Wet and Aggressive Corella challenges Magpie

Wet and Aggressive Corella challenges Magpie

Sunday 18 October 2020

Sunday Selections #503

 




Sunday Selections was originally brought to us by Kim, of Frogpondsrock, as an ongoing meme where participants could post previously unused photos languishing in their files.

Huge thanks to Cie who gave me this wonderful Sunday Selections image.
  
The meme was then continued by River at Drifting through life.  Sadly she has now stepped aside (though she will join us some weeks), and I have accepted the mantle. 
 


The rules are so simple as to be almost non-existent.  Post some photos under the title Sunday Selections and link back to me. Clicking on any of the photos will make them embiggen. 
I usually run with a theme.

For the last few weeks I have been posting photos of Floriade, my cities celebration of Spring.  There are more photos to come but this week I am stepping outside my comfort zone.

Anne in the kitchen said that she was curious about other blogger's lives and asked us to post a childhood photo and the stories/memories associated with that photo.  I am seriously photo phobic.  I don't like looking at myself and try not to inflict perpetual memories of the horror on other people.

However, these photos are a very definite part of my past. 



 

I was noted for my curiosity even then - and it is still one of my defining characteristics.




That majestic dog is Harris.  I apparently learned to walk pulling myself up on his tail and staggering along behind him - and am told he just about crossed his legs trying hard not to pull me off my wobbly feet.  I teethed on his ears - and he merely looked aggrieved.

He did pay me back by draining my bottle every chance he got. I have what I think is a real memory (and probably my first) of sitting on the front steps hammering him with the empty bottle. And an empty plastic bottle wielded by a two year old didn't faze him at all.   I should add it was entirely fair that he stole my bottle.  I apparently often stole and gnawed on his dog biscuits.

Harris was a trained attack dog and my father gave exhibitions where Harris attacked heavily padded people on command.  My father used to finish those exhibitions by tossing Harris's lead to his toddler daughter for her to lead him out of the ring.  I assume I was fully dressed at the time.

The family friend who took these photos was well known to Harris.  However when he arrived unexpectedly one day and started to walk into the house (my parents were visiting the next door neighbour), Harris simply wouldn't let him.  He bailed him up at the door and barked loud and long.  Neither would he let him leave.  Fortunately the commotion brought my parents home.  As soon as they arrived and greeted the family friend Harris was fine.  Hackles down, and tail wagging he welcomed the friend into the house.

We always had animals when I was growing up, and Harris was a stand out example. I still have a huge soft spot for German Shepherds.

I will revert to more usual (for me) posts next week - and probably also return to my photo heavy posts.

I hope your week to come is barkingly good.


166 comments:

  1. Aww, such beautiful photos...you were such a little cutie!!😊😊 I love seeing Harris in the photos too...he reminds me so much of Rebel, the German Shepherd I grew up with...and coincidentally, he was also trained as a police dog but was considered to be "too soft" for the job, hence the reason we ended up with him!
    I so enjoyed these photos...thank you so much for sharing!😊😊
    Thank you also for your kind and supportive comment on my blog...I truly appreciate it so very much.

    Stay safe and happy, my dear friend...and have a wonderful Sunday!

    Much love and hugs ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

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    1. Ygraine: It seems that several of us grew up with German Shepherds. They are such beautiful dogs, and Harris (and the Shepherds who followed him) have a permanent home in my heart. I thoroughly enjoy your blog and am in awe at your poetic ability and your spirit.

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  2. Love, love LOVE those pictures and the story of Harris. We had animals all the time I was growing up and it seemed so right. And then I married SG, who never had them and he is not a fan of indoor animals. I consider him to be my current pet. :-)

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    1. DJan: We had all sorts of animals when I was growing up. We had dogs, cats, birds, fish, chooks, turtles, guinea pigs... I still need to share my space with an animal to feel at home. And your comment about SG reminded me of a card my mother gave my father.
      It said:
      All men are animals.
      Happy Birthday from an animal lover.

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  3. It's nice that you have so many early memories and fond experiences with animals that you didn't grow up afraid of them. He certainly sounds like a wonderful companion for you! Thank you for sharing a bit of your life with us. :) Hugs and stay safe.

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    1. River Fairchild: Thank you. Perhaps a little fear would have been an advantage. There is a family story that I had to be forcibly restrained from going in to say hello to a bull who was pacing his paddock angrily as he eyed the cows in the next paddock.

