Even The Lads Were Uncooperative

I've written several times before about how uncooperative my two daughters are about pictures. My two dogs, however, always seem to be ready to humor Dad when it's picture time for them. Usually.

Barnes, bored with the proceedings  

My oldest daughter, who is away at college, sent a request for an updated photo of Barnes and Noble together, normally a piece of cake assignment. So last Sunday afternoon I tried to get their portrait in our back yard. Barnes, who by now knows the drill, quickly trotted out to his spot on the hill behind our house as soon as he saw me with my camera. We don't know all the breeds involved in their ancestry, but Barnes is definitely part ham and always enjoys posing. Noble, on the other hand, who was busy snoozing on the back porch, didn't want to get up and come out into the yard. I finally coaxed him into the yard, and he immediately headed to another snoozing spot under his favorite bush.

Noble, thinking I can't see him in the honeysuckle

By the time I got Noble up on the hill where his brother was, Barnes had lost interest and had wandered off. While rounding up Barnes again, Noble found another place to lie down, in a clump of honeysuckle where he thinks no one can see him. As a last resort, I tried to get Barnes to sit next to Noble in the honeysuckle, but because of the tone of my voice, he thought I was mad at him and slinked away looking pitiful. A man needs to be able to discern when he's beat, so I gave up to try another day. You let me down, boys! (Click on photos to enlarge.)