While for most of you it’s Spring, downunder it’s Fall. This photo was actually taken last Spring, but on a grey day.
Luna really enjoys her walks in our bushland – as do we. Her greatest joy seems to come from her nose. She runs back and forth following scent trails left by the many Wallabies and Pademelons that live and graze on our property. If she sees one – which is often – the ears are up and she does everything in her power to go joyfully bounding after it, which means she ends up bunny-hopping on the end of her 30′ lead.
The critters have got pretty used to us, and while they hop away, they do it at a pretty leisurely pace, and don’t always go far. It’s a good thing, as one of the problems with introduced cats and dogs in Australia is that the native animals simply aren’t adapted to cope, and dogs that are allowed to run loose not only frequently kill things, but their very presence running and hunting through the bush drives many natives out of their habitat.
I think our ‘hoppies’ have figured Luna out for the largely harmless galoot she is.
This young male lives at a local wildlife park. Bennetts Wallabies can be easily identified by their black paws.
Cool pictures, Keres! I love the one of the nature path with Luna… she is a Great Pyrenees, right? Wonderful breed … every one I’ve ever met was such a sweet tempered gentle giant of a dog!
How’s fall down there? Our spring here in Iowa is going along great… lots of spring tulips and other bulbs and pleasantly moderating weather every day. It’s finally arrived, after a dreary winter.
Luna is indeed a Great Pyrenees. Which in Australia (and the UK) are known as Pyrenean Mountain Dogs.
The “nature path” above is actually on our 14.5 acres of property, of which we keep about 10 acres as a wildlife conservation area. This means we keep Luna and ourselves confind to the existing trails so that the wildlife continues to feel safe.
Fall (or Autumn, as the Australians say), thus far, has been wet and/or damp. More like early Winter. Which is a shame because normally Tasmania has glorious Autumns, clear and crisp, still and sunny – beautiful walking and general outdoor weather. We haven’t had much of that this year.
Today is clear and crisp, with a frost, but it’s supposed to rain on and off through the day and most of the weekend.
Pronounced “paddy melon.” This slightly moth-eaten-coated pademelon visited our cabin near Cradle Mountain Wilderness World Heritage Area – where we went to celebrate our friend’s birthday.
Pademelons are easily identified by their fat bottoms. Plus, they are the smallest member of the kangaroo family in Tasmania, and about half the height of a Bennett.
Or possibly the same one. They’re very shy.
to their furry friends down under! These are from March 2005, though they look exactly the same this year as they did last. 🙂
Here’s Queen Pepa, doginatrix of our house…
And here’s Sir Rolly the gentle, on the same day, giving me that, “What do you want?” look he does so well.
They send their best to you and your critters! (unless they happen to be rabbits or squirrels!)
I have on offer a companion pic to go with yours of Luna sleeping in apparently uncomfortable ways. Sniff woke up when I snuck over to get this picture but he didn’t move for another 20 minutes.
Andi, I know you referred to yours as “idiots” last week, but I think Sniff is a real charmer! I miss so many precious shots of our pups because I don’t often have the camera handy or they wake up or move before I can snap the shot… the little sh*ts seem to know when they’re being cute and take great joy in frustrating us from capturing those moments….
are charmers (but yes Sniff is our alpha dog of charm) but they are very often idiotic charmers or charming idiots — or you know, just dogs. 😉
(My sympathies on the lost shots — I know exactly what you mean.)
me posting on this thread, but I didn’t see an open one. I know a lot of dailykos readers come here, and I was wondering if anyone knew why kos has been down for hours now. Thank you, and sorry if I have violated any posting rules here.
matilda
I just recommended a diary over there, so for the moment and for me at least, it was up.
thanks!