Just wanted to let you know that I love summers in Colorado, besides the rain. And we’ve been getting it almost every day in the afternoon with thundeRRs and lightning. The last two don’t bother me that much but the rain… It’s like one big bath and I am not too fond of those (ask my humans). Baths are evil.

And as a true Shiba Inu I am supposed to dislike water… Well, it might be a shock to some of you out there, but I looooove water. I just don’t like baths and rains. I love to splash around in the lakes and even swim (I figured how to do it on my own!).

The running water is the best though. The first couple of times I experienced it, I was a little bit shy. Curious… yes… but not too sure about all that. But after a while (especially if it’s a place I’ve been already) I am eager to get in and don’t want to get out! I splash and smile and when I do get out I run victory rounds as fast as I can. “See what I can do!!!” “I am a swimming Shiba!!!!” and then jump back in the stream. On a hot summer day, this is the best thing ever! (well, not counting doggie icecRRReams…) So, my best buddy Bear, the corgi I wrote about and his humans and I with mine, had a play date at the Central Park in Boulder (my favorite place so far). It is not a doggie park. BTW, I’ve heard that a few of doggie parks in the neighborhood have been under a siege of fleas. Unusual for Colorado. Not to poke fun at the prairie dogs, after all, they are cute squirrel-looking things that poke their heads out of the holes.

Prairie Dogs Kissing

But the rumor is it is them to blame.

The Central Park is a park that is dog-friendly and human-friendly.

So here are some pictures. I wish they had the camera ready more often.

Here is me in the sand:

Monkey in the sand

          And here is my best buddy, Bear. He was being taught how to swim with treats. He did well. He couldn’t get too far though, because he has little stubby legs.

My best friend Bear

               I was trying to encourage him too. He thought I was crazy.

Shiba Inu in the water!

Our group at the Central Park, Boulder

The Devil Shiba

         I was getting more bored…

Let Me Out of here!!

     Finally I had it!

 

Monkey kills another toy

THEN, Dad decided to take me and Mom camping! Yes!!! Me first! In the car! I am Rready! It was Mom’s and mine first time ever!

The Stanley Hotel, Estes Park CO

         Then we took a long drive over the Continental Divide across the Rocky Mountains by Trail Ridge road, the highest continuosly paved road in the country.

See if you can count all the pine trees on the other side

Rocky Mountains National Park

          We were so high up, the trees stopped growing there! (Over 12,000 feet up). There was even snow!

See? Pretty cool, huh?

          We were in tundRRa! My Mom hiked to a top of a hill, where she could see Wyoming from one side and New Mexico from the other one.

Mom's hiking to the top of the world

The Sign!

         After we crossed the Divide and went down the other side, we started seeing stuff… like the biggest dog I’ve ever known. Dad said it was a Moose. As we kept driving, we saw more and more of those Meese ( I guess that’s the word…)

One of the Meese

        Finally we got to the campside, near Grand Lake, but it was rainy and a little muddy. Mom said it rains every afternoon here.

On the other side of the Continental Divide

          Luckily, Dad found some firewood, that was kinda dry for the fire. (Cause you can’t go camping without a fire.) I was helping him to move the logs. The ones I liked the most, I put in my own separate pile to chew on later. By some reason, he wanted to take them away from me… I guess they were his favorite too. Ha-ha. I got them first!

MINE!

            Anywho… after some struggle Mom and Dad got the tent up. (Finally!) I was stupidvizing, testing the airbed and guarding the cooler.

Guarding THE Cooler.

             OH! Suddenly I had an out-of-body experience I think… I was looking at myself, sneaking through the campside. ( Gosh! – my Dad said. — That’s a fox!) Then I realized it wasn’t me. It was an intruder trying to get to MY cooler. He didn’t even have a collar on. “Bad doggie!”

In the evening when the fire was crackling and my parents attempted to do S’mores, I smelled the intruder again and ran to chase him off. My Mom went to chase after me and we all slipped in the mud. I could hear the evil chuckling of the fox, making fun of me. I didn’t like it and he’d better watch his back.

