April Fools

 Hey Tribe,

Just wanted to share my two April Fools with you.

I don't know what they're doing... catching snowflakes, perhaps?

Fly is Five!

 Hey Tribe,

Yep, our baby girl is 5.

Fly and I went on a hike we've never done before and it was such a fun morning/afternoon!

Our friends, ThePurposefulWanderer and SalPal, joined us for hiking and blueberry picking.

Since we went early, we were the only ones on the trail and Fly was able to run free and try to catch as many ground squirrels as she wanted.

We found two lakes, which Fly tested for swimming suitability.

The water in this area is so clear and I absolutely love walking along the sandy bottomed streams that tranquilly flow out from the lakes.  I could spend all day here and be quite content.

As the morning progressed, we could see people in the valley below us and Fly looked down at them with the air of one satisfied with accomplishing something ahead of others.

When we returned home, Fly spent her afternoon hunting goldfish and swimming in her pond.  The pond has been her most favorite thing this year!

Happy 5th Birthday, best girl!

DIY Dog Pond, Finishing Touches

Hey Tribe,

This is the last installment in the DIY Dog Pond series and we will be talking about finishing touches and general observations.

One of the important things about the pond that I wanted to mention is the placement of the water filters.  As mentioned in the supplies post, I have four mechanical filters working to keep the water clean and healthy. Two of the filters are like little fountains and I've placed them along one side of the pond, the ramp side, mostly because they aren't designed to be placed in over 4 feet of water.  My skimmer cleans surface water, so it is placed in the shallow end of the pond and it feeds a little waterfall (my favorite feature of the pond).  It is the filter placed in the deepest part of the pond that is the true unnoticed workhorse of the pond, however, because it has the important job of pulling the oxygen depleted yucky dead water that collects at the very bottom and bringing it up to the surface where it can be refreshed and made healthy again: the filter pulls in and cleans the dead water and the little frog spitter literally spits the water out onto the surface of the pond.  It is essential that the pond water be cycled and not let to grow stagnant, both on the surface and down in the 7 foot depths of the pond.

Fly watches the fish, 7ft below the surface, swim around the bottom filter.

We waited about a week after pond construction was completed before introducing the fish to their new home, but once they were in there, they made the place their own.  In early morning and evening, they can be seen near the surface, playing around in the bubbles created by the fountains and throughout the day they swim about in the deeper sections, out of reach of eager dogs.  I believe they have grown even larger and must be eating well, because we do not have any mosquito larva visible in the water, and we have not fed them at all this summer.

At least one frog has visited the pond and the shallowest part of the pond is a favorite location for frequent bird baths.  Bees land on the turf skirt and sip the water that wicks up the edges and dragonflies do flybys and skim the water's surface.  It's a busy pond.  I've added rocks and places to accommodate all manner of visitors.

It is also Fly's new favorite pastime, though not necessarily for the reason I thought it would be.  Ever the predator, I thought she would just run the edges and hunt the fish, which she does, but she also seems to enjoy swimming just for the sake of the swim - even after she has made an unsuccessful dive for a darting goldfish - and she will paddle back and forth before eventually making her way to the ramp and climbing out to hunt the edges once again.

I am also pleased to report that it is the perfect size for me to take a dip and swim about for a bit; the 7 foot depth means I can really swim without feeling like I'm in a tiny wading pool.  I enjoy sitting on the shelf, my body mostly under the water, with Rex standing next to me as we watch Fly hunt fish and swim laps. 

This DIY Dog Pond might have started out as a fish pond turned dog pool, but it has become much more than that - it is a summertime retreat, a preferred destination, and an activity we don't even have to leave home to enjoy.

