Bradford Pear Down

Posted in Adventures at Home, Piper by Annie T

Guess what? On Sunday Piper finally mastered “headstand.” We’ve been working on this trick for months and I’m SO proud of her!

Oh wait, just kidding. Nope, the real truth is that a violent windstorm uprooted a perfectly healthy, beautiful tree on Saturday night, leaving a white wall of flowers and a giant sideways stump in our yard. Boo! 😣

And if you’re still trying to wrap your head around the first photo, maybe this will help:

On Saturday night a storm front swept across southeastern Pennsylvania, bringing heavy rains and 45-60 mpg wind gusts. Despite the wind our power stayed on and Matt and I went to bed, blissfully unaware of the damage happening outside. We woke up early Sunday morning, looked out the window and BAM!! WHITE FLOWERS EVERYWHERE. Our Bradford Pear tree had tipped over on its side, taking a sizable chunk of lawn along with it.

Piper was initially wary of the changed landscape, but she has quickly realized that the tree’s new position means she is MUCH closer to the birds and squirrels that hang out in it. She’s been keeping a close eye on it ever since.

Here’s what the tree looked like in its glory, back in 2014. RIP, Bradford Pear Tree.

Matt and I are getting estimates for the tree’s removal now. In the meantime, I’m sure Piper will keep herself very busy watching over the fallen white blossoms. Like most outdoor activities, it’s a job that she’s taking very seriously!

22Mar2016

Piper, Pickles, and Peanut Butter (Recap of the March Pickle Run!)

Posted in Piper, Race Recaps by Annie T

Hello my name is Piper and I like to lick pickles.

On Saturday Piper joined me for the March Pickle Run in Ridley Creek State Park. Like last month’s pickle, this was a 5K prediction run on a paved out-and-back course. In February I conservatively guessed that Piper and I would finish in 24:30 but then we crushed the course in 23:47. This month I was more aggressive and entered 23:30 as our expected finish time.

Piper and I lined up towards the front of the pack (last month we started too far back and had a challenging time weaving through the crowds) and crossed the start line at 10AM. My game plan was to run the first mile very conservatively — maybe in 7:45 like my 10K last week — but of course there are no watches allowed in the Pickle Run so I don’t have any idea how long the first mile lasted. All I know is that I felt really comfortable and very happy to have Piper trotting along at my side.

After the first mile I realized that Piper and I were in third place. Over the next quarter mile we picked up our pace and steadily gained ground before passing the man in front of us. With that task complete, I suddenly remembered that the organizers of the Pickle Run hide “pickles” (cucumbers with pipe-cleaner arms and googley eyes) around the course for runners to find during the race. I once glimpsed a pickle during a race last year but have never claimed one for myself… until Saturday! About a minute after I started searching I spotted a pickle nestled in the brush about 10 feet off the path. I let out a little squeal of excitement, and, much to Piper’s confusion, swerved off the road to claim my prize. The pickle collection went smoothly and Piper and I were back on the course in seconds.

Last month when Piper and I hit the uphill climb at the turnaround point Piper lagged behind and seemed a little tired. This month the weather was much cooler (40°) and together we powered up the hill with the race leader just barely in sight. After about a half mile of running with the pickle in my right hand I finally looked down at it and realized that it had a big smiling “mouth” made out of sprinkles and peanut butter. The sprinkles were starting to melt onto my palm but all I could think was how much Piper was going to love the peanut butter when we finished!

I would have loved to know our split for the final mile because it felt FAST. We gained ground on the leader and I was strong and in control. Piper heeled perfectly by my side, trotting at a rapid clip with her mouth firmly closed… I guess we still weren’t moving fast enough to exert Piper in 40° weather! Before I knew it we were turning onto the narrow path that twisted up to the finish line. I watched the leader cross the line about 15 seconds ahead of us and then we sprinted through the finish.

Our official chip time was 23:36 — 11 seconds faster than last month and a new course record for me. Plus we found a pickle!!! I scooped off some of the peanut butter around the pickle’s pom-pom “nose” and fed it to Piper right after we finished. 😄

Running with Piper is bringing me such joy. She is well-behaved, makes other runners smile, and I truly feel like I have a companion out there on the course with me. Plus she’s always good for a laugh… Piper may or may not have stuck her entire head under the stall next to me in the ladies’ restroom just to say hi to our neighbor right before the race. Whoops!

