Guinness and Big Brother Greg

Guinness travels very well unless there is something to be excited about -- such as border agents or toll collectors whom he hopes will give him a treat. Last weekend, I drove to the airport to pick up Greg. When we came out to the car with Greg's cases, Guinness jumped out and ran around the parking garage frightening at least one woman before I was able to catch him. Once in the car, he wouldn't leave poor Greg alone. At home, Greg saw him as a more "normal" dog, and he admitted that he is first impression of Guinness was not particularly favorable!

Greg didn't want Guinness as a bedfellow, but he did come to see Greg in the morning!

Gentle Giant

Guinness saw a spider walking on our driveway. He followed it with his nose and delicately touched it causing the spider to change directions. He had no intention of harming it. He was just curious.

The Boys Snoozing

Sunday afternoon...

Dog Days of Summer

The wonderful summer days have been bringing out new dog friends!

Guinness LOVES everyone. If a dog doesn't like him, he will back down. Or, if they are both eager to play (while still on leash), they will bark and jump around. Some owners think this is dangerous activity. Their tails are wagging; they just want to be off leash and play!

This tiny black puppy was not afraid of the big guys at all. She bullied them around and made them chase her.

New friend, Keely LOVED playing tug with Holly! Keely's owner wished she had her camera, so I took some shots and emailed them to her.

Maggie and Guinness having a close time.

Roxy, the deaf dog returned! :)

What a cutie!

When we stepped outside this morning, we smelled and saw smoke! The house across the street from our condo driveway burned down overnight! We heard multiple sirens, but they all stopped (because they stopped across the street!), so we didn't bother looking. Apparently, the empty house, about to close in 2 days, was engulfed in flames. Sounds suspicious. It was still smoldering as we left for doggie park.

When we returned, the smoke was doused, but the Inspection Team was on the job with Guinness intently watching.

Guinness and I Hosted a Tea Party

We held a tea party on our patio. Notice the pink flowers in memory of Karin.


Guinness was such a good boy (because he was tied up!).

Ingrid decided that he should join the party.

He LOVED the attention.

Then she asked if she could give him a piece of her lemon cookie. He turned around and saw Marianne was eating a yellow cookie too, so GRABBED it out of her hand and ate it!!!! Oh, my...

Lessons Learned

This morning, Guinness and I met new friends at doggie park! When we arrived a woman was there with her dog on leash -- tugging hard to get away from her. I called to her asking, "Does your dog like to play?" She made hand motions I didn't understand, and we moved closer. Then I realized she is deaf AND her dog too! I made the love sign and spoke, "Guinness loves everyone!" By this time, Holly, our Golden friend had arrived too. The woman had no voice, but can speak a bit in whispers. Thanks to Karin, I know the sign for "play." She managed to make me understand, when she lets her dog off leash, she cannot call him to come back. But she did let him off, and the three dogs had great fun running!

Then Holly's Dad pointed to Guinness running off to the other side of the field where a woman had arrived with 2 border collie-type dogs. He said, "She isn't friendly." So I ran after Guinness. No point in calling him, as he would not listen. I have seen her before; Guinness has run to her before, and she stands still with her dogs barking viciously while I corral Guinness. Today, by the time I got there, Guinness was just wandering near them, because he understood that the dogs did not want to play, and her dogs were being placid as they understood Guinness was not going to bother them. I apologized to her, explaining that Guinness loves everyone and knows when he is not wanted. She told me that her one dog is a rescue and is in constant pain from a leg which was broken and not fixed properly, and her other dog is very protective of his brother. We walked together chatting. I told her that I was so glad to have met her, because I thought she was annoyed with us for having our dogs off leash. She said she was not bothered by that at all.

As Will Rogers said, "I never met a man I didn't like." Once you get to know someone and learn the path they walk, you understand their behavior.

I wish I knew more sign language!

Locust

Guinness and I found this friend on our house!

Isn't he a beautiful creature! This is the same type of locust that had the misfortune to be caught in the spider's web under our neighbor's deck stairs a few days ago.

The Very Hungry Spider

As Guinny and I passed behind the townhouse of a vacationing neighbor this morning, something large and black, dangling under the deck stairway, caught my eye. I took a closer look. A healthy spider was living in an expansive web under the stairs and had caught a bonanza – a large locust! At first, I thought it was a butterfly because of the large wings. After depositing Guinness at home, I donned my camera and returned. Originally, the spider appeared to be of a large species. Then I came to the conclusion it was a greedy spider. He was engorged with his bonus catch! He might have been eating himself to death! The extensive webbing had captured dozens of little flea bugs. But the interloper was ignoring them in favor of his windfall.



Guinny and I returned a couple of hours later to check on the drama under the stairs to find devastation! Someone had decimated the web. The spider was gone, but I found the victuals on the driveway.

Unfortunately, one of the next-door neighbors did not see the beauty of what was happening.

New Friend and Naughty Dog!

A few days ago while at doggie park, Kevin asked that we bring a bag for picking up the garbage under a grove of spruce trees where there is a natural, private fort with much litter. We did that today. What a caring boy!

