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.

 

Winter is Back!

More snow and cold in Iowa.  Bella loves to run in the snow and Mommy's new camera is perfect for catching it.  Magpie is not so excited by the snow.

Racing Bella

Bella loves Pie

Wild Rumpus

Three heads together

Worried Magpie

Snuggly Bella - Calculus makes her tired.

Profile - Pie is looking stern

Rope! Bella wants to play

Christmas Dogs

We should have taken pictures of Magpie with the debris.  She's the dog who tried to eat Christmas.  Phill re-wrapped their presents from last year (puzzles which Grammy gave them).  We forgot to tell him not to place them under the tree till we were ready to open.  Magpie opened her's and Bella's and then started on everyone else's presents as well.

Thankfully, Phill caught her before she opened everything and the rest of us were able to open our own presents.  Christmas morning the girlies helped the boys with their stockings.

Balancing a Christmas Clementine

Did you drop anything good?

At Oma's

Sawing logs

It is hard to believe that anyone could relax as much as this pup.
You need sound for the full effect.

Bella relaxed

Bella Lurking

Just one picture today.  I'm not sure what it means.
Sad? Sulky? Lurking? Feeling guilty?  She's not telling.

Action Shots!

We had some beautiful Autumn days this week.  The girls had a great time playing in the yard.

Magpie skulking

Whose got the stick?

Bella has the stick

Time for a breather

Helping in the Garden

Bella loves to help Mommy in the garden.  Here she is keeping me company and helping to keep down the grass.  If only I could get her to run the lawn mower.

Lawn Mower

Keeping Watch

What?!

Be Alert!

Annie Oakley Eat Your Heart Out

Bella doesn't know that I am posting these pictures of her in hats.  Eric, Bella and I had a photo shoot the other day.  Karin from Flagstaff thought that Bella would look good sporting a hat so we tried a few on.

Annie Oakley eat your hat out
Now, where did we put the cowboy boots?

Go Rockies!
I need to get a Cubs hat for her as well.  We are not fair weather  fans.

Garden Party

We also tried the hats on Pie, but this is the best we could do.  Her little pin head is not made for hats, especially cowboy hats.