The Sun Is Out & The Hounds Are Back

It was great to wake up to sunny skies, birds singing outside loud enough to hear around some long distance heavy equipment operating over at the landscaping business. I know it's been a few days since our last post but believe me, with off and on rain, overcast skies and two bloodhounds that didn't want to go further than the edge of the carport ... there wasn't a lot to blog about.

There have been some changes though and some of you have noticed just from last night.

I went ahead and changed the domain name of this blog back to the original blogger url when I set up the blog in October 2011. From what the traffic reports were showing last night, it looked like most if not all regular readers and those that found my blog by searching for 'lil snoozy trailers', had visited and saw the notice of the new domain name change. I may have missed a few but I don't think there are many.

Since I am always a patient person (j/k), I deleted the old .com domain last night instead of waiting until Friday - then went to my GoDaddy account and not only deleted the domain name there but also my GoDaddy account. Why all the change? It must be one of those periods I go through from time to time where I don't care about the $12 per year for a domain renewal but I hate paying the $144 per year to do it. Like a friend told me in January ... "why pay for a domain if it is not producing income" ... good point.

So it's final, I have no more urls to move to.

The rains were pretty consistent for the past few days. About the time you thought you saw some sunshine trying to poke through the clouds, a light rain would start. The hounds were not happy and by Monday had a severe case of 'cabin fever'.

Not only did the domain name change since our last real post on the 10th of March but so have the hounds. Changes that I am not real happy about but I am thrilled with Heidi's change.

For some reason 3 or 4 days ago, the hounds quit walking directly out into the field like they have done for years ... yes, years. Straight out from the house and linger in the field exploring as much as they wanted. "Free range" so to speak. Well for some reason the other day they made a turn left and headed to the north side of the yard.

Now that I think about it, it was rainy that morning so they were both staying under the roof overhang walking along the side of the house. Plus around the new area I cleared last week, both were very interested in what had been walking in that area. I don't mind them walking in that area but what Stella did a few days ago changed everything. She is now on "double secret probation".

It was the normal routine ... dogs out while I am inside making coffee. I walk into my computer room to turn on the computer and glance out the window to check on the hounds. Sadie is sitting in the field stiff as a board, like a statue, facing the house. I had seen that look from her before but never more than one or two times in her 7-1/2 years.

I knew something was wrong.

Without taking the camera with me I sprinted outside because I was pretty sure I already knew what was going on. Stella had ran off. I could tell with Sadie not moving even as I approached her that she was giving me the look of "someone is in big trouble". While glancing over the north field where the hounds never go and yelling Stella's name ... she is no where to be found.

I look back along the bush line along the path that we take for the daily walk ... I don't see her anywhere. I am not in the state of panic yet but I am beginning to think the worse. High speed highways are never nice to hounds that are loose, nor any other breed of dog.

About the time that I turn to head to the house, grab the keys to the FJ to go find her .. my glance barely catches a red color bloodhound down inside the deep drainage ditch that runs along the edge of the north field and my neighbor's yard. It is deep enough that in some parts of that ditch she would not have been seen.

Luckily as I yelled her name ... Stella jumped out of the ditch and came sprinting to me. Sadie met her nose to nose, tails wagging to let her know "never do that again".

I was thrilled to say the least that the worst had not happened. I definitely didn't want to see her laying in the highway when I looked that direction. So the problem now ... both hounds continue to make that immediate left as they hit the yard and I cannot let Stella out on her own. The 80' tethered rope that is anchored in the field is back in operation temporarily and Stella is connected to that anytime the hounds want to go out and enjoy the yard. That has been rare since it's been raining most of the time.

Stella looking back to see if I am watching her.

Stella checking a 2nd time to see if I am watching her or can she make an escape and head north and back to that ditch.

Stella is never happy when I call her to come to the house, she would love to get back to that drainage ditch she found. The good news is, although they are both stubborn at times, they do come when their name is called ... but at THEIR pace.

From all the rain you can see that one part of the yard's grass has grown exponentially over the past few days. Once it dries out this afternoon I am going to mow just that small section. The grass is taller than any other part of the yard. It was a section that Winston used all winter when he dumped his tanks. Good fertilizer.

Heidi has improved taking the supplement the vet gave me on her last vet visit a week and a half ago. It was something called Herma A Spike. I won't say that her energy level is up because that had already improved but it feels like and looks like she has gained some muscle around those bones that were showing. Also on her rear paws, hair is replacing the bare skin and is becoming thicker. She is also still eating dog food with grains included. I'll post more about that later, with her own post and hopefully some photos.

It's good to be back blogging here in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.