William Tell's Spot

She's Doesn't Play DogBall, Either

2011-09-09T09:45:00.000-07:00

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

2011-08-04T10:13:00.000-07:00

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

2011-07-20T10:18:00.000-07:00

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

2011-06-28T11:16:00.000-07:00

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

2011-06-21T09:55:00.000-07:00

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

2011-03-09T10:43:00.000-08:00

~Tell

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

2011-03-02T12:04:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-14T12:23:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-05T12:05:00.000-08:00

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

I Wear XXL Myself

2010-12-22T14:47:00.000-08:00

Seems like it's been a coon's age since I last blogged. Even though I've been quiet, doesn't mean I've been sitting around doing nothing, though. We've been gearing up for Christmas and the whole family's coming over for dinner. That means a lot of cleaning and cooking and such. It also means helping Mom with her present-making.

Here, I'm modeling a Harry Potter scarf that she made for a friend. It's from the House of Gryffindor, whatever that means. Not being a Harry Potter fan myself, I'm a bit fuzzy on all that wizardry stuff, but I'm assured that the colors are what makes the scarf fun to wear.

Next is Glynn wearing the colors of the House of Ravenclaw. Glynn says the colors look good with her tan and blue, but she requires a size Petite so as not to be dwarfed by the accessories and to keep the fringe from dragging on the ground. In other words, she's too short to pull this look off. Hee hee

Until next time, wishing each one of you a Merry Christmas!

~Tell

Am I Missing An Eyebrow?

2010-10-01T09:44:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to report that things have improved somewhat since my last post. Although I still have no memory of my recent Cow Attack / Train Wreck / Sasquatch Mugging, my head injuries are healing nicely and The Family is finally starting to make eye contact with me again. Boy, they were a might displeased, and that's putting it mildly. When your household is so put out that they have whispered family meetings about What To Do Now, you just know it's time to tuck your tail and behave.

Glynn and I tallied up the different ways they've tried to keep me safe, which included a chainlink fenced yard, the dreaded tutoring, obedience, collar and tags, microchip, chicken wire spread over the ground in my favorite digging spots, then hog panels, a rock fence, cement blocks in my holes, electric fence around the top, triple locks on the gates, getting Cap for a companion, then Glynn, trimming my toenails shorter, a tie-out (that Mom couldn't stand, and I wasn't so keen on either so it didn't last long), more exercise with My Boy and more supervision. When you put it to paper, I've cost a small fortune to maintain. I can do fine for awhile, but when I take a notion to go exploring, ain't nothing gonna hold me back. Mom says I am the most exasperating pup she's ever known, and I've brought her more laughter and also more tears than any other dog she's had. What can I say? It's a gift. In the meantime, I'm sure getting good at walking on a leash.

On a very positive note, we've been fostering an Airedale this week! This is Jackson, and he's one of the happiest dogs I know. Just look at that smile. Makes a guy feel good to know he's helping out a big lovable fellow like this. Today he will be picked up by Oklahoma Airedale Rescue and they'll be sure to see that he finds the perfect furever home. Also, he's already got a playdate scheduled with his brother, Rudy, who was also rescued! What a happy time those two will have when they see each other again. I probably can't make it this year, guys, but when you have a reunion next year, send me an invite, will ya? I might be on parole by then...

~Tell

They Always Said I Was A Knothead

2010-09-23T15:42:00.000-07:00

Well, folks, I may finally have pushed my luck too far. Not even my charm and dashing good looks can make up for what I pulled yesterday.

After My Boy left for school, I shinnied under the fence and went on patrol. I spent several hours running around the farm having a grand old time, and then things went south. The details are a little fuzzy still, and I don't remember exactly what happened, but at the end of the day My Boy found me staggering around with a bloody eye, a lump on my head, and a bruised snoot. Felt like I'd been run over by a train. If that wasn't bad enough, I bit My Boy when we got home. What can I say, there was no excuse except I wasn't feeling quite myself. Still, I am in major lockdown and no longer allowed outside without supervision. I also have to go to work with Mom every day as I'm not trusted to behave myself when no one's watching. I say go to work with Mom, but Mom said it in an entirely different way. I think it was along the lines of "drag your sorry carcass to the office with me", or something like that. I am also being monitored on my behavior and being taught some "much-needed manners." Ah, the shame of it.

I'm not the biting kind. I've never acted like this before. Must have hit my head harder than I realized to behave in such a way. The vet said I should make a full recovery, no permanent damage done, and the hair will grown back before I know it. In the meantime, I'm doing my humble best to wiggle my way back into everyone's good graces. But hey, I'm a terrier, they have to make some allowances for that, don't they? Comes with the territory.
~Tell

Ellen Fitzgerald Sang It, Too

2010-09-16T15:38:00.000-07:00

It seems like fall is right around the corner. The weather has cooled to a tolerable degree, and it's nice to get out and romp a bit with My Boy in the evenings. Went for a romp without him last night. Got in trouble for it. Didn't much care, though, except I'm back on leash now. Cramps my style somewhat.

Sometimes we take in critters other than cats and dogs to foster. Yesterday the Animal Control Officer brought us a young bird. I have a feeling he won't be with us too long. His landing gear works well, but his flappers need a little exercise before he takes off. A couple days of R&R should have him sailing right out the door. The first inkling I had that another bird was in the house was when I heard, "Woo-oo-oo-oo..." What a sad sound. My Boy says that it is called a turtledove, also a mourning dove because they have such a sad song.

I wonder if he knows Melancholy Baby? I can hum a few bars to get him started...
~Tell

I Try My Hand at Reading Sign

2010-09-03T15:58:00.000-07:00

Been missing out on my blogging lately, mainly because we've been so busy this summer. Been fostering a few fellow doggies down on their luck. First there was a ginormous Wolf-hybrid named Cherokee. He was a bit aloof, so I didn't get to know him too well while he was here. Honestly, I don't know what Mom was thinking when she took him in. He howled night and day. I was a bit alarmed at how he licked his chops when he looked at me, too. Anyway, he went on to a nice rescue. Then we played host to Ol' Red, the bloodhound. We had a great time together. He taught all of us how to bay. I was pretty impressed at his ability to sling slobbers when he shook his head, too. I tried a few times but I don't have the jowls for that trick. Made myself dizzy trying. Last I saw of Red, he was heading to a rescue in Colorado. Hope he sends us a postcard from the Rockies. And last, we had a graceful old Boxer named Nell. She was quite prim and proper, used the Queen's English and all, but I got her to snort when she laughed. The old gal was quite entertaining when she loosened up.

On our daily walks, we ran across a few footprints in the pasture. Being a Louis L'Amour fan (I'm named after a Sackett character, by the way), I like to try my hand at reading tracks. This first one looks like a coyote track. Smelled like one, too.

Dragging me right along, My Boy and I ran across a raccoon track. Almost looks human, doesn't it?

Then there was this track. We puzzled over it for a while, and never did figure it out. I suspect a three-toed Sasquatch was wandering about. That's when we decided to go home and lock the door.

Wishing everyone a happy Labor Day weekend! My Boy will be in the Labor Day Parade on Monday. Maybe he'll let me ride the float and throw some candy, too!

~Tell

Say Hello to Rudy!

2010-08-09T16:39:00.000-07:00

There's a new Airedale in town! Well, not exactly in town, but still here in Oklahoma. I met Rudy briefly at the vet's office before he was shipped out to Airedale rescue, and wouldn't you know it, we've managed to keep in touch. He's now adopted and settling in to his furever home. Some of you rescued pups know how it is, overcoming new obstacles every day in the beginning, so I'm sure Rudy would appreciate a little encouragement as he figures out how to live indoors with his family. Oh yes, and very important, he shares his home with a wire fox terrier named Molly, and he has A BOY of his very own. Couldn't ask for anything better! Congratulations, Rudy!

~Tell

I Should Have Stayed with Old Spice

2010-08-04T13:08:00.000-07:00

I took the day off from my farm duties and went shopping for new cologne. Tried a few samples and settled on one I really like. Came home wearing a bit of eau de cowpoo and thought it made me smell quite manly. My mistake. Let me impart a bit of wisdom to my terrier friends out there -- humans not only have fewer old-factories senses than we canines, but they have a completely different set of old-factories and take major offense at some of the odors we think are interesting. And when Mom wrinkles her muzzle up and say, "Ewww!", you'd better run.

I wasn't fast enough. Into the bathtub, splish-splash, she 'bout scrubbed my hide off. My whites have never been so white. It was quite an insult, really. I will definitely have to warn My Boy about this.

~Tell

I Seize The Moment And Almost Kill Myself

2010-06-25T09:09:00.000-07:00

Summer is at its peak here in Oklahoma. Hotter than blazes, you might say, and it isn't a "dry heat" as some areas have. Nope, very humid here. Not much fun being outside when it makes us huff and puff hard. Much cooler to stay indoors on the tile floor. Boring, but cooler.

The other day Mom turned us outside for a break. While Cap and Glynn tended to their own business, I slipped around behind the shed. I had a nice hole going there, out of eyesight of The Family, kind of my own little secret. I shinnied under the fence went exploring. There I was, running like the wind and sniffing all over the place, when suddenly I didn't feel so good. I had overdone it in the summer sun, gave myself a heat stroke. Talk about the phrase "sicker than a dog", well that was me all over. Literally. Just about did myself in before The Family located me and drove me home in the pickup. I was a hurtin' cowboy, believe me. The next day I was so stiff and sore I could barely move around. Took a few more days to get my bounce back. I may have to rethink the summertime escapades. Wasn't hardly worth it that time.

On a brighter note, here's what we found early one morning on one of our more sedate (translate boring) walkies. It's a newborn calf, and she wasn't too very much bigger than me and Glynn put together. Mama Cow was snorting in my hip pocket, though, so I couldn't stay and talk long. Don't know what her problem was, I was just looking. I plan to go back and spend a little more time playing later when she gets her land legs under her.

~Tell

Wordless Wednesday: One of These Things Is Not Like The Others

2010-06-16T12:10:00.000-07:00

~Tell

Better Than A Rabbit's Foot

2010-05-19T13:34:00.000-07:00

Out doing a bit of roaming around today, helping My Boy with things he needs help with. He's always needing my supervision. No telling what trouble he'd get into without my guidance. Here he is holding Ruby Tuesday's baby, Giacomo. He's almost as big as My Boy is now! Queen Ruby likes My Boy and doesn't seem to mind. She's a good mama.

While we were checking out the cow and calf, I noticed Glynn had found something very interesting in the grass. I mosied over to see what she was doing, and she told me that she had found a bumper crop of four-leaf clovers and was collecting some to press and keep for good luck.

She said it's easy as pie to find a four-leaf clover. Just stare at the clover patch and one would jump right out at me. She had already found several to press, like this one.

Never in my whole eight years have I found a four-leaf clover. Not even close. I've never even caught a rabbit's foot, so I was a bit skeptical. Still, I gave it a go, and I stared at that clover patch until my eyes were crossed.

And then, would you believe, I found one! I was so excited I did a Snoopy dance. Glynn showed me how to press it when we got back to the house. Though it isn't a perfect specimen, I'm proud of it. A dog like me can never have too much good luck!

Wishing every dog and hammie out there a safe and fun-filled Memorial Day weekend.

~Tell

I Do A Little Spring Cleaning

2010-05-17T15:12:00.000-07:00

I learned my lesson about climbing fences quite a while back. As you may remember, My Family tried everything to get me to stay home, but being an adventurer at heart, I couldn't resist levitating over the fence and having a free day now and then. As a last attempt to curtail my wanderings, My Family stretched a tiny little wire along the top of the fence. I laughed. Won't hold me, I thought. That itty bitty thing? Until I stuck my snoot to it. Lost a few brain cells that time, I'm tellin' you. No more giant leaps for me. I dig under the fence now.

So now that I'm on my best behavior as far as boosting myself over the boundary, I decided to help tidy up the yard this spring. Along with digging up some sweetpea and iris plants, I removed part of the hot wire on the fence (don't worry, it's been turned off practically forever now). Just a few more of these insulators to go, and you'll never know this place used to be locked up tighter than Alcatraz.
~Tell

Cap Gets Abducted by Aliens (Again)

2010-05-05T14:15:00.001-07:00

An update on my ol' buddy, Cap. He went back to the vet Monday, again on Tuesday. Good news is that his knee is fine (I never did believe that story about an old football injury when he was a linebacker for the Cowboys). The x-rays showed "significant" arthur-itis in his hips and knees, but no other problems. Just a good wrenching of the joints when he flipped on the tile. Getting too old for such nonesense, he told me. Must have been a senile moment that made him act like a spring pup. He's very embarrassed.

