Another Mixed Bag: Ruby + Flowers and other things...

Can you believe this weather for the Sacramento CA

area in late JUNE???  Time to head outside.

There were interesting vapor trails in a

beautiful pure blue sky.

As I was looking up,  I noticed a small bird

 out for a stroll along the roof line.  

It's not every dog that has a big frog for a friend, to

keep her company, while spying on the neighbors!!!

Then I went shopping with my daughter to buy

some garden art which meant the frog had to be 

relocated.   Ruby still used the flower pot to

get a better view as she spied on the neighbors.

The breeze catches the little cups just below the 

hot air balloon and puts it in motion. 

After all the time outside  "spying", it was time to come in 

 and  take a nap...  I call this the "spread frog dog" position.

Then I ordered some fake flowers (from Amazon) 

 

to match the colors in my "fake mosaic" patio table.

Then  Ruby had to have surgery on June 12 and 

found it very difficult to pick up her toys because 

of the dreaded "cone".

However she put her mind to it... and found that stacking

 was a perfect solution. Yippee "D" day is in 2 days. 

That means cone removal.

Whew - back to normal.

 

"R" Dogs... Rider, Ripley, Ruby

We got Rider at the Anchorage Animal Shelter when he was about 3

months old...   He roamed the U.S. and parts of Canada with

us in our RV for the next 13 years.

He loved people, but wasn't fond of other dogs.

That's Eric to the left and Don to the right.

(remember you can click on any photo for a larger view)

We introduced Rider to RV traveling starting in Feb 1999

and he enjoyed site seeing with us on many trips

including the drive home from son Eric's home in Eagle River AK 

to our home in Colfax CA

The next year we went to Gold Canyon AZ for the winter

and Rider loved to run in the desert in the early morning.

One day he brought this Cow thigh bone back to our campsite.

And we packed it around with us for years and you'd often

hear Don say "get your bone and let's go for a walk".  Of

course they "walked' in the desert and Rider carried the 

bone with him for their entire walk and always brought it home!!!

Rider was a mixed breed:   black lab, border collie,  

greyhound and Siberian Husky,   He was tall and about 90 lbs

and I could scratch his back without bending over...

  And he didn't like the water because

 Siberian Huskies don't do water.  However I taught him to ride

on my kayak with me.  If we got close to the shore, he

jumped in the water and swam to shore.  This was one of

our last photos together.  We were car camping at Topaz Lake NV

on the east side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. 

Rider got his name because he loved to get in any vehicle

and go for a ride... "He who Rides".

I made this  Mosaic stepping stone Feb 17, 2011 while living

  in AZ.  Today Rider guards the entrance to

my apartment here in Folsom CA.,

even tho his final resting place is in Colfax CA.

A close up of the photo in the frame appears below.

This was taken 6/28/2004  when Don, Rider and I

posed for this photo at the Arctic Circle on one of our 

trips to the far north!!!

We had 3 Dalmatians over the years and this is Ripley

the one we had for many years in 1990's  I took this slide

of him playing in our yard in Citrus Heights with Eric's

Siberian Husky puppy named Tok.

I projected the slide on a large piece of paper 

I had placed on the wall, the size I wanted the tapestry to be 

and traced the image to use as a pattern for my tapestry.

And of course you's seen lots of photos of Ruby in

recent posts.   Well, that's a "wrap" of R Dogs...

More Goats... as far as the eye can see

Kristine and Richard called and asked if Ruby and I wanted to join

them for a "Goat Walk".  

Who could resist an invitation like that...

  There was

an electric fence along the sidewalk to keep the goats

confined.   Everything was fine till Ruby accidentally

bumped into the fence to get a closer look...

All the yipping and barking didn't even bother the goats!

Some were grazing down low,

while others preferred the tree branches

Others preferred the easy path

while the taller goats  stood un their hind feet to get

the fresh leaves.  It's spring and these goats are trucked

to specific areas of the community to do their part 

in fire prevention!!! 

Click to enjoy a goat video.

 

Boating Discovery Park, Animals, Bridges & Mansions...

 

Son-in-law Richard gets the boat ready in Folsom and

Eric, my son and Kristine (my daughter as you know from other 

posts) and I pile into the truck and head

 

for Discovery Park which is located at the confluence of the 

American and Sacramento Rivers. 

After launching the boat...

we were welcomed by this beautiful male mallard

who seemed to be looking for a ride.

As I took  a picture of Kristine, Eric and Richard,

Eric took  a picture of me!!! 

Then we heard some bellowing and noticed some sea lions

sunning on the base of the bridge platform.

Sea lions are pinnipeds characterized by external ear flaps,

 long fore flippers, the ability to walk on all fours, short and 

thick hair, and a big chest and belly. Together with the fur seals, 

they make up the family Otariidae, eared seals. 

The tower bridge is a famous landmark in West Sacramento

that crosses the Sacramento River, linking West Sacramento 

in Yolo County to the west, with the capital of California, Sacramento,

which is in Sacramento County to the east.  It has also been

known as the M Street Bridge.

It is a vertical lift bridge with a total length of 737 feet and a

width of 52 feet.

There were many beautiful homes along the river's edge.

(Click on any photo for a larger view.)  In this picture, you'll notice

 the tee-pee in the yard... I don't know that story!!!)

Others appeared to be castle like in construction.

And the goats were out "mowing" all the brush and young

trees so the homeowners would have a clear view of the Sacramento River.

Richard points out the Double Deck "I" Street swing bridge which 

allows a very large ship to continue up the river.

  This type of bridge requires no counterweights 

and the complete weight is significantly reduced. 

 We decided to hang around to see it open for a

 tall mast sail ship that was waiting behind us  for the bridge

to turn so it could continue its sight seeing tour up the river.

Then we turned around  headed under the Tower Bridge

on our way to eat at Joe's Crab Shack

  I chose the Dungeness Crab of course,

while Richard selected something more elaborate!!!

Our table provided us with a window seat for another 

view the Tower  Bridge!!!   What a great day...

F is for Family Fun at Folsom

 

Selfie by Richard... l-r, Your's truly, Arrisa (grandson Kenny's girlfriend)

my daughter Kristine (Kenny's mother), Cassie (Kristine's daughter)

and Wes (Cassie's hubby) Everett, (Kristine's son)

and his fiancée Michelle. 

Arissa & Kenny get ready to throw sticks for

Latte who loves the word "fetch" no 

matter how deep the water... and he can walk on logs too!!!

Richard tied Latte to a dead bush because he was being a

"bad dog" so Latte just drug the bush around with him...

Arissa playing with Ruby while Kenny throws sticks

for Latte.

The family "mob" and their  dogs...

Ruby and Cassie's dog Midas, mucking in the mud.

Everett's new puppy is a real cutie.  You'll definitely want to 

click on this photo for a larger view.

"Come, Aok" ,,, (she's part dachshund and something else)

and gave all the dogs a run for their money!!!

Ruby naps on my lap after a rough dog day at the beach...

after all she's only 4 months old!!!