A Day Out Of Routine

It mysteriously started last week when I was no longer getting up between 6:30am - 7am and starting our first walk at 8am. Allergies also started acting up more and more, expected this time of year. Maybe it was having a holiday on Tuesday where the public started celebrating the prior Friday or it could have been all the rain forecasted for over a week that never showed up, at least in our zip code. Whatever the reason, today continued to be slightly off track.

With rain at the right time, humidity and sunshine, it's been the perfect storm for everything growing at a rapid rate and keeping everything green while starting the mid-summer period. Above you can see the annual wild ragweed that I am not a fan of, burying my large burn pile.

Below you can see just how fast weeds are growing this summer or maybe how lazy I have been recently. I usually let the weed eater take these weeds down to ground level and then let the sunshine kill what is left after they are cut. This is only two weeks of me not taking time to cut them along the driveway. I usually cut them once per week, using a couple of days due to only having one battery for the weed eater.

Remember in August 2015 I was on my hands and knees for 4 straight days pulling out every weed in the driveway and a long the bank. Click here to see how nice it looked.

With all the green sometimes there will be leaves of different colors. Not many of them but nice to see when they are around. Although it was not as hot today, it felt warmer than 78° but very nice under the shaded area under the Mahogany trees.

While Stella stayed at the corner of the house and scratching continuously, Sadie decided to follow me around the yard just to see what I was taking pictures of. Stella has had another bath. I did not find any fleas on her, no hot spots and nothing being scratched off her skin. I hate seeing her scratching this much.

Even though we took a walk just about an hour or two earlier, I could tell looking at Sadie that we were going to take our 2nd walk of the day, like right now. Last night we didn't take our third walk until after 8pm.

So with camera in hand, I told Sadie and Stella "let's go" and we were off. I was going to let Stella go anywhere she wanted today. I didn't think she would get too far away since she does not run anymore and with the field cut I could see where she was.

About the time we started, a roll of thunder passed through. Stella stopped walking immediately with past memories of her bad experiences living outside in a kennel during one tornado and a few thunderstorms ... a couple of owners before me. I decided we would keep walking until I felt the first sprinkle then turn around. .... I never did and completed the full walk.

I have no doubts that if we were to take a new walk every 15-30 minutes (not possible), that Sadie would be just as excited as she is with every new walk we take. She loves taking walks and tracking scent in this field.

In June 2015 while camping for one night at the Rifle SP, just north of Rifle Colorado she barely moved when I put her on a leash so she, Winston and Heidi could walk over from our campsite to their boat launch. She acted anxious, panting a lot with her tongue hanging and her nose no where near the ground. Counting that trip and the one in September 2013 to Arkansas, she proved she was not fond of traveling.

I remember the first place she went after I unpacked the FJ was to the field and started exploring with her nose pressed to the ground.

Today when I glanced back at Stella, she let me know that Sadie and I could go on and she would catch up with us on the way back.

Don't let that slow paced walk fool you. I knew that as soon as we were out of her sight that she would most likely turn left and head for the woods that sits behind the neighbor's house. For her to get that far while we walk, she would have to trot, not walk so slow that she drags her feet. That would be the woods I saw the deer jump out of last night while Sadie and I were walking.

I found it strange that neither bloodhound got excited today by deer scent either in the field where the deer ran from one woods to another, nor at the entry point of the deer into the front part of the woods that is the first part of the walk. To them it was like the deer I saw less around 19 hours ago, never happened.

While I turned to walk along the back edge of the field, smelling the hay that is parked and rolled into large rolls, I turned to see Sadie but nothing of Stella. You might notice there is a slight hill and it is actually steeper than you would think. The field is not flat like it looks in most of my photos.

As I made the last turn toward the house but a good distance from the house I looked through my 200mm zoom lens to see if I could see Stella anywhere. Just about the time I thought she was nowhere to be seen ... I spot a little red/tan in all of that green, at least I thought I did.  Dead center in the picture ... just barely.

Once I my walked took me to over the small incline I could see her over by the woods behind the neighbors house, although that was not even close to where I saw the deer run out of last night.