It was too late for our regular friends, but we met a new friend - Annie!


While getting Kevin ready for bed, Guinness was running around with a plastic bag in his mouth, teasing me to take it from him while trying his best to keep it away from me. I didn't think much of it, though I wondered where he found it. After Kevin was in bed and I returned to the kitchen, this is what greeted me:

I don't know if the cupboard door was left ajar, or if he has learned to open it. Dear, God, No! In trying to remember what was in the organic bin, there were banana peels, cherry seeds and stems, watermelon and cantaloupe rinds, also corn cobs! Not a smidgen of any of that left! Guinness is sleeping in his crate tonight...

Annual Vet Visit

Guinness had a vet appointment today for his annual shots. I booked it for the first appointment after lunch, so we were the only ones in the waiting room! He still was crazy, but less so without other dogs and owners to capture his attention.

The boy and dog kept each other entertained while waiting for the vet. The boy allowed the dog to go through the swinging door to the inner sanctum twice. Why do they have a swinging door there anyway? What are they thinking?



The vet said he can hardly believe that five years have gone by since Guinness was first in that office! He has gained a pound (now 78.8 lbs.) since he was there two months ago for a Heartworm test and medication.

Bath and Ball

This morning, Kevin rode his bike to doggie park. It was a great success! Except... there were no dogs there to play with. We were later than the normal playtime. Though we did run into one of Guinness’s elderly friends as we left, and Kevin couldn’t stop petting gentle Ben.

Kevin played in the sprinkler.



Kevin managed to get Guinness all wet too, so we gave him a bath with the hose. He needed it anyway. After he was dry, we combed out his loose hairs. Kevin is becoming proficient at being my assistant in this process! Then Kevin said that I never take pictures of Guinny, so we took some.





Guinness doesn't know he is a Retriever. He does reverse retrieves (steals things and makes you chase him). Tonight Lucy, also a chocolate lab, was out with her daddy playing fetch. Lucy is very serious about fetch. Kevin tried throwing the ball for Lucy also, using the plastic throw "arm." Kevin knew we had one in our garage, so, when we came home he got it out and tried to play fetch with Guinness. Guinness RETRIEVED the ball MANY times!!!! He must like playing with Kevin better than with me.

Good Boy

Guinness went with me to pick up Kevin at noon. Kevin ran away into the playground for the younger kids (his group doesn't have one). The gate read, "No pets." So Guinness and I had to wait on the other side of the fence.


We always find dog lovers who fawn over Guinness and he gratefully accepts. Today it was little boy about 3 years old who ran over to him and asked if he could pet him. Yesterday, it was a very elderly (and perhaps senile) woman who wouldn't stop petting him. Her husband finally had to pull her away.

Loving Kevin

Guinness had fun playing with Kevin tonight -- jumping on him, stealing his and my shoes to make Kevin chase him.

Then it was bath time. Kevin bumped his mouth on his knee making his loose tooth bleed. Once the blood stopped flowing, he wiggled the tooth and it popped right out!

NO FRONT TEETH!!!!

Guinness was very concerned about Kevin and gave him several licks.

Kevin at Chautauqua!

Kevin is with Guinny and me at Chautauqua now. I took Kevin on a walk around the community to show him where his children's program will be meeting -- in a building not far from our condo and at the lakeshore at the other end of the property. Guinness came with us. When we came close to the lake at one point, he was going to drag me into the lake, so I had to let him go. It was over his head there, so he had his very first swimming experience! I was far too busy to pull out my camera, as he became entangled in the roping and bobs around the public swimming beach. Thankfully, no one was there swimming and I could reach the roping from the shore! Beyond that, he was still over his head and beside a cement retaining wall. There were steps off a dock adjacent, but to get him to go to the steps, I had to go down them with my sneakers on to guide him out. Whew!

We continued our travels, showing Kevin Palestine Park -- a geographically correct replica of The Holy Land complete with little cities, Jordan River, Dead Sea, and the lay of the land from North to South.

After looping around The Boys' & Girls' Club, we walked through the woods and experienced Thunder Bridge. We continued on to the Amphitheater and heard the Choir singing. Since I no longer have a babysitter, I could not sing in the Song Service tonight. We stood outside the gates with Guinness and listened to a couple of songs.

Next stop was The Refectory for ice cream. We tied Guinness to a bench. He has learned to be a very good boy when we tie him and leave him. Then we sat with him to eat our ice cream.


It was twilight as we walked home, so the bats were coming out! We saw them high in the trees and then flying over our heads as we walked to the gate on the way to our condo.

Chautauqua Institution - Week Two

July 4th Weekend
Since moving to Burlington in 1999, I don't think I have been in the US for a Fourth of July. It certainly spurred my patriotism to be present for the festivities! Saturday afternoon the Chautauqua Community Band played rousing renditions of favorite patriotic and American songs. The Saturday night Pops Concert included the 1812 Overture with the audience popping paper bags at the cannon shot moments. Awesome! Apparently, this is a common occurrence in recent times when the Overture is played, but it was my first experience. Following the concert, we went to the lakeshore to see the flares around the lake and the Mayville fireworks accompanied by patriotic songs being played by the Bell Tower carillon.

