Bandi Loving Life At Home

 

Song:  To Sir With Love

Artist:  Lulu

Bandi at home on the third floor deck.

She loves going out on it to sniff the air...

and to scout out her territory from above.

There are over 2 acres for her to explore.

I will be walking her around the property so she may mark her territory...

to let other animals know that she is here.

Don't worry...

I never tie her outside.

Bandi is on a handheld leash whenever I take her out to use the bathroom.

The reason I don't use an invisible fence is that...

although I haven't seen any bears or mountain lions...

 there are bears and mountain lions on this mountain...

and eagles in the air (I had seen one).

( There are also deer...

and wherever they are...

the predators are as well ).

And so...

I now always accompany her for her bathroom needs.

( I had initially let her explore on her own...

but after seeing an eagle in flight overhead...

I realized it was a bad idea ).

Bandi on one of four doggie beds I have for her to relax upon when at home...

and one in the car for our many trips.

(I had a smudged lens on my phone without realizing it).

This is one of the windows in my bedroom.

Bandi loves sticking her nose on the screen to sniff the air...

and to keep lookout.

Although I put together my queen bed frame...

I must await the arrival of the mattress in a couple of days.

These are the bay windows in my bedroom.

Bandi loves looking out these as well.

I am still unpacking items and setting things up throughout the house.

I eventually will set up my computer in the alcove of these bay windows.

Bandi is in the lower left of this picture.

This is where I eat my food...

and Bandi sits near me whenever I do...

as I always share my food with her.

Bandi enjoying the morning sun on her new doggie bed.

I got this much larger doggie bed for Bandi for the loft bedroom...

but I have it in the great room for now...

as I am still unpacking and arranging things in my home.

This doggie bed is large enough for me to sleep on as well.

It will be a little while before Bandi and I go on any extended journey by car...

as I am still getting many packages of needed items for my home.

And...

winter is not so far away.

But I will take her on journeys...

hopefully...

before and during the first winter snows.

Bandi On Our Trip Home - Colorado Rockies

 

Song:  Don't Worry Baby

Group:  The Beach Boys

We began our journey from Verdi, NV...

to our final home in the Colorado Rockies...

a journey which normally takes but 18 or so hours with fuel stops...

and a meal stop...

but had taken us about 24 hours because of a monster traffic back up...

just beyond Aspen, Colorado.

My trike on the back of my car...

and the inside of my car loaded.

There was just enough room for Bandi to travel comfortably.

I had a 1.6 Gallon travel waterer for Bandi...

with another half a gallon thermos to refill the water.

At every fuel stop (I refilled at half a tank)...

we took her to use the bathroom...

as well as at some rest stops.

She had a comfortable doggie bed to lie down on as she looked out the side and front windows.

We often lowered her window so she could stick her head out the window...

but she mostly just liked to look out the front window as we drove.

We finally arrived almost 24 hours later...

just in time for sunset from our last ever home.

(My younger sister and I shared the driving...

she is staying for a week before flying out to visit family on the East Coast).

Bandi has been exploring the area around our home.

I will be taking her on my many travels throughout Colorado as she and I

explore the many sights.

Bandi's Beginnings

 

Song:  White Winds

Artist:  Andreas Vollenweider

Bandi was born in March of 2019.

We had gotten her from a dog shelter when she was just eight weeks old.

She is a Golden Labrador Retriever.

The origin of her name:

She has a dark mask on her muzzle...

making her look like a bandit...

and so...

Bandi.

She is naturally sweet, affectionate, and playful.

These pictures are from her first day home.

We also had another dog...Hana.

She was old at the time...

and they both got along very well.

We often took her on walks just down the street to view the sunrise or sunset.

My mother holding my younger sister's dog in her lap.

Bandi was playful with her.

Bandi and Hana in the backyard playing in the snow.

I always share my meals with Bandi.

By this time...

Hana had died.

Ever since she was a puppy...

Bandi would do certain poses while on the sofa.

She loved to hang her paws off it as she looked at me in the kitchen.

Whenever I went to the nearby mountains...

Bandi loved the drive and then walking around in the forests.

My mother and Bandi at a nearby reservoir.

My elder sister sitting next to my mother...

and with Bandi looking out at the ducks at a nearby duck pond.

Although the air was filled with smoke from a California forest fire...

my elder sister, my mother, and I decided to walk Bandi up the street

for a little outside time.

Bandi loved our outings.

Being a retriever...

Bandi loves to play fetch.

We are at a nearby reservoir.

Bandi and my younger sister's dog love playing together.

Bandi loves her walks.

This was just down the street to view the sunrise.

Bandi loves the snow as well.

She has a thick double coat, so she loves the cold.

Bandi was my mother's dog...

but my mother is too old to take care of her...

so I am taking her with me to my new home 

in the Colorado Rocky Mountains in a little more than a week.

I took Bandi on an all day drive through the nearby Sierra Nevada Mountain range.

My younger sister taking the dogs on a walk.

Bandi loves her walks.

I will be triking with Bandi in the Colorado Mountains soon.

I got a doggie carrier so when she tires on some of her runs...

she could then ride the rest of the way.

Bandi's adventures are just beginning.

She will love her new home in the Rocky Mountains.

I have over two acres and a modern log home.

I will be taking her with me almost everywhere.

She loves riding in the car and hanging her head out the window as I drive.

Bandi has many new sights and smells ahead of her.

Although, I won't be posting on this blog for another two weeks or so.

My younger sister and I will be driving to Bandi's new home in Colorado...

and my younger sister will stay for a week before flying out to see her son's family

on the east coast.

And this will be the beginning of Bandi's adventures as I take her on drives 

throughout the state of Colorado.

She will experience grand autumn colors...

trees covered in snow...

and going on runs on the mountain where I will live...

at over 9,600 feet in elevation.

.................................

I love dogs more than most people...

and even with the best people...

it is still a tie.

It is they who teach us of the meaning of deep love...

loyalty...

and unabashed playfulness.

She is family.

And as such...

she sleeps with me on my bed whenever she wishes...

although I will also have comfortable doggie beds throughout 

the house and in my car.

I always share with her...

a portion of my meals.

She unselfishly gives of her affection and love...

how could I do less?

Beware of anyone who is unkind to animals...

for there is something terribly wrong with them.

There is nothing more pure and innocent in this world

than children and animals...

especially dogs.