Diggin' the Windy Grasses...

"When my neighbor walks the dogs, he performs a ritual act of sacer simplicitas, to use the church Latin: "sacred simplicity." Walking the dog is in truth a ritual of renewal and revival on an intimate scale - a small rebirth of well-being on a daily basis."
- Robert Fulghum, From Beginning to End
IknowsIknows - sounds a bit pious, but hiking in the hills around my pad is a religious experience heheh!

Guess there's a trade-off fer livin' where we has so many places in the hills fer doggehs like moi to hike. We live in pretty close quarters (house-house) in the valleys between 'em! Upper left is one view from my back yard of the ridge loop I just loves. Lower left is the entrance to the Open Space here. And, duh, "Mom, hurray!"

We don't have to climb far before we run into a golden I shouldda met eons ago! It's Maggie! The lady from Norcal Golden Retriever Rescue who put me and my peeps together, put Maggie and her peeps together too! We finally come nose to nose here on this ridge! Pawsome!

That lizard got away... but I promises you, I'll get 'im on the way back - WOOF!

Here we be at the top of the loop and I be scentin' sumpin serious. Mayhap it be a squirrel??!!! It was furry windy and I gots a movie to show you how breezy it was. Love the grasses!

If the movie buffers too much try here and I hopes that will work.

See - tol' ya! So... took a little time to check out the overlook. Mt. Tam on a clear day!

Pawsome!

And... distracted!

Cause there's gophers effurywhere. And I'm a sucker for those lil' teefy ground rodents!

And here we are on the loop back and there's MORE lizards! The nerve of 'em bein' so fassssst!

HEY! Wait up, Ma! Comin'! HEY! I'm taaahrrrd!

Aaaaahhhhhhh sluuurrrrrpppp. Thanks fur remembrin'. That was grrrrrrawsome zzzzzzz. From Ma: Yes... sacred simplicity!

Thank You Addie, Lucie and Hailey!

Let's hear it for Tiny Twinkie Dog!

GABE was an extraordinary project that grew and grew, helping make friendships between doggehs and kittehs and all things furry and feathered! I was furry lucky to be one of those who won Addie, Lucie and Hailey's GABE contest! And I just received the most coolest thing in the mail! Check it out!

Here I am sniffing out the scents of Addie, Lucie and Hailey. Wonder what's in here?

Tastes good...

Mmmmnnnn... smells really yummalicious!

I'm really trying to figgur out what this cool thing is!!!

WOW! Munga Stache fetch toy! Cowabunga!

Look at this pawsome toy/stache!!!! How cool is this????

And here's a piece of paper! Wonder what it says! I see pawprints!

Look! It's Addie, Lucie and Hailey and their pawtographs! Thank you a gazillion times for this pawsome pressie - I just love it, and am trying to figgur out how to wear it now!

Whooops!

This is bettah! What do you think of me as "Stache Sammie?" Thank you so much for my wonderful and incredibly generous, creative pressie!

Jo, Stella and Ali Z's New Blog!

I know Khyra has woofed the news about Stella and Ali Z's new bloggie address, but in case you didn't get the poop on their new site, we wanted to paw it forward. We also have an award for their Mom, Jo, who just got home from a knee replacement surgery. You can find their cool new digs here and enjoy reading a great blog!

We would like to paw this Rose Award to Stella's and Ali Z's Mom, Jo. Get some R & R, Mom!

We're thinking about you all and rooting for a smooth recovery. Go Jo!

Itching for an NQ

Well... not these doggies, but moi. It was the first time I'd competed on grass and at this one certain point in the ring, you might have thought someone put scratchy powder there (although no other doggies did what I did). But tell you what: after I "did" it, I was like a deer in the headlights. I was totally flummoxed and didn't have a clue as to what I was supposed to do. I looked out at Dad, taking the movie, and standing stock still, looked at Ma. Was I supposed to go to her? Stay where I was? (After my booboo, Dad took pictures of the grass and surroundings, so since Ma doesn't know how to edit vids, you might want to stop after the "problem.")

Little did my rookie Ma know that she could have called me and just lost 3 points. Since I NQed at another show because Mom had to call me 2X on the "recall," Mom felt that I'd be disqualified if she called me to "come" after also saying "Heel." (2 commands again, in one exercise.) So we learned that it's an NQ to call 2x on the recall, but Mom could have called me in the heeling exercise with a minimum loss of points blah blah! Exasperating, but experience counts. And that is why, despite having earned my CD at the last show, I was here today - entered as insurance in case I didn't qualify at that last trial.

