Holding Steady at Two

We have been, in the past, a family of 1,2, 3 and 4 dogs at the same time.

Four was far too many and I made the declaration,

"No more dogs than kids".

We have had only one since Miss Maddie (Mattie) died almost 2 years ago and that made Charlie lonely.

Another German Shepherd was at the top of our very small list, so when a litter became available in town, a decision was made.

A cute guy with enormous paws came home to live with us and the name selection began.

Since Hubby and I have not come to terms with the term "Empty Nesters" yet, we asked our kids for their input.

Names were suggested and vetoed.

Votes were held in dorms.

Texts went back and forth and a consensus

was finally reached.

Atlas.

I wasn't a fan.

It didn't "call" properly.

If enunciation was not clear, it came out "Alice, sit".

Dumb.

He as was Atlas for a week or two and then I decided enough was enough.

Maverick popped into my head.

I confirmed the name change with Hubby and we re-introduced our pup to the kids.

Like the adults we are.

Charlie was not amused nor happy for the first few weeks.

Her patience with sharp puppy teeth was nonexistent and she struggled with sharing of any kind.

Food, toys, our attention.

And now?

Charlie is the capable big sister.

Tolerant of most things, teacher of boundaries and mostly patient.

She acts as an extension of my teachings as well.

I have found myself telling Maverick "NO" when he has picked something up to chew.

When he drops said item, Charlie retrieves it and brings it to me.

When I call for an unseen Maverick, Charlie will get up, find him and lead him to me.  

It is pretty cool to see.

We are settling into a routine  with our canine family of two.

It's a good number.

An Introduction.

Our youngest was unable to come with us to Idaho to relocate her sister and brother-in-law recently.

She spent the time with her best friends as well as her FFA family.

And she adopted a stray kitten who wandered into the front yard.

Meet Ash.

This little girl is now litter box trained and is trying to make new friends.

She is a climber of screens and the water squirter now resides nearby.

And.

Had our youngest changed her mind about Idaho, we would have had to tie her to the top of a vehicle.

 

Oh, Charlie

For the time being, Miss Charlie is alone here in the canine world but is making do.

She and the horse have a daily routine.

Charlie is a bee hunter.

She also our resident hummingbird herder.

Miss Mattie

We lost this sweet girl last week. 

She came to us as a small bundle of fluff in December 2011 who never lost her zest for a race down the driveway with any and all vehicles.  

In the beginning, we tried to thwart that practice and worried that she was bound to get hit one day.

But,  we need not have worried. 

 She always stayed in her lane and never went past a certain spot on the driveway before veering to the right into the orchard to trot back home.

She loved people and  learned which critters were friends or foes.

She was a loyal and loving girl who always looked for approval.

She will be missed for a long time.

Once a Month. Perhaps?

Goodness.  

Another month has passed and June is promising to usher in some oppressive triple digit heat.

May, as always was jam packed with stuff.  

All good. 

Just a lot.

We were able to finally update our computer, allowing me to type and upload photos again.  

It's the little things.  

I am hoping to post here semiregularly again. 

I miss it.

And my phone is nearly full of photos that have been hanging out with nowhere to go.

I last shared our youngest's' Confirmation, but neglected to share this one from that evening.

Proud Mama moment.

I also mentioned the Livestock Show that would take the place of our Fair.  

Billy the Kid announced all the details!

There were so many people who worked VERY hard to make the show a reality. 

 FFA and 4-H advisors, fair employees, parents and our community as a whole. 

 Over the course of two weekends, critters were shown and judged. 

As a sophomore, this was SPF's first opportunity to hang out with her goat and lamb people.

At one time.

 It felt good.

THIS felt good.

Friends and smiles.

On another weekend, the kids were able to enter their Indoor Projects.

Cooking, Photography, Metal Work to name a few. 

Hopefully, normal will return next year and we will all be able to "ooohh" and "ahhhhh" over our youth's accomplishments once again.

We have some talented kidnicks in these parts.

The following week included  dress shopping and the discovery of a fantastic seamstress!

This led up to a "Faux" Prom.

  A group of 20ish-teens met for photos, a limo ride to dinner and then to a "private" dance at a local business establishment.

Fun was had between friends before our girl was whisked off to spend the night with her best friends.

School will be finished on Friday and boy are we ready!

We are looking forward to completing some projects around the house and just... well, being.

And maybe stay up to date here.

Maybe.

