Herding Leaves Today

The hounds and I survived another fast paced weekend doing the norm. We went out different times during Sunday but there wasn't a lot of energy around so they didn't do much more than the photos show. Heidi remained inside most of the time and refused all requests to come outside to hang out or at least go for a walk.

Of course as the pattern is, after the 1st cup of coffee Sadie is at my desk wanting to go outside every morning. I'll find out if its the coffee or the actual time that makes her do that, once we change time this weekend. After not showing a lot of energy lately Sadie and Stella were wrestling as soon as they went outside today but their play session didn't last long.

Winston got as far as the blocks and then decided he didn't know what he was going to do to start this week, so he turned and headed back to the house. THAT is very strange behavior by him.

With the sun out, the temperature 57° with a slight breeze coming out of the north for once, I decided it was the day to "herd" some leaves. I wanted to do the backyard and for the first time the side yard on the north side of the house.  The front yard could be raked but this year there seems to be enough wind to blow them out of the yard, so I will wait a little longer before raking them.

After a short team meeting, the hounds decided I did not have to rake every leaf and it was okay if some were left behind in the raking process. With the breeze coming out of the north that meant the leaves were headed in the right direction for burning.

We also tried a different burn method. All of those leaves along the fence line were burned right where they lay. My hose was near by where I could put out any fire on the fence line and also stop the fire if it were to migrate down the bank and connect to the leaves in the neighbor's yard. The piles in the driveway were raked into one pile and lit.

I found a more efficient way to collect the leaves instead of loading them with two hands into my two large trash cans. I laid the cans on their sides, moving into the pile of leaves and my other hand pushing leaves into the trash can. Compressed them, the filled to the top to be carried away to the burn pile. That seem to work well in speeding up the process of collecting leaves.

With the cool temps I pulled out a lightweight coat. The great surprise was after putting it on and zipping it up I could tell I had lost inches around my stomach and waist. Last year I could barely zip the coat and at times would have to inhale to get the zipper to go all the way up. This year after it was zipped I had extra room left. I'm glad I didn't sell it on eBay last year.

It might look warm but in cold weather the jacket is actually pretty worthless. It doesn't cut the wind, but for temps down to 50°it's a pretty nice jacket. Still, for winter wear ... worthless.








While I was herding the leaves, which took 1-1/2 hours to complete the backyard area, the hounds laid in the yard and watched. Sadie spent a lot of time snooping in the field. Stella once again laid in the sun and slept and would refuse to move when I was raking ... so I raked around her. She didn't even lift her head as my plastic rake touched one of her paws. Winston disappeared on me once. I found him sunbathing in the front yard that faces west ... taking an early nap.

I knew they would stay around because they had not been fed yet. They were wanting food more than companionship or helping with the leaves. So once the yard was raked, it was hound dinner time. After they ate all of them wanted to go out and inspect my job. Heidi continue to chase invisible flies around her and Stella was giving me the "thumbs up" signal for the clean yard.

Later in the afternoon Stella and Sadie came to me to take them outside. The daily walk was done earlier. Yet, once they got outside they didn't do anything. Must of just needed some fresh air.  As far as using my leaf blower this year, I raked this year .. it's quieter. Plus my body is telling me right now that I got a lot of exercise in that 2 hours of raking. That's a good thing. I probably will only have to rake one more time based on the amount of leaves left on the trees. I'm hoping for some 15-20 mph winds.

I would love to know what Stella was thinking in those pictures of her. Winston didn't want to join us, he was in a deep sleep on the couch, along with Heidi.

I enjoy the fast pace of retirement living here in "the tropics".

The Hounds Are On Strike

Stella and Winston sharing the couch

I'm not sure what the problem is but these past couple of days all of the hounds have been very low energy. When they go outside they sit, they search but there hasn't been the sprinting around the field and playing.

Stella and Sadie will play a little inside but it's the type of play that is quiet wrestling. The interesting thing is each time I try to take photos of them inside, they stop playing. The next interesting thing is, inside Stella will be the one on the ground with Sadie standing over her ... outside it's just the opposite.



