Pipers Friend Macy

We walked at the Island today and I got some picture, but I wanted to continue for one more day on the Studio theme, so I could put up a photo of Macy, yesterdays featured friend Piper.  The pictures were taken on the same day. Same place. You look pretty good there Macy.

Piper, An English Shepherd

Meet Piper, a very beautiful English Shepherd that was rescued by Trish Kellinger.  Trish works at B.A.R.K. and does a lot to promote them.  She has been very kind by saying very nice things about my work.  She has a wonderful dog. 

It was a great day at Norm's. I had to remove several layers to keep from roasting.  We stayed for 2 hours. I did not take any pictures, I did not see anyone, and the light was too hard and contrasty to take pictures of my kids.  It is supposed to be cloudy Friday.

Guest Photographer Michael E. Garcia

We have two new residents at the Island, two Great Horned Owls. This great picture was taken by Michael Garcia, who regulars at the Island are quite familar with.  I have taken several pictures of Mr. Owl myself but I carry only a 200 mm lens so I cannot get far enough away to get this angle.  My pictures are good of his tail and the bottom of his feet only. As you can see below, Mike has a much longer reach than I.*

Mike in action, with his faithful and patient companion Diego.
* Featured Comment For any techno-geeks who may read this, the lens combo that I shot this pic with was a Canon 100-400mm lens with a 1.4 III extender. Essentially a 560mm lens (35mm format) or 896mm (APS-C sensor). Also as importantly, I shoot off a bi-pod with a ball head. 

Monday is CJ's Day

Does CJ not have the most wonderful tail.  We met CJ walking with her friend Allan just as we started our walk on Monday, and Chocolate and Blanca just loved her, they ran wild in huge circles till all their tongues were hanging out. A Joyous Norm's Island time for all.

 It was cold Monday but an ideal day for walking.  The cold was not oppressive like it has been.  Choco Blanca and I stayed out for almost three hours. They were tired when we left.

Buddy

Is this not the most gorgeous photograph?  I think so. You look great Buddy.  Buddy is lucky, he gets to spend most of his time with his friend Pam who walks him most days at Norm's.  Choco, Blanca and I are also lucky in that on occasion we get to join them. I have other pictures of Buddy, but they were before the snow was on the ground, and I am trying to keep on theme here. Thanks Buddy and Pam.

Clean Up Day for Norm's Island

	Clean Up Day for Norm's Island Saturday, March 26 · 10:30am - 1:30pm

It would be great if we had a huge turnout of people to help with this. Good idea I say.

Here is the link: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=182960615081187

Meet Pete & Pat

Today we met Pete, on the left, and Pat, it says so right there on her blue tag. Made it easy for me.  I apologize to you boys for not getting down further, we were at the end of our second time around, and I was just plain tired. Pete and Pat were walking with their friend Jessica. I have a couple more of them I will post. Later. They were very cute, opps sorry guys, they were very handsome.

Launch

Another Picture of Blanca. I love this one.

Chocolate gets into the spirit of jumping and running too. My dogs have so much fun at Norm's Island.  So do I.  I am getting better at catching the dogs in action. This makes me happy, I sure have been practicing a lot. 

Running Chocolate

I Love this picture. Of course I am biased.  I keep increasing my shutter speed, thinking that "this HAS to be fast enough" but today I moved up to 800, and the results are amazing. Apparently dogs move REALLY fast.  Trade secret there, please do not forward.

Most Liked Dog, Morgan

I looked this past weekend for the first time at the statistics for this site, and was surprised to find that the most visited post was of Morgan.  Far and away. Someone likes to show her boy off, Sharon.  This is Morgans third appearance on the weblog.  The previous posts were when he was a bit younger, though he is looking pretty good here.  He was walking with Ron and Lex this morning. Morgan is a nice fella, despite sometimes being a bit cranky.

Dog Park News & An Editorial

Presentation

I am just learning about all this, but I see that there will be a presentation at Off the Leaf on Saturday, March 5 from 9 am to 11 am by Marcia Clausing and committee members of the group Friends of Billings Dog Parks.  So if you walk your dog, this could be of interest.  The dog park thing has so far had a pretty low profile, with little information out about it.  Maybe this will help.

Dog Poop

Something that has been concerning me is the lack of effort by the users of Norm's Island to pick up after their dogs.  It is pretty disgusting actually. This may soon become much more of an issue because I read that parts of the area around Norms, maybe some of Norms, is going to be transferred (possibly) to the city of Billings.  We are all aware of the Billings City Ordinance about dogs in parks.  You can look this up in the Gazette, there was an article on February 4th. We need to be able to defend Norms as a place to take dogs.  The dog poop is not in our favor, and the advent of other dog parks as an alternative, and the proximity of the Audubon Society could lead to the end of the dog paradise we all know at Norm Schoenthal Island.  We do not live out in the country, Billings is a big ;-) city, so we should pick up after our dogs. In my opinion.

Definition: Happy Dogs

Hi Lex.  I have had Lex on the weblog as a guest before, and he seems to remember.  He was very playful today, he very happily ran and jumped with my kids .  I have several good photos of Lex which I will put up.

