Rain Holds Up Hounds

Waking up to the sound of rain hitting the north window told me even before daylight most of our activities might be put on hold today. Outside activities would turn into indoor activists.

For the hounds that meant more sleep. For me that meant reading books, read some blogs and do laundry. Just the kind of stuff that would keep you on the edges of your desk chair while you read the blog.

Since it's been a few days of making changes back and forth, what I blog about yesterday, I found today iIwas back to playing around with different internet browsers. As much as I would like to use Safari or Firefox instead of Google Chrome, it doesn't take long to see that Safari is a 'data hog', using a half day worth of data before 11am. Firefox on the other hand does not play well with some websites and had just enough glitches that makes me run back to Google Chrome. There isn't much more they can find out about me than they already know ... so I doubt it matters. Safari and Firefox both use Google programs for their own security, so there is no difference there.

Even with a light rain, the hounds still need the normal routine. This morning Stella never left the carport on her first trip outside while I poured their breakfast kibble. Heidi made her typical bad weather path with an immediate right under the overhang and behind the yews in front of the house and Sadie wandered out into the field not caring how wet she would end up getting.

Wunderground weather was predicting the rain would move out of our area by noon. That meant by late afternoon we would hopefully be able to take a soggy walk through the field. The hounds didn't seem to care that I wiped their paws off before they came back inside even after their short trips they took throughout the day.

We waited, had lunch and then went out to test the wet grounds ... was a mid-afternoon walk possible?

I knew that when Sadie gave me her stare telling me we needed the first walk of the day and the ground was dry enough. I headed back inside to change into my Oboz hiking shoes, which I really like as they continue to break in. At 41°, a sweatshirt along with a thinner down jacket and gloves, it was all I needed.

Stella never gets excited like Sadie does when she sees we are going to walk but she never misses one.

I could see underground water rising above ground level with each of my steps but I needed to help the hounds get rid of their 'cabin fever'. We continued the walk under gray skies, a wind that was just a little more than a breeze.

Once again when Sadie saw I was about to take the first turn without her she came sprinting to catch up, Stella didn't bother as usual. She is definitely on her own schedule.

The slight wind today was making it feel like it was much older than 41°, it was the type of cold that cuts through you. I wondered for a minute if I had chosen the wrong jacket. I was also reminded just how cold it will be in January and February.

There cannot be that much deer scat in one spot at ground level under the thick grass but Stella never moved. It must be something else that makes her stay for such a long period of time.

I took these next few pictures after making the turn and headed back toward home. I guess I was wrong thinking they were wanting to walk and run. Neither one left this area while I did most of the daily walk by myself.

Just as I passed, they decided they would head back to the house with me ... not a word was said, it was their decision.

We tried to give it a shot but the rest of the afternoon turned out to be a lot of nothing. The hounds slept, I read parts of different books and the camera wasn't used. I guess the excitement of the day was hearing Stella take her nose and nudge the door handle in the kitchen to let me know she needed to go outside.

Nothing to see here today in 'the tropics' of southern Indiana.

A Cold Afternoon

It was one of those days that no matter how many layers of shirts you put on, I never felt warm. Most of the online weather apps were telling me it was 42° outside and it felt more like -42°, not plus. I still think during these times, my sleeping bag is the warmest place in the house but I fought off the urge to climb inside, which would lead to a siesta just to stay warm.

Besides, Heidi had changed her strategy after lunch and had moved her sleeping spot from the couch back to the bed. Not only on the bed, but she had nosed her way completely inside my sleeping bag and was in the snoring state of sleep.

By 5pm I had read enough books, ate enough food, played enough Mahjong that we decided to head out for an afternoon walk. I also wanted to do my annual test of how well my baseboard electric heat works. See, it's December 5th and I have yet to turn on the heat this year. The house has been staying below 60° during these cold days outside and nights that fall into the 20's.

So I set the timer on the iPhone for an hour, cranked each control to turn on the heat in the kitchen, computer room and living room. I also took a reading of my house meter ... then set out for an afternoon walk.

With no winds it makes it bearable but I am already counting the days down to spring, back to at least some 70° temps. I am not a fan of winter weather.

Stella stayed up with Sadie and I most of the walk. I guess it was that lecture I gave before we started that I wasn't going to be calling you to "come on" and I wasn't going to chase you to follow me home. I am beginning to hate those two words "come one" after having to repeat them more than I ever wanted to.

Just as I turned back around after taking that picture above me, Stella sprinted past me as fast as she could to catch up with Sadie who had rounded the corner to their favorite spot.

I turned myself if that direction hoping to lead them in the right direction without too many commands and too much cussing. Luckily they followed me out of that area and headed out along the back of the field.

There is always areas to explore for them, no matter what part of the field we are in. It is some cheap entertainment for them and better than any dog park that I can think of. I've made them loners just like me.

As I made the turn to go home, they both trotted around me and down the path. Maybe my lecture worked as they were more than the perfect bloodhound on the walk this evening.

