finally. cool fall weather. and rain rain and rain. now the grass is green. roses are blooming, its lovely. almost as wonderful as spring when leaves finally appear on the trees. Mikey is now 5 1/2 months old and taller than Tiger Lily. And has got his Big-Dog-Bark. Pretty scary, really. Sounds like a HUGE BIG DOG. and I think when he does that, that there's bad guys outside, preparing to break in. But no, its just the neighbors' dogs wandering down the road---again.

October, finally. the temperature creeps up towards the 90's, and gets slam-dunked by a cold front. Then we have rain and rain and mud. but the grass is greening up again, and there are lots of fall wildflowers. It really is lovely. Tiger Lily is no longer my Big Dog. Mikey is only a little taller as of yet, but he looks a Lot bigger than she is-- he makes her look dainty. That's really something considering that she weighs 80 pounds. And the other thing to not forget is that he is now 5 months old. Meaning that he still has several months of growing to do. Remember, these two were the same size in mid-July. Its amazing!!

The weather has finally cooled off. We've actually had Fall weather. The dogs are Very Happy!! Ever since Mikey arrived here, its been too hot in the middle of the day. Since it has cooled off, I find myself coaxing him to come outside in the middle of the day. "Come on out, Mikey, its not horribly hot..." At first he wouldn't come. I'd have to put a leash on him, and bribe him with treats. He's getting over his belief that it is painful to be outside in the middle of the day. Poor thing, he sure did hate it. In fact today, I looked around and wondered where Mikey was, and there he was outside. All by himself, outside in the early afternoon.

It is always amazing to watch Mikey growing. Growing and Growing. He's not so clumsy as he was at 2 1/2 months, always falling down. Now, 2 months later, he doesn't fall so much. I was just thinking this morning about this fact, as we were outside walking. Just then, he took off running, and tried to jump over the Cocker Spaniel who was in his way. Crashed to the ground. It didn't seem to bother him. And he's not reluctant to cry if he's hurt. The Cocker looked at him and went trotting away, and a couple of minutes later, the same thing happened. Cocker in the way, 4 1/2 month old Great Pyrenees running, and jumping...crash. He lays there calmly looking around, gets up and goes lolloping down the path again.

big, borrowed ladder

I borrowed a 20' ladder the other day from friends. (They even delivered it!) Because of this I was able to trim the tree branches that have been brushing the roof all around the house. And it was so easy!!!! I have a 6' step ladder. I've always had to make a platform with concrete blocks, set the ladder on it and then climb up onto the roof. Boy, I was so excited to just set the ladder up and climb up there and trim those tree limbs. What is it they say about the right tools?

Mikey and training

I keep putting off training sessions with Mikey--now 17 weeks old. It always seems complicated, and I can't think what to do with him. A few days ago, I came home from work, determined to give Mikey a bath. After the bath we would go visiting --some friends, and then PetSmart for a Nylabone. Guess who is teething? On my chair, on the wall, on the edge of the doorway... I decided, further, to try to get him to walk up the ramp to the bathtub. {raised bathtub in the groom room} He wouldn't walk on that ramp. He didn't want to and wasn't going to, so there. No exclamation points with him, just: "the answer is no". So I finally lifted him into to tub. I'm thinking "I can't do this for much longer, I'm going to have to work with him". A few days later, I get out training treats, the ramp, a leash (etc). and took him outside to the car. Put the ramp up to the car's rear bumper, steered him around to the ramp. He went around it a couple of times, he could see the treat in my hand and was trying to get to it. I finally got him at the foot of the ramp and patted it. He immediately walked halfway up, and tried to take the treat from my hand. That's really all it took. I put another treat inside the back of the car, and he walked right in. (I had him go up and down about 3 times all together.) Now it'll be easy to get him into the bathtub. Once I've shown him something and we've done it a few times, he doesn't refuse anymore. That's nice. He now weighs 48 lbs (as of Thurs Sep3)