As we watched the post-race awards Piper waited patiently beside me, taking the occasional lick of pickle “hair” (more peanut butter and sprinkles) and making a big to-do of licking her lips and nose very thoroughly after each taste. Our finish time was only 6 seconds off my prediction, so we won a second pickle in addition to the one we found on course. Double treats for Piper!! Exactly the prize she deserved for her new 5K PR.

Miles since last post: 18.5
Days since last post: 4
2016 MILES: 394.3

Past Races:
• March ’16: St. Agnes 5K (3/5), 3-2-1 Loop 10K (3/12) [10K PR]
• February ’16: Pickle with Piper (2/20)
• January ’16: Pickle Trail Run (1/30)
• December ’15: Jingle Elf Run (12/3) [2M PR], Brian’s Run (12/5) [5M PR], Reindeer Romp 5K (12/13)
• November ’15: Trinity 5K (11/7), Seven Summits Turkey Trot (11/26) [5K PR]
• October ’15: BAAR 5K (10/3), Double OyVey 10K (10/25) [10K PR], Boo Run 5K (10/31)
• September ’15: Run-A-Muck Trail 5K (9/19)
• August ’15: Boxcar Mile (8/13), Pickle in the Streets 5K (8/27)
• June ’15: Media 5 Mile (6/19)
• May ’15: Broad Street 10 Mile Run (5/3) [10M PR], Rocky Run Trail 5K (5/15), Victory 5K (5/17)
• April ’15: Tyler Trail 10K (4/11) [10K PR], Empower the Children 5K (4/18), Haverford Twilight 5K (4/26) [5K PR]
• March ’15: Athlete’s Closet March 5K (3/7), St. Pat’s 5K (3/14), Granogue Trail 10K (3/21), Pickle Run #3 (3/28)
• February ’15: Athlete’s Closet February 5K (2/7), Pickle Trail Run #2 (2/21)
• January ’15: SRA New Year’s Day 5K (1/1), Athlete’s Closet January 5K (1/3), Pickle Run #1 (1/17)
• December ’14: Jingle Elf 2 Mile (12/5) [2M PR], Brian’s Run 5 Miler (12/7) [5M PR], Athlete’s Closet Holiday 5K (12/14)
• November ’14: Trinity Berwyn 5K (11/1) [5K PR], Metal Run 5K (11/8), Seven Summits Turkey Trot (11/27)
• October ’14: Martin’s Run 5K (10/5), Fueled Up & Fired Up 5K (10/18), Bark in the Park 5K (10/25)
• September ’14: Talk 5K Trail Run (9/13), Run A Muck Trail Race (9/20), Haverford Township 5K (9/27)
• August ’14: Riddlewood 5K (8/3), Radnor Red Steeplechase (8/17), Pickle in the Streets 5K (8/28) [5K PR]
• July ’14: Cam’s ‘Moonlight’ 5K (7/10), Swarthmore Independence Eve 8K (7/18) [5M PR]
• June ’14: Radnor Conservancy 5K Trail Run (6/1), Media 5 Miler (6/20)
• May ’14: Elwyn 5K (5/3), Run for Victory 5K (5/18) [5K PR], Rocky Run 5K Trail Run (5/30)
• April ’14: Las Vegas Security 5K (4/3), Rick’s Run 5K (4/19), St. Tim’s 5K (4/26)
• March ’14: Athlete’s Closet March 5 Miler (3/1), Color Out Cancer 5K (3/30)
• February ’14: Athlete’s Closet February 5K (2/1)
• January ’14: Athlete’s Closet January 5K (1/4)
• December ’13: Athlete’s Closet December 5K (12/14), New Year’s Eve YMCA 5K (12/31) [5K PR]
• November ’13: Trinity Presbyterian 5K (11/2), Turkey Trot 5K (11/28)
• October ’13: Fueled Up & Fired Up 5K (10/19), Oy Vey 5K (10/27) [5K PR]
• September ’13: Run-a-Muck 5K (9/21)
• The Challenge Begins: 100 Mile iPad Mini Challenge (7/23/13)

28Feb2016

Piper’s First Pickle

Posted in Piper, Race Recaps by Annie T

It took Piper a week to take her post-race selfie… not bad for a dog!

Piper has been galloping around the yard for months, but this winter her joints finally matured enough for her to go on an official road run with me. Yay, running buddy! But unfortunately inviting an energetic German Shorthair to go jogging with you is far easier said than done. Piper and I went on a short jaunt over the holidays and she pulled me all over the road until my hips were out of alignment and I started seriously second-guessing how fun it would be to have a four-legged running partner.

