Where'd That Darn Squirrel Go?

He was here all summer! Blaze has a thing for a squirrel. All summer, any time either of us was working in the barn or around the chicken coop, Blaze would be off to find the squirrel. The squirrel lives in the bit of shelter belt by the coop, and for hours Blaze will follow him as he leaps from tree to tree, going about his business. So, daily, when we go to collect eggs, Blaze searches for his 'friend' but I'm afraid he's got at least six weeks before he finds him again!

Aquacize for Dogs!

Blaze likes to swim in the dugout in hot weather. It's one of the reasons he smells bad all season, with little pieces of muck hanging off him. But yesterday, it became apparent that it can be a good thing. Blaze was at the vet a week ago, who said he was a little lame because he was getting older (like the rest of us!) and because he was a little over-weight. So, during his swim yesterday he decided to give chase to a pair of ducks nesting in the area. The ducks didn't seem even slightly worried, they just swam ahead; when they got to the end they just flew up and landed maybe six feet behind him and started paddling in the opposite direction. Blaze would turn and dog paddle after them. This went on for an HOUR, maybe twenty laps of the dugout! Great workout for the old dog and did he sleep like a baby last night!

A Personal Day, Sort Of....

It was a Sunday off, the first in quite a while. Farmer Boy did start out with some serious work - weed suppression in the potato field. (You GO, Farmer Boy!). I worked in the beds and borders, which are seriously behind schedule (The Veronica teucrium IS alive, yeah!!) Then, off to try out our new fishing gear! Farmer Boy has fished since he was a little boy, and Santa brought him the gear for Christmas. We went out yesterday to get a second set and then after set-up and practice at home it was off to the river. Definitely a learning curve to this fishing thing - push forward, hold line, cast, push back. I wasted more line reeling in the wrong direction but may have the hang of it now, sort of. We'll try again next day off.

Then, off to refurbish the fountain that is beside our outdoor sitting area. Farmer Boy decided we needed a deeper reservoir so out came the old pond and in went a new deeper one. The foundation is a piece of rebar and an old potato fork. Then, the artful stacking of rocks and we have a beautiful, lyrical little fountain. By bedtime, though, it was apparent that tooooo much splashing was going on, we were losing too much water so some rocks will have to be re-arranged. Faithful Blaze supervised the whole procedure.

A Long, Hard Day....

Every farmer needs a faithful companion. Blaze is Farmer Boy's. He is with Farmer Boy constantly during the day; he'll follow the tractor up and down the field (finally, he'll get smart and go lie in the shade and just watch the tractor go by). He's there for the hoeing and weeding, he's there for the feeding of the chickens, he's there for transplanting seedlings although he occassionally likes to lie down on the flats of plants. There is only occasionally some seperation if a gopher calls it's siren song and Blaze must response. After a long, hard day he loves to go for a swim in the dugout, where he emerges dripping, kind of slimy and smelling bad but very happy! And then, the only reward he craves a good rub on his belly! (Which, of course, is kind of slimy and smelly)