Winter Doldrums

Winter is about two thirds over (we hope) and really, it hasn't been bad.   We had a couple of cold snaps in January where we had sub-zero highs, but we've also had some days when it's gotten above freezing.    The best part of a January thaw is getting to start the second half of the winter with a clean driveway!   We haven't had a lot of snow this winter, and the warm days turned the little we did have into compacted ice.    By mid-February, the days are long enough that if I come right home from work without running any errands, I have time to get Scarlett and Zak to the park before dark.    We all sleep better when we've had some exercise!

Where's the "Play with Puppy" ap, anyway?

Just a subtle hint

Scarlett loves to tease Zak and is always running off with his toys.   She doesn't want to play with them, but she doesn't want him to play with them either.  She wants him to play with her!   She is quite the drama queen.     Zak, on the other hand, wants to play with me.    And he knows that the best way to get my attention is to divert it away from my computer.    He will lie beside me and put his head on the keyboard, but after getting scolded too many times for doing that, he devised a couple of new schemes.   His favorite (and most effective) one is to sit next to me, lift his paw and put it directly over the keyboard, about 1/2 inch from the keys and then look up at me with a totally serious expression.   After all, he's not TOUCHING anything, so how could he get in trouble; right?

Yes, Zak, I went to Jimmy Johns.  Unfortunately, it's not for you. 

Christmas Nights - Holiday Lights!

Scarlett, Zak and I spent a quiet Christmas home together this year.    We went to the park in the afternoon and in the evening went out to look at Christmas lights.    Scarlett was mesmerized by the lights at Fargo's Lindenwood Park.    Zak, ever cautious, wasn't so sure about them.    I talked to the vet in November about his anxiety; especially - but not limited to - car anxiety.    We're trying a few new things; one of them being essential oils.    He gets his paws rubbed with a little lavender oil every night before bed (in a coconut oil carrier) and it seems to help him relax.   We'll be trying it for some longer trips, too.    Of course Scarlett can't be left out, and she makes sure she gets in line for her paw rub too.    It's a nice soothing time for all of us, just before bed. 

Merry Christmas to all of our friends on CorgiTales!

Happy Fall Y'all

We're enjoying a beautiful Fall.  The second weekend in October and temps are in the 80's.   Love it!   A last taste of summer.   The only down side of the warm weather is bugs;  boxelder bugs, flies, yellow jackets and Japanese lady beetles ... the kind that bite!  Ouch.    But as long as I can keep them out of the house, they're tolerable.

Last weekend we went to Park Rapids and Itasca State Park.   It was a lovely day and there were some nice splashes of color here and there, but the trees were nowhere near their peak color yet.    This weekend we stayed closer to home.    After delivering a meal to some friends who recently lost a child, we drove along the Sheyenne River, walked a couple of trails and ended up at Rendezvous Park in West Fargo.   I had been there once before, in the winter, and it was nice even then, but today it was gorgeous.    There is a little lake, a lovely little stream and waterfall and beautiful foliage.   I was needing to get some Fall photos for our 2016 calendar ... and I got them!   I let Scarlett and Zak swim, chase after a ball and then they were quite willing to pose for me.   A successful photo shoot.

Au Train in August

Zak goes for a kayak ride

Last August, when Daniel arrived from China for a year of 'home assignment', my brothers and I gathered at the cabin in Au Train for a week.    This year we returned there for ten days, just before he goes back to China for a five year term.    Last August, we were looking forward to the coming year.   Now we are looking back on it.   It's been great to have him in the US, and we're already looking forward to (and planning for) his next home assignment!

Beach time, kayaking, berry picking, day trips to Tahquamenon Falls, Whitefish Point, and Grand Island, and many games of Rummikub filled our time together.

Tahquamenon Falls

Scarlett and Zak had not been swimming yet this summer, and I wondered if Zak would remember how.     He has no fear of the water, but losing touch with the ground was, once again, a hurdle he had to overcome.    We took him to a small inland lake, and from there, progressed to Au Train Beach on Lake Superior, enticing him into the deeper water with a stick.    At first he was quite willing to let Scarlett do the fetching and he'd wait by the shore to grab it and take the credit!   After a while, I held Scarlett back and that was all the push he needed.   He was off - swimming like a champ; going out into deeper and deeper water, undaunted by the waves.   Zak would retrieve the stick and hand it off to Scarlett in perfect  relay form - over and over again.   It was so cute!!

