The ever watchful eye...............

Jasper is our 5 year old, Red and white Australian border collie.
My nearest and dearest will tell you I am devoted to him, almost as much as he is devoted to me. He is my constant shadow. We got him as a pup and took him back to HK with us and then on to London. He is a well travelled doggy!
He is now home with us at last enjoying life in Australia.
30 days in quarantine was HARD....I am not sure if it was harder on us or him....but I digress......
If I am heading out on an early morning shoot (pre-dawn into the dark) I will take him along not just for company and exercise but because he is ever watchful. This mornings sunrise was a real non-event....it was dark and then it was light...very heavy cloud cover and it was blowing a bitter gale.
As a consequence I had time to watch my watcher. He rarely strays in front of my wide angle lens...he tends to sit about 2 metres away and with his back to me and the ocean and watches the "approach" to our position. If he sees someone loom out of the early morning light he tracks them very carefully. If he perceives they are getting close (i.e. less than 100 metres) he sits up and watches even more intently. Then he lays down again when they turn back along the beach.
I might add that he is the sweetest most gentle natured dog in the world.....but I still feel so much safer having him near by. He does not wander off to sniff or explore as he would normally do in the outdoors, he just stays.
I feel blessed to have such a loyal and loving companion.