Off Adventuring!

Hi pals! We just wanted to stop by and say we are taking a little break while we are off adventuring. We will be back in March!

Your very busy pals, Lee and Phod!

Nature Friday - The Colour of a Morning Sky

These pictures were taken on Sunday morning around 7:30 am. The official sunrise time for the day was 7:37. Late in the day on Saturday, we received about 20 cm (8 inches) of snow without huge wind gusts, leaving the trees covered in snow.

I love the colour of the sky. I continue to try and find beauty in the winter. 

Thanks to Rosy and the Boyz for hosting Nature Friday.

My Snuggly Girl

As I have talked about before, one of the side effects of Hailey not being on Prozac, is she is much cuddlier. It may also be that we keep our house cool 18C/64F (warmer if the fireplaces is on). We are currently storing our patio couch in the dining room. We have space in the garage, but fear the mice will get into it (and we have had signs of mice for 2 months now). Lee and I have been spending a lot of time reading on this couch. 

She loves to hold on with her front paws

Holding and sleeping

Once she falls asleep I will try not to move for as long as possible!

Wordless Wednesday - I Made a Pillow Fort

Tasty Tuesday - Helping the Man Cook

I don't know about the rest of you, but the Man is hardly able to get anything cooked without my help. He needs constant supervision. Besides watching him, one of my jobs is to clean the floor if he drops anything. 

Could you drop something please?

Mischief Monday - By the Saddest Boy Ever

Dear pals,

I am the saddest boy ever. Two terrible and horrible things happened. 

First, on Saturday, Lee and I were left alone for days and days and days (ok it was like 5 hours) and our Lady came home smelling funning. I looked at her phone and found this picture. 

It is our cat cousin Loopy. That is my Lady's arm. She left me for hours to play with a cat. She tried to say she really went to play with the human niece and nephew and the cat was a bonus but still . . . .

Then on Sunday, Lady and Man got into the car again. A couple hours later, the Man got home. Lee and I were convinced the Lady had to be hiding in the garage. We were very disappointed to discover that she had gone away for business. The Man had taken her to a place called the airport. She will be gone for a week. I guess this is why she was giving me extra love this morning. She tricked me because she has learned to pack light and didn't take a suitcase. I usually know when she is leaving me.

Anyway, the Lady is causing too much mischief and it has made me too sad.

I hope the Man will give me extra treats this week to help make up for all the sad!

Your pal, Phod

Nature Friday - Lee's Birthday Present Got Away

While it is not the best picture, it really does capture life under the feeder! (In case you are wondering why the squirrel was running, she was chasing the Blue Jays away).

Thanks to Rosy and the Boyz for hosting Nature Friday!

What I Got Is . . .

A hippo!

While it isn't as good as a squirrel would have been, it was something. 

giveittothehaileygiveittothehailey

Must take its ear off now!

Wordless Wednesday - What I Want Is a Squirrel

Tasty Tuesday - The Birthday Waffle

We had a little party for our girl on Sunday, to celebrate her 10th birthday. She waited very impatiently while the Man cooked her waffle.

I am wearing a hat and having to wait . . . some party!

Finally. I can't see a darn thing with this hat, so I am just going to eat it all!

Happy Birthday Hailey!

Today's a special day,

A special day for Hailey,

So Hailey dance and Hailey sing,

A birthday is a special thing!

Happy birthday!

Happy birthday!

Happy birthday Hailey!

Our special girl turns 10 today! This week we will celebrate her every day on the blog!

Nature Friday - Winter Wonderland

On New Year's Day, we woke up to a perfect winter wonderland. After walking the dogs, I set out to snowshoe in the woods behind our house. I would like to take the dogs on these adventures, but they do not particularly enjoy the deep snow. I am working hard at finding the beauty in the winter. 

Can you spot the woodpecker? 

This is my favourite one

Glancing up the hill to home

This is our backyard. The tree to the left is the one that was in golden colours this fall and is the one we always use as a backdrop for fall photos. 

Thanks to Rosy and the Boyz for hosting this event.

It Was an Accident

Phod: "It wasn't my fault. It was like an accident. I was just scared."

Lady: "Where you scared or angry?"

Phod: "Mostly scared. It was like you triggered the trauma of my early life when I was abandoned."

Lady: "I can see you were paying attention when I was working on the trauma course last week. And here I thought you just slept in my office while I worked."

Phod: "Nope, I pay attention sometimes. You know from your course that triggers can cause a fear response, and that is what I had."

Lady: "Let's say you did have a fear response when the Man accidentally shut you out of the bedroom the other night. After you had an accident downstairs, you came to the door to ask to be let in. Why didn't you just come to the door right away? We would have let you in."

Phod: "I was so re-traumatized I didn't think of it."

