Hoppin' To See Ya!

Hi Pals! It's been raining quite a bit this week and Mom's been attending to neglected duties, so we are sorry we haven't been around to comment and see what's going on for the most part. We're headed your way on Blog Hop Saturday! Hope you've had a great week!

A New Star in the Skies...

We were so sad to hear that Sierra-Dog crossed the Rainbow Bridge today. We ache for her family and send them huge hugs and kisses. Rest in Peace, dear Sierra-dog.

Long-Winded Wednesday...

Happy Howl-o-weenies Pals! I don't think Mama picked out a super outfit fur me this year. Personally, I think she still hasn't erased our trip to the Ol' West from her brain cells. I like my costume from last year (bottom) way mo bettah!

Avalon: I also think Mamma did a poor job this year. While I like my princess outfit, it's waaaay too small. Okay...okay, I'm petite, but today, I am feeling especially fat, cause this costume is size LARGE!!!
Don't you think my Howl-o-ween threads were totally more stylin' last year?

GO GIANTS GO GIANTS GO GIANTS GO GIANTS GO GIANTS GO GIANTS GO !!!!!

My First Open A Obedience Trial at Del Valle

Hi Pals! Last March, I passed my 3rd and final leg of Novice A, earning my CD. Mom and Barbara had a little chat and Ma told Barbara somethin' like this: "I feel so good about Del Valle

that our new goal is to be ready for Open A by Del Valle 2010." Barbara was wary. We pushed on. I knew I could try to be ready!

So we worked and worked and worked. I had problems with the broad jump. I hated the dumbell for a long time. And finally, I wouldn't even "Come" for the Drop on Recall. OMD! But Ma entered me in Open A at Del Valle 2010. It's a five day show, from Thursday to Monday. I was due to "do ma thang" on Friday (indoors) and Saturday (ourdoors). My teach, Barbara, even worked the video in two parts. Here they are.

And Part II...

After these tests, I had to go back in the ring with other doggehs to do "Sits and Downs," where I have to Sit for 3 Minutes while Ma is out of the ring away from my sight, then Down for five minutes with Mom out of sight. Even if I've done good on my exercises, I can just as easily get an NQ if I get up from a down, or ... the reverse. I stayed on both and Mom was patting me hard and finally giving me treats when I got back to my area!!! Then imagine all our surprises when...

Holy Moly... I won Open A! So after a while of partying and such, we went home and slept soundly... believe you me, it's just exhausting to answer to Ma's commands!

The next day was "Specialty Day" when it was all Golden Retrievers - woo hoo! And guesses to who was there? No pix, but my boyfriend, Jackson, was there! Also, Avalon met up with her brothers, Ronan and Thistle. Above is Avalon with Ronan!

Even though I was entered in Open A again, I failed to "DROP" on the recall and NQ'd... bummer. Jes' didn't hear Ma right heheh! But I was due to be in a "Rescue" parade after my class. Here I am trotting out with so many other NorCal golden retriever rescues!

And here I am with Momma! Man, was I tired!

And so was my sis! We was exhausted!

From the Eastern Sierras to the Old West!

Momma here: seeing so much beauty in a few packed-full days should be criminal, but we indulged! This is Mount Williamson, the second highest peak in the Lower 48. As we drove out of the town of Independence toward the valley below Mt. Williamson, the scenery grew even more breathtaking (and that's no joke!). We were headed for the Kearsage Pass trailhead in Onion Valley (9200 feet) and hike up to Gilbert Lake (at almost 10,000 feet), so the thinner air really did take our breath away. The dogs did really super - it was as if they'd lived here all their lives. Okay Sammie... take it away.

So the above picture is where the trail started and this is Onion Valley. See that ridge up there? That is where we were headed - to a lake. The slideshow at the bottom of this post has lots more pictures of the trail and lake.

On another day, we roadtripped up to Bishop and headed for Rock Creek. No hiking today but a ton of swimming and leaf-peeping for Mom and Dad. Lake Sabrina is a pretty alpine lake that we drove to.

After we left the Bishop area, we headed back to Lone Pine, our HQ, and decided to check out the film museum there, cause on the way to Mount Whitney on the Portal Road, there are a bunch of rocks, collectively called the Alabama Hills. 100s... maybe 1000s of movies and TV shows have been shot there and the museum has a lot of media memorabilia in it. Afterwards, we actually went and explored in and about the rocks and had a great time chasing all manner of furry creatures heheh!

There was a spectacular sunset, and even though it wasn't all pink and orange and rosy, it was very dramatic, just like those spaghetti westerns. You'll see some pictures of that in the slideshow too. The next morning we had to pack up and leave...

This is the cool highway we've been following almost ever since Mohave.

Here we are, traveling north and climbing a pass as we leave Mono Lake, which sits in a valley just east of Yosemite National Park.

That evening, we reached Virginia City - our final destination before driving home the following day. This guy doggehsat us for a while. Look at that gun!

He wasn't a very good doggeh nanny, cause we escaped for a while and got Mom in trouble. Uh oh.
In addition to what we barked below, we suggest you might like to view the show enlarged by clicking on the double squares, lower right. Enjoy!

We know this is a huge post and don't expect you to look at all these pictures, but for those of you who might like to see more of the Eastern Sierra... well, we wanted to share our adventures.

A moment around the campfire... above... and...

...in the spirit of Halloween - the "Bucket of Blooooooooood"!

From Redwoods to Desert and Mountains! Part I

Just had to let you know that our first stop was by the King's River (and also... by the way... by Highway 99 and a well-used freighter rail line) - ouch!