Puppies for Dummies--helpful book

Mikey is only the third puppy I've raised. i've gotten most of my dogs 'used'. After this Great Pyrenees pup had been here a few weeks, I panicked. Couldn't think what to do for training, or anything. He's not a retriever and doesn't care about fetching a ball, so I didn't know how to play with him either. I went to PetSmart and then to Half Price Books, The best thing I've ever seen in print...Puppies for dummies. Really. Step-by-step descriptions of how to teach the dog whatever it is you want to teach him. Multiple solutions for common--and uncommon--problems with puppies. You know, like housetraining, chewing on things...etc. And none of the solutions are mean. Other training books, and classes I've been around talk about training with kindness and treats, and then the first thing I know they're advocating something mean, and explaining why this isn't a problem. Anyhow, really really really good and helpful book. Mikey and Topaz would like to thank the nice lady who wrote it.

some more hot weather

We've had some lovely fall weather for a few days, and now the temperature is creeping back up into the 90's again and I feel like whining about it. nights are fairly cool though. That's a happy thing. A weather man was talking yesterday about how few days over 100 degrees we had this August. Yeah, but we had record numbers of them in May and June and July instead. Statistics are ok if you keep them in perspective

Big baby

I know this isn't chronological, but I just remembered it... The night I brought Mikey home, I left him in the car for a few minutes while I put my other dogs in a pen so that we could all be introduced one at a time. He didn't think much of this plan, and started to cry. He was only eleven weeks old at the time. The same size as the larger Cockers, but still a baby. Jewel has been a mama several times and so when she heard a baby crying went to check on him. I was just getting him out of the car when she came to see if he was alright. She looked all around for the baby that she heard crying. Finally realized it was the large animal right in front of her, and was shocked. She did run over to him and touch him with her nose, then she ran about a yard away and stood looking at him in disbelief. Fortunately for her peace of mind, he stopped crying and focused on checking out his new world. Her look of shock and disbelief was priceless.

Its still August-hot. Has been since June. Very tiring. Sitting inside in the a/c thinking up great outdoor ideas, then go outside just to get something from the car--ick!! way way waywayway too hot to do anything outside. The Great Pyrenees pup is growing and growing. Hasn't had an "accident" in the house for a week or more, but does NOT WANT to go outside in the heat of the day. He thinks its a really bad idea, and his legs don't want to walk, maybe they're melting... Since I didn't have any work today, I thought I'd take Tiger Lily and Mikey to Dinosaur Valley State Park. I also thought I'd go EARLY before it got hot. (I like to think of myself as a realist). We got there straight up 12 o'clock noon. My high tech car informed me that it was 94 degrees. Took the dogs for a walk to the edge of the "blue hole" an old fashioned swimming hole that presumably has dinosaur tracks visible on a ledge which is only seeable from the water. Which is (they say) about 12' deep. We walked down a trail for a ways, and then back to the car where I gave the dogs a drink-- and that was a circus. one of them drinks the bowl dry, I refill it, somebody wraps their leash around it, I rescue the bowl from being dumped over, one of them backs up and sits in the bowl--dumping it ... I finally decided arbitrarily that they had both had enough to drink and led them to the shade of a tree where I studied the map of the park. I'd been there once, about 17 years ago. And I remembered wading across the river trying to see the tracks in the middle of the river. I couldn't read the map today to figure out where those tracks are. The map shows " track site 1" and "track site 2" and describes them. It also shows track sites 3 and 4, but doesn't say anything about them. We got back in the car and drove to the next place, but the dogs weren't cooled off yet, so we drove to another place I thought was the picnic area, but was actually the place I was looking for. Stonework stairs down to the river, large blocks of stone in the river, everything covered with slimy slippery muddy, greeny grayey goo. Mind you, to be fair, where the rocks were out of the water, they were not slippery. However, long before we got down to the river, the dogs were both unhappy and HOT again. When we did get to the river, I had to push Tiger Lily to get her to put her paws in the water. And then she stood with 2 paws or sometimes all 4 in the water. Mikey wasn't going to finish coming down the stairs, he had had it, it was TOO HOT. Finally got him down tto the river's edge and when he got two paws wet, he waded on in and then lay down. I was in the shade of a small tree, so we stayed there for half an hour or so. I had to pick him up to get him to move. He was never going to leave the wonderful river til the sun went down. When he did get up, his left hip and side were greeny, grayey, gooey. So he lay in the shade of a tree next to the car while I had my lunch. Tiger Lily didn't care if it was hotter in the car than outside. There's always the possibility that the car will blow cold air, and take her home.

