Hiking Day One part II: Big House and Big Dogs

After we left Price Lake and the beavers and whatnot, we hit up Moses Cone Park. We'd passed it a lot last year but never stopped. Man, am I glad we did! We never expected to see this beautiful giant house in the middle of the Blue Ridge!

And check out these views! Can you imagine waking up to that EVERYDAY!?!?! Apparently the Cones owned  A LOT of land. Mr. Cone died and the Parkway people wanted to put the BRP through their land. Mrs. Cone said "Heck to the no!" but then a few years later she died and the family donated it all to the BRP Foundation! Way to go Mrs. Cone's kids!

I told dad we should move here!!

Dad said no, unless we win the lottery. So I went PFFFT! on that!

Not only was it beautyful, but we also got a picture of us both looking in the general direction of the camera. I don't think that's ever happened before! So off we went on the miles and miles of "care-ridge"roads, starting on the DUNCAN road!  I wondered why these roads were so nice and big. And there were lots of piles of poo on them....I thought maybe cause it was named after Duncan?

Oh well, we just took in the beautiful scenery. Flowers were in bloom in the cool fall air....and then it happened...

I heard a loud SNORT and behind us were the most giantist dogs I've ever seen!! I was like WTF?!?!

The next time they came upon us, I was ready with my super-sonik hearing.

We walked behind them, as not to spook the "horses" aka GIANT DOGS. I wanted to sniff them and Duncan wasn't scared, he said he used to chase horses when he was a whipper snapper like me! I guess this is why people call me a pack mule when I wear my backpack, cause I'm like a minature-giant-horse carrying stuff. We even have similar ears!

That's it for day one of hiking. Tomorrow, I'll show off my camo-flage!

Hike One: Price Lake Where the Wild Things Are

We're back! I have to say, this year's trip to North Carrylina was pretty awesome!!! I have lots to blog about, so we'll start on day one (well, actually two, but hike one). Mom and dad weren't sure how "hiking ready" the old man was this year, so we decided to do an easy favorite at Price Lake. A 2.8 mile loop around a lake and then go from there. The trees were in pretty good color as we started our day.

Ah, the trail! How I've missed you! Backpack, check. Water bowl. Check. Noms, check. Poo bags for my pooing big brother, check. Let's rock.

As soon as I could get to water, I made a run for it! Mom and dad said "come on, there's more water!"

So I went PFFFTT! What's the point of hiking at a lake if you can't get in the lake!?!? GEEZ!!!

 Then we found a really pretty tree. Fall was creeping in!

Dad said "Let me get my pretty girls by the pretty tree!" That dad, such a suck-up. Right, but a suck up.Then we noticed something on our tree!

Seems some beavers have made their way to the lake! They've been nomming on the tree! We saw lots of beaver tree noms. Some trees were even on the ground! This makes my stick facination look not so bad.

Dad and Dunc looking cool. But really, we were at a standstill cause the trail was flooded! You know why?!?

 Those beavers had built a dam where the trail crosses! We got our feets wet, which was fine with me, but Duncan didn't like it and dad got beaver mud in his shoe! EWWWW!

 But once we reached the other side, we saw our beautiful tree! So that made it all okay.

I got in one last swim....man that water felt good. It tasted good too!

Then we saw that the beavers had built them a house out in the lake! I don't know much, but I do watch a little HGTV and that place looks like a fixer! I mean, it needs some work to make it Anna-worthy.

Then we found ANOTHER critter! On the way out we found this deer standing by the road. She hung out for a while. She just stared at us. This is a lot calmer than my NEXT deer encounter that I'll share with you later (yes, I'm a tease!)

We got in the car and got ready to go on to our next hike. Dunc did pretty good, although I'm totally embarrassed by his tongue in this photo. I mean, how un-civilized! He's making our Bugz Bunny Blanket look BAD!

Tomorrow I'll tell you about me meeting some REALLY BIG DOGS! OMG!

Packin' It Up!

This is a photo of us last year at Linville Falls. Mom calls it our "family portrait". :)

We're getting all packed up. Mom says we have about as much stuff as they do!! Whatever...well...maybe....

Dad says we're leaving in the morning no later than 7 a.m., which should be interesting since mom doesn't do well nor function nor is friendly before 7 a.m., but she said she would make an exception since this was for a fun roadtrip not a "going to work" roadtrip.

The petsitter also came by last night to go over Simon's drugs and food routine (he's still stealing turkey noms). She was very nice, and one of mom's friends. Simon was not happy though that someone else is going to be giving him his pills, and that we would be leaving him. Maybe I'll get him a pinecone or something as a gift? Do kitties like pinecones??

Anyway, last year, when we went to NC this time of year, the leaves were just starting to turn (seet here's a lot of green in the photo above). But this year, they've had some freakisly cold weather so now all the leaves are turning early! Here's a photo from the BlueRidge Pkwy. Daily Facebook page:


Jennifer DeSimone Mesk took this wonderful photo off the BRP. Aren't the colors AMAZING?!?!
And since the leaves don't tecknikally change until mid-late October, we should she beautiful leaves while beating out the "leaf people" who schedule their vacay's that time of year! Booy-yah!!



And since it's still cool, mom and dad are going to make S'mores which means I get Marshmellows!!! And maybe a fire-cooked hotdog! NOM!!

So stay safe my friends. I'll see you all in a week and a half. I'm sure I'll have tons of photos!

B'day Presents have Arrived!

Well it finally happened....I got my b'day presents!! They came in the mail Friday. So, what did mom get me??

Oh yeah, that's right, a personalized PINK leather collar!!!!

I can't wear it everyday, just for outings (which don't involve water) and stuff. It's pretty cool!

