May is a busy month at the DogDaz Zoo.
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The humans opened the pool this week! It wasn’t its usual black algae color. That is probably thanks to a new cleaning crew.
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We found a little bird egg on our walk that fell from its nest but Mom could not see the nest high in the elm tree, so she had to leave it. At least it wasn’t a baby bird yet.
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The cherries are starting to turn red. That means pie soon.
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Jolie was sick with some strange unknown stomach thing and got so dehydrated that she had to go to the vet for fluids. Mini had some tummy thing too. And then the humans got sick. (Are all these things related? We don’t know but it wasn’t fun around here.)
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Because of scary climate change, and since we live on a peninsula on the Magothy River (a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay) and often lose power, we now have a whole house generator. Mom says it will keep us cool in the summer and warm in the winter, even if we lose power. I am not sure what all that means, but if Mom thinks it is good, it must be.
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This was Navy Commissioning Week at the US Naval Academy (which is here in Annapolis, MD). That means the Blue Angels, the US Navy flight demonstration squadron, flew over the house during their air show for 2 days. It is always very loud but amazing.
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Mom did not make that Cat Pizza, but she thought it was cool and wanted everyone to see it.
We have so much to be thankful for. Have a wonderful Memorial Weekend. Remember those who paid the ultimate price so that we can be free.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤ 
Tags: blue angels, cat blog, Cats and Dogs, dog blog, DogDaz, Gratitude, lorian lipton, Magothy River, naval academy, Pet, pet blog, thankful
A young Sofie in the Summer of ’14.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Animal, animals, Black and White Sunday, blog hop, cute dogs, dog, DogDaz, Dogs, Magothy River, Pet, pets, postaday, Summer
Year after year, the ducks return to teach their young how to swim in the river. Sofie wants to help, but they don’t appreciate it very much. Who taught you to swim?
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: birds, Blog, dog, Dog People, dog rescue, DogBlog, DogDaz, Dogs, ducklings, ducks, lorian lipton, Magothy River, Pet, pets
Every year our Osprey return to mate and have little Osprey.
This is us in 2014 before the bulkhead was turned into a living shoreline, staring at the Osprey platform. Those big birds don’t like us much. This year Mom caught them on video teaching their baby’s to fly. Turn up your volume if you want to hear their little cry drowned out by the 17-year cicada song. The cicadae are very loud but will be gone in a few weeks. But that is for another blog.
What kind of mischief did you get into today?
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: birds, Chesapeake Bay, dog, DogBlog, DogDaz, Dogs, lorian lipton, Magothy River, Mischief Monday, Osprey, Pet, pets, river hawks, Summer
Today is World Water Day! We could not exist without water. I think it is amazing how much we take water for granted. My river, the Magothy, which is a sub-estuary of the Chesapeake Bay, struggles environmentally. It is improving a little with the help of many environmental actions but still way below an acceptable level to sustain healthy wildlife, fish, and people. I stopped letting the dogs in the water years ago when several dogs died from eating dark false mussels and also as people and animals were starting to get the vibro virus (a really bad thing) from swimming in the water. We still go down to the river and run along the shoreline, though I am very careful that the dogs don’t eat anything. We really need to take better care of our waters. Scary thoughts for a mischief Monday, sorry.
What kind of mischief did you get into today?
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Chesapeake Bay, dog, DogBlog, DogDaz, Dogs, false dark mussels, lorian lipton, Magothy River, Mischief Monday, Pet, pets, vibro virus, world water day
Charles stayed home and missed all the fun today on our walk. Marc, the neighborhood river-rat dog, joined us for a roll when we got down to the point. He lives next to the community beach and is always around. We love a fall day on the Magothy River. Mom said we can’t roll in the new grasses or dig up the new sand*. We are not sure why but we kind of listen to her (you will see at the end of the second video that we are selective in our responses – Bark Out Loud!). There is nothing more fun than a beautiful day by the river with Mom.
What kind of mischief did you get into today?
*Our community replaced the failing bulkhead with natural living shoreline to improve water quality and create wildlife habitat
Faced with a failing bulkhead, the community worked with South River Federation to replace approximately 390 linear feet of existing bulkhead with a living shoreline along Mill Creek of the Magothy River. The project complements the community’s nearby 187 linear foot shoreline installed two years ago. Additionally, this project includes a 4,200 square foot bioretention facility located between a parking lot and the shoreline to capture runoff, as well as 0.25 acres of voluntary reforestation.
This restoration will create a stable shoreline that will work to improve water quality, reduce erosion, and create habitat where there has not been any for decades.
The above photos, provided by shoreline contractor Maguire Marine, show the stunning before and after.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: bioretention, blog hop, chesapeake bay foundation, dog, DogBlog, DogDaz, Dogs, funny dogs, lorian lipton, Magothy River, Mischief Monday, Pet, pets, south river federation, twin harbors
This was Sofie circa 2014 about the same time of year. The river looks the same but the bulkhead is now natural shoreline. Though it is humid and still warm many days, the nights are getting cooler and the fall rains have moved in. I am sure next week we will see very high water from Hurricane Florence (named after my Mom). It has been many years since Hurricane Isabel had a 7-foot surge and wiped out the playground and dock. I wonder what Florence might bring? We are seeing unprecedented changes year after year in water level. Who knew that weather would become it’s own TV channel and that we would watch it and listen to it endlessly.
Have a wonderful Sunday wherever you are!
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Animal, animals, Black and White Sunday, blog hop, cute dogs, dog, DogDaz, Dogs, Fall, Magothy River, Pet, pets, postaday
It was about 10 degrees Fahrenheit. The big dogs and I went down to the river (it is way too cold for the little guy to be out long). We were going crazy cooped up in the house because of the weather.
Leave it to Sofie to find a blue crab claw hiding in the bushes. She thought she was going to have it for lunch. Though blue crabs are in the Chesapeake Bay (and my tributary the Magothy River) year round, I don’t think this crab was a recent catch.
We are blessed to live in such a beautiful place.
What kind of mischief did you get into today?
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Animal, animals, blog hop, blue crabs, Chesapeake Bay, dog, DogBlog, DogDaz, Dogs, lorian lipton, Magothy River, Mischief Monday, Pet, pets, postaday
Other than our own fenced yard, there are not many places that we can run off leash. There are always so many people around and other dogs that Mom is afraid that we, or she, will get into trouble. Mom takes us down to the very end of the peninsula, we live between 2 creeks off the Magothy River, where she feels comfortable with our antics. If there are no people or animals around then she lets us go because we are locked in on 2 sides by water and the 3rd side by her. This is our favorite free run place because we can chase ducks and geese and cranes and cormorant and still not get in trouble. Once Sofie jumped into the water and Mom had to go in after her, but that doesn’t happen much. Sofie is too short and heavy to pull herself up the bulkhead and Louise hates water. Mom doesn’t let Charles run free here though because she worries that (1) he would drown if he fell in, (2) the Osprey would pick him up quickly, and (3) we would roll him down the grass and throw him in the water.
Running free is great fun and we wish there were more safe places to do it. Mom used to take us to the dog park but there were so many aggressive people and poorly trained dogs that we found it more stressful than fun. We just want to run around with Mom for a little while that’s all.
Do you have a free run space that you like? Where is it?
Have a wonderful Black and White Sunday.
Just another DogDaz morning at the zoo ❤
Tags: Animal, animals, Black and White Sunday, blog hop, cute dogs, dog, dog park, dog playing, DogDaz, Dogs, Magothy River, Pet, pets, postaday
DogDaz Zoo 