Tag: Carley
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Last Boat Swim
During Carley’s last boat swim of the summer, Susan realized that she’d done such an efficient job of cleaning out the boat to prepare for hauling and winter storage that there were no longer any throw toys for our crestfallen Labrador retriever. Uh-oh. Nary a tennis ball or frisbee. Crisis? Hardly! Master of improvisation, Susan…
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After Rowing, Retrieving
After rowing, retrieving. A perfect pairing in the eyes of Carley, our Labrador retriever. Fall is upon us, but that’s no disincentive to man and beast from enjoying the still warmish waters of Lake Champlain. I find it challenging to capture in prose or images, but this autumn atmosphere and rhythm lend themselves to the…
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Sun Puddling
Our Labrador retriever loves sun puddles. Ever since Carley was a pup, she has sought out the sunniest spots for her siestas. Sun puddling, we call it. She’ll reposition herself around the house, the icehouse, the yard throughout the day to ensure that she is snoozing in the most optimal sun puddle possible. Bliss, shear…
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Sculling Into Autumn
Susan and I celebrated summer’s end by sculling into autumn on Saturday morning. Sculling. September 23, 2023. Summers end. Slightly alliterative autumn. The beginning of a new chapter. Crisper. More colorful. Susan, Carley, and I uncovered the dory and rowed out onto placid waters to better observe the beginning of fall foliage and to honor…
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Hardscape Supervisor
Supervising stonework is challenging, but somebody has to do it. Fortunately Carley loves hanging out on construction sites with carpenters and contractors of all stripes. Lately she’s been spending much of the day in the icehouse observing Pam, Tony, and Aaron while they’ve been transforming rock piles into the icehouse courtyard. Carley would always prefer…
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Sunday Morning with Carley
Man. Dog. Sunday morning. After a week of early starts, this morning Carley and I slept until 7:00, and then we lingered lazily for an hour and a half. Tea. Reading. Slow breakfast. MUD\WTR. Sun soaking. Cricket listening. Lots of snuggles, belly and ear scratching, even a treat or three. Sunday morning with Carley is…
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Hammocking with Carley in 2020
Take me back to the spring a summer of 2020. Height of ‘rona. And hammocking with Carley! When memories drift back to that peculiar spring and summer of the Covid-29 pandemic, fear and paranoia come to mind. Manic masking, toilet paper shortages, spraying toxic clouds of disinfectant onto our groceries, and horrifying statistics mounting nationwide…
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Awaiting Apples
Pam has been thinning the apple trees, bucket after bucket. Some for the horse that draws the Amish gardeners’ buggy, some for Tony’s pigs, some for the compost, but none — so far, at least — for Carley. Poor girl. And so she pauses in the orchard, taking a brief break from ball chasing to…
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Morning Dew
After weeks of rain, we’ve enjoyed two glorious August days. Summertime splendor all the more apparent for the contrast with two months of incessant drizzle-to-downpour conditions. Sunny. Bluebird skies. Hot. Light breeze. Lower humidity. And morning dew on the decks and lawn when I take Carley out in the morning and when I wander up…
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Gladioli
Garish gladioli. Or so I thought. Not sure why really. Nor how long. But, quietly to myself, for a long-long time I’ve written off glads. Too flamboyant. Or overly ostentatious. Or maybe just too vibrant… Or perhaps it’s none of these. Perhaps it’s the association with funerals. Gladioli fans typically adorn funeral settings, right? In…
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Golden Hour Gaze
Dogs communicate much with their gestures, their looks, their gaze. Or so we, their doting owners, believe. Finding Carley curled in the setting sun this afternoon/evening, shoehorned into an unlikely window seat, a new favorite among many favorite napping spots, we paused a moment, each of us, as if exchanging a question. Cozy? Snack time?…
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Dog Days of Summer
We’re enjoying the dog days of summer, feasting on garden produce, wake surfing, and sweating (profusely!) toward the culmination of the icehouse rehab. Fresh blueberries for desert tonight, and summer squash, cucumbers, red and green romaine lettuce accompanied a grilled salmon. The garden provides. The lake is warm, and today was sunny instead of rainy,…