Monday, December 21, 2009

Happy Holidays to all



Happy holidays! Its hard to believe Christmas is nearly here. I, Miley, have been indoors more lately due to weather and snow cover. I’ve been doing far more blog reading than blog commenting/writing because Mommy has been hogging the computer typing up reports.

Happily, November was actually much nicer than most of October so I got to go back out into the field with Mommy to finish up some projects by early December. Mommy tends to leave her backpack unzipped while taking photos (which look even grayer than usual due the diminishing sunlight) or notes. I’m always curious as to what’s inside. The last few months, I keep finding a bright orange safety vest. It was hunting season in Wyoming so Mommy was wearing it when hunters were in the area. I don’t think I look anything like a deer (and Mommy looks even less like one) but better safe than sorry. For me, its fun to flip around in the air.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, Miley







Friday, October 23, 2009

We're Back









Hello, Miley here. It's been so long (over two months). Mommy has either been in the field or very busy report writing. After many wet nose pokes and sad looks, I finally forced her to type. I turned 3 years old last month and she didn't even blog on my birthday which is also I guess my Gotcha Day since I was born here (and so was my doggy Dad, Magic). Spayed years ago, Great Great Grandma Fancy and Grandma Kateybug also live here.

Happily, it is now cool enough for me to go out in the field again no more 85 degree heat (although the high was 25 F a few weeks ago). We've been out in the bentonite mine again between storms and wet roads (greasy bentonite can be slicker than ice). The cold weather is hard on great great grandma's arthitis; she is 11 years old and weighs about 80 pounds - a lot bigger than 55 pound me. She spends most of her time indoors and often near the wood pellet heating stove when its cold out.

I love hiking around the outdoors in the cooler weather and helping Mommy get in shape. Mommy's backpack and jacket (if placed on the ground) are fun to play with. The mosquitoes are gone and most of the biting insects (hopefully including the ticks).
Hugs, Miley

Thursday, August 13, 2009

A few more mountain pics


























Hello, it's me, Miley. Mommy has been working a lot lately but I am forcing her to post a few pics. She has got a Monday report deadline to meet so no fieldwork for me this weekend.

I love working in the mountains and getting away from the heat. There are so many little streams to walk through as well as the aptly named Mountain Ditch (dates to 1922) in the Absaroka Mountains. My paws are frequently wet. Mommy made me cross the Little Popo Agie River south of Lander in the Wind River Mountains last week. I had cool water above my tummy, it was invigorating. Mommy had water almost up to her knees -she had to drain her boots afterwards. We found a little abandoned gold mine (cabins, prospecting pits, adit, etc.) several miles from the South Pass City Mining District (http://www.southpasscity.com/) which is far larger than South Pass City itself. Mommy took a picture of me standing by an adit (horizontal shaft) which was totally hidden by a tree. This was my first trip to the South Zone of Shoshone National Forest.



Happy summer, Miley

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Working near the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway


Hello, everyone. I've been bugging Mommy persistently and managed to get her to type another post (wow, two in less than 2 weeks). Paws are not effective on the keyboard. She loaded me into the truck again last week and headed up into the mountains on Shoshone National Forest. This time we were working within a half mile of the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway. This road connects with the Beartooth Highway leading from about Red Lodge to Cook City, Montana and into Yellowstone National Park. I made Mom stop at Dead Indian Overlook and take a picture of the northwest view. As usual, the wind was blowing so I tried to help her steady the camera.



I am happy to report that no electric fences or bears were encountered on our excursion. No rain or hail occurred and we stayed dry although I did find some lovely puddles and a shallow ditch (off Russell Creek) to walk in. It was cooler up there and no rattlesnakes to worry about.

My usual pickup had to stay in one day for an oil change appointment so Mommy drove the diesel Ram. The windows had all been cleaned since my last ride in it. I made sure to get nose prints on the back glass and side windows. I forgot to adjust the review mirror for her - easily done with a couple of nose pokes. That used to confuse Mommy, who couldn't figure out why the rearview mirror was mysteriously tilted from time to time until my little nose prints were discovered on the glass. Oh well, my great Uncle Trouble set the emergency brake peddle on at least one occasion. I'll have to completely climb into the drivers seat to accomplish that.


I like looking at the scenery -cameras are hard to operate with paws. Why not invent one with bark recognition!
Happy Trails, Miley

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Fieldwork in the Mountains





Hello, Miley here with a long overdue post. I got a nice change of scenery yesterday. After the cold weather (and mountain snow) of about a week ago, it was finally nice enough for me and Mommy to go working in the lower elevations (around 7,500 feet) of the Absaroka Mountains in Shoshone National Forest. Much greener and less gray than the badlands and bentonite mines. I got to walk around in a shallow spring, it's fun getting my feet wet.






Mommy neglected to sufficiently warn about the evil fence marking the Forest boundary up there. I got zapped and complained loudly to Mommy! I rarely encounter electric fences, especially those three strands high. That explains why she was walking 3-4 feet away from it (boundary of our project area). Mommy assured me that my fur hasn’t gotten any curlier.




We also got rained and hailed on with the temperature dropping down to 41 degrees. Mommy was soaked by the time we returned to the truck; water would literally run off the top of her hat when she tilted her head. She looked like a big, wet, rat! She placed a blanket on the backseat for me, shut off the air conditioner, and turned on the heat until we got down from the mountain where it was a pleasant 66 degrees.