Since they did have to knock him out for the procedures, which Cap likens to being abducted by aliens, the vet took advantage of it and gave him another dental cleaning, too. Lost a couple more toofers. He came home a bit tipsy, staggered around until he found his favorite toy, and fell asleep with drool running out of his mouth. Kinda like usual.

We are now feeding him a special diet that is good for arthritis and joint pain. Cap seems to like it pretty good and snarfs it down quick, so he doesn't even know he's getting a pill in there somewhere. I sniffed it but wasn't impressed. The main ingredient is chopped liver. I'm more of a chicken man myself.

I told Cap that next time he feels inspired to do bodily damage to himself, come to me. I can be pretty smart at doctoring things up. Comes from living on a farm. We make due with what's handy. Give me a little duct tape, some baling wire, I can splint a hindleg in no time. Spritz some WD-40 on those creaky joints, they'll limber right up. Yeah, I know, pretty impressive. I should have went to med school. I'd be a gazillionaire by now.

~Tell

Cap Takes a Wrong Turn

2010-05-01T12:39:00.000-07:00

I don't know what got into Cap yesterday. He's older 'n dirt, almost blind, purt-near deaf, but once in a while he gets inspired to act like a puppy, and that almost always leads to trouble.

Mom had let him outside for a bit, then opened the door and called him in. Suddenly he burst through the door, bouncing like a bunny, and tried to spin around. He went one way, his feet went the other, and splat! It was a pretty spectacular wipe-out, and not the first time he's flipped on the floor. He hopped right up, but this was different. He started hobbling around on three legs and wouldn't put his back foot on the floor at all.

This meant a quick trip to our favorite vet. Now, I have to tell you, Cap's a funny terrier. Biggest wuss there ever was. He has no pain tolerance at all. None. Zilch. He stubbs his toe and cries like a baby. So it was rather strange that the vet couldn't find anything wrong. All the twisting and flexing, poking and prodding produced not one flinch or whimper out of the old boy. Still, he won't use his leg. It's a mystery. Then he got a shot, which did make him yelp, and some pain pills to get him through the weekend. We all felt like it was just a bruise. My Boy gave him a Zanies toy, which Cap is busy de-squeaking. With his lack of teeth, it will probably be a week from next Tuesday before he finishes it off.

Meanwhile, we're watching him through the weekend to see if he gets any better. If he's not trotting on all fours again by Monday morning, we're heading back for some x-rays. The vet said he may have ruptured a ligament (like football players do), and to check him for that he will have to be sedated. With his age, Mom does not want to do that to Cap if we can help it. So we're all keeping our paws crossed that Cap gets better on his own and doesn't have to have any risky things done to him on Monday. Until then, he's being waited on like royalty. Lucky dog.

~Tell

I'm Calling Shotgun Now

2010-04-20T15:20:00.000-07:00

If there's one thing I've learned about living on a farm, it's that springtime means babies. Already we have played foster mama to a fledgling barred owl and four cottontail rabbits. And that owl sure made me nervous, the way he was watching those buns, so we made sure nobody went hungry until they were released (far apart from each other, I made sure of that). But the biggest surprise of all was when My Boy's show heifer, Ruby Tuesday, had her baby last week. Lookee here!

I'm a bit jealous that he has more spots than me. He even has a heart on his forehead. So far we can't decide on a name for him, but it has to be a special one because he will be My Boy's show calf next year. Isn't he a lucky one? We think so.

My new best bud weighs four times as much as me and is growing bigger every day. I have to watch where he steps so he doesn't mash my head in the ground. My Boy is teaching him to lead right now while he's small enough to handle. I just hope that when we all ride in the pickup, he knows I like to sit by the window.

~Tell

I Visit The Big Bucket In The Sky

2010-04-07T14:38:00.000-07:00

I was sitting around the house, minding my own business, when I overheard Mom and My Boy talking about what to fix for supper. My Boy said, "Let's go to KFC and pick up a bucket of fried chicken."

Of course, I got excited about that. We live in the country, out in the boonies, so going to KFC means a RIDE in the truck! I couldn't wait to get my leash on and hit the road.

I said, "Hey, Glynn, wanna come with?" She ho-hummed a bit and then got her leash on, too. She doesn't live for riding in the truck like I do.

This is her "riding in the truck" face. Still, she'd rather load up and go with me than stay home and watch Cap snore.

I like visiting the drive-through of any restaurant, but KFC smells so good! Believe me, I'd drive myself there every day if I could reach the gas pedal.

Unfortunately, I don't get to actually eat any of the fried chicken because I have severe allergies and chicken is high on the list of things that make me itch (I get reminded of this each time I pluck one). However, I can eat turkey. If I could just talk Col. Sanders into starting a Kentucky Fried Turkey franchise, I'd be their best customer ever!
~Tell

I Dig The Mother of All Holes

2010-03-26T10:38:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy week, gang. Lots of work to do, excavating and moving dirt. I have to say my schedule is about as full as it's ever been. Good thing I like my job, because there's just no end to the holes that need to be dug around here. I dig so much, sometimes I forget where I put a hole. That happened the other morning when I was bunny-hopping backwards in front of My Boy and did a one-legger down a deep one. Lost my balance and ended up-side down for a moment. Made My Boy laugh...a lot longer than I thought was necessary, but who cares? We like to have fun together.

Now, remember the rock wall that Somebody built awhile back? The one that tee-totally ruined a perfectly good hole I was working on? Yeah, that's right, the one with the water garden and sweetpea flowers? That sure did set me back, but I jumped in there this week and finished what I started, rocks and all. Yep, I caved in that rock wall and dug all around it, uprooted the flowers, and may have bowed the fence just a bit, too. I was mighty proud of the destruction, because those old fireplace rocks weigh more than I do.

Glynn is always sure to stand back when the dirt goes flinging. She says a hard hat messes up her 'do too much, so she stays in the safety zone whilst I work.

This one is even big enough to go down into, turn around, and come back out again. Quite a masterpiece.

My Boy was pretty speechless, I tell ya, when he saw how much I had accomplished in just one week. Took his breath away, I'm thinkin'. Shook his head in awe. What can I say? I'm pretty pleased myself. Well, enough about holes for now. I see My Boy heading this way with a shovel and wheelbarrow. I wonder what new game this will be? Can't wait to find out...

~Tell

I Try My Hand at Poetry

2010-03-23T16:40:00.000-07:00

Ode to a Kitty

I think that I shall never spy

A thing so lovely to my eye

As a striped kitten on the lawn...

But wait, I blinked and she was gone!

Oh lovely kitty, where did you go?

I'm looking for you high and low.

Come out, come out, and play with me.

Together we'll have fun, you'll see.

I know lots of games that we can play,

Like Hide the Kitty in the Hay,

Or Chase My Friend Around the Yard.

It's so much of fun, the rules aren't hard.

If Hide and Seek is your cup of tea,

Go right ahead, don't wait on me.

I'll cover my eyes and count to ten

And we will let the fun begin!

Ah, there you are, tabby dear,

I can see your twitching ear

Behind the bumper of the car.

Don't run away, you won't get far.

Through the bushes, up a tree,

Across the roof? You can't fool me!

Now you're on the front porch rail,

Showing me your bushy tail.

Ah, sweet feline, now it's time

To end this fun-filled game of mine.

Here comes My Boy, he has my leash,

So I will leave you now in peace.

Until next time...

~Tell

I Get Blamed For Everything

2010-03-13T11:29:00.000-08:00

I'll be the first to admit that, occasionally, I create mischief. I can't help it, I'm a terrier and it's what we do. It doesn't help that I live with a couple of other wires that don't create mischief at all. In comparison, they make me look pretty bad sometimes. I think I am a good representative of our breed, while Cap and Glynn are the strange ones, but that's just my opinion. Anyway, here are a few things I am totally (and I mean TOTALLY) innocent of doing, just for the record.

Here I sit in front of the flower pot that "somebody" ran into and cracked. Wasn't moi.

And this was during one of my latest photo shoots. The camera caught a little piddle puddle on the floor behind me before the photo was cropped. That wasn't me either.

Here I am checking out Cap's new Zanies Toy. I just wanted to make sure the squeaker was in tip-top shape for the old boy. We all know how he loves his stuffies to make noise. Cap grrrr'd and I was accused to taking his toy away. Oh, come on! I gave it right back.

Mother Nature blew down a big tree in our yard back during the ice storm. Left a sizeable hole in the backyard. I did not create this hole, though I am mightily impressed by it.

Even the cats are pointing fingers at me. Here I'm saying hello to our new cat, Thistle. This is my first meeting with Thistle and obviously she has been listening to the other cats diss me. I had to wipe the hiss off my face afterwards. So there you go, my side of the story, just wanting to set the record straight. It's a heavy load to bear, all this blame, and I'm glad I got all this off my chest. Now, time for a little break from blogging. I think I'll go find a toy to play with.

~Tell

Winter Blues in the Hollow

2010-02-01T14:37:00.000-08:00

We've had a ton of snow dumped here, and that's caused us to lose a few trees on the farm. The ice and snow just toppled them right over. This one fell across our driveway but didn't fall all the way to the ground. We were able to drive under it, just barely, but it made me duck my head each time. Nobody wants to be slapped on the head by a tree. No sirree. Thanks to Dad and My Boy and Married Kid's husband, a chainsaw and a big truck, the tree has been removed. That's a relief. Still, from a dog's point of view, I can tell you I hate to see a good tree go.

Besides the snow, ice and falling trees, our water line froze and now we've got a leak outside. Dad had to turn the water off at the meter until we can dig it up. We only turn it on once a day for important things like cooking and laundry and showers and such. There's just no water to waste right now. The good news is, NO BATHS for us doggies! I think I can live with that.
~Tell

Don't Prod the Bear

2010-01-27T14:37:00.000-08:00

As we're bunkering down for another blast of ice and snow tonight, I noticed ol' Cap was curled up in a sunny spot, snoozing away. He seems to sleep alot more these days. I've been wondering if it was old age catching up with him, but after pondering over this situation, I've decided that's not it at all. He's hibernating. Yeah, like a gumpy old bear, he's living on his fat reserves and catching his Zzzz's. He was so deep into Dreamland that I was able to take his picture, and he didn't even know it. In fact, I took about ten pictures before Glynn rudely gave me her elbow and said to knock it off, he looks so sweet and peaceful like that and the flash might wake him. Good advice. Like My Boy always said, don't prod the bear. Anyway, I hope all you doggies and hammies stay warm tonight. Hopefully this will be the last cold spell of winter for us, unless that pesky groundhog sees his shadow next week. If he does, he belongs to me.
~Tell

New Dog Story Call Out!

2010-01-07T08:25:00.000-08:00

For all you doggy writers out there, Chicken Soup for the Soul is having a call out for more dog stories! This new book is about all ages and stages of a dog's life. Some of their suggestion are to write about training your dog, laughing with your dog, how your dog came to live with you, and how it changed your life. Do you have more than one dog in your family? How do they get along? Chicken Soup is wanting tales of puppy antics, terrible teens (you know, that adolescent stage some of us never outgrow!), adult years and senior pups. There will also be stories about the twilight years and the greiving process, too, that is a very special part of this particular book. Stories can be humorous or serious, or both. Poems are good, too (hey, Gussie!). So help your folks polish up their best stories and send them in. No limit, no entry fees, just great fun!
~Tell

And a Happy New Year!!!

2009-12-31T08:52:00.000-08:00

We survived the Christmas Blizzard of '09. Had about 12 inches of snow dumped here in our neck of the woods, starting on Christmas Eve and didn't end until the next afternoon. It was wicked to watch, but very pretty when it was all done. It was great fun to watch our new llamas prance in the snow. They didn't feel cold at all because they were wearing their wool coats, and their breaths came out their noses like steam. It made ol' Banana Ears look mad! Hee hee! I call Stomper that because 1) his ears are big; and 2) it has become apparent that we are never to be best buds. You see, llamas DO NOT LIKE DOGS. Period. No ifs, ands or buts about it. He's a "dog-stompin' fool" according to his last owner. At least they told us that BEFORE I became a gooey spot in the dirt. So, no more going to the pasture with My Boy to feed the critters. It belongs to Stomper now and forever.

