TopsyTervy

New Blog Live

2009-01-19T00:12:00.000-05:00

From now on, all blog updates will be to my new wordpress blog at
www.muddypawz.net/blog

New Website and Blog!

2008-12-11T23:23:00.003-05:00

My new website has just gone live It's a new spiffy Flash site from bludomain. I'll be keeping the html portal too for dial-up users. Still has some "funnies' to be ironed out but I'm getting there slowly.
Also have a new photo blog on the site. linked from the front splash page
www.muddypawz.net

Obedience at TTH

2008-11-02T19:04:00.002-05:00

Was photographer at the Ottawa Vally Golden Retriever Club trial at the Training Hall today. Lots of new titles. Always pleased to have lots to photograph :-)
Here's Linda & Penny who got their MOTCH on Saturday and took High in Trial on Sunday

TTCC Trial

2008-10-22T12:43:00.003-04:00

It was the Tibetan Terrier Club of Canada's CKC Agility trial at Dreamfields at the weekend.
Power was off on Sunday morning so all the jumpers runs took place outside. Weather was gorgeous! So pleased they ran outside because it meant I could take photos and not have them grainy as hell with a colour cast.
Here they are http://www.muddypawz.net/ttcc_1008
I am also trying out a new service at photostockplus. They have some really nice items at a reasonable price. Shipping's a bit steep for small items, but a bargain for the larger stuff. Here's the same trial on photostockplus
http://muddypawz.photostockplus.com/event_231660

I also took a few head shots of Carol's Stoney. He's 11 and has an oral tumour. Such a handsome boy.

Tyra ran in excellent and get 3 Qs. Two JWW and one Std. She would have had another standard Q if I hadn't been so sick with this cold. First run of the day, I couldn't beat her out of a straight tunnel and got a refusal on the chute :-( . We did all the hard part on course too!

Been Busy

2008-10-18T00:33:00.003-04:00

Working again for a couple of weeks until the beginning of November. Back at Kaben, which is nice.
Tuesday was election day. Got to vote for the first time! Off I went to the Carp fairgrounds to cast my vote like the good citizen I am :-)

Lots of Ribbons!

2008-10-08T00:00:00.005-04:00

It's been ages since I updated the blog and lots has happened over the summer.
The biggest news of all is that Tyra got her ATChC in July with a tremendous performance at AARF. She didn't just get the 3 standard Qs needed for her ATChC that weekend but came home with 4!

Then, we drove to New Brunswick in August for the AAC National Championships. Had a great time and did fairly well on all the courses. The icing on the cake for us was reaching the Steeplechase finals!
Latest news is that Tyra did it again and achieved her Bronze award of merit on Friday again at AARF. Obviously her lucky venue!

The new gazebo

2008-06-16T13:59:00.007-04:00

Paul bought a gazebo for the deck. He and Catherine assembled it on Saturday. Looked pretty good.

And then came the storm

Oh yes, and the internet has been down at home since yesterday afternoon. Damn the weather.

It's June

2008-06-05T07:20:00.002-04:00

June already. Time's just flying by! I've been so busy I forgot to write up all the recent happenings.
First there was the Ontario Regional Championships just outside London. Both the girls managed to qualify for Nationals. It wasn't pretty - especially Tanja's runs. But we made it and we're off to Sussex, New Brunswick in August!! Highlights were a 6th and a 4th in Jumpers for Tanja and a 10th in 26" Jumpers for Tyra.
Then there was my advanced judging assignment at Dreamfields on 30th May. Seemed to go ok. Courses all ran well and no unforseen traps, which I was pleased about.

Barbeque season

2008-05-29T12:34:00.002-04:00

It's barbeque season again. Today, Collonade, the building managers held a barbeque for the tenants. Pretty good actually. The usual fare, burgers & hotdogs, but also fries and for afters, and ice cream sandwich. Guess I'll be going to the gym tonight after all :-p

Happy Birthday Tanja!

2008-05-27T22:49:00.002-04:00

Nine years old today!

BDOC HiT of HiTs

2008-05-10T16:56:00.004-04:00

Today and tomorrow are the Bytown Dog Obedience Club obedience trials at the Fred Barrett arena on the corner of Bank & Leitrim. New place from last year.
Tonight is the prestigious HiT of HiTs (Competition for High in Trial of all the Highs in Trial from 2007). I'll be there all evenin taking candids. The light's not brilliant but it's always fun to watch.

Happy Birthday to Ivan!

2008-05-08T23:03:00.002-04:00

One year old today!