Digging up more stories for later

 Till Next Time,

Yours Monkey

Hi everyone,

I have another introduction for you. Please meet Jersey and Niki! They live in Orange County, California, enjoying sunshine and walks. They both were rescued by their human parents.

Jersey and Niki

Sleepy... Sleepy...

           As a matter of fact, there is a Jindo institute there, that was created to actively preserve the breed. The Jindo Institute evaluates puppies at 6 months old and if the puppy is deemed to meet the breed standard and sound , it is micro chipped. Only micro chipped Jindos are allowed to remain on the island unless they are neutered. Chipped Jindos cannot leave the island to ensure preservation of the breed from the best stock.

       It is a breed with a bold and daring character and with wonderful hunting skills. It is best known for being totally loyal to its owner. It also has exceptional homing instincts. There are numerous tales of Jindos that were lost travelling for hundreds of miles to return home.

     Niki and Jersey are the best friends. I would loooove to meet them!

Till Next Time,

Monkey

   I wanted to share an email and pictures that I received from a couple of very cute and adventurous Shibas in Seattle. By the way, it turned out that my email was not working properly for quite some time, so if you wrote and didn’t receive my response I apologize. Now it’s working! Finally. Here is the letter:

Hi Monkey,

Mom, showed me your photo, yes you are a handsome Shiba!  Do you live in Colorado?  My mom is from Colorado. Last year we went back to Colorado to visit her cousins and to check out her ranch.  Boy, was that a long trip. Mom says I was a very good traveler. 

When mom was not driving, I sat on her lap and looked out the window for hours, until I got so exhausted looking at all those trees I would finally go back to my bed in the back and sleep for a little while.  We did lots of camping on the trip. 

Copper in Oregon sniffing wildflowers

We even went to Yellowstone and I got to see the first bears I had ever seen.

Copper, a Shiba from Seattle in a log house in Yellowstone

You know that our distant relatives in Japan use to hunt Bear. Boy, I don’t think I’d want to do that, they sure are big.  We also saw lots of deer, elk, bison, and antelope on our trip to Colorado. 

Copper from Seattle enjoying Grand Junction, Colorado

When we got back home in Washington, mom got a message saying that a Shiba on the other side of Seattle needed a home.  So we decided to see if he and I could get along at one of the Shiba meet ups.

Copper

Well, we just hit it off and now Todd and I are best of friends.  We go on three to four walks a day.

Todd and Copper from Seattle

Well, its time for another walk!

Todd and Copper on a winter walk

Copper and Todd

1)      ффф: Why does my brain starts to work only in the evening?

      ыыы: It’s just gives up fighting and surrenders.

2)      Sluginat: Hello, I saw your classified ad that says that you are selling a guitar. Do you have a video of playing that guitar?

      Caldo: Hello. Unfortunately I don’t have the video of playing that guitar. Actually I don’t even have that guitar – already sold it together with my car, apartment, clothes and my wife. I only left a hamster to myself. If you’d like I can send you a video of me playing with the hamster ;(

3)      Sa^ha: I am sitting and thinking…

      Sa^ha: Sometimes you have to change something about your life..

      Тимка: Socks?

4)      The Happiest: How is work?

      NN: Excellent!

      NN: I’ve just quit!

5)      peter: It’s such a pity that TV doesn’t have an “ad block”…

6)      Ars Diaboli: Irene becomes stupider and stupider with each year…

Wolfik: She’s growing up…

7)      Prest: Potatoes are yummy! But I hate peeling them… Imagine in the future our children will buy peeled potatoes in the store!

Bert: They already exist. The French fries cut. Recently we’ve been arguing with a buddy of mine if they are genetically modified or not.

Prest: Oh, French fries like in McDonald’s? I’m surprised they’re not running around by themselves yet. If they could they would be self-delivered fries.

Bert: Yeah. Exactly. They run to you, take your money, deliver it to a manager and come back to die!

      Wikipedia: People slept ten hours a day, until the bulb, invented by Thomas Edison, became popular!

One has to shoot inventors for such inventions!