They still needed to check out a couple of spots on the way home which is normal. I could feel it was getting colder as the sun went down. The hounds must have felt the same way since they didn't hesitate in following me home.

As I turned for a possible last picture, I had only Sadie behind me and didn't see Stella anywhere. For some reason she decided to take what I call her June Route home, checking out the north part of the yard.

I have some new plans for that dirt area that I cleared a few months ago. Instead of just planting grass I have a plan that will add some color other than green, prevent some erosion and still keep the wild bushes from grown. You'll find out what it is next spring as I do it.

I mentioned a few weeks ago or a month ago about making some changes to my diet. I've lost weight, fat and part of my appetite on the vegan diet I started September 7th. I am finding some consistent issues with indigestion that I did not have when I cut out all grains for the year before September 7.

On the vegan diet, beans are a major source of protein and most of the different kinds of beans I have eaten give me more indigestion. Oatmeal gives me indigestion. When I tried the Paleo Diet which emphasizes low carbs, no grains, meat, chicken or fish, with fat and protein ... I never had indigestion.

Plus after a meal of meat and steamed veggies I felt full and rarely craved food between meals. On the Vegan diet with steamed veggies and brown rice I always feel hungry soon after eating. It was interesting to see that the book I mentioned a few weeks ago, The Blood Type Diet suggested a diet for my blood type being closer to a paleo diet with dairy, meat, fish and chicken as the main sources of protein.

That book also mentioned I should stay away from oatmeal, certain kinds of beans and all grains. Everything thing it listed I should stay away from in that book is what I found to be my source of indigestion on a consistent basis. It even named the beans by name ... the foods it listed to stay away from it was right on the money.

I'll not go into a lot of the book but it did say with my blood type I was more apt to get stomach ulcers than heart disease. There is something in my intestines that worked well with red meat and certain kinds of fish but not grains, or legumes.

I think I will be moving away from the diet that gives me indigestion and makes me feel hungry all the time toward a Paleo type diet with some personal adjustments I had before.

Basically I have come to the conclusion after trying different foods the past few years .... moderation .... is key but what is more important than what food you eat, is eliminating sugar, processed foods, soda's and alcohol. So that is what I will revert back to.

Back to my electric test. I just completed the hour curiosity test. I used 6 kilowatts in 60 minutes. My computer room went from 59° to 71° and my living room went from 56° to 66°. Both of those rooms are way too warm for me, past my comfort zone ... using the 41 year old baseboard electric heat system.

The hounds seem to like the heated house ... 2 of 3 of them are snoring. I don't think I have heard Stella ever snore but she does wag her tail while sleeping.

It does not feel like it should be December here in 'the tropics' of southern Indiana.

We're Back And Rambling

Who knows what it is. It's not depression, it's not 'writers block', nor is it boredom ... it's just something I do almost annually and usually during the winters.

I delete this blog and my social media accounts.

A lot of the post today might be repeated information for long time readers because in my fading memory I do remember in past years writing about the same reasons and justifications that I will throw in here today. Addiction ?  Maybe and if so, then a large percentage of the USA is addicted along with me.

But really, addiction is not the reason. I enjoy writing, enjoy taking the hound photos or just photos in general and all of that is just to strange to blog to yourself. Plus to some readers, they look forward to not only seeing the hounds but what I am talking about, which for me is hard to figure out what's so interesting in that.

Maybe that first picture in the upper left corner is the reason, or the temperature dropping to a daily normal way below my comfort level. Yet, that is part of living in 'the tropics' of southern Indiana and luckily much further south than the snow I watched in Green Bay, Wisconsin and Chicago yesterday on tv NFL games.

So the only logical explanation for deleting this blog, my Twitter account along with my Facebook account ... is the dark, dreary skies with freezing temps. That sounds good enough for me and it's the story I am going to stand by.

Besides the normal routine for the hounds, they do change their points of interest, their demands and ways of testing  my patience. Heidi moved into her winter hibernation mode weeks ago and only shows herself to eat, to relieve herself outside and if she smells or hears that I might have food.

I think you can see how steep the drop off is in the woods straight out from the house. It's just one of the reasons I try to keep the hounds from walking into that wooded area. I found out years ago after my bloodhound named Bertha went to the bottom of the gully ... the bottom of the gully was about 2' of mud, year round.

One of the last signs of fall. Still September already seems a lifetime away already.

Back to the hounds testing my patience. For the past week on every walk we take, with or without the camera, Stella is on her own schedule and does not hear a word said ... even when I bribe her with yells about food. She is the most stubborn hound I have ever had and that goes back to 1987.

As other mornings since our last blog post here, I've let the hounds do what they want, at their pace, but I would always walk to where ever Stella was to get her to walk home with us and not leaving her outside alone.

Sadie never cares what Stella does ... she likes to explore and will always come when I call her. She doesn't like dropping back to far.

I am noticing she is gaining some weight even though we have not changed food, nor the amount and we do at least two walks per day. Maybe she is naturally building fat for the winter.

Sadie and I had actually walked far enough where Stella was out of sight and standing at the same spot the 2nd picture in this post. I was a little surprised to see her running to catch up with us when I made one more check before taking the first right turn on the walk.