 

There Have Been Days

There have been days when I sure felt like this Mama.

How about you?

Thursday Saga

Monday afternoon, I came home, opened the garage door and caught movement of a critter out of the corner of my eye moving from a shelving unit in the garage.

 Got out to investigate with no success.

Later that night, I saw it again.

Same spot.

Same movement from shelves to under tables.

I blocked the area it had been sleeping with hope that it had left the garage when I blinked.

Tuesday, cat scent in garage.

Gross.

Wednesday morning, scent was now in the Family Room!

Araghghgh!!!!

So yesterday, I cleaned the garage and scrubbed and sanitized what needed to be sanitized.

Super GROSS!

Fast forward to last night and me throwing things at a noise from the shelves at midnight.

This morning, I opened garage door while hiding outside with the hope it would depart.

 I heard movement from shelves and saw it creeping behind boxes.

Called hubby out.

He moved some items and cat jumped down and ran under my car.

AND it was time to take SPF to town to feed her goat at the high school farm.

We looked under hood and all underside of car.

Nothing.

He must have run out of the garage while we were distracted, so away we went.

45 minutes later, we returned.

Charlie was immediately interested in my car.

Notice the body language of my Hubby, as well as dog.

Seriously.

To town, waiting while Billy the Kid was walked and fed and home again under the hood.

Of a car!

After a manic escape from the engine, and short tussle with Charlie in the drive, 

across the yard and up a tree to safety.

I am thinking, that Lucky (unlike Bucky) or Moe (high school's mascot) might be appropriate names.
What say you?

Friday Frolicking

It seems that Charlie is fascinated by hummingbirds.

And the attempt to catch one.

If only her energy were contagious!

Have a lovely weekend and please ignore the trellis and hoses in the yard.
I'm mid project.

A Smile

I think we all deserve a smile for making it to Friday this week. 

Don't you? 

After a visit with my Dad last week, I discovered this video on my phone. 

Seems my youngest had found something online. Seeing how dogs react to different sounds.

Miss Bella obliged in all of her cuteness.

One Year Ago

 THIS is NOT happening today.

Think We Will Keep Her

When we brought Charlie home last November, we knew she was going to be a large critter.  

That is a main reason we chose her.

She is 11 months old now and she had become more that I knew how to handle.

She walked well on a leash unless there was a distraction and then it was all I could do to hold on to her.

And her speed and strength was bound to knock someone (me) over before long.

We needed outside help, so I asked a couple friends and found a dog trainer.

He came to us for 30 days.  

Charlie is still a puppy, but nothing like the over grown, unruly one she was a month ago. 

 She still wants to play with the kittens, but stops at our command.

The trainer told us the money would be the best we ever spent.

While I have spent money on much more fun things (like airplane tickets..remember those?)

 this was necessary and I am pleased.

Grateful for the Good

Each time I begin to write about how this pandemic is affecting our little family, I stop. 

 So far, we are okay while others are not. 

Unemployment and illness have not reared their ugly heads to us. 

We don't have a college or high school senior.

We are not cattle ranchers or dairy farmers.

We don't live in a large "hot spot".  

I am so very grateful and our setbacks are just that.

 Setbacks.

The trip to the Azores WILL be rebooked. 

I WILL spend an entire day with Dad and take him to lunch again without worrying about bringing a bug with me.

 The goat will NOT have to come live with us.

 There WILL be another horse show for our girl.

But, while I am grateful for the good, I am also saddened by the missed experiences for our youngest.

The nervousness upon entering a show ring for the first time.

The fun and laughter with friends in the livestock barn.

Encouraging those friends and sharing in their successes.

The pride in your FFA Chapter or 4-H Club when walking through the exhibit hall and seeing awards on projects.

Even the utter exhaustion by the end of the week.

It is all part of the life long memory.

The memory of her first horse and livestock shows will be of the work she put in knowing the goal had been moved...or eliminated.

There is pride in that.

A Lovely Fright

Last week, I was admiring our Peace Rose tree that is always a show stopper during its first bloom.  

As I was contorting myself to get the best photographic angle, a very frightened blackbird...soon to be Mama...burst from her nest mere inches from my face.  

I became aware while my heartrate attempted to return to a normal rhythm, HER fright had turned into anger directed toward me.

 

In an instant,  her neighbors flew to her aid and ..what I imagined.. an impending attack upon an innocent photographer.

Said photographer retreated into the house.

And stayed.

Happy Saturday everyone.