runaways

My goal was to catch up on old stories from before the wedding, but something happened this weekend that I just had to share first!

This is Dash and our Aunty's dog, Koa.  Koa is a nine year old Lab who lives in Davenport (near Santa Cruz).  Don't they look happy together?  Even though there is such a huge age difference, Dash really brings out the puppy in Koa and they play non-stop...  Sometimes too much for the senior dog's old joints to handle.

This weekend we visited Aunty and Koa for a strawberry picking adventure at Swanton Berry Farm.  The dogs had a blast playing near the old airstream trailer store on the property, which is also owned by extended family.  The store showcases local products as part of the Slow Coast movement.

Anyway, I digress.  The whole point of the story is after the strawberry picking we dropped the dogs off and headed to the grocery store to get dinner items.  Keep in mind we left the dogs in the fenced backyard, just like in this picture below.  They look pretty innocent... right?

NOPE.  When we got back Dash was romping around the driveway!!!  GASP.  The backyard gate was wide open.  We all panicked.  Koa was missing!!!  This normally wouldn't be so bad, except that Davenport is right next to the coast and Highway 1.  Last time Koa got out he went a mile down the highway to his favorite beach, which he had to cross the highway to get to.  YIKES.  Long story short, after a few minutes of frantic searching we found Koa at the local park with some neighborhood kids... playing fetch.  They said he came to the  park himself, ball included.  OH MY.

The thing I can't get over is why Dash was still at the house.  Why didn't he follow Koa?  Why didn't he go any where?  I usually have a hard time keeping him focused on supervised walks, and now when he had the chance to roam free, he just waited?  Papa thinks it was because our car was still in the driveway (we took Aunty's) and he was also in an unfamiliar place.  In any case, we are SO SO SO THANKFUL that he was safe!

End note: It actually ended up being MY fault the dogs were loose!  I didn't know or didn't remember there were two locks on the backyard gate.  I only hooked one when I left.  :(

BONUS: Here's another touching story about a lost Aussie from australian-shepherd-lovers.com.  The owners, Toni and Byron are excellent writers.  I teared up at the end!

christmas 2009

It seems like I'm almost caught up with posting old photos of Dash from life "pre-blog".  So, this seemed like an appropriate moment to document our Christmas weekend 2009...

This year, Papa Dash and I wanted to get off the grid and spend some quiet time together.  No cell phones, internet, or even TV.  Just the simple life. Luckily, our Aunty and Uncle in Davenport just bought a gorgeous new property and allowed us to stay for the weekend while they were vacationing in the Caribbean.

It was a really secluded piece of land in the Santa Cruz mountains with a huge backyard, a charming rustic house, and sounds from the waves drifting up from the ocean views.  Within seconds of arriving, Papa Dash and I decided we should volunteer to become the housekeeper and groundskeeper so we could live there forever.  (Or at least wish that were reasonably possible!)

I mean, check out this backyard!  And this doesn't even showcase the grove of pine trees surrounding the whole property or the wide sweeping connection to the adjacent properties.  Dash was in heaven.  Watching him run with such a carefree attitude made it very apparent that we need to move somewhere with a backyard.  ASAP.

Dash seriously payed fetch for hours and hours and hours.  He did, however, take a break when we opened his Christmas present from Koa and Lehua, our Aunty and Uncle's lab and cat.  It was an adorable orange fish that made bubble sounds.  Dash is very infatuated with every new toy he receives, so "Fishy" has become his new fling of the month.

Overall, Christmas weekend was exactly what I had hoped for.  Peace.  Joy.  And Quiet!!!  Living like that for the weekend made me seriously rethink whether being in San Francisco is the best lifestyle for us.  Perhaps we should move off the grid permanently and live a simpler life...

I'm sure Dash would greatly appreciate the additional beach time so he can work on his perpetual hole to China!

davenport beach

Our only relatives in the immediate Bay Area are Papa Dash's Aunty and Uncle in Davenport.  We love visiting their sleepy little beach town because it's a wonderful escape from the hustle and bustle of city life.  One of the most exciting parts of each weekend trip is the beach excursion across the street with their 8-year old labrador retriever, Koa.

I enjoy the beach at Davenport because it's so secluded.  If you drove past it on Highway 1 you probably wouldn't even know it was there.  And, even if you saw cars parked across the town on the side of the road you still probably wouldn't know it was there.  To access Davenport beach you have to climb down a 15-foot rock ledge, cross a railroad track, walk down a hill, then climb down more rocks.  This picturesque beach is pretty much surrounded on all sides by cliffs, which makes it a perfect spot to let your dog run wild!

When Koa and Dash get together at the beach, you can barely tell there is an eight year age gap between them.  Both dogs could play fetch FOREVER!

Dash loves the beach, but is still getting the hang of the ocean and the waves.  He won't run into the surf, but he is willing to run into the back wash to grab the ball.  Koa tries to be a good role model by jumping in to get the ball, but so far Dash remains a skeptic.  I suppose it's not in a herding dog's nature to swim like it is for a labrador retriever...

Here's Dash, all sandy and wet from another rough day at Davenport beach.  I wish we could make the 1.5 hour drive over more often, but with everyone's busy schedules it becomes hard to coordinate.  Luckily, Dash doesn't know the difference.  Whether it's been a few hours or a few weeks, he loves going to Davenport beach exactly the same amount every single time!