When I got my camera out, I found just a few pictures of our trip home still on the camera SD Card. Here is Indy in the Motorhome looking at herself in the mirror. This is the same type of behavior she still shows with the mirrors in the condo...but she does not interact with her reflective image nearly as much now as she did at first. When I toss her ball or chew stick for her to fetch, she will watch the mirror to see if dad really threw it or not...she is a smart little dog for sure. A few times I have seen her just looking at herself in the mirror...
Three weeks ago I grabbed my camera, got Indy, and we went over to the dog park. Problem, no dogs there. Waited about ten minutes and decided to tour the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks, which are only a half mile away from the dog park. Indy was fascinated with all the activity there (which is about 60% of what a normal Tuesday Winter Day is on the Docks in pre-Covid terms).
As you can see, it was a nice, very nice, pre-Spring day at the docks.
Just off the main drag of the Sponge Docks is a side street where 5 Branches Brewery is located...this is where Marcia's son John works. This brand new Brewery opened just as COVID was hitting last year. However, they did takeout, added some food so they could sell beer-to-go, and made it through the worst of it all. They won a silver medal at the 34th Annual Great American Beer Festival, and they also took home awards for “Very Small Brewing Company of the Year” and the “Very Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year.”
"IF" you ever make it to Tarpon Springs, park your car at the Dog Park on Live Oak Street, just east of North Pinellas Ave (also known as Alt 19), walk to the Sponge Docks, and if you wish, you can catch one of these electric trolley cars which, for $5, you can ride all day long. From Tarpon Springs it will take you through Palm Harbor, Dunedin, to Clearwater, including Clearwater Beach.
Back to the Dog Park and low and behold, still no dogs. The white arrow is the bench that I normally sit on while Indy (Skruffy and Bubba before) would play.
Finally Nilla arrived and her and Indy played and played and played. I got so busy talking with Nilla's mom and dad that I did not get very many pictures. Indy plays with other dogs so well, I am happy for that.
I did get a few pictures of her looking at a dog in the large dog park, and he inspecting various parts of the dog park. Unlike Skruffy, Indy never barks at the other dogs...for that we are very happy with that. Indy and I returned to the Dog Park a few times since then, and this past Sunday we hit the jack pot with nine dogs there...boy, did she have fun...but I did not take my camera to capture it.
Today I took Indy over to our local Library, which we can nearly see from our backyard. Here is the large pond that is between the Library and the street. Indy, on leash, can wander around and enjoy the smells...enjoy the birds (although today they were lacking), and just get away from the boring backyard smells that she in inundated with daily.
Today there were only two birds...normally we see six to eight, and there have been a few times that there have been twenty or more.
Unfortunately there are a number of indigent and homeless people in the area. I have seen six or seven people on the far side of the pond at one time, and noticed that many of them are the same people I see out along Highway 19 asking for food and money to survive on. It is too bad that poverty exists, but it is also too bad that able bodied people are not working, while businesses along US-19 have "help wanted" signs in their windows. (The bottom picture is the same guy laying on the grass walking with a friend headed for home). In another few months many of these people will not be out due to the Oppressive Heat and Humidity of Summer.
Got this picture from sister Patti a few weeks ago. They opened mom's assisted living facility up to where residents can go out, but visitors can not come in. A week ago or so they lifted the visitor restrictions, so now, with appointment, up to two people at a time can visit as long as the visit is in her room. So they can go out...but they can't go to a restaurant because those are still shut down...but she can go over to Sandy's for Liver and Onions, which I think is where Patti was taking her since Parker is on mom's lap. Slowly but surely things are headed back to normal...and the "new normal" will be an ancient nightmare.
Ah Indy looks so happy!! I wish MY dogs didn't bark and played well with others. No such luck!! More pictures of that area please. It looks so nice and warm!!! Around here the homeless made more money panhandling than I did working, which is why they don't work.
ReplyDeleteThere is one guy, confined to a wheelchair (for real, not faking it) who I give money to now and then. Told him if he ever came up and asked, he would be cut off. I hate it when they approach you as you get out of your car to go into the store...last year a guy came up to an older lady, I told him to stop. He said he had every right to be there (he doesn't, Winn-Dixie has signs posted) so I invited him into the store with me to see what management said...he took off.
DeleteLooks like Indy is having a good time at the dog park. I am sure she is just mesmerized with her beauty in the mirror!
ReplyDeleteShe sure puts pressure on her groomer (me) to keep her looking beautiful, that's for sure.
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