Bella and the butterfly

This has been the summer of butterflies.  Bella and I have released 10 Monarchs into our garden this summer.

This is one of the young men we released.  You can tell it's a male because of the fat spots on the lower wing veins. This one is of the generation which will travel to Mexico.

Bella and the butterfly.  We had a couple young ladies spend the night on our phlox.

One of the young ladies on Mommy's finger.  This one wasn't quite ready to take off.  When they are ready to go they are ready.  How they know how to make it cross-country and end up with their cousins in Mexico is a miracle.
How they transform from caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly is a miracle!

Bella wants me to include a link to Monarch Watch.  Monarchs as a species are in dire need of human help.  Their habitat is endangered, the caterpillars' only food, the milkweed has been drastically reduced and nectar plants are rarer and harder for them to find on their way to overwinter in Mexico.
Find out more information here:http://www.monarchwatch.org/
Bella says "All you puppies out there, ask your people to help the Monarchs.
http://www.monarchwatch.org/waystations/

Goodbye Magpie

It is hard to believe it has been five months since we lost our Magpie.
We discovered she had elevated liver enzyme numbers.  We took her to the Specialty Clinic for more tests and discovered she had polyps in her spleen, her liver was enlarged and perhaps there was something going on with her adrenal.

It is difficult to know how far to pursue things with an older dog.  She had lived a good life (really should have bought it several times due to her poor life choices).  Surgery would be very invasive, life-threatening to an older dog and very expensive.  So we decided to give her a good end.  She was doing fine, enjoying her walks, sneaking out for visits to the neighbors almost to the end.

The second week in December she had a Vestibular incident where she couldn't walk and her eyes were tracking out of control. She recovered quickly but it's not too suprising she didn't last much longer.

Saturday, Dec 12th she was clearly going quickly and by Sunday she was not eating but was drinking in the morning.  Phil stayed with her and comforted her until we came home from church and then we all sat with her and gave her love.  She passed about 2:50PM CST.

Magpie puppy
She was a character from the beginning

Someone loved Christmas!
Nothing better than opening gifts.
Didn't matter if they weren't hers.

Such a tolerant dog.

I never knew an animal so motivated by food.

Goodbye Magpie!

Cousins at Squaw Creek

So Eric graduated at the end of May and that meant Grammy, Auntie and Oscar came out for a visit and we (Magpie and Bella) got to go and run at Squaw Creek Park. It was a beautiful day to run and roll in the grass but the humans kept complaining about the gnats.  Mommy and Auntie were really excited about some bird also.  They called it a Meadowlark.

Beautiful grass heads

Oscar is unimpressed by what the girlies find interesting to roll in.  If it doesn't smell like death, it's just not worth it.

Magpie loves running the tall grasses.

Oscar was happy to see his auntie.

Bella just loves to run.

More seed heads.

Happy Birthday April Fool

 What do you give an April Fool's dog on her birthday?  Birthday squirrels!  She was kind enough to share with her sissy, Bella (actually she didn't have a choice).

Magpie is 10 today.  How did our baby get such a grey face.
Happy Birthday Magpie.

Roses and Posing Dogs

Magpie and Bella enjoying some Autumn sunlight.

Last of the Autumn roses - Gertrude 

Snowy Day

It's not yet November and winter seems to be threatening.  Our first snow of the year.  It wasn't much but enough to leave a light coating on the grass and garden bed.

I do like the cottage look against the stucco garage wall.

Bella wants me to show everyone what a tough job she has. 
Someone needs to hold down the couch on a cold, snowy day. 

Garden chairs looking a little tired in the snow.

Snoring - Isn't she lovely?

Putting the garden to bed. I picked the last of the green tomatoes just in time.

The Little Girls

This is a little overdue.  The gerbils have been in the house for several months now.



Their names are Cinnamon and Latte. Guess which is which.

Bella was very excited about meeting the girlies.

The Little Girls

Latte is not amused.

Cinnamon hat.