Mikey's third week with us

This Mikey character is amazing. I thought I remembered watching Mega growing. But maybe not considering how astonished I am every day. He's been here now 3 weeks and 1 day. When I brought him home he was almost 11 weeks old. The same size as the Cocker Spaniels. Tomorrow he will be 14 weeks old. His play buddy, Topaz, now comes only to the point of his hip. There is over four inches difference between them. Neither of them seems to know it yet. Even though Topaz gets very upset sometimes when Mikey falls on him when they are playing. Mikey is not nearly as prone to falling down now as when he first came. But it seems to be part of the game for him, he starts to lean a little and then he goes ahead and falls over. Sometimes this precipitates a lot of noise from the spaniel. I don't know what kind of personality Mikey will have. So far he has been submissive, but he's beginning to know his place here. I actually heard him growling while they were playing today. He hasn't done that before.

growing puppy

I know, not a new theme at all. This guy is amazing. In one week he has grown an inch in every direction, and now has those huge wrist joints that you look at and say, "He is going to be BIG!" But this is the really amazing thing, on these perfect little, paws, he clumps. I kid you not, I'll hear a funny clumping sound and think something has been knocked over--look around and discover that its Mikey walking across the floor.

Here's Mikey!!

Mikey

Tues July14, I brought home a Great Pyrenees puppy. On the Sunday before that I was out walking my dogs (4 cocker spaniels + tiger lily) when I discovered that a large camping trailer had been parked almost against my back fence, and 3 guys were standing outside the door watching me. The grass is so tall, they probably couldn't see the dogs. The first thing that crossed my mind was, "I need another big dog". Monday I looked on Craig's list at grown dogs. Tuesday I looked again and contacted a person who had this puppy. They'd only had him a short time, but their other dog was trying to kill him they said. So he was 11 weeks old, and was the same height as Caleb and Bailey... but that was last Tues. I noticed today (Mon July 20) that he is a full inch taller than they are. I've done some reading about Great Pyrenees the last few days and right now its funny. They are "serious, majestic..." And here's this puppy at 3 months of age falling down while he plays with the youngest cocker, they tumble and bat at each other with their big front feet; chase each other around and around; growl a lot, and then fall down on top of each other. I don't know how long that will be fun for the Cocker.

isn't hdtv wonderful?

You know, with all the hoopla for the last many months about the switch from analog to digital broadcast signals, explanations of how to get a converter box, how easy it is to hook it up, how much better everything will be when this happens, how many more channels we'll all enjoy...And then after the switch, with the box, its actually harder to watch tv because its so picky about the signal. And don't tell anybody, but I have fewer channels than before. Between Jan and June 12 I used the converter box a few times and had lots of channels. After June 12, about two thirds of the channels I had before were gone. I read an article that said they were also switching between UHF and VHF. I think that's interesting because I'd not heard that mentioned before. Anyway, I've been wanting to watch less tv? here it is. See all the snow on the screen? and the message says it can't find the signal, and I should try moving the antenna. Which doesn't help. I know, grumble, grumble...

weather and fleas, unfortunately

It has been so hot already for most of June, that there are wildflowers blooming that usually bloom in September. I'm not exaggerating either. So far three flowers that usually bloom in Aug and/or Sept are blooming. That's a little discouraging. I mean I know its been unusually hot, but when the plants confirm it that seems to make it feel worse somehow. That lovely wet spring we had that was so good for plants, has led to an incredible plague of fleas. They seem to be immune to almost everything. I'm bathing and dipping all five of my dogs every week, and by 48 hours later they're crawling with fleas again. I've put drops on them after their bath and dip. I've put new, expensive flea collars on them after their bath and dip. It doesn't seem to make any difference at all. Although, I feel better because this week I finally got the carpets treated. And they seem to not be scratching quite so much as before.

