The birds are chowing on our buds!

The song birds are munching away at the crab apple blossom buds. Damn! I hope the tree can sustain the demolition. It is a very pretty tree in bloom.

Grooming, in between chowing.

 This tiny warbler was too busy and very hard to capture. This was the best I could do.

I thought about putting out some plastic bags to scare them away, but really, if they are hungry, munch away little song birds. I enjoy your music and appearance!

Fun little practice course

Now if I can only get this speed and drive from him at a trial!!

Wow, look how big the polliwogs are!

I look in this pond every spring for frog eggs and never see them. Obviously, I look too late!! The ice left this pond only about 3 weeks ago! Holy smokes, the polliwogs are nearly sprouting legs already.  Their bodies are about an inch long and from nose to tail about 3-4 inches!! Well, of course, these are bull frogs!

 Peas are up!!! Yay! Such a happy sign!

 This was Sunday after mowing my yard for the first time! :D OK, well, just this small section, but I will need to do the whole thing tomorrow I think!!! Amazing this grass grows so well. This is right off the back patio where the dogs pee all winter. We get pee burn, but it fills in nicely and you hardly notice it already!

Some photos

Spur went swimming last week. His legs look SO skinny when wet!!

 Trying to roll off the wet......

 Love those ears. On both of them!!

 Yesterday I mowed the grass in front of the patio! Hah, it looks SO awesome! What do I do? Nothing, just dog pee. It thrives, for reasons I can't imagine?

 Can you stand more blue bird photos?

 Toulouse.

Graduates class

That is what Silvia is calling this class. It is for those who have taken at least three of her on line courses. Roscoe was allowed even though he has never taken a course, because he is 14 and gets senior citizen privileges. He is learning some new fancy trick. Limp. I'll post that video another time.

Today is a jumpers course from the judge who will be judging the European Open this year. Fun course! The little shihtzu had to join us, but that didn't seem like a good idea as they entered the tunnel at different openings. :O

The deer herd is happy and healthy this year!

I guess the winter wasn't hard enough, they all look fat and well muscled and healthy. We have a herd of 16-20 come through each night and early morning.

The wildlife are active! We saw a beautiful grey fox trot through yesterday morning. Time to get the tick prevention out. Damn. The horses watch the deer eating in their pasture. They aren't allowed out there, yet, with the grass so young.

Pileated woodpecker sex?

No, we didn't actually get that on film, but they were obviously doing a mating dance. Rich says..........."they are fornicating"!!! Oh, really, that's what you call it when birds do it? It isn't very exciting anyway, birds have to holes they match up and that's all there is to it. It is really awkward.

 Not sure the difference between the male and the female. I think he is darker and shinier and she has mottled feathering?

 Pretty awesome looking birds!!!

Some videos

Roscoe's limping is coming along. I am kneeling now. My goal is to stand, but we had to work on him staying in stand position so much at first because he knows paw lift in sit position already, so his default was to sit. As I rise he wants to sit more and more to be able to look up. So, me raising up to a stand is going to take some time. I am happy that his paw doesn't hit the ground each time I click now and he even holds it for a bit before the treat is delivered. We are getting there!!!



Spur's class work this week. He kept sucking into the tunnel and I can see my verbals "run, run, run" for the a-frame is WAY late. I need to be saying it as soon as he is committed to the push jump before. He loves his tunnels. I do love his speed this night, he was diving into his weaves, which is really nice. He is getting more and more comfortable about that. He is often so careful to get his entries, which is nice, but it slows him down so much. This footing is a little hard for him, he does slip some.



Only two more classes at this place, which is sad. It is a nice BIG space and only 20 minutes from home. Even with the slippery footing, at least when the weather is crappy we can do agility in a big space and that is really nice. Sucks. We SO need an indoor facility around here!!!

I just can't figure it out

Still trying for those elusive action shots.......

 Oh, whoops, the photos got mixed up. This is a hawk I saw. It was SO far away, thus the bad focus. I don't know what kind of hawk this is.........

 Black birds don't photograph well........

 Another action attempt and he isn't even going that fast. ????

 I was told to focus on a spot and click when the dog gets to that spot. Um, OK, the ground is in focus, but my subject isn't?????

 It wasn't the best day, grey and cloudy.

Can you stand more bluebirds?

OK, well, just one more? I am still trying for that incredible, clear and precise photo. I think I need my table to rest my camera on. I can't find my tripod?

Still, I think this is a pretty cool photo with the light just hitting his head.

 This may have been the last day we see sun in a while. Our forecast is pretty gloomy and even has, gasp, SNOW in it. Ugh.
I don't know when Spur grew so much coat???? It just seems thicker than EVER!!!

Funny little guy

I actually really like this NQ run. I like how he is fast off his start, squirming in my arms to GO! Then his a-frame is LOVELY!! You can't see, but it is a beautiful hit and he so lightly soars the apex! The about turn off the teeter sucks. I hate such a set up. In fact, I hate the table after the teeter in any location. But, what Spur wants most is to GET AWAY from the recoil of the teeter, so he pretends there is a tunnel under the DW. LOL!!! That would be his favorite. His table fault is all related to his worry about the teeter. He just wants to get away from the damn thing. I love how he dives into his weaves and is fast. Then I kick the number at the second to last jump and poor guy frets about that. Oi!!!! But, the crowd cheering sure perks him up!!! He loves his fan club!!

Standing on his two hind feet

We have been working on Spur's balance, getting him to stand up on the log. He finally did it yesterday!! Amazing balance!!

 This was our final goal.............great strength!!.........

 This is what he kept wanting to do.......

 But, he figured it out!!!

 Pretty day yesterday!!!

 Hah, those ears!! They just get me!!!