It Felt Like Whidbey Island

I am not sure why but for some reason on this morning's walk it felt exactly like a time on a Saturday or Sunday morning where my two basset hounds and I would take a walk while living on Whidbey Island, WA.

They were Harry and Arthur. Since we had only room to walk along the side of a country road and streets leading to the neighbors nearby, both had to be leashed and that 'splitter' someone invented was valuable in the early 1990's, as I could walk both with one leash side by side.

Harry was my first basset hound ever and was bought as a puppy in 1987. Arthur is dressed in the tri-color while Harry was mostly white. That's Arthur in front.

Harry was a 'wanderer' at all hours of the day or night and continued to be after we moved into the house I live in now, in southern Indiana. How he ever survived to live 13 years is beyond my imagination.

They were not from the same litter and were a couple of years apart but got a long great as two males. They never had a fight over food or a favorite bone.

This place was one of two of the best places I had ever rented. I rented a small apartment on the first floor of a waterfront house. The porch ran the full length of the house and we would walk out on that small spit that is shown in the water. If I remember correctly that is Hope Island straight ahead. Deception Pass Bridge would be around the corner to the left ... a few miles down.

Back here in 'the tropics' this morning the weather was perfect for a walk. After yesterday's surprise visit by people and their dog, I was wondering what the hounds would do once they picked up that 12 hour scent. Would they go back into the wooded area or take off for the neighbors house?

As you will see from the progression of the pictures, they did neither. Yet it was a day where both of them decided to hang back as I continued my walk. Not a word was said today, I let them do whatever they wanted while I walked the path which I am told can be seen on Google Earth.

All of these pictures show them closer to me than they really are. I could tell by this time and very early into the morning walk, that neither hound was going to keep up with me.

I decided as I walked further away I would take some pictures in hopes of showing a progression to where you could tell just how far they were falling behind.

At this point in time I am about to veer right around the first corner of the wooded area. I took one last close up of Sadie before I moved out of view.

Stella is far back in the distance and just as I was about to stop and turn from taking pictures my viewer picked up Stella starting to run to catch up.

Catching her in the middle of a trot shows her nonchalant attitude very well. It's what makes her a great bloodhound with a funny personality.

Evidently Sadie had found some very valuable protein to add to their diets. It took a while for either of them to move from that spot. In fact by the time Sadie did I was already walking along the back edge of the field.

I think Sadie caught the same scent directly on our path as she did yesterday. Only this time I am way in front of her.

I've seen this next picture many times before, where there is no sign of Stella. Today I was a little concerned that she might have picked up the scent of the other dog from yesterday and had headed into the woods in the opposite direction we were walking.

In the meantime Sadie was up along the fence line along the back edge of the field. Stella was nowhere in view.

About the time I had conceded that I might have to go into the woods on the way back to find Stella or at least call her ... she came running around the corner. Sadie flew by me at a full out sprint to see who that 'strange' hound was up ahead. As usual she touched noses to make sure Stella was okay.

I am not sure what got their attention here, I didn't hear any gun shots nor see anything moving on the horizon. I was told yesterday while talking to the neighbor we had just missed about 10-15 deer grazing in the cornfield behind the field we walk in. They are looking in that direction.

Stella decided since she has 'checked in' with me, that she is going back to that spot that took up most of her time on the walk this morning.

She beat Sadie to that spot but it wasn't long before both of them were there munching away ... I kept walking toward home, not wanting to see or know what it was they liked so much.

Sadie was sure there must be something else she could find before we ended the walk to go back inside.

It does not feel like a Friday as if any day feels like the day it is named when retired. They all kind of blend in together when you have every day off and a free schedule for you to decided what you want to do.

With today 'officially' starting Christmas Weekend for those that do work, traffic today is lighter than an early Sunday morning. In fact it's almost nonexistent.

I am going to continue going from room to room, doing a thorough cleaning and putting away anything that might be out of place. I might even rearrange some furniture but not sure of that yet. It might be time to downsize again since I have basically filled up about every available spot for storage.

Birds are chirping outside while I write this ... do they think its Spring already?

I was looking through an old file cabinet this morning. A drawer I had not opened in a very long time. Inside were labeled zip lock bags of all the computer software disc that were for specific computers I had owned in the past. It was funny to see the progression of backup discs.

