Five Photos, Five Stories #4 (only one more to go!)
Challenge Rules: I am to post a photo each day for five consecutive days and attach a story to the photo. It can be fiction or non-fiction, a poem, or a short paragraph.
Some of you may remember the story of the cold-stunned sea turtles stranded on Cape Cod’s shores last winter. And the huge effort by General Aviation pilots to carry the turtles down to warmer waters throughout the Southeast. My BH did his small part carrying fourteen critically endangered Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles and two loggerheads in his small Cessna from Massachusetts to Virginia last winter.
As luck would have it, the release of the precious Kemp’s Ridley turtles back into the ocean happened just last Saturday. We were invited to attend the ceremony which the ecstatic Georgia Island Sea Turtle people described as “epic” and “momentous.” But we had a schedule conflict with the Westie Rescue benefit in Northern VA and couldn’t make it work.
You know it killed us not to be there.
We’ll console ourselves with memories of these more snuggly little beasts:
And these:
And even these standoff-ish Scottish Terriers. They are ornery. And aloof. They clearly find themselves superior to any other breed. I really want one.
As Max would say: “A-rooo-oooo!” Thanks for reading!
Barbara
Silver in the Barn 
This is an ‘awwww’ post 🙂
What’s not to love? …. turtles and westies ❤
Why is it that nothing can happen for weeks and months, only to have a conflict with 2 much desired events on the same day?!!!
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Exactly our sentiments. When we got word of the turtle release, we tried to make it work with the Westie thing, but impossible. For starters, no good (by that I mean fast) planes were available in BH’s flying club. The one we could have taken would have meant a 4.5 hour flight crammed into a small cockpit. One way. No, thank you.
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Good choice!!
I assumed your husband had his own plane. Was that an error on my part?
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BH belongs to a flying club called….get ready….Wing Nuts! Aren’t those pilots a laugh riot? Anyhoo….the club used to have four planes shared by all the members. They sold one and are in the market for a new one so now only three. You reserve the plane you want just like you would a car. It’s very cool concept and is a much more affordable thing than owning and maintaining your own plane. The good thing is that the vast majority of members don’t even fly that much. It’s the old 80/20 rule again only this time it works in our favor. Only about 20 percent actually regularly fly.
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That is really brilliant … both how the club works and its name 🙂
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Yay for the turtles… your hearts have to be happy knowing you played a part getting them to their “epic” release! Cool! Those little snuggly beast smiling faces are darling.
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I’m amazed to learn it took so long to nurse them back to health and to feel it was safe to release them. Can you imagine entire facilities devoted to sea turtles? There’s a lot of good works in this world, isn’t there?
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You can’t be all places at all times. The more I become consumed in my children’s busy schedules, the more I come to realize that. A monumental event indeed…but you know what makes that all better?…PUPPIES!!! (or dogs really, maybe, but puppies just sounded cuter.)
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I know. It’s like Joanne said….couldn’t you people have coordinated these two events so we could go to both? Because it IS all about us, after all. LOL! There were no puppies there or the cuteness overload might have been fatal. Westies make the cutest puppies I’ve ever seen.
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Yes, those are quite adorable!! I’ve always been partial to Golden Retrievers myself but Westies seem a rarer breed. Perhaps they’ve fallen off my radar.
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Too bad about your schedule conflict! Two great events, happening simultaneously.
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Hello, Dianna. I know, it was really frustrating but I’m glad we made the decision we did. Georgia is awfully far away for a one-nighter, don’t you think?
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We once counted a Scottie named Pepper as a beloved family member. She was wonderfully self absorbed. She also attacked the mail as it came through our townhouse door slot. Once a neighbor called and asked if she had her rabies shot. Of course. Why? She bit me. Impossible as she is always on a leash. Turned out the man had put something in our mail slot and pushed his fingers too far in. 🙂
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That’s what he gets for putting his fingers too far in, IMHO. Oh, I really like these ornery little guys, Dor, they remind me so of Berkley who was big and had a similar head shape and temperment. Berkley only really liked me. Did your Pepper live a long life? I know most terriers do….