Tiger Lily has own blog

Tiger Lily is a big dog with her own blog. You can believe me or not. The google people have provided all kinds of things to put on your blog, including a profile of the person creating the blog. But you can't, apparently put a different profile on different blogs. I tried to put Tiger Lily's name, photo and profile on her blog, and it all showed up at the side of MY blog. That was a little bizarre. So I removed it from my blog while I think about what to do about that. But here is her photo after we went for a walk in the Trinity River Park in Fort Worth. She got to ride on the miniature train, and I was a dope and didn't take my camera with me. Right now I'm trying to plan another small excursion for an early morning ( before the HOT) and maybe this time Bailey can come too. But I will not promise her her own blog--she's too much of a chatterbox, it would be too much.

Where did June go? I would wonder that anyway, but I just noticed that last week's post about going to California was the only one in June. That's odd. There are still hundreds of wild flowers blooming out in the back. Mostly the ones called "basket flower". They're called that because they look like the flower is blooming in a basket. I love them because they are lavender with white middles (always makes me think of berry sherbet), And they smell good, not a real sweet smell. more spicey. I've never had so many of them blooming at once. I feel wealthy.

Well, I went to California. It was a really fast trip, although, I had an extra half day there that wasn't in the original plan. Daddy was really excited to see me. He was doing pretty well. He calls his walker, "my machine" . He says he's "going to get on my machine and go to the living room." So I called it a motorcycle. I think he ignored me. Mama doesn't know why he calls it a machine. Its just a folding walker, there's no motor, no moving parts, except, hopefully the wheels. He has one of those nice walkers with a seat and a basket and handbrakes (like on a bike). But he gets pretty bored so he worked on the basket with a pair of pliers and now it won't stay on the walker like its supposed to. I think that if they moved here and built a house on my land, he would be motivated to get up and move around more, come over to my house or walk out in the back with the dogs etc. And that may happen. Mama was talking like they might come here in a "couple of years".

haven't done much artwork since starting to work regularly. So when a co-worker asked me about doing a picture of her boxer, it gave me some motivation. here's the first attempt.

I was talking with friends the other day about compost. I like compost a lot, when its finished. Its such lovely stuff for growing things in. But those who rhapsodize about compost can become overly complicated and scientific about it. So although its wonderful if you have time, energy, and understanding to pamper those little bacteria with the perfect balance of "brown stuff", "green stuff", air, water (etc); its not absolutely necessary. You can just pile up leaves and grass clippings and weeds and leave it alone for a long time, and it will compost. Anyhow, I was talking to friends the other day, like I said before, and the next day I found a little pocket sized book called...Organic Gardening for Dummies. It 'splained how to make a compost container, and how to stack the ingredients up, and everything. In easy English. I gave it to my friend. Why didn't I buy me one too?
Last year my little pickup died and I bought a car, no choice really. And I did want a pickup, but got a car anyway. I haven't brought home any bovine manure in the last year either-- its hard to think about bringing manure home in that little car, even though, the garden would like it a lot.

well, in a couple of weeks i'm going to California to visit my parents. Daddy fell the Wed. before Easter, and broke his hip. They had to wait about 5 days to do surgery because he'd been on blood thinners. Then he was in a nursing home for a few weeks. Of course the medical community said it would be long term, and they couldn't see him going home, and he shouldn't put any weight on that leg for at least 8 weeks... you know how they talked. God moved, he went home at the end of about three weeks. After four weeks, his Dr, had an xray taken, looked at it, and said he could begin putting weight on it using a walker. Some friends at church had some air miles they couldn't use before they expire in a couple of months, and so, I'm going to go for a few days to visit them.

