Frohes Neues Jahr

 

 

A New Year,

a new start with my blog.

 

 

 We took a longer walk today.

The other side of the river.

 

 

 Part way we sat on a bench

for a picnic of Christmas cake and cheese.

Paddy and Jess

were very interested.

 



 

We had views of the river,

rather grey,

but with some nice reflections. 

 



 

And a different viewpoint of the bridge that is being built.

 

 

Further on, we saw some bee honeycomb on the floor.

No idea how it got there.

 

Jess and Danny want to know what it is.

 

And a nice group of fungi.

 

A nice beginning to the New Year.

Let's hope it's a good one.

 

 

 



While the Cat's away...

 

 

 

This morning

was one of those beautiful starts to the day

when the mist hangs

on the hillside.

 

As Mike is away,

I thought I would post some photos from our morning walk,

that way, he can share them,

as can you of course.

 

We, (me and the hounds),

were out the door by seven o'clock.

There's always a possibility

when out so early,

that we might spot some wildlife.

 

Fortunately, only I saw the hare.

 

I think I may have seen some baby wild pigs too.

Something made me turn around and look behind me.

Two little pigs were scurrying along the track going back the way we had come.

Of course I might have been mistaken,

they were running away from me

 quite small,

quick,

and not close enough to clearly identify.

I couldn't be sure.

But Arthur picked up an interesting scent

when we went back along that way.

 

When I'm on my own, I make the walks short,

and then only if it's cool.

Five dogs are too many for me to walk all at once.

So 2 or 3 have to wait while the others have a short walk.

 

Then we all go into the paddock together.

They all had a run around.

Then the girls,

Indie and Jess,

stopped for some quiet time,

girls together.

I thought.

How nice to see them like that.

It was only when Jess got up and moved away,

that I noticed that she had been chewing on a chew,

which is why Indie is so close.

She was waiting patiently for Jess to finish with it.

 

 

Danny is always alert,

on the lookout for anything that moves.

 

By now,

Paddy is ready to go home.

He has made his way to the gate,

and is saying,

'Time to go now'.

He wants his breakfast.

 

While Arthur

would be happy to

stay a while longer,

in the nest of long grass that he's made.

 

One last photo

on the way home.

 

All the mist cleared,

and it's back to being a hot day now.

I think we will be waiting until it cools a bit

before venturing back out today

for our next

trip to the paddock.

 

 

 



A Hot Weekend

 

 

 

It seems to be getting hotter.

We've had beautiful weather here on the Mosel for weeks now.

Spring was wet here, unusually,

so it was lovely when summer arrived.

But now,

the heat continues with no let up.

I don't know how people mange to cycle in the middle of the day

when it's so hot.

 

 

 

It's bad enough taking the dogs for a walk in the shade.

In fact Arthur looked as though he didn't want to go for a walk

yesterday afternoon.

So I walked back to the van with him and Paddy,

while Mike continued with Jess, Indie and Danny.

Paddy's watching them go here.

 

They got a frozen fish finger each when they got back home.

 

Paddy's looking for somewhere to eat his.

 

This next photo shows Jess and Paddy on tonight's walk

when it's cooler.

But they still look hot.

 

Paddy and Arthur spend most of the day in the cellar where it's cool.

 

At least the flowers are enjoying the long warm days.

 

I hope you are too.

 

 

 

 

 



Starting Up... again



I've been away from Blogging for over a year but have started visiting blogs again, mainly lurking.
It seems that if I don't do something about claiming my blog before the end of June- I'm not sure what will happen, so here goes with Bloglovin.


Follow">http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/4971613/?claim=5ydds2htz2x">Follow my blog with Bloglovin

It's a good way to get me back in the swing of things I suppose. I've been trying to make the leap a few times, but never quite made it. Let's see if I make it this time.



Well I did have more photos to share, but my finger was just a bit too quick to press the wrong button, and I can't seem to find a way of posting the others. Never mind it will give me something to post next time.



Just Five Months

These pictures of Rufus and Jess

were taken a couple of weeks ago.

I remember thinking that they reminded me of a Pushmepullyou.

I don't remember being unduly worried about Rufus then,

and yet I think it was about that time that we started having concerns about him.