DIY Dog Pond, Intro

Hey Tribe,

What began as a pond for three .15 cent feeder goldfish somehow evolved into a property enhancing human and dog swimming pool and I have zero regrets about digging a giant hole in my front lawn.  Our 3 goldfish are enjoying their 5th year of life with plenty of room to spread their fins - a dramatic housing upgrade from their stagnant blue plastic tote that collected gunk in a corner of the dining room.  Birds and dragonflies and bees take advantage of shallow edges to quench their thirst and bathe.  On hot days, Fly, Rex, and I swim and revel in our own private oasis; on cooler days, the trickling melody of gently moving water masks traffic noise and adds calming character to our home.

Interested in how we made it happen?  I've written a series of posts where I'll share with you what we did so you can use the info to spark ideas of your own! Also, when we make changes or adjustments to the pond, I'll be sure to post updates for you to follow.

Ready? Let's move on to the planning stage of the pond.

Little Buddy's First Night Shots

 Hey Tribe,

Little Buddy, our GoPro, finally got to show some night photography skills the other night.  We drove up to Hatchers around 9pm to try to see the Northern Lights that were supposedly going to be good for viewing, but it was too cloudy and too much snow was falling from the sky and I think my timing calculations were off.  No matter.  We salvaged the evening by taking a few test photos in the dark.

Fly made her own northern lights.

Not too bad, eh?  I didn't do anything fancy, just selected the "night mode," pressed the button, and held my breath while Little Buddy took the picture.  Not breathing was the only way I could try to hold still and also prevent my exhalation from clouding up the area.   Hopefully I can clean up a lot of the blur by having Little Buddy be more stable when taking night pics with the tripod that has finally arrived from Nu Bear.  I may still hold my breath though!

Now, if only Fly can remain still long enough to not be blurry - she likes to look around at everything and it messes up the exposure!  My ever observant KBD.

That night sky - so dreamy!

Black and White Photography

 Hey Tribe,

Black and white: my favorite colors!  But wow are black and white dogs challenging to photograph well: either their faces come out looking like dark holes in the universe and they have no eyes, or their white legs are completely clipped in the highlights.  I accept the challenge, because if it were easy there wouldn't be any learning or growth.

Those eyes!

The monthly calendar photo contest theme in one of my KBD facebook groups is "black and white in landscape."  With most of these "b&w photo challenges" people just take their regular photos, pop on a b&w filter, and call it good, but rarely do I think they're really decent images.  There should be more to a really good black and white photo than just removing color, because without color, the shapes, the lines, the contrast of light and dark become more necessary to tell the photo's story.  A good black and white photograph should take more consideration.

I'd like to improve my photography and take more deliberate photos; a little black and white challenge seems like a fun way to get going.  First, I scrolled through the photos I happened to have on my computer and selected a few I thought would transition decently into b&w images.  Here are the results:

This photo started out as a less than clear image to begin with: Fly is not in focus and the noise, or grain, in the photo is immense.  I do like how the glacier's lines and cracks are pronounced and I think snowy mountain peaks always look great in b&w.  But, without the color, you lose the cool effect of the location - you can't really tell that the foreground is ice and that Fly is walking on a glacier.  Glaciers might not be the best b&w subjects. 

This one isn't too bad.  Again, those craggy, snow clad mountain peaks are looking sharp.  However, I would have liked more contrast with the sky, so the clouds could be more prominent and add some drama.  Also, I think the foreground Fly is standing on has too much texture going on and it takes away from the mountains.  What I do love is the light falling across Fly's body and her shadow.  More of that, please.

I saved what I think is the best for last.  I loved this photo in color and I still really like it in b&w.  Shapes play more of a role now that the color is gone: the slope of the mountainside, the bend of the bush from the weight of the thick snow, the angle of Fly's ice coated body, the log that connects the bank to the river and mirrors the mountain slope.  It's all nicely composed.  What we miss is the gloriously soft winter sunlight that is glowing through the trees across the river.  How can I help that ah, shine, through?

I'll work on these points.  Hopefully it will help me become a better, more thoughtful photographer.  I'd like to take photos with a black and white outcome in mind, rather than just slapping a filter on any ol' photo.

