Christmas Memories

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This month I've been posting examples of the Canine War on Christmas on Facebook.  Here's an example of the war on the homefront.  Frank and Zack the Crazy Border Collie are getting in their packages and endangering the much treasured old German glass tree ornaments.  (circa mid-1980s)

Happy Holidays, Friends.  Will see you again after the new year.

Friday Fences & Border Collies Who Climb Them

I haven't been out with camera very much lately and have been concerned with an elderly dog which got me thinking about the ones that came before him. So, thought I'd share a couple of photos of Zack, the wild border collie, who was a champion fence climber in the mid-80s, among other mischiefs.

In this photo my neighbor and I were chatting across the fence. Zack paid regular visits with her dog. As you can see, sometimes he tunneled under the fence, but mostly he thought it showed more flair to just climb over!

Here's Zack at about 6-8 weeks old having his first sleepover with our friends while I was working out of town. As you can see, the climbing genes were there from the start.

And finally, 16 years later here he is. Still beautiful and mischievous, but he had given up fence climbing by then.

For some great fences from all over be sure to visit Janis at Life According to Jan and Jer .

Friday Fences - the Lookout

Earlier this week we had two days when temps hovered in the mid-80s. That's hot for the middle of March in Kentucky. Still, who wants the air conditioner on that early? So, here you have the second best plan. Pop up the portable screen in the front door, install the baby gate and move the Senior Citizen's ortho bed to the lookout position. Now, he's ready to give the mail carrier a fright when he comes up on the stoop. Also, he can watch out for that dang grey cat Whenever it stalks across the yard. But mostly, when your 15 + years it just feels nice to nap in the breeze. (Did you noticed that this lucky dog gets bedside meal service?)

What about you? How are you coping with an early hot spring?

For more fences from all over go to Life According to Jan and Jer for a list of players.

Teaser Tuesday -Spencer Quinn's Thereby Hangs a Tail & Dog On It

This nose belongs to Chet, the canine half of the Little Detective Agency in Spencer Quinn's Chet and Bernie mysteries. As Chet describes it "We run a detective agency, me and Bernie, called the Little Detective Agency on account of Little being Bernie's last name. My name's Chet, pure and simple. Headquarters is our house on Mesquite Road, a nice place with a big tree out front, perfect for napping under, and the whole canyon easily accessible out back, if it just happens someone left the gate open. And then, up in the canyon--well, say no more."

Chet is the delightful narrator for these two mysteries. We don't learn much about him except that he has mis-matched ears, is a self-described "one hundred pounder" and chief worrier about the detective agency bringing in enough income to keep up child support for Charlie, Bernie's son and Chet's best buddy,--and repair money for the aging Porshe and dog food. Chet loves riding shot-gun when they're out on a case and welcomes the occasional perk of taste testing a new line of dog treats or sharing a donut with the local police. Chet manages to be pretty much on the case, ready to leap and take a bite out of a perp's leg if necessary. But Chet also is the first to admit that he has occasional lapses in judgment. It only takes Bernie's warning "Che-et!" to get him back on task!




I just love Chet--and so does everyone else who reads these two books. So much that I couldn't limit to just two sentences for this week's Teaser Tuesday. Instead, here's some Chet lines that made me just laugh out loud:


Adelina (potential client)looking him over when they first met: " 'He looks big. I don't recognize the breed. And what's the story with his ears?' My ears again? How rude."

Lt. Stine gives him a treat: "I took the cruller back to my seat and had some quiet time".

When he and Princess (a kidnapped show dog)were on the lam: ". . .felt a pain in my head, a kind of heavy throbbing pain. It made me want to puke, so I did."

His dislike of horses: "Totally unreliable, always twitching for no reason, but humans don't seem to get that, go on and on about how beautiful they are until I just want to trot over to one of those weird legs, the real skinny part, and give it the tiniest. . .but I would never do that, at least not again, after what happened that time at the ranch."

On self restraint during an investigation: "Something about Bernie--or any human--on hand and knees always got me going so I had to wait outside with Colonel Bob."

Teaser Tuesday is described by its host, Miz B over at Should Be Reading ,as a "weekly bookish meme" open to any reader who wants to play along. If, like me, you're always curious about what people are reading or on the lookout for the next great read, then this may by your meme. To play, just click on Miz B's link above for the simple rules.

