Snow News is Good News...

 Snow has been big news in my area for the past week.  The good news part?  Having snow on the ground allowed me to spot these three does napping on the hill behind my house.  I have the magnification cranked all the way up, since this hillside is on the other side of a little ravine behind my house.  It's usually hard to see the deer bedded down there, because they blend in so well with the autumn leaves when they nestle in to snooze.  

Here is another trio that came closer to the house.  They're on my side of the ravine, which falls off just behind them.  The one in the middle is stomping her foot to warn her friends that I have that scary camera out again.  Happily, my sister showed me how to silence it when it takes pictures, so the only alarming noises it makes are when  turning it on and off  (and the whir of the lens as I select magnification and focus).

This picture was taken as I was walking Simone in the snow this morning.  She wasn't very interested in waiting for me to take pictures, but she did stop and let me get a couple nice ones.  This one is my favorite - I love the snow on the evergreens.  This is also one of the areas behind a neighbor's house where the deer like to bed down at night, since there's so much good cover for them.  

The other good news is that, because of the snow, I have gotten to stay home and work remotely as Simone heals from her spaying surgery.  She is an active little rascal and has herniated her internal incision (I obviously don't know what any of this stuff is called, since this is my first experience with having a dog spayed, but I've been a very anxious foster parent!) I've been trying to keep her quiet so that she doesn't do anything really damaging to herself that requires additional surgery and it's tough.  She wants to go on her normal rounds. 

Don't you just love her sweet little face? 

Simone Says...

Simone says to keep looking for anniversary treats through the weekend.  There are still several more to go.  Thank you to all who have sent kind words and have played along with my foolish little anniversary game.  :)

Seven

Remember the big pile of OZ that was supposed to land back in December?  Well, it ended up being a couple weeks late and I have already taken some off the piles and cut it up to send out to folks, but here's what my garage looks like at the moment.  One car and six stacks of carving material (and a bunch of other stuff, that happily doesn't show up int he photo).  LOL! 

Does anybody remember what today is?  It's a Stampeaz-iversary.  The store reopened seven years ago today.  I'm celebrating!  Seven pieces (and maybe more, depending on how often I get to look in on how it's going between puppy walks) of Grade A White PZ Kut will be available for those who find it hiding around the Stampeaz site between now and Sunday evening.  Grade B OZ Kut is on sale again also - that was very popular last time I put it on sale, so I thought it would be fun to do again and there are more than 7 x 7 pieces of that available!  

I may think of other celebratory things to do, too.   You never know.  :) 

Wrestling Match

Max and Simone did something this morning that warmed my heart.  They played.  Really played.  For the most part, they've been so focused on keeping track of where I am and what I'm doing (and whether there might be food involved) that it didn't seem like they were having much fun.  They've been getting lots of attention and hugs, lots of consistency and routines and many, many walks, but survival has been their primary goal. 

They made a start at playing yesterday -- just a little bit, but were still pretty worried about keeping track of me, so they didn't really let themselves get very involved. This morning, I sat down with a cup of tea and a camera to see what might happen if they could know I wasn't going to disappear and that it was safe to have a bit of fun.  Here's the result.  I hope you enjoy it, too.  :)

Max has a major size advantage, but Simone has a stubborn little dominant streak that won't let him have it all his own way.  

Then, of course, they collapsed in a panting heap at my feet.  Pretty cute!  These two are a lot of work, but I have been rewarded with lots chuckles and plenty of puppy love. 

Don't be surprised to see one or both of these critters appear as Stampeaz invoice carvings somewhere along the way.  I'm feeling the itch to carve their sweet little faces.  Of course, they'll have to be able to settle down and let me play at the carving table long enough for that to happen!  Every time I sit down for a few minutes, someone seems to want to put their head in my lap -- or under the elbow holding the computer mouse, cup of tea or knitting needles -- sharp objects are a mite scary at the moment!  *grin*

Freeze Frame

While going about my appointed rounds, I spotted someone trying desperately to blend in with the scenery.  

 

 I could almost hear a tiny voice paraphrasing 'Wash' Washburn from Serenity, repeating over and over to itself, "I am a leaf on the ground - watch how I disappear."  Pretty good job, too, don't you think?   

I thought I might get one quick picture before the inevitable dive under the leaves -- if I was lucky.  But no, this little rascal absolutely froze in place, not even twitching a whisker.  So, I was able to take a few more pictures and actually zoom in for a better look. 

It's much easier to see, isn't it?  It looks like I simply took a section out of the first photo and blew it up, but I didn't.  It's just that the mouse is still frozen in place and that allowed me the luxury of adjusting my focus and taking the Cecil B. DeMille closeup.  :)     

Interestingly, Max and Simone (see Mismatched Bookends) showed not the slightest interest in little Whitefoot.  This is just as well, because pandemonium would have been the word of the day!!  LOL!   

Mismatched Bookends

  What has been keeping me busy recently?  

Allow me to introduce you to Max and Simone.  They are currently staying at my house as foster dogs while Second Chance and I figure out what the next steps are.  

They had been neglected for some time, due to their person declining in health and capacity.  Max and Simone had nowhere to stay and nobody to care for them when the temperatures were dipping into single digits, so I have new friends - at least for now.    

Max is about 21 months old and a real sweetheart.  Now that he has gotten accustomed to his new routines, he is beginning to show what a lovely, alert and eager little information sponge he is.  I am told he is a purebred white German shepherd and that his dad bit his right ear when he was a puppy, so that's why one ear is floppy.  I think it gives him a charmingly curious expression.  

He can also be a bit of a goofball and is learning how to play ball and fetch - at least a little.  It doesn't seem like either one of them has had much experience playing, but they do love to walk,and we're all learning how to manage together with leashes.  We're logging miles and miles every day! 
 

Simone is a Black Labrador Retriever - Shar Pei mix and about three years old.  It's hard to get a good picture of her so that you can see her wrinkles, but you can definitely see the Shar Pei snout characteristics.  She's turned into an absolute lover, now that she's feeling confident that she's safe and there will be another meal in her future - she loves her snacks. 

Simone can be a goofball, too, and her funny, earnest little face just cracks me up.  
 

They also love to cuddle.  They love being allowed (by invitation only) to climb up on the futon with me and make a puppy pile - including me as one of the puppies.  I wish there had been someone around to take a picture when they were spooned together lengthwise  along the seat, with both of their heads in my lap.  It was way too cute -  not to mention, nice and warm on a chilly evening!