Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head

We have early showers - only a few hours before April officially starts. But the blog photo of a raindrop at the top of Boyd's head seemed appropriate as a header photo for the month. Laugh Out Loud!

Dog Dynamics

The posturing and gesturing and signaling in the dog world, when a new buddy comes to the house, reveals a wealth of information regarding social structure and each resident's peace of mind.

Enter: Boyd, the plain brown puppy. Yes, he has the little bulldog bow legs. Very appealing. Even with sharp teeth and a desire to test everything for taste and texture - tails included, he offers no threat to our crew. The impetuousness of youth and the wily charm must filter out the agonizing nip-and-jump routine which sometimes puts a questioning look on our adult pooches. We trust they find him entertaining and perhaps they reflect back on their own puppyhood.
The more we learn about dogs the more we know we still don't know. They are wise and intelligent. They have a firm grasp of what is important, what matters and what to let go of because it's insignificant.
And, they are in charge.

Who was it that voted for more than 8 puppies?

Your reward is that you get to come watch them for a day!

Poll Results
How many puppies are in Abba's belly?
Four.......2 (7%)
Five.......7 (26%)
Six.......15 (57%)
Seven... 1 (3%)
Eight.....0 (0%)
More.....1 (3%) WINNER

The Puppies are Here! UPDATE

Abba was an overachiever today, she had NINE puppies. Starting around 1:30am or maybe earlier and finishing around 11:15am.

1 red boy-9oz
1 red girl-8.75oz
4 tri boys-all 8.75oz
1 tri girl-6.5oz
2 tri boys-all 8.75oz

All the family is doing well.

Here is the whole family. Yep, I count nine! The reds are like bookends.

Maybe Puppies Tonight!

Lesley emailed me that Abba seems to be nesting and refused her meal tonight. Of all our beagles, Abba is the biggest chow-hound. So for her to refuse food means something is up. Stay tuned.

Abba's still Growing 03.28.09

Here's Abba yesterday (03.28.09). Lesley says she now measures 31 inches. May need to change my guess on how many puppies.


Below is a pix from Mar 24 when she was 29 inches.

How Was YOUR Summer?

Who would have thought that we'd actually get what was predicted for yesterday - 3-4 inches of pristine snow! It was stunning and magical early in the morning. Who says we can't have Christmas all year long. Maybe a little snowy reminder is what we need to keep us focused on the truth of the matter. The shot here is of the dry creek bed, around 7 a.m. Clearly it was not at all dry!

Below, within thirty minutes, the birds were filling up the yard and chirping enough to make us feel guilty that all we had out for them was suet. No breakfast/brunch for these visitors on this particular snowy day. We were so ill-prepared. Thankfully all is forgiven as today there are seeds galore and for those carnivore birds - worms.

And, indeed, what a difference a day does make. Not only did we go from snow and winter coats to sunshine and light jackets in central Illinois, we personally went from 4 owned dogs and a 1 foster dog to 4 + 1 + 1 foster puppy. Tis the season to be jolly, and to brush, and to train, and to romp.
His name is Boyd. When he holds still I'll take a photo and post it. Till then, wave as you "go by"...we're outside every hour or two.
If you wonder where the magic in the world has gone think only briefly about what I've mentioned today. Amazing weather and the changes it brings, the beauty and communication of living things such as birds and puppies. We have only to look around us and behold. The magic isn't gone. It never leaves. Sometimes we just see beyond it and that is a shame.