Okay! the red rose is now blooming. sorry if this is boring, but I'm still blown away at those recent "sticks" that are now over three feet high, covered with healthy, happy leaves, and FLOWERS!!! And they smell good. did you know that people have invented perfect looking roses that have no scent??!!?? Weird. So, I was further thrilled that the description of the roses I bought contained the word "FRAGRANT" . You bet. And its true, I know for sure now that they are both "FRAGRANT" And I am grateful.

the year is galloping by. how did it get to be the end of May? How is it that that tiny puppy is now ten big months old? Hey, he's slowing down. Now, he jumps up in my lap and lays his head down for 7 nanoseconds before he gets up and starts stomping around on my lap, trying to play with the dogs on the floor. Those are sweet nanoseconds believe me. Just look at him!

Wildflowers

Wildflowers, lots of them, lots of colors and kinds. Acres of them. Indian blanket, and White Barbara's Buttons and Bluettes, and , and, and,...and also the furry ones that run around panting. Almost every picture I took this morning had two or three dogs in it. As I walked on and continued to take photos, the dogs kept running in circles around me, smelling bunnies, and chasing doves and generally having a thrilling time. If you look at all the pics, and all the dogs, looks like a couple of dozen dogs--sometimes five does feel like a couple of dozen, I admit it. but I like them all.

So, now these roses are blooming. the white one profusely, the red one is working on it. Lookee. This is so amazing to me. I just planted these sticks a couple of months ago now? not sticks anymore. plants, happy, green, leafy, But they Are BLOOMING. and GROWING. !!!

life is roaring along much too quickly. yesterday was it that I was so excited about green grass? No, yesterday I mowed for the first time in five days and almost lost a cocker spaniel in the junglyness of it. or was it yesterday that the purple iris began to bloom and bloom and went on purpling up the front of my place for two weeks... and now its hot in the daytime, and "want to go outside in the dark time" already.

work, mow, sleep, walk the dogs, mow, water the garden...And then be amazed at how much something has grown. A month ago or so, I bought 2 bare root climbing roses. They were on clearance, because it was late in the season and they hadn't sold. One of them had one little clump of leaves. The other one was green, but no leaves, no little place where leaves might appear in a few days. Nada. But I planted them anyway. I watered them, and then it started to rain. And kept on raining. A couple of weeks after planting them, where there had been a small clump of leaves there was a branch about 6 inches long, and that plant had several other groups of leaves coming out. Now, it has several branches that are over a foot long, and its a good thing that I've already put fence up for it to climb on. The second plant also has several branches growing and growing. This may not seem exciting to anyone else, but I've had several roses die since I've been here. And I think that these are going to flourish. So I'm completely thrilled about every leaf and branch.

I went around my place the other day taking pictures, and thinking about how long its been since my parents were here. The trees have grown a lot since then , and of course there are a lot more trees than were here originally. This is partly because trees grow when the mower is broken, and then who mows trees down when the mower is fixed? Not me. Besides that, some trees came up close to the house and I let them grow, I figure shade is good. So I'm putting some of the pics up on flickr. And one of a friend of mine here.

since I started working at the other location, I have a lot more energy. stress levels are down. and generally everything is happier. I am still working a lot of hours, but seem to have more time to notice flowers blooming now than before. The dogs are getting used to me being gone, they're quite funny about hanging around real close to me when I'm home. They've always done that to a certain extent, but its more noticeable now. I'll be sitting somewhere, or bending over to tie a shoe, and suddenly SomeOne is in my face being happy cause we're together. They continue to be happy about it until a plurality notices that SomeOne is getting all the attention--and then they all push in to claim their share. When it gets too rowdy, I get up and walk away. I do take them for fewer walks now cause I'm tired, but when the puppy (9 months old now) starts bugging everybody I realize we need to go walking again. And of course I need all the walking I can do. sorry, not very interesting is it?

downy paintbrush

of all the wildflowers that bloom here in my back 2 acres, this is my very favorite one (except for some of the others). This is downy paintbrush according to my wildflowers of texas book. I mis-remembered the name for the first few years. i told a lot of people..."really, the name of this flower is 'fuzzy paintbrush'" so much for total recall. Its just fuzzy recall.

