So Proud of My Pups and the Tree Lives!!

 I had tried for over 30 minutes to post this earlier but it wouldn't go.  Now it uploaded first time and I did nothing different.  Guess Blogger must have been feeling out of sorts.  Thanks to Rick for the ideas to try if it happens again.

Just a quick update on our tree vandalism.  We called Friends of Trees and they came out the same day.  They said the important part of the tree at this point is the root ball and since the tree was already budding out, the root ball was doing well.  So they cut the tree off below the break and left a 2’ stub in the ground.  Friends of Trees said they will keep an eye on the tree and prune the branches as they start to emerge.  These trees grow very fast and the fella said this one would likely catch up to the rest within three years.  So we were happy to hear all that good news.

Now our dogs…what can I say except I am so proud of them.  Ollie had his issues at first and was so scared of Russ and just about everything else.  He has totally made up with Russ, sits on his lap and wants tummy rubs.  His other issue was stranger aggression…not really aggression as in mean but he was so afraid that he would just go ballistic if a stranger came anywhere near.  It’s not that they were ever abused in any way – they had a family who loved them dearly.  Ollie is just a real sensitive soul and was frightened by his new situation.  They hadn’t had a chance for a lot of socialization so anything new is a bit scary for Ollie.

We have really been working with them.  Jewel loves everyone and only barks when Ollie gets her riled up.  We have been taking them everywhere with us, have not left them home alone yet.  Lately, when we go to a store we leave them in their crate in the back of the van and leave the back open.  One of us stays right with them to make them feel safe and we ply them with treats as they watch strangers walk by.  They have learned to be quiet and relaxed, even when someone comes very close.  That’s progress.

They met the lawn guy yesterday and Ollie never barked at all during the entire lawn mowing process.  They watched out the window and seemed to enjoy watching someone else work.  I guess they truly are our kids!!

Today they went to the vet for their introduction and well-check.  Both dogs wiggled (no tails to wag!) for the tech and the vet and never made a peep.  I had brought a soft muzzle for Ollie but never had to use it.  They were even good during their nail trim.  Oh, and they got good check-ups except for their weight.  We’re working on that!!  Yup, our kids!!

We saw some good things on our trip to the lake today.  The sun hadn’t yet burned off the clouds and fog and the lake was as calm as glass.


We didn’t actually see the Desert Fox but he must have been here!


The picnic tables are all lined up and waiting for the first picnickers to arrive.


The dogs are really starting to love our trips to the lake.  Ollie now has several places that he has marked as his and he knows where they are!


We saw a big raven (I think).  It seemed too big to be a crow and it had a huge thick bill.


Then we drove out along the road where the tundra swans land every year during spring migration.  There were hundreds of them but there will probably be more before they move on.




Then, just down the road, we got to see the buffaloes.  There were three of them in the field but since Russ was stopped in the middle of the road, I had to take a real quick shot and it’s not very good.


While we were watching the buffalo, we heard a loud roar and looked up in time to see this fighter jet approaching the airport.  That was pretty cool!


We’re busy making plans for our spring trip.  I’m so excited to be making plans to hit the road again.  It’s been way too long.

What in the ying-yang is going on with Blogger now?

I had a post all ready to go on Live Writer.  When I tried to publish I get the following message:

Can't publish file

The remote server returned an error:(500)

Internal Server Error

I googled the term but didn't find anything helpful.  Most entries referred to problems with Word Press.  I believe something like this happened once before and it had to do with not enough storage for pictures on my account.  However, I have a paid photo storage account with 20 gig capacity and I know I haven't exceeded that.  I can't even find that  information on my Google Plus account so not sure where else to look.  Any ideas anyone??

Knuckleheads

Remember the hassles we went through last summer?  We had several things going on – and one of the major ones was the installation of sidewalks in the neighborhood.  We were glad when they finished and very pleased with the result.

An organization called Friends of Trees planted saplings all along the planting strip of the entire project.  We got three trees and were looking forward to seeing them grow and provide some shade for the front yard.  Our trees survived the winter snows and are beginning to bud out.

