It has been years since dad has let me use the computer, literally.

I apologize for my long absence and all that I have missed.

Anywho, dad is visiting his sister in PA, where she bought a farm a year and a half ago. This is our first visit.

Oh my, what wonderful things are here: fresh mountain air, delicious well water and the aromas.... oh, almost too much for my nose to take in all at once.

Dad has gone camera crazy, taking pictures of everything, especially me.

He thinks it is just great that I don't have any apprehensions of walking up to the various animals - horses, goats and cows, and he takes pictures of me sniffing noses.

Or at least he tries to take the pictures.

He is holding my leash in one hand (I don't know why he just won't let go) and is trying to focus the camera with the other. His 35mm camera is completely manual.

I certainly don't make his attempts to take pictures easy. I am more interested in meeting the animals here rather than holding a pose for a stupid picture.

He tells me this is an opportunity of a lifetime.... and he doesn't want to miss recording any of it if he can help it.

I have already ruined his attempts at some really great shots, like the first time I met the horses.

Have I mentioned that I have never met animals other than dogs or cats before?

I guess that is why dad is so focused on getting pictures of me.

There was my first encounter with a horse. Though it was through the gate, I was nose to nose with the biggest horse.

But as soon as my dad tried to take the picture, I wouldn't stay still.

Hey, I was excited.

Have you ever seen a horse?

Have you ever *smelled* a horse??

They are exciting, and they sniff you, too.

Well, dad wanted me to put my paws on the gate, as I had been doing, so he could capture my sniffing the horse.

Uncharacteristically of me, instead of putting my mucky paws on the gate, I put them on dad!!!!!

He was NOT happy.

As a matter of fact he hollered at me. Something about my never putting my paws on him and as soon as I get barnyard on them.... right on his freshly laundered shirt.

Why was he wearing clean clothes on a farm, anyway?

Well, dad was never able to recreate the scene of me with my paws on the gate sniffing the horse.

Oh, he has taken pictures of me sniffing the cows, and a poor picture of me sniffing noses with one of the other horses (that one he took with the cell phone, but you can't see the horses eyes).

Ooh.... I went in the barn the other day.

Too bad dad was holding me on such a short leash... I could have had chicken (or turkey, or duck) for lunch!!!

There was a baby Jersey cow (bottle raised) that was sucking on dad's shirt. While dad was trying to get a picture of me sniffing noses with the calf, dad was trying to get the calf to stop sucking his shirt, while trying to focus the camera and making sure I didn't try to eat any of the animals.

Well, I decided I didn't want the calf sucking dad's shirt anymore, so I sort of lunged at it.

This scared the little calf and he wouldn't come anywhere near me. But I got him away from dad, and that was the important part.

Did dad appreciate my efforts?

No, he was muttering something about another missed shot.

Thankfully dad has been reasonably healthy. (Dad got hurt in January and has barely been able to walk at times.) Since we got here I have gone on many walks. Not long walks, but more than I have walked in 10 months.

Oh, after the horse incident where I got muck all over dad, he made me wade through the cold stream to rinse my feet!!!

Can you believe that?

Silly dad.... he thought my paws were clean. When we got back to the house I jumped on the bed and wiped my paws until they were nice and clean.

Hey, he wanted me to have clean paws.

This makes up for the day he made me stand in the tub while he washed my paws. He KNOWS I hate having my paws washed.

He tried to pass it off as a necessity since my paws have been red and itchy from allergies and needing to keep my paws clean.

The weather has finally turned seasonably cold. As a matter of fact, we had our first snowfall the other day.

It was only an inch of snow, but it was beautiful.

And unlike where we live in NJ (where the snow would disappear in less than a day), the weather has stayed cold and the snow is still here.

Of course, dad brought the camera with him when we went for MY walk. He's turning everything into a photo opportunity.

Speaking of which....

He had the audacity to make me sit on the chair in front of the computer while he took not one or two pictures of me, but a whole roll!!!!!

He said he has always wanted to get pictures of me at the computer (viewing this site, of course) but hasn't done it at home because his desk is too messy.

THEN, he put sunglasses on me and took almost another roll of pictures!!!

He said I looked "cool."

I wasn't completely cooperative, though.

I wouldn't keep my paw on the desk near the mouse, and in most of the pictures I'm not even looking at the monitor.

Doesn't he know staring at a monitor isn't good for my eyes?

My cousins (13 of them, not including the cats) are a noisy bunch.

They bark for no reason. Some of them have disagreements for seemingly no reason, too.

But the cool part is when the howl, or choir practice, as dad calls it.

Almost all of them will participate, though some of them definitely need more practice.

One comes in late all the time, another sings off-key and one cannot hold the note as long as the others.

I have yet to raise my voice in song, much to dad's dismay. He would like to hear me sing at least once. He says he is certain I have a good voice, but I won't share it with him.

Knowing him, he would start recording me. (The pictures are bad enough.)

No thank you, I will sing in private, if I sing at all.

Anywho, thanx for reading about my adventures in the country.

For those of you who live this way, I envy you.

For those of you who have never been to the country, I suggest you go there at least once.

It's a wonderful and exciting experience.

Happy trails to all.

Ringo