I saw several antelope and deer but happily no grizzly bears. According to local residents, the bears have been quite active this spring. One large male is known for occasionally “tearing through the draw” that we still need to hike up. Mommy and I do not wish to encounter him.

Hugs and happy summer, Miley

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Back to the Blog (with awards to pass on)



Hello all, Miley here after a long hiatus. No, I didn't fall off the face of the earth into a ravine, but things got a bit busy. We've catching up on work delayed by last month's snow storms (not much snow, but wet slick roads). Noticed that the rattlesnakes are back out again. I've been happy to hike around in the hills helping Mommy get back into shape. She has a great fondness for chocolate (which I'm not allowed to eat).

We wish a belated thankyou to Jake and Fergi for the Nemo and Proximity Awards. To answer the question, why do we like blogging. I, Miley the gabby one, loves to talk and hear about other dog's lives and experiences. Pictures of our doggy friends give us glimpses into their lives and that of their human parents. Blogging is a great way to meet others and find common grounds or interesting activities. I think Mommy likes to get away from the typical restrictions and forced precision of technical writing (reports and site forms) and relax with a little creativity. Admitedly, we are very new to blogging and Mommy's posts are rough compared to many of our fellow dog bloggers. She is still having problems with photo positioning, etc.. I'm trying to help her.
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We realize that there are many wonderful blogs out there. We have chosen this time around to pass the Nemo and Proximity Awards on to Baby Rocket Dog and Hootie, Maggie and Mitch the Airedales, Penney, Poppy, and Patches, Ruby, Willow, Hollie and Janie, and Barney and Storm. Several of you all have undoubtedly received these before. Thanks for your creative, colorful, and highly enjoyable blogs.




Hugs and happy trails, Miley

Monday, April 13, 2009

Fieldwork done on one project, Mommy in the office too much




Hello. Greetings from Miley, the most vocal member of the High Kountry Airedales Pack. I reminded Mommy this morning that it has been nearly a month since my last post. We finished up the fieldwork on our last bentonite mine project so she has been inside spending too much time on the computer typing up a report and stuff. I tried to coax her into posting this weekend, but she muttered something about a Monday morning deadline and printer problems. The Kodak printer decided this weekend that it would only print black ink on glossy premium photo paper rather than inkjet paper. It is now awaiting the second replacement printhead (in less than five months).

Anyhow, I've been playing with my Airedale buddies (and my beloved shelties Buddy and Teeroy) while eagerly looking forward to returning to the field with Mom. She said something about this week, weather allowing. I can't wait to go back out again, it's been a little over two weeks but feels like a month. Mom is probably starting to get a little out of shape so I'll have to help her up hills. She can be quite a load to gently pull up a steep slope. Hopefully, she didn't eat too much while working at her home office on the computer.






Monday, March 16, 2009

Things to play with in Mommy's backpack






















Hello again. Miley here. I have gotten Mommy back on the blog again. Oh, I wish I could type - isn't there any bark recognition software out there? Our pleasant field excursions were rudely interupted by a very cold, winter storm. Less than an inch of snow, not enough to do nose plows through or bounce around in but temperatures dropped to 3 below zero (wind chill factor of -25 one morning). Mommy grumbled a great deal and kept the wood pellet, burning stove running constantly for several days. Needless to say, much of last week was spent indoors. We finally got back to fieldwork this past weekend.

I have several little games I like to play in the field while Mommy is occupied with taking notes or pictures. She has an assortment of objects in her backpack. The tape measure and compass are boring, but I do like the gloves and fuzzy hat so I pull them out. Mommy usually places her backpack (unzipped) on the ground while she is focusing the camera to take pictures for reports. I love to reach in and grab her gloves out one by one. Then flip them into the air and catch them. Of course sometimes I do miss - Mommy usually finds the glove nearby caught in the sagebrush. The hat is fun to toss about or roll through the dirt - then she has to wash it or get dirt and sticks in her hair (which is funny for me).
Have a good week, Miley the Airedale















Friday, March 6, 2009

Miley's First Day of Field Season









Hello. I am Miley the Airedale (no relation to Hannah Montana, but I do like the show). As part of the gang at the High Kountry Airedales Pack and quite bubbly, I was chosen first to post. Yesterday was my first day back in the field with Mommy after a lengthy and cold Wyoming winter. My Mommy is an archaeologist or cultural resource management consultant. After months of shut down by snow (no archaeological survey allowed unless snow cover averages less than 20%) then mud, we returned to the bentonite mine yesterday. Having been office bound writing reports for months, Mommy is a little sore today and I am slightly tired after our hours of walking. Still wet and partially filled with snow and ice, drainage crossings were slick. Mommy slid and nearly fell down but I have 4 paw drive with more stability. Didn't see any bunnies to chase. Didn't see any of the wild horses although evidence (piles) from past horse activity were present.

I love hiking with Mommy especially when it is a little cool out (mid 40s). She has been taking me out in the field since I was about 9 weeks old - of course she had to carry me alot back then with frequent rest periods for me to nap in the truck. I am 2 and a half years old now. Back then, my distant relative Mariah was in the field with her most of the time. However, Mariah is nearly 9 and a half years old and is semi-retired from fieldwork. She still goes out in the field on smaller projects with less hours of continuous walking. Mariah is good at supervising Mommy when she is recording sites.
Wishing all a good weekend, Miley