Hunting while keeping warm

One morning I walked into the piano room looking for the dogs to take them out for a walk. Spirit was lying on his bed as he is in the photo above. Christopher was nearby in his cozy bed under the piano...There is seldom any sign of Eleai unless she's in a social mood. But Bliss - where was he?

I walked around the piano, further into the room. There lay Bliss on the cedar chest (now covered with a blanket to protect the ancient leather).

Looking up at me he seemed to say "What?" somewhat annoyed that I'd interrupted a good dream perhaps?

Then he sat up and looked out the window - "Just checking, Mum." Silly dog - I can only assume that he got tired of standing with his front legs on the chest (something he began to do when it was cold enough for me to keep the outer doors shut.) And stepped up onto the chest. Then instead of getting down, he sits up takes a peek, lies down if nothing is out there but boring birds, and after a while repeats the process...The five or six black squirrels are the objects of his intense inspection.

Our pets can teach us to learn something new every day just as well as people can I suppose. But they do make me laugh every day,which I figure is pretty wonderful. Hope you have lots of laughter in your day today - sort of makes up for the cold we're experiencing here in Ontario!

"Cousins"

Over the Easter weekend, one of my cousins came to visit. He brought with him a very energetic young chocolate Lab - Kodiak. She has been a member of his family for about four years, but my boys haven't seen her since she was a puppy of a year.

The reunion was glorious in dog terms!

Kodi tried to get out of the car the minute she spotted her "cousins" by climbing through the partly opened car window. She managed one leg and her head before my cousin got back to his car and tried to slow her down. Might as well have tried to stop a run away train.

She was so excited to see the boys, she ran in circles around them, around the front flower gardens, around my cousin and me and persuaded the boys to get into the game. You can tell by the open mouths in the photographs - that everyone has been running - one chocolate lab more so than the other two.

It was great fun to see the three together and it brought to mind a recent article that I'd read on Labrador retriever personalities being linked to colour...chocolates being the most energetic, most active and while affectionate and devoted family members, far more interested in playing, running and inspecting the worlds around them. Blond or yellow labs are similarly active and energetic and have a vast interest in the surrounding world as well, but are a bit more trainable. (Actually Bliss is/was much easier to train and is more obedient that Spirit his black brother.) Black labs are notorious worriers, they are completely devoted to family and close friends of family - as active and playful as their other-coloured mates, but if it comes to being with the family or playing with other dogs, the family often takes precedence.

I'd be interested to know if others have found these observations true.

In any case after a while, Spirit decided to ignore the two players - and stuck by me, Kodi and Bliss played and chased and ran in circles whenever we were outside, Bliss often poking Kodi with that big long nose of his to get her to start again whenever she'd stop. Finally it was Kodi on her own, running here and there to check out that smell, that sound, drink a ton of water and heading off to relieve herself, doing another check of the nearby trees and gardens to make sure the squirrels were well and truly gone. Generally making us laugh.

It was an eventful few hours. And fun! All cousins should have as much fun when they're together, whether they are cousins of the human kind or animal buddies. Hope you too may find the affection and fun that a playful dog or three can offer, today or soon!

Our changing weather

A bit more than a month ago - in February - we were blanketed by a huge snowstorm that raced through the area. You can see the snow landing on Spirit's back (the black lab). Both the dogs love the snow. They are true throwbacks to their Labrador heritage where dogs of this breed hauled sleds around that land-based part of the province Newfoundland (the island) and Labrador. They brought supplies, mail and much needed human companionship to the outports.

The aftermath this particular storm was a circus-full of delight for these two - Bliss as you can see, has been diving head first into the deep snow, chasing mice or moles that build networks and mouse highways under the chilly cover, to easily race from nest to food supply and back.

But then Spring decided to show up...in fits and starts, thaw-freeze-thaw-freeze cycles that for a gardener like me are frustrating. Now, I'm an amateur when it comes to taking care of the flowers and plants that surround my place...but when I see the tulips bursting through the ground then covered with snow, I worry, forgetting that these hardy bulbs will have a marvelous display without my fretting about it.

