Tag has a new friend

Sunrise this morning at Huntington State Park

I've been walking a lot in Huntington State Park recently. It's a great way to get exercise for me and for Tag. The first time I went to the park, I met Renee. She has an 11 month old black lab named Tilly who thinks Tag is the bee's knees. They play very well together. Renee generously offered to adopt me since we're new to the area. Who can say no to that? So now we meet and walk a couple times a week and the dogs romp together.

One morning, while discussing all we have yet to teach our dogs, Renee suggested we have a session with a professional dog trainer she knows. Tag and I went over earlier this week and met Bruce, who helped us work on a program for "recall". Teaching Tag "COME" consistently with distractions (i.e. cats running by, people on the trail, other interesting dogs, chipmunks... etc.) is the one thing I haven't really felt able to get a grip on... so Bruce gave us some tips (50' lead, use my best authoritative voice, work on it inside and outside, always praise when coming to you, etc...). Tag is getting lots of treats now, as we learn to master this skill. I don't think he minds.

Tilly!

One of these days I'll get a photo of Renee, too. For now, there's Tilly the Lovely Lab.

I'm getting a camera of my own soon. The goal is to have it before we leave for Venice and Paris in December. I may become even MORE obnoxious about posting photos and photos of life here after that, as I practice how to use my new toy.

A picture says so much that I could never convey to you about how beautiful it is here and how different from California.

Fall photos round 2

A few reasons why I need to get my own SLR and a good zoom lens. I'm loving this camera! Thanks, Lori, for letting me borrow it!

Some fall photos

Intrepid water dog

Tag chasing shells in the sound. Photo credit: Lori Marois

Lori and Tag

The fall leaves continue to change

Three potential Jack-o-lanterns and a pumpkin pie

A peaceful view of the backyard

Weather Vane

A walk and a 'possum!

Yesterday Noah and I spent too long in the yellow canoe and missed our chance to forage with Steve Brill! He was at Holbrook Farm (our new favorite place to buy produce) talking about edible plants in the typical northeastern landscape. To make up for it, I took Noah to Barnes & Noble and he bought a book on edible plants, which he was then DYING to use.

So today, we went over to Saugatuck Falls Natural Area for a walk with the cutest collie ever, Tag, and Noah brought his book. I borrowed Lori's camera to have a little photo fun.

Beginning of the trail

A man and his dog

Gratuitous pup shot. Ain't he gorgeous?

Sweet Goldenrod

N busily identifying edible plants w/his trusty field guide

Noah identified the goldenrod and some red clover, nothing too edible, though you can make some anise tasting tea from the goldenrod apparently. He's not ready to live off the land yet. I have some more plant identifying to do, too, which will probably require an edit of this post at some point, but here are some more photos for you to enjoy, while I'm looking up their names.

Mountain Winterberry

We chanced upon this lovely cormorant spying for fish in the watershed area.

Cormorant

While walking along, I noticed Tag stopped just ahead of me, his head cocked at a noise he could hear in the tall grass. I assumed it was a bee buzzing around his head that had intrigued him... then Noah asked if I could hear a cat growling. I listened a moment and then discovered this little guy snoring away in the grass just off the trail! Tag had found an opossum!

Snoring 'possum!

We met one other mom and her little girl walking their gigantic Golden Retriever on the trail. He and Tag took turns slobbering on each other for a few minutes and we headed for home. A nice short walk in the woods.

Headed home

Fall is coming!

Here are some images in anticipation of fall! The leaves are just beginning to turn... 

It's 80 degrees here right now, so despite the pretty leaf changing effect, summer having it's last hurrah. I have a feeling we'll see nippier temperatures very soon.

In other news, I'm driving to Kentucky next week, a solo road trip to visit some of my old school friends and to attend a couple of events at the World Equestrian Games! I'm sad that Noah has to stay and work because I am really looking forward to this trip and it would be nice to share it with him. Oh well... someone's gotta look after the pup. :)

I'll be sure to take lots of pictures and drink lots of Ale8 for you all. You know you're jealous :)

Orkneys

I have an obsession with the Orkney Islands. I call it an obsession, but really it comes and goes so quickly. .. I think it must be lurking, underlying my thoughts, cropping up unexpectedly.

I read about the Orkneys for the first time in TH White's "Once and Future King". I'm pretty sure Walt Disney copied the first book for the script to "The Sword in the Stone". Actually, he did... I just looked it up. There are 2 other books in O&FK, though. A little more sinister and heady than Disney wanted, I imagine. In the second book, you get to know Morgause and her horrid children.... and they live on the Orkney Islands.

Then I read about the islands again in Mary Stewart's "The Wicked Day". Mordred grows up there, as well, in this book.

photo borrowed from Foxsaver Pictures website, no credit available.

A while back I felt inspired to write a little bit of fiction about dark magic (still working on it so don't get too excited)... and when casting about for the perfect backdrop (it's all about the setting for me)... I remembered the Orkneys. So I began doing some research. I wanted to be able to name places and land features authentically. I came across this website: http://www.orkneyjar.com/. And now I am obsessed... with the history, the landscape, the folklore, the traditions... I even look up real estate listings. Like this one.

I'll visit there eventually. In the summer... so I can keep up the illusion that I could live there one day. I'm sure the winter there would destroy me. It's decidedly harsher than the winter even here in Connecticut is supposed to be. Maybe one day after the CT winter has thickened my blood...