Captain Wetbeard Strikes Again!

It's one of "those days" in Portland - sunny for a short time, rainy for a short time, sunny for a short time, hailing for a short time. Even some thunder that freaked me out and caused me to jump off of the bed, barking at my imaginary foe.

Sometimes even street to street you can have rain or sun. Do I need a raincoat? Can I go au naturel?

Since I'm probably about to get wet anyway, might as well freshen up the beard.

See? They fixed the William Wegman fountain so now the water level is nice and high. Much appreciated, City of Portland!

The water is also nice and fresh today, so I think I'll have a bit more.

You know, get in a nice thorough beard wash in addition to a tasty beverage. Multi-tasking at it's finest!

Notice how the beard is getting slightly washed. A little bit wet as I survey the landscape in a majestic fashion. Manly, eh?

Every once in awhile I see the police horses and mama has to hold me back - I am both excited and completely freaked out by these much-larger-than-me animals. I cannot resist their smell and of course their very fine poop (dad used to call it "camembert", and he and mama would take turns trying to keep me from eating it fresh from the tap as it were). I don't know what I would actually do if one of them even noticed me, but I do think about the possibility.

For now, it's starting to rain again so we'll be heading home. Another time noble beasts! Ride on!!!

Love,

Bogart

Woop Woop

Laurelhurst Park... I know that we come here often, but I need to tell you how much I love you. We actually walk for almost 2 hours each time just to get here, and then another 2 hours before we are home. I really, really love coming here.

Worth the walk if you ask me.

Of course it doesn't hurt that there are pine cones 'a plenty everywhere.

In fact, I've already found a few. These are smaller than the ones in my neighborhood, all the better to fit more into my mouth.

Playing with the cones is great fun of course, but it also buys me a few precious minutes of rest. When I want it. Mama and I seem to never want to rest at the same times during these marathon walkies...

But I'm cuter so I usually win!

I mean, I let her win sometimes, but I don't want to spoil her...

We all need a tasty beverage every once in awhile. Today I shall consume almost a liter of water during this walkie! From my own cup, of course.

There are also sticks 'a plenty here at Laurelhurst Park. Mama says it's all the better to distract me from the no-leash area where I'm not allowed to go (apparently I don't come back when I'm called if I'm off lead... oh well, we can't be perfect)...

Sticks and Cones and Springtime = THIS TONGUE

The pond is still green with an algae bloom, and today seemed to be a day for duck-love. We watched several duck boys fighting it out for the best duck girlies, and also several who seem to have already found their partners...

On the way home, we spotted yet another "only in Portland" things. This one in a tree on a street near the park.

Aw... what a cool sign! And those plastic carrots are filled with dog bones!!!

Thank you "the cats"!!! That really hit the spot.

And the big bowl of water wasn't too shabby either.

This was a very cool cat... up on a raised, ivy-covered area near this house... about 4 feet up. He came over, purring, wanting mama to give him a head scratch and I got so excited that I leaped up the 4 foot wall to say hello. Apparently this is the first time this has ever happened to him because he acted quite shocked - running away rather quickly. No worries my black furry friend, I really do love kitties and I promise that I suffered a bit when it came time to jump down (that ivy is pesky).

Mama - from across the street. Apparently she was just testing out the zoom on her camera. Seems to work!

Spunky Monkey - we almost stopped, just based on the name alone, but by this time we were tired and just wanted to get home. Another time, perhaps.

I am sure that this sentiment - scrawled onto an electrical box outside of a high school - means something. Something different to everyone who reads it. Something different to everyone who needs it. I know that I needed a little Woop Woop to get through the last 30 minutes of my walkie today, so thanks teenage vandal!

One last cool shot before we get home and crash - from the Broadway Bridge...

Love,

Bogart

Hairdale Terror Spotlight

Aw... Bogart and I are this weeks' spotlight on Airedales! We Luv Hairedale Terrors on Facebook! Bogart and I were honored and thrilled to share our story of Bogart's wild ride across America to his new home.

Check out the article to see which of the cuties in the top photo is Bogart!

Dedicated to you Klaus... miss you sweet husband-0...

Love,

Bogart & Lulu

Throw a Dog a Cone

Gee mama, what'cha gonna do with that cone in your hand?

I would like very much if you could throw it to me, please. See? I'm sitting like a good boy...

Woo-hoo!

Thanks for the cone. Yes that took a bit out of me, the jumping and the twisting. Wait a minute... YOU HAVE MORE???

Back to leaping, bending and twisting pronto!

GIMME GIMME GIMME

I'M F-L-Y-I-N-G...

Ah, SO CLOSE!!!

Leaping for the stars!

Ok, I've had enough jumping for one lunchtime walkie now.

I would like some time alone with my new-found and hard-won cones please.

They're mighty tasty for any of you doggies who haven't sampled them (of course be careful if you're a little one, you don't want to swallow any of the little pieces that come off during a good chomp). I like to think that they keep my teeth sparking clean too - did I mention that they're mighty tasty?

Heh. Words of wisdom (and flecks of pine cones gone by) from Bogart Handsome Devil.

Love,

Bogart

The Stick Hunter

Sunny spring SUNDAY and mama proposed a walk over to the east side.

But I wasn't in the mood for a super-long walk (I know, how is this possible?) so I thought we'd stay on the west side and explore a bit.

Back to hunting sticks! I have found an absolutely fantastic one - bigger than I am - that I simply MUST have.

It's bigger than me, it's longer than me, and it's covered in moss (unlike me).

Notice the much smaller stick next to the fantastic one. That's the one that mama found to try to pry me away from the stick that I really want. See how puny it looks in comparison...

Sorry mama, I simply cannot settle for your puny stick. I want to have the extra-large mossy one AND I WANT YOU TO THROW IT TO ME

Oh... do I really have to bust out the SMILE - all right, HERE IT IS...

Now I am concerned that you may not throw that juicy stick to me. Come on mama, IT WILL BE FUN.

DAMN IT FOUL WOMAN, THROW ME THAT STICK!!!

Ok fine. I didn't want you to throw me the stick anyway. I will pick it up on my own in my mighty jaws and shall carry it for the next hour on our tour around Portland in the hot afternoon sun.

Or... maybe I'll just sniff it one last time and then we'll be off.

Walking in NW Portland, we happened upon this cool sign (made with Lite Brite) in the window of a vintage store...

After all of that, wandering around for another 2 hours in the hot sun without that fine stick, I have to ask myself - do I still love my mama?

Love,

Bogart