Blustery days and Rainbows...

Went to the beach the other day with Simon, Tempe, Nancy and Nugget. Nugget needed some baby free time, being as he's been a great dad to his merry crew. ;) Wind was blowing like crazy, it was just so hard it was stinging your eyes... but we dodged the pouring rain and found a gorgeous rainbow.

Tempe, posing on the park bench. Almost six months old in this shot... purdy girl!

 Of course, no trip to the beach doesn't involve rolling in stinky dead crabs and then washing yourself off in the ocean. Simon jumped right in. Nugget (who did NOT roll in stinky carcasses, because he's a good boy...) helped Tempe realize that water was pretty fun... ;)

 Simon is always a photo opportunist!

Awww... see, little friend? The water's fine. Come on in!

Five months

Is she really five months already? ;) Yep! She is, and prettier by the day, if I do say so myself. ;)

PS: Fun fact of the day. Her favorite bait is dried strawberries and fruit leather. She will give up any sort of meat for fruit leather. ;)

Photodump #5 (And an adorable puppy!) ;)

Random summer fun -- well, fall fun! ;) Hahah, Tempe is growing like a weed... she also has her official name now - Samhain Silver Lining at Stonelight.

Also, I am totally thrilled to announce that we've got half of a new addition to the family. ;)

I am so delighted -- I absolutely adore these wonderful dogs and I absolutely adore their owner.

Meet - Galena's Golden Rule -- "Ginger" who I am totally head over heels with -- and will co-own with her fantastic breeder (and awesome friend) Nancy, of Galena Cardigans. She's a Nugget daughter (and he's one of my favorite guys ever, handsome and sweet) out of her girl Kate (who I also adore!) Ginger's going to live at Nancy's house -- which is just a short hop from mine, haha.

I get to socialize her and help show her ...  bonus points is that she gets to tire out Tempe (if anything CAN tire out Tempe) and then go home. ;) Awesome. More bonus points that I can photograph her. ;) I'm working on my Tri-color skills. ;)

To me... it's amazing, I had all these years in Shepherds, and I'm only in my third year of Cardigans. And I can say that I have learned more, laughed more, delighted more, and made some of the best friends I ever, ever have had, showing dogs or not.

I sure can't thank Nancy enough for this opportunity. Also for having that darn song stuck in my head again. ;) Darn you, Burl Ives.

True facts:  I totally watched the heck out of Rudolph as a kid!  (I also  wore a set of cardboard antlers and taped a red paper nose on my nose for nearly all of December until I had a raw nose, hahah. There is photo evidence of this, but you'll just have to take my word for it, because it's sure not going up here, hee!  ;) )

Little Tempe, Big City

Tempe took a trip today to Pike Place Market in Seattle! A little socialization... well, not that miss social butterfly nose needs it. ;) She's entirely social, everyone's obviously put here to see her!

On the ferry... mmm, bench rainwater! ;)

Oh, you wanted me to look cute  and get the city in the view? Oh, okay!

At Pike Place Market -- nothing phases this girl. It's amazing that she takes every single thing I can throw at her with utter unflappability. She does not panic or hide, she doesn't duck, or flatten. She'll stop, freeze,  look at it, figure it out, and move on with just a quick cluck of encouragement on my end. She'd never been through Seattle at all, or busy sidewalks, a thousand people walking, or over grates (and I will tell you, most dogs balk at grates in concrete. I can't blame them, they look like yawning, dog swallowing holes to me!)

                                             
On the wall at the Harbor Steps. Hello over there, can I share your water bottle? :D

Oh right, sit pretty again. ;)

And at the end of the trip, a very happy puppy with her dad. ;) I love how they're in step here, I admit it!  Her tail didn't stop wagging the whole time we were walking, hilarious. Like a little metronome. Every person she passed that said, "oh, look at that puppy!" got wagged at. She's gotten so bad that her keyword is "Oh--" and then she immediately starts heading towards the person, wagging away. Clever girl!

A Photo Day at Fort Warden

Simon, Temperance, and Caleb on the wall at Fort Warden State Park...

On the way up we found this coin operated horse, hahaha... I haven't seen one in years. Simon had a blast with this.

Again, all at Fort Warden...

Tempe is really picking up fast on keeping a pose while I shoot! She's an amazingly smart puppy, wow. She's also asking to go out on her own -- hmmm, I have to say, I like that even better! ;) So does my living room rug. ;)

Tempe had to try out the horse too, but she was kind of tired by this point and wanted to just nap in the sadddle. ;)

Simon, of course, started showing off and playing to the crowd. He totally stepped up there on his own and balanced himself; I just was like "sit back down" and he smiled at me like "but everyone ELSE likes this pose!"

Temperance was a bit overwhelmed by the ocean. She would put her feet in it though, after a few minutes. She's pretty darn brave, all things considered this was the first time she'd seen something like this... the boys were up to their necks in fourteen seconds, and covered in stinky sand. ;)

And Caleb, being Caleb and watching... no, not a bird! A kite, this time. He was fascinated with it, the people were dipping it around us when they realized he was staring at it and wagging.

Fly, Simon! Fly!

Boat dog! Hold that pose, Tempe!

Working like -- yeah, I've used this before. ;)

Like a dog, lately. Actually, the dogs have been working less. They get to lie there at work for the most part and eat things. ;) I want their job! Tempe is getting bigger, and she just amazes me, day in and day out. She's got incredible focus and concentration for an 11 week old. And she now has EARS... hahaha. Those came up. Funny how much she changes with her ears. ;) She's a mover too, a mover and a shaker, she can gait, gait gait... but what I love most about her is her willingness and bravery. You ask, she tries. No fear. Except for when the cats come barreling at her, and heck, I get out of the way if it's Sophie the terrorist. ;)

As you can see by the photos... Natural Balance was having a retailer contest for their promotion/giveaway.

So, hey... we figured we'd sort of take it the one step beyond and have fun. Simon was totally up for skateboarding -- I think I could totally teach him to use it. He'd probably love it. ;) Go fast!

What surprised us was Tempe -- she totally was in these shots, happy as could be. Total concentration, even with other dogs, a lot of people, and all sorts of things going on. Look at her be a show off and balance on the skateboard!! ;) I can't do that! Clever girl! Yeah, I think she came with an automatic "sit up" feature. She tries using it for everything, including when I say "no." (Sit up! Yeah, I'll try that, it works!)

She's a heck of a puppy, that's for sure. Adore her! ;) I will say all the "random scary noises" CD that Kim and Mark play for their puppies really works. Loud noises and scary things don't phase her. I uh, half wish they did at times. No fear! ;)

(Also, a Riley photo, because he's been feeling left out and crotchety.)

So you want to be in pictures, baby...

Well, first you need to take advice from Simon... which is -- always show your best side.

Then take advice from Caleb. Know you're a supermodel, and work that rock like a runway.

Think you can do those things at nine weeks, Tempe?

Hmph, you have to ask? I know how to go to the back door and ask to go out, and I carry my own leash, so, this is just a cakewalk. Is this my best side? I think so...

Hmmmm...  Caleb's right. You work it like you own this park. The Striped Zoolander might know the Blue Steel look, but I'm working on my own catchphrase, thanks!

And I'm spent. Talk to my agent about next week, thank you. I need to go freshen up.