Bellingham's 20th Annual MLK Celebration

Today the city of Bellinghan honored Martin Luther King's birthday with its 20th annual MLK Celebration.

Mayor Dan Pike

 

Over 400 celebrants packed the municipal court house for this commemorative event this afternoon, but each had to first file past a cordon of banners and signs displayed by local Veterans For Peace chapter members pushing this national organization's new Cost of War campaign.

Of course VFP Chapter 111's favorite peace mascot Casey was there to help out.

Long day's night

Nothing can be so obvious as when Casey and Stella shut down at the end of a long day.

Of course Stella's just recharging her batteries for the "late night crazies".

Last snow of the season?

Bellingham's snowfall this winter was a little late to blanket the Southside neighborhoods for the holidays, which is often the case, but the winterscapes we did see were memorable. Slush is everywhere today and we'll not be sloshing our way through it. But it was fun while it lasted. The forecast for the rest of week - mid to high 40s.  

The last snowy walkaround of the season. Come on spring!

Pecan scones

When Victoria asked if scones sounded good and should she bake up a platter, the first response that came to mind was "Is that a trick question?"

Tonight she wanted to play around with a pecan version of this Pacific Northwest treat and serve up a warm platter. We in turn would try using a little restraint for once, and not devour them in one sitting as Casey endorsed, but enjoy them for a couple of days.

In addition to a Pavlovian response-inducing aroma affecting both man and kitchen Collie, the pecan scones were a total success. Now justifications to scarf them down - lunch, snack, carbo-load, breakfast - are secondary to, OK, how long before the next batch.

   Pecan Scones

1 Cup unbleached flour

1 Tablespoons baking powder

4 Tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 Teaspoon salt

1/3 Cup butter or margarine

1 Cup finely chopped pecans

3/4 Cup milk

Combine all dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Cut in butter, and mix well. Stir in pecans. Add milk and stir until dough clings together. Do not over stir or the scones will be tough.

On a lightly floured surface, roll or pat into a circle that is 3/4 inch thick. Cut into wedges. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake in a 425 degree oven 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Snow-trimmed glimmer

It's tough sometimes to catch sunset's fiery shimmer on the surrounding landscape. It lasts only seconds and often deserves a musical score. Tonight we put our snowy Frisbee toss on hold a while and caught the glimmering final seconds of the grand finale of our snow season.

Snowfall: This Border Collie's joy of joys!

Look at what we woke up to this morning! The Casey couldn't have been happier. Wouldn't this have been cool a couple of weeks ago? Luckily Casey hasn't mastered the calendar.

Now we're heading out and letting him do some real snowfall gallivanting.

The temperature's nearing 34 or 35, so time's a wastin.

Weigh-in with a clip job

It was time for a 2-fer today at the Fairhaven Veterinary Hospital - a nail clipping for Stella and a weigh-in for Casey. Not near as ominous as it sounds, except maybe in the minds of two rescued works in progress who still aren't quite sure about the clinic.




Just ecstatic about being here. Can't you tell?



The techs always do a great job with Stella's pedicure, so much better than the shaky "parents" that a trip to the clinic for this trauma-free grooming is well-worth the $15 every six weeks.

And Casey's herding weight has never varied from today's weigh-in of 53.2 lbs. So he's doing great - or we are. 

We're really trying to watch the fat content in his diet - an organic diet doesn't guarantee the right balance of fat versus everthing else. It can easily get away from you during the winter months.

Casey never hestitates to show us the door when the bill's paid - with or without Stella. He's not into hanging around for small talk with the staff.   

Heading home

Starting out our Samish neighborhood walk in bright sunshine, wishing I'd have brought sunglasses, and closing out with weather closing in...not bad timing, for once.

Best burger joint in town

Veggie mushroom burger (l) and wild salmon burger, with yam and French fries

Sometimes you just feel like a burger. Well, OK, maybe not a burger - we haven't gone the red meat route for years and years. But Fiamma's, in downtown Bellingham, serves up the absolute best alternative sandwiches to non-carnivores in town.