This - daffodil and tulip bulbs covered once again by two to three inches of snow from squalls that have raced through here in the past few days, making it forbidding to head out for even the shortest of walks,

will become this:












or this below:

We are so very fortunate to live in a place of constant change. Sometimes cold and harsh, sometimes wet, sometimes too hot, but mostly interesting and different, each day usually a change from the one before.

A major concern about weather these days, is climate change. Here last year, it meant no real winter, no snow, spring, no apple crop for our area, difficulties in getting water, a decline in nuts and other necessary foods for wildlife to have a survivable winter these past few months. The Great Lakes declined and broad expanses of beach appeared in some places, channels where large keel-boats used to pass easily became way too shallow for anything but canoes or flat bottomed barges. Other areas of the country experienced huge floods, hurricane-like winds and other changes that affect humans, wildlife and growing seasons alike.

Around the world there is concern about climate change...not so much within the Canadian federal government, but that too could change as all things do

May you experience a truly delightful day. The sun is shining here. If it's rain you need may you get just enough, if it's sun, may you enjoy a day with it warming your skin. Spring here, fall in the southern hemisphere... don't you love the changes?

Fun in the snow

We started out dark and early, filling the feeders. I made the dogs sit and pose for their portrait in the snow. They weren't too impressed because they hadn't had breakfast yet.

They were in and out and finally around 11 or so we went for the first of what turned out to be several walks that morning and late into the afternoon.

Bliss is always checking the snow along side the pathways that we've tramped down. Occasionally plunging his head into it snuffling around and moving snow ahead of him as he snorts after a mouse or mole running under the snow.

Spirit gets into the game and checks out another spot. The two continue like this for most of this walk, running along the pathways or stalking something unseen that's bolting along its own paths under the snow.

Then we get into the games - rough and tumble, chase and tackle with Spirit usually on the receiving end of Bliss's rough housing. But he gives as good as he gets and after this shot, I wished I had the video mode of the camera set up. He took off like a shot and ran half way around the pasture, Bliss watching, wondering when he would head back his way. Spirit often does this though he hasn't in a couple of months - he tucks his bottom under, tail down and runs like a broken field runner heading for the goal line. What a performance.

Of course as soon as he heads back to Bliss he's tackled again, and off they go once more. This particular day they were determined to be outside for much longer than I'd planned. I had work to finish, but it was not to be. As soon as I was completely out of my boots, jacket, mitts and hat, Bliss had his Christmas monkey  in his mouth - it's a stuffed toy with ropes for arms and legs - great for chewing and playing pull. He stood at the door woofing around the toy. So I pulled on boots and jacket and out we went. I threw it, he grabbed it and took off like a shot, followed by Spirit who stopped at strategic spot and watched his brother go in a circle around a garden until he got close - then the tackle and pull began.

Having no hat, mitts or warm snow pants, I soon lost my enthusiasm for this game, even though it made me laugh like a crazy woman. I'm sure anyone driving by with their window open must have wondered at the loud cackle coming from beside my home.

We went in after about ten minutes. Then Bliss picked up the toy and wanted to go out again, even though it was matted with snow and soaking wet. We went.

I thought things were settled and sat down at the computer, when Spirit picked up HIS monkey and went to the door - we went out again. I threw the creature, Spirit got it - Bliss was not allowed - I don't understand what sort of tacit agreement they have but this time Bliss was not going to play with Spirit's toy no matter what. We came in after a bit, and the whole thing repeated once again after about three or four minutes.

I tried to get them to quit, I really did. The crying and carrying on from Spirit for the better part of an hour or more, was just too much. He wouldn't stop. I left him outside. He just stood with a toy in his mouth, waiting for me to come and play... finally I gave up and got dressed and out we went again...

I've never walked quite so much in an afternoon, in deep snow, once or twice with snow shoes on, sometimes just boots, but I also haven't laughed this hard for such a prolonged period either. They were completely silly and hilarious in their antics - I feel blessed to have such amusing companions, but sometimes they get to be a bit much. However I did get some exercise and some fresh air in the sun. And the dogs? They finally started for the warmth and comfort of their beds - still checking things out, but just a bit less restless, for now anyway. It was an interesting end to the afternoon - and now? time to go out for the before supper walk. This day doesn't seem to want to end!

