I HIKED FOR PARK DAY!!!... Brilliant idea by the awesome Gizmo as Co-Host of Park Day and Finn, Blogville's Director of Parks! Can't wait to read all the blogs today!!!
Last Saturday my son and my co-pilot Max, decided to drive about 2-1/2 hours away from Houston, Texas to see McKinney Falls State Park in Austin, Texas. We began our trip as some of you know by stopping at Rosemary's Vineyard and Winery in La Grange, Texas...yum, good stuff! Then it was off to see the 726 acre park that opened in 1976 after 638 acres were donated by Mr. and Mrs. J.E. Smith and Miss Annie M. Smith who were the grandchildren of James Wood Smith had previously bought the land and homestead from Thomas F. McKinney who was one of Austin, Texas's very first settlers who eventually became famous for the race horses he bred. The land used to be covered by sea but was broken by a volcano called Pilot Knob...I had to look it up because it does look rather odd, like Mars or something looking at some of the formations.
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| Have to allow my big brother some privacy, but here are all the pretty wildflowers at the park |
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| I do look rather fetching in the whole Mother Nature gig if I do say so myself! |
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| My "give them the pensive look". |
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| Upper Falls |
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Me and my big bro...Ma wouldn't allow us to show you my hidden beer...
We're ruff men folk so this was no Folgers Coffee moment! :) |
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| Showing my big Brother how brave I am and fearless! |
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| Hey Ma...cute little dog here....HELLLLLOO!!!!! |
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| Ok, Ma, scenery...we GET it...I'm STILL sitting here...HELLLOOO!!!!!! |
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| Really Ma? Cactus when you have WHO standing RIGHT HERE beside you?!!!! REALLY?!?!?! |
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| Ok, THAT'S better...look at me, look at me...I just landed on the MOON! |
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This action shot is just for you Sugar...Ma just keeps on trying to get me off all fours
like that cool photo of you Sugar with your nifty purple heels....ha!
Sugar you are still the QUEEN...see I sneaked 1 paw down just for you...I think you're really cute Sugar...
Crap...I think Chloe might read my blog...hit DELETE Ma! Quick!!!
And Now for the SHOCKER....Max REALLY got his paws WET...this is NOT Trick Photography folks!!! Guess he needed the confidence of his big brother! |
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Yep, that's right...who's the Tuff Bro now?!!! I got what???
That's right MY FEET ARE WET!!!
(Gotta show off to my Brother ya know and show him whose REALLY King of this house!
Ma? You ok? You look a little shocked!!! |
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| This is NOT an illusion!!! Too bad we didn't take a picture of Ma's face of absolute shock!!! |
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| No folks, no stunt double used here...just me the Brave Warrior of McKinney Falls State Park! |
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| Sshhh...no trunks on either :) ...give the lady pups a thrill I thought..what the heck! |
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| Ok, Ma...NOT going THAT crazy as those kids! |
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| Looks like we left the park just in time!!! |
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| See the size of that Chihuahua Eating Flying Creature?!! |
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| Bye Park... |
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Even the Water Tower's liked me on the way home and smiled bye at me...a peanut butter treat would have been a nicer touch though Mr. Water Tower!
P.S. Because Ma likes my big Brother, she won't show the photos of him dangerously jumping over rocks he shouldn't have and then falling in the deep ravine when jumping back over, once Ma knew he was ok, she was laughing really hard and making the clicker on her camera burn up! She calls those her special blackmailing photos but she felt a wee bit bad when she saw the huge scrapes on his sides...well, not THAT bad....not enough to delete them! (NOTE: No dogs were hurt in the making of this blog post...humans...well...ha ha ha!) |
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Have a Beautiful Park Day!!!
Thank you Gizmo and Finn for a great I HIKED FOR PARK DAY!!! |
Can't forget..while we did I HIKED FOR PARK DAY that it's also FitDog Friday...gotta stay (or GET ha!) Fit for FitDog Friday! With
Peggy's Pet Place and
SlimDoggy
Wow...it looks like an amazing day and the weather looks like is was beautiful. I'm more of a toe dipper, so nice to see you swimming!
ReplyDeleteMaggie
I about fell over! Max will never get in the water! Maybe this will be the beginning of new fun with Max!
Deletethat park is absolutely amazing!!!!!!! no insult to the other park goers but i thnk you have the prettiest of all
ReplyDeleteurban hounds
Aw, thanks so much! We sure did have a blast!!! I wish we would have had more time though - like an overnight camping trip! Have a great Friday!