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  4. Spending some time looking back on life is good...
    Have a nice Sunday.

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    1. Caterina: Some memories are precious. Have a wonderful weekend.

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  5. I really enjoyed this post. You and Harris were quite a pair.

    Love,
    Janie

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    1. Janie Junebug: Thank you. Harris was a very, very special dog. All of the family that are left still talk fondly of him.

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  6. What wonderful photos and memories. Doga have a way to sneak into our memories ... I enjoyed your story very much.

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    1. Charlotte (MotherOwl): Some animals have a permanent home in our hearts and take a large piece of us with them when they leave.

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  7. Your photos and memories let the corners of my mouth start an expedition to my ear-lobes; and they have not entirely returned, yet.

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    1. Sean Jeating: I am glad to hear it. As a teenager I loathed these photos and cringed when they were brought out. I am now very, very glad to have them.

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  8. I love this post. Thank you for obliging! You were an adorable tot! And you had curls! My entire life I have been stricken with curl envy!
    I also loved the memory associated with the pictures of Harris!

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    1. Anne in the kitchen: Thank you. I am glad that you pushed me out of my comfort zone. I still have curls. Probably more now than then. And my mother used to have her hair straightened once a week. My lazy self goes the wash and wear route and embraces the curls.

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  9. That is a beautiful dog Harris's, and early times you very enjoyed, love them.

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    1. Bob Bushell: Thank you. He was a very, very beautiful dog.

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  10. Wonderful memories to cherish, and certainly a broad step away from your usual Sunday posts.

    We had pets all throughout our childhood, too. I believe pets play a very important role in the life of a child.

    I hope the week ahead treats you well, EC...cuddles to Jazz. :0

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    1. Lee: I agree with you about the impact of sharing childhood with animals. And yes, it is a different Sunday Selections but I am grateful to Anne for the challenge.

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  11. Yes, you are butt naked there! Funny the dog was so gentle with you considering he was an attack dog.

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    1. Alex J. Cavanaugh: I had the important things - my bottle, my apple and the dog. Harris was astonishingly gentle when he wasn't working.

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  12. What extraordinary photos of you, EC. The trust and love between Harris and you is visible and deeply moving.

    XO
    WWW

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    1. Wisewebwoman: Thank you. I did trust him. I did love him and believe it was shared. And my parents trusted and loved us both.

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  13. Thanks for sharing yourself with us, dear sis. But does Jazz know?!

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    1. Cloudia: Of course Jazz doesn't know. He would not like Harris. Harris was fine with cats, and kittens climbed his britches.

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  14. Interesting memories and photos, oh curly one. Still curly? I think it is great for children to grow up with dogs. I am surprised that an attack dog could be so trusted with children.

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    1. Andrew: Definitely still curly. Possibly more curly. Harris was very, very well trained. He had a clear separation between 'work' and other life. He was definitely trusted, and never gave the slightest reason to question that trust.

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  15. dogs and babies go together so well x

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    1. John Going Gently: They do. Mind you I think that every age is made better with an animal (or more) to share it with.

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  16. It amazes me how dogs are so gentle with children. Your memory of the dog and the stories you heard are special indeed. It sounds like you had a friend and protector in Harris.

    What gorgeous curly hair you had, EC.

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    1. Marie Smith: Thank you. I most definitely did have a friend and a protector in Harris. Our whole family did.

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  17. You were a beautiful child, EC. Those eyes and that smile! I love this post. Thank you for going outside your comfort zone and sharing your photos and memories with us. I have a soft spot for Harris just from reading about him. I can only imagine how you must still feel about him.

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    1. jenny_o: Thank you. And yes, there is a very special place in my heart for Harris still, decades after he died. I am so glad that I could convey some of just how special he was.

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  18. You were such a cute little toddler :)
    Harris reminds me of our Ace, who would also let people in as long as we were home, but not if we weren't. An example is my brother's friend, always welcomed by Ace until the day he wanted to enter the gate before my brother, Ace took a piece out of his shorts as the kid frantically tried to run back out. Strangers were another matter. Ace would let them in but not let them out and I often came home from school to find door to door salesmen chatting on the back porch with Ace keeping watch.

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    1. River: Ace and Harris sound very similar. Harris knew Garth well - and liked him but that day he wasn't coming in and he wasn't going out either. He was lucky that my parents were not far away.