Walking the dogs

Every day the dogs (Bliss and Spirit) and I go for several walks, sometimes they are only brief ones around the property so they can take care of their morning ablutions for example. Other times they can last for an hour or more.

We often go for our walks of late into a wood lot nearby. I drive up, though soon I'm going to be walking with the dogs. I have to take the car with the dogs inside to get the dogs across the Invisible Fence line. They will NOT cross it otherwise. I have tried many times to get them to walk across without their collars but with regular leashes on. No dice.

Usually these two get to the wood lot and off they go. There are so many traces of wild animals, and sometimes I see rabbits or squirrels, turkeys, grouse, ravens, crows, jays and other birds, that the dogs just love to follow scents. I see deer tracks, coyote tracks and in winter sometimes the funny trough made in the snow by porcupine. They've only each had one run-in with that prickly animal thank goodness.

Sorry - Bliss has had two. (He's the blonde - wouldn't you know?)

Anyway, this time I had my camera with me and much to my surprise they were tired. They ran off right away, but came running back to me and Bliss stood panting. So I got some video which I thought you might enjoy - or laugh at. These two big dogs, worn out, perhaps by a squirrel? or a turkey - always a great chase because those big birds eventually fly.

But the woods is so pretty this year with its yellows and golds. The wind, which you can hear if you turn up the sound, is roaring in the trees. We walked slowly that day and not for long. But that was the exception.

I am so fortunate to be able to walk with the dogs in this beautiful area of the province. Great neighbours, fabulous vistas, recently and specially that day pretty good weather... all make for a happy time. Hope you too are enjoying a wonderful bit of weather wherever you are - and if you have a dog or two, or three - that you're able to enjoy their company and the outdoors as much as I enjoy mine.

Dogs and cats together

The fire was on, it was a cold and rainy day.

I came away from the computer in my studio and there lying in front of the fire, toy near his nose was my big blond labrador Bliss, and curled into his back, my black cat Christopher.

Of course I ran for my camera.

And grabbed this shot before I disturbed the two snoozers and the dog got up and left.

It's not often that I see this. I have hundreds of photos of my cats all curled together over the years... and a few of a black lab I had many years ago who was adopted as "Daddy" by a tiny nine day old orange kitten that I'd rescued. But this was a first for these two.

It's interesting how animals normally get along - even though traditionally they're billed as "enemies." For example the cats in my family are adored by the dogs, who lick them and nose them and the cats reciprocate by purring and curling up under the dogs' chins and rubbing whisker to whisker - exchanging scent I guess. But that's inside. Outside, though,  if the cats are on the pathways in the pasture, they're fair game for a chase. Two days ago on a walk around the property, I saw a black bundle of fur crouched down on one of the pathways. Unfortunately I called out to him and the dogs immediately went on alert. They spotted Christopher who realized he'd been "outed" though all he wanted to do is follow us like he did with my other previous dogs.

So Christopher took off at top speed, heading back to the drive shed or the deck... Bliss following as fast as he could. The dog returned satisfied with the chase - for him it's always about the chase. I've seen him run right past Christopher in a chase or two that has made me laugh at the silliness of it all.

Anything that moves fast - flies, runs, a bike, a motorcycle and certain cars and trucks - they are all fair game for a chase in this dog's mind. Because my property is surrounded by Invisible Fence and I'm particular about keeping their collar batteries up to date, I don't worry about him leaving and getting into trouble, or bothering anyone. He just loves to run.

He chases birds from tree to tree - they seem to know it's a game and will fly back and forth between two trees. When they land he barks, they fly off, he follows, and on it goes until either I get tired of hearing him bark at imaginary birds, or he gets distracted by something else more interesting. Spirit of course is learning all about this from his brother and the sounds of the two labs joyfully telling off some bird, or the dogs across the road is somehow reassuring.

As you can no doubt tell, animals and their antics, birds and their habits, flowers and plants - in fact the entire natural world intrigues, amuses and fascinates me.

