@onedrop1
Canadian born and raised, now perched in the Swiss Alps. Electric bass, mountain sports, cooking, music, art, literature, and film. Humanism rules, but dogs rule harder- my best pal is a wonderful German Shepherd. DMs, Soliciting = instant block.
The Whisperer’s Padawan oversees their riverbed interlude, low levels of silty, icy cold glacial melt water give relief to the A Team as they cool off in the morning sun. Nia’s signature move is the belly wetting dip.
While I’m away for two weeks Nia stays with our local dog whisperer, whom she loves and is loved by in equal measure. It’s like summer camp for her, endless adventures with a few of her best friends and sometimes making new ones, as here.
@rivercate.bsky.social I thought you’d enjoy this- Nia dragged me to a small field behind a water purification building near us, following her nose. Once she saw the source she was more confused than anything, and didn’t want to get close. Zoom in on the goat, should be in Disney cartoon
This is the hat, picked it up for $25 last year! Interesting crown shape, between a telescope and an Optimo. It’s real Ecuadorian Toquila palm.
This is a stunning Indonesian Batik shirt I bought from a stall shop adjacent to a market in Bali in the ‘80s, the men wear them as their finery for special events, cock fights, etc, at dusk and in the evenings with their contrasting Batik Sarongs. The cut is masterful, slim and contoured.
Here are some of my favorite Aloha shirts, all ‘60s bark cloth, some have design features that pop out in black light, the last one being the most spectacular with the pink Hibiscus projecting in the UV light while the rest disappears. Psychedelic as all heck.
Authentic Cuban cotton Guayaberas, bought at an outdoor Habano Centro market around 2010. About the only interesting ones I found in a month in Cuba, others were cheap polyester Made in China ones.
Modern Rayon bark cloth Japanese Aloha style shirt. Cool and very sharp cut and drape, got this dead stick from Grailed.
Here’s a super thin cotton camp shirt, drapes exceptionally well and the pattern hides nipples and body hair. The plain weave between the stripes breathes incredibly well, and the texture prevents it from showing wrinkles. My coolest cotton shirt, a very clever design.
Superb functional modern Western work shirts, cut loose for movement and cooling, and long to stay tucked it. Hidden zip pocket under one of the snaps, mesh over the shoulders for wicking, microfiber patch to clean sunglasses. I hike in over 30C temperatures in these, fast drying and no smell.
You’ll like this one too, as we first approached them. Check out the one rolling in the dirt! It was a hot day, hence the panting doggies.
Four gorgeous Donkey foals came to the fence to check out the dog and his human. One was more courageous and later came up to the fence for head scratches, now two of them do so each time we pass by, the others content to watch. Most of them are used as companions to horses here.
Bliss. Nia and I dog-sitting the love of her life, a fellow rescue, a Cuban Bolivar lonsdale, an Ice Coffee in the Thermos, and a bone chilling glacial fed stream, grey green from the slate silt. It’s well over 30C but between the breeze and a few dips it couldn’t be more comfortable.
Caramel Ice Coffee. Double espresso over ice, 3 tsp. quality caramel syrup, or homemade if you so desire. You can also shake it all and strain over ice, but use use ristretto. I drink black coffee but like some sweetness when icing it.
Nia and I dog-sitting Crosby. They haven’t seen each other in weeks. Frolicking is the order of the day, heat be damned (it’s not overly hot and very dry, they have shade and plenty of water).
Cuteness overload at the local. Betsy is a a few months old Golden Retriever / Border Collie mix, with a fabulous personality. Nils the male Husky is very dominant and extremely mischievous with other dogs, and Nia the wise elder, checking things out and seeing if Nils is up for some play.
Passed a few Donkeys on our afternoon walk today. Nia not impressed, prefers the view and the smell of Marmot. It’s been a cold spring here, snowed in the village a few days ago and taking its own sweet time to melt off the peaks. Apologies for the inane animal voice, I can’t help it.
Nia and I guided a dawdling goat back to her farm yesterday morning, it was the first time my German Shepherd got so close to one without a fence between them. She doesn’t consider them prey, and was a mixture of excited, wary, and curious. I didn’t get a picture, but do have video of the herd.
And for anyone else watching this car crash, here’s a little clip of my poor boundary-free retractable leash-tortured unappreciated dog, who I’m not fit to take care of, and her miserable life.
Nia and her new friend the young Parson’s Terrier have a new year wrassle, indefatigable but respectful of the confines of the clothes boutique her new friend’s mom runs. This went on for ages.
Nia trying to gin up some excitement with her friends Taigo the Siberian Husky and Tina the Eurasia, the latter a fascinating breed that typically has a wonderful slightly reserved temperament and tons of character.
Taken a few weeks ago, now all snow-covered. At 2200m, Nia wondering where the freshly hibernating Marmots have gone.
I was taking a short video of Nia playing fetch, to send to my cousins, when she came up with a new one to add to her impressive repertoire. Back ‘atcha!
