Nina Blanca & Chocolate's Grandpapa

Not My Photograph, so, maybe I should not be posting this, as I have no idea who the photographer is so I cannot give credit, but I absolutely love this.  I do wish that the photographer was me.  Perhaps, and I am hoping this, since it is a magazine cover I am okay using it.
I post this because I love the photograph, and, because Winslow is my kids grandpa.  He was, I do believe, 4 times national champion, and as you can see was a Hall of Fame champion.  We are very proud of him.  Of course we never met him, and his son, Choco and Blanca's dad, never was able to compete, and after one generation I understand all is lost. Oh well.  I love my kids if they never herd anything. 
I love this photograph.  It gives me the chills, it is so cool. It inspires me to keep taking photos.

Day Two . . .

My second day out with my new Nikon V1.  I read the manual last evening ( I use an after market manual by Thom Hogan - Great ) The light was hard, and because it is December there were alot of shadows, so I had to work around all that, but still, I learned that once you figure it's quirks the little Nikon can stop action. Our friend Mike is throwing a stick here, and Choco and his good buddy Diego are all ready for that action.  I have great photos of them running back, but I only have a normal lens so they are too small in the frame.  But they are in focus, one frame after another. Great!  I need to get a longer lens. Ha! and a job.

 I was impressed with this.  I was tracking Diego and Chocolate and Finnegan ran into the frame.  The camera did not lose focus on the two dogs, it ignored Finny.  That is cool.  Finny is out of focus more than it looks, I put some output sharpen on him.  The lens was wide open, so the camera has great depth of field, which of course is a mixed blessing.

New Camera - Nikon 1 V1

I did not get many good pictures, I should have read the instructions :-)  I like this though. Blanca and Rollo.
I bought the camera because of its speed. It focuses fast, it handles fast, but alas, one has to get all the settings correct first.  I like the colour it produces. 
Tip: if anyone is interested in this line of cameras, now is a good time to buy.  I would not have bought this camera except that I got a great price.  I paid $350, normally it was listed at $900.  They have introduced a new version, the V2, plus I do not think they have been flying off the shelf.  I have been looking at it since it was introduced, but the price was too high. It is a good deal at $350.  It is small enough to walk about with on a regular basis.

 I got some great still photos.  Kay's gang here, with my Nina Blanca.  That is Rollo on the left, Selkie with the exhausted look, Blanca, and Bally.  I like Bally.  She is very similar in personality to my boy Chocolate.  Actually, I like all of these dog A LOT.  Rollo is a mix.  Selkie and Bally are Aussies.

Wet Dogs

This was taken Sunday morning when the snow was really really wet.  It was like walking in the rain.  Me, my coat, my camera, and my dogs got soaked.  But it was fun.  They love the snow and the cold, at least until it gets so cold it sticks between their toes.  But that was not the case this day.

 Chocolate does not mind the wet at all.  Blanca does not like it, she will not go out of the house if it is raining.  Choco acts like he does not notice a thing.  Unfortunately I did not get any good photos of the little man Finnegan.  He never stops this long like these two do.  As soon as I point the camera at him he comes running to me.
We all had fun.

We Drank Too Much Coffee Ken

One of the advantages of a small compact camera, depth of field. Taken with a Canon S90. This is the best photograph I have ever gotten of Blanca's eyes.  Ha! her nose too, come to think of it.  This was about a week ago. Click on it, it will get bigger.

Big, Wet, Snow

We had a nice snow this morning. 
Blanca thinks we cannot see her, she is waiting to ambush Chocolate.
We met and walked with Kiva, Mimi and Paul.  I got some good pictures of Kiva, I will work on them now and try to get them up today.

A great photograph of Kiva.  Love it.  Kiva and Finnigan really hit it off today and played rambunctiously.  Thanks Kiva, we need to get Finn all the exercise we can.
I should point out that these are two different white Australian Shepherds. Notice the noses.  Blanca is on top, Kiva in the bottom photo.
I took my big camera out with me today because of the snow, so I was able to get some action photos.  I am glad that I did, even though me, my dogs and my camera got really really soaked.  It was really warm, and when the snow hit you it may as well have been rain.

I just lost an entire post, which I put up yesterday.  One must be careful.  I had in that post some links discussing white Australian Shepherds.  Here they are again.  I said a bunch of things in that post I would like to have back.  Oh well.
Link:  The White Aussie Project
Link:  Inheritance of Color in Australian Shepherds

Two White Dogs, Again

We were lucky today and were able to walk for a short way with Kiva.  She is a beautiful  (I am biased) white Spanish Shepherd (Aussie)  I love to see her, because she and Blanca are so similar.  The most obvious thing of course is their whiteness, but almost more important is the way they carry themselves, it is so similar.  Their bone structure is the same, long skinny legs, and they both have curious girl personalities. I like this picture.

