Saturday, December 11, 2010

West Thompson Again


This entry closes out the year, and I’m left in the awkward position of feeling a need to look back. We’ve moved to a new town, and I’ve started substituting 5K runs for some of my dogwalks, so there have been noticeably fewer photos this fall. I took some of the best bird pictures I’ve ever gotten, and I still look back wistfully at photos of the time Ojo spent with us.

This last photographed walk of the year was up at West Thompson with Jill and her pups. This is the sit-stay photo we always try to take before we leave.

By the way, in terms of looking back, Copley (far left) has grown quite a bit. You can go back for a reminder of how teeny he was only 11 months ago.

Lots of non-dog, non-bird things happened this year, but this blog has really become my venue for writing about photos, so there’s a large, unphotographed portion of our lives that I don’t talk about here. I wonder how many folks think I just go for dogwalks every day and then to bed. I have a job, though you wouldn’t know it.

Actually, that part of my life has its own blog too.

Every time we walk with Jill’s dogs, I can’t help but be jealous at Finn’s graceful aging, or, more accurately, utter failure to age anywhere but in his lightening fur.

He’s still a lightning puppy, particularly when a ball crosses his path. I can’t help but wish I still had his white-faced brother by my side too.


Comet really needs to model dog clothes. He doesn’t wear clothes, beyond a collar, since his coat is already all-weather, wash-and-wear, and suitable for all occasions.

One of my favorite things about his looks is how little maintenance it requires. Many show Goldens are brushed out daily, washed a couple of times a week, and trimmed or “neatened” all over. There’s certainly nothing wrong with that, but Comet looks really good without a haircut, which to me better embodies the spirit of a working dog.

I just love the way they change color in the light. I may call them my red dogs sometimes, but they’re undeniably gold, gold, gold.