Heidi Goes Outside On Her Own

I know today's blog post title doesn't look like it means much but it's been a rare time these past 20 months, that Heidi jumps down from her chair and runs to the door when asked "do you want to go for a walk?"

The few times she has done that I have always taken that as a sign she is feeling either good or better, during her skin issues. Today was one of those days and a little unexpected. Of course she did not chose to go on the walk with us but wanted to wander around the yard while the bloodhounds and I took off for an early afternoon walk.

She has picked out one of the best parts of the yard today, waiting for our return. That previous photo caught her doing what she does a lot of ... scratching. She's been doing that for so many months I am not sure if it's a habit or something actually itches. Looking where she itches, there is zero skin irritation.

As we walked into the yard from our walk, Sadie and Stella must have forgot that Heidi was outside because they immediately went running toward her to see if someone was in 'their' yard. Although there are no loose dogs running in the neighborhood, they have to make sure their yard had not been invaded.

After they verified her ID, she was okay to them, they were more interested in getting back inside for their afternoon siesta that they take after every walk they go on.

I did something different today when applying the water/vinegar mix. I started last week with cotton balls, then went to a spray bottle and dabbing with a washcloth to keep it from running. Today I soaked the wash cloth with the mixture, squeezed out some of the mixture but still damp enough to spread the mixture on her.

I liked that way the best. It seemed to cover her skin better and she rolled on her back to have it done instead of trying to escape the spray bottle application.

I've decide to not expect any drastic changes to her skin until next fall. It might take that many months to kill the yeast infection or whatever has been tearing her skin up. Also we are moving into allergy season which may be a factor. As long as her skin does not get worse and I continue to see healing I'll be happy with that.

It's been a long time fighting this skin issue after having very little if any improvement at all. Today there is no redness yet a lot of "elephant skin" along her neck and each side of her face but it looks like it's healing. Her feet and legs are not red with no inflammation. All of her skin is soft.

Sadie and Stella were bothering me non-stop to go for a walk. It's been a beautiful day so I decided to take them out mid-afternoon instead of waiting until later. It was perfect weather ... slight breeze, sunny but not hot and for some reason no gnats!!

Here is Sadie giving me her stare to see if we really are going on a walk. Stella had already taken off on the path to get the walk started.

It's a little boring at times writing about the same thing every day but to them every walk is different. I change back and forth on the photos with a 55-200mm zoom and sometimes I walk with the 18-50mm lens. They don't seem to care either way.

Again today I decided I was going to call Stella to follow us instead of letting her roam in the right corner of the field. I didn't want to leave her behind or let her go at her pace I guess. She turned my direction every time I called her and she was still able to go at her pace as she explored.

It's hard to tell Sadie and Stella apart, but this is Sadie in between two photos of Stella.

The recent rains helped this grow in the middle of our path. I have no idea what the name of it is.

Stella wasn't into much running today ... she was just happy to trot along enjoying the walk and the sunshine.

Her is a second look at the new bird nest. I wonder where they found the moss type of building material?

It's really hard to believe this week is almost over. Time moves so fast when you are retired. It is also different this year in that I don't have a list of 13-15 things "to do" on the house like I did last spring. I still have some ideas for some future blogging but have not had the urge to start that yet.

As far as driving around the local area for photos ... the past two times, Heidi has acted like she was car sick and the bloodhounds did their share of whining before laying down in the back ... maybe the excitement of riding is over for them.

I received an email this morning telling me that I had posted "Hounds Demand a Walk" .... the problem is the time between I actually posted and received this email was almost 24 hours difference. Google's feed burner program is a little off.

The ticks have seemed to disappeared recently since I have not be pulling off the same high number of them from me after a walk through the field. I only had two of them on me today whereas last month I was finding 4-5 per walk on me.

I might post again later today, not sure. The hounds are sleeping but I have a feeling they will want an early evening walk later today. I think this place needs a couple of chairs, maybe a small table to hold a book and/or beverage.

The weather is fantastic today her in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.

