Happy New Year!

Wishing you a happy and healthy 2015!

I hope you've had a wonderful Christmas and are still enjoying all your festive celebrations!

We've had lots of lovely family time over Christmas and of course lots of dog walks on Rodborough Common. The Doggy Christmas Tree is there...people pin photos of their dogs on the tree, some with very heart warming/tear jerking messages, and there is a donation box for a local animal charity.....here are a few pics!

  

We're having a quiet New Year's Day...Chris and I with Spencer, Max and our neighbour's pooch, Ozzie.

Have a lovely day!

Maggie xx

A Bit Late for Early Purple Orchids!

I can't believe how the time flies sometimes. It's now six weeks since my last post and there's quite a bit to catch up on. I hope you're well and enjoying the sunny weather.

Rather than a really long post, I'm going to try to write short posts over the next week or so ......if I can get my act together that is!

These photos are from back in early May. My Uncle Brian came to visit for the day and we went for a walk on the Common. Uncle spotted and identified these Early Purple Orchids. Chris and I had seen them and I thought they were some kind of orchid but we weren't sure.

They were growing everywhere on the Common....

...sometimes alongside pretty yellow cowslips...

Here's Spencer enjoying a good old roll amongst them.......

The crazy dog loves to roll on top of his ball...you can just see it on the left hand side....does your dog do that?

The Latin name for the Early Purple Orchid is Orchis Mascula derived from the Latin Masculus meaning male or virile. This is possibly because the shape of the two tubers resemble certain male private parts (made this 50 year old giggle like a schoolgirl!). 

Apparently the tubers are sometimes called Adam and Eve's root and witches used them to make magical love potions :)

I'll be back soon...I promise!!

Maggie xx

A Family Reunion for Spencer

It's been an exciting week for Spencer.

Our friend, Alan, the owner of Spencer's mum, Evie, and his brother, Bear, had arranged a doggy family reunion on the Common.

Spencer has met up with Evie and Bear several times but this reunion was going to be extra special as Spencer's dad, Freddie, and sister, Betsy, would be there too. Their owners have relocated but were visiting family and friends in the area so it was the perfect opportunity for a get together.

We all met up on the Common. We also took our neighbour's little Jackapoo, Ozzie..... you may remember him from previous posts.

There was much excitement when everyone met....

Bear and Evie taking stock of the situation....

Spencer and Ozzie having a game....

They all got on so well....

They all had such fun running around together.....

And were joined by a doggy pal who joined in on the fun until his owner retrieved him...

Sometimes we could only tell then apart by the colour of their collars!

Chris giving Evie some fuss...

We took Spencer home for a nap after all the excitement and then all joined up again at Alan and Linda's for a delicious lunch and to reminisce and swap stories about our doggy friends.

Thank you for popping by.

Maggie xx

A Rainbow, Spencer has a Swim and a Sunny Walk

I just had to show you this rainbow that appeared over Minchinhampton Common last week. It was beautiful. Unfortunately a few minutes later, there was torrential icy rain and Spencer and I got soaked!

 Spencer has had an exciting week. Chris's daughter Katherine is a veterinary nurse and also works as a doggy hydrotherapist. She had a free space on Friday so we took Spencer over for a swim.  He was a bit worried at first.....

 but within a few minutes he was chasing a ball up and down the pool! 

Don't you love his doggy life jacket?!!

He had such fun!

Then this weekend Spencer has had his cousin Bella staying over for a sleepover...they get on so well..

I tucked Bella's bed under the piano so she felt safe being away from home....

We took them both up on Rodborough Common for a walk this morning...it was such lovely weather with beautiful blue skies....

We took the path round Rodborough Fort....it's such an interesting building....

I'd love to go through those doors and see inside!

This has been the best day weather wise so far this year.

Sunny, warm and uplifting!

Thank you for popping by.

Maggie xx