Monday, June 30, 2008

Around the Dock

There were a few times during our cottage stay a couple of weeks ago, which didn't revolve around dragonflies. Please remember to click to enlarge the photos below.



Fishing was the first order of business. We didn't have use of the boat, so we were limited to casting off of the pier. This was a typical scene - Benny at Frank's feet, watching and waiting for him to reel in his line, and then barking at each recast.



Frank snapped this photo of my catch. I wasn't focusing on Benny when I reeled this critter in, but I think what he saw flopping around on the end of the rod led to his new-found habit of...



...biting the rod. Every now and then, Benny would have to take a little nip at the rod, just to let it know who's really boss.



Since the dragonflies were only in the early stages of their development, there were still too many mosquitoes. This made a cozy, evening campfire unlikely. We did build one during an afternoon so that we could roast hot dogs. Frank used this hatchet to chop our firewood.



The hot dogs must have smelled good because this little snake poked its head out from a nearby raft to check it out.



One perspective from the dock. I was leaning back toward the lake to take this shot.



Turning to the lake, this ever-ready net remained unneeded.



A rod at rest.



A dog at rest - in body only. His curious mind never relaxes.



If we abandoned the rods for a while, we'd leave them on the dock, dangling in shallow water.



One had a crayfish clinging to it when we lifted it out.



We tossed it back into the lake but Benny wanted to catch it again.



This Mayfly was resting on the porch screen.



As the day became saturated with the colours of the setting sun, this was our view from the cottage.



Though mostly overcast through the day, the night sky dazzled us with the colours of a sun-kissed country night.

58 comments:

Crabby McSlacker said...

Wow, what a great day! As usual, gorgeous photos. (Especially love the snake and the mayfly).

And that was your catch, not Frank's, eh? Was he jealous or did he have a pail full of his own?

Kerri Farley said...

Wow...These are FABULOUS shots!!
I love the one of Benny resting...and of your great catch!
And your sunset is Absolutely AWESOME!!! Fabulous post! What a view you had!

Leah J. Utas said...

Great shot of Benny at rest. Well done again, Hilary. It's like I was right there with you and I could almost feel the cool wetness of the fish.

Sweet and Salty said...

Absolutely stunning photos!!! I love Benny's very lively, curious eyes!

the Bag Lady said...

Another great post, Hilary! So that's what a crayfish looks like, eh?

Benny is certainly adorable.

Shammickite said...

What a lovely account of a day at the cottage. I've never really spent much time at a summer cottage so it's all quite eddificational for me. Your pictures really emphasise how pleasant it is to relax and just do cottage things. Love the picture of the axe!!
That Benny's a real comedian.

Kat said...

You are such an amazing photographer. Those last two photos are award winners! Wow!

Frank Baron said...

See? I told you if you held the bass close to the lens, it would look bigger than 3 1/2 inches!

;)

Lovely fish. Lovely pics (really like the one of the float). And a lovely time. :)

Reb said...

Wow, great shots Hilary. I love the photo of Benny at rest and the fishing bob thingy. Glad you didn't fall in the lake for the other photo too!

Hilary said...

• Thanks, Crabby. You'd have to ask him, but somehow I don't think he was. He's caught way better fish.. I'm living proof of that. ;)

• Thank you, Kerri. The sunset was quite the sight after an overcast day. Thanks for your kind words. :)

• Thanks, Leah. The cool wetness of the fish was something I was hoping to avoid feeling, but Frank made me hold it anyway! ;)

• Thanks, Pavel. That's Benny's look every minute of the day when not spent sleeping. :)

• Thanks, Baggie. Benny is a keeper for sure. The crayfish.. not so much. :)

• Thanks so much ex-S. Benny always keeps us laughing. I'm glad you enjoyed the photos. :)

• Thanks very much, Kathryn. You're too kind. :)

• Thanks, Frank.. but you must never ever feed me a straight line like that again and expect me not to jump at it. It takes far too much self-discipline. ;)

• Thanks muchly, Reb. I kept myself firmly anchored. Frank's leg ought to recover any day now. ;)

Russell said...

Great post! That is a GREAT place for a cottage! Benny is becoming a blogger favorite!! He is irresistible.

Always enjoy your posts and photographs! Take care.

Anonymous said...

Nice self-disipline in leaving Frank's line alone!

Beautiful pics. It always seems so peaceful wherever you are. Well, except for that mischievous Benny!

Jenn @ Juggling Life said...

That snake looks much better in its natural habitat than its cousin did when surprising me in my hallway!

Suldog said...

I'm not the envious or jealous type, but your photos go a long way towards
making me wish I was there with you. Lovely.

Missicat said...

WOW, that last picture was just gorgeous!
Cute little Benny - definitely likes to be in the midst of all the action!

Anonymous said...

Very nice photos..some winners indeed!

Hilary said...

