Heidi Surprises All Of Us

It was a great afternoon with the windows open, the hounds sleeping next to me on the couch while I started a couple of new books while watching the Reds win their third straight game. We are now a half game in front of the Cubs, who dwell in last place. :) As forecasted, the winds started picking up some steam as the day went on. Nothing major but you can see I have some new tree limbs to start my burn pile scheduled to burn this November 2019.

I could barely stand up straight while I took the photo of Stella checking out the strong winds from the SW. I wasn't sure what her plans were but it was past 4pm and I needed to take our second walk of the day. She was probaby smellig those three trucks worth of fertilizer across the highway. I admit the smell has been pretty strong. It's just part of living in a rural area.

If you would have seen Heidi at 4:15pm you would have thought there was no way she was getting outside this afternoon even with the temperature hitting 81°. She had not moved hardly at all during the ballgame that started at 12:30pm.


When she sat up staring out in front of her with eyes barely open, I asked "do you want to go outside and go for a walk?" ... she didn't bother to even look in my direction. All she did was slowly turning left, changed the side she was sleeping on. I thought the walk was cancelled for sure and went back to reading my book.

It only takes me getting up off the couch and do anything and I mean anything, in the kitchen ... both hounds will always wake from a deep sleep and come running. After all, the only reason I would be in the kitchen would be to get some food FOR THEM ... wouldn't it?

So they both let me know they were ready to head outside when I asked them. Heidi marched across the carport floor as if she had plans leading us on the walk today. That one large limb stopped her in her tracks, where she had to think not only how to get over or around it (she's not a problem solver), or even if a walk was possible.

I was about 10' in the field asking her or telling  her to "come on" .... she slowly turned just like she did on the couch and sat down. She would enjoy the temps while Stella and I were gone but she wasn't in the mood to walk the half mile ... even at her pace.

She will usually trot out toward me and Stella to welcome us back but with all the new grass, weeds and wild flowers growing in the yard she had a few places she needed her nose to check out.

Stella was claiming no guilt to the new strip of dried bloodhound drool that my newly washed car caught sometime in the past 24 hours. It was the type of drool that flies through the air when she shakes her head.

I guess it is better to see it on the rear corner of the car instead of spread out on my 55" tv screen.  :)

With my short run to the recycling center this morning I was able to stop by the library to turn in the two books I checked out last week and see what they had on their autobiography shelf and their 'new' section.

Victor Davis Hanson is not a Trump insider, past WH employee, in congress nor anywhere near the political scene. He did not work for Trump in any way nor has he ever met him and has no plans to. He was raised in a Democratic family, still lives in the same house he was raised in, Central California and still farms ... he has written many books but the one I picked up today was The Case For Trump.

It's hard to put down and I'll return to reading it as soon as I finish this blog post that will be scheduled to post early tonight. Take a look at it online, I think you will find it interesting to read ... both fans and haters.

There were FOUR new books about diets, food, and scientific proof on what I should eat, in the "new section" and I brought home Eat To Beat Disease by William Li, MD. I'll not go into detail but I compared my shopping list and what I have been eating to his lists (he has more than one) of foods he recommends.

What I found strange, bananas and avocados were not listed in his book nor found in the index in back. Hmmmmm.

It was good to see that what I have been eating overall is all on his lists of good food. He also states that you can tie in his information to any kind of diet you might be doing or any kind of diet prescribed by a doctor for any specific diseases you might have. You do not have to give up those good food diets to do his recommendations.

Chewy told me they were going to file a complaint with FedEx based on my feedback on their website for my last two out of three screwed up shipments. I received an email last night (the 10th) they had shipped my GlycoFlex Plus supplement for Stella ... I received it TODAY !!!!! Just like they use to do. My shipments in January and March took between five to seven days to arrive after I got the first notice it had shipped.

I'll go back to their website right after I finish this post and leave great feedback.

So another day in the books, marked as a success. No injuries, no falls, hounds are healthy and wise, well rested and I have not had any crushing urges for junk food. Yet .... we do have our annual TICK attack. As with any warm weather in the spring the ticks are out in force and of course they like me more than they like the hounds.

One thing good about wearing shorts while walking in the field (never recommended) ... I could see all 8 of them as they walk on my legs and before they could attach themselves. I checked both hounds, inside their ears, in their armpits and everywhere else .... ZERO found. I won the tick game today 8-0 ... the Reds won 5-0.

A few years ago on my blog on Blogger, I added a little square in the upper corner of the blog with my name and the hounds names listed individually for our "tick counter" ... over 120 total tics in April of that year and I won the contest by a landslide. It was tempting to join them as they chewed their NexGuard chews that year. I passed on that option.

Thunderstorms tomorrow but I already have an idea for my blog post on Friday ... I'll have to dig up some photos but I think you will enjoy them. New readers, those since December, will see what I meant when I mentioned Sadie and Stella in this morning's post.