DeleteOMD Max...you are the bravest dog ever...wet feet? you're a braver dog then me my furriend...Your Park is pawsome and you had such a great adventure there...Momz was so surprised cause she didn't know they had volcanoes in Texas...I bet hopping on those big flat rocks was lots of fun...Hope your big bro is doing OK...Thank you for joining up on Park Day...
ReplyDeleteGizmo, can't thank you enough for Park Day! Sometimes us humans just need an idea to spark us on! Yes, the volcano was about a 100 million years ago but thought it was cool! Ha ha ha!😄 big brothers fine except his pride 😍he had a great sense of humor about it 😄
DeleteNow your a Pro, you can come swimming at my pool :) Whattch say? Love all those photo's, what fun fun fun you had..Hi paw fives to you Max :) xx00xx
ReplyDeleteMollie and Alfie
I'm there! Just tell Ma to get me a first class plane ticket!
DeleteMax that was just the best. What a pawsome place.Volcanoes in Texas? Gosh you learn a new thing everyday. We loved your Baywatch impersonation. Very impressive. Happy Park Day. Have a fabulous Friday.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes Molly.
Ha, I do sorta have that Baywatch buff pup bod right?!? Had to give the lady pups a treat ;). Volcanoes were a bazillion years ago, no more that we know of.
DeleteWoof! Woof! LOVE it! I would like to go there. Lovely scenery. Was the water cold? Happy PARK Day and FitDog Friday. Sending you Lots of Golden SMILES. Lots of Golden Woofs, Sugar
ReplyDeleteSugar, the water was a little colder than room temperature so it wasn't bad. You would have loved it! Happy Park Day! FitDog Friday and Smile It's Friday!
DeleteMax - great adventure - thanks for sharing. Such good exercise with the hiking and the swimming. Not sure who was braver you, or your brother!
ReplyDeleteMe!! Brother just fell, that's not REAL talent! But it sure was funny! He's fine and we all just laugh about it - he's pretty tuff :)...but of course that's cuz I taught him to be ;)
DeleteLook at all those bluebonnets! Glad you had fun in Austin. That place looks familiar but I can't say I've ever been there... unless I went there when I was a kid. It does look kind of like Bull Creek though.
ReplyDeleteIt was a first for us too! Never been to Bull Creek either, we'll have to check oh out! Have a wonderful Friday!!!
DeleteWow pawsome post Max sure would like explore McKinney Falls Park. Even though I'm an ace swimmer the Atlantic Ocean to get there is just a swim too far for me :'(
ReplyDeleteMy mum tales them scenery pictures, what is that all about? Silly hoomans. I nevers wears trunks either BOL
Thank you for joining in with Smile its Friday, we had a good smile at your ace swimming pictures :-)
xxx
Badger Boo just get your Ma to charge a first class plane ticket on that square plastic device! That's what I'd do if Ma didn't lock up her plastic money cards! Ma says it's not a smart idea but then remember, she IS a human!
DeleteWow what an adventure... Max on the moon ... I'm deeply impressed :o) And I'm speechless that you are a such a hero...you jumped in this wet thingy named water.... you park must have magical power :o) Hope the scrapes on your big brother are better soon :o)
ReplyDeleteI think my big brother gave me some super powers that day, heck I even shocked myself get wet! Ya, ya...don't I make a cool astronaut?! Ma, can I get an astronaut suit?! Please ma please??! Oh, big brother is fine, he get's bumps, scrapes and bruises all the time...I'm just glad I didn't go with him on that adventure! My fur isn't nearly as attractive when it's scraped up and Chloe would have beat big brother senseless!
DeleteHiya Max! Look at you go in that water! I am really impressed. And I love that smiley face on the water tower! Thanks for coming out to Park Day! Wanna go find Sasha and grab some pizza with me now?
ReplyDeleteYum...did you say pizza??!!! Crust??? Oh later Ma...gotta plane to catch...see ya Ma!!!
DeleteYum...pizza...we are sooo there! Thanks for giving Ma such an awesome idea! We are exciting to go see all our friends adventures too!!!
ReplyDeleteWow Max. I'm impressed at how brave you are. Maybe you could teach Beamer a thing or two about swimming. Looks like you and your big brother had a great time at the park. I can't believe that your Ma took pictures of flowers instead of pay attention to you. How absurd! Happy Friday to you and your Ma!
ReplyDeleteReally, it AMAZED me too!! Flowers vs. ME?!! I mean come on right? Duh Ma...see even Beamer's human girl is scratchin' her human head about it and she's only part dog by association!!! Jeez Ma...really! So Beamer...about that pup night out...well text me when your human's asleep ok dude?