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  19. As the old song goes:- I bet you were a beautiful baby etc etc. It’s true...you certainly were.
    One of our girls ‘loathes’ the nudie photos we have of her as a little one. Yet she took oodles of similar ones of her own children.
    We can tell Harris was a working dog - he’s lean, not a skerrick of fat on him

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    1. Cathy: For most of the time Harris was a much loved family member rather than a worker. He was in beautiful condition though. And thank you, as I said the Sean Jetting I cringed when those photos were brought out when I was a child but I am very glad to have them now.

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  20. What a great post to find when I finally got back to visiting! Harris was a very handsome dog, and I love the photos of you both. When I was growing up we had dogs, cats, horses - for me a family isn't complete unless it has 4-legged members. Mr A was brought up in Grimsby in the UK, and had no experience of pets, but our kids inherited my love of animals, and we have always had them around.
    I have been missing in action because Mr A has been in hospital for the last 3 weeks - a hip replacement which went wrong - and I have been going over to Hamilton every day, which is 3-4 hours driving depending on traffic etc. He is finally getting to the point where he may eventually be allowed to come home...
    :)

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    1. Alexia: Oh no. That sounds as if you have been having a dreadful time of it. I am glad that Mr A is finally improving and hope that you both get a bit of a break. You will no doubt be busy when he gets home, but much less driving has to be a plus.
      I am completely with you about the need for furred/feathered/extra legged family members.

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  21. You do have lovely curls and that plastic bottle of yours was huge. Can't imagine you tugging along that heavy bottle all the time. Maybe Harris was doing you a favour by emptying it so you could walk faster!!

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    1. kestrel: Harris would no doubt have agreed with you. It is far too long ago for me to remember, but I suspect I was happy with its weight. A bottle, an apple and the dog meant I didn't have a lot to complain about.

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  22. Here I am at the bottom again. For some reason your posts don't show up on my sidebar until 10 hours after you post them. There are a couple of other blogs like that too. Oh well, I'm surprised that this post is still accessible since the naked kid pictures have been up that long. You must have friends in high places.

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    1. Mike: I wonder why my posts take so long to show up. That is just plain weird. I have a couple of blogs (often WordPress) blogs I follow that is true of too. And one that I never, ever get a notification about.
      I am not expecting any problems from posting naked pictures of my much younger self. Should I be?

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  23. I've known some Harris-type dogs.Good, working dogs.But the ones around me now are anything but! Such a waste of a smart animal to "get one for a pet" then leave the poor thing alone all day with nothing to do except wreck things.

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    1. dinahmow: A bored dog, like a bored person is destructive. To themselves and their environment. I don't blame the dog though.

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  24. Dear EC
    Thank you for this little peek into your childhood. I have very fond memories of two cats we had when I was little - Phoebe and Katie.
    Have a good week
    Best wishes
    Ellie

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    1. Ellie Foster: We always had animals and I have fond memories of all of them. Phoebe and Katie are wonderful names for cats. You have a lovely week too.

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  25. Hi EC - love the kiddo photos ... as the others have said ... wonderful curls - nakedness no worries ... just hope you didn't sit on an ants nest like I did. We had a cat ... but no dog - til my brother married and still has a wife and a dog!, and I married and had one in South Africa ... my lifestyle hasn't allowed - or doesn't.


    Harris is very handsome ... and fascinating stories you've given us of your (very) early life - loved the note about after a display ... you were thrown the lead to take Harris out of the arena. Wonderful to imagine more stories from your prompts of your young life in Australia.

    Wonderful ... take care - Hilary

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    1. Hilary Melton-Butcher: No ants nests that I am aware of. Fortunate - because ant bites bring me up in spectacular welts.
      My father was a showman and I have no doubt he counted on (and enjoyed) horrified reactions to the little girl being given that ferocious dog's lead.
      I think everyone has tales to tell from their youth - and I would love to hear some of yours.

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  26. Oh my goodness, what wonderful memories and priceless photos of you and your beloved dog 'Harris'.
    Thanks for that.

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    1. Margaret D: The memories stay with me but I am very glad to have the photos too. And also glad that I finally learned to appreciate them.

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  27. Lovely little girl and beautiful dog...when I was young, an adult friend of my mother had a German Shepherd that knocked me down. As a young child, I was always apprehensive around dogs after that. You were very lucky you belonged to Harris.

