(133) We're Not in Kansas

It is so quiet here today. The noise of the weekend Holiday is over and the stillness of the heat has set in. The temperature keeps edging toward the century mark and it is only just now noon. I imaging one of those western movies where the cowboy is out in the sage and desert west. He’s hot and his horse has just run off to find water as he struggles to find shade himself. Lucky for us we have the benefit of air conditioning and our fans. We haven’t ventured outside today, not even to take our walkabout. I haven’t even gone out to the screened in porch to listen if GeorgeNGracie are moving about. I suspect they are not, I assume they are waiting for the heat to subside some so they can venture out to find food for their family. Beeker barely moves. He content to lay low, knowing that at some point we will go out and he will take the heat with stoicism. He’s conserving his energy.

The silence is further punctuated by the ping of my phone turning off, the fan and air conditioner coming to a halt. I hear a generator in the distance, humming now as it pushes energy forward. It’s eerie how loss of power can make a hot summer day seem even hotter. Nothing but the trees now stir. We venture out, my dog and me, to get the mail, I say. The heat, more than the humidity, meet us as soon as we step outside. It takes a moment to catch my breath, and I feel the heat slow my breathing. I love the feel of its intensity on my arms. Beeker runs off on his usual sprint to check what needs checking, but returns shortly when he exhausts more quickly than usual. We walk side by side quietly to the mailbox, no neighbors are out, most at work and others keeping haven inside. The birds are quiet but the locusts have begun to sing. Do you think they believe night has fallen with the silence? It’s the kind of summer day when pop up thunderstorms come without warning. When they boil up we say. I feel like Dorothy’s Aunt Em, looking out on the grey sky waiting for the storm to come. Even Beeker plays the part of Toto, silently at my side, waiting for the next motion to stir his attention, waiting, waiting. We aren’t in Kansas but we know the feeling.

(132) A Cold Cup of Joe and Off We Go!

It was just beautiful to wake slowly and meet the sunshine and warm breeze. We ate breakfast outside in the screened in porch. We have been trying out iced coffee. Have you tried it? I don't mean one of those Starbucks drinks with cream and foam and other frozen drinks. I mean coffee over ice. I like mine with a little nonfat chocolate sryup. My father has been drinking it for years this way and so finally I was able to convinence Brad to try some this weekend and he decided that he could drink iced coffee if it were not his initial cup of the day. The man loves coffee but needs the FCOTD to be hot and conventional. (Read suck down luke warm Folgers).
Since it is more windy than the past few days, we decided that it was a good morning to take the dogs on a walk. It is so difficult to take Max and Beeks out in full sun because of their black coats that we usually end up taking them either in the early morning or late at night. I am so lazy that if I don’t walk in the early morning I am too exhausted to do it late at night. My bad. Anyway since we are still on holiday and Brad doesn’t have to work, we chose to take the dogs to the Prairie to walk the wooded stream path. This is one of Beeks favorite places to go, if you remember, since it has underbrush and woods AND streams to traverse. I am glad we went as early as we did because by the time we finished it was hot and a real work out. We made it to the big creek where both dogs went into the stream and got good and wet. Beeks likes to jump right in and Max followed. It helped cool them down. I’m not convinced that the water was safe to drink (of course they did)but it was moving right along so there is hope. We spent about an hour walking out and back which is just enough time to exhaust us all in this summer heat. When we got home, I pulled out the swimming pool, filled it with water and gave Beeks his annual bath. He was willing to get in the water, but as the water comes from our well, it got colder by the minute. Beeks was patient and I do think he liked getting wet. I soaped him up and hosed him down so now he has had his bath for the year! The first think he did after I was finished rinsing him off was to go to our nearest flowerbed and roll around it! I shooed him away and he shook most of the water and new dirt off. After toweling him off a little, he was ready to head inside to drink a bucket of water. He’s been sleeping all afternoon. A tired dog is a good dog! Max has been sleeping too and he will get a good brushing this evening since he picked up more than his share of burrs this morning on the trail.

From the J & J Report… I talked to Juli this AM and she said that they have been having a great time in Seattle. They have been to the dog park which is quite different than the one she is use to taking JesseJames to in the QC’s. The Dog park in Seattle is more like a whole park with lots of grassy areas and paths. Locals use the park for breed Meet Up where the dogs can socialize as well as owners can meet new people. Talk about new ways to meet, better than the internet. Juli said that while they were there, a Meet Up of Pugs started showing up and soon, there were lots of Pug dogs all around. Eric and Chelsey (Juli’s son & GF) meet a group of IG’es there as well. She said that a local told her there are more dogs than children in Seattle. I bet that’s true. Both dogs spent the evening of the fourth in the bathroom since neither one of them liked the sound of the fireworks. The sounds are so hurtful for a lot of dogs, Max and Beeks included. Max and Beeks both barked and then hunkered down close to us when they heard fireworks last night. J &J will head back to Idaho on Tuesday or Wednesday.

