Getting a move on

Man...when the weather even hints at cooperating, it's time to go. It isn't too difficult getting Casey's attention with the magic words - woods, hike, bye bye - and he heads to a ready exit.


God forbid I delay heading out by lacing my boots.

What's the hold up??

We're not going to need that Case. Leave it, dude. It'll be here when we get back.


 

Tis the season

Long-time fans of NBC's Saturday Night Live, from way back when it was actually funny, will remember this Christmas skit. SNL brought Horatio Sanz, Jimmy Fallon, Chris Kattan, and Tracy Morgan back each year to perform this cult classic, I Wish It Was Christmas Today.

It's December, right...so let's usher in the season and laugh a little. Or not. This quartet is an acquired taste.

Going wild

It looks like another wild Saturday night at Casey's house - life in the fast lane with his chosen humans.

 

Had to share a laugh

Sometimes you just have to share a video and hope it goes viral, because so many of us just need a good laugh. Check out Peter the elephant. He'll crack you up.
 

You looking for Stella?

Jockying for position

Each night Case and Stella vy for territory in front of the fireplace furnace, and it's always first come, first serve. Tonight, advantage went to the girl. Tomorrow, we might hear a tell-tale thud, followed by Casey in a pole position. Never a complaint, never a tussle. We could probably learn a thing or two about peace, love and understanding from these kids.

Oh puhleeze

I know, I know. We shouldn't be letting Casey clean out the rice cooker pan. But this is a past-precedence issue and now the kid is hooked on steamed rice residue. So how can we refuse when starts pulling all the stops for a lick. Just don't look.

First shimmering Noel pic of the season

Sorry for the smart phone photo, but if I'd made a grab for the camera on the other side of the room our light sleeper, awashed in Christmas tree glimmer, would have headed down the hall to his kennel for the night. 

On watch

Naturally we were late with the camera when Stella was going bananas checking out a flock of Black-capped Chickadees making the rounds of Vic's tomato crop remnants this morning. And Casey, he was just afraid he was missing out on something. 

Favorite new breakfast place...today

Just when we thought we'd never voluntary leave our rut of favorite comfort food cafes, today we stepped out of our  Old Town breakfast paradigm to experience the Home Skillet - and we can't wait to go back.

The word's out on this this kinchy new place so we thought we'd be waiting for awhile for one of the half dozen tables - not today. The carb gods were smiling down on us, but it would have been worth the wait anyway.

My pancakes and Victoria's veggie skillet were memorable, making side trips to saugage, hash and poutine inevitable, before moving on to the lunch menu in the near future.

OK...not really, but the lunch menu for sure.






On top of everything the owners were Border Collie people, as reflected in the decor. Casey even scored a piece of bacon at the door before we left, so he's a fan for sure.
 

Casey and Gene

 

Working on some new material

Every now and then we come across a "must-share"...like the Kennedy family Schnoodle, Tucker, practicing a new riff on an upright. You'll just have to trust us on this one. 

 

Stop and sniff

That "Hmm...where do I start?" look. If you want to quickly get Casey's attention, just mention that we should go buy some dog food. The magic words, "dog food", really. And getting to go into a dog-friendly pet store, a veritable sniff-fest - now you're talking.

  
And turning on the charm at checkout for a treat...child's play. Afterall, what are counters for anyway.

Weather break

So you think someone's pretty excited about a break in the weather?

Three days of almost continuous rain let up for a couple of hours this afternoon, so we hustled out of the house to let the kid air it out on a trail. Oh, it was windy and cold all right, but our house-bound charge wasn't complaining a bit.







It has always amazed us at how accommodating Casey can be for a sheepdog breed known for its high-energy - check - and  quick mind - check. Obviously he was keenly aware in almost no time that he rates on the high end as a member of a family, which leads to  fellowship, structure, love...and never having to work in the rain.

Just simply wait it out. 

Cozy

This is a switch. Usually when it's pushing midnight, our early-to-bed farm boy can be found stacking z's in his kennel, turning in long before his night owl caretakers.

 

Tonight though, while shutting down for the evening, it was nice to see the boy cozied up on the couch behind me. Warms the cockles as they say...or maybe they don't anymore.

 

Kind of hate to wake him.

Birthday bash

After a day in Seattle we had to hustle home to Bellingham for our granddaughter Kaya's 7th birthday party. And what's more we had the awesome responsibility of picking up and delivering a Borracchini's chocolate raspberry cake to a festive gathering of more than a dozen of Kaya's friends at the Bellingham YMCA's party room.

Unfortunately, Case, our life of the party had to wait in the car.

Somehow though I can't help but think we did him a favor.

Autumn power play

Yesterday, during a break in the weather, the falls on our Whatcom Falls trail hike were definitely expressing themselves with an impressive display of power, humbling even the most confident two and four-legged hikers among us.

Watcher

There was time enough today to get in a hike before it was time to pick up the grandkids after school. But, god forbid, there's ever a dog following anywhere closer than 500 yards...Casey just has to keep an eye on the it until it's no longer a factor. Forget the aerobic benefits until this distraction is totally evaluated. You just can't be too careful.

Boy, did I ever blow this forecast!

Almost like clockwork the National Weather Service forecast came through today, with clear skies and visibility unlimited by noon. Mark this date.

On little cat's feet



The fog comes

on little cats feet.

 

It sits looking

over harbor and city

on silent haunches

and then moves on.

 

Do others like me recall those lines from Carl Sandburg on mornings like this? Casey couldn't, I guess. Right?

I remember reciting it in elementary school, before having a clue how beautifully it would capture moments and visuals like these.

By the way, forecasters predict that the fog will dissipate by noon today, with almost clear conditions until nightfall.

So what does that mean...really? Blue skies maybe by one or two o'clock. And then the sun will be shining everywhere -  oh so briefly.

The most important meal of the day

Not exactly a traditional breakfast but there's no accounting for taste, at least for these blacktail deer. It's slim pickings this time of year but these guys seem to make the rounds of the cul de sac two or three times a week, fading into the tree line way before we're done gawking.