hqspanimals

Snake in the Sun

Posted by Ellie
 

It's so wonderful to be able to go into the woods and just walk on the ground again! Most of the snow is melted and we don't need to pile on our warm clothes, boots, snowshoes and all the paraphernalia that a winter walk involves. It is so wonderfully freeing ! On this particular afternoon I almost trod on a snake, just caught myself from putting my foot down on it by grabbing onto +Linda Jess's arm, much to her horror as she has a pathological fear of the reptiles. That time the slender creature slithered away out of sight in the undergrowth at the side of the path before I could put my camera to my face. I was so cross to have missed that chance. After about 40 minutes or so we were walking back along the same trail and I spotted this one just lying in the path in the sun. He never moved no matter how much I walked around him, taking photographs in case he decided to make a run for it or moved myself to get in closer for a better view. He kept an eye on me, but didn't seem to be worried by our proximity nor by Joni who was waiting a little distance away. It was as if he was sitting for his portrait in his favourite environment. Did I see two snakes that day? Or was it the same one, overcoming his pathological fear of humans and hoping to get a closer look at us on our way back?

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#hqspanimals +HQSP Animals curated by +Alejandro J. Soto +Andy Smith
#wildlifewednesday by +Mike Spinak +Morkel Erasmus

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Summer Memories to Banish Winter Blues

Posted by Ellie
 

4 of 5 #naturephotochallenge

After the cold wintry (and a little sad) post of yesterday I wanted to share something that made me feel warm and happy. A memory of a summer past, this one was taken in Maine a few years ago in the garden of a friend. We were just about to set out to visit the wonderful public gardens near where she lived and just as we were about to get into the car, I saw the beauty that was just at my feet. Summer will arrive and with it, all the beautiful flowers and creatures. I hope this makes you feel all warm with the thought of what is to come.

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I have been challenged by my friend +Tom Crews​​​​​ to participate in a 5-day Nature Challenge. I have been asked to post one nature photo each day for 5 days – in my case not consecutive. I am asked to name a new challenger on each of my 5 days. Today I am challenging my friend +Janet Patterson​​​​​ to join me in this. Just post one nature photo a day for 5 days. Tag me in it, use the hash tag #naturephotochallenge and nominate someone else on each of the days.

Are you not able to comment on Google+ because you don't belong? Would you prefer to comment on my blog? It's right here with all my G+ posts on it: https://www.elliekennard.ca .

#hqspanimals +HQSP Animals​​​​​ curated by +Alejandro J. Soto​​​​​ +Krystina Isabella Brion​​​​​ +Andy Smith​​​​​
#inpraiseofpollinators ++In Praise of Polllinators​​​​​ by +Dusty Gedge​​​​​
#bellesphotos +Belles photos​​​​​ by +Jean-Louis LAURENCE​​​​​ +Claudya Bonnet​​​​​
#naturemonday +NatureMonday​​​​​ by +Rolf Hicker​​​​​ +Jen Baptist​​​​​

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I hope Your Day is a Blue Ball Day

Posted by Ellie
Every day is a blue ball day- Ellie Kennard 2015
Every day is a blue ball day- Ellie Kennard 2015

Everyone who is following Joni’s story has heard about her passion obsession with blue balls. Here is a portrait of her with her two current favourites. (One is more of an egg shape and originally came dressed up in a cute fluffy animal cover, but that went in about 10 minutes, leaving the business part ready for play.)

I thought I should post this to show that Joni does have a comfortable time when she is indoors. She doesn’t spend her entire life in ice and snow. Though I think it’s only the blue balls and meal times that make indoor life bearable for her. (I had to break this post off three times to fetch it for her when she had bounced the blue egg out of her reach.)

I hope you all have a day as full of fun as she does with her blue balls!

I Love it. And So Does She

Posted by Ellie
 

I know it doesn't look like a lot of fun, when you are hunched against a bitter wind that is whipping your hair (or fur) around and ice is freezing your eyelashes. But you have to admit that there is something exciting about it as well.

I thought that the other day on this walk with Joni. I had my scarf up over my nose and my colourful wool hat pulled down to my eyebrows, held firmly in place with the hood of my winter jacket. I was dressed in layers and layers of thin wool, then ski pants on top and warm thick woolly boot socks. I was trudging along on my snowshoes on top of the thick wind-sculpted drifts, only stopping long enough to pick up Joni's throw toy and send it off into the swirling snow so she could go racing after it. She absolutely loved the game and the walk and bounded over the deep snow in what looked like pure joy. And I looked around me across the white fields that were misted with blowing snow and I felt exhilarated at the sight and the conditions. I love it. And Joni loves it too. What you see in this picture is a happy dog. Photographed by a happy person.*

*If you have your camera out in conditions like this, make sure you bring it into a cool room to acclimatise before bringing it into the warm, to avoid condensation in the camera innards.

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#dogloversworldwide +DOG LOVERS Worldwide by +Robert SKREINER

#hqspanimals +HQSP Animals curated by +Alejandro J. Soto +Krystina Isabella Brion +Andy Smith

#noapologies #bordercollie #puppy #JonisDiary #AdayinthelifeofJoni #fansofJoni

#fidofriday +Fido Friday by +mel peifer +Lisa Lisa +Suhaib Ayaz +Wes Lum

#woofwednesday by +Kana Yamashita

#winterwednesday by +Antoine Berger +Logan Miller

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