Sharing - corgi style

Au Train Beach

Back at the cabin, they thrived on all the attention.     Zak was always able to find someone to throw the ball or scratch his years.
  

Some lovin' from Dan

Hanging out with Tim

When bedtime came, he wanted to sleep with me, but first thing in the morning he'd push Tim's door open and crawl in with him for some snuggling. Scarlett and Dan had a great chemistry.   With three humans around, she didn't have to compete with Zak for attention.  
  There were plenty of tummy rubs and ear scratches for her too.

Back yard campfire

Plenty of sand to dig in

Stopping to say Hi to Paul Bunyan

We made a few stops on our trip to and from the Upper Peninsula.    I have a picture of Princess and Dee with Paul Bunyan from some years back so of course I needed the same photo with Scarlett and Zak.   And the day we went home was a hot one - so we cooled off with a stop in Duluth and a walk around Canal Park.    We've had a busy but fun summer.   There has been a nip of Fall in the air the past few days. The forecast of El Nino means we could have a mild winter here in the Upper Midwest.    At least that's what we're hoping for!

    

Canal Park, Duluth

 

Final Goodbye

We spent ten days at our cabin in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan this month and one of the things I did was to spread the ashes of Princess and Dee Dee at Au Train Beach.  This was the place where they swam and had so much fun over the years.    Wonderful memories.  How I miss them.  Forever in my heart, sweet girls.   Rest in peace.

Terrific Two!!

Happy Birthday to Zacchaeus Robert!   It's hard to believe that it was two years ago that I brought that little 3 lb bundle of puppy sweetness home with me.   I remember sleeping the first night with my finger in his kennel ... the only thing that would make him stop crying.   Puppies are SO cute, but they're also a ton of work and I can honestly say I'm enjoying him more today.     I did have a little talk with him a couple of weeks ago, and explained that "2" markes the official end of puppy-hood so I expect to see some positive changes in his behavior!    Seriously, he's a pretty good boy.   He barks a lot and LOVES to play, but he has never been much of a chewer and rarely has an accident, so he is no longer kenneled during the day. That makes HIS day a lot more enjoyable, and mine too - as I know the pups are home, playing and hanging out together and not confined to a crate.

Zacchaeus Robert - 2 years old

Yesterday we took some pictures at the Yunker Farm Dog Park of Zak and Scarlett.    They are just as photogenic as my girls were.  

Later, in the afternoon, we enjoyed just chillin' in the back yard while we watched the Blue Angels perform as part of the Fargo Air Show.    So fun!   

Summer Outings

In the Upper Midwest, summers are short.  It's not uncommon to have snow in May, and snow in September isn't unheard of either.    So when the hot weather finally arrives, we grab on with both hands and milk it for all its worth.  Cleaning the house?  Cooking?  Indoor hobbies?   There will be plenty of time for all that, come Fall.   Summer - we spend outside.   As much as possible!

We've been to a couple of fun state-wide corgi meet-ups this summer.  The most recent one, in Blaine, was a picnic for humans at an events center for dogs!    Seriously!   I didn't know such a place existed.     Scarlett and Zak had so much fun, and I enjoyed visiting with other corgi enthusiasts.   The stories of corgi antics never end.

Scarlett the clown

I've been recovering from a couple surgeries, so we've been a bit more home bound than usual.  But tonight we had a little outing to the Sabin General Store. It's an old fashioned soda fountain in a small town about 10 miles away.    The pups and I shared a peppermint bon bon waffle cone while we watched a wedding dance that was taking place across the street.    There was a sign in the middle of the street with arrows pointing to the locations for the ceremony, the reception and the dance.   All three were in the same block!   Only in a small, rural community would you see that!    We capped off our day with a trip to the Moorhead Dog Park. It was a lovely evening with a cool breeze, but the days are noticeably shorter than they were a month ago.   Summer is going fast.