I am several days behind with my posting.  I have been overcome with the cold.  It is getting so OLD. I have been taking my camera to the Island everyday, except for the coldest days, and the day I simply forgot it.  I think that was some sub-conscience stuff happening.

This is perhaps the best four feet of the ground photo I have, so I post it even though focus is on those extended paws and not on the eyes. I like it. Go Lex.

I walked around the Island today with Ron, Lex's friend and saviour.  Lex is an English Shepherd Rescue.  He seems to have adjusted quite well to his new and better life. I got some great photos of Lex today. Thanks Buddy.  

 My Chocolate boy was feeling the happiness too. Get happy Choco!

Penny & Ms. Mel

Beautiful Photo of Penny. Her Ridgeback shows quite well. Great attitude. Both Penny and Ms Mel are Rhodesian Ridgebacks. I love their colour. Color, I mean. Both Penny and Mel were rescued by their friend Cathy.  Penny used to be so difficultly shy, but Cathy has done such a great job with her that she now comes up to me and nudges my hand. They get to go to the Island everyday, which is great for them. They are very lucky dogs to have Cathy to care for and love them. 

I am going to post a copy of Penny alone on SmugMug, it will make a great solo portrait.

I took this picture a couple of days ago, but I have held back posting it because I knew I was not going to be able to walk at the Island for a couple of days.  The thermometer out my back window now reads -10°. We are not going anywhere.  Hopefully tomorrow, Saturday will be a little warmer.  My kids are being very patient.

Compare Chocolate to Papa

I took this picture a couple of days ago, shows Chocolate in the same pose as his dad in the previous post. They are very similar.  They both have wide spaced, large eyes and big bone structure. Of course I like Chocolate's colour better, but I am biased. Choco is even of a heavier set than his dad. Chocolates eyes are marbled amber. His dads if I remember are mostly amber.

It is below zero outside, so I will be sitting in front of the computer most of the day with the kids at my feet.  Brrr.

Beau - Choco and Blanca's Daddy

This is Winslide's Texas Beau, Chocolate and Blanca's daddy.  He is about 7 months in this picture. Beau is an offspring of HOF WTCH HTCH Twin Oaks Winslow Breeze - Winslow's website - http://www.winslide.net/winslow.htm.   He was about a year and a half when Chocolate Blanca were born. He is a beauty. Chocolate's full name is TRose's Chocolate Dulce de Leche.  Blanca is just Niña Blanca, I like that. White Girl. Tootin the pedigree horn there, but my kids don't have any herding in them, Choco says "herd cows, you must be kidding" and Blanca would herd to her own horn, being deaf.

Today was too cold for me, plus I had stuff I had to get done, so we did not go to the Island.  Boooo say the kids. Unfortunately it is going to be worse tomorrow and Friday.  We may have to brave the cold one of those days, even for just a short while.

Belgian Malinois/German Shepherd Wins

Okay Diego, I got this great photo of you, just after you won the game of stick.  Tail up, ears alert, black tipped mahogany coat glowing with pride.  Good looking Belgian Malinois/German Shepherd. Nice stick too, by the way.

Diego

Your not going to be mad at me, are you Diego, for putting this picture up, are you?  It shows off your beautiful black on brown coloring, your great tail, your wonderful trim build, and your very charming left ear.  But I keep seeing in your expression "your not really going to take my picture when I have a snow nose, are you mister?"  I think it is a great picture of you, though I admit it does not capture your usual carefree happy Diego attitude.  I will work on trying to capture that Diego. Didn't get it today.

Correction: Diego's colours are black-tipped mahogany, and also I forgot to mention that he is a Belgian Malinois/German Shepherd designer canine dog. Sorry Diego, no slight intended - actually I did not know how to spell Malinois.

Choco says "you had better get a better picture of Diego pronto, friend"

Finally Foxy

If you look reeeeaaaaal close right in the middle, you can see our friend, checking us out.  He is probably a quarter of a mile away, and I did not have a very long lens, so this is what we got. Still is pretty cool, because he is just sitting and casually watching us.  I took three photos and in the third he is laying down, very confident.  I was walking with eagle eye Mike, I would have never caught this, and he saw the red brown color, which was out of place. I have pictures taken at a shorter distance, but they are not as good as this. Thanks Foxy.  Nice cockle burr picture too.  Click on the photo to make it bigger.

Studio Dog Simon Ball Boy

This is Simon.  He is quite young in this photo, maybe 8 weeks. He is my best model to date, being used on my business card and as the logo on this blog. This obviously is a studio photo, I have a bunch of photos of this photogenic boy which I will post when times are slow for new photos.

It has been very cold, so I have not gotten any photos for several days.  I met a beautiful dog today named Beau, but he was black and the light was too contrasty, so no pictures.  I hope to get another chance to photograph Beau.

Brrrr, A Cold Saturday

No pictures today, yet.  I will look in my archives and see if I can find something appropriate.  We are not going to the Island today, too cold.  You are a wimp, my kids Choco and Blanca are saying.