Improvisation

When it comes to making himself comfy at naptime Casey has no equal. Here he was today putting to good use a Rubbermaid storage container no one was using. And it just happened to be a perfect fit. Shhh.

Lavender splash

A lavender overload hits the cul de sac every year about this time and today Casey showed up on a break from Frisbee framed by our contributions to this neighborhood color scheme - purple rhododendrums and the pale, showy Korean lilacs (left background and right foreground).

Short but sweet

Well, that didn't take long. A week or two of cherry blossoms in full array, and now, all that's left to do is rake. No healthy storm this spring to share the wealth with the neighborhood.

New prehistoric growth

After two days of steady rainfall - no, actually, unrelenting downpours - the skies opened up this afternoon with a sunny payback, so we took advantage of it with a walk on the interurban. Immediately catching our attention was the impressive growth spurt of flora occurring in less than a week.

New and old genus in all directions seemed to grasping for daylight as Casey and I passed each cluster. Check out the horsetails or snake grass, living fossils from the Paleozoic era and most taller than the kid. This abundant plant, an invasive weed if found in your yard, was practically nowhere in sight last week.

 

TGIF-like

You'd think these two had had a rough day at the end of a long, stressful week. No way. And rather than a TGIF pose, this is just our two charges checking out this evening, as they would at the end of most any day.

Entwined

 

Somehow Casey's wrap-around nap position in his backup dining room "kennel" is sleep inducing. Go figure.

Pink clouds on sticks

I ought to check back at previous posts, but it looks like the cherry blossoms are right on schedule again this year, and each display more impressive than the last. We recently saw the film Saving Mr. Banks with Emma Thompson and she referred to these blooms as "fluffy pink clouds on sticks."

That works.

High as a Border collie's knee

 

 

They're back. You can almost set your calendars to the onslaught of dandelion colonies popping up all over town and the greenbelts and vacant lots of our ridge neighborhood practically exploded with blooms this week. For now Casey's off trail ventures are no problem...but just wait.

Sunday omelette

I'll be right here OK

A ride in the car just make's Casey's day, even a quick trip to the food co-op or a longer road trip. And this look from our loyal velcro-boy is what usually awaits your return to the car. Just look up "endearing" in the dictionary and you might see this picture next to the definition.

Zonked out on alert

Don't ask, but for some reason Case prefers to become "one with the dining room table" when he takes his midmorning nap. And if I so much as reach for the camera, his eyes are wide open.

Back in full chorus

The weather forecast was so far off base today that it was simply delightful, and Casey and I took full advantage of sunbreaks that remained until long after dark. At one point along our walk on the Southside of town frog courtship calls were drowning out even the crows and swallows, at least until the amphibs realized that we noticed and were recording. Or so it seemed.

Spring loaded

 

Just say the magic word - Frisbee - and you've immediately got the kid's attention.

Almost overnight

While ushering in spring during yesterday's outing our modest vistas appeared as if they had been photoshopped, with shades of green dominating the scenery almost overnight.

Amazing.

And the late afternoon sunshine, incredible.

Like glass

While a select few were hustling around Lake Padden to beat sunset, Casey and I were taking our sweet time. Notice the glassy palette reflecting whatever was left of our sky cover.

Pink nails a classic

If you missed the telecast of the Academy Awards last night, consider yourself lucky. Like most years this production was another drawn out, glittery, self-absorbed affair for the one per centers, but there were a couple of high spots. 12 Years a Slave won the Oscar for Best Picture, and to commemorate the 75th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz Pink killed with the Ella Fitzgerald version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow.  Check out this iconic rendition. I wish I could post Pink's performance but there are Oscar copyright issues. In the meantime, Ella. 

You comin'?

Deja vu all over again, maybe?

Our local paper is already buying into another weekend snowfall. And, you know, Casey would relish it, with gusto. But come on folks...enough's enough.

Taking a snow day off

The picture of serenity or one pooped Border collie - in this case both - in the middle of a well-deserved snow day.

 

 

Seeing winter out

One last look at Winter 2013-14 on Cedar Ridge. A far cry from the Cascades or Urals, but in a day and a half our town got a season's worth of the white stuff, 9 to 10 inches. And a week from now our favorite vacant lot will have shed its icy cloak for spring buds.

I'm fine right here, thanks.

Stella taking in the snow

One last neighborhood snow junket

Even with a late night winter storm warning I wasn't convinced that we had enough of a northeasterly to usher in a significant snow event, but seeing is believing. And Casey couldn't wait to venture out, before I could even get a second cup of coffee.

What a difference a day makes

What a difference a day makes. A ninety percent chance of wind and rain will really thin out a crowd at any south side park, and there’s no reason to expect a letup and rainbows tomorrow.

Break from the bluster

 Now there’s one happy guy.

 

After a week of downpours and blustery, gale-like winds, outdoor excursions were at a premium. But today weather conditions were glorious, unlike most of the US, and after being cooped up most of the week, the kid gets to air it out in Boulevard Park. Gotta get it while you can, huh Case.
 

 

Spring’ll be here before you know it, boy.

 

Good listener

This morning we had a houseful of family visiting Victoria as she was recovering from knee-replacement surgery, so you can guess who wasn’t the center of attention. It doesn’t mean that Casey wasn’t trying to follow several conversations at once. He made have settled on backstage, but that doesn’t mean that he isn’t all ears.

Moan and rise and shine

The first stirrings from the early morning pet pile, Stella on Vic's side and Casey in the middle, usually conclude with the kid's stretching and unabashed pleasure moaning. These daily wakeup rituals always mean that all of our sleep "sweet spots" were met for the night, and in Casey's case it couldn't be more obvious.

Pulling out all the stops

Almost every day, Victoria works her magic on Casey by applying medication to each of his eyes. Several years back Casey was diagnosed with pannus, an immunological disease infecting the cornea. In fact he’d lost more than 50 percent of his vision before the symptoms were apparent. Long story short, after six months of treatment the kid’s eyes were back to normal.

As a precaution Casey needs tacrolimus ointment applied to each eye, and each time we even say the word “eye” he’ll run and jump up on the nearest couch to get it over with. Sitting up, extending each paw, and generally looking downtrodden, are part of his shtick to sidetrack Vic – you’d think he’d know better by now.

 

By the way, Casey’s eyesight is absolutely perfect.

A sunset away from zero, zero

At sunset the San Juans appear to be partially obscured by a fog bank sliding onto Bellingham Bay.  If conditions are similar to last night, Fairhaven should be blanketed by the time Casey and I finish our walk on the south side and head home.

 

Favorite weekend photo

All you have to do is set the iPad down for a couple of minutes and Casey wants to get in the act. He really is a smart guy, but he still needs help with a keypad and updating apps.

At least he’s not hooked on Facebook. 

Forcing the issue

 

It’s taken its sweet time, but the sun came out today for the first time in 2014, after three days of a nearly non-stop seasonal drenching. And from the look on Casey’s face delaying this afternoon’s walk one minute more is not an option. He’s even gone ahead and fetched his leash to make his point. One thing for sure, our guy hates dodging rain showers as much we do and isn’t taking today’s sunny skies for granted.   

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