In the 27 years that the Mister and I have been married, we’ve had several dogs. Most of which were “supposedly” water dogs. Labradors! They were retrievers, as in retrieving water fowl on duck hunts. Each one of them was deathly afraid of getting wet. Trying to bathe them was an exercise in futility. We got wetter than they did.
That was until spunky little Asta joined our family. We’ve been told that despite her small stature – she’s only about 35 pounds – she is definitely part Lab. Based on her hyperactive disposition and booming bark, we think she may also be part beagle.
Now, that she is fully mended from her broken leg, she has been joining me on some of my local photo hikes. It was on one of those hikes at a park situated on the bayou, that I discovered she loves water and wades in with joyful abandon. I can’t explain why this makes me so happy. (Hershey, our older Lab, still won’t go into the water. I’m hoping Asta will be a good influence on her.)
Asta, and what she found for me on our walk on Saturday, inspired this week’s photo collection.
You can click on any image to see a larger photo, or the series as a slideshow.
(Photos shot with a Nikon D60, using an 18-55mm, 55-200mm, 20mm f/2.8 wide-angle, 50mm f/1.8 prime lens, Nikon CoolPix S205 and/or iPhone4)
For more photos, please visit my Flickr photostream
*Photo venues: Fred Gannon/Rocky Bayou State Park, Niceville; and T.L. Brooks city park, Valparaiso
Thin spiral notebook 
oh I am so glad you have a good walking buddy!
(who loves the water)
those pictures are just beautiful
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My Lucy loves being in a lake, but not so much a bathtub. We bathe her in a kiddie pool on the deck and she tolerates that better than the tub.
Asta found some good stuff for you this week. I love the snake!
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Our dog doesn’t like water unless it floods in the streets and THEN she likes to run through it. Lol. LOVE that first picture – beautiful shot!
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When Asta is near water now, she has to jump in. I love it, but she sure can make a mess when she’s wet.
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I am glad your dog is on the mend and enjoying splashing around. A dog is a great companion. Just watch for ‘gators.
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I really like taking my dogs with me on walks. They are so funny together. I don’t know what they’d do if we ever scared up a gator.
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I spy a I blue tailed skink and some lovely bracket fungi.
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I am fascinated by all the different sort of mushrooms and fungi I find around here. They are all so interesting.
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I love that you have a new hiking buddy. I love to take my dog with me, but he pulls so. Much, its hard to use the camera at the same time.
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Asta is bad about pulling too. I had to get her a halter because I was afraid she would hurt herself or pass out.
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Both my dogs are part lab and neither is interested in water other than drinking it. So glad Asta is recovered and able to enjoy hikes with you!
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She loves being out on walks and puts me through a real work out. It’s an effort sometimes to keep up with her, but she’s a good hiking companion.
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We used to have a Lab, she was a real water lover, leaping in on any possible occasion
Mollyxxx
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This is the first dog we’ve had, of any kind, that has enjoyed getting in the water. Being so close to the bay and even the Gulf, it seemed such a shame to not have a dog that has fun in the water too. Asta is making up for that.
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Love it! So glad you got your water dog. (not such a fan of the skink, though. Ick!)
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The skink surprised me. With the stripes, I always think they are snakes when I first see them, until I notice their legs. I just love all the wonderful colors on these. The skinks around my house are probably 2x or 3x that big.
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Love these photos. Big time. Thanks!
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Thank you! I have such a good time on my hikes, so it makes me happy when others enjoy my photos too.
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