Now on to happier thoughts, My Boy and I had a rip-snortin' good time in the snow. We wrassled, rolled, hollered, flung snow and played Catch-Me-If-You-Can until our tongues hung out. We'd stop long enough to thaw out, then hit the snowbanks again. Cap stayed indoors and slept. He's been doing that more and more lately, old man. Glynn watched from afar like a lady. She's too reserved to wrassle much, though she's not above nipping me in the bum as I fly by. Wheeee!

Wishing everyone out there a safe New Year's Eve and looking forward to a Great New Year!

~Tell

Merry Christmas to All!

2009-12-24T08:22:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to all my friends out there. Seems like the holidays came faster this year, and I barely got all my Christmas shopping done in time. Got Cap a new squeaky and Glynn a new spiffy collar (she likes accessories). Can't tell you what My Boy and My Girl got yet. Don't want to spoil their surprise.

Mom and Dad got their Christmas presents early this year, and let me tell you, there's no way they could be wrapped and put under the tree. Dad got a new bull, a gorgeous black Angus that should make the heifers happy. Yeah, I know, not your usual Christmas stocking stuffer but you have to remember, we're country folks. Mom's present was a pair of llamas. You heard me, llamas. We got them for coyote and sasquatch control on the farm. Stomper, the big one in the photo, is standing next to a seven-foot corral fence. You can see he is much bigger than the average camelid. When we unloaded them, the herd looked up in surprise and stampeded over the hill. Stomper and Rockette were neutral about the whole thing, they're used to cows. So far, no spitting, so we believe they're happy with the new digs.

Have a wonderful holiday!
~Tell

Team Tell

2009-12-03T17:17:00.000-08:00

Well sir, I am one frustrated pup, I tell you. I have been fussing with this for about five weeks now, and I cannot upload any photos to my blog! I've tried everything I know. It's worked in the past. Now it just says No Can Do and spits them right back at me. So you know what that means? You won't be able to see my handsome mug until I get this snazzu figured out. Any suggestions out there???

Meanwhile, you'll just have to picture everything in your minds. I know you can do it. We terriers have a pretty good imagination anyway.

I've been hearing a lot of talk about the movie Twilight, but since dogs are not allowed in our movie theatre I hadn't seen it. So when My Girl and Mom decided to watch it at home on the DVD player, I whipped up a bowl of popcorn and sat down with them. Right away I could see this wasn't a movie I was really going to get into. Too much drama, not enough fisticuffs (until the end, that was something), and rain. Lots of rain. We've had enough of that here lately. I was a little bored, though the ladies seemed to like it. I even caught Glynn penciling in a Team Edward tee-shirt on her Christmas list. Ho hum.

But now I hear there's a new sequel out to the Twilight movie, and it's going to be a good one. Even has a dog in it, I think. They must be taking a page from Norman Rockwell's book. He always said if a painting wasn't working out, he'd add a dog to it. Always made it better. Works for me.
~Tell

Happy Tails

2009-10-27T14:57:00.000-07:00

We're happy to say that out Boxer pup, Miley, was adopted by a very nice family we knew that fell in love with her the moment they met. It's nice to see a pup come out of a neglected state and gain confidence, and go on to a loving furever home. I do wish that she would have stopped and looked back as they were leaving. But no, she was so happy to prance to that waiting car with her new girl, that she forgot to say goodbye. That okay, though. I wish her all the best and can't wait to see her again. I know she'll remember me!

Now, for any of you that like animal stories with happy endings, we want to introduce you to our new friend, Floyd (right). If you like, once a month Floyd the Dog will send a nice story to you to brighten your day. You can even submit stories if you like, and if yours is chosen, a donation will be made to a charity to benefit animals. So if you have a happy tail to share, hop on over to Floyd's place and tell him about it.

Happy Tails,
William Tell

Miley's Progress Report

2009-10-14T13:45:00.000-07:00

Wet. Wet. Wet. That's the long and short of it around here. The ground is spongey, the air is damp, and it's been drizzling rain for three days on top of the downpours we had last week. Even my hair is more frizzy than usual and won't stay put. Can't even dig a proper hole before it fills up with water. Maybe we'll have some sun this weekend...

On the brighter side, our Boxer is growing more beautiful every day. We finally settled on the name Miley (My Boy is a huge Hannah Montana fan, can you tell?). She is up to forty pounds now. Still skinny, I like my girls to have a little reserve on them, if you know what I mean. Don't worry, though. We'll fatten her up. Just takes a little more time to build up those muscles that had wasted away. So far she is great on a leash and has learned to sit on command. She's a quiet girl, too. Sweet and loving, with no rough-housing, which will make her a good pet for a family with kids. It's so funny to see her play bow, and wag her tail. She doesn't just wag her tail, she shakes her booty. Just cracks me up every time she does it!
~Tell

Wire Fox Duck

2009-09-22T15:57:00.000-07:00

It's been raining so much here in Oklahoma that I'm begining to feel a bit waterlogged. I can swim laps in the backyard if I want, and we don't even have a pool. Good thing I know how to dog paddle like a puddleduck. Yesterday Mom and Dad went to Tulsa to see a friend in the hospital, and they got caught in a storm that drenched poor T-town in five inches of rain. Yeah, I'm glad I wasn't riding in the pickup on that trip. Thunderstorms, darkness, floods and white-knuckle driving is not my idea of fun. Still, I am hoping that all the rain will make the fall leaves prettier this year. It seems to make a difference.

We've been busy here on the farm, what with pigs having babies and the fall show season starting. My Boy took his cow Ruby Tuesday to the fair and won a blue ribbon. She seems to love My Boy almost as much as I do. Well, you just keep head-bumping him Ruby, but you'll never fit on his lap.

Dad picked up another rescue pup. She's an adult Boxer but only weighs thirty-three pounds. She's very thin and had some parasites, but nothing a little TLC won't cure, the vet said. She is eating well, and should gain a lot of weight over the next few weeks.

Just look at those beautiful eyes! And her tail wags almost as much as mine. She's such a sweetheart. We've yet to come up with a good name for her. A name's got to be perfect, you know. Gotta put some thought into it. A bit of class for this lady, because I know behind the neglect and thinness is a gorgeous gal!

~Tell

What Happened to My Hole?

2009-08-28T15:48:00.000-07:00

Well, would you look at what someone did to my hole?

Not only did my hole get filled in with a tractor-bucket full of fireplace rocks, but somebody actually build a rock wall along the fence. And planted flowers!

Look at this, Cap. A water garden. And floating sweetpea petals. Whose idea was this?

I'm here to tell you, I'm mighty miffed. This is going to put me behind schedule, cleaning this mess up. This is not at all what I had planned for landscaping. Not one bit. Wasn't on the blueprint. Not in the budget. I wasn't consulted.

At least Glynn seems to like the sweetpea blossoms.

All my hard work, for naught. What's a dog to do? I believe I will have to sit and ponder...

~Tell

Beggars

2009-08-28T13:54:00.000-07:00

Okay, first I have to apologize for Mom's Far Side sense of humor in reference to Ruby Tuesday's future. No, Ruby will not end up a medium rare special on the menu. The Vet has confirmed that she will have a calf in the spring after the last show, and she will be living the good life on Uncle P's farm. All she has to look forward to is eating well, filling out and being a mama cow. Good Moos for her.

As for me, my day started out pretty well. I finished the hole I was excavating ahead of schedule, so I started on a new hole in the corner of the yard. Things were going well, and I was just thinking how much faster I could dig with a little Kubota backhoe. I believe I could do some serious damage with one of those. I will talk to My Boy about our budget and see if we can get one. Anyway, my hole was coming along quite well when suddenly I found myself on the other side of the backyard fence! Well, it was time for lunch break anyhow, so I decided to put in a little time exploring. Never turn down an opportunity to sniff out new things.

I hadn't been out long when The Family came home and discovered me loafing about my job. They weren't too happy about the shape I was in, either. I went into some pretty rough brush, and brought a few burrs home with me. These are very tiny burrs called hitchhikers, beggar-lice, beggar-ticks, sticktights, tick clover, or as I sometimes call them, ohshucks stickum tightus. They were thickly embedded, thousands of them, all over me.

There was no getting out of it. I got put straight on the grooming table. This was going to take a lot of brushing to set things right.

You might say I led with the nose.

It took over an hour of brushing to get them all out. Yeah, I lost some hair over this adventure. Then I had to endure a bath, more brushing and fluffing and buffing before I was pronouced clean. Mom says I'm an exasperating pup to live with. What can I say? It's a gift.

Man, I can't wait to get back to work!

~Tell

Ruby Tuesday

2009-08-24T15:46:00.000-07:00

My Boy had a surprise for us this week. He put our leashes on and told us that we needed to go outside to the big barn see it. I could hardly wait!

First, though, he made us sit and listen to him. He said we had to be on our best behavior and not do anything silly. As if.

Here we are trucking along across the green grass. This is a very good view of us, though from this angle Mom sometimes has touble telling Who's Who in the Zoo without her glasses.

We stopped for our mail...

When we finally reached the barn, we saw a red Shorthorn cow! This is My Boy's new FFA project and her name is Ruby. Mom calls her Ruby Tuesday because that's probably where she'll end up someday (for those of you across the pond, Ruby Tuesday is the name of a fine restaurant chain here in the States).

My Boy is going to brush her and give her baths, and show her at the county and state fairs. I'm not sure how's she's going to fit in the bathtub, though. Ruby's real name is Queen's Ruby Red. Even though she's got a long pedigree and fancy name, I know My Boy still loves me best!

~Tell

Julie's Pics

2009-08-11T11:29:00.000-07:00

My movie star handsomeness has paid off. Julie Chin of our local television news station KJRH has picked moi to be her Dog Days of Summer photo subject for tomorrow (Wednesday). She liked the photo of me roaching in the green grass. That, and my windblown appearance. I will be featured on the morning news show during the weather update.

Ah, my fifteen minutes of fame! The Family is not sure they will be able to live with me after this.

~Tell

Rain, and Lots of It

2009-07-30T14:19:00.000-07:00

What do you suppose I heard when I woke up this morning? Rain, and lots of it. It was coming a toad-washer outside. Cool rain, too, and it was only 70 degrees. A welcome break when I'm used to sitting around with my tongue hanging out from the summer heat. Spent the day helping in the kitchen. Notice how shiny the floor is? Cap, Glynn and I did clean-up duty.

We noticed that Glynn kept shaking her head, and you know what that means. A trip in the pupmobile to the vet's office. Seems she had a truckload of dirt in one ear (she blames me for flinging it around when I'm doing my landscaping). Then the vet noticed something unusual.

The vet found a small tumor growing in one of Glynn's ears. It's just a tiny thing now, so there's no immediate concern, but the next time we're in for our dentals we can have it taken care of. And that good ear-washing she got did the trick. No more shaking her head, and she's got that happy smile back on her face. It doesn't take much to keep little sis happy.

~Tell

I Got What I Wished For!

2009-07-16T12:42:00.000-07:00

So there I was, endlessly grousing about the lack of wiry pups to help in this area, when what do you suppose we got?

That's right! An Airedale! Rowdy is a nine-month-old pup with impeccable manners. My Family totally fell in love with him while he stayed with us for a couple of days. He got a flea bath, vaccinations, heartworm test and (whisper) neutered while he visited, but did he hold any of that against us? No, sirree Bob. He was tail-waggin' happy the whole time. Rowdy left this morning with a nice lady from Oklahoma Airedale Rescue, and methinks he took a little piece of Mom's heart with him when he walked out the door. What a classy gentleman he was. Good luck finding your furever home, Rowdy. Somebody out there is going to love you!

~Tell

A Rose By Any Other Name

2009-07-14T13:46:00.000-07:00

I don't mean to toot my own horn, but I am a connoisseur of fine smells. I love to use my nose to discover the world around me. Here's a good shot of my beak...

And another close-up of my smell-sniffer...

One good whiff through the air vent in the pickup can tell me all about the countryside we're driving through. I can tell you if there are there other dogs nearby, or cows and horses, what's cooking outside on the grill for supper, and where there's a super odiferous pile of goop to roll in. The nose knows, you know.

So imagine my surprise when Mom started coming home with a new smell on her. I couldn't quite figure it out, never having come across the likes of it in my whole seven years. It always seems to be situated on her shoulder, sometimes on her arm and once in her hair. I puzzled over this for awhile until I hit on a way of finding out. I asked Cap. You know Cap, he's older than dirt and seen it all. And he told me the answer.