DeleteOhhhh my can we tell you just how MUCH we LOVED this post? LOOK AT YOU and your tough little self!!! You are just too cute and sooooooooo brave! Your park looks so beautiful! We are just starting to warm up here so there haven't been any park days. Hoping to have some soon, we lived vicariously through yours!
ReplyDeleteBarks and licks and love, Dakota and Mom
Dakota...come on and hang out with Me! You can even bring along Cody cuz Thunder Kitty can probably use some extra security help guarding the backyard and interior of the castle and most importantly...Ma's precious goods...ME!Me and Beamer are gonna text when Ma falls asleep..wanna come hang out with us?
DeleteWowser what an adventure. I loved the photos of you in the flowers. Glad your bro is okay. Seeing all these wonderful parks is just awesome.
ReplyDeleteP.s. naked swimming--impressing the girlz-- LOL :)
Play-pup Magazine called after seeing my buff swimming photos but Ma said she'll have none of that and then she called Chloe and it was just a big scene and a half so looks like that deal's now off the table...THANKS MA! You note that they didn't call for Big Brother ha ha!
DeleteWhat a cool drool park, we never got to anything like that cos you know why....our mom is a big chicken of snakes, and she just knows there is snakes where there is rocks,....cluck cluck plus we would have to all cram in the stroller except maggie who won't leave the house now that she found a pimple on her face!!! We are so glad tho you got to enjoy nature at its finest...AND you got your feets wet!!!
ReplyDeletestella rose
Ma's a big snake freak too! She says that is her biggest fear in life is snakes...Big Brother's Daddy thought he was sooo funny and when him and Ma were fishing a million years ago, he wandered off to lift his human hind leg and when he came back he put a gardener snake in Ma's face and she beat him with her fishing pole and pushed him in the yucky pond just out of sheer panic! Can you imagine Big Brother's Dad's face?! Ma says he didn't think it was so funny driving home 3 hours in yucky swamp water clothes!
DeleteThat is such a beautiful park, wish we lived somewhere like that. Look at you swimming Max, you are a hero!
ReplyDeleteDip Bridge and Elliot x
We wish it wasn't 2-1/2 hours away cuz we all liked it too! Aw, shucks...thanks guys!! Hey Ma...did you hear what they called me?? They said I was a smart, handsome, super hero and looked like I was 6 feet tall...taller than Big Brother even!!!
DeleteMax...is that REALLY what they said?!!
Umm...pretty sure Ma...close enough!!
Looks like a gorgeous place and ideal weather...but the winery beforehand??? Maybe the wine was what got Max to be so wild in the water? Great adventure!
ReplyDeleteLooks like a gorgeous place and ideal weather...but the winery beforehand??? Maybe the wine was what got Max to be so wild in the water? Great adventure!
ReplyDeleteWell,humm, now that ya mention it ....MAX...MAX...where's that bottle of wine I bought??? MAX??????!!!!
DeleteYou look tuckered out Max!!
ReplyDeleteWhat fantastic photos! I love all those beautiful flowers! And swimming!!! Lucky dog!
Ma says she gonna look for more flowers to show you soon...but you'd rather see ME than those stupid flower though right? Ok, maybe ME and flowers?!
DeleteWhat a great choice for Park Day! Mama made all kinds of noises when looking at the field of wild flowers. I love the water and I can see you do too! What a brave little guy you are, you are a big dog inside :)
ReplyDeleteYou looked really tuckered out after such a fun packed day!
~Ryker
Oh, Ryker...it's just Ma's silly camera..really I am even BIGGER than you in real life...just those darn camera's ...you know they say it shrinks your size right?
DeleteMAX!! Are you telling stories again on the blog??
Opps....Ma is coming so I gotta go but really I think it's the lighting or trick mirrors!!!
what an awesome park with such an interesting history!!!
ReplyDeletedid you actually jump in the water intentionally? did you know you could swim? you look like a pro!
have a great weekend!
wags, bailey
I didn't jump in right away...first I had my big brother on the leash and he walked in first so I wanted to hang out with him but then I decided it was sorta cool! Nah, I had no idea I was a talented swimmer! Brother was all "Ma acting" with me to be sure I wouldn't drown or anything and told Ma he would be right there to grab me and the water was less than 1 foot deep there but I'm a champion swimmer now! Still Ma says if her or big brother isn't right beside me I gotta wear a stupid fluffy coat so I don't sink! Urr! Humans!!!
DeleteOh wow great park, great pictures and swimming! The brown dawgs are proud of you Max!
