Postponed *#=^/"!!

Well, my patronis postponed our hiking trip to Hilton Lakes AGAIN. Why?? I don't know. What could there possibly be better to do than hiking?? I was fed up all weekend long! (I got some consolation from my friends, of course). I guess I just have to keep my paws crossed, that we'll go next weekend!! I love hiking soooo much!
When I woke up this morning it was cold!!!!! I couldn't believe it! Nice and cold! It started raining a few hours ago and hasn't stopped yet!! Sooo nice... I love rain! I am totaly wet from walking around outside. My mom says I stink... how can she say something like that!?!?!? Anyway I'm enjoying the rain, it's probably not going to be cold for very long here-- it's mid-August.
I better get going-- got so much to do outside... it's a lot more fun to dig if the sand is wet!! :-)

First hike of the summer!!

Oh, it was sooo much fun!!! We left Saturday, early in the morning, so we would beat the heat, which was a very good idea :-) !!! I carried my own backpack with my food, my camping food and water bowls, my booties (in case I need them on a rocky stretch), my harness and another leash!
The trail went alongside a creek for most of the way, that was nice, cause I could get a drink anytime I wanted to!!! We had to cross the creek a few times, too. I jumped from rock to rock, or sometimes I waded through... the water was icecold snow melt, but very refreshing!
Half way up the trail I met another dog!!! She was a Bassett Hound mix and I really enjoyed having her company! We played a little and walked together for a while!
The lake was sooo pretty... of course the water was freezing cold, but the color... torquoise blue.... and so clear!! My Dad and my uncle were fishing most the time we were up there, they caught tons of fish! From the camping spot we could see the lake, so that was a plus! :-)
I was scouting out the area with my Mom, so many great sniffs for a little Beagle!! The wildflowers are still blooming up there, I enjoyed walking through tall, green grass and flowers... there is not too much of that here at the house! I love grass!
In the evening my patronis made a fire, that was the first time I've ever seen a camp fire. Hot!!! My Mom, Dad and uncle were roasting marshmellows in the fire... I snatched a big one of my Dad's stick, so fast he had no clue what was happening to him... yeah, I know, I'm good at that kinda stuff!!! :-)
I liked sleeping in the tent. I was soooooo tired! I slept through the whole night and didn't howl a single time, I don't think I even woke up. I slept like a rock! [I think my Mom was very happy about that :-) ]
The next day we left around noon to walk back to the truck. It was all downhill, so we were pretty fast! When we got to town my patronis had some burgers, they must have been really hungry!! Even I got one :-) Yes!! Soo yummy!!!
I'm still kinda tired from the hike... but I can't wait to go again... next weekend hopefully :-) !!! I'll sleep some more now and dream about that big, jucy burger I had!!! Mhhmmm, burgerszzzzzz.....

Murphy and Green Lake

Man, I've been pretty busy lately!! Since Saturday an 8-week old Boston Terrier is visiting us. His name is Murphy. He can stress me out really fast! Then I just jump up on the bed or the sofa where he can't reach me! Not that I don't like him, I play with him-- but only when I want! He is sleeping rightnow. One other thing that bugs me is that everybody only seems to have eyes for the puppy now!! Nobody even noticed that for over three days I haven't stolen any socks or shoes, I haven't jumped up on the table and I haven't done anything else I usually do! What do I have to do to get their attention??
On Sunday my Dad, Mom and I (without Murphy!!) went on a nice hike up to a lake. My Dad was fishing for a while. My Mom and me just walked arround. It was very nice up there-- landscape wise, also the temperature was soo much cooler than by where I live!! BUT: There were tons of mosquitos!! They were chewing me up!!! My parents had bug repellent, but I don't think the mosquitos have never heard a word about bug repellent!!! So we didn't stay at the lake very long, and my Dad only caught one fish :-) The hike up and down was fun, though!!!
Yesterday evening we went fishing again. Just 10 minutes up the road from here. This time Murphy came... but he got tired really fast and was sleeping in the truck. So I just walked around by myself, my Mom wasn't very happy about all the trash people leave there... cause I was trying to get into everything :-) My Mom payed attention to me really good, but one time she just wasn't fast enough-- all she saw was my pink, glittery tongue :-) I don't know what I ate, but it tasted real good and I think the glitter looked good on my tongue, too!
I'm sure we'll be going to the lakes a lot now...let's see what I can find next time!!!

Roll over!!

Lately my Mom has been trying to teach me a new trick: Roll over. I'm doing pretty good, I think... just need a little more practise! But as long as my Mom has enough treats in the house I am sure that I will learn fast :-)
I can tell you, we have record heat here!!! 110 and more daily, and it hardly cools of at nightime!! I usually sleep on the bed with my patronis, but that's way too hot now!! I rather sleep outside in the backyard!! I've been trying to get my Mom to put my crate outside, so I can sleep out there all night long! That would be soo nice! I think my Mommy is hesitating to let me sleep outside, cause she's afraid I'll start to howl like crazy in the middle of the night and wake up the whole neighborhood... which I might :-) But I won't tell her that, of course! :-) At least there is a little breeze going rightnow, that makes it a little easier to deal with these temperatures!!!
Oh, I totally forgot: here's an update on what I did for the 4th of July: My Dad & Mom didn't take me to the fireworks show. Which was a good choice I guess, heard my Mom say something like that... don't know why... I'd rather been with them, of course. Next year I'll go for sure!!
My Daddy started his new job last week. I don't get to see him as much now. He's gone most of the day and when he comes home at night he seems very tired... He did play with me tonight, though!!! That was sooo much fun!! I love my Dad!! He sure wore me out, I can tell you that much!! :-) But I loved it!! Paying with my Dad is my most favorite thing to do!
Alrighty, I'll go for now... I have to go outside and cool off in the night wind!