The Bloodhounds Demand A Walk

With most of the day overcast, the hounds slept until lunch. If I forget what time it is, all three hounds are going to let me know it's time to eat. While Heidi was outside she had a fresh application of the water vinegar. She was looking a lot better than this but I missed a day and that proved to be costly in the improvement department.

Heidi wasn't going to go on the walk but Sadie, Stella and I gave it a shot. About ten feet into the field water came up over the edges of my shoes. That is how saturated the field was with the recent rains. The thing is, if it is that wet "down here", it will be worse the further we get from the house, even walking uphill.

Stella couldn't believe her ears when she heard me say "come on" as I walked back toward the house. Sadie was giving me her look of "you have to be kidding me".

We needed more time, more sunshine but that didn't mean the hounds were happy. Throughout the afternoon while I read or played Mahjong, they wanted to go outside. Once they got outside, they would stand and stare at me so I knew for sure they were only wanting to go for a walk and nothing else. We spent the afternoon doing that more times than I wanted to count.

Finally a little after 5pm I could feel it was warmer, the sun was out and the propped up thermometer in the carport corner said it was close to 70° ... that translates to the real temp of 65°.

Sadie and Stella were thrilled with the decision and took off trotting way ahead of me.

When I saw two pairs of ears flapping in the wind I thought they had found something to chase. Sadie got deep into the edge of the gully to check out the latest deer scent. Stella almost took off for the corner but turned around and came running when I called her name. I didn't feel like going her pace today since the gnats were out in force.

They both explored the edge of the field before we made the final turn for home.

It was Sadie today who wanted to get some running in. Stella never ran and basically took her slow time coming back. Was she protesting for not getting her way?

I gave the bloodhounds NexGard on April 24 for the first time after the amount of ticks was just out of control. Since that time I have not pulled off more than 2 or 3 ticks total. The stuff does work but I am never too keen giving my hounds chemicals to prevent that. I've been reading and have some websites that have natural meds to prevent fleas and ticks. I plan to change to that after the 24th of May if the ticks attack the hounds again.

The camera continues to work so I am not sure what happened for it to change it's mind. I do realize it will not autofocus if there is not enough light or the camera cannot tell enough difference in contrast between the hounds and the field. I've given up on my sharpness research since I had enough blog readers tell me the photos look fine. It has to be my eyes.

My MLB team, the Reds told me and all their other fans they were going to start rebuilding their team this year with a three year plan. I've seen better played baseball in high school. The last time I checked a few years ago the MLB Minimum wage was $450,000 per season ... I might be old but with a little work to get in shape I think I can still throw the ball over the plate.

Let just say my nightly viewing of the Reds has decreased at a rapid rate, where the interest has moved to watching movies if I have the tv turned on at all.

I almost forgot ... I did find a place that let me air my tires for free. One of the local garages that has done some maintenance work for me in the past let me use their air hose. I think I might take Bethers suggestion of buying a small tire pump to use here at home to keep the tires inflated at the correct psi.

The hounds are happy and sleeping again, I am happy because it's warmer ... things are great in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.

Sadie Finds The New Bird Nest

It didn't take the hounds long to find out today's weather was going to be different today and their temporary confinement inside was going to end ... no rain for six more days, IF that forecast holds.

Without my thermometer not hanging on the wall, I took an early morning glance online at WeatherUnderground to see what the temp was outside a little after 7am. That is when I saw the lack of rain forecasted for the next week. It was still sweatshirt and shorts weather but still much nicer than hearing rain for another day.

Slight interruption ... there is a surprise photo below.

With that change, the hounds did their first quick trip outside and back waiting at the door for their breakfast. While they are outside I am pouring kibble inside. Now they go right back outside after eating for a searching mission, one they use to do first thing in the morning. A few months back, once they found out they were getting two meals per day ... they changed their routine to eat the fastest way possible. All three of them love to eat.

After I stepped back inside to pour a cup of coffee, the hounds had more than a few minutes to disappear. I was happy to come outside to see both of them still around and in their field searching mode. Although it was in a different area than their normal patrol.

After the time when Stella took off in the direction behind her in this photo, over to a drainage ditch that is between my neighbor's yard and the field between us ... I am always leery when she is on that side of the yard ... but she came when called today with no problem.

