The Hounds Hide From The Heat

Sitting here during a rain delay in the Reds game tonight, so I thought I'd pull some photos from the first half of today. It was a busy Saturday but the hounds didn't mind because they really like sleeping all day in air conditioned rooms. It was a 'scorcher' by 9:30am, so I knew we would not be doing much. If they moved at all it was just from room to room, do their different favorite sleeping spots.

Stella took a little while to decide if a walk was needed this morning. About the time I was about to take a step into the field she cut me off, stepped on my foot and jumped in front of me on the path. Just long enough to veer left to pee. She then headed back to the path way ahead of me to join Sadie. I don't want to read too much into that. She was just making a normal bloodhound move ... I think.

Sadie was sure she had cornered a rabbit. No barking (she never barks), and didn't go into the woods but she was positive that she had ran the rabbit out of 'her' field into the woods. I checked the right side of her first thing this morning before, running my hands over both lower sides of her.

There still is a slight lump on her right side. It is just like yesterday. It is not rock hard and it is not squishy as if there is fluid. It feels like muscle if anything. I still know it's not normal so I will continue to keep an eye out for any changes.

I wasn't sure what I was going to do today. The more I read about TVs, the more I felt I didn't need one. I am getting most of my reviews from online searches. Most of these sites are not selling any kind of TV, most likely have affiliate links built into the reviews and like anything else ... everyone has different opinions, different lab test results and different recommendations.

I was set to start more reading about the differences of HDTV and 4K UHD TV, when I had an article drop into my Feedly account this morning about using your DSL camera correctly. That gave me some information to look at again and maybe fine tune some things. Plus I could double check some camera settings. Just like the TV reviews, each has their own ideas and experiences in the camera field.

I did find a good website that explained a few things that potential buyers don't consider when buying a new TV. One of those factors is how far do you sit from the TV screen. Based on my distance of 7'8", I did not need any screen bigger than a 55".

Based on their testing the human eye would not be able to see the difference between a HD TV and a 4KUHD TV at certain distances compared to the screen size of the TV. Depending if you spent most of your TV time watching prime time shows, movies, sports, Netflix, or different apps ... that would also be a factor in what TV you should buy.

What happen to just buying a TV, plugging in your satellite or cable box, maybe your stereo or surround speakers and a DVD player then turning it on?? One TV fits all. So I stored that idea away for later research.

When I bought my TV in 2010 it was one of the largest screens available but it also fit in the back of my Toyota Corolla with the seats folded down. The HD market had forced me to upgrade because the TV shows were no longer matching up with my Sony SD TV. It turned out to be 46" and still continues to do a good job. I decided to continue my research but like anything I buy, I was going to set a limit on how much I would spend ... IF I bought something new.

There are so many 'behind the scenes' electrical functions that go on now it is simply hard to find one TV that does all those well. Every TV has specs that are pretty close with their competitors and each of them has something you would want the other to have. I guess that is just like anything else electrical from smart phones, tablets, computers, laptops etc.

Sadie still shows no sign of pain, discomfort, lack of energy, or appetite with her small lump. Even in the hot morning she could have ran all day if I had let her.

Stella was moving right along with Sadie this morning. I used very little verbal herding to help her complete the walk. I think they are slow until I remember the days of Winston lagging behind with legs not 4" tall and a pace slower than Stella. Like Sadie, his nose would always lead him off the path and making the walk longer.

I could tell by the end of the walk Stella was getting hot, because I was hot. Plus her jowls were hanging down more than normal. We didn't have too far to go before we could stand in the shade under the Mahogany trees in the backyard.

This is the sign that Sadie not only had a great walk but got some of her aerobic exercise in when she wanted to.

We stepped outside about the regular time after lunch. Heidi practically refused to come outside. She made a direct right hand turn to the front yard one step out the door and by the time I was finished talking photos of the bloodhounds, Heidi was standing next to the door to go inside. She is a very smart basset hound.

Stella had already decided there was no way she was staying outside any longer than 5 minutes ... as did Sadie.

They both let me know ... I should head for the door and let them in.

By early evening were were getting some sprinkles of much needed rain but the real storms were passing about 70 miles south of us.

I almost forgot to tell you I saw a first last night, ever ... I found a tick on one of Heidi's pads on her food. The tick had not been there long, was not swollen but had attached. My 'tickedoff" tool pulled everything out. I would not have caught it if she had not stretched out on the couch to sleep during the game I was watching.

I check all the hounds after every walk or when they go outside, behind and inside their ears, their necks and between their shoulder blades. Those are all favorite places of the ticks. It has not been too bad this year for the hounds ... but I average 4-5 on my after the afternoon walk.

It was a good day here today in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.

Hot and Muggy Early

Stella continues her new routine ... walking north, scouting the middle of the field and then gradually walk over to our path trotting around the first corner. I'm fine with that as long as I don't have to walk her direction to get her. I could feel the heat last night at 11pm with the bedroom windows open, trying to sleep. This morning as we started our walk after 9:30am, the humidity was already thick.