I told mom she did very good in picking out the color and the font. My name is in chocolate brown. She got it from out GSD mom-friend at Pikoda collars. She sells nylon ones too, but mom said it was time for me to take the big-girl step into leather!

My next present was not something you'd get everyday...it's my....

NO HUNTIN' ME VEST!! For when we go to the mountains in three days. I like it. it's very bright and fits well. And now no one will think I'm a lone wolf or bear!

Mom and dad also had to get up early Saturday and go drive two hours to get our noms. Ususally the nom lady delivers but she couldn't make it this week and we had to have noms to travel with so the parents went to go get them. While there they got us some b'day cookies!

Sorry the photo is blurry. It was with mom's phone and she was worried she was going to lose a finger cause Dunc was all about NOM NOM NOM!!!

Hope you had a great weekend! We'll be packing up all our stuff here and getting ready to make our road trip! I think I have more stuff than mom!!!

Who you talkin' to Willis?

A lot of peoples think mom is crazy....for obvious reasons aside, because people says mom "spoils us rotten." Now, I don't know what this means...I mean, just because we have a lot of toys and collars and packs (which all serve a purpose) and cause mom and dad do stuff with us and take us on vacayshion with them we are apparently "spoiled". Pfft...if I was truly spoiled my custom B'day present would have been here YESTERDAY on my b'day served with a nice homemade doggy cupcake...but that's beside the point.

Now mom thinks other peoples are crazy cause they don't love their critters as much as her and dad do (and all your moms and dads...high five!). But Tuesday, mom got looked at like she was REALLY bonkers.

Mom took me out for an evening walk. It was nice, relatively cool for Alabama. And when we walk, mom talks to me.

Mom: Oh Anna, I'm so ready for next week! It's vacation!

Me: (run back to mom) I know! We need a rest! I'm stressed!

Mom: Just think, you get to run around and chase turkeys...

Me: Dinner will be served! Nom!!

Mom: And you'll be wearing your new "no huntin' me vest" so no one thinks your a bear or a wolf!

Me: Whew! And a wolf? Seriously? People are so....hey mom, that woman's staring at you...

Mom turns and sees some of our elderly (who am I kidding, they're all elderly in our hood) neighbors staring, mouth open, at us.

Mom: Hello!

Scared Neighbor: Are you talking to....your dog........(takes a step back)

Mom: Umm...yeah....

Scared Neighbor: Umm...hmm.....nice backpack. (scampers inside)

I guess a lot of peoples don't think talking to us critters is normal. I say POO on you! POOOOO! Mom and dad talk to all of us all the time. Riddle me this: how can you not talk to a critter that lives in your house people?!?!

So as we walked off, Mom laughed.

Mom: What's her deal, Anna?

Me: I haz no idea...now about those turkeys.....

GUESS WHAT TODAY IS?!?!

It's ANNA DAY!!!

Yep, I turn the big O-3 today!!! Look at me above...aren't I cute? Yep...then this morning mom did this to me:


Is that how you treat a dignified lady such as myself?? AND mom and dad are both working all day today, AND they don't have my present yet! Mom said it should be here either tonight or tomorrow....this just will not do!

So I'm going to hit them with my lazer eyes, take off this stupid hat, eat it and probably take a great nap! At least we're going on vacation in ONE WEEK!!! So that makes it okay I guess. And I did overhear dad say something about going to get a puppy-cookie this weekend!

Fashionista

My dear friend Bunny over at Tales and Tails asked me about something dear to my heart...FASHION!

Bunny has one of the best eyes for fashion I've ever seen, but it seems now that her dear GSD sister Morgan has been taken over by her Mom, Morgan is about to enter the fashion world! Bunny asked about what's in my closet, and man, have there been a lot over the years!

First off, I like pink. Everyone always thinks I'm a boy, so by wearing pink it helps to say "I'm a Lady!" although you'd be suprised how many times still call me "He and Him". Oh well.




These are two of my first hand made collars mom ordered for me! They are a chain martingale, because I had a bad habit as a puppster to back out of my collar and running back to the car. Not fun when Mom was in Petsmart! I don't do that anymore, but mom just likes the way they look. The chain makes me a little hard-core!

This is my current collar and matching leash. Mom buys them all from Fido's Fashion Collars. They hold up great, even at the beach. Hmm...looking at the site I think it's time for a new collar!!!

This is my pink tracking harness. I only wear it when I'm workin' the nose. It allows me to get my nose on the ground without the leash/collar pulling on my neck. And it stands out wonderfully against my furs!

Then I have my Doggles. I think I look very Jacki-O, no? Mom got these for me for my Pannus (an eye condition that I need to keep the UV rays away from). I don't wear them much, but if we ever go to the beach again, they're a must. We'll take them to NC on vacay as well, since I'll be outside a lot.

Speaking of Vacay, here's my backpack. They didn't have pink, but it's okay. Blue is cool too. I wear it on walks around the hood as well, so mom can put stuff in it, like keys, phone and poo bags cause Duncan ALWAYS poops on walks.

Then there's GAMEDAY!! Awwww yeah boyyyeee! Mom made me an Au bandANNA!

Then mom ordered my LUCKY Auburn Collar! The Tigers are undefeated since I started wearing this! I only wear it on gamedays. Mom got it from a friend of Aunt Temple at

Designs by Trucks. I highly suggest this if you need your team to pull out a W!

But I have a super secret with my collar...it's only lucky if I wear it upside down!! Hey, whatever works, right?

Mom said I'm about to add to my collekshion....an orange No Huntin' Me Vest for when we go to the mountains. We may go get it tonight actually at the Bass Pro Shop.

Mom also said that I might get a suprise from our friends at Pikoda Collars for my b'day that's coming up...hmm....wonder what I'll get?

So there you go! What are your favorite fashions you have and where do you buy them? We're always looking for a deal!!