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Pepper lived to be 11 years old – a great loss for our family, but we were on to other dogs – two Golden Retrievers, who lived to old age, and then we inherited Rozie the rescue dog, who was about 13 when we lost her. I still cry on command when I think of any of them. You are so lucky to have Max and yes, a Scottie will add some life and mischief into the equation. 🙂
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Oh gosh, Dor, I know. just the other day I came across something which reminded me so suddenly of Berkley and I couldn’t believe how sharp the pang of missing him was. And I do just love Golden Retrievers too. A kinder, gentler dog there never was.
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Adorable…I am convinced you made just the right choice! Max would’ve been left out with the turtle thing anyway.
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An excellent point and one that we considered. Never mind being crammed into a little plane for 4.5 hours. Not fun with such limited cabin service…and bathroom facilities.
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So pleased to see a follow up to the turtle rescue post….but isn’t it sod’s law that two events come on the same day!
I was decidedly tickled by the photograph of the Westies in kilts….
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Wait. Heading to Google Sod’s Law first…..OK, I’m back. Wikipedia pronounces Sod’s Law as first cousin to Murphy’s Law…only a bit darker which makes me like it even better. Yes, it was exactly our bad luck to have both events coincide on the same weekend. Poor sods that we are. And yes, the kilted Westies were as precious as you can imagine. Owned by a British lady whose pronunciation sounded like this: “Gulls! Gulls!” She said they were dreadful little beasts which I guess for a Brit is a term of endearment.
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Indeed it is…I refer to our new puppies as amiable thugs…which they take as being a compliment.
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What? New puppies? When will there be a formal introduction?
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When they stay still long enough to take a photograph which does not consist of fat bellies uppermost as they sleep off a meal…
They are American Staffordshires…in need of a home thanks to their reputation. At two months! Dafter pups you could not wish to meet.
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Such a maligned dog. A curse on Michael Vick and all the rest of them that have done such damage to a good breed. I’ll impatiently await photos.
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I’ll wait till they show their good profile….
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Sometimes it’s hard making a choice between things we’re passionate about. Love that first photo!
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Seems like arms circling in an embrace. I liked it too, Thanks, Suzi.
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It’s not that I don’t like turtles, but if i had to choose between turtles doing adorable things and dogs being dogs, well, I’d choose the furry puppies fersure! I mean, I can’t even look at those Westies without makin squeaky aw noises! Wook at their wittle plaid vests! *squee*
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Exactly!!! The little outfits were pretty ingenious actually – they were sort of sewn on to the harnesses and didn’t seem to bother the girls one bit. I think there is a slight chance Max would agree to wear something like this for a little while.
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And the turtles are in Georgia. Which I know is a huge plus…..
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Would really loved to have been there for the Turtle release! Thom
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Oh good! I was so hoping you’d see this, Thom, as I’ve been meaning to tell you that I haven’t gotten to Turtle Diaries yet. My book club has selected monstrously long books for discussion – 800 page tomes! – and I just haven’t made the time. One more big book to get through and then I’ll start on that one.
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Always good to have a treat in store! New post over at the Jukebox when you have a minute. Regards thom.
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Call me crazy, but I would love to take home one of those Westies. You probably felt the same way.
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You’d be crazy if you didn’t want to take one home, Kristie. This wasn’t an adoption event, to be clear. It was an annual fundraiser and meet-up. Once the dogs are ready to be adopted (after going through the fostering process) they get posted on Petfinders which, by the way, is in Canada too. I found a Westie Rescue organization in Canada but only for Quebec and Ontario, I think. http://www.westiesinneed.ca/
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Our neighbor had a rather aloof Scottie named Raymond. He died this past summer, but he had the lovely stand-off-ish-ness you describe. Everybody loved Raymond . . . even if Raymond refused to reciprocate.
I’m glad the turtles returned to the wild! Yay!
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That’s the same quality Berkley had, Nancy. When somebody came over, Max would charge with tail wagging. Berkley would stand on the sidelines thinking “Humph, what’s all the fuss about?” My kind of dog! I met a Scottie at the vets once by the name of Arthur! I love that too.
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Wow! Amazing.