Fed up with being – quite literally – jerked around, I purchased a “Gentle Leader” head collar for Piper in late December. The gentle leader works by redirecting a dog’s forward motion and turning their head back towards you when they pull. It only took Piper a few minutes to figure this out and I was thrilled to find that my wild, lunging beast was quickly transformed into a tiny, prancing racehorse who seemed to be perpetually trotting towards an imaginary starting line with a short, bouncy, energetic stride. Splendid!

As soon as I determined that the Gentle Leader was our go-to headgear for running, I starting looking at running leash options. If I gave Piper too much room to roam, she’d turn back into the beast and pull until the Gentle Leader left rub marks on her face — not good! Throughout January I experimented with tying knots in a long bungee waist leash to shorten it and keep Piper under control. We enjoyed a few positive runs together with the knotted leash so in February I decided it was time to invest in some new equipment… namely a short bungee leash and a padded running belt for me that the leash could attach to.

My new gear arrived in mid-February. I was so excited to try it that I immediately took Piper out on a mile and a half trial run on a blustery 25° afternoon before happily proclaiming that the belt-leash-gentle-leader combo was a success. Piper was officially jogging at my side without pulling (much), and the leash attached to my waist, allowing me to use my arms to run rather than hold Piper. Perfect!

Piper had her racing debut at The Pickle Run on February 20th. I contacted the organizers in advance and they said that dogs were allowed as long as we started towards the back of the pack. Like all Pickle Runs, this was a prediction run, so I estimated that we’d finish in 24:30, significantly slower than my course-best time of 23:42, but still hopefully a respectable first 5K time for little Pipe.

The start ended up being the hardest part of the race. Typically at a Pickle Run I position myself in the first 3-4 rows behind the start line, but Piper and I began behind at least 100 people. We spent the first half mile dodging and weaving around other participants (which is not easy to do with a prancing, snorting racehorse attached to your hip!) and finally got some breathing room near where the trail runners turned right to follow their muddy off-road course.

Piper and I stayed on the road and steadily gained ground on the runners ahead of us. At the halfway turnaround I realized that we were sitting in 5th or 6th, but at that very moment Piper seemed to lose some steam. I forgot to mention earlier that the weather was a freakishly warm 60° (in February!) so this was the hottest run that Piper had ever been on. I was very aware of that fact as she seemed to lag behind me going up a hill. Piper continued panting (and snorting, and grunting, as usual!) so we slowed down a bit for what was maybe the 1.5-2.0 mile section of the race.

Piper knows exactly where the camera is.

With about a mile to go Piper spotted Matt standing on the side of the path taking pictures. She immediately perked up, smiled for the camera, and then took over setting the pace for the final stretch of the race. We FLEW through that last mile (I would LOVE know our split, but no watches are allowed in a Pickle Run!). Before I knew it Piper and I were zooming across the finish line. As we crossed I turned to look at the clock… we finished in under 24 minutes!!

Together Piper and I ended up 4th overall with a chip time of 23:47. That’s just 5 seconds off my course best time!!! I still can’t believe Piper and I ran that fast, especially with the tricky start and slow turnaround up the hill. WOW!

I’m really excited to see what Piper and I can do in other races this winter and spring. Next up we have the March Pickle Run on the same course as February’s Pickle. I’m thinking we should start a little closer to the front of the pack since it seemed like we caused more disruptions weaving for a half mile than we would have if we had just started with people running a similar pace. We’ll keep practicing together (just did 5 miles today!!) and hopefully we’ll have as much fun in March as we did in February!

Links to our running gear:
Gentle Leader Dog Head Collar
Spindrift Daisy Runner Belt
Mongrel Bungee Leash Extension

