Last night I went to my first in-person, without-masks meeting. It was lovely gathering together, enjoying our combined energy and face-to-face camaraderie. Then one person asked me how our dogs were. Rather than reel off a list of some of our current challenges, I said, “They have been very naughty,” and laughed. A lot of […]
Read MoreI have found that unexpected encounters with wild creatures can sharpen the senses, are often exhilarating, and are always educational. One thing is certain: these meetings with the natural world capture all of your attention and are seared into your memory. But the encounters that involve reciprocity between wild creatures and humans touch our souls […]
Read More“We were eating outside at Islands, and I received a message that a twelve-week-old German short-haired pointer was available.” This announcement by our neighbor was greeted by a stunned silence as our eyes widened and our eyebrows traveled north. We were both thinking about our very own German short-haired pointer rescue named Frazier who had […]
Read MoreA dear friend said to me the other day, “Why can’t life be uncomplicated?” The sympathetic comment was prompted by a situation in my life. Sadie, our black-and-tan miniature dachshund, was spayed last Wednesday and recovering rapidly. So you can imagine our surprise when we awakened Sunday and our beautiful, svelte little girl was whimpering […]
Read MoreToday was a big day for our family of four—two humans, two canines. Sadie and Teddy went for their pre-op physicals and bloodwork. Next Wednesday, they will be neutered and spayed. And not a minute too soon, since there were signs that Sadie was going into heat again. On the opposite end of this surgical rite […]
Read MoreI noticed that you had been subjected to another long travelogue. Then silence. First you are bored and then ignored. What is a reader to think? Well here I am, happy to step in and fill in the gaps! One of a dachshund’s main responsibilities is to pick up the pieces for family and friends […]
Read MoreOne lovely thing about our annual January sojourn in the desert is the sense of being unplugged from all responsibilities, worries, and the sense that something must be accomplished. At the end of the day here, rather than looking for done tasks, I just think about the lovely and unusual experiences of the day. But […]
Read MoreAfter four weeks of being separated, Sadie and Teddy were on their hind legs, pawing the air and each other. After a quick ritual sniff, they then raced around the yard, thru their tunnel, and under the ramp over and over again. All this was accompanied by joyful yips until finally, they swanned by the water bowl, […]
Read MoreDear Readers, Last Saturday morning, November 21, we discovered that seven-month-old Sadie was in heat. As I mentioned before, the new thinking on spaying female dogs is to wait after the first heat. This event has upended our household, and writing has become almost impossible. Teddy, who is fully mature at seven months, is off […]
Read MoreAfter a very warm October and November, fall seems to have truly arrived in Southern California. Today there is a crisp wind, bright trees in autumn shades, and clear blue skies. Soon Thanksgiving will be here, and like everything else in 2020, it will be different. Looking out on our serene valley, it is easy […]
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Kathleen Chamberlin 