Every day there are just more new scents than their noses can handle.

Just because Sadie takes off for the far right corner of the field does not mean Stella will ... after all, she is on her one schedule and will do as she wants, on her time not ours.

I had already walked along the back edge of the field and was about to make the turn home. This gives you a good idea the hounds are on their own, you can see they are on each side of the picture.

I took this same picture a few months ago and said in a couple of months this will look the same but only about 50° colder ... we're there.

I had decided by this time I was going to continue my walk with or without the hounds, head back inside and see what they would do. I was hoping I would not have to drive the FJ back to this corner to remind them to run to the house ... but I was going to find out today.

Once that Sadie glanced up and saw where I was, she came running as fast as she could and then slammed into the side of my left knee, right after I had taken my eyes off of her run.

Stella ?? Not a chance.

As Sadie and I continued our march back home, with my freezing hands inside my overpriced and worthless "TheNorthFace" gloves, I was unsure what Stella would do ... but once again, she surprised me.

Even on a full speed run she can always find some scent that she has to slam on her brakes to check out. When those sudden stops occur all of that loose skin moves forward.

By the time I got back to the corner of the house, I could tell they were not ready to come inside. Especially since Sadie raised her head, looked right at me and then her nose went back to the ground. That gave me time to go inside, take off the down jacket and put the SD card in the computer to download the pictures.

It wasn't long before I heard something hit my screen door. Both of them were standing at the step wanting back inside. It had to have been Stella's nose. Anytime she wants something she will poke it with her nose or use her nose to try and open doors. Thankfully she is not a 'jumper' so she does not jump up on the doors or people.

Heidi in the meantime does this now most of the time. She has moved her sleeping area from the bed to the couch this winter.

After a few days I did reactivate my Twitter and Facebook accounts. I don't live on them all day and in fact I am away from the computer, iPad and iPhone most of the time. To use up my monthly allotment of data from my Exede Satellite service, those 15Gb's can't go much over 500Mb per day for the month. I've been under that for the past 45 days.

I was hoping all the 'noise' of the elections would quiet down but I knew that wasn't going to happen and in fact it will continue for the next 4 years in my opinion, as usual. I can control what I hear by not tuning into any of the major news stations on tv ... in fact those channels are not on my programmed remote. So if I want to see those channels of bullshit ... I have to type their number on my remote to get those channels.

As far as online, I'll click different news sites but I have found just looking at the headlines and not reading the articles is a lot more enjoyable.

When I failed to get the news that my local university had fired their football coach unexpectedly and friends were texting me asking 'whats up with that' I knew I had to reactivate my Twitter account for that up to the minute sports news. I deleted all the people I followed during the campaign that dealt with politics after the election. I find Twitter is also very good for storm warnings and updates from my local small town electric company ... even faster than getting notifications on Facebook.

As far as Facebook, as I have said before, about the only thing I do there is post 3-4 of these blog pictures of the hounds when the urge hits me. Friends that don't read my blog like to keep updated on the hounds through Facebook. I never tell people where I am or what I am doing on Facebook, neither will I have it linked to my location. Still it is a good way to keep up with old friends that are scattered around the USA.

While the blog was in the deleted status, I have gone to the local library a couple of times and am firmly back into my winter mode of reading books every day plus have added the DVDs they have. Checking out their movies has saved me quite a bit of money and shelf space.

I think it is safe to assume that there are not too many blog readers here that like my blog over on Wordpress. It's only a few pictures and usually a couple of sentences as an introduction. I like the format, the ease of using it but essentially that blog gets very little to no visitors.

Like I have said before and even in the last month ... all bloggers go through times where they wonder what they are doing, why do they keep blogging and even ask themselves if the internet has taken over their life. Very few quit and most come back to blogging and social media. I am going to stop trying to figure out the reasons and just go with it.

Before I go, I had mentioned the hounds testing my patience ... that is mostly Stella. She and I continue to debate what time to serve lunch. I finally have it as the same time as I fed them before changing to Daylight Savings time ... but she doesn't like that either and continues to beg for that lunch to be served as early as an hour or two after her breakfast. That is one war that she will not win.

I've seen her do it every since she came here in August 2015. At first I thought it was clumsiness but it isn't that at all. Stella just doesn't care. She not only walks on my feet at times but she will walk on Sadie's feet or on Heidi. If we are in her way, she will walk into use or on us to get to where she is going. If her seat is taken on the couch by Sadie, Heidi and I  ... she doesn't care, she will climb up, stand over either one of them until they move. If they don't move, she sits on them.

Last night Heidi decided it was time to reverse the roles and jumped up in the center of and on a sleeping Stella, then squeezed a spot in for her nap. I was happy to see Heidi fight back taking her spot on the couch. Stella never felt her and continued to sleep through it all.

So that's enough rambling this morning .. it's already past noon. I might try to get a post in later today with some afternoon pictures ... the sun is trying it's hardest to break out.

Things are good in 'the tropics' of southern Indiana.