Friday, June 28, 2013

Two little Katie stories and a campsite fight

People always want to hear more about Katie and ask for more photos, so today's the day.

First story:  After Katie's early afternoon walk, she gets half of a Kirkland Dental Chew for a treat.  They are her favorite treat right now, and she won't let me forget to give her one, that's for sure.  She knows exactly where they are stored. Here she is waiting for her chew, guess where I keep them:


I open the cupboard door...  look at that tail wagging:


"Katie - back, lie down!"


Good girl!  (She's so cute.)


Katie loves these Kirkland Dental Chews.  I break them in half, and the gets half a chew every day.  Yum.

Second story:  Katie has excellent hearing.  Her latest thing is this.  Every day in the early evening after it has cooled a bit, Hazel comes by to get us and we go for a ride in the car and exercise the Greyhounds who walk/trot alongside.  I've written about this before.  But the funny thing is this.  Day after day, Katie would bug me to go outside. Not at any exact time, just in the late afternoon/early evening.  EVERY DAY as we are walking along, Hazel's car comes around the bend.  The other day, Katie HAD to go outside earlier than usual, so we went outside.  We're walking along, and here comes Hazel, early.

I had company yesterday - a fellow camper was here putting a program on my computer.  He was done and we were talking and suddenly Katie jumped into my lap and stood up on my shoulders and stared at me. (That's how she tells me she needs something.)  I told my visitor that she must have to go outside, so we went outside. I was telling him about Katie always knowing when Hazel was on her way, but it was a little early.  Wouldn't you know it, around the bend comes Hazel.  Early - but Katie knew she was on the way and we were outside already.

Power and Fleur in the car out for a ride.  They walk outside for a while, then finish up inside.

Not only can Katie hear and recognize her car, I always have either the TV, the radio or a book on tape playing, and in the afternoons I play a computer game that is continuously making noises.  So over those two ongoing noises, she can still hear and recognize the sound of Hazel's car from far away.

Usually we get about half the way down the road before we see her.  If I won't take Katie out right away, like I want to finish a game, then we don't get as far.  It took me a while to figure it out, but Katie must hear them waaaay down the road to near where Hazel and the Greyhounds are camped.  They are at the front end of the park, and we're in the furthest campground by the dam. I know dogs have a good sense of smell, but I had no idea they could hear that well.  Aren't dogs amazing?

And now the Campsite Fight.

Here is my Resident Rabbit - he's kind of sneaky and mean looking, isn't he?  Look at those eyes.


He guards my campsite, and if a squirrel (I don't know if it's any squirrel or just this particular squirrel) tries to come in or run through, he attacks.  Sometimes he hangs out under The Palms, the better to keep an eye on things without being seen. 

Here's the poor squirrel in question yesterday:


I saw a scuffle out of the corner of my eye and looked out the window.  There was quite a fight going on with dust everywhere, rabbit and squirrel twisted together and jumping in the air, etc., so I grabbed my camera.  Things had calmed down a bit when I snapped these.  First the rabbit was in front, then the squirrel ran past and was chased by the rabbit up a tree.  
 

Kind of hard to make them out in the shade of the bushes and trees. The rabbit is on the lower left, and the squirrel is in the lower middle part of the photo.

Can you see them both with all eight feet in the air, running?  The squirrel finally reached a tall tree and ran up, leaving the rabbit behind.

Whew!  That was one tough bunny!

From what I've seen, the rabbit always wins.

WELCOME to our newest Follower, Arkansas Patti!  She says, "Have landed at the feet of 70 and hoping it is the new sixty."  Wow, Patti, I'm almost there with you, but I'm hoping it's the new fifty!  Patti has been on Blogger since 2008, so she's been blogging for five years.  Patti, I'm glad you are joining me and Katie on the road, we're happy to have you along.  Welcome aboard!  :)

From Me and Katie, have a great Friday night, everyone!  :)