• Thanks, Russell. Benny might soon need a blog of his own. No, I won't do that - I promise! Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Thank you, Susan. I thought it took tremendous strength. ;) Thanks for the kind words. :)

• Ack, Jenn! I like where this snake was much better too! Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Aww thanks, Sully. That's a very sweet thing to say. Much appreciated. :)

• Thank you, Missicat. Benny IS the action. Everything else is reaction. ;)

• Thanks very much, Mark. :)

MamaGeek @ Works For Us said...

Oh I am partial to ANY canine shot, so I loved these. What a fun time! That pooch is awesome! I'd love to visit a cottage like that for a few days!

Daryl said...

Oh Hilary these are sooooo good .. I am in love with Benny ...

and thank you for your kind words about my sis's sweet Minnie...

:-Daryl

San said...

I'm with Mamageek. When do we get to visit? Beautiful photos of an enchanting place.

Pat - Arkansas said...

What a lovely weekend you had, dragonfly and all. Benny is a cutie. I could do without the little serpent, but snakes do have to live somewhere and, as snakes go, I hope it went. :)

Tamie said...

Its a wonder you caught anything with that little one barking at every cast.

He's a cute one though :-)

steviewren said...

I would be happy to wait all day to catch a sunset so beautiful. I love the expression on Benny's face. He is full of personality. Nice fish you caught.

Jo said...

Oh, what gorgeous photographs. I feel as if I'm right there when I am looking at them.

Did you go swimming in that wonderful lake?

Latin Lupe Lu said...

That is a HUGE fish you caught. You will laugh when you see what we were catching this weekend. Gorgeous shot of the bobber on the lake...was that enhanced?

Unknown said...

DJ! What can I say I love your blog!

Cath said...

Beautiful Hilary. What a wonderful day. I wish I was there - and my husband would love that fishing! Looks like Benny has a good sense of balance and not tipping in the water - and a good sense of fun.

Excellent photos. All really great shots and I cannot pick out a favourite - they are all so good. I am impressed with your fishing skills as well as your photographic skills, and one shot I really love is that one of Benny looking into the water after the crayfish, he could almost be human!

Thanks for the comments at mine - I have left a response too to you both which I have copied here:
Now Hilary, Frank. No tiffs on this blog.
I think that probably a space outside is a good idea. I mean, c'mon Frank! If you're gonna collect junk you at least need to hold on to it at YOUR place!

Although I'd like to see Hilary's face if you ever came home with an anchor, or a clown from a fair ride. They definitely would NOT fit on the piano methinks. If they do, I want to know what sort of piano it is. ;0)


Thanks Hilary.

Suldog said...

Happy Canada Day, Hilary!

gary rith said...

that bass was a monster!

Hilary said...

• Thanks for stopping by, MG. I'm glad I could oblige with pics of the pup. I hope there's a cottage visit in your future soon. :)

• Thanks so much, Daryl. Benny tends to win a lot of hearts over with his goofiness. :)

• Thank you, San. It's beginning to sound like a blog cottage party is in order. ;) Thanks so much for your kind words. :)

• Too funny, Pat. Yup, it went and when it did, it was lightning fast.. it just disappeared back into the hole as if a vacuum got him from behind. Of course that meant he was still IN the raft (which I was using as a seat), along with who knows how many others... We hurried through lunch. ;)

• TKWI, he would only give one little warning GRUF whenever Frank cast his rod. It might have been the noise, or his instinct to chase, mixed with the frustration of not feeling secure about jumping into the water. So he dealt with that energy by biting the rod.. just a nip and then he was done. Crazy dog! ;)

• Thanks for the kind words, Steviewren. The sunset was well worth waiting for.

• Thanks so much, Josie. Neither Frank nor I swam in what I deemed too cold water! Benny took a little dip when Frank tossed a stick in the water. It was a first for him. Thanks for the visit. :)

• Thanks, LLL. It wasn't HUGE by Frank's description. Just follow his trick and hold your fish close to the lens.... ;) The float picture was probably cropped slightly but otherwise I think it was pretty much what I saw. The late day sun was kind of bleaching it, and the water out a bit. I liked the colours. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Thanks, Rabin. I'm glad you did say it! It's good to catch up with you after all these years. Welcome and I hope you'll be back soon. :)

• Thank you, Cath. Benny sure does know how to have fun. He's on the go every waking hour. He hasn't tipped into the water yet because we've both resisted the urge to nudge him with our foot when he's being a pest about biting rods! Thanks so much for all of your kind words. :)

Thanks for re-posting your reply to our comments. I think I could easily live with the clown and anchor OUTSIDE, though my tiny yards would fill up just as quickly as the piano does with the smaller items that Frank HAS to have.. at my place. ;)

• Thank you, Sully. You're such a sweet Amurikan, eh? ;)

• Ack, Gary.. NOW you tell me! ;) Thanks for stopping by.

Dianne said...

I love Benny. His intent gaze and his sweet face.

Amazing sunset.

Every photo is a treasure

Daryl said...

There's an award for you, come on over and pick it up!

:-Daryl

Kappa no He said...

I just realized Benny has a mini mohawk!

That is one gorgeous fish! 3 1/2 inches, huh?

Michele said...