I thought before I'd walk out of my way to go get her, that I would yell telling her to "come on, get over here". To my surprise, she started walking my direction.

Back to the slow pace as if she can barely take another step ... yet for her to go to that area from where I last saw her, she would have had to almost trot to get to the other wooded area.

Those ugly Maple trees that were cut back a few weeks ago are trying their best to grow some leaves. The tree company did come back last week and grind out the remaining stump of the third tree in the middle.

While Sadie and I waited ... Stella slowly made the trek home.

It's been pretty hard lately to come up with enough words to write a post. As you can see the past few posts, there is not a lot going on around here. No projects have been started, nothing exciting and actually quite boring writing about the thunderstorms not showing up or how we have moved to a new routine.

I haven't been in the movie mode lately either so most of my tv watching has been Reds baseball, a couple of shows named The Deadliest Catch and Homestead Rescue. I tried starting a new book but sat it down after the first chapter with a lack of interest.

We are on a very slow and uninspiring pace recently here in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.

A Great Deer Sighting ... Right In Front Of Us

Sadie is not looking for rain but suspects mole traffic in that part of the yard. She is right as it's pretty 'swampy' over there as I mow the yard. Last week thunderstorms were in the forecast starting yesterday. Didn't happen. They have been moved out to this afternoon so will will find out if Sadie gets her walk or not.

The only routine not normal this past week or so has been the times we take our first walk of the day. A few weeks ago it was at 8am and the past few days it's been near 11am. Sleeping with the windows open has my sinuses plugged by 3am so it takes a while to get to sleep.

Stella actually trotted pretty fast this morning to catch up with Sadie. They had found very strong scent in this area. It was strong enough that both hounds disappeared into the heavy green brush. Instead of standing there taking photos of their disappearance I took off running toward them yelling "No".

I forgot to mention the other day as we started an afternoon walk I heard a large loud cracking sound and then a tall large tree falling amongst the other trees. I have yet to find which tree it was so I can get some pictures of it ... the sound was loud and eery enough for me to look at the tree tops to see if one was heading my direction.

I can't see that Stella is gaining weight since her last weigh-in at the vet in June. When I pet her she still feels pretty skinny, much like Heidi use to feel. Now Heidi is getting big enough that I might have to put her on a low cal diet.

Evidently most of the July 4th celebrations were done over the weekend for families. I took the Z4 out for a short drive and ended up driving though a couple of small local towns and both places had parks that were completely empty. I was curious enough to check to see when they had fireworks in the town I live in and also a large parade in a town nearby.

Fireworks were last night for the town I live in. I usually see them from the house but not this year, too many trees in the 3-4 mile distance. The big parade also took place yesterday on the 4th.

The drive was nice but with the top down you could feel the heat in the air as the Z4 cut through the mugginess. Yet, it's summer in the Midwest so nothing different should be expected. It's nice the bugs and mosquitoes have disappeared.

I let Stella do what she wanted today. No 'herding' her with me constantly saying "come on". I had a feeling on our way back that she would eventually start heading our way and that is what happened. By that time it was hot enough that Sadie had stopped roaming and was walking right next to me.

Once Stella figured out we were headed home, back inside that cold air conditioned house, she became somewhat motivated and trotted for a few steps.

You can always tell by looking at her face and seeing the pace of her walk, just how hot it really is.

I could tell after a late lunch for the hounds nothing was in store for this afternoon. With rain on the way and a lack of good sleep last night, what a perfect time for a siesta. Heidi made it outside long enough to be caught in a some photos.

The summer sunshine has not killed the cut weeds on the driveway like it has in the past. I think long time readers can see that Heidi has filled out quite well compared to a picture a couple of years ago after she had lost 13 of her 45 pounds.

 I can see it's time for her bath. Still, no itching, no raw spots on her skin.

After a pretty long siesta this afternoon, we woke up to no signs of rain. The radar was showing storms all around us but nothing major.

