Pre-NYE

We had some time off around the holidays, so I/we hiked the kid/s pretty much every day.  We were lucky to have decent weather for it- mostly mid 30s to high 40s, almost no snow, and only one day of rain.

Still not quite there

Another day, another adventure hike! The dogs are going to get so spoiled that it is going to be tough for them when we go back to work. Today was really nice weather in the mid 40s with sun, so we couldn’t pass it up.

C'mon, mom, hurry up!  You are too slow!

 Posing on the stairs up the back way to the top of Fort Hill.

 Soooo pretty!  Look at my smile!

 Doozle the Adventure Dog at the top of Fort Hill

Kisses for daddy!

Almost tired

I took Dozer out for another 3 to 4 miles of hiking today. He walked with slack leash most of the way through, and it felt like I was walking a fluffy little cloud ☁️ 😂. Apparently, the trick is to hike him 3 to 4 miles in the park six or seven days in a row. Shame that pesky job thing gets in the way of that most weeks!
Of course I forgot his personal hygiene supplies again, so he spent most of the walk with festive ropes of slobber draped all over his face.

Family time

Got a nice muddy puppy-hike in today with my sister who is in from out of town for the holidays.  The puppies love Auntie Liz and Tali walked like a dream for her.  Such a sweet little fluffy angel she is.  :)

Christmas

Christmas Eve day

I needed to get out for a bit, so Dozer and I headed to Rocky River reservation to lose ourselves in the woods for a couple hours. We wandered around and found some new barely-trails that we hadn't walked before- pushing 2 hours and 3-4 miles.  I was also playing with the leash attachments and found something that made him walk more like a mature, trained adult dog and less like a drafting-horse trying to uproot a stump.  No guarantees it will last, but I still have feeling in my arms tonight so I will take it.

Super-Dooz!

And met a new friend up really close!

White hike

Just enough damp snow overnight to frost every branch and leaf with delicate tracings of white.  Peaceful, with very few other people out on the trails. Dogs were in heaven of course.

Additional pics from mud hike

Snuggle time!

Rare Twinkie-snuggles from Tali while Dozer gives jealous side-eye from behind since he thinks he should always be the center of attention.

Fine!  Two hands, two dogs.  Done!

Busy weekend

Last weekend was a busy weekend for the babies- took Dozer out to the park to hike 3 days running and Tali went for 2 of the 3.

"Whatcha doing' dad?  Are those treats in your hands?"

Doozle, The Adventure Dog pulling mom up the big hill (the one time his bad leash-manners come in handy).

Taking a break after the big hill so dad can change camera lenses

Prettiest of princesses, front and center.  Is that a halo?  I think it is!

Woods were beautiful, the sun was out, and it was mid-40s.  Will take that for the middle of December!!

 

New business idea!

Seems like people have made big bucks off of things like ‘Yoga with Goats’ and ‘Yoga with Kittens’. I wonder why nobody has ever tried to create a ‘Yoga with Berners’ event?

Oh, right.  That is why.

Another hike

Handsome Doozle posing 

And we found an amazing uprooted tree during one of our small-trail adventures.  The challenge was to keep Doz from eating snow off the tree trunk so we could get a nice pic.

Turkey-leggin'

One of the most perfect turkey-leg sits I have ever seen.

60 degrees!

Took advantage of a rare 60° day December by taking the kids up to the park for a little walk. Tali tweaked her paw last week, so we didn’t go far. And Dozer managed to knock me over into a mud puddle right after I took this handsome mature picture of him, so it ended up being an adventure regardless.  :\

Daddy's girl

Rainy hike

Only about 40 minutes of hiking in cold rain, and the puppy is wiped out. He really looks like a damp Bassett hound here- those ears!!

Tinker's Creek big falls

The weather was so nice today (around 50F with a pinch of sun) that we decided to get the dogs out even if we didn't go very far- after 2 hard-core hiking days in a row, even Dozer was pretty sleepy).  But they didn't say no to having the leashes hooked up!  :D
We decided to head out to Tinker's Creek since we had never been, it is only a half hour drive from us, and we had seen some photographers' shots that looked like the waterfalls might be worthwhile for Brian to do some work on.  I would say we succeeded there!!