Dances with Humans - Playtime in Autumn

Morning folks - Smudge here.  Sorry I haven't been in touch recently - I've been a busy dog but I thought I would have a go at Scenic Sunday this week and show you some autumn colours in Cochrane, Alberta.

It's been a good week in the Frostbite and Sunburn household - Honey and me have been taken to our favourite walking place everyday this week - and I never, ever get bored with it.  In fact, when I recognise the road that leads to the River, I literally squeak with joy.  I mean - who wouldn't? It's a great place - it's very yellow and orange at the moment!

So The Boss was away all week, and while I missed him terribly (of course), old Honey-chops and me got to argue over bed space and once she'd realised I was the chief bed-hogger, we got to stretch out on his side of the bed.  The Reluctant Dog Owner didn't seem to mind too much and I got so many tickles behind the ear, I was one happy woofer.

It can be pretty boring being locked up in the kitchen all day but, man, you can get in some good quality kip when you are undisturbed and there are no Little People in the house because they go off in that big yellow bus each morning. There are no delivery drivers to bark at, no visible neighbours reversing out their trucks (to bark at) and no doorbells to check out (and bark at).  See, pretty peaceful.

When we go to the river, we get to run free and play with all the other dogs.

Boy, there are some funny canines out there.  Some are cute and almost as handsome as me - some are just butt ugly and someone really ought to have a word with their hairdresser; and then there are the complete lunatics, and I have to be honest - they make me a bit nervous.  Those puppy fellas are just a gangly pile of legs, paws and teeth - and their aim is a bit off.

Honey likes to play the "stop and sniff" game - they take it in turns.  First she sniffs the bum of one dog - I think this is a bit forward really, she doesn't even know them ...

- and then she stops and lets the next dog sniff her bum.  Floozy.  Whatever.


I have other things on my mind.  My completely favourite bit is the "Find and Fetch the Ball" game.  The Reluctant Dog Owner says I am slightly OCD where a ball is concerned, but she simply fails to see the absolute joy and fun that can be had.  


The Boss reckons I would make a good Drugs Dog, but I don't understand - I've never taken drugs in my life.

A really, really fun game is to fetch the ball and then let it roll down the steep bank so it goes plop into the water. So then you dive in after it, have a bit of a wallow around to cool off, then grab the ball and run back up the hill.  It's very refreshing.  Chasing balls is hard, sweaty work you know.


Only yesterday, I had a different ball to play with - and it didn't float like the fuzzy tennis ball we usually bring - it just sank to the bottom.  Oops.

Well - I'm not going to stick my delicate little nose into the water, am I?  I'm not stupid. And Honey is no use whatsoever.


So I do the whole pleading-puppy-dog-eyes routine ... 

and the Boss comes down the bank to the river side and rescues the ball for me.  Sucker.

.... and then we do it all over again.  Brilliant game.

It's actually hard to spy my orange ball, when the undergrowth is competing for orangeness too.

So, the Poplars are changing rapidly - a golden border to my river views.  Lots of wonderful swirling leaves to chase.

The Siberian Larch is also turning an orangey gold, ready to drop it's soft needles.

On the other side of the river, these noisy digger machines were carving great roadways into the hillside and cutting through the bands of autumnal trees.

Looks like there is a new housing development going in.  It's going to be messy for a while.

Hope you've enjoyed my attempt at Scenic Sunday - have a woofing good week.