I Missed My Dogs!

I just got back from a wonderful long weekend with two lifelong friends. We had a terrific time but I couldn't wait to get home. Wanna know why? I missed my dogs! My husband stayed home and took care of Maddie and Annabelle, so they were just fine but I missed them anyway. Is that silly or what?!

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Rescue Puppy Reunion

I'm pretty sure this face is saying, "thank you!" Moses is one of the seven puppies that we rescued from under the deck of an abandoned house. As a pup, his name was Prince Charming.
I will explain that one in just a minute!

Remember I told you there was going to be a puppy reunion? Well, it happened last night. Seven gorgeous dogs, their mother, and their owners came together next door to the house where the rescue began.

You can see them all in this photo. Count them! There's eight in all. In this day and age, it's truly a miracle to have rescued all these puppies and to have found them wonderful homes.

It was so special to see each dog so happy and healthy. Rae (shown on the far right) is my friend that I told you about. Without her, I don't know what would have happened. She's amazing. It took a village to take care of the needs of these puppies and their mother. There were so many puppies and they looked so much alike that we had to give them names. We couldn't remember who we'd fed and who we hadn't. With so many puppies, their mother just didn't have enough milk. The funniest thing (and the most difficult thing) was that with the exception of one pup, each puppy had a twin.

We named them accordingly. Sleeping Beauty got her name because she slept so much. Her twin was Prince Charming. Beaver got his name because he looked like...you guessed it, a beaver. His twin was Foxy Boxie. Then there were the Lee sisters. Peggy Lee got her name because she had a little mole on the side of her muzzle. Her twin was of course, Brenda. Finally there was Friday Night. He was black at the time, now he looks like a German Shepherd...like his mom.

Their new owners have given them different names. That doesn't matter a bit. What matters is the dedication, time, and love that went into getting these wonderful dogs where they are today. It was all about a good rescue and great friends.

The last two puppies I had, Peggy Lee and Foxy Boxie went home with Kim and Shawn, a wonderful young couple.

Now they are all grown-up and sitting in the group photo. Their forever names are Maggie and Morgan. I'm smiling...are you?

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Tango and I Don't Like Her!

She's not nice.

No she's not. Not one little bit. She may look colorful and interesting but she's a horsefly through and through.

Just today, I went to the pasture to bring Tango inside and a horsefly (just like the one in the photo) landed on Tango's right rump and started biting the heck out of him. I was leading Tango from his left side, so I couldn't get to this foul fly...although I was contorting my body to give it my best shot.

Tango tried to be a gentleman and not jump sideways on my foot, but it was hard. This evil little fly was biting Tango so hard she was drawing blood. Tango was getting more and more exasperated and who could blame him?

Finally, in desperation, I let go of the lead rope and sprang into action. Tango stood still. I got to his right side and planned my strategy. If the fly caught wind of me, she'd move. If she didn't, I could give her a good hard whack and get her back for what she was doing to Tango. I waited quietly.

Tango's body was quivering. His tail was trying to do the same thing as me...kill the dratted horsefly. But this horsefly was persistent. She eluded his tail. She ignored his quivering body. She bit longer and harder until it happened.

S M A C K ! ! ! I GOT HER.

If I wasn't already Tango's favorite person, I am now. I defended his honor (not to mention his rump). We went on to have a fine ride together. After our ride I hosed Tango off. Then because I know that horseflies adore wet horses, I stood Tango in front of a fan until he was dry.

After that I sprayed my boy all over with fly spray. Hopefully the spray will work for long enough for Tango to stay outside for another couple hours. I'll probably go get him and take him inside and away from the enemy after that. Maybe we can plan our new horsefly attack strategy then!

Every single animal I've ever had has had its enemy. I've been pretty lucky with fleas this year. How about you? Do you have horror stories too?

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Working Dogs, Sheep, and Creative People With Lots of Time

My sister very rarely sends me an email with a link embedded unless it's something really good.

Trust me when I say the link she sent me yesterday is really good. In fact, it's amazing. You have to see this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2FX9rviEhw

What did you think?

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Simple Beauty - Tango and Erin

You remember the photo of Erin with the three Friesians that I posted last week? Well, that photo was taken three years ago when Erin was 12-years-old. This photo was taken on Saturday when my friends, Jeff and Rae, brought Erin back to the barn for a visit.

Erin had already had a big day. She'd been to the vet and had blood drawn, among other things. Erin was tired, but coming to the farm seemed to perk her up. She's such a good girl.

It had been sprinkling a little bit so the air was thick with moisture. Jeff carried Erin back to Tango's pasture.

