Cat Blogger Photographs The Grand Canyon

05/08/2020 by Marjorie Dawson 40 Comments

This week I am reviewing one of the most magical moments from my BlogPaws® trip to America in 2016 which includes a fabulous video.

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I have not been at my best since we lost Harvey and Dot in June/July and, as anyone of you who has lost a pet will know, there are times when you just can’t focus well enough to do a post justice.

If you have seen the post already, there are some new photos, and if you have not seen it please enjoy. My video tries to capture one of the world’s natural wonders.

The upside to the post revision is that I have revamped it so that it looks much better, with the images full size, not in a slideshow. Join the B Team and Bentley and Pierre for this week’s post!

NOTE: The images were taken on a small compact and an iPod Touch which I hope encourages those of you who do not use a DSLR.

Grand Canyon thrills after BlogPaws — Me at the Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon

Visiting The Grand Canyon was top our list of places to visit after BlogPaws® and, thanks to the services of Steve Gerhart and Arizona Scenic Tours we had the perfect visit.

Steve did all the driving so Paul was able to relax and not stress about ‘driving on the wrong side of the road’. Any British readers will realise how super stressful this would be for us English folk. It not make for an enjoyable holiday break .

TIP If you think you will never see the Grand Canyon for real, don’t be so sure you never will. The Dash Kitten crew never dreamed I would get to the BlogPaws conference but I did. The lesson here? Never give up on your dreams.

Saguaro Cactus image — Saguaro Cacti from our Car

My 2016 Traveller’s Report

[Please note that I use we all the time because Dash Kitten dad Paul was with me for this trip of a lifetime.]

I will begin from our base in Phoenix, AZ after the BlogPaws conference.

The heat in Arizona in June and July can be intense, different from anything we have encountered before. As part of a two-day journey, we hoped to spend a whole afternoon and evening in the Grand Canyon area which is at a higher elevation, and not quite so hot.

The Lowell Observatory

We drove through different geographical areas as we gained height – starting with the desert, home to the astonishing Saguaro Cactus. Although it is not an endangered species, there are strict regulations governing the treatment of the cactus. It’s bloom is the State Flower of Arizona.

We stopped off at the Lowell Observatory, as Paul is an astronomer by training.

Here, if can you believe it, it rained. Having driven high up from the intense heat of the Sonoran Desert it was welcome though and did not spoil our visit.

In a very short time, we had climbed high enough to reach an area where rain and snow are much more common than in Phoenix, Arizona!

Visiting The Grand Canyon

We travelled on to see what is truly one of nature’s wonders.

As I say in my video at the bottom of this post, nothing anyone says can describe the impact, on a mere human, of seeing the sheer size and magnificence of the Grand Canyon.

The Grand Canyon — Grand Canyon Colorado River

The Grand Canyon is 277 miles (446 km) long, up to 18 miles (29 km) in width, and can be over a mile deep (6,093 feet/1,857 meters).

Thanks to Steve’s local knowledge we visited several of the best vantage points around the Canyon, and managed to avoid a lot of the crowds.

Grand Canyon image showing its size — Taken with my Samsung compact camera

We also managed the best seats in the house for a superb sunset which you can see in the video below.

The key we found was not to rush from place to place but allow plenty of time to see the Canyon from several different vantage points. You need plenty of time, simply to take in the scale of this most amazing of places.

Looking Deep into the Grand Canyon — Looking into depths of the Grand Canyon

Surprising as it might sound; clouds added drama and interest to the beautiful blue skies, especially towards the sunset. They also added extra depth and shade over the Grand Canyon itself.

Grand Canyon deep sunset showing amazing clouds — Grand Canyon Sunset

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Video of The Grand Canyon

The video is longer than our usual presentations (just over 2 minutes) because we aim to give what we hope is an impression of the size and the magnificence of this amazing place.

Please stick with it to the end – it’s worth it!

Video Timing 2.13. Grab a coffee and enjoy.

Our trip to Blogpaws helped launch the blog in a more focused way which has been a real benefit.

The trip also allowed us both to enjoy some of Arizona’s most spectacular treasures including the Heard Museum, the Observatory and Sedona.

And you know what? I have never done a full post on our Sedona trip! I guess I need to share the pictures in a post – right?

Photograph of the Sedona landcape in America — Sedona Landscape

Visit Eastbourne With Driving Mr Dusty VIDEO

08/05/2017 by Marjorie Dawson 15 Comments

Welcome to Driving Mr Dusty

Our short series shows you a cat’s eye view of Wellington, New Zealand with a video and some cool snapshots!

Dusty’s trip was a Finalist in the 2018 BlogPaws® Nose to Nose Awards.

