Ava's Vet Trip & Game Of Fetch

This was Ava's first vet trip to the one I use. I prepped the passenger seat with a blanket, a leash connector to the seatbelt to keep her in the car and attached the leash, all before I brought her out to the FJ. As I connected her to the leash, she sat down and looked around as I closed the driver's door. I needed to go back inside and grab some paperwork. She never barked, never cried and didn't get feisty attempting to get away. She was sitting there calmly looking at me as I climbed into the passenger driver's seat. A friend of mine pointed out that mistake and I corrected it 11:20pm CT.

The Farmer's Dog Story

A little out of the normal format tonight because I have a story that I feel needs to get out so those readers with dogs will not go through what my friend's friend went through after her dog started eating the fresh food from The Farmer's Dog Company. 

[photo credit: mysubscriptionaddiction.com]

Perfect Weather For The Hounds & Dogs

Perfect weather today for the hounds, dogs and I. They played most of the morning while I rested horizontally most of the morning. Not sure why but I am dragging in the mornings any more. Coffee isn't helping so I will have to change to a different brand. Mowed the yard again, which happens about every four days this time of year. No plans tonight but watching a little of the Reds game. The scheduled starting pitcher drives me insane so I may be moving to a book or a movie soon after the game starts.

A Cold April Sunday

You can see what kind of day we had just by Watson's photo. The low 50s might have been their preferred temperature but not mine. I anxiously wait for next weekend where the highs will be back in the 80s. Now the hounds and puppy did not sleep most of the day like Walter did. Ava was the leader of the pack in playing outside. They chased each other all over the yard and inside, tugged on bones they didn't want to share, crawled on each other and watched the other next door neighbor mow their yard today. They are all sleeping in the computer room as I write this after their very active day.

Saturday Night Live

Saturday morning started off sunny but cold, around 40°. Normal morning routine. A trip to the grocery store gave Ava a chance to prove to me she was good on the loose with the other hounds and dog. She passed the test in flying colors. She continues to do well in her day to day living. Sunday will be interesting as I attempt to cut her nails for the first time ever. She has no problem letting me hold her feet or touch her pads so things should go well.

Friday Night Baseball

Friday Night Baseball on AppleTV but not the Reds game. I pick those up on Bally Sports Ohio every game. I don't like them but they started wearing the MLB "City Connect" uniforms on Friday home games. I cannot tell if the Reds are 'contenders' or 'pretenders'. It's early, three missing out of the starting lineup due to long term injuries. Hovering around .500 in a tough Central Division.

The Buffalo Horns

I was planning to buy Ava deer antlers because that is what the breeder said she liked. The store didn't have any but did have Buffalo Horns. It is sitting on top of her leg. Very popular where Henry thinks it is his and will let others know, he is serious about possession. Good day today. Severe storms in about an hour. The siren has been sounded, possibly as a test. Mowed all of the lawn today since it would rain tonight. IU spring football game was good to see on tv. I'm tired and cannot figure out what is wrong. I had to take breaks again mowing the yard and this spring is the first time I've every had to do that.

I'm In A Rut

For some reason in all this great weather, Walter and I rarely get out of the computer room. There the windows are open, a cool breeze keeps the ceiling fan off. He sleeps and I read the internet. I have not captured that annual spring cleaning feeling that I always get and end up doing a deep clean throughout the house. Why? Where's the energy?

Ava Showing Personality

Late start to the day due to low energy. Have the backyard mowed and the fence line trimmed in time for storms after 11pm supposedly. Even in the afternoon the grass was still wet down by it's roots and it has not rained in days. Ava is starting to show some personality now. She still looks like she is getting taller by the hour. Feel tired but it's been a good day.

Ava Growing By The Hour

She stands taller than Henry now. I don't have to bend down so far to pet her. She gallops at times when she runs inside or outside. She obeys "stop" for playing. She "come" when called. She turns to face me when she hears her name. She is going to be a good dog. But like a friend reminded me today with a photo ... months 4-24 might be terrible. LOL

The hounds and dogs may have felt the heat more than me because it never felt like it was 85° with the windows open and a good breeze flowing through the house.