Very nice photos... great bass. It looks like a lot of fun!! Wish I was there...

david mcmahon said...

I wait with, er, ba(i)ted breath!

Pat - Arkansas said...

I've already commented on this post, so this is just a note to thank you for your extremely kind compliment you left on my blog today!

Hope you had a Happy Canada Day!

steviewren said...

Hilary, you've been given an award. Pop over to my blog and check it out!

Hilary said...

• Thanks, Dianne. Benny is hard to resist.. except by my cats. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Thank you, Daryl! :) I'm proud to be a recipient of your fine artwork and sentiment.

• Yes, Kappa.. he does. And it's growing as summer progresses. :) You talk to Frank about his measuring skills! Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Thanks, Michele. There are countless times I've wished I was near the subject of one of your beautiful photos too. Thanks for the blog-o-visits. :)

• Ha, David. You hooked me in with that one. Thanks for the.. worm welcome on your Post of the Day. ;)

• Thanks Pat, I did indeed. :)

• Thanks so much, Steviewren. Daryl's design sure is making the rounds quickly! Thanks for thinking of me. :)

Tink said...

Gorgeous pictures as always. I really love the one of the snake, Benny giving you a curious look, and the crayfish (crawfish?). I need to start relaxing on my weekends more I think. :)

Indrani said...

You had a great weekend Hilary. Such fantastic shots, enjoyed the post thoroughly.

Pat - Arkansas said...

One more time! Congrats on being David's *The* Post of The Day. Well deserved!

Cath said...

Congrats on POTD Hilary! Well deserved. You really should write a book you know. You do great writing and photos.

Cath said...

I have an award at my place for you....

Cheffie-Mom said...

What a fun day! And what great pictures-especially the last one!

Cath said...

Hilary - re comments at mine - you are very welcome. And I hope I got it right (and didn't cause offence) to refer to Frank as your "friend" because I see that the two of you are just that - very good friends - whatever else the relationship may or may not be and I did not wish to pry or put labels on the two of you. Because you are both too nice. And MY friends. ;0)

Anonymous said...

Great story and pictures!

Love your dog.

Sandra

Hilary said...

• Thank you, Tink. I'm so NOT a snake person, but even I thought he was cute. Being little had something to do with that, I'm sure.

I'd imagine it's somewhat difficult for you and Hoop to relax with that wedding to plan. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Thanks so much for the kind words, Indrani. I'm glad you enjoyed it. :)

• Thank you, Pat. :)

• Wow Cath! This is a record for me. Four visits from you, three from Pat and three awards (from you, Daryl and Steviewren) all during the course of one post!

Thanks for your always-kind words, Cath. You're a true spirit-booster. That award was very sweet and I'm so pleased and truly touched that you thought of me among your fine favourites.

And of course there's no offense taken! We're still trying to figure out our own labels, but we are indeed best friends at the very least... ;) And both of us are proud to be considered your friends. That feeling is mutual. :)

• Thanks, Cheffie-Mom and welcome! I'm glad you stopped by. :)

• Thank you, Sandra. Benny is a heart-winner. Thanks for the visit. :)

Anonymous said...

Beautiful scenery, Hil, Benny is adorable, and I am amazed that you showed such restraint with Frank's comment. Love, Andi

Country Girl said...

Oh, Hilary. I love this post of your day. So much going on, and then in one of the last pictures, I see the small dock and the boat and think "all that happened on that little strip of wood?" You made me feel as if I were there. My favorite was the bob resting in the water, with its reflection. And the last photo of the sunset. Just beautiful! You should use that last one for Skywatch Friday tonight!

Country Girl said...

Oh, and Benny is such fun!

photowannabe said...

Hilary, I just love this series. I feel like I have been to the lake too. Great captures of Benny "helping" you and thats one terrific fish you caught.
Lovely sunset too.

elasticwaistbandlady said...

HOLY SCHNIKIES!!!! 51 COMMENTS??!!?

You're a blog superstar now, Hilary!

elasticwaistbandlady said...

My youngest, Melody was in the room looking at the pictures with me. She is officially in love with Benny. She just kept sighing exaggeratedly and saying, "He's so cuuutteee!"

Personally? I really liked the snakey picture and his little half-smile.

Hilary said...

• Thanks, Andi. This one was a freebee for Frank. Next time.. nuh-unh. Thanks for stopping by, sis! :)

• Thanks so much for your ultra-kind words, Kate. It's true everything was either on the dock or very close by. The wood-chopping and snake-sighting being the latter. Sounds like Benny just won another heart. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Thanks very much, Photowannabe. That's high praise, coming from you. Thanks for the visit. :)

• Ha, EWBL! There's only 48 if you exclude my own replies. ;)

Hi Melody!! :) Your Mom appears to be saying that she'd like you to find her a pet snake...

Louise said...

Beautiful photos. You are a terrific photojournalist!

Hilary said...

Thanks so much for your very kind words, Louise. :)

Chica, Cienna, and Cali said...

benny is a heartthrob :)

Hilary said...

Agreed, Moi. Thanks for stopping by. :)