Dusty was a senior who absolutely adored car rides. Thanks to him we discovered a little senior cat could have amazing adventures and make movies. We called them ‘Driving Mr Dusty’. You can also enjoy his trips to Petone Beach, and Lord of the Rings country – Rivendell.

Driving Mr Dusty’s Eastbourne Adventure

Today we spotlight Eastbourne a suburb of Wellington that looks over towards the capital from across the harbour. About 4,200 people live here in all, but it gets busy with visitors in summer and when the weather is fine.

Dusty Visits Eastbourne – Activities

Eastbourne is at the end of a long, winding seaside road that hugs the side of the harbour, just check the video for how close we get.

It is also the starting point for many outdoor activities, including hiking adventures. Hiking is known as ‘tramping’ here, and there are some cool routes that start at the far end of Eastbourne, beyond the shops and houses.

The road does eventually stop, not long past our car park spot in the movie, and there is no tarmac road. The area is still busy as a host of advenure activities are based here. You can windsurf, and there is a 60 minute bike ride to the very tip of the peninsula with gorgeous views, as you can see when you watch Dusty’s movie.

You can also get out in a kayak, and go snorkelling. So, you can see why on a fine day, we were pleased to get a parking spot!

Dusty Gets Up to Mischief At Home!

It was a busy day, it tired me out and so Mum and Dad found giving me my fluids a lot easier. When I was worn out and laid in my carrier I didn’t protest! At the end of a busy cat day we were ALL tired, so, I waited until they both turned away before I tried to jump out of my wire carrier! I nearly tipped and fell over so Mum watches me like a hawk now * sigh * The adventures of a senior cat eh!?

OK Guys! See on the next Driving Mr Dusty
* Paw Wave *

Visit Rivendell with ‘Driving Mr Dusty’ (Video)

01/05/2017 by Marjorie Dawson 14 Comments

Our road trip cat driving Mr Dusty visits Rivendell

The video only takes a brief two minutes of your time so, grab a mug of coffee, sit back and relax as we head to a magical corner of New Zealand; Lord of the Rings Country.

“Hello all, Dusty here with another trip to a corner of New Zealand many moviegoers may recognise from the silver screen.

Driving Mr Dusty – Rivendell Road Trip from Dash Kitten Movies

Rivendell, in Lord of the Rings, is the home of Elven folk, and has a long and complex history. The ‘movie’ Rivendell, in particular, is noted for the scenes set during the Council of Elrond in The Fellowship of the Ring.

The Council may sound like a dull meeting of exotic multi-species high ups; Elves, Humans, Dwarves and Hobbits, but it is here that, for the first time, the characters assemble to become the Fellowship of the Ring, which helps one small Hobbit destroy the evil ‘One Ring’.

Cute Dusty Cat visits Rivendell — Me at the Council of Elrond!

The movie location is now a gorgeous park and recreation area, Kaitoke Regional Park, which covers 2,860 hectares (11 sq. miles) of the foothills of the Tararua Ranges. It is popular with hikers, campers and those after a more gentle stroll.

The high, bush-clad hills, divide New Zealand’s Lower North Island roughly in two down a vertical. The western side is the Wairarapa wine and farming district, and the eastern side is the Kapiti coast area, a popular Summer holiday spot for beach holidays.

Rivendell Arch from LOTR — Check out the Departure Arch 1/2 scale from ‘Fellowship of the Ring’!

You can see me posing on top of my cosy purrito blanket on the front of the smaller scale model of the arch ‘through which the heroes depart’ to save the world! It was such awesome fun to visit and to feel the magic of this peaceful, and glorious, place.

I hope you enjoy our video, I am such a lucky cat to head out on these fabulous road trips and have you all along for the ride!”

How do I visit Rivendell?

Also known to Ring fans as Imladris, Rivendell means “deep valley of the cleft” there are places where you feel surrounded by high hills and deep river beds.

Kaitoke Regional Park covers 2860 hectares in the foothills of the Tararua Ranges, which are a range of spectacular hills that divide the Kapiti coast from the Wairarapa farming and winemaking areas. Steep, bush-clad hills, and the Hutt River gorge make this a special place, and the centuries-old rata, rimu and beech forest are features in this gorgeous natural setting. You can camp here too!

Dusty

Happy Middle Earth Monday

‘Driving Mr Dusty’ The First Smartphone (Video)

23/04/2017 by Marjorie Dawson 27 Comments

Ladies and Gentlepals, welcome to the world movie premiere of Dusty’s Big Day Out, by the Dash Kitten Crew!

Driving Mr Dusty – Petone Road Trip from Dash Kitten on Vimeo.