I did not have a good camera with me so I had to work with what I had, a Canon S90, which is a nice compact camera, but its operation is SLOW.  So I did not get any great shots.

Kiva has more color on her than Blanca, and she is only deaf in one ear.  She is blessed with a black nose. For white dogs a pink nose is very easy to burn. Kiva does not have as pink eyelids as Blanca.

Chocolate finds Kiva to be very curious.  "Hey you look just like my sister"

We All Went to Missoula

Here Blanca poses in front of my friends Chuck and Beth Kaparich's new home in Missoula.  Chuck built the Carousel for Missoula, and his mind and immense energy is always looking for creative outlets, so he built this wonderful new home.  The right side is a 2700 square foot shop, and the left side and the silo is the living quarters.  Bedrooms are upstairs.  It is really beautiful.  Chuck built this himself with the help of one other person.  Chuck has more energy the first hour of each day than I have had in my whole life.  That is Linda's car in front of the stone silo. 
We had a wonderful time visiting my old friends.  I lived in Missoula from 1989 until 1997. 

 Another view, this from the street looking northwest, I think.  The window on the end where the hay lifter upper (anyone know the real name, I am from Cleveland) usually would be is a bedroom.  Chuck tried to make it look as authentic barn looking as he could and still have it be a habitable home.  I think he did a great job.  Next he is going to build an old time looking farm house for his sister Donna to live in.

Wine & Whiskers

Last evening was the 3rd Rimrock Humane Societies Wine & Whiskers.  It a great time was had by all, seemed to me.  Linda and I certainly had a great great time.  Thank you Sandy Church and the Rimrock Humane Society board, you throw a heck of a party.
I took pictures, and handed out cards.  I have posted the result, a selection, on my website; kenjamesphotography
Take a look.  If anyone wants prints email me and I will get you details.  All proceeds from print sales of course would go to the Rimrock Humane Society.

First Snow and Finnegan

The Little Big Man, Finnegan.  This was Thursday, and we had a very nice snow fall while we were walking at Norm's.  Finny is curious why I am squatting down, and at first I thought that he was ruining my photo, but luckily I recovered and saw that he made the photograph. Good little man.

Love this.  Chocolate had went ahead to investigate a walker.  Usually it is Blanca that is the investigator, but she stuck with me this day.  They were tired at this point, we were on our third lap and they had done a lot of playing.  I Love my dogs.  Does it show?  I hope.

All My Friends

Enjoying a walk with all my favorite friends at Norm Schoenthal Island.   As you can tell by the green, it was taken a few weeks ago. Photograph by my good friend Michael E Garcia.

Walking With Our Friend Missy . . .

We were fortunate this morning to get to the Island at about the same time as our good friend Missy Seu.  We stopped at one of our favorite stick chasing spots and Finny, Chocolate and Emma chased sticks.  Emma is taking a turn out here.  So; Lucy, Missy holding my Nina Blanca, and Emma.
The weather was absolutely perfect.  One could not feel the air, the temperature was perfect. So wonderful.

Technocolour Chocolate.  As I am writing I am aware that I am always describing our times spent at Norm Schoenthal Island in very superlative terms. Well, that is the way it is.  Maybe I will do a post on politics.  Maybe not.

The Slough.  Had to look up the spelling on that one.  One just floats around the island in a sea of visual stimulation.  Was that too much?

Autumn Reflections

Blanca checking out her reflection.  Can dogs be narcissistic.
Norms is beautiful now.  I think it is beautiful always, but the fall, and seemingly this fall, is exceptional. 
I have been walking with a new friend, Kay, with her gorgeous Australian Shepherds Bally and Selkie, and their new friend Rolo.  I really like Bally, she is very similar in temperament to my boy Chocolate.  Selkie is more like Finnegan.  Always on the move. I will get some photos of them. Soon.

Friends

I thought that maybe it would be a good idea to start the month of October off on the correct foot and  . . .  Post.  I have been negligent.
This is one of Blanca's favorite friends, Bozzy.  He and Blanca are very similar, same build, same movements, same shape heads, the colour is the only difference. Oh yeah, the tail.  Bozzy has the most magnificent tail. It would be cool if Blanca had one, a tail. But then, as I think about how much work it is keeping her bum clean, maybe no tail is good.
I love this picture.  Bozzy is a beautiful boy. Of course you all know what I think of my Nina Blanca.

Cloudy Fall Day

Bunch of friends gather for a day of stick at our very favorite place.  Finnegan, Neeky, Chocolate, and in front our new friend Snickers. They are waiting for Snicker's peep Dean to throw the stick.  Neeky keeps an eye on Chocolate.
The Island has been absolutely gorgeous the last weeks,  though it is very dusty and dry because of the lack of rain.