Miles since last post: 115.8
Days since last post: 24
2016 MILES: 291.2

Past Races:
• January ’16: Pickle Trail Run (1/30)
• December ’15: Jingle Elf Run (12/3) [2M PR], Brian’s Run (12/5) [5M PR], Reindeer Romp 5K (12/13)
• November ’15: Trinity 5K (11/7), Seven Summits Turkey Trot (11/26) [5K PR]
• October ’15: BAAR 5K (10/3), Double OyVey 10K (10/25) [10K PR], Boo Run 5K (10/31)
• September ’15: Run-A-Muck Trail 5K (9/19)
• August ’15: Boxcar Mile (8/13), Pickle in the Streets 5K (8/27)
• June ’15: Media 5 Mile (6/19)
• May ’15: Broad Street 10 Mile Run (5/3) [10M PR], Rocky Run Trail 5K (5/15), Victory 5K (5/17)
• April ’15: Tyler Trail 10K (4/11) [10K PR], Empower the Children 5K (4/18), Haverford Twilight 5K (4/26) [5K PR]
• March ’15: Athlete’s Closet March 5K (3/7), St. Pat’s 5K (3/14), Granogue Trail 10K (3/21), Pickle Run #3 (3/28)
• February ’15: Athlete’s Closet February 5K (2/7), Pickle Trail Run #2 (2/21)
• January ’15: SRA New Year’s Day 5K (1/1), Athlete’s Closet January 5K (1/3), Pickle Run #1 (1/17)
• December ’14: Jingle Elf 2 Mile (12/5) [2M PR], Brian’s Run 5 Miler (12/7) [5M PR], Athlete’s Closet Holiday 5K (12/14)
• November ’14: Trinity Berwyn 5K (11/1) [5K PR], Metal Run 5K (11/8), Seven Summits Turkey Trot (11/27)
• October ’14: Martin’s Run 5K (10/5), Fueled Up & Fired Up 5K (10/18), Bark in the Park 5K (10/25)
• September ’14: Talk 5K Trail Run (9/13), Run A Muck Trail Race (9/20), Haverford Township 5K (9/27)
• August ’14: Riddlewood 5K (8/3), Radnor Red Steeplechase (8/17), Pickle in the Streets 5K (8/28) [5K PR]
• July ’14: Cam’s ‘Moonlight’ 5K (7/10), Swarthmore Independence Eve 8K (7/18) [5M PR]
• June ’14: Radnor Conservancy 5K Trail Run (6/1), Media 5 Miler (6/20)
• May ’14: Elwyn 5K (5/3), Run for Victory 5K (5/18) [5K PR], Rocky Run 5K Trail Run (5/30)
• April ’14: Las Vegas Security 5K (4/3), Rick’s Run 5K (4/19), St. Tim’s 5K (4/26)
• March ’14: Athlete’s Closet March 5 Miler (3/1), Color Out Cancer 5K (3/30)
• February ’14: Athlete’s Closet February 5K (2/1)
• January ’14: Athlete’s Closet January 5K (1/4)
• December ’13: Athlete’s Closet December 5K (12/14), New Year’s Eve YMCA 5K (12/31) [5K PR]
• November ’13: Trinity Presbyterian 5K (11/2), Turkey Trot 5K (11/28)
• October ’13: Fueled Up & Fired Up 5K (10/19), Oy Vey 5K (10/27) [5K PR]
• September ’13: Run-a-Muck 5K (9/21)
• The Challenge Begins: 100 Mile iPad Mini Challenge (7/23/13)

16Jan2016

It only took me 16 days… 2015 Recap and 2016 Goals!

Posted in Hikes, Piper, Trips by Annie T

This morning it was my turn to take Piper out. Usually I have no trouble falling back to sleep after our chilly 7AM tour around the yard, but today I felt especially awake and decided to catch up on some long overdue blog reading. I scrolled through my WordPress “Reader” for nearly an hour and thoroughly enjoyed reviewing the many year end recaps and ambitious 2016 resolution posts that bloggers I follow wrote 2+ weeks ago.

All of this inspirational reading served to remind me that I’ve been terrible about updating my blog lately. I’m not sure why that is,* but whatever the case, I’m not going to beat myself up about it. The whole point of my blog is to document the races, foods, trips and other events that I’m enjoying and if nothing “blog-worthy” happens for a few weeks, so be it!

(*OK, I’ll confess: My recent lack of posts is almost certainly because we’re binge-watching Sons of Anarchy. It’s so riveting that I can’t multi-task and blog while watching it!)

Although it’s January 16^th, my morning reading has inspired me to offer my own 2015 wrap up and 2016 goals. Without further ado, here I go!

Cape Charles, VA (February)

Skaneateles, NY (August)

Bixby Bridge, Big Sur, CA (October)

2015 was the year of the mini-vacation. Matt and I traveled to 10 states and spent 28 nights away from home. Piper joined us on several trips and spent the other nights slumber-partying at my mom’s house with her best friend, Hershey the Chocolate Lab. Matt and I primarily traveled within driving distance, but also flew to Vegas for work at the beginning of the year and then to California for an epic drive up the Pacific Coast Highway in October.