(Image credit: Chet's Nose- Philip and Karen Smith/Getty Images)

A Good Old Dog

Hi guys, Willie here. I haven't been around on the Internet much in November, you may have noticed. Early in the month the Housemate and I spent a grand day at Bernheim Forest hiking and taking photos. I especially liked walking out over the tops of the trees on the observation walkway. Then on November 8 we did our civic duty and voted for a new governor. We decided to keep the old one, which was a good thing. Neither of the three running were much to brag about though.

Frankly I haven't been feeling that great lately. My hip is killing me and it gets harder and harder to get up off the floor. And there's other problems that I've forbidden the Housemate to discuss on this blog or Facebook. The worst problem is that I can no longer get up on the bed at night. And if you've never slept on the floor, you wouldn't understand how tough this is. Some nights I just wandered through the house clicking my toenails on the floor so people would know I'm not happy sleeping on a pallet by the Housemate's bed. Then yesterday look what she brought home--because I am a Good Old Dog, after all!

Man o Man! I could tell this was going to be great. Once I got used to the slight wobble, just settled in for some serious sleeping--and snoring. Best night's sleep I've had in a long time. I highly recommend one of these orthopedic beds to any of you who have Good Old Dogs.

Friday Fences - Old Codgers

Here you have the two old codgers, Willie and Cooper the yellow lab, taking part in a daily ritual. Willie is 15 + and Cooper is probably 13 years old. Every day on our walks through the park they look for each other. When Cooper spies us even from far across the park he runs to his back fence and waits for us. They run up and down the fence together, pausing to chat or have a little leg-lifting contest. I have no idea what they have to talk about. Maybe their golf game, politics, or their prostate? Whatever, they look forward to these visits and I love to watch them.

Now, even though Janis ,our host for Friday Fences, is in charge of the Day 2 Thanksgiving feast, she's still ready to see some new fences. When you've done your Black Friday shopping and had some leftovers from yesterday's Thanksgiving dinner, be sure and stop by her place for the list of players. She may even offer you a piece of pie!

Dog a Day Photos. Scandinavian-Style

I think I should be nearing the end of sharing the almost 1,500 photos I took on a recent trip to Scandinavian countries of Sweden, Denmark and Norway. So far I've written posts about views from hotel rooms, gardens, painted houses, children, water scenery, old churches,art, and royal bling. However, no trip account would be complete without the "Dog a Day" photo collection. Whenever I travel am always on the lookout for dogs to photograph. Partly, I miss Willie, but also just plain love dogs and seeing them with their owners in different countries. On this trip, other tour members noticed my obsession with photographing dogs and became my "dog spotters." Here are some of my favorites (usually not great photos because you know that dogs and children are famously on the move--but a delight, nevertheless):

This is "Wild Thing" out for his afternoon stroll through Vatta, a small village on Lake Vattern in southern Sweden:

















This is a young German hound, hiding behind his owner's knees at Sofiero Slott (former summer home of Swedish king and his princess)in Helsingborg, southern Sweden:















In Copenhagen at the Glyptotek Museum I spotted "The Prince Imperial with His Dog Nero", a sculpture by Carpeaux:




















In the ballroom of Frederiksborg Palace(housing the Denmark Museum of Natural History of paintings and decorative arts from the 1500s to present day) on the island of North Zealand (about an hour from Copenhagen)there were several Italian tapestries on the walls, featuring court dogs:




















Vigeland Park in Oslo, an exuberant celebration of the cycle of life in sculpture, was enjoyed by the Norwegians and their dogs as well as tourists:



After Oslo we headed north through higher elevations of Norway, boarding the Flam Railway for a trip past waterfalls, ravines, and sheer cliffs. People in Norway were very active and healthy-looking. Even the dogs, like this border collie got in on the act in an evening stroll along the lake at our hotel in Flam:















This little guy hiked with its owner to the Briksdal Glacier near Loen, Norway (I enjoyed getting off the bus, trains, and ferries myself and hiking in cool, rainy weather to see the scenery up close):




















This is "Ferry Annie" enjoying her ride across the Geiranger Fjord:














This handsome guy has musical interests. He's visiting the home of composer Edvard Grieg just outside Bergen, Norway(first photo is the Composer's Hut where Grieg escaped from his wife and children to write):

And finally, the best Dog a Day Photo of all--Willie in his favorite spot the day after I got home from trip. He was very glad to be rescued from the vet kennel by his friend Janice and get back to his home:

Sunday Morning Trifecta

Ah-h-h! Willie, Gabaldon and the Sunday Courier-Journal.