From the 5-1/2" floppy disk to the "huge" Zip Drives with almost 100Mb of storage space. What really put this all back into time were the 3 different bags labeled --

• Windows 95
• Windows WP Professional
• Gateway S200 XL

Almost all of the Zip drives were labeled as they were designed to be used ... as backups. I am hoping somewhere in my 'electronics' drawer I will find a Zip Drive that can read these disc because a few of them are full of old pictures where I have no idea what might be on them. Hopefully I'll find some old puppy pictures of Sadie's first two years ... one's I accidentally deleted when reformatting a hard drive.

I know you only need to keep records of income taxes 7 years but due to my paranoid nature of the IRS, I have copies of all of my income taxes filed back to 1991, filed in sequence. This old file cabinet has a treasure chest full of old information.

Talking about Harry and Arthur to start this blog, had me searching through some picture albums so I could scan some. We were living on the water, on North Whidbey Island just around the corner from the Deception Pass.

I am going to have to stay focused on my cleaning and sorting of rooms with a little downsizing included before I set at the computer and scan hundreds of 4x6 pictures into digital copies. It will be a long slow process but one that I have been wanting to do for quite a while.

I may have misspoke yesterday about Heidi's weight. While giving her a good pet and massage last night It DID feel that she had gained some weight since I was feeling a lot less bone and more 'meat' on her sides and back. She also has hair continuing to grow on her paws ... along with fresh spots where she has licked so much the new hair is gone.

She has practically traded her Mexican blankets for my Marmot sleeping bag this winter but it will be a hard fought battle and this time she might not win.

Well I need to get off here and start the continuous cleaning ... at least get all of this finished before the better college football bowl games start. I have not had much interest in watching the games so far. Too many bowl games to generate money for the host city but also a lot of empty seats.

Can you say the college football bowl schedule has become too saturated?

It's close but not quite lunch time kibble for the hounds -- Stella just walked into the computer room to let me know I have about 30 minutes before she starts howling to be fed.

The hounds are having another great day here in 'the tropics' of southern Indiana.

The Hounds Check Out The Mini Cooper

What a day!!! I didn't plan to have all of this happen in one day but it did and most of the action I am sorry to say was not photographed due to the requirement of me sprinting after the hounds.

I took a trip out of town this morning, the new 'Countryman' drove fantastic. It's quiet, economical and fast when I need it to be. I'm getting 34.5 mpg for all types of driving. By the time I returned home the hounds ate their lunch and it was perfect timing for a walk. I still needed a jacket but the weather was fantastic.

I would have liked to have seen this machine in action. I guess the tree cutting job from two days ago wasn't all that was in their plans.

It was warm enough I thought Heidi was going to turn and go with us. She got about two steps into the backyard as we were leaving ... then turned and sprinted to the house. I went back to let her inside to keep warm while the bloodhounds and I walked.

Once again Stella had a good walk. There was just one time she lagged behind but about the time I turned to check on her she came sprinting by me to catch Sadie.

Sadie is the one that always her tail curled upward when her nose is on the ground.

While she was behind, Sadie had her nose to the path and took off sprinting . I didn't see any deer on the horizon. She ran non-stop all the way to the back of the field, then along the path we follow all the way over to the large electrical power lines tower.

I guess she had seen enough or found her answer, as she glanced up then turned and headed my direction at a full speed run.

This is where Stella sprinted by me to catch Sadie and they took off for the corner.

Stella came our direction every time I called her.

On the way back I saw something going on in the part of the field that I can't see from my house nor do I photograph this part of the field across the highway.  I was pretty sure they were laying some new underground drainage.

Looks like I guessed correctly. The last system them put in, within view of the house, in fact it's in the first picture of the day every day, has worked very well for them with little to no flooding.

The past couple of days I've thought about testing the bloodhounds inside the Mini Cooper S Countryman. For those that are unfamiliar with the model, it is bigger inside than their smaller convertibles or hardtops. It's their version of a SUV, similar to the BMW X-1. With the seats folded down I have 41 cu inches for storage or hounds riding.

I wanted to make sure they fit in the back for the times we go to the vet for regular shots and checkups and hopefully never an emergency. The back seats laid down but there was a large gap between the seats so I'll need to fill that in with an extra rolled up blanket.

It is 43" wide, no wheel wells to worked around and is 5' from the back of the seats to the back door. Remember I did not buy this car to take cross country with the hounds like we did in June 2015.  Otherwise I would have kept the FJ.

