The Ball Game - Stick or Twist?

You are in Duthie Park for your early morning walk. 

You have possession of your favourite SQUYB (squeaky yellow ball). 

But you spot more ball/dog action over towards the bandstand.

The question is ...... do you stick or twist? 

The answer...

Ball thief update

Leaving aside that I dispute the characterisation of myself as a 'ball thief' (I'd prefer to be known as someone who loves to interact creatively and has an impressive ability to focus on careful guarding of a particular resource), I want to take this opportunity to update you on the state of play regarding my behaviour in the Duthie Park. 

Gail calls it an "arms race". 

So on approach to the grassy area in the centre of the park, every morning I survey the scene, first over to the bandstand in the centre then clockwise around the perimeter, scanning the statue of park benefactor Elizabeth Duthie, the obelisk commemorating the contributions of military surgeon  Sir James McGrigor (1771 - 1851), and the JJR MacLeod Memorial corner. 

But I am not interested in these historical monuments, I am looking for any dog who is playing with a ball.

My eyesight is keener than Gail's, at least when she is not wearing her glasses, and you can guarantee I will spot the ball first and be half way across the park before she shouts in vain "come, Nobby, come!"

It doesn't take long for me to gain possession of the ball. No matter the size of the other dog, my determination wins the day, and I am most reluctant to relinquish my prized acquisition.

But these days Gail has a trick up her sleeve. Or rather in her coat pocket. 

MY FAVOURITE SQUEAKY YELLOW BALL*

I just can't resist when she squeezes the ball and it makes a noise exactly like that field vole I once, most thrillingly, caught. 

So I drop the other dog's ball and approach Gail, who clamps on my lead.

I am then allowed to carry my squeaky ball all the way back home, but am not allowed to take it inside the house.

As I do not like standing outside out front door, especially, as yesterday, when it is raining and cold, I reluctantly let the ball go...

* £1.50 from Asda

Nobby's guide to Duthie Park

It occurs to me that, although I have often posted pictures of my daily early morning walk in Duthie Park, I have never presented readers with a proper, dog-relevant guide. 

A map of the park is posted at the various entry points to the park - see below - and for a leaflet published by the City Council you can click here, but I do feel that important information is missing in the official documentation, and I shall try in this post to fill in the gaps.

Here I am at the park entrance, a five minute walk from our house. This is the place where Gail lets me off the lead. The rules state that dogs in the park should be kept 'on a lead or under close control' but early in the morning, when you only see other dog walkers and the odd runner or cyclist, and no children are present, the 'close control' thing is liberally interpreted...

First stop is the gate to a closed off area behind the café. Every day I check this out, hoping that, as happened on one glorious instance last year, the gate has been left open and I might chance upon a trolley left unattended by a delivery man and laden with accessible sausage rolls and chicken sandwiches... One doesn't readily forget such episodes.

Next I move on to the decking area outside the café. It's true that any tasty foodables dropped by the previous day's customers have usually been cleaned out by our resident overweight seagull population, but on occasion one can still get lucky. 

Now it's time to scan the large grass area around the bandstand, as this is where other dogs play fetch, and ball-stealing opportunities abound. (We've covered this topic in a previous post). 

If nothing's doing on the ball front I trot over to the rhododendron bushes, through which I take a short cut and patiently wait for Gail while she walks the long way round the path.

And here we are now by the boating lake. Although I have only once, when a reckless puppy, actually jumped in, I do like to wander along the rim and see the slightly nervous look on Gail's face. 

When I tire of that, I divert into the secluded stone shelter where the variety of interesting smells are always worth investigating.

Close by this is a lovely boggy 'wetland area' which, for some reason, Gail disapproves of me running across. 

Finally, just before leaving, we pass the children's play area. Although it's unfenced, dogs are not supposed to go in here. These days I generally obey, although I did once have fun hiding from Gail under wee house on the left and refusing to come out...

There are, of course, lots more places in Duthie Park to tell you about, but these can wait for another day.

PS from Gail: I want to apologise on Nobby's behalf to the poor quality of some of these photos. I now finally have a diagnosis for the ongoing problem with my phone camera and am trying to decide whether or not it's worth getting it fixed or just biting the bullet and buying a new phone.

Playtime

Those of you who read last Friday's blog post will doubtless have been worrying all weekend about whether or not I found some dogs to play with after I took you on a tour of the Duthie Park flower beds. 

Friends, no need to fret any longer. The good news is that I did! 

Gail describes my play style as "enthusiastic" and "boisterous". 

It is true that when I spot a dog across on the other side of the park, I race across the grass at warp speed and jump all over them, tail wagging ferociously. 

But I would like to point out that if I realise the other dog is old, or grumpy and not in the mood for play, I do in general back away these days. (I didn't when I was younger).

Sometimes my approach forces what I believe, in the world of wrestling, is known as a submission. For some reason, Gail tends to attach my lead and drag me away if I am standing directly on top of a dog who is lying on his back. 

Oh and by the way, I do still steal other dog's balls. Why wouldn't you? 

Nobby reviews the late summer flowers in Duthie Park

Yesterday Gail reminded me it's been a while since I took you on a walk around Duthie Park, and suggested I might do a Nature Friday post showing you some of the late summer blooms.

To be honest, I always think that the other dogs we meet are by far the most interesting aspect of our local park, but according to Gail, it's "debatable" whether that would count as Nature*.

So here goes with the flowers. 

Some of the displays are uniform and orderly, such as the Begonias near the park entrance. 

We often see the gardeners hard at work weeding the flower beds first thing in the morning, and Gail says it's a bit unfair of me to criticise, but I feel I do need to point out they missed some groundsel just here.

