Sad Storm

I'm a sad dog today.

I've spent most of my day moping. And waiting.

Mike left the pack early this morning.

And he hasn't come home yet.

I went for a little walk with Lesli shortly after he left. Saw a couple of trucks I thought might be him. Tried to run after them, but was held back by my damned leash.

Came home. Ate breakfast.

Moped. Waited by the front door for awhile.

No Mike.

Went to Bronte. Had a nice romp there.

Came home.

Moped.

No Mike.

Got a peanut butter kong and full treaty ball when Lesli went out. I licked the kong, played with my treaty ball for awhile.

But it felt meaningless. The joy wasn't there.

I went back to moping.

Lesli came home. After a brief, somewhat excited greeting, I returned to my post by the front door and waited for Mike.

Then we went for a ride and a walk at Paletta Mansion.

Came home.

Didn't even ask for dinner.

I just laid down on the carpet and assumed my forlorn face.

I ate dinner - but wasn't as excited about it as I usually am.

Since then, I have continued my front door vigil, interspersed with occasional rests on the couch while gazing sadly at the front door.

Still, I wait.

More discoveries!

We went to Kincardine yesterday, and, guess what I discovered on the drive?

Not only can I now stick my head out the car window and smell everything, and stare at people...but I can also bark at horses and cows - and goats, sheep, chickens and tractors - with my head out the window as we drive by!

Will wonders never cease?!?!?!?!

Spring!

Finally, it looks like spring is here! We had a few rainy, cold days. It was so gross out that even I was depressed. I didn't want to go for my walks, didn't feel like blogging. Laid around the house moping.

But that's over now!

The sun is out. It's warm. Bronte is full of big puddles and little, temporary lakes to play in. In fact, this morning the humans caught me twirling around in one of them. Somewhat embarrassing but worth it - I was just so happy, I couldn't stop myself.

One thing about spring, the birds get super crazy around here. We watched a goose go after a woman yesterday. Turns out, she had stopped to gaze out onto the lake, right in front of his nest. And his woman was sitting on that nest. So he flew up from the beach right over the woman's head, landing on the grass in front of her. He started charging her - we kept watching to see what was going to happen. Everything turned out fine - the woman eventually walked away and the goose was pleased. I swear, no one is going to touch that guy's eggs.

Back to my nap. Crazy day so far today and I need my beauty sleep.

The greatest duo of all time strikes again

Starsky and Hutch.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

Montana and Rice.

Bonnie and Clyde.

Batman and Robin.


Clint Eastwood and...well, uh, his sneer.

Lassie and Timmy.

Throughout history, there have been great duos.

But none compare to the greatest of them all.

You know who I'm talkin' about.

The unstoppable...Storm and Quinn.

They're all talkin' about us at the dog park. The deer. The bunnies. The hawks. The crows. And now, the ducks. You bet, they're talkin'.

No one is safe.

Grab your fawns, baby bunnies, squirrels, ducklings...whatever your species happens to be...

Because you never know when we will strike.

Today, in the sleepy little park of Bronte, an unsuspecting duck landed in a makeshift pond beside the off leash parking lot.

Quinn didn't waste a second. He turned and barreled down on the duck. I sensed adventure, and joined in the chase. The duck flew away. I took the lead and chased it across the road (kinda glad Bronte is fenced in and the speed limit is really low). Quinn paused...but not for long. The duck turned, headed down the road. And we followed. Air pumping through our lungs. Sun on our backs. Duck quacking. Legs pounding the pavement. Humans shouting.

We didn't stop until we had run that rogue duck outta town.

We gave each other a satisfied glance, holstered our pistols and headed back to town...where a couple of pissed off humans waited.

They're threatenin' to break us up.

We'll see who wins that one.

Mark my word...Storm and Quinn WILL ride again...

I'm not too old to discover new joys!

It took me over seven years, but I have finally discovered the absolute total bliss of sticking your head out the car window.

WOW!!!!

The spring air flowing through my snout as we drive...closing my eyes and just feeling it blow over my face...taking in all of those incredible scents flying at me...feeling the sunshine on my head...staring at the people in the car next to us when we're stopped (the human advises that may make people somewhat uncomfortable?).

It's magical.

I'm strapped in now with my canine seatbelt. Suppose that's why I've been allowed to make this discovery. Man, am I glad I made it. Especially on a day like today - sunny, not too cold. A perfect early spring day.

The human and I went for an on-leash hike at Bronte this morning. We wandered around the farm (where a cow made a hideous sound when I went by), down to the creek. Hiked a lot of hills, played and dunked in some super big spring puddles which are really like small lakes. She worked me hard today - we went to the off-leash area tonight. Says it's because I'm becoming "portly" again.

That would explain the shocking lack of treats today.

I was Duped

Apparently we have opened a rehab centre for injured wildlife.

A duck (female greater scaup) slept in our guest room last night.

Not only was I not consulted, I wasn't even given a courtesy "heads up" that the duck would be gracing us with her presence. No one asked my permission.

Worse, I was tricked.

The human managed to get the duck into the guest room and out this morning for a trip to rehab without me ever knowing it was here.

I didn't have the chance to sniff it. Bark at it.

Eat it.

Oh, sure, I had canned duck this morning with my breakfast. But believe me, I had no idea a real, live duck was mere feet away. What a raw deal!

I was bamboozled.

Storm and Quinn's Most Excellent Adventure

OMG, am I ever tired! I think today was perhaps the best time I've ever had at Bronte.

It was just me, Cosmo and Quinn walking today. We went through the woods, past the field, and down to the creek that shows up at the off leash area every spring, and dries up eventually. Love that creek - it's perfect for a quick bath, and fun to run through.

I went into the creek and was having myself a little drink and dunk. Quinn was staring at me. The humans commented on that - suggested he was staring me down because he wanted to play. It turns out, however, that Quinn wasn't actually looking at me. He was looking just behind me...to where three deer were standing. Right there, beside the creek, in our off leash area.

Quinn moved toward me, I moved in the creek - and that scared the deer. They moved, I saw them - and we were off.

The deer were fast. So were we. We were out of the humans' sight in seconds, across the fields, past the park office, chasing our huge prey. It was like a dream!

We were no match for the humans (or for the deer, for that matter...they got away eventually). Lesli tried to chase us, but gave up. She walked along the road calling us, thinking there was no way in hell we would come back just because she was calling (correct assumption), but that she could at least give us some sense of where our pack was when we were ready to return.

Diane and Cosmo caught up to her. They asked a guy driving a park truck if he'd seen us, but he hadn't. They asked a couple walking their dogs, but they hadn't seen us either. Lesli handed my leash to Diane and was going to drive around the park in her car while Diane continued the foot search when I came running back to them from the farm area.

I came close to them - was considering going to her and accepting my reward for coming back. But I caught a scent...sniffed the air...and thought, to hell with that - I still have prey to chase. I took off again before finally coming back to the pack and letting them put a leash on me.

My partner in crime stayed away from the pack a bit longer, finally returning a few minutes after I did.

We were like Thelma and Louise, off on a crazy adventure together.

I really need a nap now.