November 16, 2025

Changes Instead Of Quitting

 

Over the 14 years I have had this blog there have been a few times I wanted to quit. Yet two things keep me going. (1) I like to write, even ramble at times but those times have been fewer since last November. (2) Readers still enjoy seeing the hounds and dogs.

October 30, 2025

Rainy And Cold

It's cold this morning at 8:46am ... 44° but at least the sunshine is bright after three days of rain. I can tell by this first photo that the 40+ photos did not post in the order I took them, nor in the order I uploaded them. So the stories might jump around a bit and seem out of order as you look and/or read. 

My friend sent me a photo of the pizza she had made over the weekend. Can you believe that pizza crust is made out of shredded chicken. She sent me the recipe from a keto chef on Instagram.

October 03, 2025

Hounds And Dogs Move Into Fall


It has been a nice transition from those high 90's temps day after day into low 80s with it in the 50s at night. The AC has been turned off for weeks and the windows have been open 24/7. Not only have I enjoyed the change in weather but so have the hounds and dogs. Basically we are living a life of leisure the past month or so.

August 31, 2025

It's Been A Busy Month

I thought while I was taking a break between tasks on my constantly changing "daily" to do list, I'd catch everyone up on what I've been doing as well as a lot of photos of the hounds and the dogs. Yes, Walter made an appearance outside today, it is that nice of a day.

August 07, 2025

The Hounds And Dogs Return

I continue to check off things on my house "to do" list but also have time to take photos of the hounds and dogs over the past few days. I've been asked "how do you handle so many dogs" ... well I walk them individually except Walter, who will not walk. 

They basically take care of themselves during the day and are usually asleep for the night by 7:30pm every night. They play together, sleep and then surround me anytime I am sitting outside or lying in the middle of the bicycle room floor. We do that daily. Handling five of them is pretty easy actually. 

So, nothing but photos this post.

August 04, 2025

Hounds And Backyard Work

 

With the high temperatures dropping back down into the normal range of the low mid 80s, it has been nice working outside. It has been a battle this summer trying to keep some sort of grass in the backyard. My friend up north said she has never seen it like this and has the same issues I have here. With all the rain/heat/humidity it was the perfect storm for weeds and grass to grow out of control.  I spent Sunday pulling out the Plantain, almost filling a large 34 gallon trash bin full of it.

August 02, 2025

A Shocking 16 Days In June


I have decided to write about this personal experience of mine with hopes it might help someone out there in the universe that might read this or have a friend or family member send it to them to read. Maybe like me, they don't have symptoms of any heart issues but can feel something isn't right. I hope my story can lead them to getting checked out and possibly saving their life. 

August 01, 2025

Decisions Decisions AAAH !!!!

I'll warn you, not many photos, no photos of the hounds and dogs with very little information. This is just a short post to start the month of August and hopefully 30 days of cooler weather. That photo you see is a MLB field inside a NASCAR race track in Bristol TN. Not normal and not really a fan of this idea, but another money grab by MLB, where they have sold 75,000 or more tickets. Some seats are so far away that it will make baseball players look like little bugs running around. Game is on Monday Saturday night if interested, Reds vs the Braves. 

July 26, 2025

Adjusting My Eating Habits

This blog post is going to be quite different than the usual ones. NO photos of the hounds and dogs or the yard. In fact I have not taken any photos of the hounds and dogs since my last post on the 21st.

Why?

The hounds and dogs are hunkered down inside to escape the heat dome. Until late afternoon, they do not spend any time outside except what they need to clear their systems. Then they run back, all five of them, to the patio door. They drink all of there water inside, in the mud room.

This post is going to be more about my changing styles of eating and why. Not a diet but just adjusting things I am eating now compared to say, two months ago. Nothing dictated it, except me ... I feel best eating this way.

High protein, high fat, low carbs. Since I don't get enough protein most of the time, even eating a lot of beef, I like this Whey protein in an afternoon smoothie with blueberries and ice. I used this in recent years as a post-ride recovery shakes.

July 21, 2025

Ava Is Barely Saved From Euthanasia

It is hard to explain how things work out in life at times and in Ava's case it is almost mind blowing. In the early part of June she was snapping and nipping at my friend's ankles and feet as he tried sitting on the couch. The more he tried to get her to stop, the more aggressive she got. I yelled "Ava Crate" and off she went. Yet the sound of her barking was indescribable and shocking.

