Bright colors in Thacher Park; John Katz in Saratoga

Today was a great day! I took a day off from activities involving our dogs - got up early, grabbed my camera and went to take pictures in the John Boyd Thacher Park. The state park is located 8 miles from our place atop the Helderberg Escarpment, and in the first two weeks of October the panoramas you see there are breathtaking. It was a gorgeous morning, and the colors were peaking. I spent an hour and a half there and took around 300 pictures. Taking pictures of trees in their bright glory is not easy at all, but I am addicted and cannot help myself... Every morning and evening I am out with my cameras. I guess I am lucky that our tracking season has not started yet.

Early morning with its "sweet light" is the best time to take pictures at Thacher Park.

Sumac against the Minelot Falls

Then I spent the Sunday afternoon in Saratoga Springs, where Jon Katz was signing his new book "Rose In A Storm". Of all the contemporary dog writers Jon Katz is my favorite, and I share most of his views on dogs, their behavior and psychology. Having read almost all his non-fiction books, I am looking forward to reading his novel inspired by real characters. I read his blog regularly, and we have a common interest in photography. Also he lives on a farm in rural upstate New York, the place not that different from rural areas of Albany and Schoharie County (where we are).

It was great to hear him speak about the book, his dogs, writing, and his life.  This is a writer that I can relate to. Jon brought Izzy, a Border Collie that he does a lot of hospice work with, and I had a chance to snap some pictures.

Jon Katz's new book is his 19th.

Maria Wulf (wife) and Jon Katz.

It looks like Izzy was inspecting a shelf with dog magazines.

If you have not read Jon's books, I highly recommend them. He does not practice easy anthropomorphism, and he understands the instinctual side of dogs. So many dog "authorities" completely disregard this aspect of canine nature.