"Old Dogs Children and Watermelon Wine"

This morning I'm thinking about some poignant lyrics written by Tom T. Hall, Kentucky's singing storyteller. In "Old Dogs and Children and Watermelon Wine" Tom T, who wasn't known for turning down good whiskey, writes about meeting an "old gray, black gentleman" cleaning up a Miami bar while he was "pouring blended whiskey down." The bar was empty, so the old gentlemen sat down and shared his thoughts on what's worthwhile in life:

". . .'Ain't but three things in this world that's worth a solitary dime. But old dogs and children and watermelon wine.' He said, 'Women think about themselves, when men-folk ain't around. And friends are hard to find when they discover that you're down.' He said, 'I tried it all when I was young and in my natural prime. Now it's old dogs and children and watermelon wine.'

'Old dogs care about you even when you make mistakes. God bless little children while they're still too young to hate.' . . . "

Right now I'm worried about my Old Dog. By rough calculation, since Willie was a rescued puppy, I think my old boy will be 15 years old in September. He's been extremely healthy and steady all these years, needing to visit the vet only for yearly checkups. Every day he's eager for a walk whether a short one to the newspaper box at the end of our driveway or a longer stroll through the parks. Every morning he dines on his ration of two beggin' strips and a milkbone. If he's not particularly hungry, he buries his milkbone under the sofa cushions for later. Every evening he cleans up his bowl of dry kibble. And he still has room for the odd bite of egg yolk (which I can't stand), toast spread with nutella, or a bit of cheese and apple.

That's all changed in the last couple of weeks. He's not eating his food or drinking much water. He breathes heavily on walks and, in general, just seems unsteady on his old props. Before, if he wanted to lie beside me on the sofa he just hopped up there. Now he has to take several run 'n gos and sometimes just decides that it's not worth the effort. This morning I noticed that his collar slides easily over his ears. And he's lumpy as a bad mattress--some of the tumors are large and growing fast. And he's distant, going off by himself and getting confused.

I am scared. I know what it means when dogs get bony heads and too many lumps to count. Cancer. So, this week I'll take my Old Dog in to the vet for his annual checkup. But I'm not expecting great news. Regardless of the vet's verdict, we'll just concentrate on enjoying the time we have left because like Tom T says, this Old Dog has been worth every solitary dime--and more.

Teaser Tuesday - Good Old Dog by Nicholas Dodman

This is my Good Old Dog Willie. We've been family for over 14 and a half years now. Willie is aging well--active, good eater, even keeled. He's never sick, so only sees the vet for annual checkups and shots. As with many older dogs he's getting pretty lumpy-notice the large one on his shoulder. Last year the vet biopsied a lump on his hip and determined that it was malignant. At Willie's age I decided not to subject him to surgery, so we're just going along enjoying life. However, I watch and want to know as much as possible about caring for an older dog. That's why I was so glad to find Good Old Dog by Dr. Nicholas Dodman, my Teaser Tuesday book selection for this week.

Teaser Tuesday is described by its host Miz B over at Should be Reading as a "weekly bookish meme" open to any reader who wants to play along. If, like me, you're always curious about what people are reading or on the lookout for the next great read, then this may be your meme. If you want to play, just click on Miz B's link above for the very simple rules.



Good Old Dog
by Nicholas Dodman, BVMS

"But old age is not a disease. It is a stage of life. Yes, the older a dog, the more challenging the medical treatments. But, as they say, with age, what is lost on the swings is gained on the merry-go-round." p. 4

Book Description: As noted in the book's subtitle, Dr. Dodman and other faculty at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University provide expert advice for keeping your aging dog happy, healthy and comfortable in this last stage of life. The book is organized around actual case studies of dogs treated by the veterinary faculty at Tufts. Each case study is then followed by commonsense, balanced background information so that you, as the pet owner, can make the right decisions for your dog. Some valuable chapter topics include: proper diet, common medical conditions and diseases in aging dogs, dementia, adapting the physical environment, and end-of-life decisions. In my case, I especially appreciated the descriptions of different cancers in dog, symptoms, and treatment options. It helped me know that I was doing right by Willie.


In the last year or two several friends have experienced the pleasure and pain of living with a good old dog. I wish I could have loaned them this book to ease the way. For myself, I've been lucky to have four great dogs--Zack, Frank, Dan, and now Willie--live to ripe old ages. Each of them has taught me valuable lessons about living well and growing old.

