Whippet Snippets

Two days in North Bay

Ribsy and Mirabel convinced Girl to go on a five-hour roadie trek to North Bay this weekend. During a snack stop at the pet store in town, they inquired about local whippets. The clerk only knew of one small female whippet. Poor thing. She probably thinks she's the only one of her kind out there in the world.

North Bay's in a pretty setting by the lake, but make no mistake, you are in a city. Here they are running by the 'decorated' facilities at the beach on Trout Lake:

And it's shadfly season. Attracted to street lights, these insects swarm in such abundance that they can form a slippery film between cars and the road, thus increasing the risk for accidents. Over the next two to three weeks, shadfly carcesses pile up everywhere. At least they don't bite.

Ribsy and Mirabel also hiked out to the picturesque Duchesnay Falls, scrambling on rocks and dodging pesky insects along the way...

...and took in a leisurely stroll along North Bay's waterfront boardwalk, watching as swimmers, boaters and fishers alike enjoyed the benefits of Lake Nipissing.

And then, as quickly as it happened, another Ontario Roadie was done.

Farm Frolic

Off to Mapleton's for their irresistible organic ice cream...

...straight from the source.

Ribsy and Mirabel, meanwhile, busied themselves visiting the critters on the farm.

Beach Seekin'

Ribsy and Mirabel are off to Wasaga Beach today. Perhaps they will take the plunge again?

Non-stop Dogs

With the disc...
 

Or with a stick...

These whippets never quit!

Mermaids

Cold Guelph Lake waters and blustery conditions on Sunday don't stop Ribsy from enjoying a wet fetch. Mirabel completely wimps out but broncos like a heroine at the end. A little too late, my dear. 

Whippets and the giant beach

On a sunny Easter Sunday, the pack headed out to Long Point for a run on the beach.

A truly special whippet, Ribsy decided he wanted to go swimming. What compels this skinny dog with no insulation to go splashing into waters hovering around 0 degrees just to grab a stick is beyond Boy and Girl. Those swimming lessons have sure paid off.

With a pleading look in his eyes, a post-swim Ribsy requests a hot drink, towel, and soothing massage.

Mirabel, meanwhile, prefers to stay on the sand, catching - what else - the frisbee, with her usual dramatic flair.

But the thing they like to do the most at Long Point: zooming up and down along the shoreline together...

...mixed in with the occasional squabbling over the frisbee, of course:

Sugalumps

As the temperatures warmed up to an almost springlike feeling, the pack embarked on their first Roadie of the year. Destination: Warkworth's Maple Syrup Festival.

Arriving in the crisp country morning air to Sandy Flat Sugar Bush, Girl, Ribsy, and Mirabel waited patiently as Boy wolfed down his pancake and sausage breakfast:

Next Girl, Ribsy and Mirabel waited patiently as Boy indulged in some old-fashioned taffy on snow making (and eating):

Then Girl, Ribsy and Mirabel waited patiently as Boy peered in countless pails, in an effort to check the sap levels of each maple tree in the vicinity:

Yawn, thought Ribsy. Though Boy stopped short of going on a sleigh ride, partaking in snowshoeing or trying his hand at log sawing, Ribsy couldn't help but wonder, what's in this for whippets?

He got his answer soon enough as two humongous, gigantic, two-legged black squirrels strolled down the pathway and stopped right in front of them. Oh. My. Dog. Ribsy and Mirabel were in awe of these immense specimens. So much so that they insisted on getting their photos taken with them:

Sorry I killed two of your relatives, a flustered Mirabel squeaked.

Now satisfied with the morning's events, Ribsy and Mirabel happily agreed to a stroll along the pretty main street of Warkworth. Along the way they scored another unexpected whippet bonus - they met Banjo, an elderly whippet who was out with his family, donned in a Superman-like cape-coat:

A sandwich lunch and a mini-stock up on Warkworth's famous maple syrup later, the pack were off back home, sumptuously satiated in the mid-March sunshine.

Lazy Photo Post

Unhappy Mirabel?

Cold comfort

A few (cold) snaps from an outing to Mapleton's Organic Farm. Boy and Girl had a craving for their fine organic ice cream, which goes down extremely creamy and doesn't leave that sickly sweet aftertaste that grocery store chain brands do. Plus, they feature creative flavours such as ginger, apple strudle, pumpkin, and dandelion (which is Boy's favourite).

Ribsy and Mirabel, on the other hand, got a taste of a different ice experience.

 

Scary things

Only days away from Halloween, Ribsy and Mirabel present, in no particular order, some scary things.

A police car rolls up to the park where Ribsy and Mirabel are illegally running and spinning the rubber pizza:

A pack of ghosts band around a tree:

Bones hang suspiciously from a branch:

But the scariest thing of all?