White feathers are a BUGGER to keep clean!

 "Make each day your masterpiece."

~ John Wooden

Couldn't resist the reflection!

Mudflats are called MUDFLATS for a reason.

Just as I can’t go to the beach without getting wet, 

so can I NOT go on the mudflats without getting muddy.  

VERY muddy.

The hound loves it.

The more mud there is, the dirtier we get.

                 Shags aren’t that keen on mud.  

As the tide heads out and exposes the mud, they take sanctuary in the trees.  

I don’t blame them.  

Those white feathers must be a bugger to keep clean.

As they pimped and preened themselves, I indulged my crocodile obsession.

I don’t mind the mud, especially when I’m in pursuit of one of my feathered friends.  The more elusive they are, the further into the mud I generally have to trek.  On the mudflats though, you don’t even need to be in stalk mode to get muddy.

We had mud up to our knees and more.  Extricating oneself from the mud without losing ones shoes is an art in itself.  We had ample practise on Saturday and then practised some more.

This is BEFORE we sunk up to our knees in thick gloopy mud!

We laughed a lot too.

... and exited the mudflats a different colour to what we’d arrived. 

Washing the hound down was a decidedly dirty affair.

Not ONLY did she bring home lots of mud but she ALSO bought home a NEW ball.

A full-size RUGBY ball.

It’s not the first time we’ve found discarded balls on the beach.

Waiting for some air to be released from her newly acquired toy!

It couldn’t have come at a better time as Sam had chewed a

hole in the hound’s ball on the way to Takapuna on Friday.

All the better to get the bladder out!

As is their wont when together, they swop balls.

The hound takes the Chief’s ball and Sam has the ball he's now chewed a hole in.

Rugby balls with holes in them soon fill up with water.

Sinking becomes their preferred objective.

Tomorrow on the beach should be interesting.

"Happiness does not breed in captivity nor does it diminish when it is given away. 

On the contrary, merely by sowing happiness, we increase our quota."
~ Paulo Coelho

I CAN'T control the weather ...

Elizabeth Gilbert (author of Eat, Pray, Love) is credited with saying

“You need to learn to select your thoughts just the way you select your clothes each day. This is a power you can cultivate. If you want to control things in your life, work on the mind it’s the only thing you should be trying to control.”

Well .... I’ve realised the one thing I CAN’T control is the weather. Yesterday was one gorgeously beautilicious sunlit day  .... and it’s gone! It was like a tastebud sensation full to bursting with flavour! 

I want MORE!

Our feathered friends were out in force. It’s been a very low tide this week and the gulls have gorged themselves on the multitude of stranded fish caught in the rock pools as the waves retreat. The heron’s been visiting the mud flats and has made for some awesome close-up shots. He’s very photogenic but incredibly shy. Just as I inch my way through the mud, he takes to the air and soars to the opposite end of the beach. I’m left with muddy trainers and no photo.

The Shag was waiting for the sun too ....

I can be just as relentless though and my tenacity paid off with some gorgeous close-ups!

He was there again this morning, huddled up on the rocks waiting for the sun to break through the clouds. He’ll wait all day for that to happen though.

The fishy feast has left a myriad of fish heads and bones on the beach. Indy’s nose just can’t keep up! Just as he zones in on what he thinks will be a tasty treat, Julia tightens up his lead and walks him past it. You can see the dismay on his face .... wait .... I need to eat that!

My hound can’t decide between BALL or LOG. We start off our ramble with BALL but the tides are washing some awesome LOGS up onto the beach. It’s difficult to throw a log when the tide’s out and the mud flats are exposed. I end up having to walk well into the mud flat in order for the log to hit the water .... more muddy trainers!

She doesn’t like it when I tell her to leave the LOG behind and bring her BALL. 

Indecision grips her .... should I listen or should I DO an Indy and pretend I haven’t heard.

She only wants to please me though so despite the enormous temptation the log presents, she happily picks up the ball and races after me. 

She's dug herself a huge hole in the sand ... think she's trying to hide so the Dog Wardens don't see her.

“Make yourself so happy that when others look at you, they become happy too!” 

~ Yogi Bhajan ~ spiritual leader 

I think she’s been reading his books!

The waves and the sand are my sanctuary ... they restore peace when the mind is troubled. They make the worries of the world seem less real. I’m in my favourite place with my favourite hound, my camera and ample photo opportunities. What better way could there be to start one’s day.