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    1. e: Those early impressions last don't they? The family had a strong connection with a local dog club, with a focus on training so I was always around dogs. The only dog who ever gave me any problems was a small one who jumped up to bite me and I am still wary of small dogs.

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  28. Wonderful memories! You were a very cute child and I love your memories of Harris!

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    1. jono: Thank you. I am very grateful to have those memories. Memories of Harris and of the dogs (and other animals) who followed him.

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  29. Cute butt! And great memories (those at least) it seems to me. Like you I am not a big fan of wallowing in photographs from the past, and I had very few in any event. I recently gave them all to my daughter for her to do with them whatever she chooses, so I quite literally have none to look over if ever I had a sudden urge to do so. Most of my childhood is best forgotten and I certainly have no desire to relive it through fading photographs.

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    1. David M. Gascoigne: It is lovely to see that you can comment so soon after your eye surgery. Photos were not common when I was growing up and photos of me even less so now. Memories are sufficient. And these memories are good. Others less so.

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  30. That is a great childhood story and no wonder you love animals now. Teething on his ears, learning to with his help. Your father had a knack for great showmanship, showing off his attack dog, yet a toddler leads him from the show.

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    1. Strayer: Father certainly was a showman. He was also a stickler for dog training. I was in absolutely no danger but he traded on the fact that some of the audience would not have realised that.

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  31. Such sweetness! Things are so very different now.

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    1. Debby: I hope that the love of children and animals continues. I hope it so much.

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  32. I love the innocence of it all. Such great memories of your beloved best friend and guardian,Harris. Such a majestic looking dog.

    I love the photo of you looking at the reflection in the hub cap. Just so cute. You were a cutie for sure. I never saw any photos of me naked but I heard a story of me as a naked baby that goes like this: My dad lifted up in the air and I pooped in his hand. lol. Of course, I don't remember this but I had to take his word for it.

    Hugs, Julia

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    1. Julia: My father told some similar stories about me. And my mother counted with stories about my brothers peeing in her face as she changed them.

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  33. What wonderful pictures! There's something very freeing about being a toddler who can run around naked. Ahhh, the good old days, lol. Love your German Shepherd. I have one myself, though not as large as yours. But the breed is wonderfully protective and loyal and loving to their humans.

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    1. Dragonquillica: Definitely protective, loyal and loving. And much loved.

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  34. Such cute photos and beautiful memories. Harris sounds like a wonderful companion. Growing up with dogs myself I have a soft spot for dogs too. Have a safe and great week my friend.

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    1. Mason Canyon: Harris WAS a wonderful companion. And very patient with my slow moving self too. I am so grateful to have had an early exposure to animals and like you that soft spot continues.

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  35. Lovely photos and a sweet share about your "shy" beginnings. I love dogs and have lived with two shepherds. Didn't know about their baby sitting skills.
    Have a wonderful week.

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    1. Myrna R.: I really don't know whether all shepherds are such skilled babysitters - but wouldn't be at all surprised. Despite my beginnings I am a shy adult. A shy and clothed adult.

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  36. Well, that little bare bottom is incredibly sweet! I have never really got to know any German Shepherds, however, OlderSon has a sort of German Shepherd/wolf/mutt/enormous dog of indeterminate breed, who looks and sounds very very scary indeed, but is actually a terrible coward, and is completely dominated by the cat.
    Hooray for Harris, what a good dog. And hooray for your dad too, letting you bond with Harris.

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    1. Shammickite: Of course the cat rules. Years later my father opened the door to let the Shepherd out one morning. A tiny, half starved kitten on the front step reared up and boxed the dog on the nose. A cat of character my father said. We will keep her. We did. And she ruled the house with a paw of iron to the end of her days.

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  37. This post is hilarious! Love your photos. You looked so cute and that dog was magnificent.

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    1. gigi-hawaii: Thank you. Harris was a prize winner, but much more importantly he was a much loved and loving companion.

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  38. How sweet. Those pictures of you and the dog are really cute. I grew up with a mid size dog that would wit under the table for any foods that me and my brother didn't like.

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    1. Mary Kirkland: All of our dogs were surreptiously fed food we considered poison. The day one emerged from under the table and threw up several brussel sprouts was a dead give away at how unpopular they were - with us and with the dog.

