A Day Of Coffee & Books

It was bound to happen. All of that great sunny weather finally disappeared and today was a dark overcast day with light rain most of the morning and afternoon. It felt like a fall day back on Whidbey Island, that also use to turn into a day of coffee and reading books.

The hounds were only outside each time to dump their tanks. Heidi ran outside and back inside so fast the Nikon D3200 didn't have time to even auto focus for her photo.

The weather today should be the same tomorrow if all the weather experts have read the radar correctly. It was one reason I raked leaves yesterday. Both Sadie and Stella stopped at the edge of the carport once they realized it was raining, hesitating whether to go in the yard. They went but not for long before heading back to the house.

It wasn't must different for the hounds in the afternoon. Winston decided to show up but he missed the morning trip due to being in a deep sleep. He is getting ready for winter.

I took a short trip to the town library to pick up a book I had ordered from a different library in their state library system online. It was here in the morning of the 2nd work day, ready for me to pick up. Driving the FJ to town in the light rain washed off the dirt/dust that gathers from being parked in the carport, surrounded by fields.

Back to my book reading, a fresh cup of coffee until the first game of the World Series comes on tonight.

A wet day in "the tropics".

Herding Leaves Today

The hounds and I survived another fast paced weekend doing the norm. We went out different times during Sunday but there wasn't a lot of energy around so they didn't do much more than the photos show. Heidi remained inside most of the time and refused all requests to come outside to hang out or at least go for a walk.

Of course as the pattern is, after the 1st cup of coffee Sadie is at my desk wanting to go outside every morning. I'll find out if its the coffee or the actual time that makes her do that, once we change time this weekend. After not showing a lot of energy lately Sadie and Stella were wrestling as soon as they went outside today but their play session didn't last long.

Winston got as far as the blocks and then decided he didn't know what he was going to do to start this week, so he turned and headed back to the house. THAT is very strange behavior by him.

With the sun out, the temperature 57° with a slight breeze coming out of the north for once, I decided it was the day to "herd" some leaves. I wanted to do the backyard and for the first time the side yard on the north side of the house.  The front yard could be raked but this year there seems to be enough wind to blow them out of the yard, so I will wait a little longer before raking them.

After a short team meeting, the hounds decided I did not have to rake every leaf and it was okay if some were left behind in the raking process. With the breeze coming out of the north that meant the leaves were headed in the right direction for burning.

We also tried a different burn method. All of those leaves along the fence line were burned right where they lay. My hose was near by where I could put out any fire on the fence line and also stop the fire if it were to migrate down the bank and connect to the leaves in the neighbor's yard. The piles in the driveway were raked into one pile and lit.

I found a more efficient way to collect the leaves instead of loading them with two hands into my two large trash cans. I laid the cans on their sides, moving into the pile of leaves and my other hand pushing leaves into the trash can. Compressed them, the filled to the top to be carried away to the burn pile. That seem to work well in speeding up the process of collecting leaves.

With the cool temps I pulled out a lightweight coat. The great surprise was after putting it on and zipping it up I could tell I had lost inches around my stomach and waist. Last year I could barely zip the coat and at times would have to inhale to get the zipper to go all the way up. This year after it was zipped I had extra room left. I'm glad I didn't sell it on eBay last year.

It might look warm but in cold weather the jacket is actually pretty worthless. It doesn't cut the wind, but for temps down to 50°it's a pretty nice jacket. Still, for winter wear ... worthless.








While I was herding the leaves, which took 1-1/2 hours to complete the backyard area, the hounds laid in the yard and watched. Sadie spent a lot of time snooping in the field. Stella once again laid in the sun and slept and would refuse to move when I was raking ... so I raked around her. She didn't even lift her head as my plastic rake touched one of her paws. Winston disappeared on me once. I found him sunbathing in the front yard that faces west ... taking an early nap.

I knew they would stay around because they had not been fed yet. They were wanting food more than companionship or helping with the leaves. So once the yard was raked, it was hound dinner time. After they ate all of them wanted to go out and inspect my job. Heidi continue to chase invisible flies around her and Stella was giving me the "thumbs up" signal for the clean yard.

Later in the afternoon Stella and Sadie came to me to take them outside. The daily walk was done earlier. Yet, once they got outside they didn't do anything. Must of just needed some fresh air.  As far as using my leaf blower this year, I raked this year .. it's quieter. Plus my body is telling me right now that I got a lot of exercise in that 2 hours of raking. That's a good thing. I probably will only have to rake one more time based on the amount of leaves left on the trees. I'm hoping for some 15-20 mph winds.

I would love to know what Stella was thinking in those pictures of her. Winston didn't want to join us, he was in a deep sleep on the couch, along with Heidi.

I enjoy the fast pace of retirement living here in "the tropics".

The Hounds Are On Strike

Stella and Winston sharing the couch

I'm not sure what the problem is but these past couple of days all of the hounds have been very low energy. When they go outside they sit, they search but there hasn't been the sprinting around the field and playing.

Stella and Sadie will play a little inside but it's the type of play that is quiet wrestling. The interesting thing is each time I try to take photos of them inside, they stop playing. The next interesting thing is, inside Stella will be the one on the ground with Sadie standing over her ... outside it's just the opposite.



One thing that Stella has taught Sadie is to take time to relax. Before Stella showed up August 30, Sadie would rarely if at all, just lay in the yard and enjoy the sunshine.

After letting the hounds outside Stella would just sit sniffing at the air but soon after lay down and sleep. Sadie and Winston would do their search and destroy mission in the field ... their way of destroying what they find is to eat it. I've given up trying to get them to stop, it's almost impossible with two stubborn hounds.

Stella has no interest in following along with them eating gross stuff so she would stare and watch them. She has more important things to do ... like a short afternoon nap in the breeze of a fall afternoon.

I may have spoke too soon on Heidi's skin stabilizing with the change back to a chicken and rice formula. Late Thursday night (after a week) her legs had been chewed on, some to the point of raw skin. The front paw that was full of hair, now had a hot spot from chewing. A lot of redness on her stomach, chest and neck.

Friday morning when she woke up, most of that was not red and looked like it had calmed a bit. By Friday night she was bright red on her legs, stomach, chest and neck. So we have gone back to the Earthborn Grain Free Meadow Feast blend.

These were taken around 12:30pm on Friday. The redness was much brighter later that night. The left front paw was almost full of hair before she started chewing and licking it, after the dog food switch from no grain.

Yes .. that is an extra toe nail growing on top

I still think we are getting close though where those light spots having hair fully grown back in these next few months. I believe the probiotic supplement is making a difference. It has not been 5 weeks yet, the recommended time before any changes would be noticed. I also see and feel a little more weight coming back.

It took longer than last year but the leaves finally brightened up a little. It was almost an overnight thing. Still not as bright as last year.

From the looks of things this morning, I could be raking a lot of leaves within the next couple of days here in "the tropics".