The cold weather continues in Cumbria

Week three or is it four weeks now that the temperatures have remained below zero in many parts of the county.

Our regular walk to the park to check on the unfreezing puddle indicated that in part the water has become solid with ice. However, it is very thin and mum stopped us walking on it in case we fell through.

Interestingly, as can be seen by the photograph, the overnight snow has not covered the puddle over, so maybe some heat is still left in our thermal spring.

Maybe dad could buy the land and build a spa complex on it just for pooches.

We do get sore muscles and bad skin like humans, so why shouldn’t we get a bit of pampering…

Snowballs

Today Charlie learnt all about snow balls and chasing them. Mum tried like mad to make them so he could have something to run after.

The latest fall of snow was very powdery, just like false snow you would find in a shop window at Christmas or the stuff straight out of an aerosol can.

Mum had to warm her hands before picking up the snow so a little of it would melt and form a sort of icy-snowball.

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Video

Dad has been busy with the video and stills camera over the last few days snapping away taking pictures of snow.

He has put together a gallery of some of the stuff taken over the last few days below for your enjoyment.

Both mum and dad are now very busy writing up various articles for some of their websites and just letting us lay by the fire, toasting slowly.

We take it in turns hot-bunking on the rug whilst the other gets comfortable in a cooler part of the house. Mum thinks that maybe we were marshmallows or gods in a previous life.  I suppose that dog is merely god spelled backwards. So following that way of thinking we must also be a wollamhsram. Whatever one of those is?

Until next time

Buster and Charlie

Gallery

Some of dad’s pictures and a video he has put together for Naturearoundme.com

Hot weather and summer produce …

Gosh it has been hot for the last few days.  So hot we have been staying outside to try and keep cool as the house has been unbearable.  Even the tiled kitchen floor didn’t cool us down.

Mum purchased earlier this year an indoor –  outdoor room for the garden.  This has allowed us to keep cool in what breeze there has been away from the harsh sun outside.

It is a great gadget and with the lights dad put up a few days ago allows mum and dad also to enjoy the outdoors into the late evening.

Today the temperatures have dropped to be a manageable 23 degrees and to celebrate dad is playing music by Dire Straits and other tracks from iTunes.

We can see that his help is going to be limited as the occasional air guitar is played and the pencil drumsticks are used.  It is going to be a long afternoon…

Let us hope he doesn’t start mixing song titles into our blog or we will have to carry out a Private Investigation and remind him who are the Local Hero’s.

A cool river dip

Last night we travelled to Dalston.  We went the long way around as it gave us a chance to cool off in the air conditioning.

First stop was the river where we both got some welcome relief from the heat in the cool water.

Here we met up with another friend who had an interesting twist on the searching for stones game we often play.

She ran into the water and popped her head under the water gathering up a stone from the river bottom and bringing it to the waters edge.  She then ran back into the water and got another and another.

Summer fruits

Mum has started the annual harvest.  First crop has been some of the many gooseberries from the allotment.

The red and green fruits have been topped and tailed and put in bags for the freezer.

We are not allowed them as mum thought they would be bad for us but dad tells us they are great in a crumble during the winter.

Mum thought she was working an a Chain Gang as she worked her way through hundreds of berries.

The many hanging baskets full of strawberry plants are dripping with fruit it being Wimbledon Tennis Season.

The hot sunshine has really ripened the fruit and mum has started going to the garden on a morning, picking some of the fruit which she then slices for her breakfast on top of some yoghurt.

You can not get fruit fresher than that and with no transport costs.

One harvest we have been able to try has been the Sugar Snap Peas mum was processing this week.

Again from the allotment, they were very crunchy and fantastic to throw around before we eventually ate them.

Again another big bag full went into the freezer after a few were lightly steamed for an evening meal.

Finally we just had to share a photograph of the water lilly flower in our pond.  It was lapping up the hot conditions during the daytime only to close in the cooler evenings.  it is quite clever for a plant.

Thats all for now as it is now not Too Hot for Dancing in the Street as gardeners start Singing in The Rain as the heavens open with a welcome Downpour….

Until next time

Buster and Charlie

The water is so cold …

Yipee it has been fine and reasonably dry for the last few days and we have been to the park by the River Eden.

We had guests visiting the last few days so Charlie and I have been at home looking after things whilst they have been out and about with mum and dad.  So today was our turn to get some fresh air and some fun.

Rickerby Park runs along the side of the River Eden in Carlisle and is the site for the Cumberland Show during the summer.

A few proper paths cross the land but the main walks are on the grass. This means that it has to be reasonably dry to come here or we get covered in mud.

After parking the car we excitedly started to sniff around and get our bearings.  We have been here a number of times and every time it is good fun.

I take my time on walks these days, as my hip gives me a bit of a problem at times, so walking on the softer ground is ideal.  

Sniffs were a plenty today and Charlie has started to take notice of them after I showed him where to find them.  He is a mad hatter and often just goes off with his nose to the ground with a scent maybe of rabbits or the odd mouse.

We came upon a tree stump with an old wooden pallet propped up against it.  

It looked like it had been left here from when the river had overflowed.

Maybe the stump had travelled miles downstream on it’s journey to the sea.

Mum wondered about this for a while and the stories the stump maybe able to tell.  How old was the tree before it fell into the river and what things may it have seen?

River weeds were tangled in and around the slats of the pallet.  This gave it a ghostly feel like spiders webs around long forgotten and unused garden gate.

