My welcome home

I left Kansas early Tuesday morning, driving from Salina down to the Wichita airport watching the sun rise along the way. It was a pretty drive.

The flights were more or less on time, but it was still a long day of travel. Clay met me at the airport, we went home, fed the dogs, and went to bed.

The dogs were overjoyed to see me, and I think Clay was too, but no one was happier than Maya. She insisted that no one could be closer to me than she was all night long.

Contented girl

Fall cleanup

I've been in Salina, Kansas for the past week with my mother, doing fall clean up of her yard and gardens, as well as a few other odds and ends around the house. We've also done a lot of cooking and have filled her freezer with enough small meals to last hopefully until spring.

She has a pug named Jake. He is very friendly and is happy to have attention, food, and petting from anyone, but he is primarily devoted to my mother. As far as I can tell, that is the primary purpose of a pug, or any dog for that matter. They are a great pair and both are better off for it.

Mostly I did yard work, cooked, and crossed items off the "to do" list, but I also got to visit a couple friends who are still in the area, sampled some of the local brews, and had a good time.

Clay has survived with the dogs at home and seems to be recovering from pneumonia. Gigi went to the emergency vet on Sunday because she was in pain when she moved and seemed to be dehydrated. They gave her fluids, pain meds, and took xrays but nothing really showed up so we are assuming she pulled a muscle or something in one of her brief spurts of activity between sessions of lounging on the bed.

I have a senior black lab coming in when I return, and possibly a sibling from Kaya's litter, and maybe a Dane depending upon results of some medical and temperament tests.

This is Jake's "you're in my spot" look

which I got whenever I sat in his chair.

We were fairly flexible on the timing of Happy Hour this week.

This grew from an ornamental sweet potato

vine in one of the pots in the container garden.

Happy Hour at Blue Skye Brewery

Jake laying on the floor next to my mother's chair

because I was in his chair.

Empty container garden, ready for next year.

It grew very well this year though.

Pots from the container garden, emptied and stacked. There

were 60+ of them this year.

Plantation Crunch manufacturing process

The garden in the front yard, cut off and cleaned up.

A dozen trash bags and yard cart full, and the

trees are still holding onto a lot of their leaves.

Thanks be unto Dog

Athena and one of her kids.

Athena with two more of her kids.

Happy Thanksgiving. I'm in Kansas with my mother and her pug, Jake. I left Clay at home with nine dogs and a case of pneumonia. After leaving me off at the airport about 4:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning, he went home to find that one of our dogs had pooped, pissed, and vomited in the house and another had pooped in a crate.


On a happier note, these photos are from three of our former fosters. Athena and Kaya were both adopted quite recently, while Toquima recently celebrated the 7th anniversary of his adoption.

Kaya is loving all the hiking she does with her

new family.

Kaya is catching up on her socialization and will

now approach strangers on her own.

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Toquima recently celebrated his 7th anniversary in his home.

Toquima is a go anywhere, do anything dog, and he will

be with us again for Christmas!

A Farewell Romp

I'm leaving Tuesday morning for a week in Kansas. Clay is staying here with nine dogs, but I took the 10th, Taz, back to Green Dogs on Monday evening. He will be getting adopted while I'm gone to a man who lives in New Jersey. Monday afternoon I took Taz out to the pasture with Theo for a final romp.

It was a beautiful afternoon. Taz was ready to run and Theo was ready to play ball. They both got what they wanted.

He's a beast, but he's a sweet, beautiful boy and I will miss him, although I'm very glad he's going to a home that has the time, the space, and the experience that he needs.

Deer Stalking with Max and Maya

Today was clear and sunny, but cold and windy. Perfect hiking weather. Yesterday I made the mistake of putting Max out in the dog yard for the day. The wind came up and he went insane. Way too much stimulation out there on a windy day. He's all right if he's leashed, however, so today we hit the trails.

I call it hiking, but I'm sure that they consider it to be hunting. They were on high alert for most of the five miles that we covered, and their efforts were rewarded with multiple deer sightings and countless scents.

They are back to winter weather pace, so I need to get in better shape in order to keep up. I took advantage of the deer sightings and let them pull me along, especially when we were going up hill.

The Rivanna River was looking quite blue today thanks to
the clear sky overhead.

This was our only rest stop, and it was for me.
They didn't even pause when we crossed the
stream for dip or a drink.