I wasn't sure I was going to post anything tonight. It was getting late and what I had posted and saved before lunch didn't sound like much after I read it. I was so low energy that I had decided that Sadie was not even going to get her 2nd walk of the day.

It must have been the heat and humidity I felt on the first walk that killed that idea.

Then things changed. Pretty close to 8pm I decided that Sadie and I would sneak out of the house for the short 12 minute walk. Heidi was sound to sleep and I've had the feeling for a while that Stella is in pain her 2nd and 3rd walks of the day, maybe not, just a gut feeling.

So Sadie and I took off for a fast paced walk. Final time was about 5 minutes faster than normal. I didn't take the camera with me. With overcast skies and only one hound, I didn't see a reason to carry the camera. I wanted to get back as soon as possible to see if Stella found any of my fruit, or if her nose got her into anything.

We were on our way back on the walk, not quite to what I call the first turn when a large deer jumped out of the woods behind the neighbors house and sprinted across the middle of the field not more than a 100' in front of me.

Sadie didn't notice as she was way behind me eating something she had found. It was another time I wish had a camera with me since it was one of the best shots of a deer running I've seen since living here ... it was that close.

As I post this at 8:33pm, it has not rained yet and the experts are saying sometime after midnight the skies will open up.

Still a nice day here in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.

To The Hounds Everyday Is A Holiday

I knew when I retired in April 2014 that my life would not change much from a weekend routine if I stayed where I have lived now for 20 years. Traveling was an option, but I did not have my answer about traveling with hounds until after our trip in June 2015. What I did not know was that I would become more like the life of a 'hound' ... it's not bad really ... stress free, relaxing and no schedules.

You might tell from the opening paragraph I am in the mood to do a little rambling about life in general here in the tropics, minus political or religious talk. Commentary will not go with this morning's pictures of our walk. I will warn you that Heidi is not photo available since her new love is the air conditioned living room while setting records for continuous sleep on the couch. She gets up only to eat and drink water.

With a little rain scheduled for tomorrow, which may or may not happen based on recent forecast, the yard will be mowed today no matter what. With the new Indiana state laws starting July 1 I was happy to follow one of their newest laws ... an additional 10 cent tax per gallon of gas. Luckily I was filling up a small can for my lawn mower and not my cars. The Countryman was filled up on Friday at 12 cents per gallon lower than today.

Indiana may only have 3.5% income tax but they don't miss a beat on that 7% sales tax. I've paid higher in other places I have lived but Indiana taxes everything imaginable and I'm guessing that is why the state has billions of dollars in their accounts. Still I live in a low cost area, so it all evens out.

In the above picture Sadie was positive she was inches away from finding a deer. Stella trotted behind her but never got into the full running mode like Sadie did all over the field.

After looking at past blog posts for this time of year in past years I realized that July 4th weekend was no different this year than in past years, even before I started blogging. I can't remember being into parades, crowds or carnivals even at a young age. I might have been forced to go to them at an very young age but my mind was somewhere else ... most likely the ballgame I was missing on the radio or tv.

So the hounds and I are more than content to sit outside with a large glass of ice tea watching traffic go by with a highway full of camping trailers, boats and a few dangerous drivers that you hope they get back on the road before mowing down your mailbox. I am out of the hole digging business just so I can plant a new pole to mount a new mailbox on ... 99.9% of my mail now is just recycling material.

I am an addict with no possible help when it comes to college basketball and college football. Yet, I cannot remember the last time I watched a complete NBA game. I watched part of their Game 7 but not all of it. I do like to follow what certain players are doing ... so this week has been rather eye opening since they started their free agent signing period.

I'll not go into detail but in summary, when a player that I never heard of in college, is only a role player in the NBA and doesn't score much more than 5 points per game ... is signing for 8-10 million per year ... something is out of whack. The stars of the league are signing for $20-40M per year ... when does it tap out?

If I count my neighbors in a half mile radius there are 7-8 houses. All of the owners living in those house drive a pickup truck as their main vehicle. I live in the land of pickup trucks. That got me thinking the other day just how versatile a pickup is. I should have never sold my 1994 Chevy V-8 with the heavy duty shocks and springs for towing. It was not driven much but was always there when I needed to bring home some landscaping mulch, river rock or building supplies from Lowes or Home Depot.