Storm approaching over Bethany Beach, DE (June)

Marble Quarry, Dorset, VT (September)

Lone Cypress, Pebble Beach, CA (October)

Since 2015 marked another year of my ongoing mile-a-day streak, I began nearly all of my out-of-town mornings with a run. This was a great way to feel good on vacation AND get a feel for my surroundings, regardless of whether I was in a big city, little town, or remote forest. In 2015 I ran in places as diverse as Las Vegas (NV), Cape Charles (VA), Bethany Beach (DE), Avon-by-the-Sea (NJ), Skaneateles (NY), Promised Land (PA), Dorset (VT), and Carmel (CA).

Rothrock State Forest, PA (June)

Skaneateles, NY (August)

Promised Land, PA (September)

When I wasn’t traveling, it seems like most weekends were spent racing. In 2015 I completed 27 races and earned 7 new personal best times (1-2M, 2-5K, 1-5M, 2-10K, 1-10M). The year finished surprisingly strong with 3 PRs in a row at 3 different distances. I guess I did something right in 2015?!

Hardest Race: Granogue 10K (March)

Longest Race: Broad Street (May)

Race I’m Proudest of: Brian’s Run (December)

And about that streak… I’ve now been running, hiking, or otherwise moving my body a mile a day every day since July 2013. My daily miles are now a completely routine part of my life and are just something I do, like eating or brushing my teeth. As of today, I’ve been streaking for 930 days and 4,380.5 miles with no plans to stop anytime soon.

3.1 miles in chilly temps! (February, Streak Day 600)

3.1 miles in Chino Hills, CA (October, Day 837)

4 miles on the treadmill with Coach Piper (November, Day 872)

Looking ahead to 2016, I hope to continue many of the same habits, including trying to pack as many mini-getaways into our busy lives as possible. Matt and I already have a weekend trip to Sedona, AZ planned (I am SO EXCITED!!) and I wouldn’t be surprised if we find ourselves in California, Kentucky and multiple states on the east coast at some point later this year.

One thing that will be changing for 2016 will be my total number of races. I’m not opposed to racing 25+ times in a year, but I know I’m going to miss at least 7 of the races I enjoyed last year due to scheduling conflicts. (For example, my brother decided to get married the night before the Broad Street Run!! But I forgive him. 😀) I’ll also miss the Athlete’s Closet Winter Series this year as the series was cancelled. Oh well! Racing is fun but isn’t everything… maybe I can use that time to get some extra miles in with Piper!

Hiking the Brandywine (February)

Darlington Trail (May)

Promised Land State Park (September)

Running with Piper is one of my biggest goals for 2016. She was too young to really do many pavement miles last year, plus she pulled on the leash like a maniac which made runs much less pleasant than they should have been. In late December I finally broke down and bought her a “Gentle Leader” head collar to put an end to her pulling and so far it has worked wonders. We still have lots of training to do, but I look forward to lots of happy runs with my little GSP this year.

Snow Run! (March)

Double Dog Dash (October)

Piper in her new Gentle Leader (December)

My final goal for 2016 is a simple one… improve my CORE STRENGTH! In 2015 I did exactly zero strength work, but I’m fully aware that if my abs and arms are stronger I will be a better runner, even if I don’t change a thing about how I actually train to run.

Fortunately for me, core strengthening is a goal that I can absolutely accomplish from the comfort of my living room floor while watching Sons of Anarchy. Otherwise core strength, like my nonexistent blog posts, might never happen!

2016 Resolutions:

Don’t stress out about not blogging regularly. I blog for fun and want to keep it that way.
Take lots of trips with Matt (and Piper) whenever possible!
Teach Piper to run with me.
Improve my core strength. (Bonus goal: Teach Piper that she’s not actually helping when she licks my face during a plank!!)

Oh, and in case you were wondering, Piper resolves not to dig in my garden in 2016…

JUST KIDDING!!! 😄

13Nov2015

Birthday Hike at Binky Lee

Posted in Hikes, Piper by Annie T

Smile, it’s Friday!

A few weeks ago Matt and I took Piper hiking at Binky Lee Preserve in Chester Springs, PA. It was my birthday so Matt was extra patient when I stopped to take dozens of photos of fall foliage, grasses, and (of course) Piper. Piper was less tolerant of these numerous delays – she prefers to be moving full speed ahead at all times – but I was still able to capture a few shots of her against the gorgeous fall landscape.