(131) Its Independence Day!

Having risen early this morning, Beeks and I cooked up a coffee cake for later in the morning, then went off in search of a newspaper. Not that our area has a stunning, award winning newspaper, in fact we no longer take delivery of our local paper because of its lack of news, but on a Sunday holiday it seems like a necessity. It’s one of those summer Sundays where the humidity is just high enough to foreshadow an even higher level to come. I remember as a child, waking up in summer with the sound of the birds and locusts in my ear, the windows having been kept open to allow any breeze to creep through a still house. I love this part of summer. The fourth of July always gave me a sense of freedom as a child. I felt I still had summer left to enjoy, without the dread of approaching school. A holiday to celebrate that meant more summer to come. It was the full package to me. Ice cream, sparklers, friends and softball games to watch, late night firefly chases. Kool Aid and Kick the Can. Our family dog would be right there with us, running around the neighborhood with other family dogs, all of us hot, sweaty and happy. We were indeed independent, free for two more months.
Today we will enjoy the newspaper, and coffee out in the screened in porch. The dogs by our feet, cooling on the concrete floor. A coworker of brad’s brought him some ice cream from a local favorite shop where we use to live. The coworker also use to live near our old home town and so just before the long weekend, brought Brad some of this great Whitey’s Ice Cream. We have been savoring it slowly, enjoying the memories along with the cool fresh taste. Unfortunately, I don’t have any cones to have with it so Beek’s is out of luck. He watches me as I savor each bite and looks at me longingly knowing he will get some if only he is patient. When I finish and start to clean up, he is dejected. I waiver, contemplating allowing him a lick of the bowl, then think better of the idea and continue on to the kitchen.
I also was able to encourage Brad to go with Beeker and me to poach some Black Eyed Susans. Well, not exactly poached but that is what Brad claimed it was when Beeks and I took him down our lane to the pump station to where the trail leads across the railroad tracks. Blackeyed Susans love sun and dry soil and the trail has a lovely display of wild BES. I read on line that it is possible to propagate them with seeds but it suggests that it is easier to divide them if possible, so I’m taking my chances. We don’t have much direct sun but up by the circle, where the woods meets the lawn, is the best chance they will have. Brad was willing enough to make it seem like a clandestine operation so it was something exciting anyway.
We have been watching a lot of movies, this weekend. Dispersing them between outside activities, including taking the dogs to the Farmer’s Market.
Since it was my birthday yesterday, I got to pick which movies we watched. We started with Iris, a movie about Iris Merdock’s decent into Alzheimer’s and her husband’s faithful care of her until her death. It was one of the best movies I have ever seen dealing with Alzheimer’s disease. When I worked for a hospice group, I worked with clients who were caretakers or had the disease themselves. Judy Dench played Iris and she had the vacant look down to a T! If you have any inclination to this subject, rent this movie. By the way, Iris Merdock is also known to be one of Britain’s famous writers, having penned more than 25 novels until she succumbed to Alzheimer’s.
Next we watched King of Masks, a Chinese movie with subtitles. It was an endearing movie that showed the strength of human relationships in the face of tragedy. Again, it was a story that allowed us to see another culture and we really enjoyed each character.
The third movie was Burden of Dreams. This was the documentary of the making of the Werner Herzog movie, Fitzcarraldo. All I can say is that if you haven’t seen Fitzcarraldo, you wouldn’t understand. All of the Herzog movies are strange and enticing and pull you in. Rent them all and enjoy a really good filmmaker who is a perfectionist to say the least. You may have heard of one of his movies,Grizzly Man.
Today we will watch more patriotic movies like Patton and The Searchers.
From the J&J report… A good time is being had by all. Both dogs are enjoying playing with their new toys (provided by Juli) and the adults are making their way around Seattle during the holiday celebrations (read seafood and wine).
Hope you enjoy your day,inside or out, it’s you're summer choice. Happy Freedom!

