Come Join The Fun

Our blog has moved to http://talesandtails.com.  Please come over to find out about our weekend's adventures.

We're Moving

We've moved to our new blog, Tales and Tails, http://talesandtails.com as of today.  We're doing a giveaway and hope that you come and join us there!

The Greys Of Our Lives

Some days living with four dogs can seem a little like living in a soap opera.  For the most part, our girls are very well behaved, but sometimes it seems like their lives are a lot more exciting than ours.  I'm not sure that they face more drama than we do on a day to day basis, but theirs seem to be a lot more interesting.   I can almost hear the announcer speaking in that voice that makes everything seem like a matter of life and death now.   He could certainly make people want to come back day after day to tune in.

Will Morgan be able to stay awake to perform her regular patrols?  Is that a cat lurking in the bushes or is it one of those sinister plastic bags?  Will she ever learn to just relax?  Will she retain her German Shepherd identity, or will she start to turn into a Greyhound?

How long until Blueberry gets to take off her splint?  Will she finally get to go away on a trip with the family, or will disappointment strike again?   Is there a bath in her near future when the dirty splint comes off?

Will Lilac be able to make another direct hit with poop in the slipper?  Can she come up with something even more dastardly to keep her family on their toes?  What time will she decide to wake them up at on Saturday morning?

Can sweet little Bunny ever get enough satisfaction through petting?  Will she find something else to fill the void?  What will her next big adventure be?

If your dogs starred in a soap opera, what would it be?  What would people be dying to turn in to find out about?

Searching Out Signs Of Green

Bunny here at the keyboard sharing some of our weekend's adventures with you.

We had plans to go out out hiking since the temperature had risen into the mild range.  It was great to see all that snow from Snowpacolype melting away and becoming a memory.  However, when Dad started checking some of the places we hadn't been to that were somewhat nearby, we started to see a trend.  A lot of the nearest state parks were closed due to flooding.  Darn Mother Nature for giving us this beautiful weather and then making it the very reason we couldn't go to those places.

However, we were not to be deterred.  We decided to go visit Comlara Park which is near us, but it not a state park.  It belongs to the county where it's located around a lovely lake.  I don't think a lot of people know about it, but that's okay with us.  It means we had it all to ourselves.

There was nobody else out there to scare the birds who were singing lovely spring tunes and we are pretty sure there were some deer up in the tree lines watching us as we went through the forest.  It was really muddy and squishy, but we had a great time.

Mom and I were out there to have a nice stroll and enjoy the early signs of Spring, but Morgan and Dad were also doing a little work.  They are having an important evaluation next month and so they are brushing up on some things.  I have my paws crossed for them to make it, because it's something Dad has always wanted to do with a canine companion, and between you and me, it's more work than I want to do.  I'll stick to being a Greyhound ambassador and being a therapy dog.

We had a lot of fun stretching our legs, breathing the fresh air and seeing the first hints of Spring.  I really hope that Mother Nature doesn't have any more tricks up her sleeve for us.  I am definitely ready for warmer weather and longer hikes.  It looks like we're not the only ones who are ready for it, either.

Are any of you seeing signs of Spring where you are?

Good Things Come To Those Who Wait

It's been a long week at our house.  Maybe it's getting used to going back to work after having all those snow days.  It might also have something to do with the fact that this was conference week at school.  Thursday night I didn't get home until almost bedtime.  I was mobbed by four happy dogs when I got home, though, which made me feel better.  At least the girls missed me.

After slowly making my way through the kitchen and sitting my things down I was able to kneel down and greet each of them properly.  It seemed that each of them had something they needed to tell me.

Lilac:  I'm hungry, dammit!  Dad didn't arrange my kibble in my bowl the way I like it!  Where were you?

Blueberry:   It was horrible!  Dad took Morgan and Bunny for a walk and left me here! 

Morgan:  Where have you been?!  Do you have any idea how worried I've been about you?  Let me give you a thorough sniff over and see what you've been up to!

Bunny:  I've missed you!  Oh, I had to share a walk with Morgan and Dad and it wasn't nearly as fun as it is with you and I had to eat my food and fight off Morgan and Blueberry and Dad didn't do anything about it and I had to share the couch with Blue and Morgan and I had to sit in the middle with no armrest and I've really missed you!  Promise me you aren't leaving again.

I'll just say for the record that some dogs in our house might be prone to exaggeration.  Mr. Taleteller is quite fond of his girls and I don't believe for a second that any injustices were actually committed.  It's nice to be missed, though, and I was really glad to see them, too.  I made my way to the couch to sit down and unwind a little before going to bed. 

Usually, the Greyhounds lounge about the house during the evening while Morgan goes on patrol.  This night, Bunny was curled up tightly against me on the couch, suddenly stretced out as much as her tiny frame could be so that no one else would be interested in dethroning her.  Blueberry laid down on the bed nearest me, making eye contact with me every time I looked up.  Lilac kept walking over and pressing her head against my chest, making me pet her until her butt was drooping to the floor.  Morgan couldn't decide if she should patrol or keep a constant eye on me lest I think about separating from the pack again.

Friday, I got off work early because I had worked late Thursday night.  Mr. Taleteller decided to take the afternoon off and join me.  When I got home, the girls were more than a little excited.  It was obviously a pleasant change to their routine.

Morgan:  You're home early!  Oh my dog!  Can it really be true?  How did this happen?

Me:  I'm home early to spend time with you girls.  We have a long weekend ahead of us.  What would you all like to do?

Blueberry:  I have GOT to get out of this house!  You have to take me somewhere!  It's not fair that I never get to go with this stupid splint on.

