Jasper: What are you doing back there, Dad?

Todd: Trying to take your portrait.

Jasper: Seriously Dad! Put down the camera and let's play frisbee.

Orders received. Will comply.

Jasper stands sentry by the bougainvillea. Waiting. Watching. Must keep the humans safe.

There is a lot of ground that needs patrolling. You have to use your nose to find out what animals have been around and what other dogs have been here. Jasper is on it.

This gorgeous dress from Mirage.NA is available at this months round of Shiny Shabby!

Dress: Mirage.NA @Shiny Shabby (Jan. 20)

Hair: Doux

Pose/Hat: IDK

Location: Aussie Shores

BLOG: cateheartsong.wixsite.com/cate/post/aussie-shores

6 weeks old Australian Shepherd

Jasper took a break from playing with Monkey Business in the back yard. Fun times!

Betty Bunny was mysteriously flying through the air when Jasper snatched her in-flight and brought her safely back down to Earth. What a hero!

Jasper keeping watch over the neighborhood. Good boy. Keep us safe.

Jasper keeps a keen eye on his humans in the evenings. If they move, they might be ready to play. Right Edward the Elephant

Jasper plops down in front of the fire with Betty Bunny and sulks because his humans have stopped playing. Poor Jasper only gets about 14 hours of play per day. 😜

Queried Jasper with a tilt of his head and a proffer of Betty Bunny

Jasper can sometimes be a little underwhelmed with our playfulness. Betty Bunny seems to have the same attitude. Jasper will keep his eye on me just in case I decide not to be totally lame.

I think Jasper looks right at home her exploring the Old West. I'm glad he's showing his mustache in the shot to kind of fit with the theme. Those sun-kissed mountains in the back are the Superstition Mountains. In the first comment I've shown the real set of explorers - a phone pic that my sister-in-law's husband took of us on the trail

Meanwhile, across carpet land, Jasper and Betty Bunny conspire to engage the humans in play. Clever duo.

Jasper has to run perimeter checks. All is well.

Jasper inspects the shrubbery troops. A perfect line. Tops high and tight. Polished roots. Everything is ship shape. Inspector Jasper gives them a paws up. And he knows where to go in case he runs into the Knights that say , "Ni" (Monty Python reference)

Jasper is settling in nicely to the Ranch he acquired (see first comment). Happy, happy cowpoke. Now, time to go tend to the cattle. Mooo

With very pleasant weather, we've been playing in the back yard quite a bit. But at some point I have to tell Jasper we've got to go in. Got stuff to do, you know. But Jasper always gives me this totally disappointed look, like, "what do you mean we have to go inside? We were just having fun!" Well, kiddo, life has a few disappointments along the road. Took this shot blind as Jasper looked me in the face to communicate he wasn't ready to go in.

When we saw this pleasingly purple plant along our walk, we knew we needed a photo.

The Rocks, Sydney

Australia

I think his coat is looking particularly full in this portrait. Poor guy suffers a bit when its hot. And it's very hot this week. Highs through the mid week are 117ºF (47ºC) and last night the low only got to 91ºF (33ºC). Jean said he was a trooper on their walk this morning though. A few stops to crunch on ice cubes, then soldier on. We don't bother with his after-dinner walk this time of year. Instead, we play in air conditioned comfort.

Here's Jasper doing his impression of a barrel cactus, like those behind him. Nice try Jasper, but you're just not prickly at all

If I'm sitting back on the couch and Jasper his failing to get my attention, he'll sometimes poke his head over the arm of the sofa to peekaboo me. Next he'll place a toy on the arm of the sofa. Then comes the none too subtle move of putting his front paws up on the couch and placing the toy on my lap. He's a playboy for sure. And a cute one at that so he mostly gets us to play. (BTW: if you're wondering what that angular black mass is on the right of the frame, it's just my iPad with keyboard sitting on the arm of the sofa)

Jasper commiserates with Betty Bunny after the humans stopped playing. Poor Jasper never gets any attention!

Here's an example of how Jasper is ignored and lives just a horrible existence. On a typical weekday morning I do a workout while Jean walks Jasper. Yesterday I got done with my workout and came downstairs to find Jean on the floor massaging Jasper. I said, "Hey, how come you never massage me?" She said, "You're not soft and furry and fluffy" True, none of those adjectives fit Todd. But if Jasper isn't getting a massage when they get home from the walk, he's getting play and fun and love. What an existence.

Sunset over Port Darwin, seen from Bicentennial Park, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia

Well looky here, Jasper bagged himself a rooster. Rebel Rooster that is. Poor Rebel, face down in shame. But, such is the life of a dog toy

As the golden dawn light spilled through the trees, Jasper remained vigilant at his post. Watchful. Alert. Aware. (corny enough for you?)

Jasper does not like it when I interrupt him in the library, especially when there is magic happening. Sorry bud, I'll let you get back to it.

An outtake from last weekend’s library shoot. I thought the look I was getting was funny. The shot I posted Sunday is in the first comment

"You will play! You will play! You will play! " broadcasted Jasper through the powers of his mind. Then suddenly, inexplicably, I got up to play. Amazing how we fall victim to the powers of a dog's telepathy

My Vacation Cabin at Aussie Shores :)

Thanks Pris and Adam for this amazing vacation Feels at SL <3

Waiting. Watching. Wondering. Betty Bunny at the Ready. A typical evening scene with Jasper

This is not an uncommon sight around our house. We were finishing up dinner and I looked over to see Jasper patiently waiting for the next phase of the evening (which is his after-dinner treat, then play, then tricks, then more play, then...)

One good thing that has come out of the pandemic is that the Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix have opened their gates to dogs more often. This month, you can bring your dog every Sunday morning. Jasper seems to enjoy it. Especially these shady respites where he can relax and do a bit of people watching.

Yep, Jasper is the king of subtlety. I have absolutely no idea what he wants ;-)

Jasper perches to take a look around at the water tower square in Gilbert, Arizona

Sometimes you just want to lay down in the grass and enjoy the moment.

Jasper just checking out a zigzag mesquite tree in the early morning light.

Jasper keeps an eye out for lizards and ground squirrels and whatnot. All those creatures that inhabit the rocks and scrub of the desert

Mr. Jasper out being neighborly

Welcome to Alliteration Friday, which, ironically, is not alliterated. Anyway, lets step past my strangeness, shall we. Lots of these purple bushes in bloom right now which pleases me. So I asked jasper to pose which he did. A smiling dog and a purple plant - a nice combination in my opinion.

Having successfully kept Rebel Rooster under his protective care, Jasper stood tall and proud. It was a rousing chase around the family room.

I use the term "under protective care" loosely. On Rebel Rooster's first day with Jasper, he lost an eyeball to Jasper's teeth. But luckily, in between being a fighter jet pilot and being a nuclear physicist, I spent some time as an eye surgeon so I was able to reattach Rebel's eyeball and he's fully stereoscopic again.

Just an old girl enjoying her walk at the beach this weekend.

Jasper's got a new friend, Consuela Cactus. She squeaks and has a pretty flower. She smiles and she winks, enjoying her time with Master Jasper. You might think that Jasper is bored with Consuela in this shot. Not so! Jasper is bored with his humans who have pointedly ignored him, resting on their human butts on the human couch! Humans!

Jasper likes to sniff around some of the neighborhood shrubberies. Sometimes we see bunnies. Or sometimes we see kitties. All very exciting

A field full of dry grasses and these tufty thistly weeds. Those are containers in the background because this is Port Adelaide, where containers live.

Jasper taking in the scenes at the crest of our hike at Lost Dutchman State Park, about 30 minutes from our house.