KIKOMUN COUGAR ALERT

Monday Kinsey had some business to attend to in Cranbrook, BC. On the way home we stopped by Kikomun Provincial Park.

The idea was for me to get to take a frolic in the Kootenay River. It's a great spot for such. Upon arriving at our destination we were greeted by a posted warning of a cougar in the area. I think I'd probably make a really tasty morsel for a big cat.

Kinsey figured if we went to a spot in the open we would be ok. A cat would be less likely to come at us in an open space and we could see it coming from a good distance. If worse came to worse we could jump in the water. Cats don't like water, at least I don't think they do. In any event I had a great time splashing around in the river, racing along the rocky shore and we never saw the kitty.

After the river fun we went over to Surveyor Beach, still inside the park. It was too was posted with a warning about the cougar. The trail around the lake is beautiful and very densely forested. Lots of places for a cat to hide. Kinsey says cats make her a little nervous. They are the only large critters in the forest that will actually stalk you. Bears, moose and the like generally take off in the other direction, not so the stealthy cat.

We didn't let the cat stop us from taking the trail but I stayed on the leash and Kinsey kept a sharp lookout. Not that keeping a lookout for a cat would do much good. Those beauties can ponce on your before you know what's happening.

I guess you can tell from the fact that I am writing this blog post that the cat must have been taking a nap. We enjoyed our walk without mishap.

Over the past ten years that Kinsey has been coming here they have really spruced this park and campgrounds up. If you ever find yourself on Highway 3, about halfway between Cranbrook and Fernie, and want to take a rest you should check this little park out. Cougars or no it's a beautiful spot.

Bye for now.

Yikes! Look at that sign!

Big kitty at play

Trail around Surveyor Lake

More me on the Surveyor Lake trail

Frolicking in the Kootenay River

©Kinsey Barnard

IT'S WILDFLOWER TIME IN MONTANA

Saturday we took a hike up the Blacktail Trail. The wildflowers are really starting to come out now. I've never experienced them before. They are so pretty!

There isn't all that much to say about the hike except that Kinsey tripped over a branch and nearly wrecked herself. Luckily all she got was a skinned and bruised knee. She refers to these spills as her bone density tests.

The main thing about the hike was all the flowers so pictures were the thing. I think my personal photographer is starting to get her mojo back.

Our favorite photos go into my online gallery. I am providing the links for the next two because they are so much nicer to look at than the ones I can upload to the blog.

MY PORTRAIT with a wildflower background.

MY EYE Kind of an artsy thing Kinsey did of my eye in black and white.

Last but not least, this is what I want for my bumper sticker.

Bye for now.


©Kinsey Barnard

LONE PINE STATE PARK

Last week I had to go down to Kalispell to get the stitches taken out of my tummy. Thank goodness it was a quick and easy procedure. I must say I am amazed at what a nice job Dr. Rick did. I think he may be a closet plastic surgeon. The incision was tiny and has healed to the point where I can barely see it. My feminine beauty is unblemished!

For a treat Kinsey decided to take us to Lone Pine State Park. Lone Pine is a Montana State Park not far from Kalispell. In fact, there are some really great views of Kalispell and the whole Flathead Valley from up there. Seems like lots of people use it to get their exercise runs in. It was raining and people were running all around. My kind of people.

Ha Ha! I got her hat.

Along the trail

Patiently waiting for Kinsey to navigate her way downhill and catch up.

Just me looking nice.

MARVELOUS MONTANA MORNING!

What a difference a day makes. Yesterday it was snowing and raining and just pure yucky. Today the sun is shining, the air crisp and clear.

Kinsey and I took off early. We went somewhere I've never been before, which isn't really very hard to do. The trail is not far from our home. We saw lots of deer and elk poop but no bear sign. I was stuck on the leash but didn't mind too much. Kinsey says she doesn't want to risk me running off with my stitches still in and I'm still supposed to be on limited frolic but I think that's silly. I'm fine.

It was a wonderful morning with Kinsey and the below pictures can describe it better than I can.

We were so happy when we got home. Kinsey even turned me loose for a bit. Then I went and indi-distinguished myself. Whilst she was putting away gear in the mudroom I stole the tamale she had thawing on the cutting board. She doesn't seem to be keeping up with my increased range of reach. I'm gonna be in the doghouse for awhile over this one.

©Kinsey Barnard

Wild Lilacs

Getting my first nose full of wildflower

The Tobacco Valley & Lake Koocanusa

Mount Baldy in British Columbia

Note I have a tooth that never came in.

Kinsey & I taking a little break.

I'M GOING STIR CRAZY!

I think it's pretty safe to say Kinsey is too!

The doctor said I was supposed to take it easy for 10 days after my surgery. I think that was a little conservative. I'm more than ready to rumble and this being kept inside and on a leash sucks in a very big way. With all this pent up energy I have been terrorizing the house. I think I've gotten into more trouble in the past couple of days than I have the past couple of months!