I don't know why, but I'm writing with tears in my eyes. Maybe it's because I just lost Kelly and seeing Erin brings back a flood of memories. Or maybe it's because the beautiful simplicity of this photo fills my heart with joy. I guess my tears could be happy tears. Animals can make me cry and laugh!

My Tango is usually a goofball...no doubt about it. Yet on the day of Erin's visit, he wasn't. Tango seemed to sense that Erin's life is drawing to a close. He seemed to know that she is frail and old.

Tango watched Erin wobble as she stood. Instead of getting excited and frisky (like he usually does) when something or someone new comes to visit, Tango became subdued.

My boy lowered his gigantic head and managed to get it between the fence. Then he began to nuzzle Erin. At first Jeff, Rae, and I were a little concerned. Tango can nibble at the drop of a hat. He didn't do that. Instead, he began to groom Erin, like he would another horse, only much more gently. And as you can see, Erin let Tango groom her. It was like there was a mutual respect and understanding between them. I know that sounds crazy, but it was there. I saw it. Rae saw it. And Jeff saw it.

I can't explain why it happened. I only know how wonderful it was to live in that moment without really being a part of it. Sometimes the best things in life are quiet and peaceful. What a gift moments like these truly are.

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Maddie the Mouse and Me

There will be no photo for this one. First of all, no one was around to take the photo. And even if someone had been nearby, I really don't want a photo of me chasing Maddie around the yard (in the rain) wearing my tattered flimsy nightgown.

"Why was I chasing Maddie in the rain?" you ask.

Because she finally did what Annabelle has been trying to do all summer. She caught a chipmunk...rather a mouse.

I saw it from my upstairs window. I'm obsessive when my dogs are outside even though my yard is fenced and safe. I still look out to make sure everything's okay. This time when I looked out I saw Maddie flitting furiously this way and that.

Then I saw it. My little Maddie went in for the attack. I knew she had something in her mouth, but I didn't know what.

I cast modesty to the wind and ran downstairs and out the back door, bare feet and all. "Drop it!" I demanded.

Maddie looked at me and thought about swallowing the now obvious little mouse in her mouth whole. I've told you Maddie's not the brightest bulb on the tree...just sweet.

Well, for a few minutes this morning, she even lost her sweetness title. I began to clap my hands. "DROP IT!" I yelled again.

Maddie looked at me sheepishly. It began to rain harder and harder. A clap of thunder accompanied my next demand for Maddie to drop the mouse. I think Maddie thought the thunder was going to get her (remember, she's afraid of storms) so she finally dropped the little rodent and ran inside through my opened back door...leaving me and the mouse.

At first, I thought the mouse was a baby. It really was cute. Okay...I know mice are bad, but this was a cute mouse and it was breathing its last breath.

I guess some people would have killed it to put it out of its misery, but I'm not one of those people. I just can't. I went dripping back inside and got a paper towel and a shoe box. I picked the little mouse up, put it in the shoebox, and took the shoebox into my garage. It died a few minutes later - in my garage and out of the rain.

Okay. I'm a sap. At least Maddie didn't eat a mouse. I did what I could and there's one less rodent in the world. Who needs coyotes? Not me. I've got Maddie. Somehow, this doesn't seem like Mother Nature at work though...it just seems disgusting.

Wish I could get Maddie to use some mouthwash!

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What Would You Do?

Behind my house there is a field. Behind the field there is a woods. My house, my neighborhood, the field, and the woods are surrounded by a bustling city.

It's a pleasure to wake up in the morning, while the fog is just lifting from the field, and see deer grazing with their fawns.

It's a pleasure to watch rabbits and groundhogs (and just about any other meadow animal you can think of) so close to my home that I feel like I'm living on the prairie.

It is, however, a bit unnerving to see a coyote. Just when I think one is gone, another one is back again.

I'm not like a lot of the people in my neighborhood who are terrified of these animals. Or like those who hate them. I'm just afraid for our pets. My dogs are safe. They're fenced in...you've seen my yard. I've seen lots of my neighbor's cats out and about though.

Anyway, last year, some unfeeling person shot our coyote. Instead of feeling relieved for the outdoor cats, I felt sad. I guess I just feel like we've forced some animals to co-exist with us... whether they like it or not.

It is not a pleasure to look out into the field in the early morning and watch the coyote pounce on another furry creature. I don't want to see that kind of nature in action. I always wonder if I should take dog food into the woods and leave it for the coyote so she won't be hungry. My husband says it's not a good idea. So does my son who's an expert on fish and wildlife.

In the winter, I always wonder if I should take corn out for the deer. It's a constant debate in my mind. I never know what's right or what's wrong. What would you do?

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