Blog post?  Who has time for a blog post?   I've not even had time to catch up on everyone else and what they are doing in blogland.  Heck I have to make a note on the calendar to call my mother!  Not whining, just stating the facts.

This is/was my busy week.  I knew it going in.   Virtually every day had/has a something out of the norm planned.  (Quit laughing I do so have "norm" days).  The time change though has also changed our normal routine at home as it is freakin' dark at 5:30.  Still thanking God for those two work-at-home days when I can get things done outside during my lunch hour and daylight.   

Meanwhile my trailer build is screaming along at a record pace and I'm screaming around trying to find someone to deliver it.  I took my first ever attempt at Uship.com and we will see how it works out.   I'm not entirely thrilled with how it all operates but I was very careful about the 4 bids I did get and who I thought was the best (not the cheapest bid though).   Had one person email instead of actually bidding and then went to the profile and found no feedback.  Out!   Another was a tad cheaper but looking at the whole 5 people that left feedback, in the tiny print showed all of it from like 2007.  Out!   This guy had great feedback and all of the ones were within the last few months.  Not everyone wants to transport a trailer cross country in the winter.  Nuff said!   But here are a few shots of my new rig in progress.

Wednesday I was able to eek out a little bit of my friend Nancy's time to work with the poodles on some scent work.   Epic is a newbie to it and so went in the office and worked with Auntie Nancy on remedial stuff while Sterling and I worked some "shell game" in the gym.   We also got to spend some time just playing with both of them in the gym as well.  Nancy commented that both boys don't want to be out of my sight.  Not surprising to me but if in their crates do just fine.   I really think it is more that one thinks the other is getting something THEY should know about!  Had a super great time as always!!

I got to have a lovely lunch with her at Santa Fe Reds (a favorite) and visit which we don't do but like once or twice a year.   It was heavenly.  Then I decided that since we were there I wanted to drive up Hyalite Canyon and check out the reservoir and maybe get a short hike in with the dogs.  Fair warning from Nancy about hunters which I knew but the plan would be to fetch at the lake or hike up the most popular Palisades Falls trail (3/4 mile up and 3/4 mile back).  Not likely to see many hunters and I was thrilled to find only 2 cars in the lot when we started (met them just as we got to the falls and they were leaving) and had the falls all to ourselves once up to the end.   Saw one young gal as we got back to the car and that was it.  It was so stunningly quiet I just enjoyed standing and listening.

A little HDR for my boys "portrait" shot - hahaha!  Their favorite moment of our hikes - NOT!

Sadly the reservoir is the lowest I've ever seen but in fairness I've not been there in the late Fall either.   Still I hate seeing lakes that low so no fetching for Epic.   The falls were running pretty small as well but it allowed the poodles and I to climb clear up to the base which was super cool.  It is so tall that it was fun to stand at the bottom and look up (about 80 feet)!   

Never passing up the chance to do macros and water shots I did that along the way as well.

But the most fun of course is the action shots of the poodles.  They got to be off leash for a bit (since no one was around) as I crawled around taking water shots (having a belt leash, hand leash and two poodles while trying to steady oneself over water - NOT a good plan).     Epic is sure he is part mountain goat and Sterling is sure Epic is a nutcase!

Find the poodle?

So see I at least remembered ONE camera but of course the one time I don't pop my telephoto lens in my pocket (hey I knew the falls was there who needs telephoto for that?) the ONE TIME - I finally after years of hiking this trail hear and then see not one but TWO pika on the slag pile right at the falls.   They are super shy and this trail is always full of people and loose dogs so I've never seen them and frankly had th one not moved I wouldn't have (as you'll see in the shots below).    So sorry for the cropping and blur but the wide angle just wasn't cuttin it.

Can you find the pika?

How about now?  (hint he was on the rock sticking out to the right of this one below)

They have the coolest call and now I'll remember if I hear that sound to start searching for them in the rocks.  It was such a lovely way to end our trip and yes it sucked getting home at 5:30 and it was already dark!