Monday, July 30, 2012

Sun Worshipper

I don't smell any sunscreen, Diva!
Seriously, sis, you need to wear sunscreen!
 

I Spy

I Spy, with my little eye, something that
On tip toes: "There has to be a butterfly in here somewhere."





is orange and black and white





"Aha, there you are!  Hiding in plain sight!"




Vanessa virginiensis
"Painted Lady"


Question Mark and Painted Lady

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Vizslympics Day 4

Event #10:  The Recall


Result
Bodi:   1
Diva:   2
Miska: 3
 
Decathlon Point Totals (lowest score wins)
Bodi:   19
Miska: 20
Diva:   20

Although the Vizslympics are broadcast over BodiVision, the Int'l Vizslathlete Committee (IVC) firmly asserts that the games were not rigged and that the vizslathlete known as Bodi won fair and square!

Closing Ceremonies

IVC could not afford to provide medals for each event hence the umbrella title Decathlon.  There was a slight kerfuffle during the medal ceremony when the eldest vizslathlete hopped up onto the gold medal platform and refused to leave!

!!! FIREWORKS !!!

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Vizslympics Day 3

Event #7:  Hol-ee Ball

Bodi cannot believe that he has been bested by Diva (a novice at this sport)
Bodi has to settle for second place
Result
Diva:    1
Bodi:    2
Miska:  3

Event #8:  Double Figure 8
 Bodi

Diva

Miska

Result
Diva:    1
Miska:  2
Bodi:    3

Event #9:  Recall over a Jump
Miska
Diva
Bodi

Result
Miska:  1
Bodi:    2
Diva:    3

 Vizslathlete Standings after 9 Events

                                               Gold                 Silver            Bronze

Catch                                       Miska               Diva/Bodi           -
Pylon                                       Bodi                 Miska               Diva
Proprioception Noodles              Diva                 Miska               Bodi
The Kong Bone                         Diva                 Miska               Bodi
Kong Bone Wrestling                 Bodi                 Miska               Diva
Lotus                                       Bodi                 Miska               Diva
Hol-ee Ball                                Diva                 Bodi                 Miska
Double Figure 8                         Diva                Miska                Bodi
Recall over a Jump                     Miska               Bodi                 Diva



Tomorrow brings us the final event of these games.  It is the most grueling of endeavours.  It will test every fibre of each vizslathlete.  It is a feat of strength, attention, agility, focus, obedience …  Vizslathletes train for this event 365 days of the year – there are no days off if one wishes to excel in this upcoming event!

Vizslympics Day 2

Event #4:  The Kong Bone

Due to a crooked set up, confusion on the start line leads to a delay for Diva.


Incredibly, Diva makes up for lost time to be the first to extract all 4 cookies from her Kong!

Diva presenting the empty kong to the judge
The Happy Winner
Result
Diva:    1
Miska:  2
Bodi:   3
Event #5:  Kong Bone Wrestling
First Round:  Diva vs Bodi
 Oh, no!  The Kong has been dropped!  There is no winner of the first round!
Second Round:  The reigning World Champion, Miska, will automatically take first place unless Bodi or Diva take up her challenge.
Diva takes a pass but Bodi is up for the challenge.
 
 
 What an UPSET!  Bodi wrestles the Kong from Miska's grip! WOW!

Result
Bodi:    1
Miska:  2
Diva:   3
 Event #6:  The Lotus
This is a brand new sport for Miska and Diva.  Neither having seen the equipment prior to today.

Miska

Diva

Bodi
demonstrating why he is the reigning World Champion in this event

Result
Bodi:    1
Miska:  2
Diva:   3


Friday, July 27, 2012

Vizslympics Day 1

Vizslympics 2012
Decathlon

The event organizers apologize for the low production value of this broadcast but the budget for the inaugural games was miniscule!

Event #1:  Catch

Results
Miska:  1 (5 catches)
Diva:    2 (4 catches; 1 drop)
Bodi:    2 (4 catches; 1 drop)

Event interrupted due to outside distractions.  In lieu of the opportunity for a tie-breaker, Diva & Bodi tie for second place.