"It's baby burp, pup. Haven't you ever smelled burp before, young whippersnapper?" Well, nooooo, if I had I wouldn't have asked. I haven't officially been introduced to Little Guy yet. Mom says grandbabies are not squeaky toys and she won't let us play together until Little Guy is old enough not to get knocked over. So I'll just have to settle for whiffs of milky baby's breath until we actually meet. That and pictures, which Mom seems to have an abundance of cute ones to share. He does actually look a little like my yellow rubber ducky, doesn't he?

~Tell

Love Those Fosters

2009-06-30T14:01:00.000-07:00

With the temperatures soaring over 100 degrees here in Oklahoma, we're staying cool as much as we can. No riding in the pickup for us this week because of the heat. The grass is turning a little brown and getting crunchy under our feet. One of my favorite things to do is stand under the spray when Mom is watering the grass and flowers. I can really soak that cool water up and then shake it off! Glynn gave it a try but decided after a few minutes that she didn't much care for it. Cap said it wasn't his cup of tea, either.

We're so thankful for caring dogs and their families, like our friend Mackie. He takes in fellow wire fox terriers that need a place to stay until they find their furever homes. It warms the heart to know that these unfortunate pups are getting the help they need and finally know they are loved. Great job, Mackie! As much as we'd like to take in some foster wires, we just don't seem to be able to find any in our neck of the woods. Boxers and Dobies, yes. Jack Russels, oh yeah. Even a few kitties have come and gone. But no wires like me. Not even close. This is as good as we get...

Our latest foster is a barred owl with a broken wing. Fortunately, it's already beginning to heal and it won't be long before he's on the fly again. We get a lot of birds of prey from the game wardens, but Mom draws the line at possums and raccoons in the house. Anything that climbs up her pants leg makes her squeal (hee hee).

~Tell

Turtle Crossing

2009-06-19T14:15:00.000-07:00

It's the time of year that we find turtles everywhere. We have them all around the house, and you can't hardly walk across the yard without tripping over one. Even Jake and Just Harry have found one, and Butchy and Snickers have written about finding two in their koi ponds. Now, look what My Girl and My Boy found while walking down the road. Yes, that's right Butchy and Snickers! Your alligator snapping turtle must have Delta-Dashed herself to Oklahoma to visit us in the hollow. We've decided to call her Earnhardt after the NASCAR driver. Here are a few snapper facts:
1. The average weight of an adult alligator snapping turtle is 175 pounds, and their lifespan is about 30 years in the wild (longer in captivity).

2. They are the largest freshwater turtle in North America, with a record weight of 236 pounder living in the Chicago Zoo.

3. They can stay submerged for up to three hours at a time.

4. Typically, only nesting females venture out on land.

5. They have spikes and raised plates on their shell, and often are covered in algae.

What a beauty she is! My Boy and My Girl left her alone after the photo session, and she mosied on down the road. We hope we'll see her again.

~Tell

Little Guy is Here!

2009-06-04T13:13:00.000-07:00

Great news, everybody! Married Kid and Her Husband had their baby this week. Little Guy weighed in at eight and a half pounds and was twenty-one and a half inches long, so I guess that would make him a member of the Substantial Baby Club, if there is one. He's nice and healthy, though, and the family is very proud of him. There are no hospital nursery photos of him because Grandma Doofus forgot to bring her camera (Owww! She just smacked me on the back of the head!). Sorry about that remark, Mom. Anyway, we can forgive her this time because it's the first grandbaby and she got all excited and everything when she heard the news.

Here is a photo of the Little Guy when he came home from the hospital. My Boy leaned over and said, "Hey, there, I'm your favorite uncle!" I have a feeling that Little Guy and me are going to be great buddies some day. My Boy and I will teach him how to fish, catch grasshoppers, stomp in mud puddles, run in the fields and go wading in the creek. Maybe chase some squirrels, too. There's no end to the things a couple of boys and a dog can do together, especially when Grandma isn't looking (waiting...waiting...okay, no smack that time). Life is good!

~Tell

Foxholes and Trenches

2009-05-26T12:04:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone out there had a nice Memorial Day weekend. The Kids were all busy doing different things, and Mom and Dad spent two days cruising on the cycle. So what does a terrier do when the peeps leave him unsupervised? You think they'd have learned by now that I'll find ways to entertain myself. So I did. Yep, I went digging. Excavating. You'd have thought I had some heavy earth-moving equipment from the damage I did. I had about eight holes going at once. I not only dug down, but flung dirt for yards in every direction. Looked like a small war had been fought in our backyard. Foxholes and trenches everywhere you stepped.

An added bonus was that I found one of these in a foxhole. It's called a mole. I was beginning to feel like a real earthdog after a rat. I tell you, I think I'd found my calling. But wouldn't you know it, Mom came home and took it away from me. Put it right over the fence out of my reach. It was frustrating, knowing it was over there rummaging around again and I couldn't get to it. So I'm warnin' ya, Mr Mole, stay put in your own bunker. I'll be watching for you...
~Tell

Three Sisters and a Little Fellow

2009-05-23T11:37:00.000-07:00

There are some big changes coming to our home soon. Big ones, I tell you. And I'm not too sure we wires like change. At least Glynn and I are a little nervous. Cap sleeps through most things these days, so he may miss it all, but I'm happy in my comfortable rut. The Girls are rocking my boat and shaking things up around here, and I'm not sure what to do about it.

First, College Kid (on the right in her Eskimo Joe shirt) graduated and got her DVM degree. The big ceremony was held at the Gallagher-Iba area (think Eddie Sutton Court) at Oklahoma State. Now she's packing boxes and moving to Maryland. She's going to live about 15 minutes from D.C. I just hope when this year is over she doesn't come home and bring a politician with her. Next, My Girl (on the left) graduated from high school, and now SHE'S packing up her laptop and heading for college. Talk about cleaning house! Who's gonna be left around here for me and My Boy to pester? And now I find out that Married Kid (in the middle, who I haven't spoken much about since she had pretty much moved out before I moved in) is expecting a little bundle in a couple of weeks. Married Kid and Her Husband live nearby, and I'll bet we get to see a lot of the baby.

Well, that last part might not be too bad. Having a Little Fellow for My Boy and I to hang with could be fun. That is, if he can learn to throw a ball. Maybe wrassle in the grass a bit. Dig some holes. Drop some Fig Newtons. We'll see...

~Tell

A Whump Monster Lives Here

2009-05-13T09:49:00.000-07:00

Here I am sitting in Dad's chair. We're not allowed on Dad's chair, and I know it. Still, I prefer to sit here than in my regular spots around the house. Why, you ask?

Because a Whump Monster has moved into our house, and it's living under the new wood floors. I can tell right where it lives, too, because the floor is buckling up. Yes, buckling up! The wood is bowing and bending, and it make a funny whump sound when we walk over it. Really, it's enough to curl a wire's hair.

We had a nice visit with the flooring company and we're assured that this monster will go away in a week or so when the air dries out and the rain stops. Lots of folks are having Whump Monsters under their floors right now, even with the most expensive wood. This happens when it rains almost daily for weeks at a time and the wood swells. It leaves a little air pocket just right for something to move in and live there. These monsters do not like dry weather, so as soon as the weather improves outside, this one should move on down the road and leave us alone.

I'm glad all I have to do is wait a week or so for the weather to fix this. Good gracious, I was afraid those workers would come back and tear up the floor again. Having the floor ripped up was a big stress in our lives, especially Glynn who likes her routine the best. So I guess for a little while, we'll just walk around and give the Whump Monster some space, and wait for it to go away. They don't eat terriers, do they?

~Tell

Wordless Wednesday -- Irises After the Rain

2009-05-06T14:42:00.000-07:00

~Tell

My Personal Physician

2009-04-29T09:09:00.000-07:00

We are very excited this morning! We just learned that College Kid has aced her state and national board exams and is one step closer to being a full-fledged veterinarian. Now all she has to do is get her diploma next week and she can hang her shingle! The only thing we're concerned about is that she's hanging her shingle in Maryland. That's an awful long way from Oklahoma, and a fair piece to travel to see my own personal physician. I'm thinking webcam. Oh well, it's only for one year in a specialty clinic, then she'll be back (we hope!!!). She just finished an three-week stint at a veterinary hospital in sunny California, so before this is over she'll have visited both coasts and the Gulf of Mexico areas. College Kid should have been born with wings, she travels so much. And if she ever packs her bags and heads north for Canada, we're goin' with her!
~Tell

In the Kitchen with Tell

2009-04-17T10:48:00.000-07:00

Something smells good in the kitchen tonight. Mom is cooking Bierox (pronounced BEER-ROCKS). It's a sort of German version of a hamburger. This recipe is very popular among families of German descent here in Oklahoma. I'll tell you how to make it so you can have a taste of this heavenly stuff in your home. Take one pound of sausage (or 1/2 pound sausage and 1/2 pound hamburger if you prefer) and brown it in a skillet on the stove. Add 1 cup chopped onions and 2 cups shredded cabbage. You can add a little water if you like, but not too much, you don't want it soupy but pretty dry. Add 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/4 tsp allspice and 1 Tbs flour. Now here is the secret ingredient -- add 1/2 tsp of nutmeg. Cover and let it simmer for about 20 minutes.

While its cooking on the stove, make a yeast dough, or you can cheat like Mom does and buy frozen bread dough at the grocery store and thaw it out. Divide and roll out 4" to 6" circles, then spoon the meat mixture in the center. Fold up the dough and pinch it together and put it on a cookie sheet. Set them a little ways apart from each other because they'll rise some in the over and get bigger. Spread a little melted butter on the top. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes until the bread is golden. There you go, now you know how to make Bierox at home. They're scrumptious. My Boy can eat about 10 of these at a time, but they do keep in the refrigerator well. Bone Appetit!

~Tell

Green Grass -- The Feel of It, The Taste of It

2009-04-07T10:18:00.000-07:00

I have a confession to make. I'm a grazer. Yes, I love to eat green grass. I don't need the fiber, my tummy's not upset, I just love the taste of all that roughage. With spring finally here, there's no shortage of green, leafy stuff in our yard.

After I tank up, I'm ready for a good romp around the farm. Here I'm checking the perimeter in case a chicken flew over the fence. I don't allow chickens in the yard. I shoo them right back where they came from.

Then I indulge in a good roaching. Man, I love the smell of all that fresh grass when I roll in it.

My Boy and I like to play DogBall. I don't always understand the rules of the game, but whatever makes him laugh is fun for me, too.

Glynn wastes no time and starts running right out the door. She's a serious runner, I tell you. It's like she's packing the most speed into every moment out in the yard. Go, Glynn!

Cap prefers a more sedate pace around the grass. He likes to do a lot of sniffing. Not sure what he's looking for, but he sniffs the place over good. Sometimes he finds a misplaced squeakie toy.

Here comes Glynn again! Her ears flap up and down, and she has a big smile on her face.

Being outside in the green grass always makes us very happy dogs! We've waited all winter for this.

A friend once told us, "You can either have a pretty yard full of flowers, or you can have dogs. I choose dogs". We agree!

~Tell

Retired Show Girls

2009-04-02T15:56:00.000-07:00

All our heavy snow is gone now. It lasted a little more than a day, and now it seems like spring again. The cold was a bit hard on the grape hyacinths in the yard. They are looking straggly this morning.

But the American Beauty wildflowers are springing up everywhere! Grandma-Great used to call them Good Morning Spring flowers.

It's been a bit tearful on the farm this week as we say goodbye to some of our piggies. It's time to send them to Uncle P's farm for breeding so we'll have some fall show babies. The pigs look on this adventure as a trip to the spa because they get very spoiled and pampered at Uncle P's place. Since My Girl is a senior in high school, this was her last show season. She is retiring from the show ring, and when our sows come back to us this fall, My Girl will be away at college and won't see them much. She is giving Happy the Hamp a hug. Happy wasn't worried, though, she's been through this trip before and she likes to travel.

Twiggy is very anxious to load in the trailer and is squealing to be turned out. She will run and hop in, just like she did in her show days. My Girl is telling her to be patient and let the other girls load first. All of our sows are retired show pigs and are very gentle and sweet.

Okay, My Girl, we're ready. Release the hounds! (I don't know what that means, but I always wanted to say it.)

Asta the cow is looking on. She can't believe pigs go to a spa and wonders if there is room in the trailer for her, too. Oh, that's right. We have a cow named Asta (no offense, Asta NY and Asta Down Under, she's a very nice cow).

It will be quiet on the farm now, with no squealing to be fed in the morning. Pigs are a bit noisy. Now, if I could just sneak that pesky rooster onto the trailer, too, I can sleep late in the morning...