Ah! spring in Texas! green grass, abundant wildflowers, trees covered with brillliant green leaves. And storms. Also lovely sunsets. This is just a little pond for some cattle to drink out of, (and swim in when its really hot). But, I keep taking pictures of it, the reflections are wonderful. and it doesn't matter to me that everybody else is taking this kind of photo too. I just like it a lot.

I needed to say that work is much better now. I've gone to work at a different location. Not under so much scrutiny as before, and the radio's not so loud,(in fact, I don't even realize its on most of the time) and considering that it was on my nerves at the other place; this is wonderful. Am so very very tired, always. After about five weeks, the dogs began to get upset when i leave in the middle of my day off. Begging me to take them with me, and someone always on my feet/and or lap when I'm home in the house. And believe me, none of my dogs would be considered lap dogs by anyone in their right mind. The puppy, who I thought would grow up to be my buddy, and want to be in my lap [HA!!!] does occasionally leap into my lap, then he wants to play. won't lay down, seems to think he's outside somewhere.

Blowy, windy, blowy...

Blowy, windy, blowy. Days and days and days of them. Til brand new spring-green, delicate leaves are blown down to die on the ground. What's that about? Its tiring, all this blowing and roaring outside. The sunshine looks glorious (even though the windows should be cleaned), but its not-so-glorious when you are out there being assaulted by the wind.

sad faces

After more than a month of me going to work five days a week, the dogs are exhibiting signs of "you're leaving us again!!" syndrome. I was cleaning out the back of the car the other day, took something in the house, and when I came back out, the big dog (Tiger Lily) was inside, and said she wasn't going to get out either. So she got to go for a ride. Normally, she doesn't like riding. She only insists on going with me when she's been left too much; (according to her standards)

purplepurplepurple

For years I've wanted to have a solid row of purple iris across the front of this place. It has now happened. They all bloomed at once, and it is amazing. purple, purple, purple.!! When I planted the first one 14 years ago, I thought, "this will never happen". A friend asked me a few years ago, to help her divide her iris. They were getting too crowded, so I dug them up for her one day, and brought dozens home and planted them. Most of them were too small then to bloom. Not any more.

I know this isn't anything as a photograph, But this is only part of the row of pupleness spreading across the front of this property.

sunshine, etc

Now we're having sunny, gorgeous days. The grass is green and the redbud trees are still blooming and the purple iris are blooming all over the place... sorry, hate to gush, but after all the months of brown grass and dead looking trees and shrubs I just love this. And furthermore I wanted to go on record as being happy about the weather after whining about the rain. The dogs are pretty thrilled too, (and so are the chickens, who love to eat green plants and now get grass and other greens every day--sometimes with bugs on them!!) As I mentioned before, I too love this weather, but am almost too tired to enjoy it. I have very much work right now. This is good, because of the never ending bills, so I am grateful besides being tired.

rain, rain, and more rain

they say this is the last day of this rainstorm. the news nowadays is always reporting THE COST OF (... a storm, flood, tornado, hurricane...etc.) I am glad of the actual rain. We needed it. But the co$t to me? so far, one beef bone, and six raw hide chew toys for the dogs, not to mention-- although you notice that I am in fact mentioning-- 4 loads of dog towels, washed and dried. Just try towel drying 5 dogs about 5 times a day for two days. If its not raining, its misting, sprinkling or just dripping. The chickens aren't very happy either, very very wet and bedraggled.
WET WET WET. yuck

rain

Things have been turning green for a few weeks, and the aforementioned redbud trees are "showing-out". But we've still been officially in a drought. Anytime they forecast high winds, there is a "red-flag warning" which is a fire alert. BUT yesterday we had soaking rains and it is soggy, muddy now, and supposed to be rainy tomorrow too!! Oh gladness!! The purple iris are thrilled too.