Another very very nice day here in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.

A Quiet Holiday Monday

Since retirement I rarely look at a calendar anymore while I use the 'Reminders' program that came with my Apple phone and synchronizes to my computers. At times I also forget what day it is but I knew today was Monday but I did not know why the traffic on the highway in front of the house was so light. I found out it's a holiday with a lot of government workers having the day off. Farmers don't have days off, especially this time of year.

Stella wasn't sure what to make of the sound from the combine. She wasn't going to run toward the road but was a little curious what that weird sound was coming down the highway. She will also show interest in loud motorcycles and pickup trucks that pass by ... as if they are part of her past in some way.

The morning walk started as they all do. Heidi in a deep sleep after her breakfast kibble and Stella adding some wet green grass to her diet. As you can see the ragweed is dying out fast only to leave those small brown burs that like to stick to my clothing and in Stella's hair if we get too close on the walks.

It will be interesting to see how much the leaves turn colors this week. By Wednesday the high temp of the day will be in the 60's and by next weekend or sooner the high temp of the day will be in the 50's. As I write this my AC system is running at 100% power ... hard to believe it will be that cold later this week.

The photos don't capture it but Stella likes to walk in front of me but only if she can walk as slow as possible. If I lag behind giving her room, she will slow her walk down even more. If I walk around her to get in front there are times she will walk on my heels. So we go back and forth trading who is in front for a lot of the walk.

I had to be very quick to get this photo of her behind me before she was moving right past me.

The mosquitoes continue to be thick on these walks. I am hoping they disappear with the high temps this Tuesday night while we sleep.

She glanced down in the gully that is overgrown but a place the deer use to run to. I am not sure they visit that area after last summer (2017) when there was a lot of ATV traffic up and down the hills through the woods. I see no signs of deer passing through with worn down grass/weeds.

She started to head to the 'far right corner' of the field but stopped, stared and then looked at me for permission. When I told her 'over here' she turned and got back on our path and walked toward the back of the field.

I did not watch any NFL games yesterday nor did I tune into the MLB Playoffs. My lack of interest surprises me. I spent a lot of time sitting outside reading in the bright sunshine and watching the neighbor mow his yard with his huge riding mower. There just isn't that much going on lately around here. I also like watching traffic. (strange)

Walking fast enough to blur her photo.

Although Stella walks at a slow pace, the total time for the walk doesn't change much from the morning walks to the afternoon walks. Now that my brain has calibrated itself, why would the total time change with Sadie gone because we both walked or did the walk in whatever time it would take Stella. It just seems slower now with her taking her time moving through the field. Obviously from her looks, she doesn't understand the urgency of completing the walk before the mosquitoes haul me away.

This is from a small 2" diameter sapling that I cut down about 4 years ago.

A sure sign that fall is here and the leaves will be changing color.

I walked over to check out what Stella was staring at and saw nothing in that area below her nose and eyes. She stood in that pose long enough for me to take the photo, walk over to her and away from her. I would love to know what goes through that bloodhound's thought process.

She trotted toward the house, fast enough that it was hard for me to get these two photos taken.

Last night there was a huge visible cobweb right in front of the shed door, near the lower edge of the carport ceiling. This morning I could barely see what was left of the spiderweb and this victim was moving as fast as possible to get away from being tangled up inside it.

I had a few things I wanted to get done today. Of course when you are retired anything can change in an instant, consequently I did nothing I thought I would while drinking my morning coffee. Instead I spent time outside, went to the library to turn in two books and bring three more back with me to read.

This question is for all the plant experts ... why isn't this mum blooming ??? The yellow one I bought just as it is .. in full bloom but the two crimson mums I bought have not. When I look at them at the business I bought them out, within view of the house, all of their mums are in full bloom. I need help just like the two mums do.

Stella had a good lunch when I returned from the library. It was Heidi's non-stop barking when I got home that let me know I was late and she needed to be fed now!!!

The spider from the photo above taken earlier in the morning was still moving trying to escape. You can see how big the spiderweb is.

I could see Stella's nostrils working overtime trying to capture some scent.

Very rare to see her nose pointed to the sky ... that is too much effort for her.

Her right eye is looking good after the two growths were removed. With a face like that and a laidback personality how did three different owners give her up within her first six years of life?

She has been living here three years already ... time flies.

I have a driveway bank and seven acres of field behind my house for Heidi to dump her tanks ... but she loves the front yard the most. She never goes to the field. Sometimes she will move in back but mostly in the front yard.

She is headed that way now.

She then follows up by taking a lap around the house to inspect the area before coming back inside to sleep all afternoon.

Oh, Stella sleeps just as much as Heidi does between her meals and the two walks we take per day.

Here are some highlights of our early evening walk a few minutes ago.

I know you probably get tired of hearing me say it but it really is another beautiful day here in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.