Ava Starts Leading Activity

She is quiet. So far she only barks when she is playing. She will follow me but isn't clingy. She knows hand signals and a some commands. She has been here nine days and a great addition to the crew. Even Walter was back to normal this morning for the first time since she arrived and that was good to see.

Posting From Firefox

Comments are open and back to normal. My first test this morning for posting photos on the blog worked. I am doing this using Firefox instead of Safari. All I needed to do was clear History on Safari and it works there too. It was a great day yesterday and will be today with highs in the 80s. The hounds and dogs loved the time they spent outside. They were playing so hard that Ava ran into the computer room by herself panting for air. Henry followed her but never made it past the entry way as he laid on the hallway floor to cool off. I am repeating myself but she has been just a fantastic puppy to live with. Smart and learning commands. 

Watson Grooms Ava

I snapped off 13 photos of Watson grooming Ava around lunch time. With the rain unexpectedly returning there wasn't a lot of photos taken this morning. As you will see in the end, it has been a pretty relaxing day and the hounds and the dogs decided to call it a day today right after their lunch.

The Hounds Love Ava

I think Ava is growing by the hour. Again this morning she sprinted for her food bowl while Watson took his on the left side of the room. It was a cold and rainy day, much like the PNW days I experienced on Whidbey Island many years ago. Walter is becoming more active with photos below. The hounds love Ava and she loves them. She is such an easy puppy to live with. [Comments have to be moderated for a short time. Blog hit by spammers. Just post your comment once, you won't see it post because I will have to approve it before it is seen. Thanks]

Ava Likes The Rain

In 1975 while in college I bought a Basset Hound/German Shepherd mix named Gretchen. A local rescue agency interviewed my wife and I in depth before they showed us only certain sized dogs. We lived in an apartment at that time, thus the mid-size dog was offered. With an all day light rain I found out that Ava does not mind the rain although it was a light rain. All three didn't mind it and Walter even went out after his lunch. He is not pictured today since he has been hiding in the computer room sleeping his day away.

Today Was Too Quiet

With the nationwide eclipse excitement yesterday, it was a little too quiet today. Henry and Watson got into a fight while playing tug of war on a large rope bone but that was about all I heard today. Ava had another great day. It's hard to believe she is a little older than 11 weeks and has only been here since Friday night, not quite four days.

Eclipse Day 2024

The day did not start promising if we were going to be able to see the eclipse directly in its path. Fogged in until 9:30am, then it was bright and sunny. Yet seeing the dense fog I had to wonder a little if the local weathermen and women had made a miscalculation on sun visibility.

She Knows Her Name

First of all the photos are in reverse order, that is with me not sorting them before downloading. The tests I did before, three different ways made no difference, they were never in the correct order. Anyway this is Sunday's activities. From now on I will post a list of photos of the day at 6:30pm Central Time. 

She Had A Great Saturday

Besides beautiful weather at 56°, the lawn mowed and the Reds come from behind to win ... the puppy (still not named) had a great Saturday. Of course she is now getting use to a new yard, a new house, new dogs and hounds so it was to be expected but there were some surprises too.

Is Ava or Hilda Her Name????

Even with March moving at speed we haven't been doing to much more than the past months. Like many others, I have had a cough that is lingering but finally after weeks it is almost gone the past three days. (March 20) March Madness has started so I have spent some time in front of the tv watching a lot of college basketball games. Weather has been great but since it gets so cold at night, those higher daytime temps don't feel as warm. I started this post March 23rd ... I'll note the latest news down below. 

Weather Bouncing Everywhere

I don't have much for this post. Last week I am in cargo shorts and a sweatshirt when it was 76° and yesterday and today I felt bitter cold winds in the 30's. But that is typical weather for Indiana as a state. He hounds and dog anxiously await for the days of me doing yard work and they staying outside most of the day. It can't be too far away because most of the time it feels like Spring is here.

