Back in Action!

Sorry! It's been a LONG time since I've posted!! Mom was away for the summer, and I had to stay at the country home with my Dave the entire time. It was fun to be with Dave, and have the back yard... but WHEW!! Those puppies were a lot of work!

But my mom is back! And we are back in action... but things have changed since we were gone... One of our FAVORITE places to hike, The Redwood Park, is undergoing some "work" I guess they are taking away a bunch of the TREES!! This makes me so sad, because I get so hot with all of my fur, and those trees keep me nice and cool. I guess they are old, and in danger of falling (Which is no good.) But I still miss them.

We can't hike on the big trail anymore during the week, so we can only go on the little trail on the other side. Which is also a lot of fun! I made good friends with a Beagle puppy...who was in some dire need of some herding. Thank goodness I was there, otherwise his mom would have lost him for sure!




We also made a trip to my other favorite park, Tilden. Nothing is closed here... thank goodness! We had a good hike here... and came across a twig tent! We met the little kid who built it last year (but mom forgot her camera)... Turns out I fit into it! The boy said it was "Eeyore's House"... whoever that is.

It was SUPER HOT out...so I got to go swimming in the lake! I also found a fetch friend... I find the little ones make good fetch friends, because they never stop!!

A typical morning

This morning Mattie and I got up extra early so we could have an extra-long frizz session (mostly because I am going away for 3 weeks tonight and I wanted to give her a really good run). We went to the school field a few blocks away and this is what happened...

Mattie leading the way...

Throw it NOW!

Catch...

Return...

Let's do it again!

We had fun! The grass was nice and wet and it was still cool out (unlike the past few days). I'll miss my friend while I'm gone, but she'll be just fine at her country estate. The adventures will continue in three weeks...

The Champ takes a bow

Mattie put on a frizz catching clinic this morning and had everyone
walking by applauding (as they should!). It was a good morning!

Fort Funston!!

Mattie decided that she needed an outing to the beach, so off we went to Fort Funston in San Francisco. Mattie got in the water, I got in the water, even Christian got in the water. What a great time we had!

Leading the way

Mattie knows the way...the way to the park! I'm right behind you
Mattie!!!

Who, me?

I don't mind if Mattie gets on the couch, and I don't think Larry does
either, but according to The Boss (Trina), she's not supposed to be up
there. But who could tell that mug to get down (and mean it!)??

Lather, rinse repeat

Or rather, wait, catch, repeat. Here we see the 3 stages of a frizz session:
The wait,

the catch,

and the repeat!

New kid on the block

Christian is visiting from NYC and
Mattie has put him through his paces. He was a bit rusty but he's
catching on!

A walk in the dark

Mattie's 'cousin' Atley was over for dinner with his mom, and the two of them and I went for a frizz session afterwards. Here Mattie and the A-man pose on the way home. It got darker than I thought!

A rubdown for the champ

Every great champion deserves to be pampered, and Mattie is no different. Like Mohammed Ali, Michael Jordan and Balto, she likes a good rubdown after a workout. Here, Mattie is preparing for a post- frizz rubdown by cooling down in her towel. Another day, another fabulous frizz session!

Mattie's kind of morning!

Mattie and I got up early today for some frizbee fun. The grass was very wet with dew and it was nice and cool, so she had lots of fun and tons of energy. We were gone for an hour or so and we both had a great time. (I did my workout at the same time and Mattie did a great job herding me and my friends during it- she never takes a break!). The wet grass and the cool air made me think that is must be something like Scotland or England where border collies herd sheep, and maybe that's why she enjoyed it so much. Or maybe she just likes to make spectacular catches of the frizz. Either way, it was a nice way to start the day.

Sweet relief!

Mattie and I went to the park this morning and it was already getting hot! It was around 100 yesterday, and Mattie decided enough was enough. After another great catch she took her frizz and went for a dip in the creek. Good call Mattie! Looks nice in there!

Fun in the morning

Mattie and I went to the park for some morning frizz today. Here we have a fine example of:

the frizbee stare, and
the frizbee catch! Awesome!

Running!

Today Mattie came running with me. We ran a 5k in just over 25
minutes, which is ok. We can both do better though! Here Mattie is
relaxing in the car on the way home. Running sure is fun!!!

Summer vacation!

Since Jenny went to Italia for the summer, Mattie gets to have big fun in the country with me! She is doing a great job of keeping the puppies in line, and we are keeping each other from missing her mom too much (but it has only been 2 days!).

Here she is reclining (or rather, impatiently waiting for me to throw the frizz for her!) at one of our favorite spots here in PA. It's just a 5 minute stroll from the house, and we don't come home with burrs or anything! Ok, Mattie is calling me, time to go! More later...

Mattie Re-interpreted

Hello All! I know I JUST posted, but I'm making up for lost time. I wanted to show you some of mom's paintings she did of me!! I think they're brilliant, but that is natural, considering the subject matter.

