Mar
23
2013
Three of them were in: “Tilla” was the only dog out. Three times I urged him to come in and three times he turned over on his back to demand a belly rub. I ignored him all three times. Finally he “trotted in” so we were able to leave the house. All four dogs had gone out and now were in.
Mar
2
2012
The first thing my wife mentioned to me after I got up was she saw pair of bluebirds from the kitchen window, who each tested out the quarters of the bluebird nesting box placed on a tree on the perimeter of our yard. I was concerned about that because the box was precariously balanced and if the couple decided to raise their young there, I did not want to take a chance of traumatizing them by their home falling down. I never had seen a bluebird in our yard. I spent ten minutes strategically putting in nails in the tree to assure the nesting box would stay in place. Now I have to wait to see if the bluebirds would come back.
Dec
27
2011
It was cold and wet, an utterly miserable day. I quickly “dashed” to the post office and then the local supermarket and returned home. When I left, three dogs squeezed past me into the yard–only because they liked going through doors and could do that. I was only gone fifteen minutes and all three dogs ran in (???) immediately in the house when I opened the front door. Even the dogs did not want to be out long. It was that kind of day. It could have been worse: the temperature could have been a little lower and we would have had snow. Nevertheless, I am glad I had heat and was inside.
Dec
24
2011
Our large wooden picket fence transformed our yard. It gave us a degree of privacy we never had before. I can’t even remember how it was before. It changed our whole property. It was also a landmark. We had found a Mennonite to build it and he did a wonderful job designing it. We have had others commenting on its beauty. It was one of its kind. I love looking at the sloped fence from a distance. I was thrilled we were able to afford it. It added so much to our property.
Dec
17
2011
I have four dogs and I have a special relationship with each one and I know I have written about all of them but bear with me. There is “Pax”, a Rottweiler mix, who I have known for over eight years. He came with my wife. He lumbers down the yard and has his favorite corner where he will bark at anyone who has the temerity to pass by. He is the most vocal of the four. He looks at me with a bemused expression and loves bread. He is a bagel thief. Leave one nearby and if you are not careful he will slip it away and gobble it down before you know it. I like teasing him by pulling his tail. He will bark at me in retaliation but I do it anyway. He does not move too quickly any more and I have stepped on him accidentally too many times. He now instinctively moves out of the way when I walk nearby. He is a scary looking dog but has never bitten anyone.
There is my favorite — “Tilla”. This morning he came into my bedroom and jumped on the bed to greet me. He is the smartest dog I have and also the most athletic one: we had to build our large wooden picket fence higher for he was the only one that could jump over it. He has gotten into the most trouble. We did have one visit from the local dog warden after he got out once and harassed the neighbor ‘s dog. He is a midsized black dog with a barrel chest. He usually does not take his eyes off of me. He is the only one I have taken walks with. I will write about the other two later.
Oct
5
2011
There is nothing like being in the sunshine. After a week of gloomy, rainy weather today the sky was blue and it even hit seventy. My wife was depressed and tried to dispel her gloom. She took a chair, placed it in the sunlight and basked in it. It is too easy to be depressed when the weather is cold and the sun is far away. It was a perfect Autumn day and she decided to enjoy it and went out into our yard. Maybe later I will have a Scrabble game there. The days are running out I can do that. There is nothing like a clear, warm day to cheer you up.
Jun
14
2011
The grackles are scaring the other birds away in my front yard. I had to stop putting out suet cakes. The grackles liked them too much. And the woodpeckers (red bellied and downy) stopped coming. And other birds attracted to the suet. Like the brown creeper and white breasted nuthatch. More than once I saw a grackle take a bite of suet and go back to grab another and they still had not swallowed the first bite which was still hanging from their beak. I did not know how to discourage them. I know they are God’s creatures.
I wish they would go away. Nevertheless they knew a good thing when they saw it. They also would feed on the bird seed I scattered on the ground. I did not mind them sharing the suet cakes with the woodpeckers but they chased them away. I was going through at least one cake a day. They are almost a dollar at WalMart. Even with no suet cakes being put out they are still coming although not as many. I just don’t know what to do. I miss the suet feeding birds I used to see regularly from my front window.
Jun
8
2011
Coco is one of my “pups”. I call her that although she is full grown. Her Mom is our golden retriever and Dad is our Rottweiler mix. She is totally black with a little patch of white on her breast, long haired with the most adorable fluffy ears. She was the pup who hung back and observed before doing anything. She is so different than her Mom, “Sweetie”. Sweetie will demand your attention. She will put her paw on you to get petted more. Not Coco. Coco is this unassuming lovable dog. Sometimes she sits there both paws crossed so feminine-like. She likes her privacy: often she is the last dog to come inside from the yard. When she has a bone, she is loath to leave it and will, often, run out into the yard with it in her mouth and return into the house with it in its mouth, too. I love all my four dogs but she has a special place in my heart.
Mar
23
2011
I wonder who will show up at my doorsteps. Each year toads, of all sizes, from tiny to humongous, show up attracted by the insects the porch light collects. Every year or two a large box turtle comes from the tiny creek in back of our house.
Sometimes it can be found sunning himself on the slab of concrete in back. I never (???) exactly what creature will make an entrance. Twice we saw large orange salamanders in the yard.
We usually uncover them accidentally: they like moist environments. I had no idea of their exact identity.
Once my wife saw a wild turkey in the front yard. They are in the area but I never saw one being in the yard before. A few weeks ago a possum was discovered by the dogs.
I shooed then away. I thought it might be dead and was relieved when it was gone the next day. I never know exactly what will appear in the yard. I just enjoy and welcome the next creature who comes to our doorsteps.
Feb
11
2010
I am wondering whether our black-eyed susans are going to come up. I wanted them along the wooden picket fence bordering the road. My wife planted seeds last Fall along this border which is over one hundred feet long. We will see. I thought they would accent the fence nicely.
I love black-eyes susans. They keep spreading in our yard. My wife also helps them along. The blooms last for many weeks. I have been helping my wife in the garden more because she physically can’t do the same work there she used to be able. She has a bad back and pays for everything.
Last year we had several cherry tomato plants in large pots. I love snacking on them. Before we know it the winter will be over and it will be spring my favorite season. Everything comes alive again. And spring always come after winter which I just endure. I don’t like cold weather. And makes anticipating spring that much sweeter.
Oct
11
2009
The isolation that follows depression is the worst thing about it. It is self perpetuating: you feel all alone and then depressed. You are depressed, thus you feel alone. It is a vicious cycle.
Somehow you need to break it. In the beginning it is very difficult. I was there. I started to think of everything I should be grateful for.
Some things were material like the fence we made taller this year so all our dogs could be contained in our yard. One dog could jump the fence and we wanted him to run wild again.
Four dogs who love me all in their own way was a thing to be thankful for. I had a special relationship with one–“Tilla.” That was no small thing.
I had to look for a crack in my depression. At first it would be small but if I continued it would get bigger and bigger. Finding things to be grateful for was a start.
Copyright © 2009 - Siggy's Blurbs: Siggy's Edge of Country … | Entries (RSS) | Comments (RSS)
WordPress theme by 
9th sphere website design