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New Zealand Anyone?

Cait says from the backseat of the car, “Mom, there’s a tick on your shirt.”

Just having gotten into the car after a family hike through the woods, I get back out, find the tick (it’s a deer tick of course), and pick it off. Climbing back into the car, I say to Andrew, “Can’t blame that tick on the dogs.”

Andrew, who’s just contracted Lyme disease again from a tick he believes he picked up from one of the … Read More

Grandfather

Cait dreamt about my father last night, which she does on occasion. My father and Cait had a thing for each other while he was alive. She often expresses how much she misses him, and how she really wishes that she had a grandfather. (Andrew’s dad died several years ago as well.)

Though my daughter has the most wonderful grandmother, my mother, in her life (and that counts for a lot), I feel badly for her that she doesn’t have … Read More

Finnegan-4, Mice-0

I came downstairs this morning to find Finnegan having great fun tossing around one of his toys in play. Upon closer inspection, I saw that it was a dead mouse — the forth in as many months. I felt a mixture of sadness and relief. Sadness at the loss of a life. Relief that Finn is cleaning up the place; something we haven’t been able to do with all our have-a-heart traps.

We live in an old farm house. It’s … Read More

The Turkeys Are Back!

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The wild turkeys are back — for the first time in several years!

When we first moved here fifteen years ago, they beat a regular path through our property. Then the coyotes moved in. I thought that was the end of them. I’m so happy that they’ve made a comeback! And that they’re once again part of our little wild kingdom.… Read More

Cesar Millan – Take 2

Seems Cesar has a way of stirring things up wherever he goes. He’s attracted a fair amount of attention here in Shanleyville. Irma, a thoughtful reader, left a comment on why she found Cesar’s approach useful for certain situations. She brings up some valid points.

Different trainers become popular with different people for different reasons. Obviously, the Dog Whisperer show has struck a nerve. I don’t find that surprising; there are a lot of dogs who need more training. And … Read More

Leaf Fairy

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Just having finished raking the leaves from our beautiful Maple tree into a pile of brilliant reds and spun golds, it reminded me of one of my favorite pictures of Cait. She’s peeking out from under a leaf pile she’s just belly-flopped into. She’s only 4 yrs old here. How the years fly…… Read More

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