Leda, we're sorry

Leda, we're sorry; really sorry.

But, we broke it.

You sent us a perfectly, perfect Cardigan with ears standing up tall and proud like they should be, and this is what we did with it -- err, I mean her:

You entrusted us with a second of your precious Corgwyn, one with perfectly huge, perfect ears and look what we let happen: 

Unilateral ear floppage.  

Only that ear flops and it only flops sometimes, not always.  When she comes alert to a noise or we call her, that ear manages to stand right up like it was when you waved goodbye to the Pumpkin-girl at the Branson airport last Fall. 

 

But, when she is sleepy or content, it flops.

I've felt it very carefully and can't feel any bumps or see any bruising (like what might have come from too vigorous head-shaking or even some tugging by another Corgi who shall remain nameless; they do play long and hard!)   My careful feeling, rubbing and gentle squeezing don't seem to bother her at all.  I can't find a cut or scar; it just seems like her ear lifting and holding mechanism has developed a mind of its own!

She's still as cute, and playful, healthy and fun as ever.  All we broke is her ear--and it is only broken sometimes. Here she is a few minutes later with both ears up -- although one eye is closed! (And, no not permanently closed; we didn't break her eye, too!)

We didn't break her completely, so please, please don't take her back, OK?  We'd be lost without our Lil' Shitski!

Another something that doesn't happen often here

We have frost out here 25 miles from the coast and a few times every winter, ice on the windshields of cars that have been left outside. But, never like this:

Corgiage tomorrow!  I promise!

Snow in our backyard!

There's snow in our backyard!

Well, sort of...

If you've been following this blog for a bit, you've seen too many shots of the mountains behind our house -- I like to think of them as an extension of our backyard (we paid a premium on this lot because of those mountains!)

So, we didn't see snow in our actual backyard yesterday as I had hoped we might given the predictions about the storm, but this morning we do see snow in our extended backyard!

In the last 14 years, we've only seen snow two other times on that big mountain -- El Cajon Mountain or "El Cap" as it is called because of the resemblance some see to the famous El Capitan in Yosemite -- and then, it didn't cover the mountain as extensively.

The girls are playing in the backyard, happy to be outside after a day inside, I'm sure!

I'm happy to be inside at the moment.

Look at the temperature:

Not unheard of out here 25 miles from the coast, but still worth commenting on!

No snow, but...

So, there were predictions of snow as low as 1,000 feet today.  We are at 900 feet.  We had a lot of rain and temperatures that barely left the 40's and then only for a short time, however,  no snow.

But, we had a rainbow!

Here's one side:

And, the other:

And, the bonus of a second rainbow; very faint but definitely there!  Something I had never seen before moving to this house and since then have seen several times in the same spot.   (The middle of these rainbows almost never shows and didn't again today.)


With the exception of this trip outside to photograph the rainbows, the girls and I spent most of the day inside near the fireplace.

Nice day!  Hope yours was, too! 

This morning

Neither rain nor snow...will stop Pumpkin from getting a bone she wants.

 

 

Harry's-eye view of the girls

Even though the girls are really quite gentle with Harry the cat (and he with them) I still think it is important that he has space to himself (and the girls don't have access to the litter box. Yuck.)  One of these days I will do something better than this baby gate across the laundry room door, but it has been working fine since Darby came to live with us and will probably stay in place for a good time longer!

No corgiage, again

Sorry, but there will be no* corgiage today.  Just photos from our trip to Virginia.  I wish I had taken more photographs, but there it is.

 

* OK.  One instance of corgiage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keeping their distance

I gave the girls fresh marrow bones this afternoon.  After an initial fight in which Pumpkin tried to take away Darby's bone while still holding her own in her mouth, and with Darby protesting mightily and managing to hang on to hers, they settled down a distance away from each other to gnaw.

 

It's nice to have the sun still up when I get home in the early evening.  In spite of those clouds, spring is on the way!

