Sun dogs

As the sun was rising this morning, I caught a glimpse of these pretty little "Sun dogs". The sun was rising just south and east ( er, to your right) of these pictures, and there was another "Sun dog" on the other side, but not nearly as impressive. I wish the lense could capture the colors more accurately.

Tomorrow after the winds subside, I will have to shovel along the boy's fence. The drifting snow has piled up along their enclosure, and if they were smart enough (not so lazy), they could walk right over. They wouldn't get too far though, thankfully there is a perimeter fence that would keep them on the property.My father-in-law reminded me that March is only a couple of weeks away.........it has to warm up by then.......doesn't it??

What do people without pets do for entertainment?

This time of year it can be very difficult to find things that make us smile. Luckily those of us that surround ourselves with a menagerie of creatures can usually find some amusement, however small, in the everyday things that our animals do. Here are some random observations.

We have been finding mysterious "lumps" in our comforter after the bed is made everyday.

Upon further investigation, we discovered that Baxter, tired of the long winter, has decided to burrow up between the layers of bedding every morning to make a cozy place to "hybernate" and remains there for most of the day. Sometimes he switches things up and goes into the spare bedroom for a little variation of the routine.
He does come out occasionally to check if spring has made it's arrival, but I think he sees his shadow and returns to his burrow. Maybe I am getting paranoid from being house bound for so long....is it my imagination or do Jordan and Sophia look as though they are concocting a diabolical plan? Yes, I am sure of it, Jordan is wispering something to Sophia........

"What?!"

I am not sure how my sheep have learned to be such great actresses. I feed them, I know that I have fed them, they know that they have been fed, and yet the next time I pass by their barn, they all baaaaaaaa like they are starving in such a convincing manner that I start to doubt myself............I fed them didn't I? Either they are incredibly devious and conniving, or I am becoming increasingly feeble-minded. Given the girth of my girls, I am going with the devious and conniving theory.

Just some random thoughts from someone who clearly has been trapped in a winter wonderland for too long!

Dogs just wanna have fun.

I know that I risk driving away my two readers by posting yet again about the weather. However, the weather dictates so much of how I will go about my day, and what I will, or will not be able to get done, that I simply can't ignore it.

I am not going to say that we have gotten a lot of snow in the past 24 hours, but when the friendly neighborhood gigantic orange snowplow gets stuck in the ditch and needs to be towed out...I think that speaks for itself.

Forgive the grainy photo, I was using the zoom through my screen window....Yes, I know how very Gladys Kravitz that sounds.

When I watched the weather report before going outside to do my chores this morning, I was feeling a bit uninspired to say the least. I shuffled off to put on my layers of winter clothing until I resembled the little boy in the movie, "A Christmas Story". I rounded up the dogs to go out with me to do chores, and squeezed all of us through the small opening that the snow piled up against the back door allowed.

While grumbling through my daily routine, I was trying to see as the snow pelted my face. I looked down at Miss Emma, and it was obvious how wonderful she thought this whole thing was. She didn't care that it was snowing, and windy, and work needed to be done. She only knew that she was outside with mom and she wanted to play.

Aww! C'mon mom, let's play!

Then I realized that Emma is smarter than most people.

Sometimes it takes someone to remind us how to play, that life is short, and sometimes it doesn't matter how ridiculous you look, or what anybody would think, or how much work needs to be done.... That big, goofy, brown dog was my reminder. Thank-you Emma.

So play we did, (after the initial complaints registered from my knees that have been in a semi-dormant state all winter) we ran through the snow drifts, and I threw snowballs for the dogs to "find" in the snow. The dogs all chased each other into drifts until they would get stuck, turn around and come bounding back.

Jordan checked out some wonderful new lawn ornaments.

And Bailie exuded joy as she did her little dance of happiness (rolled around in the snow).

Is that a happy dog or what?

All that playing made us really tired.


Until Gary opened the truck to let the girls ride with him into town to get gas.......they didn't care that it was just a ride to get gas.

They are dogs, they know how to have fun.


"Hey, sheep stuck in the snow over here."