Lilac:  Make sure you feed me!  Oh, and I need extra neck scratches! 

Morgan:  HIKING!  Oh, the sun is shining!  Let's go right now!  Just let me grab my Wolf Pack!

Bunny:  Hiking sounds nice, and maybe a trip to the dog park.  Oh, and I need some snuggle time.  Perhaps tomorrow morning in the bed.  Oh, yes, and I need Bunny time!

Me:  Well, the good news is that we have all of those things planned.  As a matter of fact, we're going to the dog park right now.  Blue, you're going for a ride by yourself later.  Lilac, we'll make sure we scratch you if you can at least let us sleep until when the alarm clock would normally go off.

Lilac:  I can make promises, but my bladder has a mind of its own. 

Me: Um, well, it's the thought that counts.  Can you at least give it a try?

Lilac:  I'll try to only wake Dad up in the morning.  Is it a deal?

Me:  It works for me.

So, our weekend started early with a trip to the dog park.  Bunny and Morgan ran and played to their hearts' content with a young Shepherd/Husky cross until Morgan had turned into a mudball.  Bunny managed to get only her little toes dirty, even while running like a little dervish through the park.  We stopped at the season opening of the local Ice Cream Shack and enjoyed the surprisingly pleasant afternoon.  Bunny and Morgan's spirits weren't even diminished by taking baths when we got home.  I guess the pleasant outlook for the long weekend is contagious.  Sometimes you just have to take time to stop and enjoy the simple pleasures of life.  Early Spring weather has a way of reminding you about those things.  Now I'll just hope that Lilac's bladder will remember her promise to let us sleep in just a little.  May everyone's weekend be pleasant and full of things you've been waiting to do!

Signs Of A Thaw

Bunny here at the keyboard to share a little about our weekend with you.

Since Mom is still fighting her bronchitis we decided to take it easier on her.  That doesn't mean we were willing to give up our family hiking time, though.  We decided to go to one of our favorite local places which is the Riverfront Trail in downtown Peoria.  It's a beautiful place for walking, although it's a pretty quiet place right now.  When the snow melts and things start blooming, I imagine it will be much busier.

During our walk, we spotted a lot more wildlife than we've seen in a long time.  The ducks and Canadian geese have returned and there was a beaver in the river working on his lodge.  We saw a robin, too, but Mom wasn't quick enough to catch his picture.  The beaver was a lot more cooperative.

The plan is that the trail will eventually connect to some Rails to Trails in our area, but the train tracks that are down there are still working tracks.  There is an old train turntable there, too.  When more of the snow melts, Mom said we'd go down and take more pictures of it so you can see it better. 

One of the things that the park has as a feature is the memorial rock gardens.   There is one for Alzheimer's victims and another one for Dan Fogelberg.  Dan Fogelberg is one of the famous people to have come from Peoria, so they have rocks around the park with some of the lyrics from some of his famous songs.

Hawks are pretty popular in our area.  Usually we see them when we can't get a picture of them.  However, this guy seemed to be bringing the warm Spring air in with him.

Morgan can't resist leaping and walking in the snow drifts.  I'm not sure what she's going to do when all the snow melts away.  She'd better enjoy it while she can!

There's a restaurant built in an old train station along the riverfront, too.  Of course they didn't let us dogs in, though.  Mom said that they have really good food.  I wouldn't know since they've never brought any of it home for us.

I have to say, it was a fun way to get out and stretch our legs without overtaxing Mom's lungs.  You should have heard her going on last weekend.  I'll just say that some people should not be making comments about Greyhounds being drama queens.   This was much better and we all had fun enjoying the thaw and the first hints of Spring's approach.  We got in more minutes for our Idita Walk, too.  I'm finally starting to get excited about Spring after this very long Winter.  How about all of you?

Wordless Wednesday 2/9 -- Down By The Mill Pond

A Hiking We Did Go

Bunny here at the keyboard to share my hike from Saturday with you. 

Dad thought it would be fun to go to a place that we hadn't been before for our hike, so we headed off to Wildcat Run State Park which is in Muscatine, Iowa.  He'd read that it has wonderful Winter hiking so we decided to give it a try.  It was nice to get out for a while after we were blitzed by that blizzard last week. 

Before we even got there, we had our wildlife sighting.  Morgan and I offered to catch one for dinner, but Mom and Dad said no.  I guess it would have been a little big to carry back with us, but it would have been tasty.

One of the things the park is known for is the old schoolhouse and the Pine Creek Grist Mill, which has been restored by people in the community.  Part of the park exists on land donated by Emma and Clara Brandt, who were sisters who lived there for a time.  We thought the mill was particularly pretty.  The schoolhouse and the mill were both closed while we were there, so we didn't get to see what they look like inside.

It's also known for its high cliffs, dens and rock formations.  One of them is called The Stage Coach, while another is The Devil's Punchbowl.  We didn't get to taste any punch while we were there, though.  Some of the cliffs could make you feel pretty small. 

We had to hike through some pretty deep snow in parts of the trail.  Actually, I wasn't sure that I wouldn't have to drag Mom part of the way back, but she kept going.  It was really pretty out in the woods, although the only wildlife we saw was a Cardinal.  He was pretty, but he didn't get close enough for a good picture.

I decided to try out a technique that I've admired Rusty of The Thundering Herd do many times, too.  He has it perfected and I'm still learning.  Mom was laughing too hard to get a picture of it when I was doing it the best, but I assure you, I shall try it again.  Dad was not quite as amused as Mom was.

I was glad to get some good time to record for my Idita Walk sheet, since the hike took us two hours.  It was a refreshing break from the winter doldrums.  What did all of you do this weekend?