At the opposite corner of the park we see more Begonias, these ones in a neatly kept circle.

Maybe it's the terrier in me, but I have to say, I prefer things to be a bit less regimented. This border is more to my taste. 

Such a fine display of vibrant colours. The Montbretia is spectacular this year. I wonder if a warm, dry June followed by a cool and rainy weather in July and August is to the particular liking of these showy red flowers?

The Heleniums (aka Sneezeweed), seem to be thriving in the cool late summer conditions too. 

Finally, perhaps, like me, you're wondering about the identity of the silvery grey plant in front of me here.

Let's have a closer look.

According to Gail's 'PlantNet' app, it's Stachys byzantina, commonly known as Lamb's-ear, after the furry texture of the leaves.

If I was ever allowed within stroking distance of a sheep, I would be able to tell you if the name is appropriate, but Gail is saying "dream on Nobby".

Well that's about it for today for the plants. Now let me look around and see if there are any dogs who want to play.

*If anyone would like to contest the implication that garden flowers count as 'Nature' but dogs do not, please feel free to add your thoughts in the comments box...

Happy Nature Friday friends! Thanks once again to our LLB Gang friends for hosting the blog hop. Do go and visit the other participants. 

A choice of blooms in Duthie Park

Do you prefer your summer flowers big, bold, bright?

Perhaps you favour a less showy bloom? 

Or rock plants, here a delicate delight?

We love them all, and hope that you do too! 

Happy Nature Friday, and thanks once again to the ever wonderful LLB Gang for hosting this our favourite blog hop.

Early morning decisions

7 am in Duthie Park.

What mischief next?

Sprint across the park to play with other dogs? Jump up to greet their humans (preferably ones wearing light coloured trousers)? Go for a muddy paddle in the 'wetland area'? Grab an interesting piece of litter, run into the shrubbery with it, and defy Gail's calls to come out? Dive into the duck pond? Say an over-enthusiastic hi to the heavily muscled guy who uses the kids climbing frame as gym equipment? Steal another dog's ball and don't give it back? 

Let me just stand here looking adorable for a minute while I make up my mind. 

An unexpected visitor from the Arctic

Well, so much for March coming 'in like a lion out like a lamb'.

No-one seems to have mentioned that a polar bear might drop by to visit in between...

I looked around  in vain for the normally ultra-reliable Duthie Park snow plough yesterday morning.

It turned up just as we were heading home. We think the driver, normally so diligent and up at the crack of dawn, had imagined winter was over and allowed himself a lie in! 

A typical winter walk in Duthie Park

Regular readers of this blog will know that the early morning walk in Duthie Park is an important part of the daily routine here in the Nobby and Gail household.

Come rain or shine, snow or gales, we are out there at break of day. 

Here's a short account of yesterday's dawn excursion.

I'm on my lead for the quarter of a mile walk to the park entrance, where Gail releases me.

I check Gail's coming, then run into the park, not forgetting to decorate both the fancy wrought iron gate and the bin just behind it.

I make brief detour to investigate an alluringly pungent in smell the rhododendron shrubbery before reaching the brightly lit Park Café. The café doesn't open for another couple of hours and Gail, as always, tuts at the waste of energy. 

Looking the other way, we both admire the sunrise (it's about 8 am), and I scan the park for potential playmates.

My keen eyes soon spot a moving green light below left of the bandstand, and recognise this as the fluorescent collar belonging to one of the park regulars, Black Labrador Charlie. 

There is a brief interlude where I ignore Gail's calls and race off to say hi to Charlie, and Gail rudely interrupts our game saying "can't you see Nobby, he doesn't want you jumping all over him today" and drags me away. This episode is not recorded on camera.  

I hope Charlie doesn't think my pink light is "girlie". 

Further along, I pause again and check to see if any more of my park pals have turned up. Sadly not. The grass is a wee bit frosty on the paws. 

We complete the circuit of the park in about twenty minutes and I halt in front of the new 'Outdoor Nursery' building. The small humans who attend the nursery have not yet arrived. I wonder if they will be playing outside today. I patiently wait for Gail to put on my lead for the short walk home.

Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow, the same pattern will repeat, with minor variations.

Checking out Aberdeen's new e-bikes

Just recently, clusters of brand new, gleaming white e-bikes have appeared at certain locations on the streets of Aberdeen.

I even spotted three of them in Duthie Park yesterday on my early morning walk. 

Several of my readers have in the past sympathised with my plight at being left at home alone while my owner Gail indulges her enthusiasm for (non-motor assisted) cycling with her Thursday morning ladies. 

I wondered if these new bicycles, available for hire through a scheme recently introduced in the city, might provide a solution.

I checked out the bicycles front and back. I might even have 'christened' one of the tyres, but please don't tell anyone. Each bike even has its own individual name. (I suggest that a certain big dog friend in Florida enlarges the photos below to see what the one I was inspecting is called!) 

Sadly I couldn't see any suitable equipment for facilitating dog transport other than the chihuahua-sized baskets attached to the front handlebars.

Hmm. It seems the e-bikes can be accessed via an app. I asked Gail to show me the website but, can you believe it, there appears to be no provision for carrying 7.5 kg wire-haired fox terriers on these bicycles! 

The good news is that yesterday it was so windy, with heavy rain imminent, that Gail's cycling ladies (most unusually) opted to stay at home and, in one case at least, to tend to the emotional needs of their beloved WFT. 

One has to question whether darkest November was the best time of year for Aberdeen City Council to start up a bike hire scheme....

Does this count as a Nature Friday post? Gail says that, with just the briefest of mentions of local weather conditions, I might be "stretching it a bit". But I do believe that our dear pals the LLB Gang will allow for some latitude in interpretation of their blog hop theme!