I wonder if there is any 4-leaf clover in my yard?

A little after 9am, After their short nap of an hour or so, they both came to get me and drink the last of their water which sits besides my computer desk. They were wanting to go outside again. With the sun trying to come out, but still wet grounds ... no walk was taken yet but they had time to search their yard. Sadie found something surprising and I may have not noticed it until she sat below it with her nose pointing upward.

I'm not sure I would have caught 'the surprise' if I had not seen Sadie sitting beside me and staring up at the new bird nest. Yes, the birds have been busy and quite determined, since I took down the carport thermometer on Sunday. They tried the the corner ledge in the carport but it was too small for their nest to stick.

It looks like they decided to move outside under the overhang. I'll have more photos about what goes on there. When you think about it, that is just an amazing amount of work building that nest. This is a place I don't mind having a bird nest.

Stella in the meantime is not into bird chasing or watching like Sadie is ... she continued to collect data on scents on top and underneath 'her' yard.

Stella is checking to see if the field is still too wet to venture out into and possibly requesting a walk.

That's Sadie's "look", asking me if we can go for a walk now. Due to the saturated ground and wet grass, the first walk may not happen until after their lunch today. I need some sunshine to dry out the muddy grounds in the field.

Stella continues her yard exploration and data collection all the way back to the house.

Heidi had an afternoon bath yesterday with the shampoo. It cleaned her skin up really well and by last night the skin below her ears and down her neck was soft and I could see healing taking place. Her other red spots were also soft, supple and she showed no pain when I touched them.

The water and vinegar applications seem to be working.

I keep catching myself glancing up where the thermometer was for the 19 years that I've lived here. It was installed before I moved into this house. How long? I'm not sure. I decided this morning, for a day or two, I'd prop it up over by my trash can. The trash can upside down is the one  I use to collect leaves, sticks or anything else when cleaning the yard. The five gallon bucket seemed like the perfect holder for the thermometer.

Over the next few days am going to decide if I want to hang the thermometer on the wall it is now sitting in front of. I am thinking during nest building seasons (like now) I could take it down and sit it like this. Then during the "off season" it could hang on the wall, which is just left of the shed where it was before.

The hounds are back to their normal sleep time until they eat lunch. I don't have a lot planned today except to spend time outside, even if it's doing nothing but sitting in a chair. The grass is cut, the driveway weeds are under control with my regular use of the weed eater on them.

I am going to have to pull out the debit card to get some cash ... I need to air the tires up on my Mini Cooper. Sound strange? Well the oldest gas station in town (over 50 years old), closed recently and I no longer have a place to get "free air" to air my tires up. All the other local gas stations have air machines that want a lot of my quarters. I can't say I am happy about that.

Yet, with the change in the weather, all is good in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.

Another Day of Rain

The farmer knew the weather that was coming when he got his field planted yesterday. It was just in time for the light rain that started last night and never stopped. I was also glad to get the yard mowed on Sunday, in between rains.




It was a slow day here in 'the tropics' with a light rain most of the day. It's these kind of days where the hounds hibernate and there isn't much to blog about.

Heidi hibernates, Sadie sleeps and Stella is back to chewing her Nylabone that had been missing. I noticed the other day that Sadie was storing all the balls and bones between the wall and her dog bed. When I pulled her bed up there were 5 more bones hidden under the center of her bed.

Stella was happy to get her nylabone back. She grabbed it and took off running to her spot on the floor to start her chewing exercise. Sadie at times falls into those "bloodhound property laws" that are listed on the sidebar named "Too Many Topics" ... all the water, all the bones and all the balls are hers.

Not much went on today. I did a lot of reading about Heidi's skin, hyperthyroidism as a possibility for her weight loss last year, and the normal sports news. Heidi had come to a point of needing a bath so we took care of that this afternoon. I noticed a lot of her skin was dried out, a little rough ... so I am not sure if that is the skin infected with yeast being killed or her response to water/vinegar.

Every time we went outside today, there was a light rain ... so the bloodhounds didn't do much more than the photo shows.

Warmer temps and sunshine are in the forecast for 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.