Heavy Heart

 It is with a very heavy heart that we need to report that both Lass and Tess have passed over the Rainbow Bridge. Both were wonderful companions and both loved life to the fullest.

We miss you both... 

Our Friend Jack...

Our friend Jack passed on over the Rainbow Bridge...  

We will miss you Jack....  we love you....

Wait for us Jack...

Jack by Daddy's feet....

Wish you could be there again....

Love,

Tess and Lass

Oasis RV Park, Las Vegas

Lass and I, along with Mommy and Daddy, are here at Oasis RV Park!  We are here for four days!  There are many other dogs here and I saw my first kitten tonight....  I was not quite sure....  Lass ignored her.  Mommy and Daddy thought he or she was very cute.   I don't know.....  

Pictures to come!   Good to be..  on the road again.....  

Tess

Red Rock Canyon

We drove through part of Red Rock Canyon today on our way home.  It was raining on some of the mountains and Mommy loved the way the sun shone on other parts of the canyon, the rocks and parts of the mountains.  She had to take pictures...  I was bored...  hurry up Mommy....  I want to go home!!  

This is our new friend Jack...  hey! wait a minute...  that is MY spot next to Daddy's feet!  Move Jack....  please, please...   Anyway, I hope you can come back soon.   I know you liked me best and we can have more fun.  Lass still showed her purly whites....  so stuck up!   Safe travels Jack, we love you....  

Tess

Death Valley... and it was HOT!

Mommy said the temperature was 111 degrees!  Wow!  It sure is hot on a black coat!  Lass didn't care...  she's tough but I was wimpy....   We took Mommy's cousin Dave and his wife Trish with us.  They are really nice and they think I am cute!  They constantly pat me...  I am special!  They have a dog named Jack and after I realized that he would not bite me, I was fine and we played...  well, sort of.  Jack is kinda old...  Lass showed him her purly whites...  

First stop was at Zabriskie Point.  Mr Christian Brevoort Zabriskie [1864-1936] was the President of the Pacific Coast Borax Company from the 1890's.  This point which overlooks the valley below is a short drive from the Twenty Mule Team Canyon Rd...  2.7miles of unpaved road.  Boy! was Daddy glad we had Mommy's car!  He hates unpaved roads.  And this one was fun:   it has sharp "S" curves and steep downs.  We had fun...  except listening to Daddy complain....  what a wuss...

A view of the valley from the Point:

From Zabriskie Point we went to Furnace Creek to check in with the very nice Park Rangers.  They thought I was cute....  they thought Lass was ok but I was special!  

Our next stop was Artists Palette.  The colors of the rocks are beautiful...  Mommy told me so...  but the photos do not do it justice.  

Next:  Badwater…  the lowest point in North America!  282 feet below sea level.  There are lower places in the world but not on this continent.  It was HOT!  But Trish and Dave braved the elements and walked 3/4 of a mile out onto the salt flats; then they had to walk 3/4 of a mile back!!    I am not sure if they were brave or a bit silly but they loved it and had fun.  Lass and I and Mommy and Daddy stayed in the car after walking to the water to see the fish.  It was so hot, even the fish were under the plants and we couldn't see them.  

                                   Dave and Trish walking out.....  

                     Salt Flats and "Sea Level" sign up 282 feet on the rocks

    

         Vegetation still flourishes even in this very harsh environment

We had fun looking at all the people and watching all the activity.  But, alas, it was time to come home....  

Maybe again soon we can go on a trip with Dave and Trish...  they are more fun than Mommy and Daddy but you better not tell them.....  

Tess

30 March 2018

I lost my big brother today and Lass lost her best friend.....

Duncan

We will meet you at the Rainbow Bridge....  wait for us along with Razzle and the others.

We love you--

Tess and Lass

15 August 2017

Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge

Mommy marched Daddy and all of us into the truck today and told us we were going to the  Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge because she was tired of listening to the news and wanted to find someplace peaceful.   She would not allow any of us to take our cell phones and I was really upset because I have just learned how to Tweet!  

Lass said, I've been here before and it has lots of good smells!  Yeah, whatever...  

The Refuge is only about 25 miles from home so we would have been there in no time!  Then we hit the dirt road.  Daddy says it was a wash-boardy road with boulders in the roadway.  Daddy hates dirt roads.  Daddy grumbled all the way.  Come on Daddy, it was only 5 miles...  Lass and I enjoyed the drive; Duncan slept.

We finally arrived at the visitors center where Mommy bought a tee shirt.  She didn't buy anything for us.   From the visitors center we walked the boardwalk.  It was 0.9 miles so it was fun!  

The boardwalk

Looking from the boardwalk across to the mountains surrounding the Refuge

Looking back to the Visitors Center

There was lots of vegetation as there has been plenty of rain this year.  

The soil is very salty from the minerals leaching to the surface.  We saw a Jack Rabbit but he was so fast I couldn't get his picture.  I really would have rather chased him but Mommy wouldn't let me.  Mommy is mean!

One of many water holes in the Refuge.  This one had tiny fish, minnows, that would have been fun to chase but Mommy and Daddy wouldn't let me jump in the water.  They always spoil my fun!

Lush vegetation around one of the many streams.

Spring-loving Centaury [Zeltnera namoplila]

This beautiful pink flower was all around the Visitors Center boardwalk.  They said it was abundant this year due to the good amount of rain.  This flower has made a wonderful come-back since the Refuge opened.  It blooms from July through September.  

More Spring-loving Centaury along with Mojave Thistle [Cirsium mohavense].  The Thistle was about out of bloom but still pretty.  Mommy likes flowers.  They are lost on me unless I can eat them.  Duncan just wants to pee on them.  He has no class....  

Another stream with swamp grass on the sides and in the stream.

Controversy abounds!  In 1980, some people wanted to develop this area with 30,000 houses, strip malls, hotels and an airport.  Lass, Duncan and I want this Refuge kept as is!  We love walking the boardwalks and exploring!   We want to keep the pupfish!  They are cute!

Mommy said the population of the pupfish is growing.  At the last count in April, there were 111 pupfish!  Yeah!!!  Pupfish!  

These leaves are from the Yerba Mansa plant [Anemopsis californica].  They bloom in spring so we missed it but Mommy loved the colorful leaves.  In spring, the plant has large white blossoms.  [May through June]

From the boardwalk at the Visitors Center, we drove to Point of Rocks [Daddy loved that road too].   Because there has been so much rain, the Big Horn Sheep graze there every morning.  We were too late to see them but it was a pretty walk on the boardwalk anyway.  

Another watering hole.  This one is along the boardwalk at Point of Rocks.

The lush grass along Point of Rocks boardwalk.  

This wonderful oasis in the middle of the desert is a wonderful retreat from the city and problems.  How wonderful to come out here to relax, enjoy nature, and reflect on the good in life.  

Duncan, Lass and I want to come back early in the morning.  Maybe then we can see some sheep!  Lass and I would love that.  Duncan can sleep....  

Next time, Daddy says he is renting a Jeep and putting it on Mommy's credit card.  Daddy is such a wuss....  

Till next time--

Tess