Mosaic Monday - Swiss Travel Dog

 

click on mosaic to enlarge

While on a somewhat blogging hiatus over the recent holidays I was trying to come up with some fresh post topics for the new year.  Here's my first effort:  Dog a Day.  Whenever I travel I miss my dog(s) that are left at home.  So, not far into the trip I'm looking for dogs to pet and photograph no matter what country I'm traveling in.  To begin this series I give you the Swiss Bernese Mountain Dog from a 2008 European trip.

Spotted this grand dog at an outdoor café in the historic center of Lucerne, Switzerland.  The Bernese is as much a symbol of Switzerland as its red cross flag (flying from buildings in top left photo), chocolate, and fine timepieces.  The Reuss River runs through the historic city center and cafes and shops line either side of the river where the Swiss enjoy the outdoors.  The flower decked wooden Chapel Bridge spans the river and provides a beautiful walkway.  This wooden bridge is one of the oldest in Europe, built in the 1330s.  The inside bridge roof is covered with very old paintings.  Middle right photo was taken from a cruise boat on Lake Lucerne and is the classic Swiss landscape of small wooden farmhouses and chalets nestled into the steep mountainside.  Lower right is a shot of the cloud-covered Alps.  I took this pic from the summit of Mount Pilatus near Lucerne.  Getting to the summit involved thrilling rides in a cable car, ski lift AND aerial gondola!  Think you'll agree that the view was worth the effort.

So, I hope you enjoyed this first Dog a Day post.  If so, come back next week.  Who knows where we'll go-Russia, Italy, France, New Zealand? 

Linking to Mosaic Monday

Best of 2013 Photography - May, June & July

I'm a bit behind with spotlighting favorite photos/subjects from 2013. So, today I'll share my picks for May, June, and July:

May

In May I became interested in photographing the many beautiful historical churches in Louisville so that I could participate in the weekly InSPIREd Sunday meme where we share interesting churches and other places of worship.

It happens that many of Louisville's historic churches are Episcopalian.  As I went around town taking photos of them, noticed that they all had red doors from the grandest cathedrals to the simplest stone churches.  Learned that the Episcopalian red doors symbolize many things, but primarily sanctuary and the Blood of Christ and His sacrifice.  This great example is Advent Episcopal in the Highlands of Louisville:

~click on images to enlarge~

June

For June I'll go back to one of my favorite spots for photographs -- Beargrass Creek from the Belnap Bridge in Cherokee Park.  In particular, I love getting shots of this wonderfully gnarled old tree in all seasons and times of the day.  Here a touch of pure summer fun with the inner tube swing hanging out over the creek.  BTW, this is my reminder to you that summer will return, although you may not think so in the frigid cold of this week!

 

July

 

July was not the greatest month for photography here at Summit Court.  First, it was the start of several months of ongoing problems with internet/DSL and my computer's performance which kept me from blogging on a regular basis.  In addition, it was a time when I was dealing with serious health and caregiving issues for my elderly family members.  On the positive, however, it was about this time that I started getting interested in attracting birds to the yard and trying to ID them.  So, I chose this collage of Chet in his favorite spot--lying by the front door and peering out at the birds.  He has taken a very laid back stance on his Roommate's new obsession with birds!

 

 

Picks for August - December still to come!  Am finding that going back though photo archives is a great way to see what happened in 2013.  You?

Best of 2013- March Photography - Fraidy Dog

 

Chet here, folks -- Happy New Year from me and the Roommate.  We almost didn't make it under the wire with our greeting because we're having DSL/internet problems AGAIN.  Luckily the red light stopped blinking long enough for us to send out best wishes for 2014 to all our blog friends.  You all are GEMS!

 

The Roommate chose these photos of me in my literary thunder shirt as her favorite photography subject for March 2013.  Personally, I thought there were better photos of me, but she does the picking since they're her photos.  Anyhoo!  The back story here is that when I was just a little more than a year old (March 2013) I suddenly lost all my happy-go-lucky Chetness and started being afraid of loud noises and flashes.  We tried me wearing this thunder shirt, but it didn't work.  Now when the sky turns the least bit grey the Roommate gives me a little green pill.  Still haven't figured out why she likes to call me Lindsay Lohan. . .