Snow Slider

 Hey Tribe,

January slid by like Rexy on a snow pile!

Just had to share with you some of his antics during downtime while at SAR training.

Looks like February will offer us more snowy fun - stay tuned!

Howloween 2020

Hey Tribe,

Raise your hand if you like doing tricks for treats!

This girl is becoming a pretty decent trick dog - something I never imagined she would do.  I put limits on what I thought were her interests and abilities and didn't ever bother to try to go beyond what I assumed about her.  Boy was I wrong.  We almost missed out on a "sweet" new way to bond; stay tuned for a video of Fly doing tricks for treats.  Maybe she'll wear her halloween ballerina outfit, because it's pretty cute, isn't it?!

Love the bandana? It's from Remi & Me and is our new favorite accessory!  Use code FlyRex10 for a discount.

Happy Howloween!

Best Fall Adventure Locations To Bring Your Dog

 Hey Tribe,

Ah, Fall!  It's a beautiful time of year to get out with your dog for some adventure.  

Depending on your location, adventures with views should be ah, *high,* on your list. Hiking or driving to destinations that have sweeping views of all the Fall colors is one of my favorite seasonal pastimes.

The better to see you, my dear!

Fall is an ideal time to hike trails that are normally thick with vegetation - you and your dog will get to see more of the trail, since it won't be obscured by all the summer leaves and growth.

We wouldn't be able to see the riverbed or the mountains very well if the trees had leaves.

Usually not a fall destination, now is a great time to hit the beach, because the sand won't be as hot on your dog's paws and you might just have the place to yourselves with everyone else searching for places with leaves.

Such a perfect day for the beach!

Another often overlooked adventure setting are bike/walking paths: they are easy to stroll along, which is the perfect way to enjoy the colors and cool air.  The fallen leaves on the paths are so picturesque.

All the leafy glory!

You don't have to travel far to have an adventure, it's all about your mindset, and your dog will love it no matter where you go, as long as you're together.

Fly Turns 4

 Hey Tribe,

Fly is 4 years old today!

Vikinghunters Willow's Drum CGCA, CGCU, FDC, TKN, RATCHX

  We spent the day together, doing what we love.  It was wonderful!  I hope we have many more years of smiles in our future together.

One Year With the Pirate

Hey Tribe,

Remember the souvenir I brought back from Portugal?  It was puppy Rex! 

Armando Salazar Da Villa Saloia
(captain of the Black Pearl from Pirates of the Caribbean)

Well, here we are one year later, so I thought it would be fun to recreate our arrival home photo.

              

The Pirate sure has grown hasn't he?!  Good thing too, because those ears were enormous!

Pink for Rex

Hey Tribe,

KomaloCo sent us a surprise package that included scented wax melts and two bandanas!  The bandanas are horoscope prints that match the dogs' birthdays - isn't that a cute idea?

I don't know anything about horoscope stuff, so I had to look it up to see which bandana was meant for which Karelian.  Fly, born August 26th, is apparently a Virgo; Rex, born March 17th, is a Pisces.

Of course, maybe you've spotted the issue with designated bandanas...

We love these cute bandanas and we've loved being part of the KomaloCo crew of models - even if it means Rex has to wear pink!

Expectation vs. Reality

Hey Tribe,

Fly and Rex donned their Easter fancy wear and posed for obligatory Easter photos. 

This is the photo I expected to get:

Expectation

It is such a nice photo, isn't it?  They sit calmly, obediently, and gaze into the distance whilst pondering some philosophical dog mystery.

However, this was my reality:

Reality

Utter chaos. 

Happily, it was all done in fun - they were in really good moods and I laughed a lot.

Often our expectations don't quite match our reality, but that's okay.  Not everything has to be perfect.  Which photo did you enjoy more?  I bet it wasn't the "Instagram worthy" photo.

P.S. These bandanas are from Komaloco and I absolutely adore them!