Not A Lot Of Hound Activity

I am not sure if it was the "muggy" feeling outside or the August average temperature that zapped the hounds this week ... they had less energy than I did. Heidi has all but disappeared for social life and being photographed. The bloodhounds and I have still been able to squeeze in a couple of walks per day. With college football only two weeks away, things are looking up here in 'the tropics'.

You can tell the distinct difference in personalities between Sadie and Stella with this picture. While Stella slowly strolls the majority of time during the walk, Sadie cannot get to all the new scent fast enough.

Today was going to be a day where both hounds had total freedom. Since it has been months since Stella has visited the drainage ditch next door, closer to the highway, I felt pretty good letting her go on her own. She didn't disappoint me ...

Yesterday I was curious enough to check back on our older blog for posts a year ago, to see what had changed in our activity if anything. Basically it was the same for this time of year (the dogs days of summer) with the field being a little taller last year at this time. My 'to do' list is still in a holding pattern with lack of motivation being the reason.

I took Stella's picture before Sadie and I continued the morning walk. She is not quite at the first turn of  our walk. Most of our afternoon walks are without a camera and Stella attached to the 25' retractable leash. It's too hot for me in the afternoons to stand around watching her eat deer scat because she is stubborn in the afternoons and will not leave.

Whether it be 2 or 3 walks for the day ... Sadie never changes. She loves the walks and loves investigating scent even more.

As I crested the small hill on our way back, I didn't see Stella anywhere on the horizon. My 200mm zoom lens scanned from the left to right. I knew once that I walked further I'd be able to see her in the lower elevation ... although the field looks flat from a distant view.

When I called her, she made the gradual turn toward me and slowly walked hidden through the taller weeds.

Sadie had run up the path looking for Stella in the normal places, like the spot we left her and then glanced over toward the neighbor's woods but she couldn't find Stella either by eye sight or her nose.

She creeps at times when she walks ... thinking she is hidden and I cannot see her.

I think you can tell by the pictures, it's going to be another beautiful day here. I've been spoiled this summer. Temps haven't been that bad, most of the rain forecasted missed us by going north or south of us. I have hard time imagining what bad weather is anymore.

If I didn't call the names of these two I don't think they would come back to the house for hours. I would not mind doing that but with the highway nearby and a nose strong enough to lead them astray ... that's not a good combination. I am lucky enough just to let them walk not leashed. Some bloodhound owners have told me they would never let their hounds off leash, even in a field such as this.

Sorry to say that Heidi has not been in any recent blog posts. She is not sick, feels great and will have a daily burst of energy inside where she barks at herself while rolling over on the carpet. Then it's back to the couch or the dog bed in the other room for more sleep.

She has figured out if she stretches out in the middle of the couch there is barely enough room on the ends for Stella or I to sit down. Eventually she will curl up giving us room later that night as I watch either baseball or football on tv.

I think Stella and I are going to take a short drive over to the vet this morning and get weighed. I am anxious to see how much weight she has gained since April when she had dropped to 65 pounds and was nothing but skin and bones.

How many readers have their NASA approved glasses to witness the eclipse on Monday?

The hounds will be staying inside the house during that short period of time. I am north of its path but still expect some darkness and cooler temps for a short period of time Monday afternoon. I am still curious of the State Patrol is correct in their traffic prediction on the highway that goes in front of the house.

Not much activity to write about lately here in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.

It's HOT This Morning !!

We got a late start this morning ... 10am. I glanced to the carport thermometer ... 85° and muggy. I almost didn't take my camera this morning, thinking the light would be better this afternoon. I also didn't (don't) feel like blogging publicly today. It was a good walk, Stella never moved.

The field is growing very fast while the purple buds the butterflies and bees love are dying off. As I walked I wondered if Jim will have them mow and bale the field this fall. The kid that does that cutting told me they do it as a favor to Jim ... something about his fields down by the baseball diamonds. Jim likes it cut twice per year, I think.

2nd day in a row without buffered aspirin. She did not trot or run when I called her. I may have to spend $35 per month for joint supplements and help her feel better.

Sadie only looking for fresh deer scat.

Stella found her scat and she never left this spot while I did the whole walk.

I couldn't believe I saw her through my 200mm lens. I expected her to be over at neighbor's woods.

On the way back I told Sadie "go find Stella" ... she looked in the normal locations, trying to pick up her scent with her nose.

Sadie was looking in the opposite direction. Stella was behind her and at one time only 20' apart and Sadie still did not smell or see her.

When I told her 'over here' then she found Stella.

It's going to be hot today with a chance of some afternoon rain. I don't plan to do anything outside and will spend today just like most days ... playing Mahjong and/or reading a book or online.

I only took 18 photos this morning ... the lowest in a long long time. The past two days without the old blog I took only 33-35 photos all day. Is blogging the reason I take a lot of photos? Will I take less photos now that I will blog less?

It's going to be another good day here today.