Imagine our surprise when we got up Sunday morning and saw that someone, probably more than one someone, had senselessly decided to break down one of our trees.




A neighbor came by and told us that several mailboxes in the area had also been “assaulted” in a similar fashion.  We are familiar with that type of vandalism also, but they left our mailbox alone this time and just killed the tree instead.

I know it’s not that big a deal in the grand scheme of things.  It just rankles that people can be so thoughtless and ill-mannered.  And where is the pleasure in breaking a poor helpless tree, or beating up on a defenseless mailbox?  Oh well, we are trying to find out if the county will replace this tree or if it will be up to us. 

We really don’t live in a bad neighborhood so this kind of senseless vandalism is not a common occurrence.  Makes you wonder though what “they” might do next.  SIGH!  Coulda been worse and the tulips and daffys are about to bloom so life is good.

Back at the Lake

If you have followed my blog for awhile, you know how much we loved taking Rusty and Poppy out to Fern Ridge to walk along the lake.  The lake is actually a reservoir completed on the Long Tom River for flood control, and the name of the dam is Fern Ridge Dam.  The official name of the lake is Clear Lake – but that is a misnomer for sure!!  Everyone around here simply calls it Fern Ridge or, even more popular, Fern Ditch.

April 2012

It really is not a bad lake.  It’s shallow and somewhat muddy, but it provides lots of recreational opportunities in the summer.  In the winter they draw it down for flood control and the boat docks are high and dry.  Today there was quite a bit of water in the lake already and the boat docks are pretty much surrounded by water.   We saw two people putting their boats in the water so I guess they didn’t hit bottom!



It really felt good to be walking around the lake with a dog on the end of a leash.  Of course we can’t let these critters off leash like we did with Poppy and Rusty, and they can walk a WHOLE lot faster than we can, but we did our best to keep up.  Thank goodness, they leave the tables in place over the winter so we could take a rest when we needed to.  Russ is feeding the dogs a little treat for being so good.  Look closely and you can see Ollie licking his chops in anticipation.



“But mom, I can’t look at you.  The sun’s in my eyes!”



Along the way we found someone had made a “something” out of rocks.  I wonder if they were trying to make one of those INUKSHUKS that Kelly makes so well.  Best I can say is, Bless their heart, they tried!!  If nothing else, it’s a pretty good balancing act.






Another afternoon of sun and blue skies has made us all a bunch of happy campers – not that we are actually camping – but you get my drift.  One more day is promised and then it is back to Oregon weather.  Spring can’t be far away though as we have daffodils and tulips coming up and robins are cruising all the lawns looking for fat juicy worms.  And I just looked at the clock and see it is 5:30 p.m. and the sun is still shining and it’s not DARK outside.  WOO-HOO…the days are finally getting longer.  That’s a good thing!

Winners–and we put the dogs in Therapy!

Congratulations to winners Barbara of Me and my Dog and my RV, and Judy (Meowmomma).  Email me a mailing address and I will get those dresses off to you.  These were the only two who actually wanted a dress so everybody wins LOL!!  Thank you so much for all the nice compliments and thank you to those who suggested I keep the dresses.  You see, I know for a fact there will be no more grandchildren, and great-grandchildren will be many years in the future (if at all)!  I have made many pieces of doll clothing over the years and hopefully a few of those will survive and be put away for future generations.  I will probably make more in the future too just because it is something I enjoy doing.  But for now, it was just time to “put away childish things” as the Bible says – and share with a little girl who might get some good out of these.  Thank you all.

Now on to my favorite subject of late – my little furkids.  Who do you know who would take their dogs for a 50 mile ride just so they could go for a walk?  Nah, we’re not crazy, just tired of walking in the rain.  So, yesterday we headed south on I-5 hoping to find some dry weather.  Besides that, we wanted to see how they did on a longer ride and we are happy to report, they did great.  Not a peep out of them.  We had to go all the way to the little town of Oakland, but it was dry there.  I’ve posted about Oakland before and you can read one of those posts here.  It’s a great little town, not much there, but very historic and enjoyable for a walk.


