She's Doesn't Play DogBall, Either

Way back when I first came to live with The Family, my main job was to be a companion to My Boy. He wanted a dog he could teach tricks, and I was just the pup he needed. As I grew up, I was given a few more responsibilities like security guard, fence inspector and chief chicken plucker, but the job with My Boy was always a priority. I kept myself primed to take off at a moment's notice and go with him wherever he wanted. We were two peas in a pod, that much alike. Well, all that has changed now.

The other day, My Boy packed his gear into a suitcase, loaded a few books and drove away. He's enrolled in college down in southeastern Oklahoma. Guess who has been left behind to mope and peer out the windows at nothing? Yeah, you got it. Apparently DOGS are not allowed in the dorms down there. Mom says not to worry, she'll take care of me until the weekends when My Boy comes home, but between you and me, she's not a wrassler and can't throw a stick at all.

I never knew this place could be so quiet...

~Tell

Helping Fly a Mississippi Kite

Oklahoma has been having a terrible drought problem this summer, and the triple digit temperatures are setting records. It's not even fun to go outside anymore because it makes us pant so hard. And you know when I'm not digging a hole or roaming the farm, it's a serious matter. All we can do is sit inside and enjoy the air conditioning. That's what I was doing when I happened to hear a car and looked out the window. Wouldn't you know it, a police officer was walking up to the front door. Well sir, I can tell you that had me worried and I was trying to think what in the world I had done this time that they were sending backup to our house when Mom met him at the door.

The officer was carrying something small and fluffy in his hat. I was all for eating it on the spot, but My Girl made a nest out of towels and a cardboard box and then put that puff-ball in there. The officer said he didn't know what it was but he saw it sitting on the side of the road looking all lost and forlorn, so he picked it up and brought it straight over.

I said I thought it was an iggle, our national bird. There are a few iggle nests around these parts. Whew, good thing I didn't eat it, huh? Mom said it was a very odd bird and that it was something she didn't feel all that confident taking care of, so we called a friend who works for the Oklahoma State Department of Wildlife. He came and took this little bird home with him and did some research. It is a Mississippi kite, a small bird of prey. Kites nest during the hottest part of the summer and this has been a very bad year for them. They are jumping out of their nests in record numbers trying to find relief from the extreme heat or else they will die in their nests. Poor babies! Most wildlife rehab workers for the state take in about 10 orphan kites a year, but they are now taking in about 10 A DAY! One place has over 60 babies kites they are feeding. So now I'm really glad I didn't gobble it up, it was having a hard enough time just surviving. Happily, Little Puff is thriving today and should be able to migrate to South America this fall with the rest of the kite families. I hope he thinks about us down there this winter, and remembers fondly how we helped him on his way. And that I didn't eat him.
~Tell

I Go Bear Hunting and Tree a Big 'Un

First, a thank you to everyone for the kind words since Cap's passing. There is definitely an empty spot at home but Glynn and I are doing our best to keep everyone's spirits up. I do miss aggravating the old fellow, though. He never did more than a bit of grumbling under his breath, but I think he enjoyed it, too. We had our routine, I'd poke him with my nose, he would grrrr, and we'd both be happy. I'd like to think it was the highlight of his day. Was for me.

We're in danger of losing a few trees around the house from the heat and drought. The old cherry tree hasn't looked good in awhile, but this year it's pretty pitiful. A lot of the branches are dead and one even fell off. I think the lack of water had just about killed it.

Then we noticed that there are a couple of baby cherry trees growing up from the roots. Yea! Mom is watering them every day and we hope they'll keep growing. I love tart cherry pie.

Now, are you ready for a good story? Last night I could have sworn I saw something big outside, so I shouted out, "BEAR!" and sounded the alarm. Yeah, that's right, a BEAR was hustlin' its furry behind up the far side of a tree. I raced over in the dark and could barely make out those huge BEAR paws clawing up the bark. Then it poked its head around to look at me and growled. I told it off good and proper, though I was worried it might turn out to be a Sasquatch but Glynn said that was silly. A Sasquatch can't climb trees, it could only be a bruin of some sorts. So Mom grabbed her camera and we tiptoed around the tree and found this.

Just a big raccoon and four babies. What I thought were BEAR paws were only the babies scurrying up both sides of the tree trunk behind their mama. What a let-down. I felt pretty silly until Glynn told me that it was alright, she had thought it was a bear in a bandit mask, too. That's the good thing about my Little Sis, she has my back, even when it's facing down a BEAR.

~Tell

Saying Goodbye to an Old Friend

The little bed is sitting just inside the kitchen door,
A hedgehog stuffie near it, forgotten on the floor.
No jingle of his collar, his food bowl’s put away.
The sunbeam finds an empty spot on this perplexing day.

The kids seem very quiet. Mom’s got something in her eye.
Dad’s not saying much at all, and we both wonder why?
One of us is missing, now our trio’s down to two.
Things feel very odd right today, and we don’t know what to do.

