Blog

Massey Monday: On the Sac

When we were in Japan, we were able to purchase a 6' LoveSac. It's a huge bean-bag that's not filled with the typical "beans". Instead it's filled with foam. It's great! It essentially swallows you up when you sit in it. Actually, to sit in it properly, you have to jump in it. Unfortunately, we've really never had a place to really put it...but in our new house, it sits in the front of the house in the west window. Massey has never really been allowed on it, but her eyes got to us (I mean me) one day and we (I) let her up there. Now, it might rival her other dog beds (i.e., Beth's Poang chair from IKEA, our queen size bed, and her actual dog bed pillow). She'll lay up there in the sun beam as soon as it's available. Looking at her laying up there makes me want to curl up next to her with a good book (and really only read a few pages before falling asleep).

Massey Monday: Massey and Tori

I was organizing from photos this morning and came across a few from our vacation in Colorado last year. My parents brought their little Welsh Terrier named Tori. She was about 6 months old at the time, and Massey was just under a year old. They played and played and played together. One afternoon we all went for a hike on the Colorado Trail as it passes through the Copper Mountain resort and the dogs came along. Tori's little terrier legs could barely keep up with Massey's trot, but she sure tried!

Mom and Dad got another little Welsh Terrier a few weeks ago, so Massey might have 2 playmates this year in Colorado. That should be entertaining!

Massey Monday: Playtime

Just like last week, these aren't the greatest of shots. You should try playing with a hyper brittany spaniel holding a wubba in one hand and a DSLR with a fairly large lens in the other. Then, imagine that you're chillin' in a 6 foot Love Sac. Not that these obstacles are tough, but they do make it difficult to get a clean shot. I think we must have played for 30-40 min straight (and she didn't tire out). The light was quite interesting and she was having such a good time. I don't think I looked through the viewfinder for any of these shots. Since they are a bit blurry and just plain random, I thought I'd process them as square with a mostly vintage finish. Good times.

Massey Monday: Technically Incorrect

Sometimes it's not about getting a technically correct shot. A shot that's in perfect focus or a shot that has perfect light. Sometimes it's about being in the moment and getting a shot that reminds you of the moment . . . the emotion. Sure, a perfect shot would probably capture it better I suppose. But these two were taken when we were playing ball in the yard. The eyes and the ears. These two always make me laugh. The playful look in her eyes and those wild ears. I couldn't delete these.

Massey Monday: In the Grass

A few shots of the little birder in the grass. Beth and I had just gotten home after a half-day of cycling races. Massey and I had been for a run in the morning before the races so she was pretty relaxed. Fortunately, that didn't stop her from having a good time laying in the grass and modeling for me (and a bit of ball). I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story...

Note: The close up was taken without looking through the viewfinder. I was chasing her around the yard with the camera in hand and just happened to hold it low and click it off about 12 inches from her. One of my better ones of her to-date.

Massey Monday: Navigator

There's something about this dog and a car ride. She loves a long road trip just the same as a 5-minute ride to the market. And she watches the road like its her job the whole time.

This image was made with my old Canon Elan 7E and Kodak Tri-X 400 film. Same round of film shooting as detailed in this Thirsty Thursday post a few weeks ago.

Massey Monday: Ducking

Birding? Nope, not today...ducking! She used to be afraid (or at least tentative) of the water. But now it's no big deal. I actually thinks she prefers to hunt birds (correction ducks) in the water. Since she pretty knows that she's going to get a bath when she gets home, so she figures she better make the most of the chase. Now, she never seems to get close...I'm going with "the water slows her down." Fortunately, not catching anything doesn't seem to make the chase less worthwhile. It's such a joy to watch her in action. Sometimes she seemingly flies out of the water like a flying fish...and other times she hits the brakes (they'll fly right by). How ever she decides to hunt, she sure makes it look fun...a constant smile on the face and the occasional tongue hanging out (like MJ).

[exif id="1369" show="location"]

Massey Monday: Tennis

She has many different toys, but her favorites are: tennis ball, blanket, TJ bone, and rope.  Tonight's events called for a bit of tennis.  Massey tennis isn't the usual throw, chase, return.  It's more of a chase her around and try to pry it from her extreme death grip.  She likes to tease you with the ball...so much so that you begin to wonder if you're entertaining her or she's entertaining you...enjoy.

Massey Monday: Lazy Sunday

After forty days and forty nights of rain (okay, about a week, but seriously), we were fortunate enough to see the sun this Sunday.  Let's just say that it was nice.  And, of course, the Masalicious wasted no time in showing us how the day should be spent.  Let's just say it wasn't her first time.  She didn't even want to go run...well, correction she wanted to go for a run the second the sun beam disappeared (and I obliged for about a half hour later).  I've been in an instag.ram mood lately so all of the pictures from today are square and vintage-ish.  I sure hope that I don't spend too much time missing the sun beam of yesterday!

Massey Monday: Beach Running

Massey loves the beach. We usually go to Del Monte Beach in Monterey. We decided to go there because her little paws are a bit beat up from the Creek Side Ft Ord trails. I ended up walking about a mile and a bit, while she passed me multiple times and ran the length of the beach more than once. If I had to guess, she ran a bit over 5K. Since it had been a while since we'd ran on the beach, she was afraid of the water (I don't understand it either) again. But, once she saw a pelican or gull fly over the water, her fear just disappeared. She even got quite close to catching a bird (see one of the shots below). She had a great run...and then when we got home, she curled up on her chair under her blanket. Massey could do worse.

A Case of the Masseys

Because every Monday is another Monday and you just need something to brighten your day.  So, as a result of our Friday Welliver Photography staff meeting (see Beth's recent twitpic), we have decided to start (or end) every Monday with a post about Massey...Massey Monday. There's something about coming home after work and seeing the little ball of excitement that strips all you stress and worries away. Every time I come home I'm reminded of Hobbes waiting for Calvin to come home from a long day at school. So, every Monday, we will be posting a picture or two of her, along with a bit of her story through our eyes. Sometimes they'll be pictures from the weekend or sometimes they'll be pictures from her puppihood or sometimes they'll just be lazy shots taken with an iPhone. These pictures are her in her element...birding. Although she has yet to catch one, she sure does try and she sure looks like she's having a good time. Birding, or course, starts off with the search...then the chase (often times water seems to creep into the mix)...and usually ends with her running as fast as she can back to me. I can just hear the words, "Did you see me...did you, did you, did you?" And then, we usually repeat. By the way, she does not distinguish between bird species whether a quail, hawk, goose, or duck...a bird is a bird is a bird.