Ollie always looks like he wants to ask me a question, while Jewel just wants to see what’s going on so she can get moving.  Both kids did very good on their walk.  A lady came out of her shop just as we were about to walk by.  I gave Ollie just a tiny correction on his leash and a “shhsh” and walked on by.  He never said a word.  Russ stopped and let Jewel greet the lady and get some lovin’ while Ollie and I watched from a safe distance.  PROGRESS!!

Today we had SUNSHINE!!  It was a bit cold and damp this morning so we went for our morning walk just around here.  But this afternoon the sun came out so we headed for the Delta Ponds.  That is always one of our favorite walks.  It is so close yet feels like you are way out in the country.  Lots of water in the ponds right now and the water fowl are all loving it. 

The Canada Geese are back in a big way and are busy staking out their nesting sights.  With all the honking going on, it sounded like rush hour in New York City.  This lucky couple has moved into a wonderful condo on their own private island. 




It is so pleasant to walk along the ponds and listen to the ducks and geese and birds.  Just surrounded by nature right here in the middle of town (radio tower and all haha).


There are many paths through these ponds, with bridges and lookouts and benches along the way.  One could probably walk 5 miles around and through the ponds but our walk was quite a bit shorter than that!  We’re working up to a mile!!  Well, it’s better than we’ve been doing lately!

At any rate the dogs loved it and so did we.  Here again, Ollie is keeping an eye on me and Jewel just wants to see whatever she can see.  Just look at that blue sky – it doesn’t rain EVERY day in Oregon!!


We finally got the dogs into Therapy.  Yup, they have officially been on the couch in Therapy and they seemed to like it.  They were reluctant to go onto the metal step at first but the offer of a treat overcame that fear.  They enjoyed sniffing all around and probably wondering where those other dogs were hiding.  Jewel made herself right at home and seemed ready for whatever was to come next.  Ollie was a bit more cautious but seemed pretty much at ease.  But DARN, I forgot to take the camera out with us.  We may try for a short ride tomorrow if the weather holds and the dogs seem okay with it.   

Congratulations Canada for your hockey wins for both the men’s and women’s teams. I’m not much into hockey but I will be cheering for the Canadian men to take the gold.  As Bob would say…Keep those sticks on the ice!!

CONTEST! (for Grandmas)

I wrote a couple of weeks ago about cleaning out all the toys and clothes from the kids’ room.  They have grown up and there was no use hanging onto that stuff any longer.  My niece did come and pick it all up and was happy to get it for her three little ones.

But in my closet, pushed into a corner and forgotten,  I found three doll dresses that I had sewn for the girls’ 18” dolls.  These dresses fit the American Girl type dolls.  I simply forgot to give them out and now  I have no one to give them to.  I am not the world’s greatest seamstress, in fact I’m not very good at all, but I enjoyed making these and other 18” doll dresses.  If you have a granddaughter, niece, great-granddaughter, or whatever, and you would like to have one of these little dresses, just make a comment to that effect.  I will draw names for the three dresses and mail them off to the three lucky (?) winners!!  If you have a preference for a certain dress, and I draw your name first, that is the dress you will get, so let me know.  The doll is my model and is not included.




























The trims I used were just what I had in my sewing stuff so they are not always an exact match but they look okay for a doll dress.   The dresses are made from scraps, remnants, or fat quarters!  I’m a little embarrassed as I know there are some REAL seamstresses out there and I am NOT one of them!  I just have fun making doll clothes.

In case anyone is wondering, yes, I did look into putting these on Etsy but there were TONS of people already selling 18” doll clothes, and most were better than mine.   When you consider the hours invested, there is no way to make this a business and I wouldn’t want to anyway.  I would rather give them to someone who would enjoy having them than trying to sell them.

So let me know if you are interested and if I get more than three comments, I will draw names and post the winning names here tomorrow.  We can make delivery arrangements by private email.  Thanks and good luck.

How Could I Have Ever Thought I Didn’t Need a Dog (or two)??

