican primary season. There is plenty of bad news to go around, but it can all wait until Monday. I know how lucky I am to have what I have, and I intend to steep in it like a contented little tea bag until I am forced to stop.

May all blessings and good fortune be upon you and yours. It is a hard world right now, and luck seems difficult to come by. Cherish what you have, and hold on to the hope that more and greater blessings are just over the horizon, waiting like the dawn to come shine down upon you.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Eve take-out tradition

2011-11-23T23:40:00.000-08:00

OK. It’s Thanksgiving Eve and another family tradition is in full swing – take-out family-sized pizza and beer (or red wine)…or whatever. With a day of catering to family and dinner prep ahead of us tomorrow, it’s a no fuss option, and no one's going to mind chowing down on a Rudy’s extra-large half vegi, half pepperoni pizza.

Tonight’s seasonal brew is Full Sail Wassail Ale out of Hood River, Oregon. This year’s batch rates way better than last year’s with just the right mix of malts and hops. The color, aroma and head should appeal to IPA snobs and ale lovers alike - an excellent option to Jubelale, our favorite so far this season.

Something tells me it's not the caramel malts, but the pepperoni
that got Casey's attention.

Gastropod buffet

2011-11-23T00:04:00.000-08:00

Casey was knee-deep in maple leaves and alder leaves, and who knows what else, on an excursion this week between showers, which is an accomplishment by itself. The slugs are going to be working overtime cleaning up this detritus compost.

Just what would the Evergreen State do without them anyway?

Full content troubadore

2011-11-22T00:10:00.000-08:00

If you've never had a chance to see the incredible singer/songwriter Jim Page, here's a glimpse at what you've been missing. This backstage interview, conducted by local musician Dana Lyons, took place just before his appearance in Bellingham last week. Veterans For Peace and Whatcom Peace and Justice Center hosted his full house performance at the Fairhaven Performing Arts Center. His stirring new song My Declaration begins at 9:14. Enjoy.

Snowfall flirtation

2011-11-21T00:46:00.000-08:00

It sure seemed like snow today. You could almost taste it, and the paths and leaves crunched with patches of ice.

With warm El Nino moisture moving into the state, it looks like it was the last chance at the white stuff until sometime after Thanksgiving.

It will also the last opportunity Casey will be able to roam the interurban for a while without getting sloppy.

Of course he could care less.

Favorite weekend photo

2011-11-20T19:19:00.000-08:00

No squirrel escapes the watchful gaze of Casey Mac.

Jolly Roger 2011

2011-11-20T00:27:00.000-08:00

So many great seasonal ales, so little time to sample a reasonable selection.

This week we had to check out Maritime’s Jolly Roger Christmas Ale, and you know what…this year's batch wasn't that impressive. Maybe on tap, maybe…the bottled serving was pretty forgettable. Just an average malty amber, but Casey thought the head was worth checking out. That's something.

Perfect utilization of space

2011-11-18T23:02:00.000-08:00

With the temperatures dipping down into the 20s for the first time this fall, the only Occupation that interests Casey and Stella is sharing hearth space. And these special buddies are certainly no strangers to some good old interspecies spooning.

Encore: Pray for Peace

2011-11-17T19:21:00.000-08:00

It's been over a week and people are still abuzz about singer/songwriter Jim Page's appearance at Fairhaven's Firehouse Performing Arts Center. After more than two hours from a decades-long repertoire, it was obvious that the audience needed a few more hours to hear all it needed to hear from a long list of favorites. Luckily, Jim had time for Joe Paquin's Pray for Peace. Consider this video clip an encore we all deserve.

Raindrop reverie

2011-11-16T22:45:00.000-08:00

What else does a domestic house cat do to kill time on a rainy day like today? Watching the wind and the rain from a sunroom vantage point must seem like an IMAX presentation, at least in Stella's housebound world.

And an occasional wind swept crow or errant maple leave just makes a diversion like this, from a perch on a dry indoor chair back, all the more engrossing, at least from a feline perspective.

A great idea for Occupy giving

2011-11-15T10:24:00.000-08:00

Pile on

2011-11-14T23:43:00.000-08:00

As far as Casey and Stella are concerned, there is no comfort level quite like a couch pile on.

(Do we have to get up?)

Standing Room Only at Fairhaven's Firehouse for Singer/Songwriter Jim Page

2011-11-13T16:04:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday, a full house of Bellinghamsters were treated to more than two hours of singer/songwriter Jim Page's troubadore magic. Portions of the set were previously unrecorded songs, making the audience - if you can call it that since we all seem like family at this point, having listened to Jim for decades - wonder when the next CD was coming out.

