2012 - First quarter report

On January 4, Petey and I left cold and gray New York for our sunny island off the coast of South Carolina. Like much of the United States, we simply had no winter. Instead, we had summery temperatures of close to 80 degrees in February.  I did lots of baking, knit a sweater, visited with friends, read some books, worked three days a week with Heroes on Horseback, and spent a whole lot of time with Petey, mostly at the beach. This is our photo journal, mostly from Petey's point-of-view....

Let's start with playing ball on the beach, shall we?

It doesn't matter if the water temperature is 57 degrees or 85, Petey's always game for a dip in the sea.

This Mastiff puppy was just four months old and already twice Petey's size. Just look at those paws!

Winter sunsets are especially sensational.

Despite appearances, there was just a single moon in the Carolina blue twilight sky,

Clive? No, just a Southern lookalike.

Can't begin to tell you how many photos I've taken of the lighthouse since it was built in 1968.  I remember going crabbing in the harbour as a kid while Harbourtown was being built.

Dog on a log.

Petey usually protests a bit about going into the bike basket, but once in it, he enjoys with breeze filled with new scents. The horses at the nearby stable are always quite curious about him - maybe because he looks a bit like hay?

Golden dog in the sunset - Petey's glamour shots!

Another bike ride to Harbourtown and some quality time in the rocking chairs ringing the harbour.

A corrugated shoreline.

Any guesses what this is? I think it could inspire a gorgeous necklace. Actually, it's an egg-casing for a knobbed whelk.

Another playmate at the beach. Petey's always happy to give a friendly tail sniff but he's much more interested in finding a 2-legged pal to play with than another dog.

I borrowed a pal's hat (Murray's) to wear to Heroes on Horseback, much to the delight of the kids.

Sandy face.

More new friends.

If someone is kneeling on the beach, Petey just assumes that they want to play with him. And they usually are happy to comply.



Another Clive-wannabe. And look at the expression on this little boy's face - pure bliss!

 
Guarding the house - especially the camillia bush, "Mrs. Parker-Bowles."

We went to a Valentine's Day themed benefit for the local Humane Society. Petey dressed appropriately in his conversation hearts tee-shirt and collar. (He was a babe-magnet!)

Here are two of my favorite boys - my best friend's grandson Jack whose first word after "Mom" and "Dad" was "DOG-DOG!" He loves them! He was awestruck by the quantity and variety at the event.

Red-velvet "Pupcakes" for the Cake Walk!

A local resident of the pond around the corner...

And another local resident, roused from hibernation by the warm weather. At night, we'd hear an odd "barking" sound that clearly wasn't a dog. It was the alligators' mating calls! This fella is about 7' long.

This photo just captures the joys of childhood for me!

Dancing with Petey at the surf's edge.

Hey! There's a goat on the roof! This guy clearly had an acute case of Spring Fever.

It's hammock time!

Or maybe just a sunbath on the deck.

It's St. Patrick's Day and we never pass up an opportunity to celebrate a fun holiday. (I marched with the Heroes on Horseback float and only said "Happy Thanksgiving!" twice. The occupational hazards of 9 years as a clown in the Macy's Parade.)

Sharing a water bowl with a scaly four-legged....

Ahhh, delicious!

I swear Petey knows when the ice cream stand opens at Harbourtown.

A cup of vanilla, all for him. Most of the time we stick to healthier frozen treats made for dogs, but every once in a while, we splurge for the real thing.

We met 3-year old Sophie a couple of times on the beach and she just loved playing with Petey.

I love this photo of Sophie and her brother Michael. They look like they're wondering if Petey will ever come out of the water and drop the ball.

Terriers are very clever when it comes to digging in the sand...

Back to Manhattan!  Two islands, about the same size, both on the East Coast, but that's where the resemblance ends. Petey loves riding in cabs!

Later that day, back at the dog run and just as contented as he is on the beach. As long as there's a juicy ball and a willing person to toss it.

We feel so lucky that we get to experience Spring's beautiful blooms twice this year. These tulips are in the park directly across from our apartment.

Happy Easter! Happy Spring!