Here are some photos from our hike. This really is what Southeastern Pennsylvania looks like in the fall. Isn’t it pretty??!

Piper surveying the preserve

Orange Maples

Beauitful colors at Binky Lee

Binky Lee Preserve

This yellow-tipped tree line was unreal!

Happy hiker

Piper was thoroughly unimpressed by these falling leaves

Pikeland Road

Piper

Binky Lee view

OK, photo time is over!

Oh, and in case you were wondering, this is what a German Shorthaired Pointer with a mouthful of water looks like! I think she was trying to bring some of the creek along for the rest of the hike. 😄

If you find yourself in northeastern Chester County looking for a place to hike I’d definitely recommend visiting Binky Lee. For more information check out the links below. Happy Friday!

Binky Lee Preserve
1445 Pikeland Road
Chester Spring, PA 19425
Web Site | Trail Map | Google Maps

2Sep2015

Piper’s First Birthday

Posted in Piper by Annie T

Piper turned one last Wednesday! Matt and I considered taking her for a celebratory birthday hike, but it was super hot out and we agreed that all three of us would have been sweaty, panting messes within the first five minutes of any activity we attempted. Instead, we decided that Piper would have the most fun playing in our backyard with her GSP-lookalike, Bella!

Bella belongs to Matt’s parents. She stayed with us for a few weeks in August and during that time Piper was absolutely thrilled to have a live-in playmate. These dogs have very similar styles of play and spent hours running at top speed around the yard, playing tug of war, and wrestling with one another. Here are some photos of them playing on Piper’s birthday afternoon. (Piper’s in the orange collar.)

Piper has no clue that Bella’s about to POUNCE!

Tearing around the yard

Pointer twins

A better angle for tug of war?

Piper and Bella

Crazy Ears

White whiskers

Bella’s going to steal that toy

After all of that fun I think it’s safe to say that Piper had a fantastic first birthday!!

Like these photos? Follow me on Instagram: @The_Little_GSP

24Aug2015

Weekend Getaway to Skaneateles, NY

Posted in Piper, Trips by Annie T

Matt and I have been having a great summer so far, with lots of long weekend vacations including the Hunting Camp, Bethany Beach, and a 4th of July celebration on the Jersey shore. We still have a few trips ahead of us, including the Poconos and Vermont in September and a combined business/pleasure trip to California in October. (We’ll be driving up the Pacific Coast Highway in a convertible… I’m SO excited!!)

Our most recent weekend getaway took us to the gorgeous Finger Lake region of New York. We stayed with my brother and his fiance’s family at their house on Skaneateles Lake. I hadn’t been to the Finger Lakes before this and wow… I never knew what I was missing!! The views were breathtaking, the water was crystal clear, and the whole area had a relaxing, laid back vibe that was perfect for a mini vacation.

Piper is now a total water-loving fiend, so naturally she came along with us and spent hours in the lake. The water was so clear that I could stand knee-deep and still read the logo on my shoes. Unreal!! In fact, the water was SO clear that I actually went swimming… a rarity for this “dark-water” fearing girl!

So good she retrieves with her eyes closed

Waterdog

The house that we stayed in was built in the 1890s. It was floor-to-ceiling dark, varnished hardwood and featured a wraparound porch, 9+ bedrooms, a huge kitchen, and, of course, amazing lake views out of nearly every window.

Fallbrook Point

Skaneateles Lake

The sides of Skaneateles Lake are very steep so in order to get down to the house and lake front we drove straight down a half-mile long ~~cliff~~ driveway. This made for a fun start to my run on Saturday morning!! A creek bisects the property as it tumbles down from the main road to the lake. My brother, his future father-in-law and I followed the creek’s course up to the road and scaled several waterfalls in the process. The water was perfectly clear and I loved how it slid effortlessly over the shale rock formations on its way down to the lake below.

Waterfall

View of the lake from up on the road

Scaling a waterfall

Fall Brook

There were six dogs at Skaneateles including Piper. We tried to get Piper to follow the yellow Labs as they confidently jumped off the dock but she wasn’t so sure she wanted to take the leap. Instead, Piper entertained herself by retrieving EVERY SINGLE STICK we could find on the edge of the lake. After paddling each stick safely to shore Piper would proceed to chew it up until it was unrecognizable. (Unfortunately she also found the S’mores stick stockpile and chewed those to smithereens… oh well, she was on vacation!!)

