Crazy Weather

Since December this years weather has been nothing but strange, crazy, and wild. Since the Z4 was put away for the winter 'dirty' I didn't put it under it's car cover this year. I woke up to this picture today and could barely see some small snow flakes falling. April 16 ?? I can't do anything but laugh about it. I have a washer update later in the post.

As always even a trace of snow energizes the hounds. About the time I clicked my first photo of them they both took off running way ahead of me. Even Stella was trotting a little faster than normal.

Either deer, rabbits or other night animals were really active last night because both hounds had noses to the ground and tails curled upward. They were intense in their exploration.

They went far enough into the thick brush, with new thorns, that I had to call and tell them to 'get out here' ... they knew what that meant.

About the same time I almost caught up with them, they took off sprinting around the corner and moved to their next favorite spot.

They repeated that again as I came close to them ... running far ahead of me.

Sadie of course looked back to check on me, making sure I was still upright and had a pulse. She never wants me to get too far behind.

What was the scent they were going crazy over, running in different directions that the camera could not even pick up.

When their ears aren't lying down and Stella is moving faster than a slow walk ... you know the scent is strong.

With new growth sprouting in the bushes that brings new sharp thorns. There were enough of them that Stella got hung up for a minute or so until she figured out how to set herself free.

Then once again took off running away from me.

They followed that idea all the way back to the house.

The more I thought about my washer situation last night with both the washer and dryer sitting outside their normal space, I decided even with that one water hose connected I could still lean the washer over toward it's side so I could look underneath ... I was surprised what I found and it made the water mystery even more confusing.

I knew the floor under the washer did not seem wet enough that would match the amount of water I found on my kitchen floor. But I knew the water had to come from there because of how saturated that dry towel got when I set it in front of the washer while doing my two small loads on Saturday.

I expected the floor to be really wet and possibly some standing water but there wasn't either of that. My next surprise is what I found inside the washer by looking from the bottom of it. I didn't see any signs of water, leaking hoses, or water trapped in the small 1/4" wide trap around the edge. All I found was dust and cobwebs. That's a good thing ... yet confusing.

With my bright LED camping flashlight I was able to see quite clearly from bottom to the top on all four sides. I didn't see a water stain anywhere. So I decided to put it and the dryer back in their normal spots and do more thinking.

By last night I had already ruled out buying used. There are only two reasons someone is selling a used washer and dryer ... it's either a money pit with problems or they have upgraded and bought one newer and more expensive. I don't like taking a chance on stuff like that.

I also know due to my DNA that I could never handle a new washer sitting next to my 38 year old dryer that works. It would drive me insane having them different. That's just the way I am. So on my way to buy groceries right after this post, I am going to stop by the local laundromat and see what the cost is, does it use debit cards or quarters, and what kind of vibe I get about the place. After all if I was a full time traveler like I wanted to be a few years ago, I'd have to use laundromats to wash clothes.

In the meantime I have gone back to 'layered clothing' for today but it will be high 50's and then 60's after tomorrow. I am saying it again ... the last day of freezing weather.

Thanks for the comments in the previous post on ideas on replacing a broke washer ... but is it really??? Testing tonight or tomorrow to see what happens.

Light snow disappearing from the grass here in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.

The Snow Has Arrived

As predicted it started snowing mid-afternoon. It is coming down pretty hard and should have no problem having the 1-3". In the meantime the bloodhounds left Heidi back on the couch as they inspected the field. They are declaring it a 'white Christmas'.

Stella Felt Good This Morning

The hounds were energized as soon as their paws hit the door step this morning when I opened the door for the first time this morning. During the time I was pouring out kibble, they normally go out into the field, dump their tanks and are standing by the door waiting to get inside to eat by the time I am finished. But not today ....

When I didn't see anyone but Heidi standing at the door, I glanced out different windows and caught Stella sprinting ... sprinting ... in front of the carport chasing Sadie around the house. By the time I got outside to get them, they were on their 2nd lap at least, probably more.

The house rule has always been, "no hounds allowed in the front yard" due to the chance of chasing an animal across the highway or seeing anything of interest near the road. Yet once they saw me they knew it was time for breakfast.

So it didn't take me long this morning that I could tell that the hounds were about ready to release any 'cabin fever' they had over the weekend where frigid temps kept us inside a lot. Stella had no interest in hanging back today as she was following Sadie up to the first corner of the walk. She broke out to the middle of the field while Sadie was hot on a trail on the edge of the gully and heading for the far right corner.

By the pace of the hounds, you would almost think that deer had been here just hours before. I have no idea about when or how deer migrate through the field or gully. I'm not a hunter so if they don't have a batting average or a yards per carry stat, then I don't know much about them.

The beautiful day here in 'the tropics' got an early start this morning. The sky was looking great as we walked along the path. I had also figured out this morning why all of us seem to be starting our days earlier, the hounds wanting to walk earlier and eating earlier ... all of us are still on Daylight Savings Time.

The camera didn't catch Sadie's movements around this corner because I was walking but she kept going back and forth around that corner, not ten feet in distance. I knew that once she was finally finished she would sprint toward me to catch up.

She was so intense in what her nose had found, I thought a few times that she was going to charge through the dead ragweed down into the gully.

I turned around just in time to catch her sprinting toward me to catch up.

This might be one of my best 'bloodhound ears' photos ... I might have to start a page at the top or a link where there is a folder of nothing but photos of basset hound and bloodhound ears 'in action'.

The books I have read about dogs and bloodhounds over the years, tells me that when they are searching like this and even eating stuff we don't want to see or want them to ... it's all part of them identifying who, when and what have been in that area.

With no wind this morning it was cold but felt warm ... if that makes any sense.

It's interesting to see that what the AKC calls a 'red' bloodhound matches the light brown or tan color of dormant hay.

As I walked toward home I called Stella and she actually started walking our direction to join us back on the path. That was a pleasant surprise and a definite change for the past month or so. Maybe she is starting a new routine.

Just because we are in the field near our house and the neighbor's, doesn't mean they stop tracking scent in the field. They do this all the way to the backyard and even sometimes in the backyard depending what they find.

The field is not bad to walk through since it wasn't cut and baled a second time last fall.

Just because I want to get inside and we are close to the house doesn't mean they want to. This is a common reaction to me saying "come on" ... it really is normal bloodhound obedience that is noted in their AKC write-ups and something every bloodhound owner knows before they decide to have their lives changed.

Juuussssttttt one more thing to check out.

But no problems to Stella. It's a new week, she'll sleep beside my desk chair while I write this post and will not be really active until she is ready to eat lunch. At that time, if I happen to be late, she will start howling ... LOL

Our weather in 'the tropics' at this time is normal for this time of year.