Jim, a favorite of the peace movement for decades, agreed, on short notice, to put on a show for VFP Chapter 111 and our Bellingham's Whatcom Peace and Justice Center and was especially impressed with the venue, Fairhaven's Firehouse Performing Arts Center.

With any luck he'll be back for a return engagement soon, in the meantime check out below one of our favorites Everything Is Round.

Good boy

2011-11-07T14:32:00.000-08:00

Is this a good boy, or what? This prone position is brought to you by Victoria's new training program to instill a little discipline into Casey's busy schedule of working the crowd for a handout. Tonight he's actually got to wait in the kitchen until we're finished with dinner. Imagine that.

Occupy Bellingham's encampment

2011-11-06T00:04:00.000-07:00

The first decent day weatherwise in an early stage of the Occupy Bellingham encampment

A lazy sunny Saturday afternoon brought small crowd's of Bellinghamsters to sightsee the progress of our local Occupy work groups, and the latest stage of the encampment at Maritime Heritage Park in downtown Bellingham. Live streaming is available on www.occupy-bellingham.com and they'll be right here for the duration.

Vic and Casey checking out local speakers at a small assembly

A small turnout of 99 percenters, but at least it was a nice day

Looks can be deceiving

2011-11-05T22:50:00.000-07:00

Another sunny fall day on Whatcom Falls trail, but looks can be deceiving. Today almost warranted wearing gloves while getting in a jog in the waning hours of late afternoon. Probably would have had to take them off halfway through, but still...we'll be scraping ice in the early mornings in no time at all.

Any time now

2011-11-05T00:22:00.000-07:00

If patience is a virtue, then Stella is one good kitty when it comes to waiting for the fireplace furnace to come to life. As far as thermostats go, she's a believer.

Ouch!

2011-11-03T21:54:00.000-07:00

That's gotta hurt! And one of Casey's favorite toys too. What did Mr. Lion ever do?

By Invitation Only

2011-11-02T18:10:00.000-07:00

This is a third edition entry of Marsha's Splendorosa blogging party By Invitation Only, describing something we have always longed for, with no financial barriers.

In some mysterious way woods have never seemed to me to be static things. In physical terms, I move through them; yet in metaphysical ones, they seem to move through me.

John Fowles

Rather than post about something I have always wanted to do, but have never done, it seems more meaningful to list things I wish I had known about sooner. That’s true about a lot of things I guess, but it would have been nicer to have attained such a firm grasp of the obvious before I was dealing with Medicare open seasons, for god sake.

The older I get the more difficulty I have dealing with the wishful thinking of shoulda-woulda-coulda. And it can be just as difficult coming up with the perfect bucket list, especially when you’ve been lucky. The more I dwell on it the more I start to realize - and it’s not from lack of imagination - I have pretty much done everything I’ve dreamt of doing.

But there is one thing...

While I suppose a trip around the moon and back is still not out of the question, it’s just sometimes easier escaping to therapeutic respites within minutes and short walks from home. Giving in to the gentle coaxing of big collie eyes, pushing away from cyberspace traps, cascading emails, social networks, as well as cell phone disruptions, I just escape outdoors for a walk in the woods, allow them to move through me. On our infrequent crisp, sunny days this time of year…there’s nothing more sustainable or rejuvenating.

And John Glenn didn’t go on a space shuttle ride until he was 77.

Feeding frenzy?

2011-11-01T19:55:00.000-07:00

On the drive to a trailhead today late in the afternoon, we just had to pause to let Casey check out a black tailed yearling. It’s never enough to just slow down, a pacing border collie in the backseat means stop, roll down the windows, and wait until the young deer’s had it with its excited onlooker.

This youngster couldn’t have cared less about an audience today, much less Casey. This year so far we haven't come across one blacktail in the open on a hike, but there's always been plenty of rustling in underbrush thick with payback watchers.

Favorite weekend photo

2011-10-31T13:44:00.000-07:00

Casey grabbing a morning nap in whatever sunshine is left for the weekend

Glimpse of blaze

2011-10-30T21:48:00.000-07:00

Paying attention this time of year is important. Like noticing how the autumn blaze maple in our backyard serves nicely as the opening act for sunset. Within minutes, in fact even as this glimpse is archived, the crimson tangle of the young maple in the foreground recedes into early evening.

Knowing full well that this 6-year-old beauty will grow to at least fifty feet we've considered letting an arborist have his way with her. But she's so stiking, when the regalia of her neighborhood rivals are in recycling bins, that we'll likely let it slip.

Maybe sometime next year...maybe not.

