Hillside Dogs
Category Archives: Pets
Bonded pair foster brothers!
This is why I want Calvin and Hobbes adopted together.
Benicia Park Hike with Friends and Dogs
Another gorgeous January day was a good excuse to use our easy access from the Glen Cove Neighborhood to hike through Benicia State Park, which is one of the perks of living here. It’s great to have such good friends call us up for a spontaneous nature walk/hike.
The foster dogs didn’t know what to make of the journey. Hobbes was extremely nervous to get into the car. Unfortunately, the last few times he was in the car it was to get vaccinations or surgery, so we need to give them more positive experiences with car drives so he isn’t like this forever.
All four dogs got lots of exercise with a bunch of great smells. I keep reminding myself, especially with a blind dog in my life again, that dogs SMELL IN COLOR. When Shea was walking in front of me with the foster dogs, Calvin especially kept looking back to check on me and basically did a bunch of the hike walking backwards, which was endearing but worrisome. It kept getting him tangled in the tandem leash. Eventually I walked in front of them so at least Calvin was looking forward when looking for me. When the foster dogs were left on tandem and off-leash they were trying to stay so close to me that they kept wrapping around my ankles and almost knocked me over a few times.
Bonnie was terrific even off-leash for part of it. When she was on leash I even inspired her to run to catch up with the others for a while. For a blind dog, this is quite a feat, because she basically never runs for fear of running into something, especially in an unfamiliar location. She has to really trust me to keep up that pace. I intentionally ran with a heavy foot so that she could hear me better. Snoopy was also terrific when he was off-leash for part of the hike. He’s a perfect dog.
The views were terrific and I am so glad that we are so quickly moving to longer days, since it was just over a month ago that we had the winter solstice.
Canine Tug-of-War
Dogs Yard and Neighborhood Walk
I swear these dogs posed in the window without prompting from me:
We took another direction in our neighborhood walk today and got to see some perspectives we had never seen before. Left together on the tandem leash the fosters were great. Blind Bonnie follows my voice very well without much issue, and Snoopy is excellent at responding to his name now off leash. It is a big open field far enough from any roads that we didn’t have to worry about them getting into anything dangerous.
My plan worked! The foster dogs Calvin & Hobbes got a lot of their energy out and collapsed into a nap, especially after eating dinner.
Family Nap Time
MLK Jr. Holiday 65 Degrees in January
Spending some extended time in the sun today was good to get my mind off the shit show in DC. I was able to use my day off to work on plants and outdoor decor. I know the dogs appreciated the sun and warm outdoor furniture with me.
There’s a lot going on in this video. I was in the garden with the dogs today as we had 65-degree (F) weather in January! I’m proud of this globe I painted, which is on a solar spinner. It survived the fire and was previously located at “ground zero” where the fire reportedly began. Still no explanation except “electrical anomaly.”
Front yard blossoms:
By the way, that is NOT poop that Hobbes is chewing on. It’s pineapple or bark.
I worked on my plants, thinking about what I’ll do with them and the outdoor decor from this rental when I move back home in a few months. I think about the move back all my waking hours at this juncture.
I put together a very utilitarian table out of repurposed, broken parts, which I’m very proud of. I love practical furniture.
The dogs bring me such joy, as does the sun.
Enjoying the warm weather with the dogs and Shea and appreciating what a great man this holiday is in honor of. I’m not watching the travesty in DC and do not want anything to do with people who are normalizing it. I pity this country and rejoice that I can pursue my EU citizenship, even though I’ll stay and still do what I can, more on the local level in the foreseeable future, to make life better even for those innumerable fools who vote against their best interests.
I will actively seek to disconnect from fascists and I will also make it quite clear that they are no longer in my life, especially the ones I’m not related to and have no reason to stay connected to. There are enough toxic people in the world already that I have to deal with, and the political ramifications of their existence and corruption.
Bonnie and Calvin evening wrestle. This is why most people can’t believe Bonnie is completely blind. For those who don’t know, her eyes were surgically removed to reduce pain after she went completely blind in August.
Bette White Fundraiser 2025
The adoptable Honey Bear had a kissing booth! This princess is going to make some household very happy. Thanks to foster mom and fellow board member Mei for bringing her!
Below are other pictures from a festive night at Vtown Provisions that hopefully raised a lot of money for our non-profit Humane Society of the North Bay!
Pictures taken by our official photographer, America!
Animal Shelter Beneficiary of Vallejo Waterfront Weekend Event
Thank you to the Vallejo Waterfront Weekend (a yearly weekend event every October) for their big check to Humane Society of the North Bay. Some of us board members went there to receive it. It took place at Suite Treatments here in Vallejo.
Nelson, the Jack Russell, is Jackie’s dog. She runs the event and owns the venue we were in. Honey Bear, the brown dog, is available for adoption. He came with his foster mom Mei.
Warm January Backyard Day
Today we collectively — with Snoopy and Bonnie — enjoyed the 66F degree weather with a warm solano in the rental backyard.
