In My Element...

...daily.  

The only thing that would make life better?  If I could lose the leash.  I still don't understand why Hootie doesn't want to spend the whole day hunting.  ~W

Fall Fun

Imagine a Tyrannosaurus Rex putting their nose into a cave and you are that "thing" he is hunting.  The T. Rex's hot breath rushes past your face as he exhales, while you hold on tight as he drawls breath in; deep, snorting inhales as he breathes with his mouth open allowing the extra nasal passage on the roof of his mouth to fill with your odoriferous scent.  You quiver in place and hope his interest will fade or be drawn to something else.

I'm that T. Rex in these photos!  I can smell that little chipmunk, just inches away from my teeth.  Lately I've been hot on the trail of several prize catches.  Unfortunately, I have found something else out about my desired treats...

Enlarge to see a "behind" in the log.

...chipmunks can climb, really high up trees.  ~W

The Gentle Hunter...

Believe it or not, I DO know when to hunt and when to be nice.  Hootie did a fantastic job capturing a very disturbing picture of me while I was hunting the ghost crabs on vacation!  Check out my fangs and wild eyes!  For the full effect, if you can enlarge this pic...DO IT!

*****

But I do know when it's time to hunt-to-kill or when to hunt-to-discover some- thing.  On the return trip home, from vacation, the family spent a night in Gatlinburg, TN.  On the morning walk before jumping in the van, Hootie and I found this little kitten.  See my nose!  His mama was close by and he was much too little to be away from her, so we left him.  The girl child was NOT happy when she found out.  Think the first picture of me above, but add a girl child face... can you see it?    ~W  

Winston and the ghost crabs...a.k.a Vacation Hunting

I know not everyone will appreciate my efforts to help the sea turtles flourish.  Hootie has a soft spot for turtles over all, so I was thinking of her on our nightly walks.  ~W

With my "cousins"... (Vacation, Part 1)

My family recently went on vacation and they made plans to take me!  

First we went to some mountain area and I met my "cousins." 

Their names are Finn and Digby.  

Heading down to the river for a romp

Playing tag! 

Sea Monsters!  

The view at the stream...waterfalls and mountains!  

Fishing

with my Aunt 

Hootie has some pretty cool family!  

Next stop...the ocean.

~W

Frogging

Recently the girl child has started walking with the DH and myself when we go out for our nighttime frog hunt.  She brought Hootie's camera last night.  There was a little accident with my retractable leash.  While the DH was trying to fix it, the girl child was playing around with the camera.  I don't think I am the baseball cap type.  BTW, Hootie needs to go buy a new retractable leash today.  

 *****

The girl child took these pics...one of my frog friends sitting at the edge of the pond and me playing with another frog.  Don't worry, he eventually got away.

What?

Get your own!  

~W

Is-a Good!

Is a Good!

Have you seen the movie Enchanted?  It is one of Hootie's favorites.  It's one of those lovey-dovey, feel good, girl movies.  I think the best part is Pip.  He's the chipmunk in the story.  


*****
When Hootie and I go out for our walks each day, I LOVE to try and find my own little Pip friend.  Hootie keeps saying I am retired, but I don't understand that word.  
Sometimes Pip hides under the rocks near the water's edge.

Other times he's under the rocks on the hillsides.  

He also likes to hide under downed tree limbs.  

***

Most of the time he gets away before I can nab him.  

If only Hootie would not hold my leash so tightly!  

Once in a while I am successful in my hunting and I get more than just a dirt covered nose.  I don't know why Hootie won't post a picture of my catch.  I know she's a big softy.  What does she expect?  She owns a hunter!  ~W

Oh, Deer!

Life around the Burrow has been full of nothing much.  A little road construction made crossing our favorite causeway a challenge.  Towards the end of construction I stepped in the fresh cement.  I left two paw prints...thought I was doing the walk of fame, but the next time I came through I found that the workers had smoothed out my prints.  I thought they liked me too.  They tried to give me pizza one time!  *****  I spent several times this spring playing a reverse Prince Charming for Hootie too.  It seems she can't decide whether or not to keep her hands covered and inevitably she loses one glove.  Our next time out means we have to re-trace our steps.  Luckily for her, I always see to spot her lost items.  

*****

And those deer...

they THINK they are so hidden!  

Okay, well, maybe the next two below are a little hard to see!  

It looks like Mother Nature is smiling in the woods. 

*****  

 Sometimes, streams need to be crossed.  This is a great time for me to remind Hootie that she needs to watch where she steps...

We did cross these rocks above and good for Hootie, she saw the Northern Water Snake before it disappeared under the rock.  It's not poisonous, just scary...if one wasn't paying attention.  

 ~W

The Good Thing About Hootie...

She left me last week, so she could take her human kids out west and show them the Pacific Ocean. I would have liked to have gone too, but ... my time away from her helped me appreciate her all that much more.

The good thing about her is,

She under stands my need to hunt...

...to dig...

...and to take a swim!

I missed her and I am glad she's back. Her hubby told her I was very pouty while she was away. He was exaggerating....I don't pout...much.

~W

Simple Things...

It's amazing how the simple things can make us happy or drive us crazy!

I lost my tags a few days ago and since then Hootie has been obsessed with finding them. No luck on her part...so she bought me some new ones. For me, one of my favorite simple things is a nice nap on the couch after a great hike!

~W

Vanity!

At least my human got the correct name in the first spot!

~W

My Trophy

Now here's a great find!

I was out hiking with Hootie the other day and I found this wonderful treat. Hootie was pretty tolerant of my needing to stop and chew on it every so often. I carried it around for the whole walk...an hour and a half. I left it out back, at the house, before I went inside. When I came back out, the next morning, some thief had taken it off the steps. I bet it was Tiger! He's a sneaky neighbor.

~W