Event #2:  Pylon
Diva
Nice tight turns but that false start will cost Diva points.

 Miska

 Bodi
Results
Bodi:    1 (9 foot line)
Miska:  2 (7 foot line)
Diva:    3 (5 foot line)

Event #3:  Proprioception Noodles

The event gets off to a rough start when the youngest competitor in these games takes off with one of the noodles.  That's too bad!  No bonus points for choosing the noodle with his country's colours. 
Bodi
That was a good performance but, unfortunately, interfering with the equipment puts Bodi into last place.

Miska
Miska has a clean run but that loss of focus at the end will cost her points.

Diva


Results
Diva:    1
Miska:  2
Bodi:   3

Good Luck to All of Our Athletes!

The Littlest Flagbearer

Let the Games Begin

          Patriotic cooling-kerchiefs: 
          Snacks: 
          Drinks:  
                 Big screen tv:  Hey, where's the big screen tv 
                               we were promised?!
That's not very sportsman-like, Miska-Mom!

Thursday, July 26, 2012

I Spy

I Spy, with my little eye, something that



is black and yellow



has a 3.9-6.3 inch wingspan!!!


is the largest butterfly in Canada and the U.S. 



 Papilio cresphontes
"Giant Swallowtail"




Mama can play this game, too!


I spy, with my little eye, something that


is yellow and black


has a 3-5.5 inch wingspan




Papilio glaucus
"Eastern Tiger Swallowtail"

Miska:  "This was the best photo because someone who shall
remain nameless was shaking the buddleia from underneath!"

Smart Cookie

I don't know, Diva, but that cookie looks really heavy.
I should take that off your head before you strain a muscle.
Oh, NO, you won't !!!!!

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Dancing in the Drought

July 20th
Maple Leaf Kennel Club
United Kennel Club Show
Erin, ON
Judge:   Pennie Jackson

Best of Breed
Group 4th



People regularly ask why Mom doesn't usually show me herself.  Well, the main reasons why other people have taken me in the ring for Mom are:

(a)  she is not very co-ordinated and has no prior conformation experience;
(b)  she is not able to stack me properly in a timely fashion;
(c)  I like to take off like a racehorse when it’s time to move around the ring
     (see (a) above); and
(d)  I have been known to try to play with the other dogs in the ring.

BUT,

on Friday, I was on my best behaviour and:

(a)  Mom was able to concentrate on her co-ordination;
(b)  I self-stacked really, really well (making Mom's job much easier);
(c)  I moved around the ring like a Vizsla and not a racehorse; and
(d)  I ignored the other dogs in the ring.

Thereby, making Mom really, really proud of me and my performance in the ring.

This is my second UKC "competition win" - I need one more "competition win" to become a UKC Champion.

Monday, July 23, 2012

I Spy

I spy, with my little eye, something that






is orange & dark brown

? ? ?





yet can look like a crumpled leaf








 Polygonia interrogationis
"Question Mark Butterfly"
 


"question mark" visible on the wing's underside

Sunday, July 22, 2012

It Never Rains It Pours

1:00 - beautiful scene near Woodstock
a few hours later there were tornado warnings in the area
2:45 - blue sky fluffy white clouds
above parched grass due to a month of drought
3:45 approaching Waterloo
approaching Cambridge
Guelph - near zero visibility due to HEAVY rain
prompting numerous drivers to park on the shoulder

Rather than park on the side of the Hwy (very unsafe) to wait out the downpour, we exited at Guelph and headed to RENs Pet Depot.  Barely a km North of the Hwy the sky was blue with white fluffy clouds!!!

As this was our third day of long drives, we headed to the farm to stretch our legs.  Not a single drop of rain had fallen there!  We arrived home to wet grass - yeay.

(No photos from our romp at the farm as the lense cover of the Elph is malfunctioning - not sure what happened.)