Photo-A-Day Challenge: Day #17: Exercise

It is because of exercise that allows Charlie to sit like this: still. :) She is a wonderful dog - she is affectionate and living up to the Vizsla "velcro dog" nickname; she is making great progress in minding her manners, such as staying out of the kitchen during mealtimes, going right into her kennel upon request, and keeping her absurdly long legs in check and paws off of people/things/the cat; and she is responding to more and more commands like "lay down", "sit", "wait", "find your collar", and "don't eat the chickens". Charlie is springy and bouncy and overflowing with enthusiasm for EVERYTHING. Exercise is not optional.

Photo-A-Day Challenge: Day #20: Hot

Post-run with the puppy. I feel very proud that I ran Charlie-girl hard enough that she's actually panting. In her 2 short weeks of being a runner, she kills me every time. That overgrown wiener dog on stilts Vizsla sure can run!

Beautiful blues

Spring is taking its sweet time to settle in, but there are signs of it popping up that we are so excited about! On the front of our house, we've been watching momma Robin work diligently on her beautifully constructed nest. A nest which now holds these beautiful blues:

Another fairly solid indication of spring is the transformation of the chicken coop (thank you, Grandpa, for your wonderful assistance with this project!):

And the transition of the chickens OUT of the house! Who would have thought that, the year we get our first flock of chicks, Spring would take it's sweet time and we'd have big chickens living inside!!!! It's really been pretty ridiculous, if you ask me... and tonight was going to be their first night outside, but Abby was "really worried about the chickens" and it is supposed to be in the fifties... so yes...the chickens are sleeping inside tonight. Again. Maybe tomorrow night, chickies...

PEEPS! (not the marshmallow kind)

Guess what we did today?????? Chicks. We bought chicks. Real-deal, egg-laying chickens (or, so we hope... there are a few that are questionable: hen or rooster? Fingers crossed.). Welcome to the family, Peep, Pip, Lavender, Lime, Plum, and no-name. I'm assuming those names might be changing daily at this point...

Wordless Wednesday: Lovely Lucy

Farewell, Freddie

It is officially the end of an era. And it feels surprisingly sad. :( Many of you didn't know about Freddie, some of you have heard of him, and some of you are thinking "Holy hell! He just died???". He already died twice. Once he was found, completely dried out, behind my bedroom door. I was around 10 at the time. The second time? In his cage in the garage, mid-summer, all the water evaporated. I was around 13 at the time. He wasn't really dead either time. I guess newts have three lives... Here's a picture of the only picture I could find of him:

Remember how I said that Aura was my journal? Freddie was not. Remember how I said that Aura knew every detail of my life? Freddie did not. But this newt deserves big props, and here's why: I had major reservations going away to college. I loved being home. I still love being home. And when I moved into the dorms, Freddie moved with me. I decided that, as long as Freddie lived, I would stay away from home. I was 18; he was 10. Then he moved into the sorority.... then into an apartment... and into a house... and into another house... and into another house... and then into my first house ... and then here. Freddie died today. He was 25. TWENTY FIVE YEARS OLD. No, he was never replaced. Real deal. Freddie spent 25 of the last 33 years with me. Give that old man props. 

My Aura

"I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. 

For me they are the role model for being alive."

Gilda Radner

There was no greater dog, nor do I imagine there will be a greater dog, than my Aura. And today our journey together ended, but the unconditional love that she gave me for 11 1/2 years will be a part of me forever. There is no companionship like that of a dog - and there is no dog like Aura. She loved everything about life - she was my running partner, my squirrel hunter, my kitten-cat-puppy-dog-frog-children lover, my heating blanket, my diary, my assistant teacher, my road-trip buddy, my shoulder-to-cry-on. When I was happy, Aura wagged her tail and tap-danced endlessly. When I was stressed, she chewed on her leg until I found my peace. She was, without a doubt, a reflection of every minute in my life. 

Aura lived in my first apartment with me. She moved to three different rental houses with me. She was by my side when I bought my first house... when Zach moved out and John moved in... when I got married... when the girls were born. She attended every holiday function in our family, every birthday, every gathering. Aura loved opening presents. She was Cali's first family dog companion. She was with us when Sam and Murphy joined my parent's world. She welcomed Lucy into our home. She was a role model for puppy tolerance when Ginger and Charlie arrived. Aura was my journal for the past 11 1/2 years; there is nothing that she didn't know. And I am forever thankful for our time together and the place in my heart that will always belong to Aura.

Wordless Wednesday: The presents under our tree