I'd rather be doing this!!!

V-E-T

This guy's a guarantee for cookies.

I used to squeak and whine when we parked here. I'm still exuberant about going in that door, but as soon as I'm inside, I want O-U-T. Furry strange, cause it wasn't like that
pre-G-L-O-V-E just about a year ago. Somehow, Mom got a happy face on me again though.

As we walk to the room where I meet the wonderful Dr. Bill, we pass the wall of fame. You can see where I am here.

Oh dear... don't look too happy here.

This is what is outside all the examining rooms - hope you like this, Norwood.

While Mom and Dr. Bill blab, I get distracted by all the cookies I'm getting heheh! See... as many of you know, I came to Ma and Pa riddled with kidney disease. The blood tests have shown me free of it since August 2008, but it's time to find out if there are still any traces. Plus, Mom thinks I've been slackin' a bit lately. So we're here for a (gasp) blood test and urinalysis.

I get more cookies! Yummmnnnnnn! (I really do like my doc!)

Doctor Bill has been taking care of Ma's and Pa's aminals for almost 20 years - all cats... well, except me. When I first came to my furever home, I met Dr. Bill. He'd been "out of the office" for a furry long time, which Ma didn't know. It was hard to make a date with him, cause he was recovering from brain cancer and just getting back to work. Amazingly, he has made an extraordinary recovery and today is on a full-time work schedule. We are so grateful that he is okay! He is a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious V-E-T! So, above are some beautiful letters to Dr. Bill from his clients, which we love to read when we come by. And me? Dr. B. called Ma the day after I visited and said I was perfect. Didn't Mary Poppins mention something about being "practically perfect?" I am so grateful yet again. Just call me Sammie Poppins. (Plus, of course, he got me through my GLOVE trauma!) Have a wonderful weekend, pals and wish me luck in another obedience trial tomorrow!

Pre-Not-Completely Wordless Wednesday

I'm here to tell you that if you haven't seen this (even tho it's not furry doggeh),

it's quite...well... something...

The Winner IS....

First, I can't thank our GABE hostess, Twinkie, enough for coming up with the brilliant GABE idea - I know I has a lot of new friends - you are genius Twink! I was furry sci-fi techie in picking my winner and wrote every commenter's name on separate pieces of paper. Then I put the 48 pieces of paper in my old hat (that I won't ever wear again) and Dad held the hat up high. Mom reached in and picked one piece of paper and... it was the name of my new pal, Mayzie! Congrats to you, Mayzie! Enjoy the treat dispenser and have a gggrrreat Monday!

Gratitude and Hard Math!

Oh dear! Yes, we've been slightly AWOL again - spring break time for the grandpeeps has required Mom's time in the last couple of weeks. I found a quote by Eric Hoffer that I really like for today: "The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings." I am so grateful to several bloggers who have contributed vastly to the tekkie aspects of my blog - specifically my header, but to other areas as well. Mimi basically took a disorganized mess over here and gave it a tune-up. She has major techie talent. Ann is not only a techie whiz, she is an artist as well - go here to see some of incredible pieces! And recently, Sugar sent me my new banner/header and I am again, furry grateful. Humongous thanks, Sugar, my pal! What talent your Mom has too!

I am also exceedingly grateful to Twinkie for coming up with GABE. Brilliant idea from a teacup pup with a ginormous heart. At midnight tonight, we will be using our supreme high-tech method of picking the winner's name out of a hat once modeled by Sam. Last few hours to leave a comment if you want to go for a chance to win this great treat dispenser (and training tool too!) The prize does not come with treats, however, as many pups seem to have allergies to certain foodables - hope that doesn't dampen your enthusiasm for this cool pressie!

And last, but by NO MEANS, LEAST, I am completely honored to accept this pawsome award from Dennis who you absolutely have to go visit if you haven't already. He lives a wild and crazy existence - trust me on this - and I am furry grateful for this wonderful "Gold Cup Award." I needs to pass it on to five friends and I think I'd like to give this to new pals who I have met through Twinkie's GABE!

1. 
   
   Ruby and Penny


2. 
   
   Booker


3. 
   
   Oskar


4. 
   
   El'bow and Hauwii


5. 
   
   And of course, new pal, Twinkie
   

Have a peaceful Sunday from a grateful...

Wordless Wednesday Play...