Rrrrrrrr-uff!

Jazzi's all-White litter of pups are now wobbling around on four legs.

Sometimes one of them will let out such a fierce Rrrrrrrr-uff! that they knock themselves right over.

Their eyes have been open for several days now.

They are starting to play and try to pounce.

And are already exhibiting some shockingly grown-up-dog behaviours, such as the one I unknowingly captured in this group shot.

Sierra's Oreo litter is just a few days behind, and still does more sleeping than playing.

But their eyes are beginning to open.

Which means the walking and Rrrrrrrr-uff! ing is just around the corner.

We will be having the first of our Puppy Visitation Days this weekend. I already know that there are some pretty excited people out there, anxiously awaiting their chance to get a first peek at their future family member.

A Day in the Life

Some days turn into a vortex of activities.

My life is normally pretty sane, but yesterday? Not so much.

It started with a run to the vet to drop of two of our dogs for checkups.

Did I mention that we dropped them of at 7:30?
And that I don't usually roll out of bed until 7:15?
85 pounds of sheer energy-on-a-leash. Times 2.

At least I was only responsible for the one that wanted to mark every bush, rock, twig, and piece of furniture in sight.

The Mister got the one that wanted to jump vertically 5 feet off the ground to see who was behind the counter, to assess whether to add them the long list of people that she can paw at and beg to get love and cuddles from.

It was early, but I love early mornings, especially in the Autumn.

Thats the mouth of our driveway there on the left.
This was our return trip home to scarf down a bowl of cereal.

Because we had to leave again to get the Kindergartner to school for his Jog-a-Thon at 8:50.

Did I mention that he doesn't usually go to school until 12:50?

At 8:30, the neighbor's cows are still grazing in mist.

The entire school was out in force for the Jog-a-Thon. There were kids everywhere.
I could never be an elementary school teacher. I have so much admiration for those who can.

Despite the occasional slow lap with Little Sister tagging along, He ran TWENTY-TWO eighth-mile laps. That's over 2 miles.

I got to hang out at the Kindergarten corner with two Moms that I like very much. The three of us cross paths nearly every day at drop-off and pick-up time.

We marked lap cards, and occasionally got a chance to speak.

My favorite comment of the day came from a passing First Grader, who, in between gasps for air, looked right at us and said, "I shoulda brought my Nikes".

Back at home, I took care of my mid-day Kennel duties, then baked zucchini bread.

My bushes are feeling very generous this year.

I also made a family-sized batch of meatballs to round out a spaghetti dinner for friends who just had baby number 5.

This is exactly the time I forgot that I wanted to document the day with photographs.

I finished a pincushion while the meatballs baked

I then loaded the kids up, dropped off the meal, picked up mail at the Post Office, and got to the Dentist's office in time for our 4:00 appointment.

I actually got to sit still and crochet for 30 minutes while the Kindergartner got his teeth cleaned, and Little Sister played with a basket of toys.

Then it was off to fill up the gas tank, pick up a pizza for dinner (woo hoo!), pick up two loopy dogs from the vet, and finally go home for good.

Today? Today I will remain as still as possible. Just as soon as I get some laundry going, clean the kitchen, give the kids their baths, make a couple of school runs, pick green beans and raspberries and vacuum my dirty floors.

Its Boot Season!

I wish these were in my size...

(click any of the pictures to be taken directly to its home page)

Or these...

But its pretty rare for me to find vintage boots in my size that I like. I did find a good deal last year, but they aren't very warm, and I'll be walking back and forth to my Kiddo's classroom a couple times a day, so I need not only warm, but also waterproof. It is Oregon, after all.

So I'm looking at these...

And these...

And even these...

But I'll probably be practical and go with these, since I also need Kennel boots...

Sometimes it really hurts, this being practical.

Clouds

I bring fresh showers for the thirsting flowers,
From the seas and the streams;
I bear light shade for the leaves when laid
In their noonday dreams.
From my wings are shaken the dews that waken
The sweet buds every one,
When rocked to rest on their mother's breast,
As she dances about the sun.

I wield the flail of the lashing hail,
And whiten the green plains under,
And then again I dissolve it in rain,
And laugh as I pass in thunder.

