Fantastic – it’s Spring which means the bluebells are doing their glorious thing. Our woods in Stanmer Park, Brighton, are full of them and everywhere is transformed. Here are some pictures from yesterday’s dog walk with Georgie and Jessie.
Jennie, when are you coming over? 
Posted in Brighton, England, Stanmer Woods, Sussex, bluebells, dog walking, dog walks, dogs, english woods, golden retriever, woodland
Tagged bluebells, dogs, english woodland, spring, Stanmer Woods
I’ve been watching this tree.
I was struck by how desolute it looked in January.
And by March, little buds were appearing.
And by April – wow, it’s started to explode!
Change can happen in a very short time – just look at this tree.
Happy Earth Day everyone!
Jessie all tucked up
Mark and I have been away for the weekend and G and J have been on the Costa Del Pooch.
It’s a home from home service (i.e. the dogs live in as part of Alison’s family) and I am very happy that the dogs stay there.
However there’s nothing like home comforts. Here’s Jessie a couple of minutes a go having a good old sleep on the first morning home!
Georgie and Jessie enjoying the cool of the woods
Bluebells coming through
Sunlight through the leaves
Looking up to the beautiful blue sky
These photos were taken this morning on our dog walk in Stanmer Woods. The bluebells are peeping through now and it was really beautiful there.
Posted in Brighton, England, Stanmer Woods, Sussex, Wordless Wednesday, dog walking, dog walks, dogs, english woods, golden retriever, spring, woodland
Tagged blue bells, blue skies, bluebells, english woodland, leaves, spring, Stanmer Woods, trees
I’m proud to announce my involvement in the 2009 Paws for Charity Art Book. The book (idea of Sara Harley) has brought 37 artists from the US, UK, and Canada together to raise funds for breast cancer charity.
If you are interested in reading about the background to the book, click here for the press release.
And if you would like to purchase a copy, here is the link.
It was the photo taken on Sheepcote Valley of the three collies with their owners that was chosen. That was such a beautiful day!
Yarra learning to switch on the light
After walking my own dogs and leaving them relaxed and snoozing on the sofa, I drove to the Canine Partners Centre in Midhurst, West Sussex.
It was a beautiful Spring day and my drive took me through stunning Sussex countryside. I then got lost in a local village and was 20 minutes late – oh well, you can’t have everything!
Canine Partners trains and matches assistance dogs with people with disabilities, thus helping them enjoy a greater independence and quality of life. Having a Canine Partner raises the person’s self-esteem as well as often leading into education and employment.
Since my last visit, a residential unit has been built enabling partners to live in a real-life situation for a week, receiving hands-on support while they learn to work together and develop a very special bond.
Jane Bryant, Community Fundraiser, showed me around. We saw happy dogs, tails wagging, playing the game of touching the lift button with their noses and taking items out of a washing machine. Other tasks a trained Canine Partner can do include:
Zeus, emptying the washing machine
Anyone with a disability can apply for a Canine Partner. People affected with conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis, Cerebral Palsy and Muscular Dystrophy as well as those with spinal injuries or amputees will benefit from a Canine Partner.
For further information on their wonderful work, go to the Canine Partners website at: Canine Partners.co.uk
This is my own fund-raising page if you feel you are able to help: Just Giving website
Let me finish with a photo of Dessie, a retired Canine Partner, now owned by a member of the team and enjoying a leisurely life in the office.
Posted in Canine Partners, Midhurst, Sussex, West Sussex, assistance dogs, dog training, dogs
Tagged assistance dogs, Canine Partners, charity, disability, dogs, working dogs
It’s rather unnerving arriving at your destination only to find thick fog ahead. This was the scene this morning.
Before I knew this walk well, and whenever the fog descended, I used to keep to a very flat circular area in front of the carpark. I’d gather pieces of chalk and make a kind of arrow pointing up towards the carpark in case I got completely lost.
Now I know my way round really well and I’m not afraid of stretching further afield when the weather’s bad. Even so, it’s still a little scary seeing figures in the distance. Georgie barked at these people, which she never normally does, as if to say, ‘Friend or foe?’ Look carefully at the photo and you can just make the three figures out.
As we carried on with the walk, the fog lifted a little at least in the immediate area we were walking. I took this of Jessie because I noticed the wild bunch of daffodils just sitting on ther own.
By the time we got back to the car, my gloves and hat were off, jacket unzipped and the sun was out. It was as though the fog had never been there. We went from winter back to spring within an hour and a half. The joys of English weather!
Posted in English weather, Sussex, dog walking, dog walks, dogs, golden retriever, mist, spring
Tagged dog walk, dog walks, dogs, England, fog, golden retriever, Sussex, walking your dog
Today’s dog walk was in Stanmer Woods, an area to the north-east of Brighton, East Sussex.
It’s a favourite haunt of dog walkers for several reasons:
- no livestock if you keep to the inner woods
- no danger from cars/roads
- sheltered in bad weather due to all the trees
- it’s beautiful!
The photos were taken this morning and show my dogs as well as those of 3 friends (one is a professional dog walker). We take it slowly so that the dogs can chase, dig, roll in the leaves, drink from the roots of trees, stick noses down holes, snuffle, and generally have a good time 
Soon the woods will be full of bluebells and when they are, you’ll see them here first!
Georgie doing her own thing as usual!
Bailey, Boxer-Mastiff cross, with her stick
Posted in Brighton, Stanmer Woods, Sussex, dog walking, dog walks, doggy pals, dogs, dogs playing, english woods, woodland
Tagged boxer-mastiff cross, Brighton, dog walk, dogs, dogs playing, friendship with dog owners, Stanmer Woods, Sussex
Out And About With Your Dog – what’s new on our website?