He had developed a limp.

Similiar to Jewel.

Yesterday, a visit to the vet

confirmed, that like Jewel,

Rufus has bone cancer.

At the moment I'm typing this using one hand.

My other hand is continually stroking Rufus

as he lies next to me on the sofa.

He doesn't like me to take my hand away from him.

Poor lad, so strong and robust.

I think at the moment we are feeling a bit stunned by the news.

In only just over 5 months,

we are looking at losing another of our dear greyhounds.

One Big Happy Family

Happy New Year!

Settling In

I hope you forgive me for doing another 'doggy' post.

But looking through photos from Tuesday,

this first one made me smile,

and I couldn't resist including it in today's post.

Jess is on the right and Arthur on the left.

I don't intend turning this into a doggy blog,

(though Mike has had thoughts of doing his own dog blog).

But I know that Jess's previous owner and friends at the kennels

(do take a look at their website if you have time),

look in here to see how she's doing.

I haven't been posting regularly.

So here's a brief update.

Most days after the morning and afternoon walks,

we go to our bit of land

so the hounds can have a run round.

Jess is very playful and she enjoys running after a ball, frisbee

or other toy.

I liked the way Jess and Arthur were facing the same way

but I couldn't get close enough before they moved.

So it almost looks as though she is on top of Arthur in the photo above.

Jess was interested in someone jogging by

and ran up to the fence

and had a jolly good bark.

Well Mike is due back from the UK this afternoon.
He had another brief trip over there a week earlier.
Before he went, you could see that Jess was besotted with him.
While he was away though she followed me everywhere I went.
She's been the same this time.
She particularly likes hanging out in the kitchen with me when I'm busy.
But I think that's due to hoping she might get a tasty snack or a drink of milk.
But when Mike arrived back,
she was a bit wary of him.
Though I should explain that he was in his motor bike suit,
and he had someone else with him.
It took a while for her to get used to him again,
then he was off again.
I wonder what she'll be like when he gets back today.
I will let you know.



Foggy Starts

I took these photos on Tuesday

after an early start.

Mike and I were up at

3.45 a.m.

so I could take him to the airport

for his flight to the UK.

 Rufus looks as though

the early start tired him out.

It was foggy on the way to the airport,

but this eventually lifted

and we got some lovely sunshine

later in the day.

So I took the camera with me on our afternoon walk.

I tethered the dogs while I took a couple of photos.

Unfortunately, my foot got caught in one of the leads

and I fell flat on my face.

After the walk,

I took the hounds to our bit of land so they could have a run.

The next three photos show Jess and Paddy having a run together.

Rufus and Arthur seem more interested in a hole under the fence.

They were fixated on it.

Maybe they were watching for a mouse or something.



The weather has followed the same pattern since Tuesday,

foggy starts followed by sunshine.

Somehow the grey seems to be in for today though.

I have a bad back for a while

which restricts time spent at the computer.

But for some reason it's worse this week.

It's not helped by the photos not loading,

it takes an age.

Which is why it's taken until today to post this

and why I haven't been visiting everyone as I'd like to.

But I'll get there.

In the meantime,

I hope you are all enjoying a little sunshine wherever you are.



Say Hello to Jess

Last Friday,

I drove to Liege in Belgium to meet Mike off a train.

He had a very special reason for me to go and meet him.

He had gone to the UK a few days earlier

to meet for the first time, and collect,

Jess,

our new greyhound.

Isn't she gorgeous?

Here she is with her 3 new brothers.

She seems to have taken a bit of a shine to Paddy.

You can see how much smaller she is.

She is settling in very well

and making herself at home.

Last night she made me laugh.

Mike was already in bed

and I was on my way to bed

when she came trotting through

and pounced on Mike's slipper.

She carried it off,

jumped on the bed,

and put it next to him,

where she had already put

one of my shoes.

Here she is on her own bed

with a bone.

We think we will be able to take her lots of places,

as she doesn't seem to mind other dogs.

She isn't too sure of loud or unusual noises yet,

but I'm sure that's only because it's all very new to her.

She even came to one of the wine festivals with us.

She has been on lots of different walks with us.

And seems to be enjoying her new life.

I'm sure you will be seeing lots more of her.