The Ottawa Dog Blog

2008-05-02T13:20:00.000-04:00

Featured on the Ottawa Dog Blog!

http://ottawadogblog.ca/2008/05/02/dog-photographer-profile-wendy-beard-muddypawz/

Ivan's new trick

2008-05-02T13:10:00.002-04:00

He learned to climb up onto a corn pan. Two paws up first, then the back two, then he sat

Boris goes to the groomers

2008-04-29T23:40:00.002-04:00

And he still looks like a farm dog!

CAPPDT Conference

2008-04-19T22:51:00.003-04:00

Today and yesterday, I was at the CAPPDT conference at the Travelodge, Ottawa. I also had a table there at the market place to promote my services.
Speakers Friday were Bob Bailey and Jesus Rosales-Ruiz, workshop was run by Dee Ganley. Saturday speakers were Phil Arkow and Don Hanson, workshops by Edie Jane Eaton (Ttouch) and Eddie Beltran (dark field microscopy)

New Job

2008-04-16T21:23:00.003-04:00

Started a 10 week contract at Kaben Wireless today, analog layout. The drive back home tonight wasn't fun. The queensway on a hockey night - 4th game in the playoffs at home. Total hell!

Almonte

2008-04-07T18:23:00.002-04:00

Had a ride out to Almonte to look round the village and see the falls

Snow's Melting

2008-04-06T16:47:00.000-04:00

And we have a little river running through the property

Tulips

2008-04-05T20:59:00.004-04:00

It appears spring might actually be here at last. I celebrated by buying some tulips.
Gallery is here:
http://www.pbase.com/wendybeard/tulip

Lady of Leisure

2008-04-04T11:35:00.001-04:00

So I officially finished work on Tuesday. Today I'm off to Baton Rouge for a farewell lunch - hope I'm not paying :-p
(aside: It's snowing again)

Yet Another Title!

2008-03-31T15:12:00.003-04:00

I would have like to have made it another three titles, but best not get greedy :-)
Thursday saw Tyra and I heading down to Syracuse with Deb & Flyer to the Salt City Cluster show. It was a 4 day agility trial indoors on maxtrax - not the best footing in the world (probably the worst). Anyway, they had Standard & JWW all 4 days and FAST on Thursday and Friday. Thursday, Tyra ran in Novice FAST and Qd with a first place for her title. It was a tricky send for novice, I thought. Jump to the far end of a c-shaped tunnel. Anyway, she did it ok, racked up loads of points (71) in just 26 sec.
She had a nice jumpers run, unfortunately clipped the top bar of the triple and it fell after bouncing in the cup a few times.
Friday, Tyra moved up to Open FAST. A fairly straightforward send, but as Marcia coined it, a terv nightmare. Double, tyre, triple. There was one other tricky part to the run. The design of the course and the position of the finish jump made it almost impossible to do the send at any other time except as a closing sequence. That meant the timing of the run had to be impeccable so that you didn't run out of time during the send. Luckily our timing was good and Tyra kept all the bars up. First open Q.
Saturday, nothing. Wasn't feeling well either so couldn't concentrate. Sunday the same but she had a really nice jumpers run again. Pulled off a jump towards the end. Disappointed we didn't earn a Q but she did really well.
She was just an idiot all weekend in Standard.
Despite the slippery surface of the maxtrax she handled it really well and seemed to adapt, being a little cautious at times rather than trash the course.

First Exhibition

2008-03-31T15:02:00.002-04:00

Last weeks saw me running around like a mad thing trying to get things organized before leaving for Syracuse Weds eve/Thurs am.
Hana called on Monday to let me know the wall was clear at Natural Pet Foods in Carleton Place and I could bring my photos to hang. I had to make sure I did it before I left as there was going to be two talks at the weekend and wanted to have as wide an audience as possible. Went up on Tuesday evening with all my plak-mounted art. Did our best to hang everything straight :-)
Realised after I left I hadn't taken a photo of the wall and that there was nothing there to say who the artist was. Went back Weds lunchtime to add a small pic of my Animal Wellness cover with photographer credit - and to take a picture of course!

Another Title!

2008-03-24T08:47:00.001-04:00

Tyra now has her MTRDC title - wahoo!! Hoping the success continues. Only 3 standards to go for the ATChC

I AM Canadian!

2008-03-20T19:07:00.002-04:00

We went downtown today to sit our citizenship test. Had to arrive at 8:30, which we did despite rush hour traffic on 417. Sat around for 3/4 hr while our documents were looked at. Went into a room and were given a clipboard and a laminate questionnaire. Balance clipboard on knee and answer 20 multiple choice questions. We had half an hour to do this. I was out of there in 5 minutes, max. Big surprise of the day - if we waited around they would mark the test immediately and if we passed could come back in the afternoon to be sworn in!
We both passed - Natch
So by 2:30 pm we were both officially Canadian citizens!