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  39. My mother always wanted us to have a dog to grow up with, as she did. From my adult perspective I can see that they were her father's dogs and he trained them. She had no concept of dog training, and her one attempt at a family dog was a disaster. As an adult I had a wonderful dog, and when he was gone I didn't think of replacing him. My sister always had dogs, and I trained them to very basic manners like not jumping on customers. My sister's current dog is an ill mannered little yapper. That's a shame. A well mannered dog is so easy to love.

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    1. Joanne Noragon: All of the dogs I grew up with were very well trained. And you are right, it makes/made a huge difference. There is work involved, but it is work which pays dividends. Generous dividends.

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  40. Wow. Harris had to be a delight to your family.

    My selections are over here somewhere.

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    1. messymimi: He was. A complete and utter delight. I have seen your Sunday Selections and thoroughly enjoyed them.

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  41. Harris sounds like an absolute joy to have for a pet. The pictures are cute. The one of you looking in the reflection of the wheel made me laugh. I can see my granddaughter doing the same. Curiosity can be a very good thing. :)

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    1. mail4rosey: Harris (and the animals which followed him) were most definite joys. I am so grateful that my parents believed that growing up with animals was an essential. And that they were unable to stifle my curiosity.

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  42. Absolutely adore this post, and like you, I don't post any pictures of myself online, but I do post things from my younger days when I come across old pictures. You are beautiful and so is your dog, Harris. Good to have that protection and love. Sending some hugs your way! RO

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    1. RO: Thank you. There are very few photos from my childhood, but these were retained. For which I am grateful. Your hugs are lovely - and reciprocated.

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  43. P.S. With your kind heart there's no way you could ever inflict horror on any of us. Just thought I'd throw that out there! Hugs, RO

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    1. RO: Believe me, photos of me definitely fall into the horror category.

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  44. Wonderful photos!!! Harris sounds like a true prize and those are fabulous memories!

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    1. Jemi Fraser: Harris was lovely and the family memories of him are golden. And diamond studded.

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  45. Eager curiosity is a sign of intelligence and your german shepard seen here is obviously wise and smart. It's fascinating how dogs solve situations by acting based on knowledge they've learnt over the years.

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    1. Spacer Guy: Harris was very, very intelligent. And beautiful. I really wish that it wasn't so common to underestimate the intelligence of species other than our own.

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  46. These photographs are amazing. And what beautiful memories..

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    1. Hena Tayeb: Thank you. The family friend who took these was a skilled photographer wasn't he? And also a huge fan of German Shepherds.

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  47. Your parents had a Pontaic when you were wee, eh? Great photos. Great snippet of your early life. You with Harris; you with your bottle. You look happy. Harris looked to be a very fine dog, indeed.

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    1. Bea: The Pontiac didn't belong to my parents. The photographer is my best guess. And yes I am told that so long as I had my bottle, my apple and Harris I WAS happy.

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  48. I've been reading your blog for all these years, EC, and never noticed your were photo phobic. I just assumed you liked other subjects more. These pictures are so cute, though! Thank you for sharing them with us.

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    1. John Wiswell: I do like other subjects more. A LOT more.

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  49. I absolutely love your photos... and that wonderful dog. Dogs are such good judges of character. Much more than we give them credit for.

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    1. Cindi Clarke: Animals are possessors of a lot more excellent characteristics than many of us give them credit for.

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  50. A barkingly interesting post, Sue. You little stunner you. Lovely dog and such cute stories of growing up with him. He doesn't look like an attack dog. Obviously he never attacked you. Congratulations in moving out from your comfort zone and sharing with your fans.

    Hope things go well in the ACT. I arrived home from my caravanning in Northern Queensland unscathed.

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    1. Denise Covey: Harris had reason to attack me (stealing from him AND gnawing on his ears) but never did. Instead he protected me. You have also often moved me out of my comfort zone - which is probably a good thing, though frightening. I hope your caravanning was lovely. Canberra is doing pretty well at the moment, but it is too soon to be complacent.

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  51. So lovely memorial in these photos. You was very cute kid. And I*m sure you will remember for ever your Harris-dog.
    A big hug.

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    1. orvokki: Thank you. We will indeed always remember Harris.

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  52. Oh, I just love these tender photos and your memories of Harris. What an amazing dog he was!

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    1. Lady Fi: They are amazing photos aren't they, and tender is the right description. You are right about Harris too.