Wonder what turns you on?

Late winter afternoon

It was around 5 when the sun came out and lit up the countryside with a lovely warm glow. The dogs and I headed out for the last big walk of the day - and as you can see, something had been by before we came out. Their noses were down instantly as they walked from one print in the snow to the next... carefully examining whomever had left the scent. You can tell by the upraised tails that it's something they feel was a threat. Or maybe it was just their brother. Some days they like him and others not so much.

Bliss gets up from rolling in the snow - they both love to roll in fresh snow, and not so fresh. Any snow. There has been so little this year, they roll on patches of almost ice...but roll they do and smear their faces along stretches of it. It must feel awfully good to them. Maybe like it did when we were kids and made angels? And this evening it's so still and quiet, the light so lovely and warm, they're enjoying all the things they love to do in winter.

For Bliss, it's eating frozen wild apples that he digs out from under the snow. Yes that little yellow ball is an apple he's "rescued" from the grasses and snow and is about to crunch up with complete joy and delight. He often grabs one, then runs after me stopping just in front of me bits of apple spilling out the sides of his mouth. But good Lab that he is, he cleans them all up... omniverous beast that he is.

Spirit on the other hand continues to check out the various smells, not liking apples and being less ADD than Bliss. He'll wander around on the property, in a langorous manner unless I push him. However when we're out in the fields or the bush, he's first one out of the car, off and away. I guess he finds walking at home sort of boring. But the light on the snow against his black coat is beautiful don't you think? And the golden rays make Bliss's coat take on a rich glow.

And here Spirit waits patiently while I want to get a photo with his eyes showing brown in the golden later afternoon sunlight. So often I can't see his eyes in the photographs, they are so close to black.

He's bored here, I've been cleaning out the nest boxes that the bluebirds and tree swallows use and not urging him to follow me or walk more quickly.

And finally he looks off into the distance, looking at the setting sun? I doubt it - wondering what is going on on the road perhaps. He and Bliss are the ultimate watch dogs and don't allow much to happen around the perimetre of the property without letting me know something is happening.

As for me, I just enjoy the sun and slowly wander from nest box to next box and watch my loving dogs doing their thing. Lovely way to spend an hour before sunset. Hope you get to do the same.

Early mornings in the Valley

The sun's rays just begin to caress the tops of the hills and set the skies aflame. Snow glued to the branches will drip away slowly as the day progresses, but our mornings start long before that.

We've already been out  -when the sky was just beginning to lighten - putting the bird feeders in place for the day. Raccoon marauders love the black oiled sun flower seeds as much as the birds do, and prowl the perimeter of the property when it gets dark, then darting in to cadge a meal. It drives the dogs insane and their barking makes me similarly crazy. So into the back of the car with the feeders at night and out in the morning.

As we get ready for a walk, instead of carousing as they usually do, the dogs sit nicely for me while I try to get a picture. Spirit, ever attentive being a black lab, and worried or wondering why I want him to sit and not play the way I usually do, stares into the camera lens with his nearly black eyes. Bliss, bored and somewhat resentful that he's not playing glances at the birds nearby on the ground. I'm sure he's wondering if he can catch one, or thinking how good the game is going to be when I release them from their sit.

One of the games that Bliss plays is with the birds. There are several very smart little chickadees that come to the feeders, grab a seed and then make for a nearby bush or tree. The game is that Bliss runs to the foot of a tree, looks up into the branches until he sees one, then begins to prance and bark. The chickadees make for another tree. He chases after, spots them or it, and begins to bark again. This game of tag or hide and seek is a favourite when Bliss is waiting for me to fill the little toboggan with wood for the fire, or fill the feeders, sweep the walk, shovel snow, clean snow off the car, any one of a number of little outdoor chores before a walk or a ride in the car.

And the little birds wait too - high in the branches of one of the elms that line the edge of the property. They gather in a huge flock which seems to be growing. In this photo I count about 60. It seems, as they swirl and float from tree to deck to feeder to tree to bush and back, that there are hundreds.