The decorations around the grounds were heart-stirring and magnificent.









The Chautauqua Choir sang two patriotic anthems in the morning service. The Evening Song Service, which is a choir concert with some hymn singing, was on theme as well. Sometimes there is a bit too much liberalism expressed here. There was one congregational hymn ("...The poor are rich, the weak are strong, the foolish ones are wise, Tell all who mourn: outcasts belong, who perishes will rise..."and a responsive reading ("...From greed and selfishness, from a society in which the irch get richer and the poor get poorer, compassionate god, deliver us...") which was beyond my conscience to participate.

Sunday afternoon, Jared (organist and choir director extraordinaire) led a Blessing of the Animals at the lakeshore! Guinness must have recognized the spiritual significance and reverence of the occasion. He could not have been better behaved! In fact, he was a favorite of the crowd. Everyone wanted to pet him. I wish old Mr. Billy Goat had been there!



I noted that a "Daily Chautauquan" photographer, Emily Fox, was taking closeup photos of him. Overnight, I was dreaming he would be the poster boy on the front-page! But alas... I ran for the paper first thing! They didn't even include an article about the Blessing. I have since learned that the photos were taken as filler when needed. So he still has a chance for fame. I went to the newspaper office to see if I could buy a photo she had taken. So hard to choose! She had taken several shots of the group with Guinness's glowing face in the lower right corner. At $15 each, I chose only two: one showing the group with Jared leading --

and a full view of Guinny.

I am still considering going back to fork out another $15 for one of those darling shots with just his cute face in the lower right corner!

The first blessing was bestowed upon a cat -- the only cat and a remarkably calm cat. He rolled on the grass with all the dogs present!

Guinness receiving his blessing:


While at Chautauqua, I always go on the weekly Bird Walk. Other than a Great Blue Heron flying overhead, the clan of Purple Martins living in the gourds provided them on the lakeshore, and a Hairy Woodpecker, I did not see any spectacular or unusual birds on the weekly Bird Walk, but I did see a rosy breasted grossbeak out our condo window. I also saw a tiny gray bird with yellow beak and a song which is a rattle, but have yet to identify him.

When I returned to the condo after the Bird Walk Tuesday morning, an empty clear glass bowl was sitting IN Guinness's water bowl -- unbroken! It took me a second to figure out why it was there. A bunch of 6 bananas had been in that bowl sitting on the counter directly above his water bowl! He ATE ALL 6 bananas!!!! No more treats for him that day!

While walking Guinny around the property, I heard an unusual bird song as we passed a clump of trees. I stopped, turned around, and looked for the bird in the trees. I did not see it, but a crow loudly cawed at me from a nearby rooftop. Then I realized it was a baby crow chirping its baby song! When we returned to that spot several minutes later and heard the baby again, I stopped to gaze for the nest. This time, two crows cawed their disapproval of my attention!

The temps last week were chilly. This week is steamy! Here is Guinny after a hot walk.


On Tuesday, Grant's cousin Angela and her dog, Louis, came to spend the week with us. Little Louis took control as the Top Dog immediately and put Guinness in his place. Guinness is such an Omega dog that he defers to anyone. Notice he tried not looking a Louis to see if Louis would let him pass.

That didn't work, so then he looked at me pleadingly to assist him in passing Louis and leaving the kitchen!

These pictures were taken one of our walks around the property to show Angela around.
The President of Chautauqua Institute's home.


The Bell Tower through the trees.

This week, I went on the Tree and Garden Nature Walk for the first time. It was very informative about the species of trees here, the care they are given, the challenges they face, and the replacement for each tree lost. Prior to twenty years ago, basically only shade plants could be grown on the grounds. Now that some of the larger trees are being lost, there is more sunlight and a greater variety of perennials can be planted.

He took us to the Butterfly Garden and explained that there never are butterflies there. They are not sure why unless it is the proximity of the fire station, the large colony of bats on the property, or what. As he was saying this, I pointed out a white butterfly fluttering a few feet from us! He said it must be a moth. ha! A few minutes later, there were three white butterflies hovering around the garden. Again, he insisted that they must be moths. I looked up moths that are active in the daylight. None of them are pure white.

I also attended the Bat Talk Wednesday afternoon. I experienced the bats Tuesday evening while walking back to the condo at dusk. They were flitting around high among the trees except along the pathway to my condo -- they were flying all around me so fast that they were gone before I realized they were there! The Bat Talk dispells all the myths which most consider to be fact, and replaces their image as wonderful creatures with whom we cohabitate.

Thursday, July 8
Guinny and I took a walk down by the lake. It was very hot, so I let him go in the lake where a couple of other dogs were playing fetch in the water.

Then we met an artist painting a lakeshore scene.


Tonight was a Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra concert. They played the Violin Concerto in D Major by Tchaikovsky with the Concertmaster, Brian Reagin (Concertmaster during the regular season at The North Carolina Symphony in Raleigh), as soloist. He was FABULOUS!!!! What a wonderful rendition he played of that concerto under extremely hot conditions. Everyone was to their feet within seconds!