The hard frosts we had over winter seem to have caused an eruption in the number of snowdrops this year.

We came across this clump of them standing proud amongst others forming a carpet of white.

 

Key to our visit was the paddle  in the river.  

Charlie was ready for a good drink, so we headed for the water and straight in.  A quick woof  as the cold hit our tummies and then out with the licker and a water refill.

The water was so cold, but nice and fresh.

We didn’t stay long as our paws started to get cold and tingly.

Our walk continued around the park where we met a man who told mum that the trees in the park were arranged like famous battles.  Personally we couldn’t see it ,as they all looked like sniffing posts to us.  But if you know more, then let us know via the comments box below.

Until next time,

Buster and Charlie.

Cardboard tube for Charlie

Charlie gets right into the Christmas spirit as he demolishes the cardboard tube from the centre of the wrapping paper.

Whilst mum was doing her ‘Christmas Fairy’ impression and helping Santa, Charlie emerged with a tube longer than he is.

Sitting on the top stair her got to work shredding.  Who needs expensive gifts when a tube will bring a smile to every young boy…

I think mum has some more cleaning and tidying to do now!

Christmas Pictures

We would like to feature some images of you all this Christmas and New Year.  

What did you get up to, what silly clothes did you get and what for you was the best toy.

Let us have your images, via the contact us form,  and don’t forget to give your name and where in the world are you and we will feature some of them in the next few days.

 

Happy Christmas

Buster and ‘Oh’ Charlie…

Our big adventure

It has been a few days since we last updated our blog, but we have a very good excuse.

Last Friday we started a grand adventure to the countryside and got to sleep away from home.

All started as any normal day does but something seemed a little unusual.  Mum was packing a bag with our things. Towels, food, bowl, a few toys and a couple of chews.

This is not normally done for a walk so Buster and I started to get excited but puzzled.  

The car was loaded with our bag and a few for mum and dad and we headed off through the city and past our normal walking places and off into the countryside.

After about what seemed to be an hour mum checked her pockets and pulled out a piece of paper. Ah we thought, we are lost.

Dad pulled the car into a farm entrance and looked at the map and directions scribbled on the well folded paper.  As always seems to happen we needed to retrace our path around a mile to a junction to our right.

In the distance we could here the sounds of farm machinery which as we drove along the road became louder.

Finally we come across a direction sign on the roadside that dad says we should follow. I didn’t get chance to read it but it had a picture of a dog on it I think.

After a few hundred meters the car slowed and we approached quite a solid looking gate with a button just asking to be pressed. Mum did the honours and the gates swung upon like in the films.  

I must make a note that we could do with one of those special buttons for our gates.

Dad drove through the gap and parked up in a yard.  We were very excited and eager to explore and couldn’t wait to get out of the car.

Mum got out first and after putting the lead on Buster they both went through a doorway opposite. I followed with Dad a few minutes later.

A very nice lady greeted us. She smelt nice and gave us both a stroke and, being the flirt that I am, I got a cuddle as well.

Our own bed

We were led down a tiled passageway past a few doors and into a room.  Wow, it had a tv, a radio, our own small bed and a chair.  

Opposite the doorway was a yard area where we could stretch our legs and speak to other companions nearby.

The room was very posh and although I had to share with Buster the adventure would be fun.

Three sleeps

Mum and dad left us to get on with talking to our neighbours and finding our way around for three sleeps.

We were well looked after despite Buster being quite defensive and not letting anyone near.  He seemed a little scared of being away from his normal comforts but I managed to bound around and keep his spirits up.

We could run around in the big compound in turn with the other guests and I went for a walk every day. I even got a brush and a wash. Buster wasn’t up for a pampering, so I tried to ask for double… I’m not sure if the groomer understood though

Around the country club

The country club for animals even has it’s own pool.  Situated not far from our room is a 5m long 3m wide indoor pool kept nice and warm for us to play in.  

 

We didn’t manage to go for a swim this time but we have asked mum if we can come back and play.  

 

It has murials on the walls and a washing area –  just like the humans swimming pools I have seen in pictures.

This pool is used mainly for Hydrotherapy. This is the use of warm water as a controlled form of weightless exercise. 

It is an ideal aid to the recovery and rehabilitation of injured animals or simply a great form of exercise for healthy dogs.

The pool is fitted with jets to provide variable swim resistance and massage.

I think Buster will enjoy getting his first swim and easing those aching bones. All the time I have known him he has not gone into water deeper than his middle.  His feet have always stayed on the bottom.

Going home

On the morning of the fourth day mum and dad came back for us.  We were glad to see them and have a hug. 

I managed to stand in something rather pongy though on the way to the car and I stunk the car out all the way home.

This resulted in the obligatory bath for both of us and a frantic run around the house to get dry.

Since returning home and back to the daily routines I have needed my cuddles topping up. I did like my holiday and really do want to go for a swim. Will let you know how we get on.

Mum says she will be writing more about the Posh Pets Country Club on the other site Keep Trade Local in the next few weeks.

Thats all for now

Charlie and Buster

New look site…

Sorry for the lack of updates in the last few days but Buster and I have been rewriting our site.

We hope you like the new layouts and colours. 

Mum and dad are working hard on our other sites improving the navigation and services they offer. This will keep them out of trouble for a few weeks yet.

Other news.

We are fed up of the rain.  What happened to the sunshine.  We want our sun back.  

Buster is now getting quite miserable as his suntan is now starting to fade.

 

A quick update tonight 

So until next time

Buster/ Charlie