Photos Old and New

[Lindancer]

I love all  The nature pictures

Patricia, all those scenes you posted made me feel cold.


Jack, I always like to see your picture of the goldens.  My son Mark had a golden, Rosey that he got before he got married, she went everywhere with him. So when he got married, she went on there honeymoon.

[FlaJean]

Gloria, your snow scene is so pretty.  The squirrel might be cold but he looks well fed.

[so_P_bubble]

Gloria, I didn't post it, you did that yourself!
I can post only the photos I get in my mail.

[Lindancer]

Bubble, my nephew posted for me, I thought I was using your email

[jackwv]

Gloria I liked your story of your son taking his golden on his honeymoon.   2003 0r 04 I went with my daughter to Dewey Beach Delaware. The town is dog friendly and permits dogs on the beach in the evening, even during the season.  My Jessie enjoyed a romp with several goldens and one was with a young couple I believe from Baltimore, that were there for their honeymoon.
Here is Jessie, on the lower right.

          [attachimg=1]

[SCFSue]

FlaJean, my Birds of Alabama Field Guide shows a female Baltimore Oriole which looks identical to the bird you showed above.  These birds winter here over most of Alabama, but move to the extreme north of Alabama when the weather is warmer.  I haven't seen any so far this winter in Central Alabama where I live.  The Field Guide also has 2 pictures of a small bird which is black and white and lives only the very Southern part of Alabama (on the coast).  It is a black and white warbler and winters in your area, but spends the rest of the year all over the rest of Alabama (and probably farther north, too, but I would have to look in my other birding guides to find out how far).

Jack, great photo of Goldens frolicking in the surf!

Sue





Sue

[Lindancer]

Jack, I love that picture, thanks for posting.

[Vanilla-Jackie]

Jack wv...
...I bet there were a few eyes focusing on the beach " Golden Girls " or boys, having themselves a whale of a time...

[Shirley]

Jack, that is the happiest photo I've ever seen..... what fun to watch them enjoy life without being "tied" up!  I know we have to keep them on leashes for their own good, but such joy to see them free.  Did Jessie like being in the water or just up to her toes in it?  Take care of that cold.... too many are having it come back with a vengeance & really getting down or die.  Scary bug this year.

The cats get this look on their faces when we head down to the river ... start rolling in the dirt/sand before they get into the river bed.  So funny to watch Callie stop on the last hill part that leads into the bed bottom... she starts sliding down as she rolls.  As soon as they get their fill they are cleaning up again.  Tiger remembers I used to fuss at them getting in the dirt so she runs away if I come toward her.... "can't catch me!"

Patricia, interesting photo with the highway & river running through.... you know how much I'd love to see your part of the world~~

I first thought the bird was a female cedar waxwing.... but it doesn't have the "bandit" face.  Great shot. 

[Amy]

Jack, what a beautiful  sight!!! I bet those Goldens had a blast playing in the water. When Golden girl was about 7 months old we took her on a job site with us. We were putting in a dock and had just finished when she walked on the dock.....and off the end!! My heart was in my mouth but she was fine, she loves the water!! I have no problem getting her in the water but the Border collie doesn't care much for it. Neither did Sassy our other Border, I would carry her in the lake, her feet doing the dog paddle then she would just stop as if to say "Why should I do all the work when you are carrying me? "

[jackwv]

Jessie took one look at the Ocean and in she went.  Around 6PM bathers are leaving for dinner and the dog owners take over. There were probably a dozen in our area and all spent their time watching their own pets.  The Goldens formed a group and really had a time.   

[donklan]

FlaJean......
In your post #4516...does that feeder have openings or do they just eat out of a bottom tray?
What kind of 'grease' discourages squirrels?  I've tried axle grease, WD-40, vaseline and even K-Y jelly.
I saw a hint on Google about using a Slinky.  I hung one on the pole and it frustrates them about 70% of the time.

[jackwv]

Don I have seen the slinky used and fun to watch but understand they figure it out.   Spotted this that is attractive and may work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaUZ2dk4avc

[Amy]

Jack, what a sight that must have been to see all the Golden's playing.
Great photo, I am one that can sit and watch animals play entertains me to no end..

[FlaJean]

Donklan, the birds eat from the tray.  The poles are up 6 ft. and are smooth so the Vaseline seems to work.  The squirrels are small and they are content in feeding on the seeds that fall to the ground.

[so_P_bubble]

It was such a nice afternoon yesterday that  I felt the urge to go down to the beach.
I spent an hour watching the prowess of a new sport for me: surf-gliding. This is done with a surf board and a big kite/parachute.  At time the sportsman surf and at times he jumps in the air white holding tight to his kite and pirouettes at the same time. Fantastic!


[attachimg=1]

[so_P_bubble]

[attachimg=1]

[attachimg=2]

[Vanilla-Jackie]

Bubble...
...is this a " wish you was here " moment?  been a mighty long time since I last flew a kite...on land, never by sea...