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  53. Wow . . . those photos are great!

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    1. Lon Anderson: Thank you. The family friend did an excellent job didn't he?

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    2. He truly did!

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    3. Lon Anderson: I wish I could tell him of my belated appreciation.

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    4. If he knew how much you appreciated the fine job he did, I'm sure he would have loved hearing that!

      PS I don't know if you discovered that my blog you used to follow is no more. I now have a different one, due to much change that recently took place in my life.

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    5. Lon Anderson: I have found your new blog. Thank you for letting me know.

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  54. Lovely pics :-) and memories! The dog-people bond is strong and wonderful!

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    1. Lisa Southard: Thank you. I am so very grateful that my parents instilled a life long love of animals in me.

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  55. Son imágenes muy tiernas de tu niñez.

    me han encantado las fotografías.

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    1. VENTANA DE FOTO: Thank you. They are very special memories (and photographs) indeed.

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  56. Memories are so important ❤

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  57. Thanks so much for sharing, EC. Such wonderful memories and special pictures. Both you and Harris were quite photogenic:)

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    1. Sandra Cox: I am not going to admit just how long it took me to appreciate these photos. Harris was such an important part of my childhood.

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    2. He sounds like a wonderful companion and that he loved you very much. And those photographs are very special.

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    3. Sandra Cox: He was a wonderful companion. The family friend who took the photos knew they were special but I do wish that he was still alive so I could tell him that I had come to a belated (but heartfelt) appreciation.

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  58. Memories are so precious and an absolutely delightful story that brought smiles,

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    1. RasmaSandra: Thank you. Decades later I treasure those memories. Treasure them more than many others.

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  59. Really cute pictures and that you learned to walk holding on to your dog, so cute! The stories are wonderful! I also grew up with Alsatians (we called them). My dad was a police officer that and his K9 colleagues used to come and pick him up, and they would always bring the dogs into the house with them. We hung around their necks and gave them as much love as our little bodies could give them. Then we went to a police sports day and cheered them on as they raced across the field with the man in the padded suit ‘shooting’ at them, and we cheered even louder when our furry friends brought them down. Thank you for this great post on Harris and the memories you have of him. They brought back a lot of wonderful ones I had too. We always grew up with dogs and cats and rabbits, lots of rabbits :)

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    1. DeniseinVA: My father insisted that they were German Shepherds rather than Alsatians. He said that they were only Alsations if they bit you (which I suspect was a touch of racism on my German father's part).
      I love that you too knew the incredible love and gentleness of these 'attack' dogs. And of course you cheered them on.

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  60. Oh my gosh, aren't childhood photos just the best! So many great moments and so many wonderful pets we had it's one of my favorite things to cheer up with. Just back from my visit to my daughter's in Alabama and I finally met their new German Shepherd Artemis and she was my shadow the entire trip! They are a smart loving and loyal dog.

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    1. 21 Wits: Artemis is a wonderful name for a German Shepherd and how lucky you were to have her as a shadow. They are indeed smart (mostly - we had one who wasn't the brightest), loving and loyal.

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  61. Thanks for sharing part of your past. You were a darling!

    My brother Don was 18 months old when he had escaped down the driveway. Max (a German shepherd) picked him up by his diaper and took him back home.

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    1. Susan Kane: I love this story and am quite sure that while Don was probably indignant he was totally unharmed.

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  62. Harris seems like he was a very special pooch.

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    1. The Liberty Belle: Welcome and thank you. Harris was very, very special and has a permanent home in my family's heart.

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  63. I was raised alongside a German Shepherd/Lab mix when I was really young. My parents have pictures of our "nap-time" together on the floor. I would sleep and he would sit and watch over me. Dogs are wonderful parts of our families.

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    1. Tyrean Martinson: They are. Much cherished members of our families. And better behaved (and more supportive) than a lot of mine.

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  64. It's cute to see photos of your childhood naked doing a lot ... and seeing how close you are to Harris. Regards :)

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    1. Himawan Sant: Thank you. I was often even closer than that to Harris. I slept on him more than once, and he waited patiently for me to wake.

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  65. Wonderful pictures and memories. I was bitten by a German Shepherd when I was a toddler and have had a healthy respect for that breed ever since. We had a dog that used to bark and growl whenever anyone knocked at the door; if they walked in without knocking he completely ignored them. Dad used to say we should get a sign, "Burglars, please knock".