Sadie was inside long enough to turn around, sit down for one second and not any longer, then decided she had seen enough. She had plenty of head room when she sat down but I couldn't take a picture fast enough. She wanted the FJ back.

Stella was like 'a bull in a china shop' ... she danced a little in the back and then jump up into the front passenger seat checking out all the new places she could sling her drool. She wouldn't come out the back, I had to open the drivers door for her. By that time she was moving to the driver side and didn't care what she was stepping on ... as usual.

It was a good test and definite confirmation that the hounds will only go in the car the times we need to go to the vet. Plus when I bought this I no longer planned on taking them everywhere like I did in the FJ. Too much hair over a period of time and too much drool.

The excitement of the day, month or even for the year 2016 took place not long after the hounds jumped out of the car and went back to the field. While I was vacuuming what dog hair had migrated like a magnet to the black cloth interior ... plus wiping off all of Stella's paw prints from the front seats, sunglasses case and the driver seat .... they were back in the field doing what they do best ... exploring.

It wasn't more than ten minutes when I last checked them and it was just pure luck that I checked them when I did. They were gone, I couldn't believe they had disappeared that fast unless they saw deer or another animal. But I didn't have my glasses on and things in the distance are not that clear.

Well I see something in the wooded area and instantly I thought they were hunters. I'm not a hunter so I don't know if it's hunting season but that was my first impulsive thought. Then I see what I think are Sadie and Stella.

In the 19 years and 10 months that I have lived here I never seen anyone in the wooded area directly behind my house. So I wasn't sure what was happening.

My next thought was wondering what they were going to do to the bloodhounds since they were probably as surprised as the hounds were. About that time a dog runs out of the woods flying ... looked like a Springer Spaniel. Of course Sadie and Stella are chasing it full speed with no chance of catching them.

My concern once again is having the hounds in their state of "being oblivious to anything" and running into trouble. This time they had gone further than they ever had as far as houses along the side of the road.

The neighbor that owns the field lives two houses away and on occasion will drive his pickup truck around the edge of the field to look around, as he did two days ago. I found out the people I saw were his his older son and grandson. We walked together to their house wondering how far both of our dogs were going to run to. They are from Houston Texas, visiting for Christmas.

So instead of hunters it was only neighbors taking pictures and walking with their dog not knowing they were going to run into Sadie and Stella. When they saw me arriving they ran over to me acting proudly of their discovery and were anxious to get back home. I walked as they trotted way out in front of me .... then straight to their water bowl once inside.

My next plan of the day was to rearrange my computer room plus a couple of different closets. I wanted my computer room back to where ithad very little in it plus some things in a different location. That took the rest of the afternoon ... it was very good that the computer booted up and worked after turning it off, unplugging everything and moving it.

The dog food containers have been moved out of the way, of coarse the water bowl and food dishes will remain in the same spots to prevent any confusion for the hounds.

We tried another walk late in the afternoon but didn't get much further than the first corner with the camera. Stella heard gun shots, maybe an early Christmas gift or just practicing. It doesn't matter what it is, she is not a fan of gun shots.

So the camera was turned off, the 6' leash pulled out of my jacket pocket and we did the rest of the walk with her on a leash walking as close to me as possible since the rounds were being fired most of the way. She was so close to me walking I doubt that I needed to put the leash on her for her own protection.

Here she hears her first shot.

Since I moved the indoor bicycle trainer out of the computer room ... I am going to assemble that to one of my road bicycles and start riding indoors this winter. It attaches to the back axle. The mountain bike is ready to go for trips through the field in back, without the hounds. I am not sure how that is going to work out.

Heidi is eating as much food as ever but not gaining weight that can be seen by the human eye. She doesn't seem to mind and has her own routine and that has never changed since the time I got her in 2011.

She came with no records since she was a multi visitor to her local shelter as a runaway. Of coarse when she went to GABR basset rescue they had the vet do a thorough exam and he thought at that time she might around 2-1/2 years old. So we have always named December as her birthday, which means she was 8 years sometime this month.

Beautiful weather here today in 'the tropics' of southern Indiana.

Stella's Back On Track

The day started early with Sadie waking up and wanting to go outside at oh-dark-thirty in the morning. Let just say it was a quick awakening standing outside with her in those low temps.

It was okay though, I had a couple of things I needed to do and wanted to get to their offices when they opened at 8:30am. That gave me time to get a couple of cups of Seattle's Best coffee into my bloodstream, let the hounds out a couple of times, check weather, news, sports and texts from friends.