To add to our indoor blues the monsoon has begun. Yesterday it rained like I've never seen it. The water was just pouring down out of the sky.

Kinsey promised to take me to Canada and maybe Kikomun Park today. I was really looking forward to that. We both were. But when we woke up this morning it was snowing!

Kinsey takes the unpopular point of view that global warming is a bunch of bunk. Just another gimmick to enrich those pushing their own agendas. She says that every year it has been getting cooler and cooler here, especially in the spring and summer. I don't know nothing about nothing except I sure never thought it would be snowing this late in May. I wanna get out and have some fun for heaven sakes!

©Kinsey Barnard

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I NEED A NEW PHOTOGRAPHER

Yesterday we went for a hike on the Swisher Trail. This is a great trail where I can roam around whilst Kinsey slogs along the trail.

This blog is supposed to be a journal of my journey helped along by photographs of my beautiful self. But, after yesterday's performance I'm wondering about my photographer. She completely forgot to make setting adjustments and took a kajillion photos of me racing around set at 1/125. You can probably imagine what those pictures looked like. Me as a black blur. The ISO was set too high and she had trouble getting me in the frame. I may need a new photographer if she doesn't snap out of it.

Except for the photos it was a great run for me. I got my first opportunity to meet strangers, off lead, coming form the opposite direction. At first I took off to greet them but the other human's two dogs came charging at me and I ran back to the safety of Kinsey.  When the strangers got to us I jumped around and played with the dogs but as they passed by I let them go and stayed with Kinsey. She may be a lousy photographer but she is a great protector. I'm stickin' with her.

We did a lot of whistle and hand signal long range recalls and I came running every time. I'm happy to oblige because it seems to make Kinsey very happy and I get scrumptious treats for it too!

©Kinsey Barnard

See what I mean? This could have been a really nice photo if the shutter speed had been right and she hadn't cut off my head!

Looking down on the trail

Don't you think I'm starting to look grown up? Not six months yet.

 

I GOT TO GO TO BRITISH COLUMBIA!

One of the very cool things about being a puppy is that just about everything is new to me.

Last week I got my very first trip to British Columbia. Such a trip doesn't require a lot of travel from where I live. In fact, our ranch is only a mile from the border on the Montana side.

Kinsey has this place she really likes to visit on the Bull River. It's called the Rocky Mountain Big Horn Sheep Project. It was my first time but Kinsey has been coming here for ten years. The Bull river runs through the project and has the most beautiful aqua colored water I have ever seen. Kinsey says this is because the river is fed by glacial waters. The river was low because it's been so cold there hasn't been a lot of melt yet but it was still pretty.

I got to get my feet wet in the river but I was none too happy Kinsey wouldn't let me off my leash. I think she was afraid I would do something stupid like go out too far and get myself washed away.  Anyway, it wasn't nearly as fun as our recent trip to the Koocanusa(see photos)

There is a nice hiking trail in this place so we set off on a walk to see if we could find the sheep. We didn't have to go far before we found them lounging in the sun on the side of a hill. It was probably a good thing I was on a leash because I got a little excited. Kinsey got excited too because there was a ram in amongst the ewes. She's only seen a ram here a couple of times in ten years. Usually, it's just the ewes and frequently it's nobody at all. The sheep just watched us and didn't seem to care much that we were there. They were a little curious about me as I was about them.

After Kinsey took some pictures we took off on the trail and had a good hike. There is still a lot of snow on the Kootenay Rockies. The mountains were very pretty.

I really like this British Columbia place and hope we come back here a lot! I know Kinsey likes it too so I'm betting we will. Yey!

The Bull River

Me in the Bull River

Big Horn Sheep

Ram with his harem

Ewe with her baby.

Big Horn ewes

WATCHING OVER MY DEER FLOCK

We've been very busy here at the ranch. I'm mostly supervising Kinsey's work. I also give her play breaks which we both enjoy. Yesterday we did a bunch of brush burning. I'm not real keen on fire. I'm also not ready to make friends with the four wheeler. I'll keep my own four on the floor thank you very much! We also took the kayak out to the big pond. I thought about trying to hop in the kayak with Kinsey but chickened out.

I'm getting taller, which is really cool. I can reach things on the counters, I'm not supposed to jump on, way better. Growing has it's advantages. I recently snagged a cube of butter. Unfortunately, Kinsey is catching on to my increased stature and is moving things and farther from my reach. I also got a hold of her Kindle. Whoa, that wasn't a good idea.

There are bunches of blacktail and whitetail deer hanging about. Since we don't have any livestock I pretend they are my herd and keep watch over them. I've decided they shouldn't get too near to the house so I push them back sometimes when I think they are too close. But, those dudes are big and sometimes they push back! I nearly got clobbered in the head the other day. This is dangerous work! Below are some photos of me tending my deer flock.