9)      WonDER: I’ve just read somewhere that Russian investors are buying a lot of property in Zimbabwe.

deStendal: Trees?

10)  x: My boyfriend is very thin but he has a really good six pack. I poked his belly yesterday, my finger almost broke.

y: You’ve just hit him in the spine…

Anyway. In my dream, I was sitting on the porch watching the bunnies chewing on the grass below (I envy those guys). The sun was warm on my face. It was a beautiful morning. I just had breakfast, and went for a walk. Life was good.

We live near a small airport for private planes. At the place we just moved from, you could see the planes flying by. But at our new place, you can only hear them.

I was lying there thinking of the canned food flowers and playing in the river in Boulder. Suddenly I heard a plane flying over head. It was one of those little single engine ones. I didn’t think much of it. But at the same time, there was a pigeon gliding over the building.

I couldn’t help but to put the sound of the plane with the pigeon. It was kinda funny, and I laughed to myself. It made me think of WW2 or something. Like he was gonna drop a big bird bomb on something, like my dad’s car, which he had just washed.

I sat there for a couple more minutes, but nothing else happened. The war was over, and everyone was safe.

Then, in the next room, I heard dad’s alarm go off. “Oh my, it’s morning? How come I’m still sleeping? I was never awake! What’s going on? Where’s my breakfast? And I really need to go to the bathroom! Oh good, there’s dad. I really have to go.

He finally gets dressed, and we’re going out. He opens the door, but instead of the sunny warm day which I dreamt of, it turned out to be rainy and cold. Oh well, Maybe I can dream again tonight, and tomorrow will be sunny and nice.

Till next time,

MONKEY J

Dushanbe Teahouse Boulder CO

       Mom has tea, and dad has a glass of water. Me, I just lay there and look at other people and dogs. Last Sunday I met two huge fluffy black briards. They were just lounging there while I was rolling on my back inviting them to play. They weren’t too interested, but took the time to say “Hello”. I wonder what they look like Wet.

Briard

I also played with a little girl and licked her hand. Somehow I figured out that the little humans are just that, little and fragile. So I am always on my best behavior and very gentle when I play with them. I played with the girl’s Mom too and even tried to jump up and kiss her because she smelled nice. She was pretty too! J

        Then we went to Central Park… Oh how much I love that park! Why? First of all, there is a river. As soon as we reached my favorite spot near the bridge, I didn’t hesitate to get in it and splash around. This is so much fun! The weather is hot, the water is cold and I am exploring in it. Do I see fish? Don’t tell dad, or he’ll freak out, and drive home to get his fishing poles.

        When I get out, I start to run around with a crazed excited look on my face. “Look at me, look at me, see what I can do?!” I just can’t help it! So I jump and run round & round, jumping all over the place. You see, I’m not supposed to like water. I don’t like taking baths. I complain and try to get out of the tub. Don’t like it! Even my little kiddy pool in summer doesn’t attract me too much… I like running water… That’s a totally different story! I LOOOOOVE it! I just wish I didn’t have to be on the stupid leash…

A river in the Central Park

He was busted for peeing in public

I realized how much I love like my human Mom when she had left for a business trip. I didn’t think that I would miss her all that much. But, oh boy, I did. Of course, being a tough Shiba Inu as I am, I refused to cry.

I was looking for her in every room, in every corner, under the beds and in the closets. She was not there. She was gone. I might have whimpered a little, just out of confusion, you know. And NOT because I love  like her.

I chewed anything I could get my sharp little teeth on: CDROMs, books, DVDs, backscratchers, controllers. I jumped and pulled stuff from the tables: those silly white papers that are so interesting to tear apart. But most of the time I was sitting and looking out of the window, hoping to see my Mom’s car. In vain.

If I was smarter, I would have realized earlier that something was wrong. That very morning when Dad and I drove her with all the bags to the aiRRpoRRRt and left her there, all by herself… But I didn’t. I was too busy looking at people rushing around.