I sure hope ya’ll will forgive me for going on and on about our new furkids, but they have just added so much to our lives, I can hardly help myself.  Russ has taken to calling me by my Native American name, Donna Two-Dogs, because I always have a dog or two on my lap or at my heels.

We have been returning to some of the places we used to walk with Rusty and Poppy and these guys have been just wonderful.  Had a short walk out at the lake a few days ago but I don’t know what happened to the picture.  It was cold and windy anyway so it was a SHORT walk!

They had their first visit to the Delta Ponds trails a couple of days ago.  It was raining there too but not cold so we walked anyway.  They sure didn’t seem to mind and would have kept going a lot longer than we were able.




These trails are great for dog walking and for viewing birds and native wildlife.  In the summer, you can usually spot lots of pond turtles but it was much too cold for that this day.

One of the joys we shared with Rusty and Poppy was going for rides and letting them see out the windows.  Ollie and Jewel are crate trained and ride quietly in the back of the car in their crate – but they can’t see anything!  I can see why this is necessary when you still have kids in car seats to take care of, but these are our kids and we want to share the experiences of life with them.  And so we bought a car seat -  just one so far as we wanted to make sure they liked it.

Jewel has more confidence so she got the first turn.

We weren’t sure how she would react so I rode in the back seat with her to make sure she was safe and calm.  She LOVED it!  She settled right in and enjoyed looking out the window.  She has a harness and is tethered to the seat belt so she is safe.  Halfway through the ride, we stopped and I went to the front seat.  Jewel was still fine and enjoyed the ride.  Ollie rode in his crate alone and seemed to enjoy the extra room.

Today it was Ollie’s turn to try out the new car seat.  I was concerned because he is timid and tends to bark at things he is unsure of.  Big surprise when he seemed to like it as much, if not more, than Jewel.


His eyes got heavy right away and he snoozed between bouts of scenery watching.

As with Jewel, I rode in the back to make sure there were no problems.  I wanted to see how he would react to people so we pulled into McDonalds and parked close to the door where people would be walking past.  Russ went in and got a cup of coffee and I stayed with the dogs.  Several people walked right next to the car and Ollie never said a word.  Just as good as gold.  I got back in the front seat and we continued our ride with no problems.

We went out to Harrisburg today and managed to get in a nice walk along the river between rain showers.  The kids loved it, with all the new sights and smells to keep them occupied.

Uh, Dad, I think we may have a problem here!!


Okay, much better!


Lots of water in the river right now – have to be careful where you park haha!!


At home Ollie and Jewel continue to do very well.  Ollie has made up with Russ and even lets Russ dry him off when he comes in from outside. 


Isn’t this just the cutest face.


Jewel has taken up her station at the glass door and loves to watch the squirrels come for the peanuts.  Sometimes Ollie joins her but this is definitely her thing.













She loves watching the squirrels so much that I put a rug over the top of the coffee table so she can sit on that and watch out the living room window too.  She loves it.














Later on this week, we are going to introduce them to the motorhome and if that goes well, we’ll take them for a ride in it over the weekend.  We might get some dry weather then so it would be great to get out for a ride. 

Don’t want to jinx it, but we may be headed down 395 in early May.  We’re hoping to have a mini-family reunion with my sister and brother in Bishop.  We all love that place and, while they would be stuck in a motel, it would be great to get together there for a few days.  BTW, I am a fan of Brown’s Campgrounds in the Bishop area and this was on my FB feed this morning if anyone is interested.

"SEASONAL CAMP HOSTS - Brown’s Owens River Campground above Crowley lake is accepting applications for camp hosts / maintenance personnel. Job is perfect for a couple but not required. Must have your own RV and must live onsite. Mid April - Sept. 2014. Applications and job description available at Brown’s Supply, 219 Wye Rd., Bishop or call 760-872-6911, Monday - Friday, 8 AM - 4:30 PM."


Don’t know anything about this other than what’s posted here but being in and around Bishop would sure be a nice gig for someone.   They have several campgrounds in the area and the Millpond is where we will spend some time if we get to Bishop in May. 

