At the Harvest

Kathy and Tim took me up and I made sure the harvest was squirrel free! Afterward we went up the Coast which is what we normally do. I just love Big Sur.

Checking Out Big Sur

I make them stop the car frequently so I can look at the beautiful views.

But it’s all pretty tiring. It’s nice to get back home and take a nap with Bob, the cat.

A Nap with Bob

Napa Valley California

We had a great harvest this year and I did my part, barking at the machines and running around the orchard like a mad dog. Afterward, we took a trip up to Northern California.

The Swan

I love to travel and we went to one of my favorite places, Napa Valley. We went to a winery that had a big lake and in this lake there was a Swan. I’d never seen one before so naturaly I jumped in the lake and started swimming toward it to say hello. Well, he wasn’t very friendly and started hissing at me and chased me out of the lake and back on shore!

Shanking it Off

I was quite an adventure but I’m looking forward to getting back to my home turf. Smell ya later!

In the Orchard

Lots of nuts and healthy looking trees. I did my bit by adding a little organic compost, it you know what I mean. I also climbed up to get a beter look. Well, actually Kathy helped me a little bit, but I liked what I saw.

Checking out the Nuts

Can’t wait for harvest. I really earn my keep then.
Smell ya later.
Winston

I Love Carmel

This is one of my favorite times of the year. Not much to do on the farm as the Pistachio trees are just beginning to bud and the Spring rains have taken care of the watering. So, around this time we head up to one of my very favorite places of all, Carmel.
There is so much for Lucy and I to do up here. The beaches are great and the whole Monterey area is great fun for dogs. Carmel is probably the most dog friendly town in the whole world with complimentary milk bone and water bowls in almost every store. But what I really love are the tide pools! Even Lucy likes them.

In We Go

I just love to fetch things from the water by diving in and retrieving. Balls, sticks, dried kelp…it doesn’t matter. You throw it and I’ll bring it back.

I've Got It!

Well, soon we will have to go back to work. There will be all kinds of varmints to chase out of the orchard in a few weeks. So, I gotta go. Smell ya later!

My Yellow Slicker

Boy, has it been raining lately! The orchard is just soaked because of all the storms that have moved through our area in the last couple of months. Farmer Bill really likes all the water. He says it’s going to make for a great crop next year. I kind of like the rain but not when it really comes down. I don’t like to get wet and cold and my long hair just becomes a mess with all the mud. I do have a raincoat, but I’m not sure I like that so much either. Lucy doesn’t like the rain at all. She would much rather be inside where it’s warm. It is fun to play in the puddles though, and it’s great to get toweled off and then warm up by the fire after being out in the elements. Can’t wait for Spring though, things really liven up in the orchard then.
Smell ya later,
Winston

In The Orchard

I ventured out into the pistachio orchard right on New Year’s Day to see what was happening. This was right after a beautiful full moon on the last day of the month/year/decade. It was a triple Blue Moon and Lucy and I both enjoyed sniffing around in the bright moonlit night.

Lucy Came With Me

The next day we both went out into the orchard to see what we could see. The pistachio trees had been pruned just a few days before. They need to have this done so they can produce new green pistachio bearing growth in the Spring. The pruning results in lots of sticks covering the ground.

Which Stick to Pick?

I was in Heaven! I couldn’t decide which one to pick up first. Lucy and I discovered an old gopher hole and tried to dig him out. No luck. I think he was long gone. Anyway, we had a great time running around in the leaves and twigs. I don’t think there is any season we don’t enjoy out in the pistachio orchard.

After the Gopher

Smell ya later.
Winston

Winston

I’m a long haired Dachshund and it’s my job to keep this place varmit free and generally safe and secure. My older sister, Lucy, is supposed to help me but she’s pretty lazy and usually just sits around the farmhouse. As for me, I love to go out in the orchard and help out with whatever activity is going on. The harvest is always fun, but my favorite thing of all is to go up the coast and play on the beach in Carmel. I really like chasing sticks into the surf and I’ll bring them back every time.

Lucy

Lucy likes the beach too but doesn’t really go in the water too much. She would rather just watch from shore. I think she’s a little afraid of it, but not me! I just can’t get enough.

I've Got It!!

Well, that’s it for now. I’ll give you a report on the pruning operation in January. Lots of great sticks to chase then!