This afternoon I set off with Lytton, my big brown lab dog, for a leisurely stroll in the park. I am so used to seeing the ice-covered river that it took a moment to register that all of the ice had disappeared. I think Lytton realized this at the same moment as I did.
Off he trotted and before long I could hear him engaged in his favourite activity – chasing the resident ducks and geese. At this time of year, they really do not appreciate being disturbed. By the time I arrived at the river’s edge, a large goose was in hot pursuit of Lytton. I don’t think he had bargained for that. The look on Lytton’s face was hilarious.
Once he’d managed to get out of the river, we continued walking along the path until Lytton spied some ducks in the distance. He sped off and was about a metre away before the ducks took flight. For some reason, he seems to derive endless amusement from these fruitless chases.
When we arrived at our favourite river place, I spent what seemed like endless minutes tossing sticks for L. He likes to wait until several sticks are in the water before retrieving them. It is a thing of rare beauty to watch this water dog effortlessly doing what comes naturally to him.
Our walk home was uneventful until we were about one block from home. We stopped and chatted with a neighbour who has two tiny poodles. I was not paying much attention to L. until something caught my eye. Just as I looked down, L. was lifting his leg and peeing on one of the poodles. Needless to say, I moved him away quickly but not before my neighbour noticed her dog was a bit damp. Oops … thankfully she laughed and patted L.
And now L. has been wiped down and is happily chewing on a bone waiting for my son to return home from school.
Spring is a wondrous thing!
in the autumn light 
Kate, thank you for visiting my blog today. I am glad you did because I’ll be visiting you often. I love the photo of your lab in pure dog joy!
L. looks so at home in the water, even though it must be very cold 🙂 great picture!S
Hi Kate, Thank you for looking in on me. I enjoyed your blog alot and got a real kick out of your dog’s adventures. He’s lucky that mad goose didn’t catch up with him! And his lifting his leg on the poodle was hilarious because our big Garm has done the same to little Thea a few times. I have to keep a close eye on him when we are on our walks. I’ll be looking forward to more news from you and I’m happy to meet a Canadian. And yes, I think I’d really love your weather! Wouldn’t you know – tonight at work it was very hot and the air conditioner in my office wasn’t working!! Go figure. Bye for now, Alyssa
Thank you for the link, Kate; I’ve just added your blog to mine too. I love the name of your blog, and love the wonders of blogging and the Internet: though Saskatchewan is the only province I haven’t visited yet (and the territories), I get to ‘visit’ through the marvels of the internet. You mentioned a rambunctious campanula, C. punctata; there are a few that are overacheivers, but the worst of course is C. rapunculoides. It doesn’t creep–it gallops pellmell. Naughty plantlet. Here’s to spring, in all its myriad forms and moods. cheers, jodi in Scotts Bay, NS
We had a chocolate lab once. She was neglected by a couple who had little time for her, when we bought the dog (problem) from them. Unfortunately she had many problems like not being properly house trained though they said she was. I hope they didn’t have any kids if the dog was any indication of how they cared for something. Pooped in the house many times, ate a tube of my green viridian paint and had green poop. At least learned to whine when she needed to go but at 3:00am on a snowy morning? Let her out, she did her business then ran off deciding to check out the neighborhood. I went running after her in bare feet cursing that dog. Got a ticket when the animal control officer saw her knock over a garbage can after she bolted out the door earlier one day. But when we took her to a small lake and threw a stick in the water, all the lab insticts were there – dove in the water, grabbed the stick and turned around, swam to shore and dropped it at my feet. She could do that all day. Finally we couldn’t deal with all the bad behavior and gave her to our gas station owner who admired the dog whenever she was in the car. He had a bunch of kids and when we passed by his home one day we saw her fat, sitting contentedly ,surrounded and obviously adored by 4 kids…we did the right thing.
Peeing on poodles? What is the world coming to? :-)Glad you and L. had a wonderful time!
Kate,My sister had a poodle who lived in the house, but if he got the chance would lift his leg on my dad’s sleeping yard dogs!
L 0wns that P00dle now 🙂
He pees on tiny poodles? I love that dog! Was he named for Edward Bulwer-Lytton, by any chance?
Luv your Blog dear Kate!O my God! Lytton and Bruno are so similar. Watching Lytton, I had the same warm feeling, like I have for Bruno.Thanx for linking me, I`ll very gladly reciprocate.
Hi Kate,lot´s of things happend in the meantime at your blog. Your dogs looks so nice and it seems as if he enjoys spring as much as you do :-)!
thanks for the hug…i’m considering that limb.
I also enjoyed being able to vicariously share the dog-joy. Thank you so much for leaving the alliterative cheer-me-up in my blog comments. This tenacious virus is no match for the fact that this morning I finally saw the first crocus buds, at least through the kitchen window. Hopefully, when they open tomorrow, I’ll be able to go out and properly appreciate them!
Kate, I’m glad that Lytton escaped unharmed… those geese can be nasty! (Isn’t it impossible to keep labs out of the water?!)
I can honestly say I have never heard of a dog doing that to another dog! That’s hillarious! But geese do tend to be a bit agressive when bothered. But I must say that your lab is very adorable.