Summer Staycation and a Bite on the Bum

Car2Go must be going through an end-of-summer slump. Late last week I got an email saying they were offering a hot deal on a full-day rental, so Paul and I decided to take advantage and go on a couple of outings of the sort that would be expensive and/or logistically challenging without a vehicle. Our main excursion was over to the North Shore to hike the Brothers Creek loop trail ... with Freddie, bien sûr. It was cool and misty — good weather for hiking, and for catching some nifty photos (for which you'll need to scroll down a bit) ...

Freddie checks out a culvert.

Freddie on the alert! He gets a treat for pawing me; I get to treat my lowish blood sugar.

(I'm sure Paul had an excellent reason for cutting our feet out of the picture ... possibly something to do with my shoes not matching the rest of my outfit. As we know from his appearance in my cousin May's fashion blog, he's a serious fashionista!)

Shortly after the photo above, we encountered a professional dog walker with half a dozen dogs. They wanted to say hi to Freddie, and he was fine with that (it's a regular event when we go to Pacific Spirit Park) ... but the largest of the other dogs didn't like the look of Freddie, and, before we knew it, Freddie was squealing and running away — not a normal reaction for him (if provoked, he will generally stand his ground until ordered away or physically removed).

Anyway, Freddie didn't seem traumatized. He carried on, trotting and sniffing, and it wasn't until quite a bit later that we noticed the drying blood and bite marks on his rear end (mostly hidden by his tail). Yep, one of those doggies had taken quite a chomp into our Freddie-Weddie Doodle-Head. Nothing a little Polysporin can't handle, but still.  :-(

I like the straightforwardness of this sign.

And here it is: the Big Tree!

(Note the candelabra branches near the top ... and the little people down below.)

 The nose that knows:

Nifty Misty 1

We stuck to the Brothers Creek trail, but it's good to know there are other options for future excursions.

Even though Freddie stuck close to us, I was grateful for his Stylish Canine visibility vest!

Not only do my shoes not match my outfit, they're also not the greatest footwear for navigating steep, wet, rocky, rooty trails. I'm in the market for something sturdier, so if anyone has any recommendations, send 'em my way!

 Creek Bed

Webs

Nifty Misty 2

Our second excursion would have been entirely do-able by regular Car2Go or bicycle means — just a bit more awkward and time-consuming. We picked up a Greek platter for two at Maria's Taverna and went out to the Spanish Banks dog area for a picnic.

There we encountered this quite spectacular dog, a young Komondor. It's a bit hard to tell from the photo, but this dog has started to develop the dreadlocks ("cords") that are the breed's most striking characteristic. I have no idea how these guys manage in the heat. Maybe the dreads offer some kind of cooling mechanism?

Mr. Doodle-Head, on the other hand, is hot and matted and will be getting radically shorn and tidied up next week (the earliest appointment I could get with Anna, his favourite groomer).

Spanish Banks Fisherman

(cover for a Hemingway or Steinbeck novel?)

Our little staycation concluded with coffee and pie at Aphrodite's on 4th, near Alma. I'd been wanting to try this place and can now recommend it heartily!

Coffee + organic peach pie ('cause Okanagan peaches are in season — otherwise, it would just have to be apple or pumpkin).

The Aphrodite sidewalk was dog-friendly. Freddie wasn't in his service jacket because, well, with the hack job we recently did on the mats in his fur, he just doesn't look much like a presentable service dog. Though his face is still pretty darn cute, IMO. :)

Pie and chai and, now, ...

goodbye!

(until the next post, that is ...)