Much of the month of June, and most of the first week of July, I spent on a fun set of various road trips. The first one was a 3-day trip, with Quester and our two teens, to his extended family’s camp on the ocean in Hancock County, Maine. We love to go there every summer, though for the past few summers, my son Dryst hasn’t been able to go due to his intense pre-season soccer schedule. He has graduated now, and so he headed north with us. Dog-lover that he is, Dryst insisted that we bring along our canine friends. Here’s a look at the trip through the eyes of our two dogs, Star and Áine.

Hi! I’m Áine, and I’m 2 years old. I loved my first trip to camp! My favorite part was chasing red squirrels all around the yard. Can you believe they go inside the cabin!? I tried to keep them out. My least favorite part was the long car ride, which was very boring.

The first day we were there, Mom and my Girl took Star and me for a walk. Dad and my Boy were busy building a shed. They like to play with sticks, just like me.

I met a new type of dog, that I’d never seen up close before.

Can you believe how huge this guy is?! Star didn’t seem to even notice him.

That night we went for another walk. I got my own bowl of ice cream! It was awesome! Though I think Star got more ice cream than me.

Hello. My name is Star, short for Astarte. I’m 11 years old. I’ve been up to camp before, so I knew what to expect. I had ice cream on our walk, too. I’m sure we both had the same amount, it’s just that Áine eats really fast. I’m more ladylike.

We went through a park that was really nice. It had benches to rest on. Mom said it was in Bar Harbor.

The ocean was pretty, but I hate wearing a leash. I mean, I stick close by no matter what, so why do I have to have this rope? I guess it was the rule where we were walking, though.

We got to explore and sniff around all kinds of stuff there. When we got back to camp, it was time for a rest, while the humans in our Pack played cards.

Hey there, this is Áine again – I was ready for a nap, too. I like to be right in the center of the Pack.

The next morning, Mom and our Girl, along with a couple of other humans, took us for a hike up Schoodic Mountain. Wow, was that fun! I got to run all around and explore all the smells and trails for a long time.

I think Star was really tired, though. Here she is, resting on the top of the mountain with our Girl.

I wasn’t tired at all, just hungry. I wanted to know what the Girl had to eat in that bag!

This is Star again. The hike was really long and hot, and when I got back, I was tired and kind of sore. We all went in the car to have dinner with some friends in Southwest Harbor. They have a dog named Charlie. He and Áine ran around a lot, but I just rested. I got to have steak for dinner! Don’t tell Áine, though – she and Charlie just had kibble. Sometimes being the senior dog really pays off.

Here’s a picture of our Boy on the way to the dinner. I guess Charlie didn’t want his picture taken.

The next day I mostly wanted to rest at camp, so I did.

Áine was still running around trying to catch squirrels. She didn’t even come close.

I did, too! (It’s Áine again). One time a red squirrel fell off the cabin and landed right at my feet. I was so surprised that he got away, though. I kept trying!

I thought of another thing that I didn’t like on the trip. Canoeing. The boat is so tipsy-turvy! I was too nervous, so I stayed home with my Boy. Star liked it, though. She’d been in canoes before.

Let me take over again – this is Star. I think Áine’s silly. Canoes are a lot of fun, especially with Mom and the Girl.

We saw a critter that was sort of like a dog, but it lives right in the water! Mom said it was a seal.

I don’t like to swim, even though I have webbed feet, but I did have a nice time wading in the water. And that was our trip to camp! It was fun, but I was glad to come home.

 

Oh yeah, and Áine said to tell you that the car ride home wasn’t quite so boring. Probably because she got to sleep on the Girl’s lap. Lucky dog.