To jump or not to jump?

An excellent stick

Maneuvering around Lady the GSD

This stick doesn’t have long to live

In addition to fun at the lake and house, we also visited the local winery two (two!) times and had dinner in the cute little town of Skaneateles, New York. Our hosts recommended that we stop by Doug’s Fish Fry for dinner and they were spot on… best fried fish sandwich I’ve ever had!! I was too busy stuffing my face to take a photo, sorry. 😆

Anyela’s Chardonnay was my favorite

Anyela’s Vineyard

We wrapped up each night with a big bonfire by the lake. The weather was pleasantly cool and breezy and the views of the full “blue” moon were ridiculous. We sat by the fire as this moon rose up over the horizon… I sure was happy that I still happened to have my camera on me!

Blue Moon over Skaneateles Lake

Bonfire Moon

Matt, Piper and I thoroughly enjoyed our weekend at Skaneateles Lake. Thank you to our hosts and hopefully we’ll get to return next summer! I know Piper has certainly spent many happy nights dreaming about sticks and blue water ever since… 😄

23Jul2015

That time Piper defended our house from an invading chipmunk (and other July happenings)

Posted in Piper by Annie T

Piper has had a fantastic summer so far, with multiple trips to the pool, plenty of playtime with her buddy Hershey, and hours of outdoor ‘hunting’ in our backyard. Here’s a recap of last month in photos. Enjoy!

In June when Matt and I were in Bethany Beach Piper finally learned how to swim in a pool! Prior to this she was scared to step off of the top stair, but when we returned from the beach Piper was swimming around like a little fish. A really really happy spotted fish with cute white whiskers!! 😄

Piper still hasn’t mastered her pool entry but she’s working on it. She sort of slithers off the side and closes her eyes as she hits the water. Hopefully we’ll get her jumping in like a normal dog by the end of the summer!

Hershey usually chooses not to go in the pool. Instead, she patiently waits for Piper to retrieve the wubba and then immediately tries to steal it the moment Piper emerges from the water. These dogs crack me up.

When Piper isn’t paddling around Hershey’s pool she’s usually stalking something in our backyard. Over the past month she has become much more interested in chipmunks, groundhogs, toads and birds. Apparently there are nests with baby birds all around our patio because she has been spending every afternoon with her face wedged in the bushes and her tail wagging at top speed.

Tip of the month: it is NOT a good sign when your puppy greets you at the back door looking like this!! This happened last Wednesday, just as we were about to go out for dinner. Piper was all “What? Why can’t I just come inside and lie on the carpet?!?”

We surveyed the yard and discovered a huge muddy hole at the front corner of our house. It appears that a chipmunk foolishly attempted to hide from Piper by taking cover in the gutter. (This has happened before.) Piper “defended” our house by attacking the gutter and then proceeded to dig a moat around the gutter to keep future intruders at bay… or at least that’s what she’s claiming!!

Piper was REALLY muddy. Fortunately she is easy to bathe. 😄

In late June Piper won a “summer dog” Instagram photo contest with this photo. Her prize was a set of three split elk antlers from RidgeRunner Antler Chews in Colorado. I wanted to take some photos to thank RidgeRunner so I hung up a white sheet and started playing around with my camera settings before actually giving Piper an antler. Piper didn’t know what was going on so she just gave me her best puppy eyes as she waited to find out what I was so excited about.

Piper figured out what the big deal was as soon as I handed her an antler. She LOVED it!! These antlers are fresh from the Rocky Mountains and have a thick layer of marrow that Piper went nuts over. She chewed and chewed for about 30 minutes while I snapped away.

If RidgeRunner or any antler company needs a puppy model to “taste test” their products, Piper volunteers!!!

@Puppy_Transit’s portrait

Original Piper

This has been an excellent month for insta-contests. Piper won a second contest, this one for “Cute Puppy Eyes,” with the above photo. One of the prizes was a cool digital portrait of Piper’s winning shot, complements of @Puppy_Transit. They did such a great job! The other big prize is a custom dog bed with our choice of fabric from @LillyandAbbie. Piper has never had a new bed (she sleeps on hand-me-downs from Bailey) so I am really looking forward to receiving her custom bed in a few weeks!!