Don't tell me , I know, this is a face only a mother could love. Actually, the face is cute. So innocent looking. Even while standing a couple of yards away, with something of mine in his mouth. I don't want it shredded, and he's revving up his engines for a fast getaway...And that face still looks innocent.

The redbud tree is showing off, and so are the wild plum bushes. I love the color of the redbuds, but the fragrance of the plums is wonderful. I'm ready to plant flowers, flowers, flowers. And the dogs want to stand all over them and smell everything. The two youngest will also play tug-o-war with newly planted plants, and then gallop around triumphantly waving their new trophy. And then I wonder why I have to have dogs...

I was working this afternoon, and when I finished and went outside, I was astonished. There were huge, towering thunderheads all over the western sky. They were right in the middle of the sunset. I wasn't expecting that at all, doesn't matter that its still February, it was in the upper 80's today. So, of course I ought to have expected big tall clouds. There was only a little patter of rain though. We do need rain.

Got Work !!

I had a feeling it was time to blog some more, but the feeling didn't tell me it had been over a week since I wrote. I am very happy to have work. I have been looking for more work, or any work for years I think. Anyway, I started today grooming at a grooming shop in town whose business is actually growing! The thought of being able to pay bills before they come due is exciting to me, and I look forward to catching up and staying caught up. The dogs, on the other hand don't know what to make of me going away every morning. They've never experienced this before (except temporarily).

Anyone for the beach?

Its been cold all day, and so I've been thinking of the beach in summer. I'll share a drawing with you. These guys are so ready to have fun at the beach.

green, green, the grass is green

There's been more rain this week, and the green is creeping stealthily into the pastures. Behind the house where the ground has been bare, the grass is not stealthy at all. It is standing up, boldly, brilliantly green for all the world to see. Some little bird has been making sample nests out of grass. They're not very high above the ground, some of them only about three feet up. But I know that these fragile little nests have not been there since last year. The sparrows and doves are getting bolder about eating the chicken's feed. They make a lot of noise-- no stealth there either-- they fly into the chickens' pen, land on the ground and begin eating calmly as though that was why that feed was there. They only fly up into the tree over the pen when a chicken arrives, or a person comes by. They fly a little farther away when the dogs go running out there to inspect the premises.

Flowering Quince

It must be February, the flowering Quince is blooming. It is pretty. A small bush with pink blooms all over it. It usually blooms for the whole month of February. The really outstanding thing about it though, is that nothing else is blooming around here. And its not afraid to be the only one blooming right then. It just goes on blooming.

So many CLOSE friends!

Usually when the weather's nice, the dogs go outside and lounge around in the sunshine. The last two days have been lovely weather, sunny, blowy, and around seventy degrees. Very pleasant. All five dogs are wrapped around my ankles. Won't go away. Don't want to go outside -- unless I go out and then of course are they smelling all the smells on four acres? Nope. They're playing under my feet, wrestling and slamming into my legs. Right now, Caleb: a friendly blond Cocker who came here second-hand last May, is under my chair in a position which guarantees that I will not escape without his knowing. Its tricky to get out of the chair without stepping on a paw, nose, or silky ear. So if the phone rings, I probably can't get to it in time. The floor is covered with traps, 'will she step on this paw?' 'can she navigate the whole obstacle course without stepping on any living thing?' Also, after I've stepped over a couple of them, they get up and precede me down the hall--and then lay down in the way again so that there always appear to be a couple of dozen Cocker Spaniels in the house, instead of the actual four.

Somebody needs attention

When Topaz was little, he would fling himself at me. He would fling himself at the other dogs, especially Tiger Lily. She's so big it wasn't a problem...when he weighed a couple of pounds it wasn't a real problem even for the other Cockers. They didn't like it, but nobody got hurt. Now, he weighs 22 pounds and is bigger than the smaller female and still throws himself at their heads. It irritates everybody. And I'm sure it doesn't feel good. He does it especially when I'm paying attention to somebody else. The others try to get attention by butting in too, but his rocket-launcher approach is a little unsettling. Definitely destroys the peace.