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I didn’t really want you to see this today, Jodi. Hope you’re doing okay.
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It’s ok sweet Barbara – I just returned from 3 days in NYC, which was a nice distraction, but it was so sad to return home and not have a sweet furry little guy greet me…….. 😦
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I was on Jekyll Island last October and went to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. Glad that they’re getting help. And huzzah for your husband for being a rescue pilot!
Do you ever go to the Alexandria Scottish Christmas Walk? It’s on the first Saturday of December every year. All groups Scottish in northern Virginia and beyond come out for the parade, including Scotties and Westies, all in their plaids and kilts. Your photos reminded of it.
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Oh! I really want to go there, Susan, turtle release or not! I think it would be great fun to tour. Did you enjoy?
We’ve not down the Christmas Walks with our Westies because Berkley (our oldest boy who has since passed away) wasn’t able to keep up and also was a bit cranky as old men tend to be. Max would love it, I think.
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Oh dear, this is too precious. I want one of each–black and white, and of course those cute plaid outfits. Charlie would probably not submit. I was happy to know abut the “Wing Nuts”. I knew you flew, but didn’t know the story about the club. Very cool concept. Several of our friends had their own planes and we flew often with them, but it is an expensive hobby. Boats are another indulgence.
Glad to hear the sea turtles are on their way. Now they face even more dangers, but lovely that there are people to help them survive.
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It is a cool concept, Kayti, not just in sharing the pain of plane maintenance and fuel costs, but also in keeping abreast of all things aviation.
I thought the same thing about the sea turtles. Now it’s sink or swim for them. Hopefully they’ll stay in those nice warm waters for the rest of their long lives.
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What an uplifting post. The plaid doggy skirts are precious. I just looked at our Weimeraner and I might get one in XXXL, she would love that.
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Haha! I don’t think so, Bridget! She needs a little German outfit of some kind. Wouldn’t a dirndl skirt be cute?
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Oh my…don’t give me any idea :-). I torture them on Halloween..not much, but a little 🙂
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My mom had a rescued stray Westie years ago (Betsy the Westie for those old enough to remember Betsy Wetsy dolls…..) who had been trained by some previous owner (one shudders to think how) not to bark. The other household dog, a miniature poodle, was blind but had a big bark. So Betsy would see something thru the french door and bounce excitedly but not bark; the poodle would sense the bouncing and bark. They were a team, altho the barking clearly scared Betsy for fear of whatever the anti-barking punishment had been. After about a year at my mom’s she finally began to bark, what a happy day that was! Your pictures bring it back so clearly. I miss having a Westie around……wonder how the current dog citizens would like another friend? No Scottish terrier for me, I am anti-social enough for the whole household.
ANYWAY thanks for bringing it all back.
Ceci
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WHAT?!? A non-barking Westie? I am shuddering. They are the most vocal of dogs and I don’t mean just barking. Every single one of mine has had a repertoire of voices including moans, yips, high and low-pitched barks, etc. Max makes a different noise depending on whether he wants to get out through the porch door or the back door. Very effective communicator. And you made me laugh out loud at your “anti-social enough” remark. Thanks, Ceci.
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Awwwww…and best line ever -> “And even these standoff-ish Scottish Terriers. They are ornery. And aloof. They clearly find themselves superior to any other breed. I really want one.” Me too!
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Everything about them appeals tome, Angie!!
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Well, I don’t want to brag but I still think the Jack Russell beats the lot when it comes to loving a dog (or sometimes even people) . MInd you the cattle dog or blue heeler is some dog too or, especially for on the farm a kelpie.
When still on the farm our JRT made frineds with a large blue tongue lizzard. They would both sun themselves lying next to each other.
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You do too want to brag, Gerard! Of course, Milo deserves it.
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Lovely to hear the turtles are back into the water. I can see how your heart was torn Barbara, those dogs are so adorable!! Friends of ours have just bought one of those black Scottish ones and he’s quite a character, and very stylish!
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That’s what I love so about terriers, Barbara, they are loaded with personality. Just ask Gerard with his Milo! Well, you know that very well already.
