Buddy Goes To Camp

Another milestone in mom & dad's preparations for their departure day was a trip Indianapolis so I could stay with Brent and family over the next couple of months until mom & dad's return. Brent has a great 3 acre farm, and he and Emily have two dogs of their own. I am familiar with my "cousins" and we'll have a great summer vacation together - as long as I can remember stay out of Emily's flower gardens. (Boy, that's hard to remember!)

All of us dogs are different breeds, but are almost all the same color. Chief is the tallest, but very lean in stature. Kenny is short and stocky, the oldest, and most independent. And I am closest in size and energy to Chief. We're well behaved and seem to enjoy each other's company - with lots of sniffing, shoving, and rolling around. And with three acres, there's lots of room to romp and chase.

Rabbits seem to be the only critters that venture into the pasture areas. These are different than the squirrels at home. They run quick like squirrels, but don't climb trees. And there aren't many trees in the pastures. There is, however, an electric fence - which is something to be avoided at all costs! (Just ask me, I've got first-hand knowledge of these things.) So the rabbits are just something to bark at from a distance through the fence. But, when one gets into the main yard . . . stand clear or get mowed over by three dogs. BOY, can those rabbits run!!!

Mr. Meow-gi is the cat. Works all night, so they say; sleeps all day, no doubt about that. Occasionally, after a night of carousing, he brings home a treasure to share with the family. (Blaugah) I, however, think Meow-gi looks a bit like a squirrel and could be worth chasing, if the cat would only cooperate.

Check out these photos . . .

Here we are looking through the pasture gate. That's me
with my head stuck through the rails. Chief is above me;
and Kenny is taking the more cautious approach.
The boys were playing baseball, and we
wanted to help chase the balls. You can see how
far we got with our request.

Andrew (the 10 yr old grandson) liked the dog door.
Mr. Meow-gi thinks he looked stupid. But that's a
cat for you. Everything human, apparently, is beneath them. 

This is Uncle Brent - the farmer, Kenny's dad, and my
caretaker for a couple of months.

Uncle Brent, Dad, and Jamie repaired one flagpole, and installed a second one on the first day we were there. Seems Uncle Brent broke the US flagpole, and so the guys all pitched in and fixed it. That's a real nice rose garden surrounding the pole. It's in the middle of the front yard. Can hardly wait for a quiet moment to check under the bushes to see what treasures are under there.

The second day we were there everyone went on a boat ride up the White River - what a treat! Lots of birds flying over the river and in the water. Then we stopped and everyone (well, us dogs anyway) went swimming. Yes, there are four of us in this picture. That cutie that I've got my eye on is Luna, an English Lab. Woo-eee she's an eyeful. And fun to play with?  Absolutely. She's just about a year old (human years). She's an incredible swimmer and loves to retrieve those tennis balls. Me? I just like to swim and splash around. Everyone (of us dogs) had a terrific time in the water.

Jamie and Andrew (the grandsons) had fun running up and down the shore and climbing in the dead trees . Uncle Brent (the good guy in the white hat) gave them tips on how to be more daring, go higher, and stretch their imaginations for things to do.

This is Uncle Brent with Emily. She's really nice and feeds me treats. She thinks I'm smart when I talk and say "please". She's a good one to have on your side, and I plan on keeping on her good side. She'll be a great substitute mom for the next few months and will make a great aunt one of these days. 

I hope mom and dad have a terrific time on their trip - as great a time as I'll have in Indy. But even more, I hope they come home soon and safe.

Buddy, the best dog ever.