 ©Kinsey Barnard

 

I'M A NAUGHTY PUPPY!

Well, not really. I was such a brat yesterday I thought Kinsey might dis-own me. I mean I was into everything. The best trick I pulled was dumping over the trash can right after she dumped the vacuum dirt in it. I mean there was fine dust everywhere and my little white toes were brown. You shoulda heard her squeal!

I know I'm not supposed to get in the trash but the reaction I got to dumping it was just too delicious. It was so much fun I invented a new game. I go and flip the lid just enough to make a clap and Kinsey comes running. This is so much fun!!!

It was washing the bed sheets day and I really helped out there. (See photos)

Every time Kinsey let me out to get rid of me, there I was right back at the door. No getting rid of this rapscallion. I thought she was going to pop her top. I did qualify for a couple of time outs in the crate. I didn't care though because each time I was ready for a nap anyway. By the time she let me out I was ready to rumble and I did!

Later in the afternoon I did do something Kinsey thought was very special and redeemed myself a little. A bunch of deer showed up. They came to within 15 feet of me and I just sat on the deck steps and watched. I don't know what the big deal was but if she likes it, and treats for it, I'm gonna keep on doing it.

©Kinsey Barnard

Helping make the bed

Getting comfortable on Uncle Koty's couch

More help with the bed making

Proper little herding dog just quietly watching the herd

WOW! WE HAD A TON OF SNOW TODAY

We really had a bunch of snow today probably the most since I've lived here. Kinsey says it is winter's swan song. I don't know that she knows what's she's talking about but I do know she's hoping it's true.

Yesterday, I got to ride in the pickup for the first time. I like this a lot better than the Expedition where I have to get in a crate. In the pickup I get to sit up front and look out the windshield. Now that's my idea of stylin'!

Cute me chomping on my soup bone as the snow falls.

Some blacktail deer resting in the snow. I wanted to go see 'em but Kinsey wouldn't let me. :(

Me in the ranch truck. Uh, Kinsey forgot tell me to look at the birdie!

SAW THE TOBACCO RIVER FOR THE FIRST TIME

I got to see the Tobacco River for the first time today. It was pretty cool! I'm still a little leery of water though. Kinsey had a trouble keeping me on the trail because there was so much to smell off the trail. I got myself all full of tiny burrs. I was very patient about letting Kinsey pull them out of my nice long hair but it really wasn't any fun. Maybe I'll listen to her next time when she tells me to stay on the trail. Then again maybe not. :)

Before we went to the river we went to the dump. Where we live there is no garbage collection. We have to haul the debris to the dump ourselves. I got stuck in the back of the truck with the garbage. At first I was insulted to be keeping comapny with the junk. Then I realized it was only temporary. So, that was OK.

Wonder what neat thing we will do tomorrow.

©Kinsey Barnard

Looking out at the Tobacco River

Riding with the garbage

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME

OK, it isn't my real birthday. It's my, I'm four months old birthday. I don't think I'm getting a party or anything. That's fine because it's been pretty much a party since I got here about a month ago. WOW, a month already. It's true, time really does fly when your having fun.

Yesterday, I hijacked this blog from my human. It already seems kind wordy to refer to my human as my human so I'm going to start calling her Kinsey which is her name. I mean no disrespect of course. It just seems simpler. She says it's OK by her.

Kinsey is a nature photographer. I don't really know what that means but I must be nature because, so far, all I've seen her photograph is me. One thing's clear, she really has an eye for beauty. :)

Kinsey is a single person which is turning out to be great. She has nothing better to do than lavish all her love and attention on me. My new home is forty acres of heavenly forest. We walk the property every morning and I get to race around like a tiny black rocket. Excruciatingly fun! Kinsey, has turned out to be my personal treat dispenser so I race around but never too far. When she calls, I come!

We went to the Flathead yesterday. I'm still not crazy about that darned crate. I'll jump right in it but the second I see that door closed I become a brat. Not sure why. I'll probably grow out of it.

Kinsey too me to Petco, where the pets go for my birthday. WOW! Was that ever fun. I instantly forgot every mannerly thing I have learned. I was so excited to see people, other dogs and those smells. Oh, my goodness, those smells. What a fabulous gift that was. I also got a new toy.

Kinsey has been very generous about toys. I've got a box full to choose from. The funny thing is the one she bot me yesterday was the least expensive of them all and I just love the silly thing. It's a tiny little, rubber bear that squeaks. I toss it in the air and throw it around like a kitten playing. Don't know why but I just love the little thing. Kinsey tried to take a picture of me playing with it but I manged to foil her attempts.

For a four month birthday this was a pretty great day!

©Kinsey Barnard

These are MY toys!

My New Favorite Toy