Florida is Flat; On the Other Hand...

As much as I like to complain about having to walk the dogs it does get me out at least twice a day, and I get to see a lot of wonderful things. Here are just a few of the shots from this year:

Hey, Gypsy... what do you think we will see around the corner?

We see beautiful misty mornings....

And sniff snails crossing the trail.

And decorated camp sites.

We've seen mama and her twins.

And birds taking flight.

We've intimidated turtles.

We've seen the sun going down...

And we've seen the Denver skyline at night.

We generally go for a long walk in the morning, walking a few miles, and the evening walk is usually a bit shorter.

In Florida we circle in and out of the streets in our neighborhood, we traverse a few pedestrian bridges that cross small lagoons, and we walk along the Caloosahatchie River and through a lovely glade of trees. The greatest change in elevation is probably 3 feet, when I cross one of the bridges. Otherwise, the land is flat! Flat as a pancake!

When we are on the road we have the opportunity to see many new sites, smell new smells and walk new paths. Sometimes we simply walk around the campground. Other places we head out the gates to see what we can see. Recently we walked between a newly planted pecan grove and an older, established pistachio grove. We have walked around lakes and next to rivers. We've walked along highways and on mountain paths.

And now, we continue our morning and evening walks up and down the hills around our California home.

Tucker: Let's go up the hill!
Gypsy: Let's go down the hill!

I don't know about the dogs, but my legs are not used to this!

Alluring

So apparently it's not enough to have all kinds of horse events on the property of Grand Oaks, in addition, they recently had an AKC/PALS coursing event. I was vaguely familiar with the term, and had a hazy picture of how it is set up, but I was so totally wrong when it came to the dogs that would be participating. Coursing, following a lure pulled along a course, is typically run by sight hounds. Not so at this event. AKC changed its rules and I think just about every breed was represented, and it looked like each and every dog was having a blast. OK, so maybe I didn't see all breeds, but I did see a lot! As I recall I saw:

Fox Terrier

Schnauzers (several sizes)

Boston Terrier

Jack Russell Terrier

French Bulldog

Little hairy barky dogs

Australian Cattle Dog

Welsh Corgi

Golden Retriever

Doberman Pinscher

Weimaraner
Australian Cattle Dog
Dachshund

Australian Shepherd

Border Collie

German Shepherd

Boxer

Mudi (a rare Hungarian dog)

Great Dane

Rhodesian Ridgeback

Whippet

Scottish Terrier

Cocker Spaniel

Cavalier Spaniel

and

many

more!

For this event all of the dogs had to be AKC registered or PAL registered (Purebred Alternative Listing). The first day the event was a speed event called Fast CAT.

This Rhodesian Ridgeback is poised for action as she waits for his run.

For the FastCAT dogs completed a hundred yard dash individually and received points for their performance based on their size and breed.

Dogs wait, some not very patiently, for their turn.

The second day a Coursing Ability Test (CAT) was conducted, where dogs had to follow a lure on a course with several turns for 300 or 600 yards. Dogs receive points towards different classifications based on their performance. They receive credit if they follow the lure with enthusiasm and compete the course without interruption within a specified time.

This is a Mudi. He was very fast!
(and rare)

Dogs who have run in a coursing event are eager to run again.

The Fast CAT is a 100 yard run in a secure, fenced area.
You can see the lure (a plastic bag) being pulled ahead of the dog.

It was interesting to see how different breeds and types handle the challenge. I was very interested in watching the Australian Shepherds, and I was surprised that after a fast start, they settled into a fast run, but held a lot in reserve. It stands to reason, as herding dogs they never know when they will need to add a burst of speed, so they conserve their resources. Several Aussies and other herding breeds ran quite a bit to the side of the lure, as if they wanted to get ahead of it and turn it.

It's easy to interpret their barks and whines.
They want to get out there.

Border Collies tended to run a bit faster. The Boxers all seemed to be very fast and very aggressive, biting at the string and the lures. The Golden Retrievers had fun. Most of them gladly pursued the lure, but not with a great deal of speed. The Corgis looked so darn cute with their "pants" flapping up and down as they gallantly chased the lure. The Great Dane loved the chase, but looked silly gallumphing along with a bouncy stride. Both the Cavalier Spaniels and the Boston Terriers ran swiftly and received applause for their performances.

This little Boston Terrier has an amazing stride!

Only a few dogs gave up on chasing the lure and went galavanting over the hillside. One cute little guy stalked the lure, step by step, and then finally took off after it. Another went after the lure until it made the first turn around the pulley. The dog had to stop and examine the pulley. Quite a few dogs were so intent on chasing the lure on the speed event that they crashed into, or jumped over, the fence when the lure went under it at the end of the course.

It was very interesting to watch the dogs and I itched to grab Tucker and Gypsy and let them have a go. However, we don't have Tucker's papers with us (and he has a bad shoulder and hip...which wouldn't stop him one bit!) and Gypsy has no papers. Maybe someday....

Are We There Yet?

I really think that is what Gypsy was asking me in this picture:

Or, maybe she is whining about Tucker taking up more than his half of the back "seat".

Can't you just hear it:

Mom, tell Tucker to move.