Crates

So, most of you reading this blog have a dog.  Probably more than one.  Some of you Leda have way more than one.  And, many of you have crates for these dogs--car crates and, if you're like me, house crates, too.

And, unless you have spent a fortune on one of those beautiful wood crates, your crates are probably pretty unattractive just like mine.  And, if you're like me and have two of those unattractive crates crowded into your bedroom and use one as your nightstand, you're probably pretty unhappy about how unattractive they really are.

Well, I have a solution for you:  Art.

No, not artwork--Art.  As in the male, furniture-making half of Old Colony Primitives.

I told Art my dilemma, gave him some dimensions and a general idea of what I was after and look what he made for me:

Lovely, pine crate toppers!

Pretty and functional tops for the unattractive but functional crates our girls sleep in because Glenn is too mean to let them sleep in bed with us.

Please ignore my only partially made bed.  (I heard on the news recently that not making one's bed may provide some relief for people with allergies.  Evidently, the mites that none of us want to think about but all of us have to one degree or another, don't do well in crumpled, unmade beds.  It's true!  You can read about it here.  When I lived in Italy many years ago, I learned to always fold bed linens back toward the foot of the bed to allow the bed to "air" during the day.  Those Italian friends of mine were pretty smart, and they sure could cook!)

So, anyway, back to the crate toppers.  Aren't they pretty?  Would the little antique child's roll top desk that I used to use as a night stand be prettier?  Yes, but as long as we need crates because Glenn says no dogs on the bed*, I'm sure glad Art created this pretty solution for me.

I bet he saved the plans and you might be able to talk him into making one (or more) for you, too!

* Actually, even if Glenn suddenly decided it was OK to have the girls sleep with us, I probably would keep them sleeping in crates at night.  I've read things here and there about crate sleeping being a good thing.  But, it's probably like just about everything --whatever works for YOU is the best thing.

Treat bag

I don't know why I've never bought a treat/reward bag until today.   Maybe because they remind me of fanny packs--those  wonderfully convenient but hopelessly frumpy appendages that so many of us used to wear sprouting from around our middles.  Some people still wear them.  They are people who value substance over style, function over form, comfort over looks.  Solid, self confident people.  I value comfort and much to my husband's dismay almost exclusively wear room-for-my-toes shoes like Birkenstocks, but I draw the line at wearing a fanny pack!

Still, when I was picking up dog food today and the display of treat bags caught my eye (as they were designed to do,) I decided to buy one.  We'll be starting to play around with backyard agility soon, so a treat bag will be handy to have. 

The bags are named "Biscuit Buddy."  Isn't that cute?  (We watched an episode of "Allie McBeal" while we were in Virginia.  Remember "The Biscuit?")

The top of the bag is semi-rigid allowing the bag to stay open to make for easy retrieval of the treats. 

There is also a drawstring that closes the bag preventing access to the treats.  (This will be important later.) 

It is hard to see in this photo (maybe even impossible, but I included the photo because of my sweet Darby in the background!) but there are two ways to attach the bag to oneself -- a snap hook on a swivel and a clip to slip over a belt or waistband.  The bag is machine washable.  All-in-all, I think it is a well-designed bag.

Darby and Pumpkin discovered it immediately.  Here we are sitting on the stairs with Darby nosing around the bag. 

Pumpkin joined her immediately, 

 and worked her schnoz into the top of the bag.

But, ha-HA!  That little drawstring kept the top of the bag closed tight and the girls had to wait for me (and my age-spotted hand) to give them a treat!

So, as I said, I think it is a well designed bag and I would recommend it to anyone.  But, I'm holding out on the BEST part of all! 

See that little zipper there on the side?  It's big enough to stash some things like money, a lip gloss, keys, etc.  Maybe even a cell phone. 

So, this little Biscuit Buddy treat bag is really just a FANNY PACK in disguise!

I can't wait to wear it!