You are browsing archives for
Marty’s photo of the day #4884: Nellie gets credit for spotting this great horned owl. The owl is currently sitting right outside my writing room window. Nellie barked at first, but now that the owl is asleep, she is just staring at it with an occasional low growl. I think the owl has settled in […]
Marty’s photo of the day #4874: I named Nellie after the “Holy Smokin’ Hot Nellie,” in my first novel, Time Is Irreverent. The real Nellie was so excited about playing in the Bitterroot River yesterday that she outdid the fictional Nellie. She walked on water! And look at those stunning fall colors.
Marty’s photo of the day #4843-B: I lost interest in superhero movies years ago, but when I heard that right-wingers hated the new Superman, I had to have a Liberal Superman Watch Party. So last night, Deb and I had some friends and their dogs over for dinner, conversation, and the movie. We had four […]
Marty’s photo of the day #4843-A: I lost interest in superhero movies years ago, but when I heard that right-wingers hated the new Superman, I had to have a Liberal Superman Watch Party. So last night, Deb and I had some friends and their dogs over for dinner, conversation, and the movie. We had four […]
Marty’s photo of the day #4827: Nellie is an amalgam of conflicting breeds. The golden retriever in her loves the water, and the dingo in her would rather stay dry. The result is a compromise: she enjoys playing in the water as long as her feet touch the bottom. Earlier this week, however, Deb and […]
Marty’s photo of the day #4824: Deb, Nellie, and I were enjoying a picnic dinner yesterday along the Bitterroot River when this garter snake swam by. Based on the large lump in the snake’s belly, it too had enjoyed a picnic dinner! (Photographed in Montana)
Marty’s photo of the day #4807: She’s so cute and fuzzy and . . . dusty! Yesterday, I used my battery-powered leaf blower to clean off the side porch. When I aimed at all the balls Nellie (the dog) stores in a corner, I startled a bat that was sleeping among them. The bat wasn’t […]
On August 3, 2020, Deb and I adopted Nellie from the Bitter Root Humane Association. The moment I saw Nellie there, I knew she was the one. And for some reason, the woman who assisted us did everything she could to keep us from adopting her (I think she wanted to adopt Nellie too). But […]
Marty’s photo of the day #4791: This has been the “Year of the Bird” at the Essen Wildlife Refuge. I’ve known for years that we have nighthawks here, but since they’re active at dusk and dawn, I’d only hear their calls and glimpse them zooming through the dark forest. Until yesterday, I’d never had the […]
Marty’s photo of the day #4787: I call this photo “Pure Joy.” Deb, Nellie, and I had a picnic last night on the Bitterroot River. Activities included lots of stick keep-away, Nellie’s favorite game. When my wife and I adopted Nellie from the animal shelter nearly five years ago, the dingo in her didn’t like […]
Marty’s photo of the day #4763: It’s time for an artsy shot. I call this: Half-Human Dog with Stogie and Hangover.
Marty’s photo of the day #4757: I only occasionally talk about cameras on social media, because when someone says, “That’s a great picture! You must have a great camera,” it’s kind of like saying to a chef, “This tastes wonderful! You must have great pots.” Nevertheless, I have fallen in love with my new Olympus […]
One of the reasons we humans love our dogs so much is that they retain adorable, childlike qualities throughout their lives. A few years ago, I got Nellie a soccer ball with handles. Even though she bit a hole in the ball long ago, she doesn’t care and still loves to play with it. That […]
I’m typing this with an icepack duct taped to my shoulder. Deb and I have lived in the middle of th,e Essen Wildlife Refuge for 29 years, and it wasn’t until 2 years ago that a moose charged us (the one in this picture). At least that moose gave us enough notice to dive out […]
People can spend a lifetime outdoors in Montana and never see a mountain lion. But as my motion-sensing camera proves, the mountain lion knows you are there. These photos are just a few minutes apart. In the second photo, the lion is looking exactly where Nellie and I are coming from. This was not unexpected. […]
Marty’s photo of the day #4668: I’ve often wished that I could “speak dog” to tell Nellie about the dangers of being queen of the Essen Wildlife Refuge. She never goes outside alone but still managed to tree this mountain lion last night. Fortunately, the mountain lion also agrees that Nellie is queen.
Every night, Deb and I take our dog, Nellie, on a walk around the perimeter of the Essen Wildlife Refuge. This evening, she was off-leash and started barking at something—and her bark was more protective than usual. I put her on a leash and investigated, expecting to find a moose or racoon. Instead, she had […]
Marty’s photo of the day #4649: Nellie has a variety of balls, and she chooses one to play with each time we go outside. This photo shows her on a summer day, chasing her volleyball, Wilson. Unfortunately, she lost Wilson in the deep snow earlier this winter. With the recent warm weather, Wilson should be […]
