Dog Tracking

This is my favorite running and walking trail.  It’s the Cochran Shoals National Recreation Area by the Chattahoochee River and is gorgeous.

 

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a cat person and not overly fond of dogs of any stripe. I have ranted in the past about extendable/retractable leashes, people who do not train their dogs, and people walking dogs while busily on cell phones, rather than spending time bonding with their pets.  All of the above have been replaced by a new “pet” peeve – picking up after your (expletive deleted) doggie.  On the 3-mile trail where I walk and run, I counted 48 (yes, 48) bags of doggie deposits left by the side of the trail for someone else (the Park Rangers) to pick up.  Some of them were within 5o feet of a drop-box, and several, like the photo above, were within INCHES of the box.  If you can’t be bothered to carry your deposit to the box, one wonders what other short-cuts you’re taking with your dog; and if you’re taking short-cuts, maybe you really shouldn’t have a dog to begin with.

What I didn’t photograph, to spare you, was the “used” diaper by the side of the trail.

Still more Dog Days

This is my absolute favorite summertime photo.  Peace and plenty, cool and sunlight.  I’ve always called this one “a spell for the refreshment of the spirit”.  Enjoy.

More Dog Days

Glamour shot of glamourous doggie.  Colonial Coach Eric was his formal name – he had several others that are not glamourous.  For the curious, this was taken with a Polaroid Swinger back when it was cool not to have to have film developed!

Dog Days

It’s hot outside!  We in the Deep South are into our seventh consecutive week of temperatures over 90!

Tautologies

Just musing:

The La Brea Tar Pits:  you’ve just said “the the tar tar pits”.

• La = the
• Brea = tar

Mount Fujiyama:  you’ve just said “mount Fuji mountain”

• Yama = Japanese for mountain

The Japanese call the mountain “Fuji-san” or “Mr. Fuji”

Can you think of others?

 

 

Sugar Sculpture

These are poured sugar sculptures.  And the cause of many burnt fingers!

Guess Where

If you guessed Tokyo Harbor, you’re right!  This is the view from my hotel.

Doing Vienna

A tip to Vienna isn’t complete without a trip to the Staatsoper (the State Opera House).  I got standing room for Simon Boccanegra, one which I’d never seen before.  The Opera House is incredible.

And then there’s the afters:

Need one say more?

 

Ancestry

Due to some family matters that brought up the subject of the family’s descent, I was curious to see just where my great-grandfather lived while he was in Vienna.  Here it is. It has been broken up into flats (one of my cousins still lives in the maid’s quarters).

The other half of the building is the Uruguayan embassy.

Vienna

Going through my parents’ papers after they passed away, we discovered that my Father had regularly paid an upkeep fee at the cemetery where his grandfather was buried.  To our chagrin, the last payment had been made in 2009!  So I contacted the cemetery and made arrangements to renew the upkeep contract.

Since I live here, and the cemetery is in Vienna, Austria, I thought I’d stop by while I was in Europe in late May and check and make sure that the work was actually being done.  As you can see, it certainly is being done.