There are feeders on all sides of the house. Filled mostly with suet and black oil sunflower seeds, but also niger seed not particularly a favourite in winter because they are so small, but they empty all too quickly and need daily replenishing.

And finally the bigger birds take their turn. The mourning doves, one of the many that dwell in the spruce tree on the west side of the church, was brazen enough this day to continue its search for seed on the deck. More often they leave and flee for the safety of the trees across the road at the tiniest movement in the house or nearby. The blue jays - the gang of thieves I call them - boisterous, raucous and full of joie de vivre, tackle all the feeders, jay-size and finch size, it matters not. If there's seed, they're sure to be nearby.

All in all the bird family that frequents this property is a pretty large number, and they show up early in the morning, returning every two or three hours for another nosh. There are American tree sparrows, white-breasted nuthatches (sadly no rosy breasted ones that I've seen this year), chickadees, house sparrows, American goldfinches, house finches, purple finches, at least half a dozen blue jays and maybe more, pairs of downie, hairy and red-belly woodpeckers, many soft cooing mourning doves, dark-eyed juncoes and once in a while hawks come to call. My neighbour says there is a goshawk hanging around. The sharp-shinned is a regular visitor and grabbed one of a pair of starlings the other day - in breeding plumage already and with red legs - that was all that was left - a pair of wings still attached to the collar bone and two red legs, claws curled in the snow amidst a lot of feathers. Sad but part of nature.

The pair of ravens that dwell in the small valley across the road behind a neighbour's home, call to me regularly in the morning as they head out across the fields. Their distinctive throaty call lets me know all is right with the world this day.

And today since the sun is shining, and it's calm and full of the sound of wings and occasional bird calls, I know all's right with the world this morning as well. Hope it is in your neck of the woods.
***
And my apologies for not posting every day as I have in the past. These last few months have been busier and often it's more difficult to get access to the internet to write. Bear with me. I think of it every day as it's such a delight, and the people who comment are always so kind and have the most interesting blogs for me to follow as well. I'm sure I'll get back to regular posting soon. Enjoy your day everyone.

Puppy play

The labs love playing on a frosty morning such as this.

Bliss grabbed a squeaky toy and headed for the door when I asked him if he wanted to play. I'd rather they do this outside than in - they are such big dogs and I have pine floors which doggy nails have scratched and scoured enough.






The game is on.

Wrestling with a toy in his mouth, having it dislodged by Spirit and then looking around for it making a grab and back to wrestling or running away begging to be chased is a bit part of this game. You can tell it's very serious doggy play business.

Finally after about 10 to 15 minutes it winds down and they come back inside for breakfast.

All the while I'm laughing - as I said yesterday, it is great fun to watch these brothers, litter mates actually, enjoy each other and a frosty morning. So for the rest of today we're going to be outside raking leaves and enjoying the last of autumn. Snow is likely not far away.

Hope you have a lot of laughter in your day today.

Greeting the morning

It was not a hot morning at all, but the dogs look as if it was. They've been running and barking at birds, whatever they smelled or heard across the road in the fields and hedgerows - turkeys? deer? coyotes? the feral cat? Whatever it was they're hot and waiting patiently for breakfast. What's with this picture taking they seem to tell me.

This is a typical morning - they romp and play together. First thing, it's out and check who was here during the night, then go to their favourite spot across from the driveway of the home of the Malemutes across the road. One is a new puppy about four months old now, the other took an instant dislike to both Bliss and Spirit about five months ago and that was the end of any friendship there. Now my two, as soon as they recognize the sounds, sights or smells that indicate that she is outside, run to the edge of the Invisible Fence and mock her.

So typical of teenage boys. I consider them to be like that from their general behaviour - two brothers who wrestle and tumble together, chase things together, vie with each other for the attention of whomever is nearby,  even if it's only me. They make me laugh which to my way of thinking, is one of the best ways to start a day.

And then there are the cats... Eleia loves to be with the dogs, but knows when they are feeling rowdy, the best place to be is up on something, even if it's only eight inches off the ground like these split rails. For some reason the dogs will leave them if they're on top of a rock, the deck, a stump or a fence rail. But Eleia is also intrepid and though she's checking her small horizon here for birds or mice to chase, she's also going to run straight at the dogs and through their legs if she can, daring them to chase her.