[Sandy]

One of the "bird dogs that my son Kirk raises:

[Amy]

Bubble, I would dearly love to try that!!So carefree!

Sandy,what a beautiful dog, just look at the stance on him!!!So intent on looking. Colouring is perfect.

[jackwv]

Bubble a lovely way to spend a few hours.  Great photos, I would just watch, not try the sport.

Sandy That is a beautiful animal.   

[so_P_bubble]

Oh I'd love a dog like that! It looks very intelligent too.

Yes, that sport is fun to watch.  There were three of them and at times I was fearful their kites would tangle with each other and then the surfers would be tossed by the waves/

[Mary Ann]

At times when I watch the Lake Michigan (Grand Haven) site, I see surf kiters doing their things.  It is  fun to watch, but I was never daring enough to try anything like that.  It's a bit too cold on Lake Michigan for that now.

Mary Ann

[angelface555]

I've seen some kite surfing on some of the local lakes, something I might have liked long ago but now would be content to watch. Good photos Bubble and pleasant for us snow and cold bound to see not all of the world is freezing!

Sandy, beautiful dog! When I was much younger, my father had a profitable sideline, taking in problem hunting and bird dogs and retraining them for their owners. There were lots of labs and Weimaraners around our house back then.

MaryAnn, I've seen them also on the Grand Haven cam. Do they wear wetsuits in the fall as they do here?

Here it is forbidden to leave dog food outside, or an in open garage or to leave birdseed or feeders out in the summer months. If you've seen the videos of local grizzly bears tearing off the tops of chest freezers, you would know why.

[Mary Ann]

Patricia, if you've seen surfing kiters you've seen the black suits they wear and those are wet suits.  I can believe it would be against the law to leave pet food outside with bears around in Alaska.

Sandy, that is a handsome dog your son raises.

Mary Ann

[Shirley]

Bubble, I would have loved doing that even a few years ago... with a monster life jacket on since I am terrified of water & drowning.  I think it must be softer to come down on water than on the ground.  Thanks for the thoughts, glad you felt like going to the beach!  You got some super photos, I'm with Patricia, content to watch now. 

That is a beautiful dog, Sandy.  I have painted hundreds of dogs and the one I had the hardest time painting was of 2 bird dogs, (not  Brittany).... The problem was the couple brought the dogs to our yard for me to take photos of them "on point".... and they brought a little quail in a box, with it's legs tied together & one wing clipped so it couldn't fly.  They threw it down time after time until I was in tears of pity for that bird being bounced on the ground.  I got photos & gave every one to the couple when I finished the painting, I didn't even keep a photo of the finished work & you can tell, I still choke up thinking about how many times that bird suffered the same torture as they trained the dogs.  I thought trainers used just feathers tied to a fishing line.  I quit painting hunters, not the dogs fault but not willing to chance witnessing people so sadistic.  I know not all are like that, my father trained his hunters with non live bait.

I've been getting used to my new phone with all 3 kids help and brain is totally weary.  One more big job, getting the taxes taken care of as soon as that last piece of information comes in.  Next is spring duties with yard, sprinkler system & pool repairs.  Yuck!  Got to get that sprinkler system working because none of the hoses connect to the well to water trees.  The city water is out of sight expensive.  I will get rid of the "attitude" with a little nap.  Cats had their supper (chicken), Callie & son, Tom, outside, Tiger laying on the end of the bed waiting for me to join her. 

Hope you are better today, Larry......  and anyone else coming down with that awful bug!

[Vanilla-Jackie]

Shirley....
....same here, I too am frightened of what the sea can do after a large wave came over myself and my then 13 year old daughter once when we took a paddle in the Atlantic sea, ( not the Caribbean sea ) that was the other side of the mountain where we had just walked from... ) In St Lucia 35 years ago, the beach was deserted apart from two men-boys in the very far corner, the sea was on the choppy side, I truly believed we would be gonners, as this very large wave came out of nowhere and covered us both, I thought it was going to sweep us out to sea...My daughter said I was as white as a ghost after the wave passed over us...

Sandy....
...son Kirks dog looks very astute, and looks like he is waiting to be given his orders....I love his standing position...he looks like a Cruft's dog show finalist-winner, that is the stand those judges put the dogs in when they are showing them at their best...

[Sandy]

Thank You!!   

Kirk treats his animals like they are his children !!!
I will tell him what nice compliments he received
about his dog !!!


Sandy 

[Shirley]

Sandy, you mean they aren't our kids???  My kids tell me they wished they had been so spoiled.  So happens there is a little more money than when they were young, not trying to save "for our old age" anymore!

The sun is shining but wind bringing temps down to "feels like single digits".  Bitter cold.

[Sandy]

Well,  I should have said 
"different then he treats his kids" .....
neither better nor worse!!!   

But I believe that he pays more attention
to the animals then he did the kids....

Which I think is  very normal.   
I can remember my Dad paid a lot
more attention to his grand children then
he did to us.     

Could be,  the older we get the more
we appreciate the younger generations.