What Do I Know?

Dog in Bluebell Woods

My dog loves flowers.

On my hike today, my dog lay amongst the bluebells and posed for photos. She is such a ham that way. Then she ran through the flowers and I got this shot. I think her smile here was much more natural.

Sunday Walkies

On our walk today, we saw several interesting things in our town. First we saw the circus:

The dog decided she wanted to join, and the guys asked her if she knew any tricks. She promptly sat. I told them she'd do anything they wanted if they gave her that sandwich. I think they believed me too. She had that look in her eyes.

I asked if they had animals in their circus, and they said no. I was glad to hear that, since I didn't want to spend the rest of the day walking back and forth with a protest sign.

Then we saw some horses walking through the Common:

It's not unusual to see horses around here, but I'm usually not fast enough to capture them with the camera.

Then on the way home we saw a Lamborghini. I wasn't fast enough to capture it on camera. You'll just have to believe me.

Snow, Redux

Guess what we woke up to today? Again.

So, turns out I was wrong about global warming.

For more photos of what snow in April looks like, click below.

The South of France It's Not

(Tried to post this last night, and TypePad Beta wouldn't let me. So pretend you're reading this yesterday so the days make sense.)
 
Sunday afternoon in the Common

Yesterday I took the dog to get a passport. Those of you living elsewhere may think I'm joking, but I assure you, I'm not.

My dog is now certified by Defra to leave the country and return any time she wants. I've been telling her all about France, and she's thinking she might want to go there. Especially since we've been having so much rain. Today was the first day in a while that it hasn't rained or clouded up just when I leave the house.

In fact, it was downright gorgeous outside, with tempertures around 12°. (Fifty-ish, for you folks still addicted to Farenheit.) We went for a walk, and she really enjoyed running through the mud. Me, not so much: I didn't wear my wellies, and one of the paths through the woods was a swamp.

The dog ran straight through the ankle-deep muck, then came back to see what was taking me so long. I was picking my way carefully, not trusting the fallen tree branches to hold me.



Then she went wading in the pond, wondering what that other dog was so intent on chasing.


Who needs France, when you have mucky old England!

Happy Easter?

Easter morning, and we get snow. The dog saw the Easter Fox out in the pasture, and is keeping her eyes peeled in case he returns.

Meanwhile, the herbs I bought last week and never planted are now frozen. Should have just put them straight into the freezer.

Birthday Girl

Neighbor Boy arrives in time for the party.

Will sit for cake. But only for so long.

Yep, it's that time of year again. Birthday Dog turns seven today.

Neighbor Boy came over and took her for a walk. Then we shared some cake and Soyatoo whipped cream and gave her a present, a little doll that came apart with Velcro. Inside is room to stuff treats. She thought that was lots of fun, but mainly wanted more cake.

Neighbor Boy commented, "You love your dog a lot, don't you?" Only on her birthday, I replied, but I lied.

Talking About, and With, Various Dogs

Interrupting a brief blog silence to bring you a very moving tale of a dog.

Okay, now you need a laugh. Here are some talking dogs. And here's another.

(And can I say, the day I videotape myself talking with my dog and post it on You Tube is the day you should just shoot me. Because I will have outlived my usefulness.) (And besides, I consider our conversations privileged.)

Pre-Christmas Rambling

Don't let the Animal Warden spoil your holidays.

"The Animal Warden is here?! To see me? Oh goody! Can I lick her all over?"

The girls are on their way home, the tree is decorated (sort of; I tossed on all the best ornaments about an hour before my party started) and the presents are all wrapped. The Christmas party I threw is over, the house still clean, and leftover goodies line the shelves of my fridge.

The dog is outside with her bone, and I'm here, with my sorely neglected blog. I'm not sure what I have to say. Should I mention how, for the first time in years, I've felt an inkling of that thing some call "the Christmas spirit"? It must be the smell of chocolate, which has permeated my living room. (The heat is normally off in there, so that's where I stored all the goodies.)

Or should I talk about the dog, my standby for blog fodder? She keeps going to the tree, removing the ornaments, and bringing them to me. "Do you need this fake apple? Or can I have it?" She sniffs the presents, looking for hers. She found them in a plastic bag, but she left the wrapped ones alone, and took out the unwrapped giant tennis ball. "Look what I found! You must have forgotten to give this to me!"

Yesterday the Animal Warden parked a van right in front of our house. I was worried, thinking they'd heard of a dog roaming the neighborhood, getting into garbage and cat poop. That would have been mine, who escaped the other day when the gate was open. I was all ready to prove we never let our dog run loose (I actually considered showing them this blog as proof we adore our dog), and that she was properly vaccinated and tagged, when the Animal Warden (who looked way too young and friendly to be a dogcatcher) returned to her van. I opened the door, and the dog bounced out to greet her. "She wants to know if you're looking for her," I said as the dog, overcome with joy, licked her face. No, it turned out the neighbors are adopting kittens from the animal shelter, and she was here to do a home inspection. "Oh goody, more cat poop!" the dog replied. Or at least that's what I heard.

I could talk about what I'm going to cook for Christmas dinner, but I haven't decided yet. I'll ask the girls when they get here. Hint: It must involve cranberries, since for some inexplicable reason I've got three bags. I'm also still in a quandary about what to get my in-laws for Christmas, who already have everything, it turns out. I was thinking of a digital photo frame, which gives me a good excuse for why it's late: I have to load it up here, then send it back with Daughter Number One (who is living rent-free with them now, subsidizing her career as a substitute teacher). Otherwise, perhaps I'll give them a cranberry mold.

It's also Sunday, so I could talk about what I'm reading: I curled up in bed last night with a giant cookie cookbook, dreaming about what I could veganize for the girls while they're here. Reading cookbooks really sparks my imagination these days, more so than reading fiction. Guess that pretty much tells you where my mind is. (I found a great recipe for cranberry chocolate squares! That ought to do wonders for the Christmas spirit.)

Enough rambling. The dog wants in, and in the interest of keeping the Animal Warden from realizing we're not fit parents for a dog I'd better go let her in, make sure she's properly fed and watered. (She got into the Dark Chocolate Buckeyes at my party the other night. They probably would have removed her immediately if they'd known that; given her to a family of Mormons.)

And maybe I'll put on that Christmas CD I bought at Tesco, the one with the cheesy Christmas tunes by people I've mostly never heard of. Nothing says Christmas quite like Peabo Bryson.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas, too.

How To Tell If You're a Dog

At the playground, you find the picnic table more fun than the swings:

Which are, the sign says, only for children. Fortunately there is no such warning on the picnic tables.

Gobble Gobble

How much longer do I have to sit before you GIVE ME THAT COOKIE?!!!

Yes, that is drool hanging from her jowls. She helped me make these, and then posed for several photos. If you don't like this one, she is perfectly willing to do a retake. For instance, she would happily roll on her back for a full frontal shot, or lie down if you'd prefer something more dignified. Or fetch something. Whatever you want.

As long as she gets a turkey cookie afterward. Relatively soon afterward, she wanted me to add.

She also wanted me to tell you that you can make your own turkey biscuits for your dog. Go on over here and find out how. They're incredibly easy to make. Any dog could manage it, even without those opposable thumb thingies.