ReplyDeleteCan I be a part of the BIG BROWN DOG CLUB?! You know it's just that stupid camera of Ma's that makes me look little or something...I PROMISE I am just as big as Freighter, Thunder and Storm!! Can I please, please!!! You guys are some cool dudes!!! No, Ma...I'm not telling "fish stories" again....ok, well I might be a LITTLE bit less big than them but I can look tuff and sit pretty!!! Come on...I wanna be a cool BROWN DAWG!!! I'm already tan...that's in the brown family right?!!! I can help ya hunt parakeets!!! :)
DeleteI'm trying to decide which I like seeing you in better, the pretty wildflowers or swimming in the water! Or maybe on the surface of the moon. Pawsome pictures, and it looks like a grrrreat day.
ReplyDeleteThanks Peggy....Ma says I'm not all that cooperative when taking pixs but I have to say that I like to look at me afterwards :). I really want an astronaut suit though now but Ma hasn't bought me one yet! URRRR...come on already Ma!!!
DeleteWhat an amazing adventure that was and a beautiful hike. Loved your swimming and action shots.
ReplyDeleteKelsey
Why thank you Kelsey! I would have been perfectly ok to carry you on my back so you didn't get those lovely manicured paws of yours wet!...Oh Chloe, I'm just tryin' to be nice...I promise, I'd carry you both!!! Ok, Kelsey someone is having a green-eyed issue...urrr...lady-pups!
DeleteWow - good for you for getting in the water! Blueberry still won't get into deep water like that! You are one tough doggy! You looked too stinkin adorable swimming around in there!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing those amazing pictures with us!
I'll tell ya a secret Blueberry...the deepest it got where Big Brother would allow me to go was about 12 inches, he's kinda an overprotective Brother but I think it was HIM that was scared to go any deeper!
DeleteYou didn't just get your feet wet...you were SWIMMING!!! Holy moly! It looks like a beautiful park, my friend.
ReplyDelete*high paws*
Oz
Oz, it was sooo cool! I was like an Olympic Gold Medalist Swimmer right?! Ma says I wasn't on TV but I bet I was!! Probably world wide!!!
DeleteWhat a great adventure it looks like you had loads of fun thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteSheba.
Sheba, you would have had a blast with us!!! You should come with us next time!!! My Big Brother would LOVE you too!!!
DeleteMax that was a full days adventure. I have a cactus just like the one in your picture growing in my Cincinnati yard. You in the field of flowers is just lovely. Keep your head above water.
ReplyDeleteSweet William The Scot
In Cincinnati? Ma didn't think you could grow cactus there! Wow! William you can come hang with us there anytime...just text me after your Ma goes to sleep and we'll plan a pup-guys night out!!
DeleteThat was an amazing hike you went on Max. I loved the field of flowers - you were almost hidden in there!
ReplyDeleteAnd then swimming in the lake, that was so brave - I don't do water so I am so impressed.
I hope brother's wounds heal soon ;-)
Aw, Brother is a big lug of 6'4" so he is kinda a tuff guy...he has like weird super human healing powers so he's fine. We just like to laugh at him! But we wouldn't laugh if he was really hurt...just a little hurt :). It was fun romping around in all the flowers!!
DeleteMuahaha, oh Max!!! Looks like you had an absolutely incredible Park Day! :-D I was just sitting here, in my living room, and almost choked when I saw you swimming...in the water!!! Holy cow dude, that was some braveness!! Great job! I'm sure your Brother was truly amazed too!
ReplyDeleteToo bad we didn't take a picture of Ma's face! THAT would have made a funny photo for sure!!
DeleteOOO! I recently saw this park on a list of the best state parks to visit. These pictures are so lovely and it looks like so, so much fun! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteYou should have come with us Bethany so you good review it too!...Jeez Chloe...I'm taking to a girl HUMAN not a lady-pup, calm down!
DeleteLook at you - water dog!!!
ReplyDeletePretty amazing right?!
DeleteOh my dog skinny dipping in the lake with no trunks on. How many beers did u drink? Just kidding. Looks like u had a pawsome time.
ReplyDeleteSsshhh...don't tell Ma...she still can't find that bottle of wine she got at the winery before we went to the park! ha! I'm a pretty clever dude!
DeleteSUPER AWESOME pictures!! Great job Mom. Wish I would've gone. Loved hearing the stories BOL uhh the bottle of wine never made over to my apt....just sayin ; )
ReplyDeleteYou know you're pup-brother...
Deletethese pictures are STUNNING, bery brave Max indeed!
ReplyDeleteSlobbers
Awesome pictures and well done Max for fighting your fears! Go get it boy! And quit complaining Max, the scenery is breathtaking!
ReplyDeleteLove the pictures of you splashing in the water and you in the middle of those beautiful Texas wildflowers. Thanks for an excellent your!
ReplyDelete