Like I have said recently I am very happy with the Mini Cooper Countryman. It has done all I expected it to do plus more. It's very comfortable over long distance and since it's bigger (800#) than the smaller 2-door coupes, it does not have the 'go-kart' feel to it. So, I really don't have any intentions of make a trade for any kind of vehicle right now. Once the hounds pass on and I decide how I want to travel, I will decide what vehicle I will use.

Stella does not do full speed runs like she use to. She has been trotting more these past few days but I was pretty sure I saw her flinch a couple of times over the weekend when she started to trot.  The vet approved  of me giving her 700mg of buffered aspirin in her food twice per day, based on her weight. We will see if that works instead of moving on to something stronger.

She stopped this morning to sit and face the neighbor's house with the pool. No one was out swimming that time of morning, nor were they bbq'ing but she was smelling something ... I was wondering what they were preparing for a possible cookout later today or tomorrow ... Stella can smell food a mile away even while sleeping.

Once I yelled at her "come on let's go" ... she started the slow walk to the house. She is on her own time, not mine. The great news today though was how she did NOT tear out the window screens while I left her and Sadie in the bedroom when I went to town to buy gas and dog food.

I FORGOT to close the windows to prevent her from tearing out the screens and jumping out the window like she did twice in past years. I did not realize I had forgot to close the windows until I opened the door to let them out when I got back. It was fantastic to see that I still had window screens.

It's been around 7 months since she had any kind of separation anxiety and damaged anything. I wonder if she had figured out she is okay and I'll be back since, she has lived her 2 years this August.

The weekend was very relaxing, no drama, hot but not so much where you couldn't go outside and the humidity was a low 64%. I don't know where the gnats or other flying bugs went but I am happy that I can sit outside and read without battling bugs ... plus I can see where the hounds are as they roam the field.

Sadie turned to look this morning to see if Stella was going to make it back to the yard sometime before lunch. She too cannot understand the slow pace of Stella but will aways wait for her to catch up.

Notice the dark spots on each leg where Sadie licks. Is it seasonal allergies? She seems to do that more in the summer and spring compared to the fall and winter months.

I guess the highlight of today will be mowing the yard. That will get my pulse rate near 170 even if I am not panting or out of breath. It will be a good 47 minute workout.

The Garmin VivoSmart3 has done exactly what I wanted plus a couple of features I had not counted on. It's very accurate about my sleep patterns, right down to the very minute I lay down to sleep at night to getting up. I guess I am not the deep sleeper I thought I was as I only get 1-2 hours per night of deep sleep.

With the combination of the Garmin, no fast food runs or junk food, and Sadie dragging me outside for 3 walks per day ... I lost 5 pounds in June, an inch around my stomach and 3mm of fat pinched between the calipers. I am a couple of pounds away from the weight I was 18 years ago.

I've also been doing some low effort bicycling both on my mountain bike rides to town and my road bike out into the country at a faster pace. Still not anywhere close to what I use to do but enough to get the pulse rate up.

I'm sure there were other things I was going to talk about but have forgotten them.

I'll have to get on Google search later on and find out how to adjust my exposure setting on my Nikon camera. It does talk about 'exposure' in my owners manual but nothing shows me where and how to adjust it. {Found it and adjusted the exposure compensation to -3}.

I am not sure why but comparing my photos to those I took the first week I owned the camera ... there are major differences in quality. Those pictures taken when I first bought my camera were so much better in color and depth.

Oh, I did find out from another Countryman owner on the Mini forum that our black cars with the red mirror covers, JCW inserts on the sides and red brake intakes ... were an option that came out for the 2012 model (my year) and still available on his 2016 model. I might have the dealership or a local body shop install the stock red stripes again. Not sure.

I'm off to mow the yard while the hounds sleep until their lunch.

Still great weather here in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.

Only Photos Today

The hounds are surviving the hotter temps. All is good.