Mom did them both in watercolor, but one is more traditional (if you check out past postings... it's pretty familliar!) and the other one is a depiction of how I truly am. Always trying to figure out the best and most efficient manner of ball related activities.

And if you want a better look at them, just click onto the pic and the actual size will show....Enjoy!

Last Hikes with Mom...

Sorry it's been so long since I posted!! I think Mom is getting ready to go on a big trip, because she keeps packing stuff up and moving stuff around. I don't like it when she leaves, but if I get to go to the country home, that's alright.

These pictures are from our last hike at Tilden Park in Berkeley. This is a really fun hike, and not as popular as the Quarry Hike/Seaveiw Trail to the East Bay Skyline Trail...it's smaller and much windier... and HARDER! It's only open during the spring and summer months, because of some migrating slug or something like that...but anyhow, it's a great hike! The start point is Big Springs Picnic area, and we take Vollmer trial, to the Lupine Trail, and down the Arroyo trail. It does get super hot in the summer... but mom always brings water for me and we have a great time... I hope I get to keep hiking when she's gone!!!

Wile E.... who?

So there has been some discussion that I resemble some cartoon charactor? Some silly coyote who is always getting himself into trouble. Anyhow... I don't see the resemblence... do you?

A Day at the Beach-Albany Bulb

Today was one of those rare days when it was actually HOT in the East Bay!! That meant a trip to one of my favorite places... THE BEACH. Mom took me to a doggie beach here in the east bay called "albany bulb". It's in Berkeley... right next to a big horse track (Golden Gate Feilds) and not very far from one of my other favorite places, Pt. Isabel.





I like it here because the beach is nice and sandy, and it's a smooth transition into the water. There are always lots of doggies here to play with and herd, and I LOVE taking a dip in the water!! Sometimes the water gets the better of me, though... and I get hit by a wave. This is annoying because it gets in my ears, and also breaks my concentration. But my mom thinks it's hilarious. Figures.

Working 9 to 5....

Sorry it's been SO LONG since my last post. My mom has been very busy (so she says!) and since I don't have thumbs, she has to type out my posts.

Anyhow... I've also been EXTREMELY busy! Ever since my Davey came to town, I've been spending a lot more time at my country home. Unfortunatley it's not the calm getaway it used to be. There are so many dogs that need to be wrangled.. I honestly don't know how they survive out here without me.

Only thing is that sometimes we get locked out in the yard, which I understand for the other pooches, but they don't seem to realize that I am on another level. Oh well... it does make it easier for me to keep an eye on everybody.

Sunshine in the Redwoods!

Sorry it's been awhile since I've been able to post. But my mom went out of town and Davey's computer didn't work. So I couldn't keep everyone updated on my adventures!

As soon as mom got back, we went for a fabulous hike at the Redwood Regional Park. It was great!! The weather here is finally sunny again (but I guess mom says it's way worse back home)...

We went on my favorite hike-west ridge to the french trail, linking back up to the west ridge. This is the BEST hike because all the way down it's tricky and steep... there are lots of tree roots to jump over and rocks to dodge. It's windy and twisty and FUN! Then at the bottom... it looks like prehistoric times! Big ferns and giant redwood trees. It's also nice and cool, and there's a little stream that perfect to cool my belly and paws in. (Though mom doesn't like it when I do that so much)

On the way up... it's all uphill! Perfect for ball fetching and running. Mom doesn't run, though. I think the hiking is enough for her. (Sometimes I forget that she has only 2 legs, not four!)

An Evening with Hip-Hop!

I had the BEST time the other night! Our neighbors went out of town, and we got to take care of one of my favorite friends...Hip Hop! Mom took us for a nice long walk, and then we got to hang out and play all night long.

Hip Hop is a little more chill than my other dog friends, so we just relaxed and hung out together. It was nice to have a pal to spend the eveing with. I hope we get to play again!!

A Collie's Work is NEVER done!

Well, today I had to take care of my toys. Sometimes they need some organization...and I'm just the pooch to do it! If only mom would watch and listen...but sometimes humans just don't get it. Oh well...!

Hiking with Friends!

This weekend mom brought along my cousin dog friend....little Atley! (who actually isn't so little). We had soooo much fun together!

Atley was supposed to be a seeing eye dog, but he had a "career change," because apparently he was confused about where to go to the bathroom. The truth of the matter is... that he told me actually QUIT! He put in his resignation because he felt it wasn't the right career path for him. I don't blame him!! I could never be on leash forever. But I suppose some doggies really like it. It takes all kinds!

I had to work extra hard in the hills with Atley around, and my multi-tasking skills were at a all time high...I not only had to fetch the ball... but herding Atley was a challenge! Auntie Suzie was (what people call) "out of it" due to some sort of boy situation. (I understand completely because my boyfriend, cody, exhausts me as well.)
Atley just wouldn't stay on the path! Thank goodness I was there to control him.

After the hike, however, I could see that he had fun. But unfortunately, he couldn't hold out for the car ride home. He's got a lot of energy...but he is no Border Collie! I have so much to teach him! I can't wait for our next hike together...