~Tell

Wordless Wednesday: My Snow-Filled Weekend!

2009-03-31T15:31:00.000-07:00

Happy Tails,

Tell

Daffodils and Redbuds

2009-03-27T14:19:00.000-07:00

What a beauty! Look at the bouquet that a friend made for our office. It's double Daffodils and a sprig of Redbud blossoms.
The Redbud tree is Oklahoma's state tree and is one of the first trees to bloom in the early spring. They grow along our creek by the house and right now is the only color except for a few wild dogwood trees. Redbuds and dogwoods are my favorite trees, because when you see those pink and white blooms, you know spring is right around the corner.
~Tell

From the Desk of William Tell

2009-03-24T15:42:00.000-07:00

It was my turn to go to work with Mom today. I'm a big help around the office. One of my jobs is vermination. Even though the place is pretty clean, I do regular inspections to sniff out any vermin that need verminating.

Nothing hiding in the corners or under the chairs.

Nothing around the baseboards.

I was checking out the computer desk when I came across the most amazing sight. It was another wire fox terrier, and he looked just like me! What a handsome devil he was. I was sure he was a movie star or something.

I tried to climb up in Mom's lap for a closer look. Funny, every move I made, he made the exact same move. Even his eyebrows twitched the same as mine.

Well, I guess I got fooled, because it WAS me on the computer screen. Just a reflection of my magnificence. When I realized it wasn't a real dog, I went back to my rounds and finished my inspection. Sure was a lot of giggling in the office, though. Don't know what's gotten into those ladies. I wish they'd share the joke with me!

~Tell

Who, Me?

2009-03-19T15:15:00.000-07:00

(Zzz...zzz...zzz...) Huh? I'm sorry, I was taking a nap. What did you say? There's something in the yard you think I should see? I'll be right there!

What's all this white stuff? It looks like feathers. How do you suppose they got there? Oh, you're asking ME how they got there? Well, let me think...

(Blame Cap.) Hey, I'll bet Cap knows how that happened. I think he and Glynn had a pillow fight. Yeah, that's it. A pillow fight and they lost a few feathers.

No? Okay, let's see. Let me think. Okay, a duck was flying overhead and exploded. This is the fallout from a duck. How's that?

(Not buying the duck story either. Think, Tell, think.) Well, it might be that a fox came by and scared all the hens and they jumped right out of their feathers. Yep, feathers everywhere. What a mess.

( Still not believing me...this is not looking good.)

Those feathers sure are a mystery. Don't have a clue here. We may never know what really happened. Cap, quit pointing at me, will ya? How could anyone look at my innocent, puppy-dog eyes and think I did it? I was sound asleep the whole time that chicken got plucked. (Oops!)

~Tell

Spring in the Hollow

2009-03-14T07:44:00.000-07:00

In spite of a few snowflakes the other day, I think Spring is here! Let me show you around our front yard...

Here are some of Mom's Daffy flowers. They used to be planted all in groups and rows, but the landscaping a few years ago bulldozed them, and now they pop up everywhere.

These white blossoms are from our pear tree in the circle drive. The tree will have so many heavy pears that the limbs bend all the way to the ground. If our piggies get out of their pens, they head straight to the tree. They love eating pears!

This is Dottie, our Silver Penciled Wyandotte hen. She lays brown eggs.

Here are two of the guinea hens. I have not plucked a guinea hen yet because they are very good at flying.

These are the Blue Andalusian hens, and of course, Dottie is peeking at the camera again. The Blues don't like the hen house, so they roost in trees at night. They lay white eggs.

Here is a quick look at a Production Red hen. I think she was in a hurry to be somewhere else. See ya!

This is the view out our front door where the pickup is parked. And Dottie again. Methinks she is wanting a blog of her own.

Yes, the grass is greening up nicely here and the weather is warmer. I'm ready for spring!

~Tell

Lumpy Jaw and Bucket Head

2009-03-10T11:38:00.001-07:00

I'm pretty sure I've figgered out what ails me. I did some research in one of College Kid's textbooks and I think I have Bovine Actinomycosis. Yep, lumpy jaw. Can you see it in the photo? My jaw is swelled up hard and it's not too comfortable. My Boy says that's ridiculous, that dogs don't get lumpy jaw, only cows, and I haven't been around the cows. I think My Boy may have brought it home on his boots, which I like to investigate when I catch no one looking. However, no one believes my self-diagnosis and they took me to the vet, who said it was an insect bite (remember our 90 degree weather last week?) and put me on antibiotics. Already the swelling is better, though I'm wearing my collar a bit looser these days so I don't swell up and die in the night.

Glynn is having problems of her own, too. She started rubbing her eyes and got them very red. Now she's wearing an Elizabethan collar so she can't hurt them. This requires that I do what every loving brother does when his little sis needs sympathy. I put my paw on her shoulder, looked at her, and called her a Bucket Head. I said if we sit her on the television and turn her just right, we might get a few new satellite channels.

Glynn was not amused. In fact, she called me a few choice names but I think in the end it made her feel a little better to fuss a bit with me. After all, that's what big brothers are for, right?

~Tell

Healthy Hearts

2009-03-05T15:39:00.000-08:00

Our hearts have been saddened this week in the passing of Bogart's Dad. We wish to extend our heartfelt sympathy to Bogart and Lulu in their loss of Klaus. May they have many heartwarming and happy memories to hold on to in the days to come.

College Kid came home this weekend. She is having a much-needed break from school before heading off to another three-week rotation, this time in sunny California at a very posh veterinary clinic. We're hoping she will see some famous celebrity pets and bring back a few pawtigraphs to share with us. While she's home, she demonstrated some things she has learned in class, like how to take our blood pressure.

First a small area is clipped on the back of our foot. This is because the blood pressure monitor has a hard time hearing our pulse through all that wiry hair. A bald place works better.

Glynn was the first brave volunteer. Well, she didn't actually volunteer, she was just the one standing closest when the moment came to start the demonstration. She was a bit taken by surprise, and has hereafter referred to it as The Ordeal.

Glynn had to lay very still on one side. It's hard to make a tense dog lay down, especially when she wants to curl up. Relax, Glynn, it won't hurt, I promise!

When she finally opened her eyes, Glynn came face-to-face with the blood pressure kit paraphernalia. "What does THAT do? And that? And that?" she asked.

College Kid had to find the right size cuff to use. She picked a cat-sized one since Glynn is petite.

Then some cold goop was put on Glynn's bald spot. She said it was much like the time she had an ultrasound on her tum-tum. It didn't hurt then, either, so she is a little more relaxed this time.

A little listening device was put on her foot, and the cuff pumped up. We could all hear a swoosh-swoosh sound. When The Ordeal was over for her, Glynn got down from the table and it was my turn. My blood pressure reading was a good 130. Glynn's was a little high at 145, but then she is a Nervous Nellie. Cap had the lowest reading of all, but I'm not surprised since he spends most of his time laying around sleeping and doesn't get stressed. The only time he would have any blood pressure is during his occasional geriatric version of a butt-tuck run around the house. I don't know why he gets away with running in the house when My Boy and I get tossed outside for it, except Cap never breaks anything. I think that's why Mom loves him best. Anyway, it's good to know that we all passed our test and have healthy hearts!

~Tell

Stuffies' Revenge II

2009-02-19T16:37:00.000-08:00

Last post I told you about our stuffie washer konking out. Then it got ran over by a tractor. It's sitting out by the big barn, ready to be hauled away. Now today out stuffie dryer made a screeching sound and died a sudden death. It joined the washer and now both have to go to the dump (a place I still have not visited but have moved that to the top of my bucket list). It has definitely not been a good week to be a major appliance at our house.

Since I'm getting a bit ragged around the edges, I have a grooming appointment scheduled for tomorrow morning. I believe Cap and Glynn are going with me, too. Sounds like an all-day job to me, grooming three fuzzy pups at the same time. I don't mind the hair cuts, the baths aren't too bad, but I just hate the fufu juice they spritz on me before I go home. I prefer to smell au natural dogge.
~Tell

Stuffie's Revenge

2009-02-13T16:25:00.000-08:00

My Boy and I were taking a walk around the farm, and look what we ran across. I thought it was a little familiar, then I took a sniff around and realized what it was. Our stuffie-washer!

It had been making a funny noise when washing, then it stopped working. I'm sure the stuffies were glad to hear this. But the next thing I knew we had a new one in the house and our old stuffie-washer was gone. Well, here it is.

My Boy said that Dad tried to make it more compact so it would haul off easier to the trash dump (which is someplace I've yet to discover but sounds intriguing. Memo to myself -- I must look into this). So this is what happens when you don't move out of the way of the tractor fast enough. Point well made.

~Tell

A Wee Bit Grumpy in the Morning?

2009-02-04T13:49:00.000-08:00

We are still seeing lots of white ice on the ground, though thankfully our temperatures are getting a warmer and it should start melting soon. It's fun to skid around on for a little while, but personally I'm starting to get a bit tired of it. I need some grass to roll in. Even some mud will do.
In making the rounds on the farm, we came across two of our sows, Daisy Duke the Hampshire, and Mia the Duroc. They were bedded down on the hay in a nice, warm sunny spot in the barn. As you can see, Mia does not want to be disturbed before her first cup of coffee in the morning, much like certain members of My Family. hee hee

I'm thinking Australia looks pretty good this time of year. I hear it's warm weather down under right now.

~Tell

Slippin' and Slidin' and Cold Bottoms

2009-01-30T07:40:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos of our recent storm. Though it looks like snow, it's made of sleet and frozen solid. Dad's big truck can drive across it and not even leave a track. We're glad he has four-wheel drive, because otherwise we wouldn't get to go for a ride this week at all. Mom doesn't "do" ice.

Here is My Girl's pickup. Yeah, that's not moving until July, is it? That's our house in the background, it's nice and warm.

Our guinea hens are not happy about the ice. They can't find anywhere to...well, do whatever guineas do all day. No place to peck at all. They ran around silly for awhile.

Finally, they flew into the icy trees and started to complain. It sounds like, "BuckWHEAT! BuckWHEAT! BuckWHEAT!" Guineas complain alot.

This sparkly tree was by the big barn. The ice glows in the sun.

More trees. This is a good place to explore. I spend a lot of time sniffing around here, but not today.

Finally, this is Nigel the fat cat. I guess the ice was cold because he seems to be sitting sidesaddle here. hee hee

I hope all your doggies and hammies out there are in a warm place today.

~Tell

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

2009-01-27T11:41:00.000-08:00

Yep, it's colder than a well-digger's hiney out there today. We had lots of sleet, even some lightening and thunder last night. It looks like snow until you step in it, then it crunches and whoops, there go your feet! We're staying inside and warm today.

Cap and I went in for our dentals last week. I did great and have a nice shiny smile, but Cap lost a couple more of his teeth and had three small tumors taken off his shoulder. The old geezer is slowing down and wasn't as quick to bounce back from the anesthesia this time around. He's been a bit mopey and lost a little weight, so Mom took him to work this morning. Going to work with Mom seems to cheer him up.

Mom's office cat, Bullet, is not so sure about having a D-O-G visit for the day. He's used to having the office to himself and manages it just fine without a dog sniffing around. He's sticking to the high ground until Cap goes home this evening. Can't you just see "Impertinence!" written all over his face? hee hee

~Tell

Birdzilla Attack

2009-01-10T13:35:00.001-08:00

You can imagine my surprise when I passed by the bathroom and saw this sitting in the tub.

Dad had ordered some decoys to lure more wild turkeys onto the farm. They've been sitting in storage and were pretty dusty, so he was rinsing them off. Almost gave me a heart attack. Wicked looking things, even if they are pretend. He plans to set them out and try to fool the real turkeys into thinking this is turkey heaven and they should stick around. Well, he about fooled me into never going into that bathroom again, let me tell you. A dog's heart can only take so much.

~Tell

Homemade Dog Biscuits

2008-12-29T16:41:00.000-08:00

A while back, I mentioned a dog biscuit recipe that Mom had misplaced. Well, now we've found it and would like to share it with all our doggie friends. They aren't as fancy as the gourmet treats, but they're easy to make in your kitchen.

Homemade Dog Biscuits

3/4 cup hot water

1/3 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup powdered milk

1 teaspoon salt (optional -- if you have a heart problem, dont add this one!)