Morning snuggle

2011-10-29T17:47:00.000-07:00

Unabashed snugglers, Casey and Stella can usually be found vying for positioning in front of the fireplace stove each morning. And if it results in spooning...not a problem.

Tis the season, for seasonal brews

2011-10-29T00:15:00.000-07:00

Deschutes Brewery's Jubelale

There is no denying it, Pacific Northwesterners are shameless beer snobs. Washington and Oregon are famous for not only tavern brews, but a bountiful supply of microbreweries. And this time of year seasonal ales are memorable, with batches worthy of comparison.

Tonight we sampled Jubelale from the Deschutes Brewery in Portland, Oregon, and this winter ale is going to be hard to beat this year...dark, malty, memorable...and its Caseysworlds #1 ranking is well-deserved. But it's early yet, 58 days til Christmas, but we're off to a great start with this brew.

When you got it, flaunt it

2011-10-27T20:32:00.000-07:00

While most maple trees are native to eastern parts of the United States, Washington State does all right with its varieties and in our neighborhood their fall colors are striking. Serving as a backdrop today for a round of Frisbee tosses these ornamental rivals were really struttin’ their stuff, OK maybe not struttin’, but flaunting them big time.

Hard turn to autumn

2011-10-25T23:53:00.000-07:00

A quick pose on a Samish trail - and our favorite photo of the week

Memory lane

2011-10-24T11:35:00.000-07:00

After switching on another user on the laptop, one that is rarely if ever used, the forgotten desktop photo, above, just popped out at us and tugged at our heartstrings. These shots of 10-month-old Casey go back to 2008, Thanksgiving 2008 to be exact, when we found a getaway in the San Juan Islands that served as a refuge for our rescued border collie.

He could actually run around, really pour it on, without being afraid of anything and everything that moved.

We turned him loose on a secluded beach on the north end of Orcas Island and watched him go, without worrying that he would just keep on going. It’s like it opened up a whole new world for him.

Taking it all in at twilight

2011-10-23T00:26:00.000-07:00

Altostratus clouds over Sehome Hill and a break in the weather

After dodging intermittent rain all day, it was an impressive fall sunset with midlevel clouds rolling in from the west and the promise of sunshine on Sunday.

And we couldn't help but notice that even Casey seemed to be truly appreciating the wonder of it all.

Casey's Worlds

Some dog-person

Stake out while rockin'

Morning ritual

Favorite weekend photo

Mama and baby deerest

Bet you wanna see my rabbit

New favorite tee shirt logo

Trail togetherness

Favorite weekend photo

Someone's been paying attention

ET meets Old Hemp

The one less traveled

No complaints here

Reverse spooning

Approach/avoidance

My friend Glicka

We were going, remember?

Close but no cigar

A big smile

Cat nap cocoon

Sixth or seventh sense

Now you see it

Sub-zero ecstasy, while it lasts

Teaching Katie an old trick

The white out that never showed

Stella and Casey waiting on the white out

Careful what you wish for

So much for that forecast

Post script

White stuff

Friending in VB

A definite maybe for the first snowfall

New local R and B find

Just...one...more. How 'bout it?

What a difference a year makes

Did you forget something?

Take a number

Knowing his place

Freight train intrusion

A slice of comfort food

On your list of 2012 resolutions, See War Horse

Well hello 2012

A leg up on the holiday season

Lead the ways, Casey

Oh yeah

Through a glass luminescent

Blustery Christmas morning

Staking out Santa

Happy Festivus for the restivus

Nipply outside

Christmas dreams

Guilty Christmas pleasure

Christmas countdown

Move over Food Channel

Goodbye, Rose

Morning Snooze

Kennel Coziness

LED garish

New top of the heap

John Lennon October 1940 - December 8,1980*

Peace dog

Birthday pawsin'

On the same wavelength

A work in progress

Aw, come on Mom

Golden harbor display

A classic for this season

White wine in the sun

It's beginning to look a lot like...well, maybe a wet Christmas.

Favorite weekend photo

Agile dozer

Windswept collie

Hope at Thanksgiving

Mt Baker (10, 781 ft)Check out this piece by Williams Rivers Pitt. It seems to send the perfect Thanksgiving message, even though referring to Monadnock as a mountain at 3,165 feet is a stretch. Kind of cute though.

In the Shadow of the Mountain

Thanksgiving Eve take-out tradition

Gastropod buffet

Full content troubadore

Snowfall flirtation

Mt Baker (10, 781 ft)

Check out this piece by Williams Rivers Pitt. It seems to send the perfect Thanksgiving message, even though referring to Monadnock as a mountain at 3,165 feet is a stretch. Kind of cute though.