Why Dogs and Food?



Why Dogs and Food?

It's simple. Write about what you love. And what is better than dogs and food? If you are anything like me - and millions of other people - you will relate to and understand the unwavering love I have for my dogs and my passion for cooking - and eating - great food. I hope you will enjoy reading about my day to day experiences with good food and a couple of very special dogs.

Thanks for visiting.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Sunshine on the Water and Henry Scares a Cat

"Sunshine on the water looks so lovely." ~ John Denver








Walter, Henry and I went for walk around our favorite part of the bay today.  The air was crisp and dry and the sun spread its illuminating beams across the sparkling winter waters.  How perfect nature is as it reveals its magic to us!   

The city by the bay was in full, clear view today with some cottony clouds suspended in the pale blue backdrop.  The boys sniffed and explored every bush and branch as if they were all brand new.  They always want to greet every passerby - human and canine alike.  Most are open to their enthusiasm and give them a much-wanted pet; but, still, I wait to get the okay.  

The little clip-clop bridge we cross on our walk
We walked down to the floating dock where I have to hold on tight to ensure they don’t decide to take a leap into the tempting waters.  

After we headed back up the dock ramp, we walked to a great spot on a curve where we can take a rest by the bench.  From here, we have a perfect view of the city skyline and the Golden Gate Bridge.  Does it get any better than that?


Sometimes on the walk back to our house, I unhook Henry from the leash and let him walk solo the rest of the way home.  Henry is very obedient.  Walter stays tethered to me as I cannot quite trust him from wandering off and getting into mischief.  I tell Walter he is my special boy as he watches Henry roam free to sniff out interesting things off the beaten path.  He does not  seem to mind.  Today, however, Henry got into a little mischief himself.  I took my eyes away for a moment to capture the church steeple with my camera and that is when I heard Henry’s very excited barks.  
Pretty church standing against the blue winter sky
When I turned around, I saw him at the base of a tree barking and looking up at a very alarmed kitty cat.  Oh, Henry!  
Oh, Henry!

Poor, scared kitty!
Is it terribly mean that I actually took the time to photograph this event while that poor kitty remained in the tree shaking like a leaf  - all for the sake of memorializing my sweet little pup's behavior so I could post it on my blog?  Does this confirm that I am "dog person" more than a "cat person" even though I have been mother to a sweet little feline named Mac for the past two decades?  Oh, dear.

At home, I don’t think Henry even realizes that Mac is a cat and even if he does, he has no interest in Mac.  He simply ignores him.  But on every walk, Henry relentlessly hunts in bushes and alleys in search of a cat.  I have even seen him awestruck by a cat statue!  He will stop dead in his tracks and unremittingly stare at the inanimate kitty with fixed eyes and pointed tail.  What a hoot!  Henry is a gentle guy so I really do not know what he would do if cats did not run away from him.  My guess is he would sniff and eventually lose interest.  The whole thing was really quite comical to watch, albeit not so much for the terrorized kitty cat.  Just look at the poor little guy in the tree.  I sure hope it didn’t take too long for him to get over it.

We always go around the back way to our house on the way home.  Walter and Henry get to go over the wooden dock to our back deck door.  
We go through one gate


And then we go through another gate....Walter decides to take a rest while I take the picture
All the walks with Walter and Henry are eventful to me in some way.  These boys never cease to delight me with their endless curiosity and their sense of wonder. It is as if they are seeing everything for the first time, every time.   

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am smiling as I read your blog. My Cousin, the Dog Lover, My Cousin the Writer. And I might add the Photgrapher,too. I love reading about your adventures with your Doggies and seeing the pictures, I feel like I am getting glimpses into your life in beautiful sunny California.
As Henry chases the Kitty Cat up the tree, I picture you smiling,too which is why I am smiling.

Unknown said...

Liz - beautifully written and I love the pictures. This was very soothing and lovely. Wish I could have been there.

Liz Berry said...

Joan - thanks for coming on and commenting! I am glad that getting a glimpse into my life with my boys makes you smile.

Colette - wish you could have been here, too! It was a lovely day!

kkshaw47 said...

Hi Liz:

Oh thank you for bringing me back to Tiburon. It is the nicest and safest place on the planet! Do you get that feeling?

Yes I agree with your dear cousin and it is very fun to read your dear blog, with photos and all. Your dogs are so darling and they must love California. It is a wonderful place to explore the outdoors among many cool and exciting things going on there.

Love you girl keep the energy coming our way here in brutally cold NY at the moment.

Love
KK

Liz Berry said...

Hi Kristen
Yes, this is a fabulously dog-friendly place for my darling boys! They liked La Jolla, too, but the cooler weather seems to agree with them more here. They live very charmed lives. They go for fun walks and romps every day and get to swim and chase kitties and come home to lots of love and yummy treats and comfy beds. As it should be.

xo Lizzie

Susan Campisi said...

Liz, that spot by the bench with the perfect view - I think it really doesn't get any better than that! And from the looks on Henry's and Walter's faces, they most definitely agree.

Poor kitty cat! At least he was able to escape to a tree. Tommy has that same obsession, as you know. That's the main reason I'm so reluctant to let him off-leash. If there's a kitty or a squirrel around, he has a one-track mind and can't even hear my calls. And I shudder to think what he'd do if he actually caught a cat. I don't think he'd be as gentle as Henry.

I love how these photos take us along on the journey with you. Those two gates you go through are so charming. Is that deck in the last photo part of your yard?

We have so much to learn from dogs in the way they live in the moment and their endless curiosity and sense of wonder. Well-said, my friend.

Hope you're having a great weekend.

Liz Berry said...

Hi Sue - so good to see you here! The funny thing about Henry is that he lives in perfect harmony with Mac - never chases him; simply ignores him. When I tell him that Mac is a kitty, he perks up for a moment and stares at Mac as if he still does not quite believe it. It is the oddest thing. But for Henry, it is all about the chase. He has been chasing bunnies since he was a baby and he has never ever harmed another creature (but has had a few angry swipes made at him from an alarmed kitty in the bushes!).

Those gates surround the little deck that is part of the "courtyard" leading to the bay and is off my back deck. Once we go through those gates, it is only steps up to our deck. The boys love to go this way as it's more fun, but Walter is generally on the leash as he will wade into the canal if I am not watching. I can let him off leash at this point, though.

When you come to visit one day, I will take to the vista point and you can see the views. I don't ever tire of it and neither do the boys!