1 Tablespoon beef or chicken boullion crumbies (for flavor)

1 egg

3 cups whole wheat flour

In a bowl, mix hot water and margarine. Stir in powdered milk, salt and beaten egg. Add flour, a little at a time. Knead for five minutes. This will make a stiff dough, but keep working it. Roll it out to about 1/2 inch thick and use cookie cutters to cut out shapes. We like to make dog bone shapes, but you can make bunnies, cows, reindeer, whatever. Bake on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees for about 45-50 minutes. Be sure to let them cool before you sneak one, they come out of the oven HOT.

So there you are, blogger friends. Make up a batch and keep them handy in a basket or jar. You can feel good about these snacks because you know just what's in them and how fresh they are. Just remember, pace yourself and don't eat too many at one time.

~Tell

Doggielicious!

2008-12-18T17:16:00.000-08:00

I've gotten several Christmas cards in the mail, more than ever before. But imagine my surprise when I got a package from my good friend, Jackson. The box was full of gormet treats!

The treats were carob dipped peanut butter bones from a company called Doggielicious. Hmmmm....

I always sit like a gentleman before I get a treat. One of my few redeeming qualities, I'm told.

Unlike old buddy Buck, who meets the treat halfway then gobbles it whole. He's still a growing puppy. Count your fingers, Mom!

There were enough doggie treats for all of us. Cap and Glynn enjoyed theirs, too, but the camera wasn't fast enough to catch all of us snacking at once. What a terrific Christmas surprise. Thank you, Jackson!!!

~Tell

Dodgedog and Other Fun Games

2008-12-09T12:41:00.000-08:00

My Boy and I were just sitting around yesterday when suddenly, out of the blue, he gave me a shove! Now, what did I do to deserve that, I wondered? So I pounced on him, and we began to wrestle. We wrestled and growled so much we got tossed outside, but that was alright. There's nothing I like better than a good, ol' rough-and-tumble scramble with My Boy. First we played Dodgedog. That's sorta like dodgeball, but we use a dog instead of a ball. Then we played Throw-The-Ball-Not-Really-Fool-The-Dog. I don't understand that game but it makes My Boy laugh alot. Then we finished with a game of Choke-The-Dog-'Til-His-Tongue-Hangs-Out. That's where I get rolled upside down, my tummy rubbed, and my neck choked while I wiggle and squirm my way rightside up. All this was great fun and we finally had to stop when it got dark outside.

If you don't have a Boy of your own, try to borrow one for an hour or two. Or ask Santa for one in your Christmas stocking. Or better yet, come over and join us for an afternoon. I'll pick you for my team!

~Tell

2008-11-25T16:47:00.000-08:00

Here is our latest foster. Dad says it's a barn owl. The game warden brought her by for a little R&R before she is released. I've tried to be friendly with her, but as you can see, she just puffs up big and tries to look intimidating. Like Greta Garbo, she says, "I vant to be alone!"
Mom said not to be ruffling her tailfeathers, because this owl might turn around and snap my snoot off. Ha! A snootless wire! Wouldn't that be funny?

Or not.
~Tell

Goodbye, Girl Girl

2008-11-20T15:49:00.000-08:00

Our College Kid is doing another rotation, this time with a veterinary internist in Tulsa. We are taking care of her guinea pig again while she is working there. Hagrid, the substantial guinea pig named after the giant in the Harry Potter movies, was especially touched by our sweet friend Girl Girl's passing. Being a guinea pig of few words, it's hard to tell, but I do believe Hagrid worshipped her from afar.

Who knew that such a little hammie could be loved by so many around the world? She will be greatly missed. We are glad, though, that her friends Eli and Bae Bae will continue their hamsterific blog. We think Bae Bae has very pretty eyes.

The temperature is going to dip down into the 20's tonight, so we're staying inside where it's warm. Mom has been talking about making some homemade dog biscuits, if she can find what she's done with the recipe. If she can locate it, we'll share it with you next time.

~Tell

What I Learned from the Dog

2008-11-13T16:51:00.001-08:00

Here's a wonderful opportunity for all the doggie bloggers out there! If you have read any of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series of books, you'll know what I'm talking about. Each book is filled with short inspirational stories that really give you a lift when you need it. You can read only one or two stories at a time, or like My Family, spend a whole rainy Saturday with one of those books, a quilt and a cup of hot tea and enjoy them all.

Now, Chicken Soup is having a "call out" for stories from writers just like our people who love their dogs and want to share their stories! Just go to the Chicken Soup website, and on the left side of the page click on Submit A Story. Then click on Possible Book Titles and scroll down until you find What I Learned from the Dog. That explains what kind of stories they are searching for. There are some other titles, too, but the Dog book is the important one here, know what I mean?

After you write your story, polish it up good and proof-read, you can go back to the website and submit it for consideration. Don't get discouraged, because they get hundreds of stories a day and it may take as long as a couple of years before the book gets published. Mom has been submitting stories for several years and has been pubished in five Chicken Soup for the Soul books, and she can tell you it's great fun! Submissions are free and you can send as many as you like. With all the great blogs out there, I know there are some talented writers who can share some inspiration with the world! Happy writing!

~Tell

I've Been Diluted

2008-11-06T14:42:00.000-08:00

Here is a photo of me taken about a year and a half ago. Notice the vibrant colors of my hair coat? Such a handome dude, I should be in movies.

Now here is a photo of me going for a walk this morning. See anything different? My hair is changing colors!

Sheesh, even the dead leaves around my feet have more color than me! I've gone from white with black and red spots to a much paler white with blue and tan. The only place that resembles the old me is a few spots where I had chewed myself this summer when the itchies were at their worst. Those bald places came back in the nice, old colors. Sorta makes me look like a Catahoula Leopard Dog, or maybe a blue merle Collie. Pay no attention to the spread of my hips.

I don't understand. Does it have something to do with being clipped instead of stripped? Age? Too many baths (I'm voting for this one)? Glynn is very pale-colored, too. Cap is the oldest, and he has the best coloring of all.

Oh well, I'll be turning seven right after the first of the year, so I guess those old greyish hairs are creeping in on me. Don't let outward appearances fool you, though. I'm still a puppy at heart!
~Tell

Happy Howloween!

2008-10-31T13:12:00.000-07:00

My Boy and I were checking out the trailcam pictures and found the perfect photo to represent Halloween Eve. Look at the spooky eyes on this coyote.

Hoping all of you doggies and hammies have a safe and fun evening. Cap, Glynn and I are staying indoors. There are strange howling in the woods at night!

~Tell

Who's to Blame?

2008-10-25T11:56:00.000-07:00

Once again, I'm in trouble, but this time I'm not alone. Finally, ol' Cap is in the dog house with me because Mom is not sure which of us is to blame. Warning -- this post is not for the faint of heart or those readers who might say, Ewwww! Here's my story, and I'm sticking to it...

We were all going for walkies, which is not easy with this many dogs. We started out with Glynn pointing the wrong way, I somehow got a leg hung up in my leash, and you can see Cap is stepping on someone's tennie. He does not make a good dance partner. Anyway, it was noticed that Glynn had a bit of a swelling over her shoulders. Since it was the evening and she wasn't acting sick, the vet would have to wait until morning to see it.

While we were walking, we came across this thing on the road. Ignore the hairy legs in the photo, that was our kitty Nigel butting in the picture. Take a look at the middle of the picture and see if you can spot the pygmy rattlesnake. They may be small, but they pack a punch like a biggun. This is the second one we've found close to the house. Luckily, My Boy was along and got rid of it before it could bite anyone. Mom is very tolerant of snakes in general, but when they coil up and strike, that's a no-no.

Glynn's shoulders kept swelling more until the next morning. The vet said it was a seroma, a pocket of bloody fluid. It could have been a bee sting, snake bite, or...ahem...me and Cap playing too hard with our Sis. Well, who do you think Mom believes? We even had a snake right there to point the finger at, but no. Sadly, all eyes turn toward me again. At least Cap is also a suspect this time. Could have been either one of us. Or that pesky snake. Glynn had to have surgery to flush the seroma, and had a drain put in to keep it from swelling again. For the next few days, we are being kept apart and we don't get to play with her at all, not even a little. I miss my Sis. From what I hear, she's having a great time with all the attention to herself, and special treats to help the pills go down easy. Buck even gets to lick the spoon.

And to that I say, Ewww!

~Tell

Bye, Bye Puppy

2008-10-14T15:42:00.000-07:00

Good news for our little foster girl. She found her furever home in record time. Actually, she came and went out of my life so fast my head is spinning. I hear girls do that to you sometimes. Anyway, as much as I miss her, I'm glad to see her settled with a family all her own. That's just what she needed. It was nice to see her gaining confidence over the three days she was here. She had just started doing Snoopy dances around Mom's feet at chow time when her new owner declared her a keeper. Call it puppy love, I guess.
Now on to other things. My Boy and I like to take walks in the woods together. Actually, he walks and I run. I cover more ground that he does. I find some very interesting things to investigate and sniff. Sometimes roll in. Then Dad got a idea and bought a Trailcam to hang in the woods. It's an outdoor camera that takes pictures when something moves in front of it. We found a great photo of a doe the first time we checked the camera chip inside. It's fun to see what moves around in the woods when we're not there. Isn't she lovely?

Then we found something that made us sit up and take notice. Can you guess what this creature is? Not a dog, or a cat, or a cow, or any of the other things I see around the farm.

Dad says it is a feral hog trying to eat our camera! Hogs will eat about anything, and lots of things they shouldn't. They can be dangerous, too, when surprised. Now, not only do I have to worry about My Boy and myself getting eaten by a Sasquatch, I have to worry about wild pigs, too. I've seen that movie Old Yeller, and it wasn't pretty. No sirree. A hog is nothing to mess with.
~Tell

I Think I'm in Love!

2008-10-09T16:37:00.000-07:00

Dad came in yesterday with the cutest little puppy ever. I think I'm in love! He found her at a city pound on her last day. He scooped her up and brought her home.

She's a Jack Russell terrier, a bit shell-shocked and subdued at the moment but I'm sure she'll bounce out of that with time. I'm not allowed to rough-house with her until she overcomes her shyness. We're also working on some people-skills. I did get to sniff her through the crate door, but it made her curl up in a fetal position and hide her head, even though I wagged my tail as hard as I could. The vet says she has a skin problem caused by unsanitary conditions, mainly on her feet and tail, but that will clear up soon enough. Hopefully in a few days we'll be officially introduced and I can teach her how to have some fun on the farm. I'll bet she's never even seen a chicken up close.Right now her favorite place is to snuggle up on My Girl's lap. She feels really safe there, and she gets lots of loving and touching. Mom says the puppy is not going up for adoption until she's spayed and had all her puppy shots caught up to date. I vote to keep her myself, but since there's three of us terriers, plus ol' Buckaroo, we've kinda got a full house as it is. Ah, come on, Mom! How can you resist those eyes?

~Tell

Pig Watch

2008-09-27T09:13:00.000-07:00

College Kid dropped by the house last week for a few minutes. She was on her way to San Antonio, Texas. She is going to work for a very elite veterinary clinic that specializes in cats. Hey, I think that might be something I'd like to see, but she said we couldn't go with her. It was toooooo far for our tiny bladders to manage a car ride like that. Glynn likes College Girl quite a lot, so she was happy to see her even if it was only for a little while. Since this job is temporary and College Kid will be coming back in a few weeks, she asked if we could look after her cats while she was gone. Well sure, we told her. Be glad to keep those cats entertained while College Kid is out of pocket.

Besides the two kitties, we are also watching her Guinea pig, Hagrid. He was named after the giant in the Harry Potter movies, since he is a Guinea pig of "substantial size". Do you think there is a Substantial Guinea Pig Club out there somewhere? Anyway, Glynn is endlessly fascinated with Hagrid and can't seem to keep her eyes off him, so he has now been moved to Mom's office where he can enjoy a bit more privacy. Being a Guinea pig of few words, he's a nice, quiet companion for a working environment. That's fine, as long as he stays out of our basket of squeakies.

~Tell

A Chicken-Pluckin' Crud War?

2008-09-18T16:42:00.000-07:00

As you know, I'm a chicken-pluckin' dog when the opportunity arises. Losing a few feathers helps to teach the wayward hens the boundaries of their part of the farm, air conditions them in the summer, and it's just plain fun. For me, anyway. The Family is not too fond of bare-bottom chickens, and I guess the chickens are a little embarrassed by the whole thing, too, but I just can't seem to help myself. That is, until today...