vet visit

I had to go to the vet this morning.... nothing serious-- just my rabies shot. I don't mind going to the vet. I was behaving pretty good... just gave my mom a hard time when she was trying to put me on the scale... but she didn't take it in a bad way :-) The vet was really nice... before the shot he even trimmed my nails... for some reason he thought they were too long, although my dad cuts them every other week... mhhhmmm... oh well. I guess that's ok.
There was one dog in the waiting room with me that was very upset... he was shaking really hard and panting... it disturbed me a little bit and I had too howl a couple times. I then went to sniff him, trying to tell him everything was alright! I hope I comforted him a little bit. Right after that I got called to be seen by the doctor... I always get a treat from the vet after he's done with me, but I never eat it until I'm at home. It was a yummy little bone... one of them healthy treats they usually have at the vet's office :-) !
This evening my mom took me out for a run... it was a lot of fun!! I got tired pretty quick, though... that's why I have to catch some Zs now!!! Good Night!

the waterfall...

Yesterday my dad, mom and I went to a waterfall just 20 minutes from here... that was sooo much fun!!! I've never been there before. It's like a small paradise in the middle of the desert!!! We spent like two hours just playing in the water and scouting out the area.... I even swam a little bit.[I'm not much of a swimmer, actually :-) ] The water was freezing cold!!! It tingled all over my body, but it felt really good considering we had like 109 degrees yesterday!!! :-) (And that was at 4pm!!! Crazy!!!!) (My Mom took some pictures, I hope she'll post them soon!!)
My Mom bought some treats to stuff my Kong with the other day. I forgot how much I liked that thing--- if there is food involved :-)!!!! I can't wait to get that stuffed toy tomorrow....
Today my parents and I went on a l-o-n-g walk in the desert. It was extremely hot!!! I spent thirty minutes sleeping in the shade under a nice, big pine tree. (The temperature was soo much cooler under there. ) While my parents walked around the area. Of course they stayed close by-- always keeping an eye on me!!! I enjoyed sleeping under this pinon sooo much... the tree smelled just too good, there was a breeze going, I listened to the birds and crickets...
Well, I'll go to sleep now. It was a hard day for a little hound like me!!! :-)

!!!!Happy Hound!!!!!

Wow, I still can't believe that my diary was featured on the front page yesterday!!
I just wanted to say thanks to ALL of you-- I am so very happy to have sooo many new friends now! For the first time in my dog life I don't know what to say... except that yesterday was a very special day for me!! Thanks again!!
Well, today was just a normal day- again... it snowed some more in the mountains a few days ago [ It's almost July--geez!!!!] , so it might take longer than expected till I can go hiking... too bad! :-(
4th of July is coming up... I'm not sure what to think of the fireworks... I always want my parents to take me everywhere, but the fireworks are so loud for my dog ears! We'll see -I still haven't made up my mind... what do you guys think? On my first 'Independence Day' I was just barely 3 months old... it didn't bother me too much then... I was focusing on playing with the neighbors' kids more than the fireworks... last year on the 4th I was in Germany- so obviously no fireworks there- I don't know... I'm not sure what to do this year.... I guess I still have some time to think about it!

photo shoot

Wow, my mom actually got something done!! Today she finally took some pictures of me sporting my new booties and backpack (and put one on my site!!!)!!! Still feels kind of awkward wearing them, but I can't wait to go on a hiking trip here soon!!! Do I look very funny wearing those boots and a pack?? My parents tend to laugh more when I wear them... :-)

these boots were made for 'running' :-)

I don't know what was going through my parents' heads when they bought "boots" for ME!? I can tell you, when I had them on for the very first time yesterday I felt really weird, I didn't even want to put my feet on the ground, walking wasn't an option.... what made it worse was my parents laughing at me!!! I couldn't believe it!!! Dogs have feelings too!
On the walk that evening I felt better about the boots... I just started running and running and running... I guess I wanted to forget about those boots on my paws... I was really exhausted after the walk :-) But my feet felt good- really good!! And I didn't have to worry about foxtails, cactusses and all that hurtful stuff , so that's a big plus!!! This evening (today) the booties didn't feel weird anymore... I actually enjoyed having them on. Gotta admit my mom and dad have some good ideas sometimes, even if it doesn't seem like it at first!! I think I can recommend booties for every active pooch that has to deal with rough terrain! Maybe I can convince my Mom to put a picture of me sporting my booties on my page... we'll see...

sam ol' same ol'

Oh, oh, I haven't written in my diary for quite some time!!! But honestly, there hasn't been too much going on... just the same stuff everyday.
I have been meeting another Beagle on my walks lately... he's so much fun to play with!!! I wish I could see him everyday!
I hope my patronis and I are going on some hiking trips in the Sierras this summer [I think I heard them talk about something like that!!! :-) ]... I can't wait to go out and do stuff again!! Getting kinda boring lately!
Since last Satuday I have been with my parents for two years!!! Geez, time sure flies by! Seems like yesterday, when they picked me up...
Well, I'll go for now... I am exhausted from playing with my second favorite toy : A frog with rope arms and legs... that was soooo much fun!!!!
Good Night!