High Tailing it in Virginia's Grayson Highlands State Park!

What a blessing today was!  Here is my beautiful Ace, strutting along the road in the Grayson Highlands State Park, near Mouth of Wilson, Virginia.   Today was an incredible early spring day, and the weather and scenery could not have been more perfect.  Despite a few snow drifts that had the road closed, we walked out to the high meadows (in the background), and had the park to ourselves.

 

For a Golden Retriever that spends most of the winter inside, this was a wonderful opportunity for Ace to run, explore, and play. We sat on this rock for a while, enjoying the view, and soaking up the fresh mountain air and the warmth of the sun.  

 

 

From the top of this mountain, you feel like the whole world just unfolds out in front of you. Almost unbelievably, from a location not far from here, we could see all the way back to Beech Mountain in Avery County, North Carolina. 

 

It was truly a glorious day!  

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Ace, the Deer Chaser

The Deer Chaser

One thing about this dog is certain; when his sense of smell takes over and he is focused on something, his brain and ears will shut completely off.

Here we are in the New River State Park on a mild February day.  Ace I and were walking down this path, when two huge deer jumped across the trail and took him for a cross country marathon.

He was gone for 15-20 minutes chasing them, with me calling and whistling for him.  And when he returned, his tongue was dragging the ground and he was as happy as he could be.  I wonder what he planned to do with those two deer if he'd caught them?

Shortly after I took this photo, two fighter jets came streaking across the ridge top at low altitude, - as if they were in a chase.  The screamed out around a distant mountain peak and circled back around, roaring right back over my and Ace's heads.

It was surreal that day with deer jumping around us, and thundering fighter jets swirling above us.  My first thought was that I really wished someone was here to witness these events with me.

Then I realized, ... there had been.

The Silver Bowl
 

Ace and I have been spending our free time down at the park in our neighborhood.   The park has been neglected for a number of years, and there's a lot of clean up to do, mostly from winters storms.

I cut and carry brush and limbs.  Ace explores and smells for deer tracks. 

 

Ace amazed me recently while we were working.  For several days, he's watched me pick up trash and debris, and put it in a plastic trash bag while we work.  So, he has started locating old drink cans in the leaves, and bringing them to me to put in the bag. 

 

I really think that dogs are capable of understanding more than we give them credit for.    

 

On our last visit, we were working near a little mountain stream that runs through the park.  I heard him coming up behind me.  He had a silver mixing bowl in his mouth.  It was a mixing bowl that I recognized.

 

Years ago, I had taken a stainless steel mixing bowl to the park, and hidden it under a rock out cropping.   I used it to dip water out of the stream,  for my previous Golden Retriever "Luke" to drink from. 

 

There was Ace, standing there with the bowl, looking up at me.  It brought back such incredible memories.

 

I took the bowl from him and told him what a "Good Boy" he was.  Then I washed it out a little, dipped it in the stream and placed it on the bank, so he could drink from it. 

 

Then we both sat down and listened to the sound of the stream.  I petted him, and told him about his brother Luke, and how we used to enjoy coming to the neighborhood park too.     

 

I like to think that Ace understood. 

 

Smart? .... or Lazy? You decide.

 

The Purrfect Day Off

   
    My Dog and "Cat". 

    (It Just Don't Get No Better Than This.)

 

 

  

My Boy Ace 

• Stink Bug
• Big Boy
• Tough Guy
• Mr. A
• Sweet Boy
• Biggun'
• Acey
• Good Boy
• Big Guy

 These are just a few of the names I have for Ace ... and he answers to everyone of them.