Every evening at 6 pm for five days I was sitting at the door, waiting for her to come in. She didn’t. As my personal revenge, I tried to make my Dad to feel as bad as I did. After all, he is the one who drove her to the airport…

Mom talked to me on the phone though, and I couldn’t figure out how she could fit into that little black box. She was saying that I am a good boy.  I tried to take it away from my Dad for a certain scientific expeRRiment but he wouldn’t let me. Somebody needs to learn how to share…

But then one evening, Dad and I drove back to the airport. I was sleepy and didn’t pay attention to my surroundings. Until… the car door opened and I saw my Mom smiling at me and saying: “Hi Monkey!” For a moment I forgot a proper Shiba behavior and gave her a bunch of kisses. I could feel my tail wiggling, as it had a mind of its own. I crawled on her lap and fell asleep there, waking up just to give her more kisses. I was glad she was back.

Now that they are both where they are supposed to be, UNDER MY SUPERRVISION, I feel good. Hey, are these shoes for me? Thanks Mom!

My mom & dad have been to Hawaii several times. While there, my dad has found a recipe for Real Hawaiian fish tacos. Actually he got it from a friend who lived there for a while. I know a lot of people think “Fish Tacos” sound gross, but they are actually really tasty.

Here’s the deal…….

First, you’ll need these things:

Taco size tortillas (flour, not corn)

Shredded cheese (four blend Mexican)

Guacamole

Crushed pineapple (in a can)

Sliced mango (in a can) or fresh, whichever you prefer

One green apple

About one pound fresh salmon, Skin removed.

Fresh Cilantro (not dried)

Honey

Lime Juice

Ok, here’s what you do…

First, you cut up mango into small pieces, or “mush”

Then drain the pineapple, (you don’t want too much juice)

Then take about 1/3 of the apple, and cut into really small pieces

And if you like cilantro, cut that up in small pieces (add as much as you like)

Set aside remaining cilantro. You’ll want more of it for topping later.

Now, mix all that stuff together and add a little lime juice.

That’s your salsa!

Remember, you can always use the amount depending on your taste.

Now that’s done, set aside.

For the Salmon.

In a skillet or grill, on medium-high heat, cook the fish till done.

Before turning off heat, squeeze some honey on both sides.

This makes the fish really tasty.

While the honey simmering in, take the tortillas with sprinkled shredded cheese on top, microwave till cheese is melted and tortilla is warm.

Then smear some guacamole on the tortilla.

OK, now put slices of the salmon on top, add the salsa, and sprinkle more cilantro (that was set aside) on top of that, and roll up the taco.

There you go, Enjoy!!!

Let me know what you think of it!

There is also a different one that dad had in Santa Barbara.

It’s deep fried fish in beer batter, and served with shredded cabbage, cheese, and vinaigrette. But I like the other one better.

Keep in touch! I’ll have more stuff to share with you later!

Monkey

I have already left some “puppy spots” in the new place (my bad), and have found a few new places to hide and crash-out. I’m still getting used to all this new space, but I’m sure I’ll make good use of it.

Oh! I had another weird dream the other night. It wasn’t about chicken pot pies this time, but about these yummy things called “Snausages”. In the mornings, my dad takes me out for a walk to do my morning “business”. But in my dream he took me to a new strange place.

There was a lake there, with lots of ducks in it. The lake was frozen, so they were just sitting there on the ice. “I could probably catch one”, I thought. But dad wouldn’t let me go down there. “Oh yeah, he has Snausages in his pocket. I guess I should try to behave…. Mmmmmm, Snausages!”

The ducks would fly away once I got there anyway. We walked down the path that went around the lake. I sniffed around and did my thing. Then… “OH, OH!!!!” I see another dog! Dad and I went over to say “Hi”. His name was Frank. He was a mutt of some kind. We jumped around and played for a bit but then we had to go back home, so Frank and I said goodbye.

I woke up, and dad was putting his shoes on, getting ready for our walk. It was a sunny day, and the air was warm. AND, there were Snausages in his pocket. Hopefully I’ll see Frank for real this time. I know it’s going to be a good day.

Stay tuned!

Monkey