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    1. John "By Stargoose and Hanglands": I well understand your wariness. It was a corgy who reached up to nip me when I was six or seven and I have been wary of them every since.
      The shepherd we had after Harris, Jedda, loved all visitors, invited or not. My father said that she would lick a burglar to death.

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  66. These photos are incredibly beautiful and so cute! I love old photos, wonderful memories!

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    1. Natalia: I have very, very few photos from my childhood and these are precious to me.

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  67. Your childhood photos were so cute.
    Although Maaih is black and white, the photos look classic and beautiful.
    You were photogenic
    Have a nice week
    Regards

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    1. Justcherry: Thank you. I think that black and white was all that was available at the time and for these photos it was enough. I hope your week is lovely too.

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  68. It's beautiful to see photographs that illustrate, so perfectly, your childhood innocence, curiosity and sense of wonder

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    1. Kim: Thank you. I retain the curiosity and the sense of wonder. Two out of three isn't bad.

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  69. Those are some cute photos! And Harris...he looks like a sweetie!

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  70. Hello! :)
    very interesting post. I read it with pleasure. you write very interestingly and your posts are very inspiring :) if you want, we can visit each other or observe our blogs :)
    Greetings from Poland!

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    1. Ayuna: Welcome and thank you. I will be over to visit your blog in a minute.

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  71. What wonderful pictures. I love that your parents allowed you to wonder around in your altogethers ... you wouldn't see that here which probably explains everyone's seudo sense of modesty. Love your dog. I grew up wanting a German Shepard but since we already had a pointer(who I loved) named Skip it wasn't going to happen (Skip died when I was a sophomore in college at age 19). I did finally get my German Shepard when I got married. He was an awesome, handsome, protective dog, but sadly we had to put him down because he developed a cancer in his mouth. I too am an animal lover, as you know, so this story was especially endearing to me. Hope you have more such stories to share. Thank you for clueing me in :)

    Andrea @ From the Sol

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    1. Andrea @ From The Sol: I am glad that I was right and that you did like this post. I do to this day love German Shepherds. An early morning walker in our street has one. He is a beautiful dog but she tells me that he is smarter than she is.

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  72. Kids and dogs! I think I have something in my eye!
    We had a German Shepherd x Labrador who was similarly beloved and patiently withstood little fingers in eyes and shared nose licks with the toddlers of the family (yes, she had her nose licked, too!)
    What adorable photos

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    1. kylie: I have had something in my eye quite often when revisiting these photos and memories. And yes, the dogs licked us, and we licked them. We gnawed on them too - which they fortunately didn't reciprocate.

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  73. Dogs they are amazing creatures

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    1. Steve: They are, some (like Harris) more so than others.

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  74. YOU have a barkingly good weekend, my friend, filled with birds, flowers and much sparkle.

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    1. Sandra Cox: Many thanks. We have a wet weekend ahead, and the sparkle will come from rain bejeweled flowers. I hope that yours is packed with joy.

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  75. I loved this post so much! Harris sounds like such a great boy! He knew how to love and protect - the bestest boy! Thank you for sharing him (and you) with us.

    Elsie

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    1. Elsie Amata: He was most definitely the bestest boy. And followed by other best boys (and girls). All of whom have permanent homes in my heart.

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  76. Such a lovely post.
    I enjoyed seeing your old photographs and reading about Harris, such an amazing dog.

    I hope your week has gone well.
    Eddie and I have been enjoying some nice Autumn days in-between a wet and windy Storm Barbara!

    Stay safe and away from Covid, it's not going away!

    My good wishes.

    All the best Jan

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    1. Lowcarb team member ~Jan: Thank you. I hope that Storm Barbara didn't cause too much damage and that you and Eddie continue to enjoy autumn.
      My city had its first recorded case of Covid 19 in over 100 days this week. It was a returning diplomat and yet again I am grateful that travel is severely restricted.
      Stay safe, stay well.

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  77. Awww...such lovely photos from your childhood. Loved it.

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    1. Kelly Steel: Thank you. They are incredible photos aren't they?

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  78. Thanks for sharing these special pictures with us and the memories too. Harris sounds like an amazing dog and friend. So glad he was part of your childhood. :)
    ~Jess

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    1. DMS~Jess: He was an amazing dog, and decades later I remember him with love.

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