It looks like they have left some pretty good wood behind. I don't know if they plan to let it lay there and rot or have friends come in and cut it up for their own use.

Over towards the corner of the field, it looks like the tree clearing was contracted out by the local utility company, maybe AT&T. Their phone lines and utility power lines follow that gravel road to the closed steel bridge then goes across the creek to the main road on the other side.

I drove over to one of two local BMV's (DMV to some) and registered the Mini Cooper S Countryman this morning. The office in my town cut back their office hours to two days per week a few years ago, so I go to another small town about 12 miles away that is open three days per week.

I guess the man that owns the dealership where I bought the Mini Cooper knew what he was talking about when he said I could use the truck plates from the FJ on this car. The title listed it as a "Wagon", not a passenger car while the VIN online shows it's an SUV. The AWD had nothing to do with it. Because it was a 'wagon' I can use a 'truck plate' that I have transferred over the years from truck - FJ - FJ - Mini.

I only renewed them to my expiration date in April 2017 because I am not sure if I'll keep the 'truck' plate on the car but I do know that I don't want the new 2017 Indiana plate they voted for this past summer. Indiana is one of the few states that change their license plate design every 5 years. Most of the best designs always get discontinued.

At the same time they are also one of the few states that give you over 30 different plates to choose from where your additional payment of $40 is donated to that specific organization and some of it to the state. So between now and April I'll decide if the 'truck' plate stays on the Mini Cooper S or I buy a specialty plate or a personalized plate.

I also stopped by the court house on the way back to check on my property tax as well as some explanation on what is the correct property line. There is no issues with the property line but everyone involved seems to have their own idea. At this time of day, the BMV and Court House did not have waiting lines so I was back home by 9:03am.

It was time for a walk, earlier then normal. The hounds agreed and we were off a little before 9:15am for the first walk of the day. Heavy frost made the grass and leaves on the ground even louder with each step. No wind made it nice and Stella continued walk along with us without a leash.

There were a few "come on" and a lot of "good dog" along our walk. She is now sitting beside me at 10:54am wanting to be fed her lunch a few hours earlier than normal. I say a few hours earlier because I normally feed them at 11:30am  but she has been letting me know she wants to eat since 9:30am this morning. As I wrote this, she had not got to the stage where she howls ... but if I don't have the kibble poured out soon, that will be her next step.

I don't really celebrate Christmas anymore and haven't for years, so that may be the reason it doesn't seem like Christmas yet this year. Yet, I usually get a feeling of the holidays even though I don't do much out of the ordinary. So far not this year it just hasn't felt like Christmas is this close.

I was hoping to use some new 'used' cross country skis here in the field this week. A couple of weeks ago the forecast looked like it was going to snow this week. That weather outlook has changed to rain and high 50's by this weekend. Plus we never got the snow last week that was predicted. January and February could be a big month of snow this year.

I watched my last show of the season last night on the National Geographic channel. It's called Continent #7, with a team of scientists from New Zealand doing research and collecting data from the purest environment on the planet as well different wales. It was amazing to see how such small sample sizes could be loaded into a computer to download data, videos and how they collected this data.

The planet is getting warmer based on all the data they have collected over the years in Antarctica.

This morning Stella continued to be out front for the walk. She showed no urge to lag behind in those spots she would never leave just a few days ago. Also neither one headed for the far right corner this morning.

They almost acted as if they were getting cold and wanted to get back to the house ... just a guess.

Some of the pictures this morning were edited, while others were straight from the camera and not touched. I think in most cases I like the UN touched pictures the best.

I actually thought when we started the walk there might be a good chance to see some deer. I have no idea what hours they are out but 9:15am seemed to be a good time this past summer when we did see them. A few days ago about a half mile down the road in a small field I counted at least 10 deer grazing as I drove by.

There is always a difference how each hound positions their tail when their nose is buried to the ground. At times it is the only way I can tell which is Stella and which is Sadie in some pictures.

As we made the turn for home, they both ran past me and took off.

One more short stop on the way though. When they saw me walking by them, the decided to move too.

The could have swore they heard me say something about food when we got back to the house ... it stopped them right in their tracks.

It seems like every day I am adding something new to my Spring To-Do list ... it could be a busy spring and summer this year, unlike 2016.

A cool but sunny day here in 'the tropics' of southern Indiana.