Look Straight Down - TP 305

I hardly ever look down to take photos, it seems - at least that's what I discovered 

when I went looking for something to post for this theme.

Here's a baby Manu at about 6 weeks, with a bit of grass stuck in his collar. 

When we got him he was so small that he would fit in my son's hand (it's quite a big hand, admittedly).

Here he is with his friend D'Arcy the Golden Lab, who was trying to pick Manu up in his mouth:

And this is my grandaughter at 18 months - I'm looking down at her looking down...

 

Thematic Photographic 305 is over here, at Carmi's

Treasured

For Thematic Photogaphic this week, I decided to post some of the dogs who have lived with my family since my children were young.

The first dog we ever got was Jason (he of the golden fleece) - a lovely Golden Labrador who lived with us for 12 years until he died of old age at 14. Sadly I don't have any digital pics of him.

Then came Murray, the Best Dog Ever. 

He was an SPCA dog, Labrador and (probably) German Shepherd cross.

He had the most wonderful nature - affectionate and gentle, loyalty personified (canified?). 

At the age of 7 he developed stomach cancer and in spite 

of an operation to remove the tumour, had to be put to sleep. 

This photo of him about a week before he died can still make me cry:

Next was Darcy - a pedigreed Golden Labrador.

He was a nice dog but was only with us for three years; 

he hurt both front knees as a pup jumping off a cliff and developed really painful 

arthritis in them over the next couple of years. 

He, too, had to be put to sleep.

We had got Manu as a companion for Darcy when everyone was working long hours and we 

were worried about him being lonely:

 

For about 6 months we had 3 dogs, as we looked after Neo for some friends:

These days, it's just Manu who keeps us company; we live on a much smaller property now,

 and there's no room for a big dog:

 He is our faithful and true friend, always smiling. 

And like all of our animals, greatly treasured.

 

 Go here for more treasures.

“You can say any fool thing to a dog and the dog will just give you this look that says, 'My GOSH, you're RIGHT! I NEVER would've thought of that!”
~ Dave Barry

Thematic Photographic 129: Wet

Today has been pretty much the perfect sumer's day. It's lovely and warm, but not too hot - about 27 C, I would guess. There's not an ill-intentioned cloud in the sky, and just a light zephyr of a breeze.

Manuel LeGrand and I have just come back from a wonderful walk around the estuary (no dogs allowed on the surf beach during the day in the summertime - at this time of the year our little resort town is crowded with holiday makers, and the beach is heavily populated). 

The tide was about halfway out, and the shores and the water of the estuary were pretty much deserted, apart from a few kayakers, a number of blue herons, and lots of tiny mud crabs which kept popping in and out of their holes.

Manu had a great time - he ran, he splashed, he chased herons and gulls, he conversed briefly with a couple of other dogs, he rolled in something disgusting.

I didn't have my camera with me today, and these shots were taken on our last walk out there, but believe me it would have been déjà vu if I had!

Don't you love summer? 

Join in Carmi's Thematic Photographic fun here.