It started as sleet and freezing rain and later changed to snow and we woke up to find 12-14 inches on the ground. Ripley and Lucy are frustrated, unable to find their favorite places to take care of business.
I hiked down the hill to take some photos but it is damned cold so I only got about 50 yards. I’ll take another run at it later today. For now, here’s a shot of the deck, road to house, our back yard, another of the back yard, the front of our house and our neighbor’s bench.
The embargo has been lifted on this year’s Golden Retreiver Holiday Card. Barb has mailed to her list but I’ll got right up to New Year’s Eve and still miss some folks. This year’s theme is Mardi Gras. I don’t think this has anything to do with Katrina…Barb just likes the masks.
If you can imagine the patience required to shoot this photograph, you begin to understand how it has been possible for Barb to live with me for 28 years.
If you want to heat right, you’ve got to use it at night – propane.
All your troubles are past when you use LP gas – propane.
It’s all right, it’s all right, it’s all right – propane.
Well, you can heat up the barn and keep the hayloft real warm – propane.
You keep it in a big tank, because, ay, does it stink! – propane.
It’s all right, it’s all right, it’s all right – propane.
Lyrics by Clyde Bauman
This year’s card captures our mood perfectly. Lucy –the newest addition to our family– spent September through November in a small, wire crate and wasn’t inclined to “stay” for Barb’s annual card shoot. But the tradition continues and while there’s not quite enough peace in the world, there’s a small patch in front of our fireplace for which we are truely grateful.
Lucy has been “crated” since the first of September. She is now a free dog.
Beautiful spring day. Barb’s 500 tulips are up and looking fine. Lucy and Ripley are old buddies now and play together just fine. Everything is a game to a Golden Retriever puppy, including a drink of water.
And sometimes you must improvise. All puppies love to chew and shoes are a favorite. I’ve modified a cheap pair of canvas loafers that I wear around Lucy. Masking tape covers the leather laces so she can’t get at them. More importantly, the soles are smooth. This makes it easier to hose off the dog shit. This is important because it’s no longer possible to simply avoid stepping in dog shit.
Our house sets on the corner of about three acres but we only use about one. But that’s still a lot of yard and woods. Even with two dogs shitting twice a day, you’d think it unlikely you’d step in a pile that often. I’m running about 20%. I know the dog shit is there and I make an effort to watch for and avoid it. But I keep stepping in it. As one that looks for –and finds– life’s lessons, this one is pretty obvious. If you want to live in a world with lovable Golden Retriever puppies, you must be prepared to step in dog shit and deal with it.
We’re spending so much time with this new pup that it’s a little hard for me to observe that she is getting bigger. Of course, she is. Happy, playful, getting along well with Ripley. Trying not to go nuts with photos but couldn’t resist posting a few new ones at Fotki. Barb and I keep our Casio Exilim “Wearable Card Camera” close at hand. I can’t get over how cool these things are. This brief (40 seconds) video clip was shot with the Casio and edited in Studio 8. The camera can only shoot 30 seconds of video at a time but you’d be surprised how much fits in half a minute. If you’re thinking about a digital camera, the Casio Exilim is THE camera to buy.
I’m only a few hours from the end of my Weekend Alone with an Eight Week Old Puppy. I think it’s gone very well and Lucy and Ripley have expressed no opinion on the subject. Ripley is getting more comfortable with the pup every day. They both want to play but need a little more time to get there.
And for those that need one more Life Lesson: Life is like our big back yard/woods. Dog shit everywhere. You know it’s there and you do you best not to step in it… but you do. And you will again. Just clean off your shoe and keep going.