Open Window Weather

It's been a pretty nice week. We had a few 80 degree days and now a bit cooler again. It's those couple of weeks in the spring when it's actually nice to have windows open in Virginia. The nights have been nice enough that I've been leaving Smokey and Max out in the dog yard shed at night. Smokey has taken up residence in one of the cubby holes in the shed and made it his own, fending off all would-be intruders, who I think exist only in his mind. I did another brushing session on him yesterday. He really liked it. He's blowing his entire coat, shedding off the old, bad-nutrition fur and replacing it all, top coat and undercoat, with a better quality pelt.

Theo with a ball hanging casually from his
mouth, like a cool kid with a cigarette.

I am constantly reminded that Serena is really a big puppy still and she has a lot to learn. I need to keep giving her new experiences and teaching her to handle them. Today I took her along when I went to town on some errands. I had to stop by the vet's office to pick up a refill on her prescription. I thought I'd take her inside, put her on the scales, and let her have a non-traumatic visit to the vet's office. She knew where we were and refused to get out of the van. I only had a leash on her collar and didn't want to pull her out, and besides, I was laughing too much to push it. She was having none of it and refused to budge until we were back home. Then she happily jumped out of the van, and even more happily jumped back in when I took her and Maya out for a hike before dark.

This is one of Serena's jumping moves when running circles
in the pasture.

Sparky in the front yard with the dwarf flowering crab
that is coming into bloom.

Sparky very patiently sharing the big crate with Serena.
I think she's oblivious to the fact that he'd prefer to
have to himself. 

Serena refusing to leave the van at the vet's
office today.

Out on the trail, Thursday evening.

This was right after a mountain biker and
his dog went past us on the trail.

Deer were spotted here.

Serena was very keen on the deer, as is Maya.

The redbud trees are blooming.

We finished four miles just before 8:00 p.m. and it wasn't
quite dark yet. I love that.