This And That

Again, not much knitting content this evening. I was dog showing it this weekend but did manage to knit about an inch on the sleeves of the traveling shells cardigan. I'd show you pictures but I figure if I'm bored with the project - and I am - I can only imagine how bored the rest of you must be with it. The Second Wave Clapotis starts next weekend so I need to finish this cardigan soon.

Dak did well this weekend at the obedience trials. He was second in his class both days with a score of 196.5 out of 200 on Saturday and a 195.5 out of 200 on Sunday. I'm very pleased with his performance and consistency though I realize we need to bump up our performance if we want to be truly competitive. Shamrock acquired the first leg towards her Rally Advanced title. She wasn't very enthusiastic about it and her score suffered as a result but at least it's done.

I managed to drown my favorite laptop last week. I left it on the kitchen counter along side a gallon jug of water which sprung a leak over night, flooding my laptop, kitchen counter and floor. What a mess! My replacement laptop is not as nice, smaller screen and smaller, more uncomfortable keyboard. Oh well, I still get to work for home so my complaints are minimal.

My Big and Only Girl is doing well. She's just as cute as she can be.

First Meal


Playing With "Litter Mates"

Yippee!

Congratulations to JJ for picking up the second major toward his AKC Championship this weekend! We are all pretty excited around here. Next weekend JJ is entered in a herding trial so will be out herding sheep instead of looking pretty. What's not to love about dog as versatile as this.

Happy Birthday USA!

I've had lots to blog about lately, just not lots of time to blog.


I'll start with Sunday, June 24th when I had such a nice visit with my friend Linda who was traveling from her home in Wyoming to Chicago for a family visit. Linda stopped by my house with her great dog Junior. Junior is a Dusty by Dot son and he sure is smart and well trained. He has a bunch of agility titles and is starting to show in the Open class for his CDX. Judging by the beautiful job he did on the signal exercise, he's also well on his way to competing in Utility. It was great to see Linda and Junior and I'm glad they had a good trip and are safely back in Wyoming now.

Bluebirds and Wrens

On Monday, June 25th, the five baby blue birds left their nest while I was at a three hour doctor appointment. Gosh, I was sorry to miss their fledging but I'm happy they are safely out of the nest. My sister gave me the name of the local "bluebird guy" who will actually come out to my property and check out my bluebird houses and put up new houses in better locations if needed. I can't wait! I hope to have a few more bluebird nests next spring.

The forever chirping baby wrens left their nest on Tuesday morning between 6:00-6:30 a.m.. I poured myself a cup of coffee and sat on the patio to watch. Being wrens, it was a noisy affair but so interesting. The parents sat in a nearby tree and called and called to the two youngsters who finally fell out of the nesting box and on to tree limbs below. From there one of the baby wrens immediately took off flying to his parents. The other wren, however, had some trouble and lack of confidence. This bird fell from the tree limb to the evergreen shrub below where it hopped around for some minutes before finally trusting itself to fly.

The wrens were the last birds to leave the nest here which meant my cat Percy was finally able to resume his indoor/outdoor cat life. I do love my cat but the months he is forced to stay inside are difficult months for both Percy and me. I tried to snap a picture of Percy as he ran out the door for the first time since April but he zipped by me so fast I'm not sure you can even find him in this photo. All in all, it was a successful "hatch" this year with 5 bluebirds, 2 separate wren nests of two babies each, about 12 tree swallows and uncounted number of robins, blue jays, orioles, hummingbirds and about every kind of woodpecker found in southern MN.

Family Reunion


The really big event around here for the past 5 days has been the family reunion. My parents planned it last winter. I come from a large family and my immediate family, plus all my first cousins, were given marching orders to be here for the big event. It was an absolutely fabulous reunion. Great planning, perfect weather, terrific food and though we are probably as dysfunctional as the next family, no big family blow ups. It was just a wonderful time.


Here's a lake shot, a typical long Fourth of July weekend. The kids enjoyed the water and the jet skis and then played a very hard fought game of soccer. Gosh, my cousins kids are very good soccer players. I'm glad no one impaled themselves on my dad's anchor while playing soccer.




I'm going to be happy to get back to work tomorrow and back to my everyday life. I've eaten and drink-en and visited and celebrated enough for the whole summer! I suppose I'm offending some vegetarian with this photo but one of several tasty reunion meals was this whole spit roasted pig. Delicious!


One of my brothers has provided a Fourth of July fireworks show for quite a few years now. This year he went all out with a spectacular show on Sunday evening for the reunion and yet another show this evening for Independence Day. I tried to take a picture but failed. This doesn't do justice at all to the great show my brother provided.

My cousin Molly took many professional quality photos during the reunion events and she had a slide show going during all days. There were so many exceptional photos. Perhaps I'll share a few as I receive them. It has a been a wonderful past five days, seeing so many of my extended family members and sharing great meals and great times with them. It's a time which will not be forgotten.

All right then, I'll try to get back to the subjects of knitting and dog training - things I've accomplished little of lately - next blog.

It Was A Good Weekend

A Thousand Splendid Suns

What an exquisite, sad, powerful, poignant novel. I do not know the correct words to describe this beautiful book. I can't stop thinking about it. I kept the iPod playing in the car or in my ears as much as I could this weekend. How magnificent is the human spirit to endure such sorrow and hardship. When I thought Mariam and Laila could not possibly survive another tragedy, I learned they not only can endure, but are brave enough to dare to hope and love again.

I wonder if the author has ever read one of my favorite pieces of literature, William Faulkner's Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech? I think they both speak magnificently of the courage and power of the human spirit.


A New Champion



Addie finished her championship this weekend by winning the final of 15 required points. Addie is co-owned by my friend Sarah in IL and has been tag teamed to her championship by both Sarah and I. Addie makes up my 21st champion. Above is a casual picture of Addie taken while playing around the house. Addie lives here part time while attending some shows and, unlike my own dogs, does not tear a toy to shreds as soon as she gets. Rather, Addie will actually play with a toy. She's playing here with an expensive toy I wouldn't think of giving to my own dogs as they'd wreck it as soon as they got a hold of it. When Addie leaves I put the expensive toy away and only bring it out again when Addie returns.



Yep, that's Addie again just after we arrived home from the show. Why yes, that is a piece of grass between her teeth! Shows dogs are just 'plain old dogs' at home. Addie doesn't seem to know she's anything special in this photo does she?

Five baby bluebirds!

The bluebird eggs hatched on Saturday. All five little birds are alive and parents busy feeding them. I check on them daily and will continue to do so for about another 10 days. After that it's time to leave the babies alone so they do not fledge too early. I wanted to take a picture for you but didn't dare disturb them so you will have to take my word for it. I will try to get pictures when the birds leave the nest. Can't wait - I will finally be able to let my cat outside - Hurray!