Again, the whole four-legged family choose to make me laugh...what a wonderful start to a day. Hope you have one too - a great start to a great day!

Two of my four-legged pals as puppies

Bliss on the left and Spirit being held up for a photo-op at their breeder's home. They are eight weeks old here.

There's something about puppies, all soft and floppy, full of licks, tail wags and generally pretty curious and happy go-lucky.

Bliss continues to gnaw on whatever he can find. He is a counter thief if I'm not home and haven't put all the food he loves (butter, bread, specially butter) safely away.

Originally the mother had 11 puppies. When I finally decided I'd been three months without a dog and responded to a little advertisement posted on the door of the local general store, there were only four males left. Bliss is the one being chewed on by his brother - I think the worried looking black pup in the front is Spirit being sniffed by one of their sisters who hadn't been picked up yet. I went off to Newfoundland the day I chose these two, or perhaps they chose me, and came back two weeks later to find mine were the only ones left behind.

Bliss at home giving me a coy look. He's about 12 weeks here.

Perplexed or worried - Spirit is often both.

Sharing a rawhide chewy

Tired puppies sleep soundly.

These two are now five years old and keep me physically and often emotionally in shape. They are great buddies, spend a bit of time with their black brother Oiler, who moved in two doors down the road, and generally are pretty happy fellows. Bliss is the lead when it comes to hunting. On our walks he is always nose to the ground searching for mice, moles, rabbits, frogs, and the scent of his dreaded enemy - the raccoon family. 

This morning there is a raccoon snoozing in the rafters of the drive shed. I figured it would be there this morning because the boys made a huge racket during the night. Bliss has been out trying to discourage it for  some time. The coon's life is at risk if he catches it. 

Spirit is the worrier, and while walking on my property mostly stays close by me, but when in the fields or woods owned by nearby neighbours, he's off like a shot, and these days leads Bliss into trouble. 

They love to swim, continue to play with each other occasionally, specially ring around the pond - where Bliss grabs a toy from the toy basket, shoves it in Spirit's face and then takes off racing around the pond at top speed. They usually chase each other for about 20 minutes like this. Bliss seldom lets the toy drop long enough for Spirit to grab it, but sometimes there is a tug of war, and then it all depends on strategy.

Life is truly fun with these two big labrador retrievers around. They are good protection, setting up a racket if they hear anything suspicious outside, and great companions. Oh and if you're wondering, the mother was a black lab and dad was the blonde!

If you are also owned by a pet or pets, I hope you have as much fun with yours as I do with mine. Enjoy your day!

When we were young

Bliss and Spirit are about four months old in this picture, and it's their first experience with big bodies of water. Even though it's a small lake, they'd never seen anything like it, and their exploration of it caught my attention. This is one of my favourite photographs. There is a shelf of rock just under the edge of the water that only goes for about a foot or so, then it drops off to be deeper than their legs were long at that point in their lives.

Wonder, a bit scared, fascinated... all of those things were apparent in their reaction.

These days they get near a lake or river and in they go. One time Bliss swam over half a mile out into an arm of Georgian Bay after a Canada goose that was leading him away from its flock that had a large number of goslings. He could no longer hear me and would have drowned but for an alert cottager who responded to my frantic yelling. I think he learned his lesson - he's not gone out that far again, but ducks, geese, gulls, anything on water, swimming or flying above it - fair game as far as I can tell - though he tends not to swim out too far rather goes along the shoreline.

Dogs. Labradors particularly, you have to love them even when you want to knock them on the head and say don't be so silly!

Aren't we lucky that we have such amazing technology that some of the images that we so love can be revisited so easily, not just fondly held in our memories?

Hope you make some happy memories today! Or remember things that make you happy.

A winter morning

Around 9 o'clock yesterday morning we went out for the first walk of the day.  The snow plow was working hard at the junction of the two county roads that bound my property. The dogs checked under the west feeder for The Dread Red (the family of red squirrels that plague them constantly).