We searched the yard, looked in the den, and by Dad’s favorite chair.
We sniffed upstairs, but all we found was a lock of wiry hair.
It was tied up with a ribbon and a little purple bow,
Tucked inside a keepsake book where it mostly didn’t show.

So God, I know You listen to all creatures great and small.
If You don’t mind, I’d like to ask one favor, very small.
Please look after my good friend from Your throne up in the sky.
Give him strength to run again, and hold his head up high.

Make his old eyes see things clear, his hearing good as new,
And take away the old age pain as only You can do.
A frisky squirrel to chase around would give him lots of fun.
And when he’s tired, a nice soft bed warmed by a ray of sun.

He did so love his squeakies, so give him two or three.
They will help pass the time until we once more we meet.
Let him know we miss him, give him scritches and some love,
And tell him that we’ll see him soon when we cross the bridge above.

Rest in peace, Cap. You'll be missed.

~Tell

Rescue Riding

Hi-ho, everyone! Seems like it's been a hundred years since I last blogged. Been kept busy riding herd on Little Guy. He's a toddler now and Mom, being the grandma, volunteered to keep him while his parents work. Let's just say that keeping up with a two-year-old is like trying to herd a mountain goat. Full-time job. Anyway, Mom and Dad managed to arrange a few days off for a motorcycle trip and went cruising in Arkansas. We doggies have not yet found a way to accompany them on these trips but we're still working on that. I'm thinking a mini travel trailer they can pull behind...



Last weekend they were able to combine two things they like the most, which is motorcycles and rescue work. They attended a Rescue Ride and Poker Run to benefit our local humane society. Dad had a pretty good poker hand but got beat by a royal flush in the end, but they did manage to snag a nice door prize. It's a big wreath with flowers and it's perfect for Mom's office. Well, perfect all except it needed just a little embellishment to keep with the decor theme she had going.

Three little wire fox terriers made it just right.
~Tell

Wordless Wednesday - That Was Then, This Is Now

~Tell

If I'd Known They Were Coming, I'd Have Baked A Cake

Things have been running smoothly at our house since The Crackdown. I'm no longer left unsupervised. Took them long enough to learn, huh? Going to work with Mom every day means I'm constantly under someone's eagle-eye. I did plan one jail break but it was thwarted when I dropped on command. Whew, nobody saw that one coming! Even I was shocked. Go figure. So yesterday I was laying around minding my own bees-wax when the office door opened and in walked a kid. And another, and another. Before you knew it, there were 80 little kiddos in our office. Took two big yellow buses to bring them all over from the school on a field trip.

Now, no one loves little kids more than me. Can't get enough of 'em, but even I was overwhelmed by the size of herd that showed up. I wasn't expecting them, didn't even have time to run a comb through my hair. They didn't seem to mind, though. They thought I was cute. And huggable. I gave them the giggles.

Get a look-see that this one's hair. Wonder who does his grooming?

The little tykes took a tour of the office and then they got to ask questions. One of the office staff told them I was a "medical miracle" because I was a dog without a brain. Mom was not amused by the sarcasm. I'm seeing a demotion in someone's future. After they left, I curled up and had myself a nap. Plum wore me out, but it was heaven while it lasted.

~Tell

Cap Sleeps Anywhere

I was reading the other day and ran across a poem by Eleanor Farjeon. It was about kitties and how they laze around and sleep all day. I noticed if I squinted my eyes and looked at it just right, I could change a few of the letters around and make a whole new poem out of it, one about my buddy Cap. It goes like this...

Cap sleeps anywhere, any table, any chair,

Top of piano, window-ledge, in the middle, on the edge,

Open drawer, empty shoe, anybody's lap will do,


Fitted in a cardboard box, in the cupboard with your frocks,



Anywhere! He doesn't care! Cap sleeps anywhere.

Yeah, that's ol' Cap exactly. Like she knew him when she wrote that poem. Sometimes we have to hold a mirror under his nose to make sure he's still breathing, he's that quiet to live with. Low maintenance, Mom says. Something I wouldn't know about myself.

~Tell

Hippo Birdie to Me

Hippo Birdie to Me!
Hippo Birdie to Me!
Hippo Birdie to Meeee-eeee!
Hippo Birdie to Me!

Hi ho, Friends! Today is my Happy Birthday! Yep, nine year ago on this day, Abby Gale whelped a litter of eight beautiful wire fox puppies, one of which was moi. Of course, I was the most out-standing of the litter and found the perfect home with My Boy and his family.

Nine years. Whew, hard to believe! It went by in such a flash. Well, My Family says at times it seemed like a hundred and nine years as I'm such an exhasperatin' fellow to live with. Still got the energy of a puppy, though, and always will. Part of my charm. So wherever you are, have a biscuit and celebrate with me!
~Tell