When I saw this fellow strolling across the yard, I thought at first someone had super-sized one of the guinea hens. But no, this guy was much taller. And heavier. My Boy says it is a wild turkey and they are not to be messed with. He sure didn't have to warn me twice about that. When a bird stands taller than me, it's a sure sign that it deserves a little respect. This is just a young tom, but still, it might be wise to pass on the feather plucking for now and try to be a nice neighbor. I'd hate to be flogged by the likes of that!

If you recall, I also got into a bit of trouble when I found something delightful to roll in and brought the essence home with me. I got a bath for my effort. Then look what happened. My Boy, My Girl and some of their friends went to an event called a Crud War. They came home looking like they had roached around in a whole lot of things, like mustard, ketchup, flour, egg, and waffle syrup. Did they get into trouble and get drug by the collar to the bathtub? Noooooo, they got their picture taken. Go figure. Sometimes the rules are a little hard to figure out around here. Now, if we could just come up with a way to combine chicken plucking with crud wars, then count me in!

~Tell

You Say Tomato, I Say Mom...

2008-09-04T17:49:00.000-07:00

Mom and Dad came back from their road trip relaxed and happy, and had a wonderful time. There were six motorcycles in the group, and they rode hard for three days without stop except to refuel. Dad looked pretty much the same when he got home, but Mom was a bit pinker than usual. Apparently she does not weather well, though no one else in the group had a problem. Then Tuesday, her eyes puffed, she turned red as a beet, and her lips swelled up like a sea lion blowing kisses. It seems some of her meds are not compatible with that much fun in the sun, and she had a photosensitive reaction. She missed work a few days so as not to scare small children and pregnant ladies, she was that uber ugly. Have you ever heard someone with balloon lips try to say something? "Hubby, I bhink bhere's somebing wronb wibb be..."

Here they are riding their motorcycle onto a ferry. In spite of Mom swelling up like a ripe tomato, they had such a great time that they can't wait for the next ride. Cap, Glynn and I are looking into one of those little trailers that go behind the motorcycles. Maybe one that makes a pop-up tent. Then we can go cruising and camping with the gang in style. Feel the wind in our beards. Get a little bug crunch in our teeth. Maybe a tattoo, but we won't say where!

~Tell

Road Trip

2008-08-28T17:27:00.000-07:00

Well, ol' Cap just went past me wearing his dog-with-no-eyes sunglasses, and I thought, "I wonder what he's up to?" So I followed him outside and what did I find? Mom and Dad are planning a road trip and I wasn't told! They're loading up the old motorcycle with their overnight bag, stuffing their leather jackets in the boot (hey, it was 99 degrees here today, I don't think they'll be needing them), and polishing up the chrome. They've even managed to figure out how to get Creedence Clearwater playing on My Boy's MP3 player so they can take it with them. I guess Cap thinks he's going along, but I have to ask you, where would the dog sit? Sorry, pal, but I believe you'll be staying home with me and the house sitter again, even if you do look like The Red Baron. I guess this means we'll be out of pocket for a few days, since we'll be busy keeping the house sitter on her toes. Gotta be a quick and alert when watching us terriers!

~Tell

Blogging Friends Forever

2008-08-23T07:49:00.001-07:00

Wow, look what my friend Noah sent to me. It's a fantastic award for being blogging friends. I know I am richly blessed with friends around the world, but this is super!
Now I'm going to pass this card on to some more friends, but there are some rules applied:
1. Only five friends allowed.
2. Four have to be dedicated followers of your blog.
3. One has to be someone new or recently new to your blog and live in another part of the world.
4. You must link back to whoever gave you the award.

We would like to pass this pawsome award onto Eric Square Dog in the United Kingdom, Gus, Jack & Just Harry, Dewey Dewster and Mackie.

I love seeing all the wheelies that have been joining in the blogging around the world. I've been keeping an eye open for one when we go antique shopping, but haven't run across one yet. You can bet when I do, it will be coming home with us. Meanwhile, we still look around for other fox terriers that need a home, and we found one when we stopped at a small store the other day. There he sat, on top of a pile of stuffies, looking lost. Good thing we found him, huh? He has a forever home now.
~Tell

Move Over, You Know I Like the Window

2008-08-14T16:41:00.000-07:00

Here in Oklahoma, we've been getting lots of rain this week. More expected tomorrow, too. It's been so wet that my grass allergies are terrible, so it was decided that I needed to visit the vet again. I don't mind going at all. In fact, I love any excuse to ride in the pickup. But this time was different. I got my feet and legs wet wading through the grass this morning on my outing, so I had to ride in the floor. Well, that's just no place for a dog like me. I know the leather seats are nice and clean, but that's MY spot you're sitting in. Even batting my puppydog eyes and making whistling noises through my nose didn't help. I was glad when that ride was over.

We soon got to the bottom of my itching problem. My new bottles of antigen came in, and there was a different schedule and dosage. Mom, being the goofy goose she is, didn't read the new instructions and underdosed me. Now I'm back on schedule and should start feeling better soon. Remember, always read the instructions! Ya listenin', Mom?
When we got back home, we found out our Yorkshire sow was having her babies. Yes, new porkers on the farm, and aren't they cuties? These babies are only minutes old. That little one hasn't even gotten his land legs yet, but it didn't take them long to find the heat lamp and cuddle under it. All together there were sixteen babies. Wow!

There were some closes guesses at last week's antique. That leather and chain combination is a set of bull blinders. They are used to cover the bull's eyes so he'll behave himself and be easier to manage. My question is, if you have a cantakerous and ornery bull, just how do you get the blinders on him? I'd like to see that!

~Tell

And the Winner Is...

2008-08-07T16:48:00.000-07:00

It seems we have some pretty smart pups in our bunch. Congratulations to Maggie, Mitch, Penny, Poppy and Patches for coming up with the correct answer in my last post. Yes, that old rusty antique thingy in the photo was a corn planter. Kind of like a post-hole digger with a trigger to drop a few kernels of corn in the hole. Kudos to Noah and Bussie, too, for coming up with some whacky wild guesses. We love the way your minds work! Hee hee! I wonder if there is a patent on fumigating calf-pullers? Hmmm...

Anyway, we enjoyed the answers so much, we jumped in the car and went searching for more country antiques to share with you. My Girl took this photo of me sitting between her and Mom, who was driving. I like the angle of this photo, because it looks like I'm the one driving!

So here is what we found. It's leather, metal and wrapped with chains. Does anyone know what this is? The owner said he has had a lot of people ponder and take a guess, but very few get it right. He gave us a hint: it came from a farm in Arkansas.

Happy guessing!
~Tell

Rum Tum's Tummy Tuck

2008-07-31T16:44:00.000-07:00

It's been a week since Rum Tum's hernia repair, and he's home from the vet hospital now. Mom says the money for this is coming out of my allowance. I did make the suggestion that it would have been cheaper to just buy a mouse trap for the barn, but noooooo, The Family wanted their cat back. And it one piece, too. Go figure. I also said that there are people who pay big bucks for such a tummy tuck and would appreciate it, but my voice seems to fall on a lot of deaf ears at the moment.

While we were at the vet hospital, Mom was admiring some of the antiques things on display in the waiting area when she saw this contraption.

Looked painful to us, so we had to ask the Doctor what it was. Can you give it a guess? I'll let you know what he said in my next post.

~Tell

I Get No Respect

2008-07-24T16:59:00.000-07:00

For a few weeks now, The Family has noticed that one of the barn cats has developed a hitch in his get-along. He walks a little funny, kinda like John Wayne, and has a large, hangy-down lump on his side. He's been a little hard to pin down so they haven't been able to investigate this oddity any closer until today. It hasn't seemed to bother him much. He still eats and lounges around in his striped jammies all day with the rest of the rat patrol, but this has been a bother to My Boy and My Girl. The Family wants answers.

This morning, My Girl was able to catch the tabby cat and he was taken to the veterinarian. And what did they find out? Kitty has a hernia. I myself think it happened because he wasn't lifting with his knees, but everyone else thinks something else. Can you see where this is going?

Yes, you're right. The finger is being pointed at me! Hey, just because I played tuggers with a cat one time, does that mean that I did this on one of my romps outside the yard? There is absolutely no shred of evidence to support this accusation. Nothing at all. They can't prove a thing, and the cat's not talking.

Now Mom is miffed because the cat is staying at the hospital, there will be a vet bill, probably a little physical therapy and recoup time at home, etc. Said cat will be waited on hand and foot around here until he's returned to outside duty once again. Much ado about nothing, I say, but nobody is listening to my opinion right now. Like Rodney Dangerfield, I get no respect.

Then again, it might not be so bad having a kitty in the house for a little while. Here, kitty, kitty, kitty...
~Tell

Home Alone

2008-07-17T10:38:00.000-07:00

No sooner did My Boy get back from summer camp than the whole Family went on vacation together. I guess I can't begrudge them a little time away, since they only take vacations about every five years or so, but this time we terriers didn't get to go along. Once again, boooring!

So while we pined away forgotten at home, they headed for the great state of Arkansa and while they were there, My Boy and My Girl did a little cave exploring. It's called spelunking, but I think it sounds an awful lot like the Earth Dog Trials I'm hearing about. They did find some rats, only they had wings and flew around faster than lightning. I believe My Boy and I will have to do some exploring soon and find a cave closer to home so we can spelunk together.

They also saw a Pivot Rock, and in this photo it looks mighty unstable to me. A good puff of Oklahoma wind would knock that right over.

Walking and shopping was fun, and they found a biker store and bought leather jackets for their motorcycle rides this fall. Mom said all that uphill and downhill climbing on those steep and narrow streets was almost too much for her. If she lived there and did much shopping, she'd have prettier thighs than Richard Simmons.

While they were walking, they saw a monkey in a dress. She was just too cute! People were giving her dollar bills. She's taste-testing this one before she gives it to her dad.

So what did Cap, Glynn and I do while My Family was out having a good time? We had a housesitter come and take care of us. I don't know why everyone thinks we needed supervision, do you? It wasn't like we were going to make some long distance phone calls, try on shoes, or order heaps of pizza on the credit card when they weren't looking. It wasn't so bad, though, as I did manage one great escape by squeezing past the housesitter's legs, but she caught me pretty quick. I taught her that you gotta be fast on your feet to keep up with me.

~Tell

Waiting for My Boy

2008-07-05T13:28:00.000-07:00

Well, summer has turned out to be a bummer so far. My Boy has gone away to camp, and it's just not the same without him on the farm. None of the rest of My Family know how to wrestle, roach, play DogBall, hunt for squirrels, gather eggs, dig holes, go bobbing in the creek, or any of the other fun things we share. Can you say Boooooring?

The good news is that he comes home today! I've waiting all morning for him, but My Girl says he won't be here until after lunch. Who can eat lunch when we're this excited? And I think that clock in the kitchen is broken because it's not moving as fast as it should.

Sigh. I can hardly wait.
~Tell

Foreign Money

2008-06-27T15:29:00.000-07:00

I was at the office today helping Mom break open a new roll of dimes for the petty cashbox, when out popped a surprise. In amongst all the shiny silvery dimes was a funny looking coin. It was a 1 cent coin from Singapore! Well, right away that made me think of my favorite hammie, Girl Girl, and all her stuffie adventures. Thinking of her made us so happy, we really didn't mind that we got shorted nine cents in that roll of dimes.

We dropped the Singapore coin in our little coin bank where we keep the odd ones that come through the office, like the Canadian and Australian money and occasional wheat pennies. There's not much, so we're not talking big bucks here, but My Boy likes to shake them out of the coin bank and look through them every now and then. Who knows, maybe some day he'll find a coin worth a gazillion dollars, and we can buy something cool.

I think I would spend it on a dog park, so all my doggie (and hammie) friends can come visit someday!

~Tell

The Nose Knows

2008-06-19T16:42:00.000-07:00

After days and days of rain and cabin fever, we finally had a pretty day of sunshine! We raced outside and had a super romp around the yard. Glynn was so excited that she must have sniffed over every inch of our great outdoors, and when she came back inside, we noticed her mustache was green. Where she stuck her snoot to turn it green, we don't know, unless it was all that wet grass she sniffled through. Whatever color she is, I still think my little sis is cute. Here's a goober shot of her (she didn't like having her close-up picture taken, can you tell?). I call this one GooberGlynn.

Ol' Buddy Buck has settled into our home and doing well. Yep, he's here to stay. No more foster home, it's the real deal for him. The second day he was here, he showed me how to lift the latch on the gate with his nose and open it up. Well, why didn't I think of that? Would have made things much simpler, I can tell you. The gates are usually locked, but he was watching and timed it just right when Mom had her back turned. Unfortunately, we were rounded up and put back inside before we could make our getaway, and locks put on the gates. Well, I'll just file that tip away for future reference, though. Good to know.

