More Peas, Please!

A couple months ago, Mommy went pea pickin' with a new friend.  She had never picked black eyed peas before.

Daddy sent a five gallon bucket with Mommy hoping for a big haul.  Mommy underestimated the number of peas the actual pods were going to yield and chose not to fill the bucket.  She picked about five pounds of peas thinking that would be enough . . .

When Mommy got home, she learned from the Master how to shell the peas.  Apparently Daddy spent MANY hours as a boy doing this exact task.

Jenna took careful notes during the entire process.  She is a very attentive listener and quick learner when food is involved.

Daddy tried to turn the process into a race between him and Mommy.  Mommy dropped her peas directly into the water to wash.  Daddy placed his in a colander.

We both closely watched this very intense race and tried to catch the shells as they were dropped into the bucket.  

Guess who won?  Not only did Daddy finish shelling his half first, but he also shelled a half cup more than Mommy!

When it was all said and bagged, there weren't nearly as many servings of black eyed peas as Mommy had envisioned.  All Daddy would say, besides "I won!" was "I told you so!"  Next time, Mommy will fill the bucket!

Dixie

"I Dove You!"

Last weekend, Daddy proved once again that I am his favorite!  Personally, there was never any doubt in my mind, but it became all too clear to Dixie.  Daddy had the chance to go dove hunting with one of our new neighbors and he took me with him!  Yeehaw!!

Daddy reported to Mommy that I did a good job.  Once I realized I wasn't supposed to try to catch the empty shells as they flew out of the gun.  AND once I realized I wasn't supposed to try to catch the shot out of the barrel as it was fired.  That was a BIG NO NO!  Daddy said there would be no way he could explain that one to Mommy if I got hurt (or worse).

My biggest problem was that I really didn't like the feel of the dove in my mouth.  I prefer the bigger trophies (who doesn't??).  Not knowing the area very well, Daddy kept me on a leash and walked every step I walked.  I didn't want to pick them up, but I did a great job of pointing out where they fell.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I do have to admit that although I may not have wanted to pick the birds up, that didn't stop me from eating one.  And only one!  Apparently eating the trophies is also a BIG NO NO!

While we were out in the field, Daddy saw a horned toad, also called a short-horned lizard, or a horny toad.  Mommy was so jealous!  She is dying to see one for herself!

Overall, it was a great day!  For me at least.  Dixie told me she cried and cried after we left.  Mommy felt so sorry for her they went on their own little adventure riding through the country checking out the area.  I'm sure Dixie enjoyed it, but there's no way she had as much fun as I did.

It was a Triple D Day:  Daddy, daughter, and doves!  What more could you ask for?
Jenna

Common Courtesy

Sharing is one of the most basic common courtesies don't you think?  Parents all over the world struggle to teach their young children this rule as a child in the hopes they will grow into adolescents who know the meaning of the word.  I'm not sure where my grandparents went awry in their lessons, but they definitely did NOT teach my parents to share!  Hmpf!

Often times Mommy and Daddy settle in front of the television to eat their dinner since it's just the two of them.  Those plates of food were made for sharing, don't you think??

If they didn't have the natural urge to share, they'd sit at the table where we couldn't see the plates and all of the yumminess contained there.  Putting the food right in front of us is just torture if you aren't going to share.  I mean, would you start eating in front of a human child and not expect to hand some over?  I don't think so!  At the very least, you'd fix that child a plate too.  With the same yummy food.  Not something subpar like dawg food.  We aren't puppies any more, so we KNOW the difference.  Just like a human six year old knows the difference between baby food and a steak!

Please give my parents all the advice you can muster to help them learn to share!  And do it quick!  They seem to be slow learners . . .

Jenna

Treats Anyone?

Not only do we have a new favorite resting spot, but so does our treat jar!  It stays out of the way of the majority of the foot traffic in the kitchen.  Which means Jenna stays out of the way most of the time too.  She certainly was happy when the treat jar was unpacked!  She zeroed in on its new spot and it's forever burned into her mind!

She stands around waiting for Mommy or Daddy to notice her and feel sorry for her.

My sister has an appetite that can't be quenched!  I am dumbfounded as to how she keeps her supermodel figure.  Life just isn't fair!  [sigh]   If Jenna's missing, you know where you can find her!

Dixie

The Path to Goodness

It has taken us a while to settle into our new place as far as our food bowls are concerned.  When we first arrived in our new home, our belongings weren't here so it was just us, our crates, and our food bowls.  There was plenty of room for us to spread out, eat, and not bother each other.  Then the furniture arrived and chaos ensued.

You might remember how we ate in our old house.  Dixie and Hunter ate side by side on the raised platform Daddy had constructed for Hunter when he was a puppy.  

I had to eat in my crate . . .

Am I pitiful looking or what?  I started out here because our breeder suggested this might be best when I was first introduced on the scene.  Then my appetite reared its beautiful head and this became my mealtime view forevermore apparently!

After Hunter passed away, Mommy tried to move me over to stand beside Dixie.  I have to admit, my appetite got the best of me and I got the best of Dixie's food!  Back to my crate I went.

When our furniture arrived at the new house, Mommy placed the raised platform in one corner of the kitchen behind the table.  She knew better than to put my food bowl there, but she placed Dixie's bowl and the water bowl we share on the platform. My bowl went onto the edge of the carpet in the den several feet away.  It was fine for a couple days and then Dixie started feeling a bit territorial.

