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Friday, March 18, 2011

Springtime in the Rockies- Sheltie Pups at Play


Play, Play, Play
This is Grady (L) and Fergie (R) doing what they like to do best-- playing.


The Pull-Toy


The Little Foxes

Fergie, Grady, Destin

Forward March


Fergie Follow


Dogs just want to have fun

Grady- Sun Dog


White Bird and Mr. Robin

White Bird

Spring begins this Sunday, but along the Front Range of Colorado it really started today. Robins are here, along with goldfinches in their winter plumage. A leucistic red-winged blackbird (RWBB) also made an appearance. With mild temps come the birds looking for food.

Leucistic red-winged blackbird

White Blackbird and friends (RWBB's)

American Robin in Colorado

Robin eye

Robin in the last rays of the sun.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

The Sheltie - Red Sables, Bi-Black, Blue Merle

Missouri River Bridge
In St. Louis Day 1- Time to do a doggie exchange. One Blue Merle baby from Colorado is delivered - another Red Sable boy is picked up. Arriving at Wentzville, Missouri, I got to see some truly gorgeous shelties. Here they are.

Champion Gabe- Sheltie Special with numerous BOB wins across country. 

Shelties Galore- Left to Right
Connie, sable and white sheltie w/ dark overlay
Gabe-Sheltie champ being specialed all over the country
Grady- Red sable male now living in Colorado
Red sable sheltie behind Grady
Zip- Bi-black sheltie who really resides in Colorado
Kate-dream girl, sister to Grady
Gidget-Blue merle puppy in playpen-newly arrived

Zip in the middle-Colorado bi-black girl showing around the country.

Linda G. getting acqainted with Gidget

Larry, Linda G. and Billie - Dog Talk

Sally and Larry watching Linda G. at Sally's house

Zip, Gabe and Connie watching us depart with Grady.

Last remaining male sheltie in litter watching us leave Wentzville, Mo

Gidget Goodbye from Wentzville, Missouri

A fine group of Shelties, good talk, and the best little sheltie dog coming home to Colorado. When I tried to pack Grady's bed the day we drove back home, he must of thought that I was trying to ditch him. He hung onto his new bed for dear life. I eventually did get the truck packed with Grady. He was a delight all the way home strutting his stuff.

Grady at home in Colorado.







Friday, March 11, 2011

World Bird Sanctuary-Kathryn G. Favre Foundation Assist

While visiting in St. Louis recently I was taken to the World Bird Sanctuary west of the city. A couple of friends thought that the birder among them might like the birds there. They were right. This particular sanctuary is really a rescue center for birds, complete with bird hospital. Birds that are injured end up there more or less on a permanent basis, some birds are short term guests as part of a breeding program, and others are in transit to new homes.

Generally speaking I do not enjoy seeing birds in cages or captivity, but if a bird is injured and rendered incapable of surviving on its own, such facilities display them and maintain them for educational purposes.

Such is the case for the World Bird Sanctuary. Many stunning birds call the place home.

American Eagle Classic Profile

Eagle Eye

Eagle

Peregrine Falcon

Sea Eagle

Turkey Vulture

Fred- American Turkey

Fred- Strutting his stuff. Very friendly bird-not shy.

Snowy Owl

Snowy Owl whom I believe to be missing his right eye.


White Pelican Snooze

White Pelican

Saw-whet Owl

Deb Miller, my St. Louis guide.

Carolina Wren- St. Louis
Deb's birdfeeder

Tufted Titmouse- St. Louis
Deb's birdfeeder

A Visit to the St. Louis Arch at Mardi Gras (2nd largest in nation)

The St. Louis Arch
Since I was already in St. Louis, I simply could not resist the opportunity to go up into the St. Louis Arch which depicts the Gateway to the West. In reality, Chicago became the real gateway to the west via the railroad but St. Louis claims the mantle nonetheless. I had always thought of the arch as a concrete structure over the Mississippi River. Wrong. This arch is one of the most beautiful stainless steel art forms ever created. It's earliest beginning started in 1947 as the arch was planned to attract visitors to the gateway city. Construction began in 1962 and the arch was completed in 1965 with no loss of life -- a period prior to OSHA. It is a marvel of construction as each piece is a triangular form- a sandwich if you will - of concrete, re-bar and stainless steel.

A good friend of mine in Colorado is an AKC judge and it is her sister who played host to me and accompanied me to the arch. We went up inside the arch to the top observation windows via a very tiny and claustrophobic tram. It was great fun.

The Arch

The Left Foot of the St. Louis Gateway Arch March 6th, 2011. Jefferson National Expansion Memorial administered by the National Park Service.


Elongated Arch


St. Louis Arch Portholes at top upper right. This is where you go if you choose to take the tram inside the arch to the top. Of course I did.

Gleaming Arch of Stainless Steel in the Sunday Sun.

Arch elongated extreme angle.

Arch portholes.

Old St. Louis Courthouse where the Dred Scott decision occured. A slave successfully sued for his freedom.

The Arch- Right Leg

The Arch in Winter - St. Louis, Missouri

Gleaming Arch

Gleaming Arch Extended in Sunday Sun

Angle Arch

Arch Pantomime

Deb Miller, my host in St. Louis