Sadie did her normal start, following the deer path. I started my normal walk by thinking what would I be doing today. I've decided I need to make a grocery run at Walmart.

I didn't sleep well last night, tossing and turning. My guess it took me almost 2 hours to get to sleep, sometime after midnight. I felt tired this morning before coffee. Breakfast was three soft eggs and coffee.

I'm not sure what is going on with my camera. I am not getting the 'sharp' focus like I should be. I hope my lens is working properly since I really don't want to buy a new lens. I might try the old Nikon 70-200mm this afternoon as a test. Although that lens is broke and will not focus higher than 70mm.

Slowly but surely Stella is making her way toward us. I did not adjust this photo ... notice how the house is crooked? The 2nd picture shows the trees are straight though so maybe I am getting some last second shakes at the time I press the shutter.

She followed the wide path made by the ATV ... at least she is headed in the right direction.

It's good to see her trotting every day.

Both hounds sprinting to deer scat. I was told by Dennis last night that it has molasses in it, it tastes sweet to the hounds. No wonder they are addicted to it ... it's like candy to them, just like I guessed a few months ago.

I continue to walk as always. Stella and Sadie have found their 'morning treat'.

I never saw the truck and trailer, I didn't hear a truck and trailer ... but sometime after 4pm last night they moved the rolls of hay. What was strange I didn't see any truck or trailer tire tracks through the field back to Jim's driveway. I wonder if they will be mowing the field soon? They did last year the last week of September.

At first I thought this was a creepy crawler but as I looked at the picture it was a dead bloom ... but then I see a smaller creepy crawler in the picture.

This roll of hay was busted they day they wrapped it. They would have lost that on the highway going back to their farm, which I think is a good 10-15 miles north of us. They moved it into the wooded area of the field. I wonder if anything will use that hay for winter food. Do deer eat hay?  I don't know.

I've made the final turn of the walk and the hounds are more than content ... they did not come when I called them. I had to walk over and pull Stella by the collar back to the path ... she was very very stubborn today.

It was slow but they finally headed home.

I updated the iPhone to OS11. I am not sure what all of the improvements are but I swear they did something to the camera and also the quality of the photos. I took this next photo with the iPhone yesterday.

Taken after I mowed the yard. This has been a good ball cap. I wonder how many other people wear a SacState ball cap east of the California state line?

The hurricane this week wiped out the electric grid in Puerto Rico. They estimate that no on will have  power for the next two to three months. The worst hurricane ever for them. Also on top of a terrible economy the past 11 years. That country is almost destroyed now.

With all the hurricanes it will be interesting to see how much my house insurance increases in May 2018.

Last night after talking to Dennis in Alamogordo NM, I looked at his house that he wants to sell for what he owes. But as I looked around the town again at house for sale ... I no longer want to live there ... too much sand, not enough grass.

Another great day here in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.

We Continue To Hibernate

With the "Feels Like" temp above 90° before noon again today, our plans will not be any different from the past week. We do anything we need outside before 9:30am and our 2nd walk of the day occurs after 6pm. All the hounds agree with that while Heidi refuses to leave the air conditioning inside the house.

The way Stella took off running this morning you would have thought she would be leading the walk this morning but that wasn't the case. In fact after that sudden burst of energy in the first picture, she had barely moved by the time Sadie and I got back. Sadie was in the search mode this morning lagging way behind. She had to run half of the walk to catch up to me.

Stella is barely in the field just behind the house.

Sadie finishing her long run from the middle of the lower field to me back by the rolls of hay. She snuck up on me and I wasn't able to catch her running on camera.

Once she heard the mention Stella's name, she started looking for her but Stella was even out of view of the 200mm zoom lens.

During the walk I saw only two butterflies. A lot of their food source has dried up and died this past week. There are a few Butterfly Milkweed flowers still available.

I cut the last of the walk short when I saw where Stella was and started walking directly toward her. It was in line with my north property line pole. She did move as I walked passed her as if to follow me. When I didn't sense any hounds behind me I turned to see they were no longer moving. It was too hot by now to stand and wait so I had to go after both of them to get them to move.

Surviving the hot temps by spending most of their time in the shade of the Mahogany trees.

I spent some time at my local lake yesterday. The few camp sites they have were empty but well manicured and clean. Their RV lot was full but as I drove through the lot I didn't hear a lot, if any, generators or ACs running. I wonder how many are using their spot to store their trailers or RVs instead of camping?

I left the phone and camera in the FJ, rented a canoe for $10 and headed out for a couple of hours of exploration. It wasn't windy but there was a strong breeze to keep the hot temps off of me. It's nice having a lake nearby with easy access and it's never crowded.

The hounds will sleep off their afternoon inside the cool (almost cold) rooms.

Not much to report on here in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.