P.S. That second doggy car seat has been ordered!!

Happy Valentine’s Day to my Sweetie!

We’re not much for Hallmark moments and made up occasions to send cards.  Seems the greeting card companies would have you sending a card for every other Friday if they could get away with it.  On the other hand, these special days are still fun to have, and a chance to show your love in a special way.  For us, that means going to the Wal-Mart card section and picking out the bestest of all the cards.  Then we show our selections to each other, oooh and ahhh a bit, maybe sneak a little peck on the cheek, and put those $6.00 cards right back on the shelf!  I have a Hallmark card making program on my computer that works REALLY well and it’s more personal too. Sigh!  I’m such a tightwad.

Still I wanted to acknowledge the sweetest man that ever lived.  No, not Ollie you silly, or even Rusty…this time I mean MY MAN, Mr. Russell William Krecklow!


Now, he may not look like much in this Valentine’s day photo from 1975, but if you keep him around long enough, he kinda grows on ya! 

This is a picture of me on that same day.  Russ had it made into a wallet sized and carried it around until it finally crumbled with age – kinda like me!!

Even back then he was a romantic devil that brought me flowers and plied me with chocolate – it was the chocolate that made me what I am today!!

The two of us were all dressed up for the annual Sweetheart’s Banquet at our church.  Back then, it was about all we could afford and anyway, we always loved the event. 


So tonight we will stay in out of the rain, eat homemade tacos and then cuddle up with our furkids and have the best Valentine’s Day ever.  Thank you my Sweetheart for over 40 years of memories and love.

Happy Valentine's Day to all, and to all a good night!!

But We Were Sad

The kitchen floor was always clean
No muddy footprints to be seen
No doggy dishes on the floor
No scratches at the kitchen door

The yard was nice and on the ground
No “doggie piles” were ever found
Quiet reigned, no barking noise
No tennis balls, no squeaky toys
…But we were sad

Poppy

Rusty

Now there’s paw prints in the kitchen
But you sure won’t hear me bitchin’!!
The yard needs “scooped” two times a day
And Ollie has a lot to say

The yard is filled with balls and toys
And what’s that funny squeaky noise?
No empty house, no lonely days
A lot to do, new kids to raise!

We have a lot of love to give
And still a lot of life to live
We have two angels to impart
Those muddy paw-prints on my heart
…And we are happy

Ollie

Jewel

 

I’m a simple woman with simple words – no fancy verse and hidden meanings here.  Just my love for my new furkids.

Icy, Dicey, It’s NOT Nicey!!

Went out to take some pictures of the ice storm.  I just got back inside and told Russ I was worried about the pine tree.  Not five minutes later he watched as the limb fell away from the tree.  Looks like a bad break so not sure the tree can be saved.

We had about three inches of snow on Thursday, freezing rain and ice on Thursday night, another 6-8 inches of snow on Friday, then another layer of freezing rain on top of that last night.  It’s NASTY out there.  I went out to take a picture of the front of the house.  A couple of steps into this slick mess convinced that was a BAD idea.




I wonder what made those tracks leading up to the cedar tree?  It seems they stop in the middle of nowhere and they look too big for a squirrel.


The birds were having quite a time getting their food.








My sweet concerned Russ went out and de-iced everything.













Barbara, if you get tired of those hot springs, this will cool you off!!


With the snow-ice-snow-ice sandwich we have in the back yard, it makes it hard for the little guys to get around.  The “crust” holds their weight in some places but then all of a sudden they break through and sink down to their bellies.  They still want to go out though and have managed to find a place to do their potty.  It’s kinda hard to squat when the snow and ice is so deep but they do a great job.  Here’s what happened to Jewel.


No harm done and she didn’t seem to mind.  They have figured out to keep close to the house and under the trees where the snow is not so deep.




We’re a little worried about our awnings.  They are metal and they are definitely bowing under the weight of the snow and ice.  At least the temperature is above freezing now and it’s all starting to melt.  Hopefully it will all be gone in a few days and we can get back to happily anticipating springtime.