Teaser Tuesday - Rose in a Storm by Jon Katz

Teaser Tuesday is described by its host Miz B over at Should be Reading as a "weekly bookish meme" open to any reader who wants to play along. If, like me, you're always curious about what people are reading or on the lookout for the next great read, then this may be your meme. If you want to play, just click on Miz B's link above for the very simple rules. (photo credit: Rose in the Garden, Jon Katz)

I have met so many wonderful dogs through Jon Katz's writing about his experiences in living with these amazing creatures both in the suburbs and on Bedlam Farm in upstate New York. There's Stanley and Julius his zen-like yellow labs who retreated with him to the mountains when he was deciding to leave the corporate world of New York City. There's Devan (re-named Orson) a young border collie who taught Katz to change in order to help a deeply troubled animal. And there is Rose, his resident working girl border collie whose sole mission is to help Katz the city slicker run a hard scrabble farm. In this week's Teaser Tuesday, Rose is the star.



Rose in a Storm
by Jon Katz

"Rose felt the storm coming, smelled snow and heavy air. She remembered other storms, the snow and wind and killing cold. She felt a flash of deep alarm run through her like a bolt of lightening. The hair on her back and neck came up. Sam called for her, but she waited a moment longer before following him inside." p. 12

Book Description: This is Katz's first go at writing fiction with a dog as the central character. Rose is a hard working border collie on a farm in upstate New York. She is the farm owner Sam's partner and sole companion since his wife Katie left the farm. It is lambing season on the farm so Rose has her work cut out for her herding the animals and protecting them from wild predators like coyotes and fox. And then the area is hit with an epic snow storm. Will Rose be able to help Sam and the other farm animals survive the storm? And, if she does, at what cost?


Over the years I've read all of Katz's books that tell the stories of the individual dogs with whom he has shared his life and work. First there were the yellow labs and then after he moved to Bedlam Farm there were border collies and more labs. At first Katz concentrated on what he learned about dogs and the farm. In later books he explored some of the common issues and questions that dog owners must work through:

--Is it right to buy a purebred dog when there are so many animals needing rescue?
-- What is the best way to train a dog?
-- Should people keep a dog even though they are not compatible--is it more humane to re-home?
--Do people expect too much from a dog ?
--Do dogs have a soul?
--How do dogs help us be better human beings?

If you love dogs and stories of people and dogs living together with all the up and downs in these relationships, I highly recommend Jon Katz's writing.

Fun Monday - Sounds of Silence

This week's Fun Monday topic is all about sounds around us. Our host for the long month of January is Ari over at Prawn of Fate . She asks: what is the most beautiful sound in the whole world? what sound do you dislike the most?



When I'm going about my day, the sound that I most want to hears is silence. For most of the day I don't want to hear the TV, radio, gadgets that make noise, or people talking. One sound that I do love is that of Willie the Pit Bull snoring like an old man as he lies on the sofa. He likes keeping me company and I like that too. I read. He hangs his head off the sofa and snores peacefully. That's just enough noise.


The sound that I despise is that of the telephone ringing, or even the answering machine. I can't even think of the last call that I received that was enjoyable. If it were not for needing a land line for the computer or for my sister to be able to contact me in emergencies I wouldn't even have anything except a cell phone.



Back to the sounds I love, I forgot about our local public radio, all classical station. It's just pure music with the only talk being to announce the piece that's about to be played. Enjoy having that station on when either working or as a backdrop for reading.

In modern times it's not exactly easy to enjoy the sounds of silence, but I try.

(Image credit: Phone Phobia, artist Jordan Clarke)

Teaser Tuesday - American Girl Falls for an Italian--Dog

My Teaser Tuesday read for this week is a classic story with a twist. American girl flees the glamour and excitement of New York City and lands in the Italian countryside where she finds love. Only in this story her love is a five year old Italian-born English pointer named Marcus.

Teaser Tuesday is a bookish meme hosted by Miz B over at Should be Reading and is open to all readers who enjoy sharing their current book. Rules of the game are simple:

--open your current read to a random page;
--share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on the page, being careful not to give away too much of the story;
--share the title and author and, if you like, a brief synopsis so other readers can decide if they want to add your selection to their TBR lists; and
--post your link in the comments on Miz B's webpage before checking out other Teaser Tuesday links.