As we join the Sunday Selfie with the Kitties Blue we celebrate older cats, senior cats, and also the people who love them. We know you will love Dusty’s trip and appreciate how much we loved discovering his love of travel.

Dusty’s Big Day Out – What Gives, I Hear You Say?

As Dusty is unwell Mum and Dad decided to take him on a ‘Big Day Out’ so he could enjoy a car ride and a visit to the beach. The weather was perfect for his road trip, and it is with pride that we present our movie to celebrate what turned out to be a perfect and wonderful day.

We learned, just after Christmas, that Dusty loves to ride in the car, his spirits lift and his eyes light up. The discovery was made by accident when Dusty had his epic drama day, the day we thought we were losing him, which you can check here.

If you can imagine it, we have a cat who loves cars! No singing the song of his people, our Dusty was alert and engaged with travelling and ready to have fun.

It was such an adventure for a Senior Cat

We just knew we had to share Dusty’s newly discovered hobby with you all. So many cats hate cars, many of the Dash Kitten Crew do, but Dusty LOVES to travel!

Please enjoy Dusty’s Big Day Out video, it was made with great love and pride in our little senior man. The Kitties Blue are honouring our friend Nellie, the Cat From Hell, and we can think of no better tribute than her splendid pumpkin which she honoured us with this year.

It got us thinking! Do you love to travel, and you a kitty car ride fan? Let us know!

Dusty Cat and the
Dash Kitten Crew

Our Smartphone Movie Adventure When We Saved a Duckling in the Garden

30/01/2017 by Marjorie Dawson 31 Comments

You Will Love Our Crazy Duckling Rescue Adventure Story!

Dad was working in his home office and he looked out of the window……. Next door’s cat was peering down from the wall into the stream behind the garden. Uh-oh he thought, one of the Dash Kitten Crew has fallen over the edge!

He and Mum rushed outside, prepared to mount a dramatic cat rescue but, instead, they found a lone duckling! Knowing that you do not touch wildlife without checking to see if their family is nearby, they assessed the situation.

After carefully checking, they could not see, or hear, family along our length of the stream.
No sound or sight of ducks nearby.
The little duckling was battling a fast stream.

A decision was made. Left to its own devices the tiny duckling would be swept quickly onwards to a weir, then to the Hutt River with no chance of landfall. A rescue was needed!

First Catch Your Duckling

The duckling was not easy to catch. For something so small, it was noisy, wriggly, and did its best to keep paddling like crazy. Dad caught it – and again, Mum and Dad listened carefully for the sound of ducks nearby – in the hope the family might locate the stray through its loud peeps…….. Nothing.

It was Sunday, so the chances of getting emergency advice from the SPCA was slim. So, Mum and Dad looked online and found the Duckman. The site is comprehensive and helpful. It gave us help to take positive action for our orphan friend and mount a bird rescue.

Duckling Rescue Adventure Cute Duckling sat in rescue crate — On our way to the Rescue. Note green binding so ducky can’t fly out the side gap.

Duckman aka Craig Shepherd, has a website full of important, life saving, information for ducks and seabirds. Mr Shepherd has worked in bird care, rehabilitation and rescue for over ten years and he was one of the bird rescuers thst made a huge difference to birdlife during the infamous Rena Oil Spill.

” I specialise in the rehabilitation of waterfowl but also take seabirds and some other breeds of birds as required.

The birds mostly come from the SPCA and vet clinics but I also get a few from the Wellington Zoo and Massey University for rehabilitation. The majority that come in are orphaned ducklings and I deal with 300 – 400 birds per year.”

With the duckling in a box, Mum and Dad checked on what to do next on the ‘Caring for Ducks’ page. Done right, the chances of a successful result were 98%. The duckling was moved to a carrier, and Dusty volunteered his microwaveable heat pad to provide extra warmth.

By the time this had been arranged, there had been a response from the Duckman rescue on Facebook. Mum and Dad were asked if they could bring the duckling to the rescue. They had planned to head out to see ‘Hidden Figures‘ at the cinema that evening (Mum has the book and found it a terrific read), but a hasty reschedule was arranged, then they set off for the rescue.

Duckling Rescue Adventure – Making Our Duckling Movie

After a winding, twisting, drive through a part of the Wellington area they had never seen before, Mum and Dad safely dropped off our little buddy and took a while to tour the rescue facility. Mum hastily grabbed her iPhone and shot some footage of the residents then made it into a movie for our post. NOTE For aspiring movie people – this was done on an iPhone, edited in iMovie, and it’s really cool!

Enjoy!

P.S. We had a further message that our rescue duckling was eating and cuddling after we left too, so thank you Duckman for your skilled advice and care.

Silver Kitten
Duckling Rescue Adventure Reporter

Cat Blogger Photographs The Grand Canyon