(130) Mom, This one's For You

I want to take today to thank my mother for all that she has given me. She, like most mothers, give more than they receive. To be a mother takes many attributes that are not easily attainable. Take stamina for instance. When you are a mother, you are in it for the long haul. My mother continues to parent even to this day; she is available to me whenever I have important questions like how to make her Chicken and Noodles or for the really big issues like how to parent (or not parent) a grown son. She also has that important quality of hope and courage, which I lack so often, falling into fear and doom. I have to admit I often think of her when faced with a challenge which seems overwhelming at first. My motto (and that of my sister as well) is “What would Mom do?” (WWMD) I can remember mom herself tell me that she often says to herself, “What would my mother do?” when faced with a challenge. Maybe this is what happens to girls when they become mothers themselves. We keep the mother voice in our head so that we have someone to encourage us to carry on. My mother is an endlessly positive person. She always meets challenges with optimism and strength. Everything has a solution, everything is possible. When I was in graduate school, I had a professor that told me that everything was an opportunity. My mother sees the world like this as well. When I listen to Gracie the hawk, I also know that mother hawks are strong and forever encouraging. Imagine having a brood every year like Gracie does? She goes through the same process with her new babies every single year. Personally, I’d quit. I’d tell George that I want to retire, quit the business and take the first flight to Arizona! But Gracie has what most mothers have, what my mother has, she’s got patience, love and fortitude. Even in the midst of a crisis. My parents (who are vacationing in Idaho) told me a story of their Osprey that lives high up on a platform on the trail near them. Last week, the area was hit with high winds and a microburst that knocked out the electricity for two days. The winds were in excess of 70 miles per hour. When the rains had passed, and my parents were back walking the trail, they saw the Osprey, up on the cleared platform, just standing, looking down at them with the remains of the nest and broken eggs on the ground. My mother said the Osprey looked so forlorn and lost. I’ll bet a hundred dollars that Osprey will rebuild right on that very platform. Persistence! Strength to go forward! I want some of that! So, On this day of my birth, I want to say thank you to my mother who, along with my father, brought me into this world with courage and believed that I could do anything I could dream of doing. Mom, This one’s for you. Check out the Canna Lilies that are now in bloom! Beautiful aren’t they?

(129) Cousogs(?) or Hangin with My Pal

We’re having another beautiful day in Paradise and so I was thinking what better thing to do today than check out the garage sales. BORING! Beeks went with me and we paraded around town but didn’t find anything exciting or otherwise so we headed home. We didn’t even get an ice cream cone (too early and we didn’t earn one either). Since it was such a nice day I had the car windows rolled down and the air conditioning off. Beeks loved sticking his head out the window. We passed 5 or 6 dogs with their walking partners and guess what Beeks did? Wrong! He looked but he didn’t bark or growl at them! I kept praising him and told him how proud of him I was. I wonder if it has something to do with the windows being rolled down? Maybe the reason that he reacts so strongly has something to do with him being behind a barrier? Strange indeed.

J& J Barker Reports: They have made it to Seattle where JesseJames met Squiggles the Italian Greyhound for the first time. If you remember, Squiggles is the IG that Juli’s son and girlfriend adopted a few months ago. Squiggles was a rescue with many issues so we were anxious to see how he would react to Juli’s dog, JesseJames. As you can see by the pictures, they met and got along great. J & J report that on the "Cousogs" first day together and the Meet and Greet was a great success. They may have even snuggled some.

On the Home Front… Brad came home early from work today to work in the yard. We are looking forward to a fun filled weekend. Since it is a three day weekend, we will be watching a lot of movies during the evening hours and enjoying the screened in porch during the day after long dog walks. Max and Beeks have already put their votes in. We’ll eat lunch and dinner on the porch where the cool breezes flow. Corn, beans, and tomatoes are on the menu. Oh,and sweet potato treats too.

(128) Herding & Travels & Hawks Oh My!

He did it! He did what a Cattle Dog is suppose to do and he herded our cat when Chez escaped outside! This morning I was working outside and when I went to go back inside, Chez was waiting to escape outside! Who could blame him with the beautifully cool weather we are having. Anyway, Beeks was outside with me and so I called to him, “get him!” Beeks ran toward Chez which stopped Chez right in his tracks. Then Beeks ran left and right, behind Chez which got Chez to move toward the house and stopped him from continuing on toward the woods. I was so excited. If you watch the videos of cattle dogs herding sheep or cattle, they zig zag back and forth behind them to get them to move forward in the direction that they want them to go. Just think what Beeks could do with the right sort of instruction and work out!