Home-baked egg buns, organic produce, 100% natural beef, turkey and bison, with a choice of yam or French fries, are regular menu items.

The only down-side to the veggie mushroom and wild salmon burgers we had tonight is that they were too juicey to be savored. They were history in just a few bites. With secret sauce and juices running down our wrists, they had to be devoured. 

Back to normal?

After a couple of days away, Stella, our welcoming committee of one, seems to be having no trouble at all settling back into her normal pace. 

Of course, normalcy? What's that exactly with Casey around?

Capitol Hill diversion

The Jimi Hendrix commemorative statue on Broadway is one of the most photographed wayposts in Seattle's Capitol Hill District. But today it just marked the left turn on Pine towards where we spent most of the afternoon with friends - Oddfellows Cafe and Cal Anderson Park.

Casey and Gene

With temperatures "warming up" into the high 30s, most of our paid parking time was spent inside catching up with friends visiting from Nevada. Later, Casey got to unwind in Cal Anderson Park.

  
Nothing at all like last year's spring visit with temps pushing 80 degrees, but the park fountain complex, half of it frozen over, is always a draw for the kid.




 Next time through though, we'll be hanging around and soaking up the sun and sights.

May 2010

The follow-up appointment: 191 and a wake up

Over three months - 192 treatments, morning and night - since our first visit to Animal Eye Care and Casey's diagnosis by Dr Terri McCalla of an immune disorder called Chronic Superficial Keratitis, or pannus, today had finally arrived - the dreaded follow-up visit. After so many eye drop and ointment applications, we just had to hear that all the Border Collie wrestling matches paid off. 

By the time Dr. Terri could have  possibly completed the exam we were ready for anything - expecting years of additional eye dropper head locks, big brown eyes smeared with Tacrolimus day and night, and even canine psychoanalysis for Collie stress.



But when Terri gave us the results of her examination, we were ready to jump and high-five or hug anyone who came into the room! Casey's eyesight was 100 per cent - more than a 40 per cent improvement since October!

The treatment regimen was outlined in our September 29, 2010 post. But Casey recovered because he had two great veterinarians - Dr. Terri McCalla and Dan Hall - making the calls, and two "parents" that realize how lucky they are to have this comeback kid in their lives, and hung in there.

While we were checking out we noticed the picture of Joe the Lab on a donation jar at the counter and had to know about his story. It turns out Joe came to Animal Eye Care to remove cataracts, which Dr. Terri surgically removed.

It should be the end of the story, right. Not so fast.

It turns out that Joe was also suffering from a genetic condition that resulted in his retinas detaching, unless he received surgery. The owner's decision - euthanasia. Dr. Terri countered with adoption and surgical repair in Seattle, picking up the tab, with one of a handful of ophthalmologists in the US, a colleague, that performs this surgery. And with the help of the Alternative Humane Society of Whatcom County, Joe was placed in a house full of kids more than willing to deal with his ball obsession. He'll need additional treatment of course, so anything helps to defray costs. Two great causes - Joe's treatment at Animal Eye Care and the Alternative Humane Society. 

Lucky guy. If he had opposable thumbs I'd have him buy us Lotto tickets. 

High on a hill

630 foot Sehome Hill on the Western Washington University campus was nearly deserted today, so the Douglas Fir Trail, part of over 5 miles of hiking on the Sehome Arboretum complex, was where we spent most of a crisp, clear Sunday afternoon. 

Occasionally my hiking partner would venture out of sight and all I would have to do was look up or out to the nearest ledge, and there he was. I usually just hold my breath as he backtracks to the trail. 

Surprisingly, Casey seems to have little or no fear of heights - now, kids on skateboards, that's a different story.

On hiking trails, on or off leash, he's in his element. Soon we'll be checking out an 80 foot tower on the crest that apparently has a great view of Bellingham Bay. 





And up there, you'd better believe Casey will be on a leash.

Sehome Hill at sunset



2011: No fear here

When you feel a little apprehensive about the new year, just log on to this post.