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An Aussie with His Flock

I’ve often said that if you don’t give an Aussie a job, they will give themselves one. Case in point. Arrow has appointed himself guardian of his dog flock.2 caveliers and an aussie sitting in the grass looking out at a pond
And I couldn’t be more thankful. Don’t have to worry about Eagles swooping down or weasels sneaking in. I know with Arrow on duty, I have no worries.… Read More

If You Build It, They Will Come

If you’ve been a regular reader, you’re probably almost as familiar with our pond as we are; it’s in nearly every outdoor shot. If you’re not, here are a few pics through the seasons.

pondspring.jpgpondsummer.jpg

 pondfall.jpgpondwinter.jpg

What you may not have guessed is that we built it. The year before Cait was born, we reclaimed it from a mosquito-infested swamp. For the first year, there was no life in or around the pond; all was still. In the second year, the … Read More

Morning Yoga

We’ve had Great Blue Herons visiting our pond for decades. Seeing this pose is a first.

sunbathing heron near a pond

This pose is known as “horning” or sun-baking (often referred to by birders as the delta wing pose).

While it looks like it might be trying to do a yoga stretch or impersonate a dragon, I discovered there are a few practical reasons behind this striking behavior:

1. Thermoregulation (Sunbathing)
On cooler mornings or after spending time in cold water hunting for fish, herons … Read More

Why I Love the Merlin Bird ID App

merlin bird app screenshot

If you’ve ever heard a bird song and thought, What bird is that? The Merlin Bird ID app is for you. It’s free and it’s fabulous at what it does. (Scroll to the bottom of the post to get the link.)

This screengrab shows what’s currently singing in my neck of the woods. I’ve used this app for so long now, that I can identify most of the bird songs on this list. The Song Sparrow iw always a little … Read More

I Broke up with Microsoft and Google. Here’s How You Can Too

woman jumping for joy breaking free of digial monopoliesI don’t know about you, but I’ve had it with ever-rising, never-ending subscription costs by digital monopolies, invasion of personal privacy, and now hijacking of my content for AI training.

So I started making changes. I moved from Microsoft Office to LibreOffice (FREE). From OneNote to Joplin (FREE). From OneDrive, Google Docs, and Dropbox to pCloud Drive (FREE, with an option for a lifetime purchase if you need more storage). And, last but not least, I moved from Gmail … Read More

The “Goldilocks” Dilemma: Solved! 

I have three dogs with completely different internal thermostats. Here is the current temperature breakdown for the pack:

Kenzie is always looking for the blankets to snuggle under or a warm body to press up against. Riley prefers a cooler temp, preferably with a slight breeze. And Arrow is a Husky in an Aussie’s body. He’d live outside if given the chance—the colder the better!

3 dogs in a row

How do they keep themselves happy? It turns out, the sliding glass door is the … Read More

AKC Most Popular Dog Breeds 2025–Full List

The 2025 AKC Rankings: A New Era for the “Underdogs”

French Bulldog on dogbedThe results are in, and for the fourth consecutive year, the French Bulldog has claimed the #1 spot in the American Kennel Club’s registration statistics. While the Labrador Retriever held a legendary 31-year reign until 2022, the “Frenchie” has officially proven it’s more than just a passing trend. Its compact size and big personality have made it the ultimate companion for modern living, but it wasn’t the only breed making … Read More

General AI Will Be World-Ending If We Don’t Stop It Now

I work hard to keep this space a happy place for people to come. I rarely post anything political or controversial, but something so serious is going on that everyone needs to be aware of it. If you don’t know yet, you need to know that if they reach General AI, that will be world-ending. No conspiracy theory. No exaggeration. Just facts.


Please educate yourself and take action now so that your children can have a future. I’m including a … Read More

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