Lady: "Ok, if this is what you say happened. Can we try in the future, if the Man thinks you are in bed and you are not and he closes the door, that you knock first?"

Phod: "Ok, I will try."

Lee: "I would have anger peed and pooped if you locked me out. The room is mine and I should have access whenever I want."

Lady: "I know Lee, that is why I was just clarifying with Phod what happened."

Phod: "I would never anger pee and poop, even if I was very sad that you have gone back to work and had a busy weekend and have not been with me every minute of the day, and I am the saddest boy ever, made more sad because you locked me out of the bedroom."

Lady: "Oh Phod, we love you. The Man really thought you were in bed. He didn't mean to shut you out. We would love to be able to stay home every minute of everyday, but we have to work and go out and do some things. You are still getting love and walks and you spend most of the day sleeping. I am surprised you notice we are gone."

Phod: "I am sorry. I miss you a lot. Please don't shut me out of the room anymore. It is very scary when you do."

Lee: "If there is more pee and poop on the floor this week, it is because I am anger doing it because of our mistreatment. Think of it as my protest."

Lady: "Oh Lee . . . . ."

Wordless Wednesday - Emma Plays

Two for Tuesday

Mischief Monday - Yuck!

****Disclaimer: The following story is in no way Hailey's fault. The unfortunate events are really Lady's doing.

The scene: Saturday morning, shortly after 6:30. It is dark while we go on our walk. We go on the path less traveled up the hill.

The set up:  Lee stops and has the biggest poop in the world right on the road. Lady dutifully cleans it up and we continue on our walk.

The gross: As we are walking along, about .5 km from home, Lady gets an itchy nose. The runs her gloved hand under her nose. She smells it and realizes what has happened. Somehow she got Lee's poop on her glove. She has just wiped dog poop under her nose. 

The reaction: Lady plays it pretty cool although she is pretty disgusted. She takes off her glove and wipes the poop off her face and onto her hand (seems less gross there). Then she searches for clean snow. You see, the snow right beside the road is dirty with the sand. She uses snow to wipe her glove, her hand and her face.  

The aftermath: We finish the walk. Lady comes in, kicked off her boots and washes and washes her face and hand. She felt pretty grossed out. But can totally see the humour in all of this. 

Lee: "See, completely not my fault."

Nature Friday - A Winter Walk

Thanks to our dear friends Rosy, Arty and Jakey for hosting Nature Friday.  Today we thought we should share pictures of our last walk of 2019. Lady does not usually bring a device to take pictures on when we walk, but she decided to share our winter wonderland with you, so she grabbed her phone. 

It was a pretty icy walk because we had freezing rain followed by snow, which left an inch of ice underneath. There were more pictures but because we were not patient in waiting, many were blurry. Needless to say, Lady still got a few to share.

Peeking at our house

Walking down the main road

Looking at the hill the sun rises over

Our favourite road

Still on favourite road

Looking at the fields

Home again

New Year's Resolutions!

Welcome to 2020! A new year, a new decade!

Lady said we needed to come up with some resolutions, or a word of the year, or 20 in 20. When we suggested eating 20 squirrels for 20 days as a 20 in 20 goal, she said we should probably stick to resolutions or words.

Lee is up first:

If I was going to pick a word for the year, it would be, joy. I will be turning 10 in a few weeks, and I want to continue to bring people joy. I want to feel joy when I am tracking squirrels, and trying to eat deer poop. Joy, joy, joy!

I further resolve to make sure my Lady gets a walk almost every day when she is not traveling and the weather makes said walk doable.

I resolve to let me peeps sleep in until 7 on the weekends in the winter (when we get daylight earlier, I want to be out spreading my joy!)

I resolve to bark at all the wildlife I want to, when I want to, even it if it inconvenient for my peeps.

I resolve to make sure my belly gets a good rub every day.

I resolve if my peeps leave me in camp, to do a very good job at making them feel guilty about it later. 

I resolve to take my meds like a champ, but I make no promises about my behaviour (i.e. going through walls).

Zaphod is next:

My word for 2020 will be brave. Lady says that I have turned into the world's biggest suck. Hailey has taught me that the weather can be very, very scary. I will try and be braver in 2020.

As for resolutions:

I resolve to play with Precious every day.

I resolve to try not to lose a Precious.

I resolve to allow my people to play a lot of Precious with me outside, when there is not a lot of snow.

I resolve to be a little more patient with Lady when she is brushing me, because I can see the tumble-Phod's my fur makes all over the house, annoy her a little.

I resolve to be the best guard dog I can be and keep my peeps, and Hailey safe.

I resolve to always let Hailey win (or at least think she won). That will keep the peace in the house.

We both join our peeps in wishing you all the best for 2020 and the new decade! 

Happy New Year!

We wish you all the best for the New Year and the new decade. May the 20s be roaring!

Phod

Emma

Lee