White Fluffy Fun Stuff

Hi, It's me, Mister Poochie!

Alpha took my siblings to his mom's for the day, he did. They're going to help set up her Christmas tree. I want one of my very own, I do, so I don't have to go out on those really cold days and nights to water things.

Mom hasn't put any of the pretty stuff I knock around and down with my tail of cedar, she hasn't, because they celebrated Thanksgiving late, they did. Alpha was 13 hours away from home with his mom, he was, and Mom didn't want anyone to feel they missed out on what she calls a very important Christian Holiday.

But she's told me she's going to do it soon, she said, because of the long northern winters. And the cold. And that white fluffy fun stuff you all call snow. Mom sometimes refers to it as yet another four letter word, she does. I don't think she likes the white fluffy fun stuff, but I do, I do!

As a puppy, I used to run free and play in it with my puppy pals Cosmo and Cinnamon. Old timers like Louie and my older brother Charlie sometimes joined in, although Charlie would flop over, he would, sometimes.

I started getting in trouble when I began chasing cars up and down the road, I did. I also became known as "Puppy Thug" when I started stealing gloves, mittens, hats, and scarves off of my siblings, the neighborhood young ones, and people Mom always refers to as "leave it joggers". She sure knows how to spoil fun, she does!

So now I go out on my chain, and bark bark bark. I bark at the neighbor's rooster I hear in the distance. I also get a conversation going with my puppy pals. I bark at cars, bikes, and the lone skier as he goes up the big hill. And when the wind is blowing just right and I can hear them, I bark at the cows that are out grazing in their big fenced-in yard a mile away. I'd love to go play with them, I would, but Mom's never gotten me a play date, she hasn't.

Well, the white fluffy fun stuff is flying, and I need to go water something, I do. If we had an indoor tree, this wouldn't be a problem, now, would it?! --Mister Poochie

Snow!!!

This is Wisconsin, so I shouldn't be too surprised that it's snowing in November--this for the second time, already! And, after all, 16 years ago it did snow in the Chicago area on my wedding day on the second of November!!! Imagine that--I've lived in the midwest for 17 years and I'm still not used to this weather! Never do I remember it snowing that early in New Jersey!

My poor little poochie puppy out in the white, fluffy stuff. It wasn't snowing when I put him out!

Some time after it stopped snowing, I counted 14 robins in just a small section of our yard! I'm sure there were even more of them hanging around close by--the deck obstructed my view. Yes, the snow did not stay on the ground too long!

Not all robins migrate south for the winter.

Those that stay behind feed on the fruits of bittersweet, crabapple, snowberry, sumac, and many others. At feeders, they look for treats such as apples, raisins, currents, oranges, cranberries, as well as other berries. They also like moistened dog food in the place of worms.

Bon appetit!

--LKR

Charlie

We lost our super 14 year old "puppy" Charlie two years ago, today. He was such a super dog that just loved the kids. He loved everyone! Charlie and his "sister" Rocky, our shy little kitty, were the best of friends and used to sleep next to each other on the guest bed. Every neighbor we had that had a dog he'd get them to run back and forth the length of the fence separating them. A well-worn path would be created on both sides!

One of his closest puppy friends was a dog named Candy. They were both the same breeds--Golden Retriever, Collie, and German Shepherd and were the same age. Candy was more orange and looked more like a Retriever while Charlie was darker and had Shepherd markings and a white Collie tipped tail. But he was his whole life what the shelter described him as: goofy!

We got him from the Hinsdale Humane Society in Hinsdale, IL. His family had just dropped him off and, unbeknownst to us, was it the "observation before adoption" section. When we went back there, Charlie picked out Don. I was "okay", but the doleful eyes, leaning into the fence, and plea went out to Don. I don't know if he knew that we were from the same pack, but he picked out Alpha!

Hard to believe from these pictures, he had short fur for the first three years of his life! Every year after that, he got fuzzier and fuzzier. Much later in life, he earned the title "Fuzzy One". When my parents would come to visit from NJ, my Dad would take him outside to brush him. They both loved it! They were best buddies from the very beginning.

When we started our family, I would know Charlie had totally accepted his "siblings" when he'd plop down on the floor next to them and chew his bone. With our oldest, he loved to very carefully trip her by purposefully and gently grabbing her leg with his paw. It was so funny to watch! His tail would start wagging as he'd smile and then kiss her. The older the kids got, the more he adored them and the more they loved him. It was really hard for all of us to lose Charlie. --LKR