Wildlife Encounters

Sorry, no pictures to go with this post, but it is amusing!

Tuesday morning - left for our walk at about 5:50 am (Hailey is insistent that 5:45 is get up time, even though she really doesn't have to go at this time) we had several encounters!

Encounter 1: 

Right across the road at the end of the driveway was a deer. While standing and staring at it, we heard another deer to our left give the warning stomp. I turned to see that deer's white tail vanish into the bushes. The deer on the road slowly walked down, hopped the fence and disappeared into the bush. The dogs hardly reacted at all.

Encounter 2:

As we continued down our road, the horses who were near the fence ran back. Just as we were about to pass them one charged at the fence, causing Phod to lunge at it. What happened next was amazing to me. Hailey charged at Phod and pushed him out of the way. To be clear, we were never in danger. The horse stopped at the fence and we were about 6 feet from it. I was impressed that Hailey would try and protect Phod. Overall, given the situation the dogs reacted well.

As we continued on our walk we heard the wild turkeys in the distance but didn't see them. We also heard other birds and a woodpecker.

Encounter 3: 

On the way back, in a field we saw 3 deer. My guess the same deer we saw at the beginning. This was apparently exciting and Hailey barked and they tried to pull me toward the deer. I used on by and leave it and with little pulling we continued.

Encounter 4:

We pass the horses peacefully. We were making it up the small rise on our private road. I spot it first. A creature, it was black and heading toward us. We are probably 20+ feet away. I walked a little closer to figure out what it is and to hope to scare it away. This worked, as it turns and I could then see it was a huge porcupine. Now the dogs have figured out there is something cool ahead, that is now slowly (a porcupine doesn't move very quickly) heading under the fence of the horse pasture and waddling across  the field. As it is far enough away I continue to walk toward our house (which isn't that far, in fact we are technically on our property when we encountered it). Hailey went hog wild crazy. She was screaming and pulling and carrying on. Phod was interested but in a calmer way. I manage to pull the 2 up to the house (that was my upper body workout of the day). I caught myself repeatedly trying to explain that the porcupine could hurt them and chuckled to myself when this wasn't successful.

All in all, it was a very, very eventful walk. A good reminder that at dawn and dusk Mr. Phod needs to be on leash!

Wordless Wednesday - Zaphod

Chil-axing

Now that the sun is warmer, Hailey is loving to chil-ax. Sometimes I even move the chair so it stays in the sun longer. 

She needs to chil-ax after our 2:45 am adventure on Sunday night. At 2:45 we were awoken to Hailey losing her mind, I mean completely barking and carrying on in a frantic way. The Man got up and turned on the outside light. There on the deck outside our bedroom patio door was a racoon. After she was sure he was gone, she was able to settle.  I guess we should be glad that she will alert us to intruders! 

Mischief Monday - Oh Hailey

Yesterday was the one day I could sleep in. Hailey decided that she needed to go out at 5:45. Man took her out. She never settled after that because she wanted a walk and her breakfast. She likes her routine (I have no idea where she gets that from).

When I took her for a walk around 8 (which is a fine time on a Sunday am), she made me laugh. She got herself completely vertical on the ditch, butt up, head down, while she pooped. It looked so uncomfortable . . . .

Also, she has discovered Goldby, the resident groundhog is back. She is a little out of control when we go out in the yard. I have pulled out her harness to maybe save my arm.

Some of her restlessness may be because of my own
mischief. I have fallen off the 2 walks a day trend I set. The weather has not been great here. The ground is frozen in the morning and I hate to say it but there was snow on Thursday morning and we got soaked on Tuesday. That and the fact that work has been busy, just put me out of the grove. I am going to try and get back to it. I know this week Tuesday and Friday I will be working until 8 pm, so won't be able to, but hopefully the other nights.


The Man is a bit upset as his team, the Ottawa Senators were eliminated from the NHL playoffs last night by Phod's team.  Go Habs:)

Black and White Sunday - Super Phod

Precious is back again! Turns out it wasn't hiding in the thicket, nope. It was found on the other side of the house in the woods. What we think happened is that Phod found it when the Man threw it. Then Phod decided to go and see what Hailey and Lady were doing in another part of the yard. During his run to find them, he dropped Precious and then forgot where he put it. He was really lost without this ball. He would take others but barely played. So he was over the moon when Lady and Hailey found it one day while walking around the yard.

Hockey Fever

The Man has had hockey fever. His team the Ottawa Senators made it to the playoffs.

While the Lady couldn't really give a rat's butt about hockey, she likes to tease the Man that Montreal is her team (we live in Quebec after all). She knows one player on the Canadiens, Price, who is apparently one of  the best goalies in the world. [She can name at least a dozen Sens players, but that is beside the point].  So we have been having a "rivalry" in our house. Even the dogs have been forced to pick sides.

Last night was game 5. We went into game 5 with Montreal leading the series 3-1. Man sat glued to the TV while Lady did a million other things.

After game 5, what is the status?

The Sens have brought the series to 3-2 with an impressive win 5-1. In our house we are sure it is because Hailey wore her jersey all game. She thinks if that is what it takes for them to win, she wants them to loose!


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We are sorry we haven't been commenting much this week. Lady has been doing her best to visit all our friends but due to some work projects hasn't had a lot of commenting time. This weekend won't be better. Lady is teach all day today and tomorrow she is going to Aunt C's new house cause Grammie and the Big Guy are visiting. Hopefully next week will be quieter.

FFHT - Smells

Today is Murphy and Stanley's FFHT.

Around our place, the tell tale sign that winter is gone is not that the snow has finally gone. Nope, it is a new odour that fills the air. Spring has a special smell. It smells like

dirt and grass and

After a good roll

wet dog! 

Phod in a puddle