Neeky and Finn are great friends.  The Little Big Man is not even slightly intimidated by difference in size, but he does not like to be ganged up on, which does happen because he is a popular fella.

Snickers is pretty comfortable with this group of dogs, and has even begun to play stick with them, though she still prefers her own game.

Karen, Neeky's peep, is in charge of the stick now.  I love the focus here.

Beautiful girl Neeky.  She is a Border Collie Mix, mixed with something big I do believe, maybe several things.  Nice dog.

Cameo of the girl. I like this.

 Ha! I do not believe this is directed at me, I think most likely Finnegan is on my lap or next to me.  Great Photo. 

Everybody got worn out this day, that is the object, no?

Dog Show at Barnes & Noble
I have been pretty negligent with this blog, my apologies to my legions of fans.  But, today I announce my show at Barnes & Noble Booksellers on 24th Street here in Billings Mt.

We are having a Meet and Greet with me, the photographer, on Friday September 7 from 6 pm until 8 pm.  I hope that everyone comes. It would be great.

Glorious Light

Best Picture of Chocolate ever.  The light today was fantastic. Glorious. Light clouds, kept the hard shadows away. We had a very nice morning walking with our friends Missy, Laura and Karen. I was able to get some good photographs of all the dogs.

This is Neicky, she walks everyday with her friend Karen. She is a beautiful Border Collie mix. High energy. Great tail, no?

 

Laura's friend Beau.  Not confident of the mix, but he is a beautiful boy. Possibly Flat Coat Retriever.  He is also a High Energy boy.

Of course, my favorite, my Princess Nina Blanca. It was great light to get some details in her fur, which often is difficult.
The water has receded several feet and the Island can be walked full circumference.  I am hoping we have seen our flooding for this year.  Probably not, but we can hope.

Glorious Spring

Our Gang, Finnigan, Chocolate and Nina Blanca.  The Island is absolutely, Glorious. That is the only word for it.  It is green, the air is fresh, the birds are happy and singing away.  The bugs have not arrived yet, some ticks, but not many.  It feels so good.  I went late today, and by the time I took this picture the kids were already hot.  Must start going earlier.  Note to self.

It is green.  In a couple of weeks the grass will be over knee deep, then it will turn brown.  But for now it is lush.  The kids love running through this soft, short grass. It is growing in soft sandy soil, so it must feel wonderful on padded paws.

The slough is wide fast and muddy.  After a few warm days the water is coming down fast. Today was the highest it has been.  I hope it does not flood, the island is just too beautiful right now.  Finny is checking it out.  They, especially Finn, still finds a place to get their feet wet.  They seem to know to stay away from the fast moving areas.  I am not letting Chocolate swim after sticks though, I would have to fish him out way down stream.  For a few days I was throwing the stick upstream and then he would come out just below me, but it is too fast now. He still looks to me to throw sticks though.

Rimrock Rover Ramble 2012

Off they go! The 10th annual Rimrock Humane Societies Rover Ramble was a great success, despite the chill in the air and the high winds.  Dedicated folks. 
The photo show the beginning of the Ramble for the 3 mile, the serious, folks.  The 3 mile winner was the man in black, who it looks like took the lead from the beginning and held it.
It looked to me like everyone had a great time.

The "with dog" winner.  I love this, notice that she is carrying a poop bag, she stopped while running to pick up after her dog.  This is great.

White Dog and White Dog

For several weeks people at Norm's have been saying to me "we saw Blanca walking with someone else".  No way.  Finally last week the mystery was solved.  We met Kiva.  It is easy to understand how people thought it was Blanca.  They look amazingly alike.  Kiva has a little more color, mostly grey, she has a black nose, and her eye rims are not as pink as Blancas. Kiva has more hair, and it is curly.  But what is more amazing than that they look so similar is that they move and act so much the same.  Even I and Kiva's peep must take a second look to see who is who. Amazing.  We are so happy that we finally were able to meet Kiva.

I tried, I really tried, but this is the best I could get of them standing next to each other.  It does give an idea of their similarity.  Kiva can hear, at least in one ear, so she moves her ears more.  Blanca keeps her ears back all the time, they never move.  I have more pictures to post, but I am quiting for now.  Come back, I will try to do it tomorrow.

Boys Having Fun Fun Fun

Simon and Finnegan.  Simon walks with his peep Pat, and has been our friend for a long time.  This day he met Finnegan for the first time and it was interaction time from the get go.  Their energies were well matched.

 

They played like this the whole time we were walking around the Island, a good hour and a half. We probably had some really pooped pups that day.  It was a joy to watch.

In Pursuit