July 11, 2025

The Hounds And Dogs Stay Inside


The temperatures have stay above 90's most days this month. The next four days will be hotter than the last 10 days. So the hounds, dogs and I will not be doing much outside that is blog worthy. I did get the backyard, inside the fence mowed yesterday. Mower was set at its highest blade setting. I finished the hotter than hot afternoon with some ice cold hibiscus tea.

June 27, 2025

A Lot Has Happened In June



A lot has happened since my last post. I will not go into the details but simply those that need to know ... know. I wasn't sure I was even going to post on the blog this month but just in case, I added photos as the month progressed. They are in order as June went from the 1st to the 27th.

Honestly I do not know if I will continue to blog. I guess time will tell. All I know is that my body and mind are recalibrating and once that is finished things I was interested in before, I may not be interested in doing anymore. If so, there will not be a farewell blog post, this would be the last one.

May 31, 2025

Things Moving Smoothly


My friend tells me these are Tiger Lillies, but Grok tells me they are Daffodils, what I called them. I do know you cannot kill them. They grow back fast. The give the boring landscape in front some color.

May 21, 2025

One Beef Femur Bone Each

I stopped by the Old Fashioned Butcher Shoppe yesterday on my way home. I was looking for some boneless beef fat as a supplement for Cletus. It was suggested that might help putting some meat on those bones of his. He eats non-stop if I would let him, but doesn't gain the weight he needs.

This is a smaller bone size, one bone each for Ava and Walter. The other bones were slightly bigger cut and just the right size for Henry, Watson and Cletus. So far after 15 minutes there have been no fights nor are they wanting someone else's bone. Watson and Walter are here in the computer room with me chewing away, Cletus snuck to the bedroom, Ava ran for her crate with the bone in her mouth and Henry chose a sunny spot in the great room.

May 19, 2025

A Break Between Thunderstorms


Saturday morning around 4:25am Ava decided all of us should get up for some reason. Before I could swing myself around and have my legs over the side of the bed, she had all the hounds standing wagging tails to get out of the bedroom. Walter remained sound to sleep through the confusion. We sped out through the house and all of them headed outside in the dark. While they peed I took this photo.

May 17, 2025

Doctors Are Like Congress


It's too early for a Saturday morning when I start this, too early for any morning really, but when you can't sleep you start the day early. It's a cool 62°, windows open and the birds are singing outside. I am about to get up and grab that first cup of coffee. Not quite 5:15am.

There is going to be some Saturday morning rambling, so grab your favorite drink and read along if you wish.

May 15, 2025

I Did Delete The Last Post


The last post I made I got good feedback, useful information just like I wanted. Some bloggers can go in detail about personal health issues but I find it hard to do. The more times I read that post over the past few days the more I felt at least for me ... it was too much information and something I didn't want to leave out on the internet. So that is where the post and comments went ... I deleted it late last night. 

May 11, 2025

Great Weather In "The Tropics"


When it doesn't rain, the weather this month has been fantastic. The cover has not come off of the air conditioning unit yet and the windows stay open 24/7, although it is a little chilly when it drops in the 50's while we sleep. The patio door stays open most of the day and until we head for bed at night, so the hounds and dogs really enjoy getting out in this fantastic weather. No bugs yet and no squirrels inside the fence. LOL

May 02, 2025

A Squirrel Gets Into The House!!


It has been great weather since my last post. The ground was soft enough to pull weeds and spread 15 bags of mulch, 40# each .. it made me realize whether I want to admit it or not, I am getting older. Some new developments ... all the hounds and dogs like to be brushed every day, except Watson. All the hounds and dogs like their nails trimmed except Watson. I put a leash on Watson in the backyard the other day and he jumped at me on his hind legs ... not good for taking a walk.

April 08, 2025

A Lot Of Activity Since My Last Post


A lot of things have been going on since my last post 27 days ago. We have survived 3 different tornado warnings with "take shelter now" since then. Twice there were funnel clouds within the 5 mile radius of home. Yet I know unless my "weather dog" Walter shows anxiety we are good. He never did show any signs of anxiety during those tornado warnings, as we watched the local tv weather to keep updated on what was going on and where things were.