We feel so privileged to have spent 10 days camping in our California deserts as well as near the highest point in the lower '48; Mount Whitney. We came within 100 miles of Furnace Creek in Death Valley; the lowest point in the lower U.S. What a time we had! It was so hard to edit this photo show and there are still far too many pictures, but we hope you enjoy! Can't wait to find out all about what you've been up to!

An army of Joshua Trees near the Kerns River, where the doggies swam and played!

We stopped at this curiosity store, "Robbers Roost" and were totally taken by the "cashier"!!!

Waking up to a clear, blue sky and straight-arrow view of Mount Whitney - back center!

Our first night provided us with a spectacular sunset show - wowzers!

Pawesome Pressies from Sugar!

Sugar - possibly the sweetest golden around, just sent Avalon and me (and also Sierra Rose) the most thoughtful package full of the nommiest goodies that we ever tasted - mmmnnnnn mnnnNNNNNN! And guess what? Sugar baked them herself, at her Paw House!

Here is how we found Sugar's package on our doormat.

Avalon is watching me snooter it thoroughly - I want to inhale whatever is in there right NOW!

It's hard to have a smiley face while I wait forever for Ma to get us one of Sugar's treats that we find inside the box!

Oh... Sugar, my pal... I am blissed out on this yummy, yummalicious cookie you made! I'm in heaven - can't you tell?

And Avalon loved your cookies so much too. She was very good about not being grabby heheh! I could tell she was savoring them!

Here is all the loot generous Sugar made for us and sent all the way out here for us to enjoy! Peanut butter is our all-time absolute favorite flavor of foodables and we love that they are wheat-free. You are a master chef and we treasure your card so much! We'll be delivering Sierra's portion to her as soon as she gets home today! Thank you a zillion times, sweet Sugar! Keep on cooking up a storm in your Paw House!

Mom: I hate apologizing so much, but I've been just terrible about visiting you this week. We have had lots going on that required lots of time that is so boring - how I would rather be blog-bound, address-wise, than dealing with biz stuff. And... we are about to leave for another 10-day camping trip tomorrow. Since I am so computer challenged (with no wifi), we probably won't be visiting until after the 17th - so sorries. But if we find a place that rents 'puter time, I'll stop in for emails and try to see what you are all up to. Thanks for visiting here, despite my bad commenting of late.

Who Do You Look Like?

Momzers wasted part of the day watching football (gasp*!!!) and playing with pitchurs here. Personally, I think she was shilly shallying around with silly photos, but we'd like to know if you've ever been told you look like your (or any other) hooman? Mom thinks that with some of my expressions, I look like Marcia Marcia Marcia. And...

...Dad thinks Avalon looks sorta like his fave movie star, Bridget Bardot.

If you want to try your hand at this, take a tour around this crazy place! At Cheezburger.com, you can find all kinds of fun! Hope you had a great weekend...

In Arrears...

We are seriously in arrears thanking Oskar and Emerald for these amazingly wonderful awards. We apologize for our tardy and overdue thanks; to Emerald, for our Doggie Bloggie Award, and to Emerald AND Oskar for the Most Versatile Blogger Award. Huge Hugs to you both!!!!!

The Bloggie Doggie Award requires that we:

1. Thank the pupper that gave us the award and link back to them -

2. Name 10 things about us -

3. Pass this award on to 15 blogger pals (or not-yet-pals)

4. Comment on the blog award recipients

5. Heheh: Have fun!

So: what we are gonna do is have moi, Sammie, tell 5 things about me; then, Avalon will paw 5 things about her. Here goes:

1. Since Emerald told us we got this award cause we loves the water so much, I guess it's no secret that we adores swimming!

2. Most of my pals couldn't possibly know how much I loves foodables or even non-foodables.

3. And I can't imagine that y'all know how much I loves chasing my kong hehehe!

4. How many of you know that I have this propensity for eating poo? Especially horsie droppings?

5. I absolutely loves my Dad and am all over him when he gets home at night. (He always takes me for a walkie, which I adore.) And here's Avalon:

6. I like duckies.

7. I absolutely tutely am in loves with my sisfur, Sammie.

8. Good things happen when Ma puts us in the car.

9. I have a passion for and even know what the word, COOKIES, means.

10. I love my home and everything in it and that means Sammie, Mom and Dad.

And next, we are honored to accept this amazing award. We must:

1. Write 7 things about us - since we just told you lotsa stuff, we're going to embarrass Ma and have her do the telling hehehe!

2. Pass this award onto 15 blogger pals.

3. Link back to the givers of this award and comment on the Blog award recipients.

Okay... here goes...

1. I love being semi-retired!

2. I am horribly disorganized. Since I tend to procrastinate, this is definitely a problem.

3. Life here is very dog and grandchildren-centered, which makes life somewhat hectic at times!

4. The next year will have to be intensely focused as my husband is retiring in September 2011, and we'll be making a lot of changes. You'll hear about it in the poor dogs' blog!

5. I am frustrated by not getting to our bloggie pals' posts as much as I'd wish - ironic how I take the pups out to play, take photos, and then race back to upload and blog, when I really should be doing the laundry or something.

6. I'm dying to find software for movies! That works!

7. Someday, I wanna unnderstand about Photoshop!

And that's it, kids! I'm gonna be a wimp and ask, PLEASE, that for anyones who do not have these awards to kindly take them and tell us a little bit about yourselves, your doggehs or your maiden aunt?? We love hearing about your foibles and loves!