It was cold - and it had snowed on top of the mushy icy stuff from the day before. The pathways were slick underfoot with the six inches of fluffy stuff, but it was beautiful.

The sound of bird wings  - that flit-flutter-flutter-flit - and bird song as they chatted among themselves after the plow went back up past the church where I live, were the only sounds to be heard for several minutes.

I stood drinking in the sights and the sounds. It was so still, only a few flakes gently drifting to the ground. I turned and saw the sun gleaming through the clouds to the south making the snow shine as it was caught like winter decorations in the pine needles.

I inspected all the spots the dogs had investigated, brought in some wood for the fire and checked out the surrounding countryside.

A truly beautiful winter morning, one to savour and remember over a steaming cup of coffee when I returned from my amble around the pasture.

My wish for you is that your mornings are truly beautiful and memorable as well.

Memory lane - more old friends

Lately I've been reviewing and reorganizing some old photographs and I came across this one of three old friends. Yesterday I posted an image of a colt getting to know a black lab pup. Well here is the mother Molly in the back ground with that pup and her friend Muffet wearing a big smile.

Molly came to me one day out of the blue. She stayed for a while then disappeared, then came back. Eventually I found out that she really was part of a family that lived on the other side of town which is where she went when she disappeared. That family finally decided to give her to me (along with a vet bill I had to pay but that's another story.) Funny that after that happened, Molly never disappeared again.

She did, however, eventually go walkabout with a large black lab and a Chesapeake Bay retriever... and three months later brought forth nine little pups (I believe I've told part of this story before). Anyway, the lab in the foreground is the pup that we kept... my youngest son named him LSD - Little S*** Disturber. He was well named - he chewed everything he could find including shoes and underwear. He lived dangerously sometimes. We eventually ended up calling him Ook - another story...

In the middle is Muffet. She was one of two puppies that we got as a family a few years before Molly came to me. Muffie was the sweetest little dog - you can see by her smile in this picture that she's eagerly awaiting something. She was also a wonderful caring "auntie" to all the puppies, helping Molly take care of them and playing with them until they went to their new homes.

All three of these dogs were my canine companions through a tumultuous time in my life, moving from the country to the city and then out to the country again among other things, never complaining about being locked up all day when I went to work or the fact that they couldn't roam the apple orchards as they had when living in the country.

Dogs are special creatures aren't they?  No matter what their size, breed or mixture. They are loyal loving friends wanting only to be with you and part of whatever you're doing. I consider myself very blessed that the ones that have touched my life have been so very special... these three pals from the past are no exception.

Where did it go?

Yesterday we still had tons of snow, and the dogs, being Labs were having a ball out hunting whatever they thought was around. Heads were buried in snow in the pasture as they thought they heard or smelled a mouse or a mole.

Every track and tiny opening in the snow was thoroughly sniffed and then sniffed again. What one did, the other had to inspect to make sure that the job was well done.

Here the boyz think they've caught the scent of the Dread Red - for those of you who aren't familiar with that fearsome creature - it's a notorious red squirrel. Actually I think there are two or maybe three, and they have a home underneath the front of the church where I live.

"Hmmm- better check the bushes, and maybe along the back of the house? You look that way Bliss, I'll see about back there," spirit (the black one) is the boss you see. He usually directs traffic if it needs directing in his opinion.

Oh - there it is! Up the tree! Should have thought of that!







Happy New Year everyone - may you have as much fun in the coming year as my two doggy companions do every day - and may adventure and joy fill your lives!

Ru and Rustle

One of my friends - who is the daughter of a dear friend - lives in California. She is a fine photographer and loves to take pictures of many things including her animals.

This is portrait she took of Ru or Rupert the yellow lab and Rustle who I believe is part or all miniature poodle.

These two had wonderful times with their mum doing lots of things together, and then Roo got sick. So now Rustle travels with his mum everywhere - even coming on the plane all the way up to Canada. But as you can see, while Roo was around - they were inseparable.

Interesting how dogs can bond with each other so closely as well as with people, cats and in some cases the oddest of four-legged friends.

Pals playing in the dog park in California.

Photos courtesy of Rustle and Ru