26 February 2017

Blowin' in the wind

Today was a Scottie Walk. I love Scottie Walks because I always get treats from kind people, unlike the mean Food Lady and Alph who have plans to starve me to death. We met a new Scottie today called Skye - and her Yorkie friend Mika.
And heloooo to my buddy Mac. We gave Mac a birthday gift because he has just turned 15. The Food Lady had a packet of goodies for him. So I must now wait another four and a half years before I get a packet of treats. Not fair!
Young Mac was there and was really happy to see the Lad. He was quite submissive to the crazy Lad who was flattered, and a bit flustered, that anyone took him seriously. (Two dogs take him seriously - Jango the Bulldog from Fish Hoek and Mac).
The beach was really windy - with kite surfers having a great day sweeping up and down in the surf.
But even though it was windy, our tails are up - but not Mac's. Follow me Mac, and we will find a kind person with treats for us.
The Scottie invasion of Dolphin Beach.
Laddie was very smitten with Milo and would not leave her alone.
And here come the rainbow Scotties,
who have all the colours of the Scottie spectrum covered - from wheaten (the crazy pup Lily) through gold and silver brindle, to black.
Very handsome dudes indeed. Pity I am not years younger! But now I am not interested in boys, just food.
We all attracted a lot of attention and one lady (in the pink jersey) took a photo of us for a photo competition in Australia. Sadly she had no treats for us.
But could there be a treat in that packet for me?
Estea and Irene were not here today, so Melanie was the Boss Lady. Here are her two crazies - Angus and Baillie - running in the wind.
We turned around after a while.
I must say I preferred the walk back with the wind behind me. Not so much sand in my eyes.
"I have a little shadow ..." Falling in behind old Mac.
Laddie was still annoying poor Milo,
and Melanie trying to tire out her two Scots, 
while the oldies just looked on. This handsome fellow, Jock, is also fifteen years old.
Seeing triple.
Then we made it up the beach to the cars with the wind swirling and buffeting. Now please can I have my lunch oh Food Lady.

Catch up

Just a quick catch-up of the last fortnight. We have had a busy time. Harvey came to stay once or twice which we love. He and Lad play with the shoo-shoo toy, one chews and the other wants it, then they swap roles (usually a momentary lapse in concentration on the part of the "owner") and one chews while the other wants it.
They also steal the blankets sometimes to do a tug-o-war.
We have had lots of lovely cool walks in the Constantia greenbelt,
mostly with Margie, Rupert and Paddy.
One day Harvey disgraced himself and chased these horses. Luckily no one was maimed or fell off but the Food Lady was embarrassed.
Harvey looking out for Hadedas in the garden.
Me looking out for the neighbour's cat in Fish Hoek where we walk most Fridays.
Harvey extending the paw of friendship to the spaniels of Fish Hoek.
Simon went to Japan with So Yhoung and sent us lots of lovely photos. The Food Lady asked him to send pics of gardens,
which he did. This is the White Egret Castle in Kobe.
A lovely mossy bank,
and a wintry blossom tree.
Oh no - what is this! I would also be shouting my head off if a cat sat on me.
Simon and So Yhoung sampling sake - or maybe tea.
When in Japan, do as the Japanese do: Simon in a Japanese guesthouses.
And in Fukuoka they found a dog accessory store. Not sure if I would like to carry my own back pack, but if it was filled with treats, I might manage it.
This is the statue in the Peace Park in Nagasaki where the atomic bomb landed.
Mount Aso in Beppu in Kyushu, 
and beautiful but snary volcanic landscapes in Kyushu.
And all the while Simon and So Yhoung were being tourists in Japan (this is the Yufuin no Mori train),  
the Alph was working hard to paint the inside of Daisy cottage in Agulhas,
while the Food Lady took photos of ants,
and birds. These Cape Spurfowl would NEVER have ventured so close to the house if us Scotties had been on duty! We just love to chase them over the hill and into the blue yonder - shrieking and screaming as we go.
But we were left at home so that we wouldn't distract the Food Lady from her gardening and cleaning chores. Huh!
They came home again, and immediately went out to say hello to Lucy-the-vet and her mom and dad, Joan and Alan. Sue was also there. But we are getting used to being left behind.
They also left us behind to say goodbye to Lydia who was going back to New Zealand. Helen was there too and she promises to start the Saturday walks again when the weather cools down.
So there you have it. Now where is my supper oh Food Lady!

14 February 2017

Tall, tall trees

On Sunday the Alph went cycling in a drizzle and we met Thea and Tessa and Sue and Honey in the tall dark forest of Newlands. We were not sure what this notice was trying to tell us, but the Food Lady said it looks like what is going on inside her head most of the time. 
I enjoyed the cool water of the mountain pools,
and the food lady found some flowers - Blue Salvia (Salvia chamelaeagnea) under the trees. Actually Sue and Thea drew her attention to them.
But she did spot this Rain Spider guarding her nest.
We were very grateful for the misty, damp morning - perfect Scottie weather after all the heat and wind.
In fact it made Tessa and Laddie go crazy,
but me and Honey just plodded on - admittedly my tail was higher.
Into the deep dark forest - past these lovely bracken ferns (Pteridium aquilinum).
They had to duck under the trees sometimes, unlike me. This is a Wild Almond (Brabejum stellatifolium).
Laddie running to catch up under the Wild Almonds.
At the end we discovered that we had accidently left the Woodcutters for Pixie Littlewort's trail. We were sorry when it was time to get into the car and go home 'cause we could have walked in this forest for hours.