So what have your noses been up to this week?

~Tell

Another Person's Treasure

2008-06-12T17:05:00.000-07:00

Here's a photo of our latest foster dog. This puppy's owner says he wouldn't stay in the yard and was too much trouble, so he didn't want him anymore. I don't know who could look at this face and not fall in love with those chocolate eyes. So he came home with us today, and we call him Buck. Or as My Boy calls him, Buckaroo Bonzai. After a nice flea bath, a new collar and a trip to the vet for vaccinations, he says he feels like a new dog. My new buddy Buck's a lot of fun, though he's all clumsy puppy at the moment and tends to body slam when he moves too fast. Slick tile floors aren't his cup of tea, either, but he's learning might fast which way is up.

Hey, I'm a lot of trouble myself and I don't always sit/stay where I'm supposed to, but Mom and Dad wouldn't get rid of me, ever! Mom says being troublesome is part of my charm. So if The Family can love me, warts and all, they can take in a prodigal pup who needs adult supervision most of the time. This one might even stay permanently, since Dad is especially fond of English Pointers and had one when he was a kid.

And do you know what Dad's called his first birddog? Buck, of course!

~Tell

Arch Enemy

2008-06-05T16:36:00.000-07:00

Mom decided to take advantage of my digging skills, and together we planted some seeds under the arch. Usually we just hang bird feeders from the arch, but now we think it's time to grow some vines there. We mixed morning glory seeds with moonflowers. The morning glories are supposed to bloom early in the day, then the moonflowers bloom in the evening. This should give the hummingbirds something to hum about all day long.

Then we found out that Dad absolutely, with a pea-purple passion, hates morning glories. Well, I don't know what a morning glory ever did to him personally, but he can't abide them at all. He said he spent too many hours as a boy on the farm, weeding those stinkin' morning glories from the crops. Turn around and they were right back in the field, choking out the peanuts and corn and making a mess of things. He said it's hard to kill a morning glory vine, and left alone it will take over a field in no time.

We found this out through a lively discussion with friends, and most of the people in the room felt the same way. Oh, was Mom ever squirming in her seat! She didn't want him to know that she'd planted a whole bunch of them buggers right in the middle of the circle drive.

But nothing happened. Day after day, we checked and found nothing growing under the archway. Whew! What a relief. Mom never had much of a green thumb anyway, so no surprise there. Until this week, then a tiny, spindly green vine sprouted up overnight and entwined itself up the side. We didn't even notice it until it bloomed.

It doesn't look like either a morning glory, or a moonflower, so it's a mystery. It's a relief to see that it doesn't look as dastardly as we thought it would. This morning, Dad stopped and looked at it. We held our breath until he remarked about how pretty it was and asked what kind of flower this is?

Mom's pleading ignorance. I'm not telling, either.

~Tell

Jeepers, Peepers!

2008-05-29T16:59:00.000-07:00

Hi ho, everybody! I've been a good dog this week. At least that's what The Family is telling me. I haven't escaped from the yard for a whole week now, so I CAN be a good dog when I have to be. I was so good, in fact, that I got to help gather eggs from the hen house this morning. Since they're under my protection, it's imperitive that I check security and don't let a fox or possum in. Here are pictures of some of the things I am responsible for. These are brown eggs, and the yolks are extra bright yellow, none of those pale store-bought eggs on our farm! Sometimes I am given one of these to play with. You gotta play real easy with these, otherwise they explode and turn your beard yellow.

We also have three laying hens. Their names are Lucille, Rosita and Henrietta. They are called Production Reds. They eat bugs, which is a not cool thing to do, but they seem to like it.

After feeding and egg-gathering, I got to take a ride in the pickup and we went to a feed store. I think feed stores have the most marvelous smells in the world. We got a surprise on this trip, too. We brought home baby chicks!

We bought guineas for tick control, and bantams just because we like little chickens with feathers on their legs. See that cheeky fellow front and center. Is that a little roo, or what? He looks like trouble to me!
~Tell

A Little More Wiry Today

2008-05-22T16:54:00.000-07:00

If you read my last post, you know how much I love to escape from the yard and run free. It's hard to resist all those tantilizing new smells that come along in the springtime. I get excited just thinking about it. Actually, I've escaped four times in the past three days and I'm loving every minute of it!

Mom says it's not a safe thing to do, even though we live in the country. My Boy says that if a car doesn't run over me on the road, a coyote or a Sasquatch will get me. I'm pretty sure I can outrun them all, so I'm not worried. My Family is not very happy with my newfound freedom, though. Mom is frustrated and at her wit's end, and My Boy is worried. But hey, I'm a dog and gotta have fun!

My newest method of escape saves me lots of time and energy better spent on exploring. I run at the fence, jump and ollie over. It only takes an instant. Nothing can stop me now. Glynn and Cap can't do it, so I'm pretty much on my own then. I don't mind, though. Once I'm over the fence, I've got it made.

That is, until today. Mom and My Boy spent some time reinforcing the fence. I watched as they attached a wire to the top all the way around and hooked it to a box. One skinny little wire. Do they think that's gonna hold me back? Don't think so. Not a chance. I'm much too good for that. If it won't hold water, it won't hold me, I say.

I waited until they went back in the house, then I made a dash for the fence. Up, up, up and...

SNAP!!!

I can't actually say what happened, because it was all so fast. My nose tingled all the way to my toes, and I forgot what I was doing for a second. My hair may be a little more wiry than before, too. I believe I will have to sit back and study this little wire and think about it before I try it again. Wouldn't want to mess up my brain cells or anything like that. I think it did affect my hearing, because I thought I heard Cap laughing.

So if anyone is looking for me, I'll be digging under the maple tree. I don't think trees have been known to snap pups on the nose, have they?
~Tell

I Regret Nothing

2008-05-15T16:36:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, I love to dig. It's good exercise, it aerates the dirt, and improves the general landscape of the yard. It's one of my favorite pastimes. Cap says I will dig a hole to China. Someday I will test that theory. I just enjoy the smell of dirt and feel of it under my toes.

Today I was digging over by the edge of the yard, and I must say I had quite an impressive trench going. Suddenly, my head popped up on the other side of the fence. It only took a second for me to realize I had engineered my own escape tunnel, and I was good to go. With a wiggle and a twist, I was outa there!

First I checked out the barn for vermin. Apparently the cats keep the mice away, so I treed all the cats. I then inspected the chicken pen. Good sturdy fence there, so no fox in the henhouse on my watch. Leo and Cedric were too busy munching grass to play, so I moved on from the goats' area. I patrolled the entire farm, which drove Glynn bonkers. She wanted to come with me so much, but all she and Cap could do was watch from the yard.

As I checked out the lower meadow, I found the most wonderful, intoxicating and rancid thing to roll in. I'm telling ya, this was really ripe! I spent some quality time roaching it in real good. Then I went to the creek for a drink and had fun bobbing for fish. I returned to the smelly spot to roll some more in case I had washed some eau de rotten off while I was wading in the water. I marked the spot in case I want to visit it again.

Finally, I heard a pickup in the driveway. It was Mom coming home from work. When she saw me, she stopped, honked the horn and opened the door. Well, you don't have to invite me twice to go riding in the pickup. I hopped right up into her lap and gave her a big nuzzle hello.

Oh-wet-stinky-dog-rotten-bad-gag-gag-gag...I heard all the way to the house. At least Glynn appreciated my new smell. Cap just muttered something about young whippersnappers and shook his head. Mom hooked one finger in my collar and crab-walked me at arm's length straight to the bathtub. What? Another bath so soon? But it's not Saturday yet...

Oh well, it was totally worth it!

~Tell

It's Raining Cats and Dogs

2008-05-08T16:42:00.000-07:00

It's been raining hard for three days, and we even had some tornado warnings yesterday. Things are getting a bit soggy underfoot. The flagstone patio is holding puddles of water, and big drops of rain are falling from the trees. Here's a picture of the Deep Fork River near our farm. It's running over the banks again and flooding for miles. Fortunately our house isn't in any danger, but can you imagine living next to this? Pretty muddy, but good for fishing.

My Boy says it's been raining cats and dogs. Well, I don't know about that as I haven't seen any cats or dogs falling from the sky. I think he's making that part up, but wouldn't it be funny to see big German Shepherds, little fluffy pooches, calicos and tabbies all falling tip over teakettle and landing with a splash? Okies sure have a funny way of talking.

When I looked this expression up, here's what I found:

It's Raining Cats and Dogs
Meaning: A torrential downpour.

Origins: Several theories exist about the origins of this phrase. One from the seventeenth century England suggests that heavy rains caused flooding and, sadly, carried the floating bodies of dead dogs and cats along the streets. Not sure I really like this explanation, I can tell you. Some others suggested that dogs and cats who happened to be on the roofs of houses would fall through the wet thatch. Silly idea, why would a dog be on a roof? Cats, yes, but dogs? Another theory links this expression to mythology and superstition. It was believed cats had influence over weather. Perhaps this connection came from a belief that witches, who rode the wind, sometimes took the form of cats. Dogs were attendants of Odin, the storm god, so sailors used to associate dogs with storms.

Here are some other funny dog expressions we hear around these parts...

The Hair of the Dog That Bit You -- A pick-me-up alcoholic beverage you down in the morning after an indulgent night of drinking.

Go to the Dogs -- To fall into disrepair, or to otherwise deteriorate in quality.

Barking Up the Wrong Tree -- To be off course, or to search for something in the wrong place. Cap does this alot when he forgets where he left his squeakie.

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie -- It's best to leave well enough alone.

The Dog Days of Summer -- The hottest time of the year, usually July through August hereabouts.

I'm sure there are other doggy expressions, but these are the first ones I thought of, and we hear them alot here in Oklahoma. What expressions do you hear in your part of the world?
~Tell

What Celebrity and I?

2008-04-30T15:05:00.001-07:00

After reading about Gus and his likeness to Al Gore, I had to check out Dogster's Celebrity Quiz and see what famous person I most closely resemble. Sean Connery? James Dean? Hugh Jackman? At first I was shocked to see the answer. Then after I thought about it, yeah, there's a lot of Johnny Knoxville in me! Here's what it had to say...

The kind of pet that can leap tall fences in a single bound (or not, but give it a shot anyhow), William Tell is the original jack%$#, Johnny Knoxville!

Going through the pain so you don't have to, William Tell knows that he trots a fine line between funny and stupid, but he doesn't care -- he's laughing about it all the way to the pet store. His over-the-top antics make you grimace with fear and you often find it hard to believe that he actually enjoys playing the class clown. But William Tell laps it up and continues to defy the odds, despite your warnings and concerns. Other males in the pack tend to be a little jealous of William Tell, but the females find him simply dreamy. A die-hard good ol' boy, William Tell is more of a General Lee type than a Knight Rider, but give him enough time to think things through and he's sure to find a way to wreck both vehicles at the same time.

I always knew I had some star quality in me!
~Tell

I Was a Bad Dog Today

2008-04-29T09:43:00.000-07:00

It seems that I've done it again, and I'm being kept on a pretty short leash these days. Who knew cats didn't like to play tug-of-war? I never got that memo. Can't even blame this one on Cap, he was getting a bath at the time.

Detailing the rooster was one thing, but I got a finger shook at me and I was told, "No de-squeaking!" Sheesh! Can't a terrier have a little fun? Apparently not, if it involves Mom's favorite barn cats, who by the way, does NOT have a squeaker. Trust me.

In the doghouse again,

~Tell

Just Truckin'

2008-04-22T11:14:00.000-07:00

While cruising around town running errands, we saw something very unusual on the highway. Of course, we had to stop and take a closer look. Here's something you don't see every day. Can you guess what it is?

We asked and found out it was a convoy of airplane wings! We saw four of them being moved by big trucks. And where are the rest of the planes? We dunno, but we figure they'll join up together soon. Kinda like when My Boy builds his model planes, only on a bigger scale. You can be sure we'll be watching for more pieces of aircraft on this stretch of highway.

This group traveling together made me wonder what it would be like to travel in a big rig, hauling cool things around the country and seeing all the sights. Living on the road like that, there's no telling what we might run across. Or over, depends on who's driving. I think I might make a good long-haul companion. Might even see me on that TV show called Trick My Truck. Can't you just see my big mug painted on the side of one of those? I'd be grinnin', for sure!

~Tell