The Hounds Adjust To Hotter Weather

Those cool August temps were nice while they lasted. This week we are headed back to the normal high 80's. Therefore all three hounds made some adjustments to their schedules yesterday. Heidi slept more than ever. Sadie didn't bother me for an afternoon walk until early evening and both bloodhounds found the kitchen tile to be the coolest place to sleep the afternoon away.

Starting our Tuesday morning walk a little later than normal I found the light to be better for taking photos. At least I thought I did. Stella decided to take a whole different approach for her walk. She stood by the butterfly milkweed for a long time and then slowly ... I mean really slow ... headed for the neighbor's woods until I called her.

You can see her direction by where the property pole stands. I could tell that she had no plans to go with Sadie and I. I was about to let her do what she wanted but decided it would be better if I were to call her and then wait for her to catch up with Sadie and I.

I was surprised she actually decided to head our direction, like she has for the past few weeks.

Sadie was on her normal tracking exercise. Every day, every walk ... she never changes.

Stella stayed on her own but had a gradual path to follow our direction. There are a lot of things she likes to check out in the middle of the field.

More ATV racing took place late yesterday afternoon about the time we were heading out for a walk. We turned around, went back inside and waited for the excitement to die down. There is no way I want the hounds around ATV's that are going full-speed with young drivers.

Stella looks like she is finally regaining most of the weight she lost at the start of the year. The food I give her is still the same, so maybe she had the flu.

Every walk when we make the final turn toward home, Stella will sit and start scratching herself. Same place every walk??  That is why I think it is more of an acquired habit instead of an allergy.

When she is finished she will trot or run to catch up. This morning it was closer to a slow run rather than a trot. It's good to see her doing more of that.

For the first time in 14 days I did not add the buffered aspirin to her kibble. I want to see how she does this next 7 days. I am still deciding which hip and joint supplement to buy for her.

They might take their time but they will gradually meet for the walk into the yard when they finish each walk.

I took a day off from blogging yesterday. The break felt good and it might lead to less blogging or at least not every day. I get a lot done around the house when I'm not on the computer all the time. I also deleted my Facebook account yesterday afternoon. I'll have until the 28th of August to log in to keep all the data on my account.

Since I get all of my sports updates off of Twitter and many of those people have the same links of Facebook, I decided I didn't need both. Plus I find it troubling that Facebook admits that not only can they track your internet activity (what's new) but once you download their app into your smart phone, they can listen in on phone calls.

I've never used their Apps for that reason. I realized that all websites track what I do and I really don't make that many phone calls ... still the thought of their abilities was one of the reasons I decided to delete my account. I had other personal reasons also.

Why did I get a phone call from the Netherlands yesterday? Caller ID is a great invention. No, I didn't answer the call.

While enjoying the AC after 1pm yesterday I played a lot of Mahjong and continued to decrease times. I decided to get the rest of my games under 3 minutes 30 seconds. On average I was completing them in 3 minutes and 10 seconds or less. I still have less than 5 games I can't seem to get down to 3 minutes and 30 seconds.

On the walk the ticks are gone ... mosquitoes are back. My spray with a lot of DEET works fantastic.

I am thinking diet changes again. Not much of a change but back to a plant-based diet with fresh salmon. I'll have to make the 25 mile drive to pick up the salmon and of course coffee/sugar will be one of the few processed foods I eat.

I almost forgot ... due to the increased blog traffic from Russian and the Ukraine on my old blog where I use to do all of my public blogging ... I set that blog to private yesterday. That keeps them from poking around looking for holes and prevents others from downloading photos. I'm not blogging there but just locked it up.

Thanks for stopping by to read the blog, look at the photos ... I'm heading out for a short drive in the Z4 before it gets too hot.

It's going to a 'scorcher' today here in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.

It's Gonna Be A Good Week

For some reason I like this picture of the field and watching it how it changes throughout the year.

These white flowers are knowing to vine out and take over anything in it's path. One seed can produce 500 of these white flowers. They would climb up my carport rod iron poles.

We were out early, 8:15am ... we were up early, 7:04am and I had a lot of things I thought about this morning wanting to get done this week. I might even get a few things done on my 'to-do' list. I need to give Heidi a bath.

Stella did some trotting this morning. She led the walk. She not only veered off on her own but circled back on her own to meet me and Sadie.

Poor quality pictures this morning. I may have had the wrong setting ... "all focus" instead of "single point".

Stella glanced up from the rolls of hay and noticed Sadie and I were gone. She picked up our scent on the path and started trotting all the way to us.

She went right by me and joined Sadie for the trot to the middle of the field.

I walked all the way home letting the hounds do what they wanted. Instead of going inside to change shoes I decided to walk to the north yard and call them. That is a heavy deer scat spot I guess. I bet while we sleep the deer are all over that field ... but the hounds never smell them, never wake up barking.

Slowly but surely they head home.

Another good day here in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.