I am the daughter of Earth and Water,
And the nursling of the Sky;
I pass through the pores of the ocean and shores;
I change, but I cannot die.

For after the rain when with never a stain
The pavilion of Heaven is bare,
And the winds and sunbeams with their convex gleams
Build up the blue dome of air,
I silently laugh at my own cenotaph,
And out of the caverns of rain,
Like a child from the womb, like a ghost from the tomb,
I arise and unbuild it again.

First and last stanzas from The Cloud, by Percy Bysshe Shelley.

I ♥ Stacking Firewood

The Mister put up a new woodshed this year, in a much-more convenient spot on the North side of the Shop.

The end wall of chopped wood will be there all winter, and perhaps next as well. It is made up of the wettest of the wood, and will protect the inner stacks of wood from the elements, taking the brunt of rain, sleet, snow.

Knowing that it will be highly visible, I decided to let my inner artist free while I stacked the wood today.

Yep. I really did.

Don't see it? Look again. Look closely.

We took a vote... Smiley face, or Heart?

Which would you have placed your vote for?

Happy Friday

Wishing you sunbeams and kitty cats.

If you need me, I'll be in the woodshed, battening down the hatches.

On My Counter

Alternate title: Still Life with Coffee, Sampler, and Hot Wheels.

We were having a meaningful conversation this morning, my Boy and I, in which he revealed that every afternoon he stands up with his class and they "say some words". Words that turned out to be the entire Pledge of Allegiance, which I had no idea he had memorized, but which he then recited to me, in entirety. A conversation in which he also revealed that two of his friends, amazingly, also like the Cars movies, but that one of them hasn't seen Cars 2 yet. And that he had a dream that I was rocking our Girl when she was a baby, and then I disappeared, and he had to take care of her after that.

Then abruptly, he ran off, abandoning his Hot Wheels and sippy cup. And a weekly bring-home envelope from school, with a newsletter from his Teacher, and a multi-colored bear.

And me. Still reeling from the information bombardment. Loving the reeling, loving the bombardment.

So this is what it is like, being separated for hours at a time, gaining independent experiences.

Now it is me and that teacup.
All sunny, and a good yellow, I found it perched under glass at my Goodwill.
When it was still there a week later, I knew it was meant to be.

Coffee tastes really good sipped from English china.

Then there is that in-the-works sampler.
With yet another house.
I really do love samplers with houses... I hope you do too.

This one needs some color tweaking, so the piles of floss will join it on the counter soon.

Right after the bedding goes out on the line, and the beans get picked.

Its going to be a good day.

Pretty

My garden is pretty.

Especially in the golden light of sunset.

Magical.

Almost edible.

Almost.

Edible.

Just a few more sunsets.

A few more days of basking.

I'm still not ready for it to be over.

Fresh

We finally harvested the first of our corn a few days ago. It wasn't *quite* ready yet. Oh well.

The peppers have lived out their happy lives, seed to fruit, in the greenhouse.
They are now salsa.

Our late crop of Raspberries is coming into full swing now.
I see Raspberry Cordial in my future.

I promise I won't give that Diana Barry even the tiniest sip.
Greedy girl.

Mama-Seeking Missiles

This is what happens when I stand still for more than 20 seconds.

Even when other special people are around.

Apparently, I still get to be their favorite.

*Please note the camo boots on the wrong feet,
because 1. my little girl wears camo boots,
and 2. she is wearing them with pink ruffles and embroidered flowers and polka dot leggings.*

Puppies in Laundry Baskets

The pups are getting so big and squirmy now that I have to have a basket to sort them into when I do the daily weigh-in. I put hot water bottles in the bottom of a laundry basket, cover them with towels, then snuggle each baby in to stay cozy and warm after I traumatize them with the scale.

There is a fair amount of squealing, and squirming about, but by the time puppy number nine is ready to go in, the bottom layer of puppies is sound asleep.

Just in time for a photo shoot... who can resist a pile of sleeping puppies?

Then I scoot next door to Sierra's Oreo litter and do the same thing.

Those little black faces kill me.