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What a hard choice to make! But how satisfying to know that the turtles are getting a chance to survive and that you had something to do with it. I think a black Scottish terrier would be a lovely match to white Max . . . .
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Yes, now the turtles are on their own and obviously one hopes that there is a chance for survival and procreation. It’s such a jungle out there.
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Does anyone else remember the (black and white) B&W scotch whiskey ad of the black and white doggies on the beach chairs? One is asking “What happened to the sun?” The other asks “What happened to all the girls?” I used to have it, cut out from the newspaper (remember THOSE? : ), displayed in a picture frame when I was away at college. Here’s a color Christmas ad showing how cute those two were.
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I remember them with great fondness. There is a huge collection of these vintage images on Pinterest and sometimes I come across one in my antiquing. I restrain myself from buying though as I don’t want to end up one of “those” crazy ladies found under an avalanche of Westie tchochkies in her eighties. LOL!
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I have a genetic predisposition to adore Westies and Scotties. It’s ancestral. But who couldn’t love turtles after Finding Nemo? Dude!
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I would think your turtle affection would have stemmed from Terry Pratchett but NO! You refer to something else I’ve never seen. Totally get the genetic predisposition….but wait! I’m afraid of German Shepherds and Rottweilers. Why do Germans have to have such….er….maybe i should go see if they have any cute and cuddly breeds before making blanket statements. LOL.
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Dachshund?
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Huge “duh!” Can you tell I was tired last night? Yes, the menacing dachshund would be more up my alley! 😉
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Oh, no, hang on, it must be one of THESE!: http://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/affenpinscher/
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Oh my God! An Affenpinscher! I even love the name. Is that the cutest thing ever? Sorry, Max, but even you have to admit this breed has that certain something.
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Or a Schnauzer. Or a Spitz.
Actually, just google “German dog breeds”. There’s heaps of cute and fluffy ones. 🙂
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Heaps! This from a girl not named Valerie who has no dog but does have the keen ability to engage brain and head to Google while running with knitted beard and eating Pecan Pieeeee. See, some things are retained in the ol’ gray matter. Love that affenpinscher.
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Oh Barbara, those Westies are so cute! We used to have Bichons and now just have a Standard Yorkie, but boy, I would love one of those! Thanks for the follow up on the turtles, I remember the original post. I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you to be there. xx
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Weren’t they adorable? So full of personality, the Westie breed is. We have a friend, George, who owned a Bichon too. He called her Gracie. He would bring her to Home Depot in his cart and the employees would say “there go George and Gracie!”
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Westies! Love them!
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Which shows such good taste and judgment on your part! Thank you!
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Such sweet Westies! My sister raised Scotties many years ago, and they do have distinct personalities! Being a cat lover, terriers are not for me! 😉
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I’ve heard we should keep Max away from cats but so far he doesn’t seem to particularly notice them at the cat-intensive environment at our new vet. I hope that remains the case!
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Me, too! I remember a story my sister told me – she let the pack (4-5-6?) out before she went too bed and too late saw a skunk had entered the pen. It was a gruesome end to that guy and she spent the entire night cleaning them up. Tough little Scotties, very territorial! Maybe Westies are gentler?
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That’s what they tell us – Westies are a more friendly and outgoing breed – Scotties a bit ornery. We often thought that Berkley was more of a Scottie in his temperament. Oh god, that awful skunk smell. Max has only gotten sprayed once and he reeked for a month. AWFUL! There’s something I wanted to tell you but I can’t remember. When I do, I’ll post it somewhere you’ll see it. Hope you had a great long weekend, Eliza.
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I was amazed to read about the discoveries scientists have made regarding turtle communications. Apparently they have started using shellphones. snorf, snorf.
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No pun is too low for you, is it? That’s why I like you!! Never afraid to stick your neck out.
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Hip-hip and big hooray to you and BH, again, Barbara. From this Turtle for those turtles. Hi, Max!
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Max sends his special regards to Ellie B!
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Ha! Doggie talk. Love those two.
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What cute pups! And turtles rock, too! 🙂
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Serious question: are terriers color-coded? It looked like all of the Westies were white and all of the Scotties were black. Seriously cute, though, all of them.
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