The problem is that I like to drink water as soon as I finish my meal.  Dixie started growling at me when I approached the water bowl because she was still eating her food at her leisurely pace. I don't really know the meaning of the word leisurely, but Mommy tells me it's the opposite of how I like to enjoy my food.

Mommy resorted to putting us both in our crates during meal time, but that still didn't quite solve the problem.  If Dixie was released first, then she waited on me to be released and cornered me with her teeth bared.  If I was released first, I felt the need to assert my presence and growled as I walked by Dixie's crate.  Dixie then came charging after me when she was released.  This went on until we had a rumble in the den.  The fur went flying (literally) and we knocked one of Daddy's favorite decoys off the coffee table breaking its bill.  Mommy was screaming and yelling and trying to pull us apart.  It wasn't pretty!

Mommy says she feels confident in saying she now has our meal time under control.  I guess it works, but I don't like it!  Here's how we proceed twice a day:

1) The raised platform is history.  Although good for big dawgs to help them out when eating, it can also be a cause of bloat.  Since Hunter passed away from bloat, we deemed it unnecessary in the new house.  So, out with the old!

2) Our water bowl remains in its original position behind the kitchen table out of the way.  Mommy tells me this is especially great for me.  I've been told I slop water all over the place when I drink and make quite a mess.  I'm not sure what she's talking about.

3) Dixie's food bowl is right beside the back door and away from the water bowl.  As soon as she finishes her food, Mommy opens the door for Dixie to go potty.

4) My food bowl is, you guessed it, back in its original position too.  In my crate!  As soon as Dixie finishes eating, Mommy comes to release me.  I can then drink my fill and sniff out Dixie's empty bowl without feeling (or being) threatened.

The biggest problem for me is that it's a long, winding path to my food!  I have to dodge furniture and take corners quickly to beat Mommy to my crate.  I want to be ready and waiting by the time she sets my bowl in place.

Although this twice daily routine is time consuming for me and Mommy, I think it's here to stay.  After all, no dawgs are injured during feeding any more!  [sigh]

Jenna

PS:  I can safely say (as my human cousins frequently do), "She started it!"

Our NEW Favorite Spots

Since moving into our new house, we've had to adjust our ways.  Isn't that always the case?  We do like our new house, but we're missing some of our old spots.  We used to love napping on the landing of the steps, on our parents' bed, and on the bed in the chocolate room.  Two of those places are sort of the same here, but yet different.

We still enjoy our parents' bed . . .
(And Mommy is still having to put a sheet over her lovely linens to protect them from our black fur coats.)

And we still enjoy the twin bed in the chocolate room, although the view has changed.  In the old house, we looked out to the street below from the second floor.  In the new house, we have a nice view of the front sidewalk.  We can see and alert everyone to strangers walking by!  Mommy considered setting up the matching twin bed in here too, but then decided to hold off.  WHY???  If we each had a bed, I'd be so much happier!!!

But we've also come up with a few new spots as well.  Jenna especially likes the rug in the kitchen.  We all know why; she's expecting something edible to fall her way!

I like it too, but  . . .

 . . . I prefer the laundry room rug for some reason.  It has a nice view of the kitchen and is out of the way where Mommy won't fuss at me for being under foot like she sometimes does with Jenna.

Of course, if all else fails, we just pick a spot right in the middle of the floor and make ourselves comfortable!

We're definitely getting settled into our new house.  The past three months have flown by!
Dixie

Tough Choice?

It's finally here!  Opening day of college football season!  WHOO HOO!  If we hadn't moved this summer, Mommy and Daddy had planned to be at this year's opening game because it would have given them both a chance to pull for their respective home teams.

Mommy could have pulled for her team with a questionable mascot (according to Daddy):

And Daddy could have pulled for his team with a mascot that leads the ultimate life of dawg luxury:

At our house, this is the battle of the home states!  

North Carolina Tarheels

vs

Georgia Bulldogs

Instead of watching the game in person, they'll be watching from the comfort of our sofa and we'll get to watch with them.  Yippee!  Can you guess who we'll be pulling for???

I think these last two pictures show who Mommy's really pulling for!  I mean, who do you think buys these things???  Not Daddy.  Mommy's Tarheels are just going to have to wait for basketball season to receive cheers from our house.  

GO DAWGS!  SIC 'EM! 

WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!

PS: When basketball season arrives, it's a whole different ballgame . . . 

Remembering . . .

TISSUE ALERT . . . GRAB YOUR TISSUES NOW!


It was a year ago today that we said goodbye to our big brother Hunter.  We know now the good Lord knew exactly what He was doing when He took Hunter that day.  (And for those of you who doubt, Mommy KNOWS Hunter is going to be in heaven waiting for her when her times comes . . . hopefully a long, long, long, time from now!)

We learned on March 1st that we were moving, and that move took place the first week of June.  There is no way Hunter could have handled a twenty-seven hour car ride to our new home.  He needed to be sedated to drive to Grandma and Poppa's house nine hours away and he became pretty stressed just going across town to the vet!  He also would have been miserable this summer in this heat.  His laryngeal paralysis made it difficult enough for him to catch his breath in normal heat.

When we think back over all that has taken place in our family over the last six months, we know Hunter's passing was best for him.  God had a larger plan for our family that we were unaware of at the time.

We miss you and love you, Hunter.
Mommy, Daddy, Dixie and Jenna