Heat Wave Over 33°

It was more of the same today only the starting temps were much warmer than Saturday morning. With the sunshine out, most of the snow was gone by days end. Watson found a new person to bay at. Opposite side of the yard and by the time I saw him, the neighbor two house down was just walking behind his woodworking shed. After some exploring all three came inside for their normal mid-morning naps.

Snow Melts Under 32°

The day started off at 19° and very very bright sunshine. It stayed that temperature for almost three hours before the heat wave hit mid afternoon where it rose to a high of 26°. The temps didn't bother the hounds and each time I let them out I practically had to drag them back inside. You can tell the hounds and the dog had a pretty good day today.

Good Weather Turns To Snow

Our weather continues to be above their historical averages the past couple of weeks. Still our routine of winter hasn't seemed to change. The hounds spend more time outside while Walter and I stay inside. I was thinking the other day "if you have the windows open it is warm enough to go on a bike ride" ... but I am lazy, very lazy this time of year. History repeats itself.

To Early To Say Winter Is Over???

Since I last posted we have experienced a little bit of everything. Good and bad weather, a head cold, temps that were single digits as highs then almost 60° a week later. All of us did a lot of sleeping, a little eating and recently more book reading. So really, not a lot going on. Everything is normal.

Unexpected Snow & Old Photos

After the 'heat wave' we had where it got up into the 20s, I knew we were headed for another cold spell but I didn't expect any snow. I was up late last night, let the hounds out for their last trip outside late and didn't see any snow. When I opened the patio door this morning a blast of freezing wind hit me head on and later I see this ... snow. Some old photos in this post.

Only Cold Outside Not Inside

First of all I know my weather the past few days and today is nothing like others are experiencing and I am very grateful for that. It's normal winter weather. It's been going on for as long as I can remember and in fact when I was growing up winters were much worse. (No, I did not have to walk to school in 4' of snow). 

Like most forecasts for where I live, whether winter or thunderstorms, or tornado warnings ... things never turn out as bad as predicted. So when I saw the forecast the other day I still prepared things for that but it's not as bad as they said it would be. 

I am not saying I am a fan of this kind of weather. In fact last night during a commercial of the NFL Playoff game I caught myself saying, "only a month and a half, 45 days, until March 1st". But who counts days until spring?

It has been a couple of weeks since my last post. Nothing is changed much since we don't do a lot during the winter months but stay inside and watch ballgames, read books, take naps and a movie or two fit in. Twitter (X) keeps me updated with all the news stuff and I must say I have enjoyed my return to Facebook.

8 Years Ago Today

Hard to believe it has been 8 years already, it seems just like yesterday. Since 1987 I have had a lot of basset hounds and love(d) all of them just as much as the other ones ... but Winston was special and putting him down 8 years ago today tore my heart out.

Needless to say, it took a long time for things to get back to normal for me. Now some people will say and have told me losing a dog means nothing to those hounds that are left in the house. I can only go on what I have seen over the years when I leave with one and they don't come back home, then how the hounds and dog that are left act or respond.

So maybe it is just me wanting them to feel the same way I do and actually they do not miss them or know what happens. But the photos in this next link about my day after, make it hard to believe that Sadie and Stella didn't feel something.

First Day Without Winston 

No matter what, it was and is the hardest part of hound or dog ownership but they are never forgotten. He loved riding in the truck, the VW van or anything that had wheels. He loved the field up north in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana. He liked taking naps under the sun and doing everything at his own pace.

You can also read about him from the page I posted at the top of the blog Winston's Story.

It is still a good day in 'the topics' of Southern Indiana today ... Walter, Watson and Henry will see to that. 

Hounds Dog & I Survive New Year's

I got the new wireless Harman Kardon speaker to work, but not through the tv. I used an app on my phone to listen to a ballgame the other night and used the speaker paired with the phone. Works very well. Since the hounds and dog are out of the puppy chewing stage I am going to replace my coffee table and end table where they (I think Walter) chewed the corners bad enough I am not sure I personally can repair them. As you will see, we didn't do much on New Year's Eve but we were up past midnight this year ... I didn't say awake, just up.