The J & J Barker Report
Juli sent these remarkable pictures. She and JesseJames left Cascade early this morning and headed on to Seattle, Washington. The Dog B &B really is a Bed and Breakfast where it is possible to stay overnight. I looked up to see if there was a website for the place and there is so here is the website so you too can look at this remarkable place in Cottonwood, Idaho.
http://www.dogbarkparkinn.com/
Juli said that she passed Dog Bark Park on the highway and had to do a turnaround because it was so hilarious! The building is two stories and there are a number of other buildings including a gift store where the owners sell their wood carvings.
The picture of JesseJames with the red booties came from a store in McCall that is a thrift store that donates the profits to a dog charity. Since JesseJames got blisters on all of his paws he had been on restriction for the last two days of their visit to Cascade. Juli found the booties at the thrift store and decided that Jesse needed them. She reports that Jesse was not enthusiastic in the least and refused to cooperate when she tried to get him to walk, sit or lay down while wearing them. The picture is funny anyway.

Still more Hawk News
I wasn’t going to write today about the hawks continuing to chat and move about the yard, but when I looked out my kitchen window this afternoon, there on the dog fence was one of the hawks! I took the picture, but it was fairly sunny so it sort of looks washed out but you can see how close it was!

(127) Out and About in the Neighborwood

Wasn't this the most beautiful day yet? The temperatures were in the 70’s and the humidity was low. I went to work early today and on the drive through the country I just kept thinking about how green everything was and how tall the corn is now. We haven’t even reached the 4th of July yet and I’d be the corn is 6 feet tall. With all of the technology and genetic manipulation that farmers now have available I’d bet the old adage doesn’t fit any longer. When I was a little kid we use to check to see whose knee’s the corn was as taller than on the Fourth of July. It meant that you were really one of the big kids when you were taller than the corn on the Fourth. Now it seems that in a good year its knee high by April 4th. I decided on my way to work that I should take Beeks for a walk today since it was so nice. After I got off of work I wasn’t so enthusiastic to get outside and walk. Lazy is what it was. I opened up the house to get some fresh air and a cross breeze. This let to me sitting on the back porch and not wanting to move. Don’t worry, I am a child of guilt so I eventually got my body in motion and put my shoes on (a sure signal to Beeks that we’re going somewhere). After that he physically motivates me to get a move on. Read… “Come on Come on, Come on!” By the time we returned I was glad that we went and that I had done something good for Beeks and for myself. It’s just so darn hard to take that first step. Brad and I still take the dogs walking when he gets home from work most evenings but sometimes it is just too hot and humid or he is just too late getting home and I’m already done with my day. I know that Max likes going on walks but sometimes it is just too hot for his long haired body. Beeks on the other hand needs a good walk every day and sometimes he could use even two. We had an interesting encounter on our walk. As we walk around the neighborhood we often encounter dogs barking from houses, back yards and sometimes even in yards on electric fences. Today, a dog that we have seen before and is usually in it's electronic fenced yard, came right across the road to meet and greet Beeker. Okay, this was not too much of a concern for me because it is a young lab and it was wagging its tale as it lopped out to greet us. Bodies were smelled and then Beeks started to growl in a low growl. I pulled him back away from the other dog since he had his gentle leader on. Beeks pulled back toward the lab and I thought they were going to get on friendlier terms but Beeks did it again, he growled. The lab reacted by rolling over like he should do since he was younger but I was taken aback by Beeker’s behavior. He was so rude! I’m telling you, Beeks gets along great with others at the dog parks when he isn’t on a leash and on equal terms with other dogs. He got along fantastic on the beach with all of the other unleashed dogs. But still… This and his car antics when he goes doggie nutso when he sees other dogs.
Now that I’m back home, I can relax on the back porch and enjoy the rest of the evening. I’d say it’s almost perfect. The breeze is flowing through the house and the mosquitoes aren’t getting through.

The Hawks have been making a lot of racket since I got home. Almost a "Mew". This got our attention to look in the direction of their nest. Chez sat up on top of the bench and the dogs and I just looked in the general direction. After I got back from feeding the dogs their dinner, I looked up to where their nest should be. There on the edge of the nest (yes, I can see it somehow from the porch) were four hawks! Just imagine how excited I was to watch them. The racket that I heard must have been George bringing food back to the nest for the family. All four were sitting on the rim of the nest and then one of them (white underbelly-Juvenile?) flew off to the branch we saw it sitting on yesterday morning. (click on the pictures to enlarge and view a better picture of the hawk) It’s so exciting to listen to them, and even more exciting to be able to watch them with their young! Right now they are all sitting on branches near the nest. Kind of like an after dinner family chat in the family room.