November Gratitude Mosaics - D for Dogs

click on mosaics to enlarge

November 4

My love affair with dogs began in earnest in 1983 when I bought Zack the Crazy Border Collie from a local farmer for $6.  He was just a little black and white butterball in the litter.  Apparently his mother, a working girl border collie had her head turned by a handsome black lab on Friday night. . .Anyway, I brought Zack home to an apartment that did not allow dogs.  We got evicted, forcing me to buy a house which was great.  For 16 years Zack led me for a merry chase as you can imagine.  Border collies are not meant to live in the 'burbs!

In 1985 I adopted little black Frank (named for Frank Sinatra because he had one blue eye).  He showed up at my friend Sherry's basement door on moving day for her.  We were just sure he was a valuable dog so advertised finding him but nobody claimed.  Took him to vet for his first well baby check and found out he was blind in that blue eye and full of worms.  But he and Zack were great buddies.  He lived for 15 years.

In 1991 I moved from Frankfort to Louisville and rescued Dan the Golden (I named him for former Vice President Dan Quayle because, like his namesake, he was very handsome but not so smart). Dan was collateral damage in a divorce.  When I picked him up from the young family that owned him he was tied to a dog house in the middle of a bare yard and stunk to high heaven.  Luckily, he fit right in with our pack and lived for 12 years.

And then trouble came in the form of Willie the Pit Bull Mix in 1997:

Willie and his sister Hallie were found by the dumpster at a Ben Franklin Store by a friend.  She asked me to come over and LOOK at him.  I did, bringing along a milk crate just in case. . .He climbed in that milk crate and in just a few months turned our home into a battlefield.  By the time he was a year old he was the alpha dog.  I was at my wits end because I had never dealt with this canine rivalry.  However, by 2002 he became an only dog with Zack, Frank, and Dans' deaths from old age and disease.  He thrived as an only dog and was my good companion for 14 more years.  I called him my Goodwill Ambassador for Pit Bulls.

Finally, when Willie died in April 2012 I immediately adopted Mr. Personality Chet from the Shamrock Foundation (his former name was Bubbles for the big ones on his butt).  I don't need to say much about him since he appears regularly on this blog and Facebook.  He's a thoroughly modern dog who embraces social media.  When he and I have disagreements, he takes to social media to tell you all what he's having to deal with and get some advice.  I absolutely adore him because he's so stinkin' cute and funny.  Here are some of his baby pics:

My goodness!  If you're still reading this I'm amazed.  Of all the areas of my life that I'm grateful for, living with these five dogs is right up there.  They have been a constant source of joy, humor, and companionship for most of my adult life.

Linking to the November Daily Blog at Myanderings and Mosaic Monday

Nostalgia

 

Nostalgia - a wistful yearning for something past or irrecoverable

The lake at Bernheim Forest and Arboretum this past autumn. Good Old Dog Willie was my photo shoot buddy as always. I liked having him along on these photography jaunts for the company and it helped me feel easier when meeting people. Always called Willie a goodwill ambassador for pit bulls. He loved going for drives and greeting strangers. Must start training Chet the Not So Good Puppy to be my new photography partner.

Friday Fences - for Chet

About a month ago I adopted this handsome three month old boy. His name is Chet and while he's in danger of being over-exposed on Facebook I haven't let him have much time in the blogosphere. This past month has been hectic but a lot of fun--and Chet's fences have figured into our routines. At night--and when he needs a time out for biting--Chet sleeps in his cage. I cover it up like a giant tea cozy or bird cage to encourage him to sleep a little later in the morning. But by 6:30a he's hollering for breakfast and a trip out to the newspaper box for the local gossip:

Here he is dog-tired in his cage recovering from an afternoon of social calls. We drove around meeting all his aunts and uncle. As you can see, being charming was pretty exhausting:

Following his older brother Willie's example, Chet spends a lot of time peering through the baby gate across the front door. He doesn't mind Nemesis Cat that stalks through the yard, but is quite fascinated by birds in the trees by the house:

I hesitate to show you this photo because you'll recommend that I get busy with the weedeater. However! Here's Chet meeting the big neighbor dogs through the back fence. He was fostered with three grown German shepherds so they shouldn't intimidate him:

However, one must have "woofed" him or he's inviting them to play "run the fence":

And, as always, for more fences of all varieties be sure to check out the Friday Fence players at Janis' website: Life According to Jan and Jer .