WINTER COMES EARLY TO NW MONTANA

Well, we are no longer up to our butts in snow but it is colder than a well diggers behind. We have been down in the low teens for several nights now. The days never above freezing.

Personally, I don't really mind it. I jump in the ponds and the creeks without a care. I'm not jumping in the ponds at the moment because they are frozen solid. This is a new experience for me, the frozen ponds. Don't know quite what to make of it. Kinsey encourages me to stay off. She probably wouldn't want to rescue me if I got on a weak spot and fell through.

For now we are sticking close to home. Hunting season will be over in about a week and then we will take some walks up the mountain. I look forward to that. By then we probably won't have to worry about the bears. They should be getting cozy in their winter spots. Of course, now the mountain lions are really on the prowl. They pounce on the gut piles the hunters leave.

Kinsey got here first image for the 2013-14 winter season to put in her THE BEAUTY OF ICE collection it is called "WINTER NOSEGAY".  She was very excited about it. For her it's like bagging a bull elk. What the heck is a nosegay anyway?!

More importantly, she got some new shots of me!

I love this dumbbell but I have almost destroyed it. Wish I could find a new one.

That's me with my happy face.

This was taken before the pond got frozen.

Me with my favorite dumbbell again. If anyone knows where I can get a new one please let me know.

Lakota Sunrise passed away in February 2013. Molly Montana is now looking after me so I have turned this blog over to her good keeping
©Kinsey Barnard

WHITEFISH DOG PARK

This week I had one of the best times of my life. Kinsey took me to the dog park in Whitefish.

This is the first time I have ever been to a dog park so I wasn't really sure what to do. It didn't take me long to figure it out. This is also the first time since I left my birth family (Out West Aussies) that I had the chance to go wild with a bunch of other dogs, many of them high energy kids like me. I ran and chased and was chased until I actually got kind of tired.

It was a beautiful sunny, autumn afternoon and I think Kinsey enjoyed visiting with the other dog owners as much as I enjoyed mingling with my canine friends. I kind of liked the humans too because nearly everyone commented on how "beautiful" I am. I think Kinsey enjoyed that too.

I also demonstrated that I'm not just pretty but a smart little cookie too. The park had agility stuff. I ran up and down the ramp, back and forth through the tunnels, and jumped over the fences like I'd been doing it all my life. I also instinctively knew not to chase other people's toys. I love to chase balls and Frisbees but unless I was specifically invited to do so I left them alone. I think this impressed Kinsey more than anything.

Kinsey often talks about how she cannot believe no one chose me before she could. When she got me I was already three months old and all but one of my litter mates were long gone. I was a discount puppy. All we can figure is some how other people just weren't able to see me so I wouldn't get picked. We truly believe we were meant to be together and some higher power arranged it so we could be. There is no other explanation.

Anywayz, this was a super fun day for both of us. Now that we've discovered this dog park I know we will be going back lots and lots. If anyone reading my blog ever travels to Whitefish, and brings their dog, be sure and visit this dog park. Your dog will love you for it and you will get to meet some great local people. Scroll down for some photos of my great day!

©Kinsey Barnard

Ramp? Really? Why does it say "No Diving?"

Me with one of my play pals

Zooming in and out of the tunnels was fun. Get a load of that tongue!

My particular style of carrying the Frisbee makes navigation a little challenging.

Trying to catch a ball using a little body English.

My new pal Harley playing chase.

Time out. I'm thirsty!