Tucker's touching me.

Get your big butt off of me. 

Most of the time the dogs slept. When we slowed down to exit or turn, one or the other might pop up to look, then they'd lie back down and snooze some more. 

So, to answer the question; Yes, we are there! We traveled for 2 1/2 days - 12 hours each, for the first two days, and another 6 (or was it 8?) on the last day. I think we are all ready to stay in one place for a bit!

Our only mishap? On an abrupt stop because some fool #%€^#£€$& driver (Mr. Dreamy's words) in front of us didn't know how to merge onto the highway, the bicycle wheels slid on top of Tucker. He was cool about it and calmly waited for Mr. Dreamy to stop so we could restack the load!

White Sands Missile Range

(This month I will be participating in the A to Z Blogger Challenge... and we are getting close to the end! Where did April go?! Each day my post will begin with successive letters of the alphabet.  My A to Z Blog Challenge topics are inspired by our recent 90-day trip on our motorhome. Click here to see links to other responses to this challenge.)

W is for White Sands

Just before returning home we stayed in southwest New Mexico and visited the White Sands Missile Range. They have an impressive display of US armament that have been tested on the range from the 50's until more modern times.

They had missiles that track their targets.

Missiles deployed from land and air.

And even Scud missiles used in the Gulf War.

I hate that our nation has to develop and deploy devices to defend our freedom. But the White Sands area was so sparsely populated in the 50's when they established the testing range that at least its development didn't displace too many families.

I found it interesting to read how some missiles contributed to the development of others, and how that technology evolved. Part of that research and development involved two missile detecting dogs. They were used to locate parts from exploded missiles. 

source

Components of the missiles were sprayed with squalene, a shark-liver oil that dogs can detect from quite a distance. Humans can not smell it. Dingo, a Weimaraner, and Count, a German Shorthair began seeking missile parts in 1961.

source

Evidently the dogs did a fabulous job at finding even the smallest parts of missiles. 

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch: Flunking

The weather couldn't be nicer - at my house and at Patrice's. 

I'm going to take a break from all of my fun... and work.... 

to chat on the farmhouse porch with other friends!

Here are this week's questions:

1. What's your favorite type of chair?
2. What was the last play you saw?
3. If you could spend an all expenses paid week in a cabin in the mountains, a cottage at the beach, or a townhouse in a city with lots of great attractions, which would you choose?
4. What's your favorite condiment? 
5. What's your favorite breed of dog?

I am gonna flunk this Chat on the Farmhouse Porch! I don't know the answers to some of the questions. Oh geesh...it's been a long time since I flunked a test!

1. What's your favorite type of chair?

Oh, man.... I don't know. To watch TV I like an upholstered chair that isn't too deep. It's nice to have a chair large enough to curl up in, or to have one with an ottoman. I'm not particularly fond of recliners, however. In my kitchen I'm really enjoying my painted chairs. I have an antique child's rocking chair that I really like. I remember my mom remaking the rush seat. It's a chair that my brother, sister and I all used as kids, and may have been used by either of my parents. I'm not that certain of its history. I have two Adirondack chairs on my front porch. They're comfy after working in the yard. But, I just don't step out there to sit that often. However, the nice thing about that type of chair is that it rocks me back and 'cuddles' me... and it's not as easy to hop out of as a regular chair. So, sometimes I do stay sitting longer than I intended to... which is a nice thing!

2. What was the last play you saw?

At first I didn't think I knew the answer to this question. Then I realized the last plays I saw were when I helped out in a community theater a few years ago. The last production was a "twofer" with "Under Jekyll's Hyde and "Man of the House". I was in charge of the props, making sure that everything was where it needed to be each evening. The plays were cute and even after watching them almost a dozen times, I would still find myself laughing at some of the silly lines.

3. If you could spend an all expenses paid week in a cabin in the mountains, a cottage at the beach, or a townhouse in a city with lots of great attractions, which would you choose?

By nature I am the cabin in the mountains type of person. But, since I rarely get to 'do' cities, I think I might opt for that experience as it is so very different from my day-to-day life.

4. What's your favorite condiment?

Oh, here's another easy one. Maybe I won't flunk this chat after all! I love ketchup. I don't use it on everything... but I must have it on all but the goopiest hamburger or cheeseburger. And I like it with fries. I've never been a ketchup with egg type of person, but I have been introduced to, and enjoy, salsa with my eggs.... so ketchup isn't that far a stretch!

5. What's your favorite breed of dog?

Oh, dear. Maybe I will flunk! I don't know! I love so many different kinds of dogs that I'm not sure how to answer this. I can't even narrow it down to a group of dogs! I had Golden Retrievers for many years and still love them. They are the most wonderful dogs. I love Bernese Mountain dogs and Newfies. I think Corgi's are cute. Australian Shepherds are nuts! Well, then there are mutts. I've known and loved a few mutts; the last being a cross between Great Dane and hound....maybe?

I guess I would have to say that mutts win the prize. They win my heart!

Take me to a shelter and I'm in trouble as I want to take each and

every one him with me!

If you'd like to join us, 

click on the image below to see what others are talking about!