That’s about it for Piper’s month in review. Hopefully August will be even more fun!! (Although I could do without the mud hole in the front yard.) 😉 I’m pretty sure Piper will be happy as long as she gets to play in the pool!

What does your dog do for fun in the summer?
What’s your favorite photo of Piper from July?
I like the second antler shot and her awkward pool entry. 😎

12Jun2015

The Hunting Camp, 2015 Edition

Posted in Piper, Trips by Annie T

Last weekend Matt, Piper and I took a mini vacation in the central Pennsylvania wilderness. We stayed at Globe Run Rod and Gun Club – fondly referred to in my family as simply “The Hunting Camp” – for our seventh year of outdoor fun. 😄

I’ve blogged about our Hunting Camp adventures in previous years so feel free to check those posts out for more background (2013, 2014). For this year’s recap, I’m going to summarize the Hunting Camp in “Five Things Friday” style.

Five Things we enjoyed at the Hunting Camp in 2015

1. SWIMMING

Hiding in the grass

Can you spot Piper and Hershey?

Enjoying the lake

Splash!

Lady and Piper

I got a STICK!!!

Matt and I were excited to discover that Piper LOVES water!! She paddled around the lake with my brother’s German Shepherd, Lady, and even swam WAY out into the lake with Hershey to flush a flock of geese. (I don’t think Piper knew what was going on until the geese actually took off!)

I’m not a fan of swimming in “dark water” but it sure was fun to watch Piper take the plunge!

2. BOURBON

I don’t know anything about bourbon so for fun we had a bourbon tasting on Friday night. Our family members each brought various bourbons (we ended up with 11 bottles!) and it was fun to try them all. The verdict? Basil Hayden was my favorite (probably because it had the lowest alcohol content), but ultimately I think I’ll take a glass of wine over a bourbon any day!

3. HIKING

Such a cool puppy. 🙂

Morning run in the state forest

Piper on the trail

Piper loved being off-leash

There are miles of wooded trails at the Hunting Camp and the adjacent Rothrock State Forest. Every day we took at least one hike with the dogs and on Saturday morning I ventured out on a solo 6 mile run in the state forest. My brother saw a black bear at camp just before Matt and I arrived on Thursday, so naturally I spent the whole run worrying about what I would do if a bear appeared around the next bend. (Run the other way? Make a lot of noise??) Luckily the largest animal I saw on my run was a squirrel so I was OK.

4. FOOD

BBQ Ribs

Panzanella

RIBS!

Matt and I were in charge of dinner on Friday night and we had fun with it. We made BBQ baby-back ribs, panzanella, potato salad, cornbread, and strawberry-rhubarb crisp. YUM! The other days we feasted on sausages, burgers, hot dogs, shepherd’s pie, and lots of chips and guacamole. Good thing we did so much hiking! 😃

5. RELAXING

Matt on the porch

Piper and Lady

Lady checking out Piper’s stick

One of the best activities at the hunting camp involves no activity at all. The huge rocking chair-lined wraparound porch is the perfect spot to relax with a book (or Kindle or iPad). The porch is also a great place to watch the dogs (all four of them!) who spent hours in the yard wrestling, playing chase, and chewing on sticks. By Saturday afternoon the dogs were exhausted!!

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After three days of fun we drove home late Saturday night with a very tired, very happy Piper. We all had a great time and can’t wait until next year!

29May2015

Friday Five: Piper in May

Posted in Piper by Annie T

Apparently posting fun quinquennial lists on Friday is a blogging “thing” so I’m making up my own version of the Friday Five today. (And yes, I totally googled quinquennial; I learned a new word today!)

Top Five Photos of Piper in May

#1. Working hard to eat that stick! Our front yard was completely in bloom in early May… you can see the white crabapple in the background. (5/2/15)

#2. Water Dog! We took Piper to the Darlington Trail and Matt walked into Chester Creek with her while I snapped some photos. She thoroughly enjoyed herself! (5/9/15)

#3. Waiting on a train. After playing in the creek we continued on the Darlington Trail to the abandoned SEPTA line that used to run from Media to West Chester. I love train tracks! (5/9/15)

#4. Backyard wilderness. Piper was standing about 30 feet from the house in this shot, but I like how it looks like she’s in the middle of the woods. Also, that yellow squeaky ball at her feet is REALLY loud! (5/28/15)

#5. My goofy puppy. It was really hot yesterday afternoon so we retreated into the house for some indoor playtime. I love her expression in this shot. (5/28/15)