first sign of green

There's green grass coming up after the rain that fell (and froze) last week. Its peeking out from under the dead leaves in the corners of the yard, growing quietly under the edges of rocks that border flower beds, being brilliantly green next to small fruit trees, and tantalizing the chickens by growing just out of reach of greedy beaks. There's not enough to make the yard look green from a distance, its a close-up thing still.

ice storm last week

Nice ice storm last week. What's nice about an ice storm? I didn't have to go anywhere, nor wonder if things were cancelled... And it was only two days, and I got some really nice photographs. Plus, its 72 now...

playing soccer with the puppy

I've been playing 'soccer' with the puppy since he was pretty little. I kick the basketball and he runs after it growling. Nothing like bullying a ball into submission. When he catches it, he blocks it with his chest and holds it down with his chin. Then he watches my feet. if I pick up my left foot to push it towards his left, he puts up his left front leg to hold it. etc. I have to wait til he's distracted, and then kick it good .
In the meantime, one of the other cockers, Bailey has begun to play on her own. She uses her chest to keep it from rolling away, and mostly pushes the ball with the side of her face, growling ferociously the whole time. She also uses her front paws to move the ball, sometimes to steer it a little. The only time she wants any interference is when she gets stuck in a corner, then she backs away to let me pick it up and throw it out into the middle of the yard. The other day her game was so exciting she was barking those little high pitched 'play-with-me' barks (at the ball). It was hilarious.

bored puppy

They've been promising this ice storm for several days now. With 24 hours still to go before the weather is supposed to get above freezing, the puppy is bored already. He's six months old now, and innovative in his attempts to entertain himself. He decided to look out the kitchen window while ago and got yelled at for attempted destruction of a miniblind that is older than his mother. Next he tried to get the older dogs to play with him. Nope, they were curled up trying to sleep. I filled the rubber treat ball with kibble, he knocked down the broom and then the ball was lost behind something, and then...I wasn't able to give him something to play with and then go do my own work. Besides, since everybody heard the food bin being opened, they were all gathered around him while he was trying to play with the ball. We went for another walk, and then everyone was ready for a nap, finally I got to work for awhile.

Thinks he's Cool!

While I waited for the camera to focus, he was talking to me. Look at that face and stance. Complete and utter confidence! Only one of my other Cockers has ever had this kind of confidence, we always joked that she thought she was Queen of the World. This is Topaz and he was seven weeks old when I took this picture.

Internet business

They say that starting a business online is easy. And I suppose that my experience shows that that is true, unless a "business" includes actual traffic to the site as well as sales. In that case, its not-so-easy. I've drawn drawings of dogs as well as a few other things, scanned them and uploaded them to a website, but getting the name of it out there to people is harder apparently than I thought.

Start the day laughing

I've never had a six month old Cocker puppy before, it still surprises me the things he'll play with. I was on my hands and knees under the kitchen table, left arm stretched out trying to plug something in, and here comes Topaz. Zoom! Pounce! patting the hand that's on the floor. Rather like a kitten pats at a string or whatever its playing with. But his puppy paws are all grown up already, nearly the size of my hand. It became very difficult to push the plug into the wall because I was laughing so hard. He was playing and playing with my hand. Buzzing around in circles under me and around me. Batting at the cord. His tail was not docked and so it looks like a setter's tail and it was in my face. I guess you had to be there. But it is one of the best ways to wake up in the morning, laughing and laughing. The microwave did get plugged in (after he went tearing away to bother a big dog). So I had a good laugh, and a cup of hot tea. What's not to like?

In the thirties today, ugh. Overcast and you have to remember that its January--unlike yesterday when it was 78F by the afternoon. The puppy doesn't understand why the grownups (dogs as well as human) won't stay outside and play with him. He's decided to play with everybody inside, but he keeps hoping...

Puppy's Advice



Always Always Look UP

No leaves on the trees, brown grass, bare dirt where the dogs play every day, the only birds heard are crows. We're all waiting for spring. The dogs don't seem to notice though, they play and sleep all day whether there is green grass or brown, or heaps of leaves or not.