One thing that Stella has taught Sadie is to take time to relax. Before Stella showed up August 30, Sadie would rarely if at all, just lay in the yard and enjoy the sunshine.

After letting the hounds outside Stella would just sit sniffing at the air but soon after lay down and sleep. Sadie and Winston would do their search and destroy mission in the field ... their way of destroying what they find is to eat it. I've given up trying to get them to stop, it's almost impossible with two stubborn hounds.

Stella has no interest in following along with them eating gross stuff so she would stare and watch them. She has more important things to do ... like a short afternoon nap in the breeze of a fall afternoon.

I may have spoke too soon on Heidi's skin stabilizing with the change back to a chicken and rice formula. Late Thursday night (after a week) her legs had been chewed on, some to the point of raw skin. The front paw that was full of hair, now had a hot spot from chewing. A lot of redness on her stomach, chest and neck.

Friday morning when she woke up, most of that was not red and looked like it had calmed a bit. By Friday night she was bright red on her legs, stomach, chest and neck. So we have gone back to the Earthborn Grain Free Meadow Feast blend.

These were taken around 12:30pm on Friday. The redness was much brighter later that night. The left front paw was almost full of hair before she started chewing and licking it, after the dog food switch from no grain.

Yes .. that is an extra toe nail growing on top

I still think we are getting close though where those light spots having hair fully grown back in these next few months. I believe the probiotic supplement is making a difference. It has not been 5 weeks yet, the recommended time before any changes would be noticed. I also see and feel a little more weight coming back.

It took longer than last year but the leaves finally brightened up a little. It was almost an overnight thing. Still not as bright as last year.

From the looks of things this morning, I could be raking a lot of leaves within the next couple of days here in "the tropics".

The Hounds Were Sunbathing Today

I was able to get the lawn mowed before noon on Wednesday. I probably mulched more leaves with the mower than cut grass, but at least all the grass is the same length now. It was such a nice day I grabbed a book and told the hounds we were  heading outside. They had just finished their meal and it didn't take them long to find the sunshine, find their spot and start napping.

Except the one that has the nose that works all the time ... so Sadie searched and searched and ate stuff. Heidi came out just long enough to dump her tanks and SPRINTED back to the door to go inside. For some reason she was not staying outside today ... so no photos of her. But she did lay in the sun that came through the living room windows and slept there in the sun all afternoon.

Sadie always looks up to see if I am watching her ... then will ignore my look and will start eating some of the grossest stuff the field has to offer. I've stopped trying to get her to stop and have decided she is a hound and some hounds eat anything they find and have for generations. Hopefully the other hounds will not pick up her habit.

Sadie eventually came back to the yard and actually laid down but it wasn't long before she was back up with her nose to the ground. It was some great weather. I read a lot, Stella and Winston slept a lot. I pictured sitting like this at a camp site and had no doubt the hounds would be doing the same thing as they were now, but would be trading green grass for sand or dirt to lay in. I think Stella will be a pretty good camper.

They woke up when I yelled Sadie's name

Maybe some readers can give me some ideas on what Sadie is doing. What started to be an occasional thing has now turned into an obsession with her. While she was laying down in the yard today she was chewing and pulling mouthfuls of green grass out of the yard and eating it, roots, dirt and all. Once the grass was gone then she would eat the dirt while digging a small hole with her teeth. At times to get the grass out, she was working so hard to get her back teeth at the right angle, almost like chewing on a bone.

I know when dogs go into a field and chew tall green grass some say its because they just like to eat grass, some say it's to help with their indigestion ... but in this case she and Winston are eating the dirt that is pushed up from the ground by the yard moles.

Bizarre behavior to me.

At least when I yelled her name when we were going inside, she did came running instead of ignoring me ... then headed straight to her water bowl ... lol

It was a beautiful day in "the tropics" of southern Indiana.