MARCUS of UMBRIA
What an Italian Dog Taught an American Girl about Love
by Justine van der Leun

"For a long time, without even knowing it, I had envisioned a perfect, fictional love in which two people came together , forever devoted only to one another . . . When I think about it now, this grand love for which I toured the earth could be found most easily not between a man and a woman but between a doting owner and her loyal dog." p. 70

Synopsis: in Justine van der Leun's memoir she writes about her impulsive decision to leave her job with an American magazine in New York and move to Italy to live a more adventurous life. She falls--or thinks she does--in love with a handsome gardener and moves in with him in the Umbrian town of Collelungo, population 200. She does not adjust well to Italian country life.

Then she rescues an abandoned English pointer on her boyfriend's family farm. She named the dog Marcus and kept that name when, on closer examination, she found that Marcus was a "girl'. With Marcus as her constant companion she gradually learns how to live the country life with all its roughness and charm. Marcus and Justine save each other.

I loved this memoir because it wasn't the expected account of a traveler in Italy seen through a terra cotta haze. It is honest and revealing. But mostly it is just the story of a girl and her dog.

(Photo credit: jvanderleun.com)

The Other Cooper

Meet Cooper the yellow lab and Willie's best buddy for almost 10 years. They're both old men--in their 13th years. For most of these years Willie and Cooper have chatted through the fence as we walk past Cooper's home. I have this little experiment with Willie. When we get on Cooper's block I'll think, "Will Willie know where he is and will he pull me into Cooper's yard so he can check for himself to see if his buddy is outside?" Sure enough, Willie starts looking. Often Cooper will be watching out his gate and when they spy each other there is great rejoicing! They run the fence, sniff each other and always have a ceremonial leg hiking contest. I often wonder what they're talking about. Other old geezers that may walk by? Their golf game? Obama? Their prostates? Or, what's for dinner?

Like most yellow labs, Cooper is an affection seeking hound.
He presses himself flat to the fence so I can scratch his tail bone. He shivers will delight as I snake my hand between the gate and fence to scratch him up. Neither of the dogs ever bark. It's just all this canine communication going on.

Have to admit. This meet up between old friends is one of the best rituals of my day. I enjoy making Willie happy by taking him on much loved walks. And, like Willie, I always hope Cooper will be outside so we can chat for a bit. His owners know about this ritual and if they see us come by, they'll let Cooper out the door so they can have their little visit.


Now for the other Cooper. Here he is in all his handsome youthfulness. This Cooper lives in Pennsylvania with blog buddy Church Lady and her family. This Cooper is very lucky because he has two girls to play with and they have some great toys for an active dog--trampolines, giant rolling balls, and plenty of wide open spaces. New this year, Cooper's family has gotten a great pontoon boat and Cooper often gets to be first mate to Freedom Rider, captain of the boat and Church Lady's husband.

Life is not all play though for Cooper. He's expected to work like stretching out over piles of mulch to keep it from blowing away or jumping in piles of leaves to give the family plenty of exercise in the fall. And, he's always willing to check the floor and clean up any stray cheetos!

Moral of this post? Two Coopers are better than one. And, you couldn't ask for a better pal than a yellow lab whether you're a pit bull or blogger!

(Photo Credit for PA Cooper: Church Lady)

Teaser Tuesday -- Sharing Great Reads

Teaser Tuesday is described by its host Miz B over at Should be Reading as a "weekly bookish meme" open to any reader who wants to play along. If, like me, you're always curious about what people are reading or always on the lookout for the next great read, then this may be your meme.

The rules are simple:

--Grab your current read,
--open to a random page,
--share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on the page,
--be careful not to include a spoiler,
--share the title and author--and a very brief synopsis--so that other Tuesday Teaser participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teaser, and
--post your link in the comments on Miz B's webpage.



ONE GOOD DOG by Susan Wilson

Adam: "Doesn't matter. I told you: I'm not keeping him."

Gina: "Give him a chance. Haven't you ever needed someone to give you a chance?"

Adam: "I have always made my own chances."

p. 142

Synopsis: Arrogant self-made businessman Adam March has everything that money and power can buy. Then in one afternoon he loses everything in an office meltdown--job, status, family. He is sentenced to a year of community service serving lunch in a homeless shelter to men he would never have had anything to do with in his old life.

In another part of the city a pit bull mix lives out his life in a cellar as fighter in dog fighting ring. They are thrown together through mistaken identity. One Good Dog is the unsentimental, but deeply moving, story of how man and dog saved each other. If you liked Garth Stein's The Art of Racing in the Rain for the way the dog has its own narrative in the story, you will love One Good Dog.