Category Archives: Country Life

Grey Cats

Country Life, Dogs & Other Animals,

I have a thing for grey cats. I have had three so far.

My most recent grey cat was Lacey, pictured above. She passed away a couple years ago from a cancer on her face. I actually asked my then sister-in-law if I could have Lacey because my cat named…Grey Cat, who looked remarkably like her with some additional white markings, had recently passed, also from a cancer of the face. After working on her husband for a while, they agreed I could have Lacey. She turned out to be nothing like Grey Cat but that was ok. She was a great cat in her own right.

Grey Cat, above, followed me everywhere in the house and sat in my lap every evening when it was time to watch tv. Lacey was quite friendly too but she loved everyone. Grey Cat was my cat. (My husband, at the time, named Grey Cat because he was, well, a grey cat. When he wanted to name our next cat Black & White Cat I told him, Ok you’re done naming the cats.)

Also pictured above is my third grey cat. He’s the one on the left with the Joker-like grin. He was named Bogart, and I adopted him from the local APL, along with his sister Lauren, who was a dilute calico from the same litter.

As you can see, Lauren had a fair amount of grey fur herself.

I have had many other cats over the years but I will save those for another day.

Starting the New Year Off Right

Country Life, Dogs & Other Animals, ,

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Zekie has a new friend. He and my mother-in-law’s dog Paisley have become fast friends. They played chase and wrestled until they were both soggy from play biting each other. Turns out Zeke has very good inter-dog skills. They were both exhausted by the time they were done.

This was yesterday, New Year’s Day. Because in our family, as you may remember, dogs are included in family gatherings. Because, well, they are family.

Since it was a holiday and we planned to be gone for a while, we loaded up all five dogs and took them with us to grandma’s for the afternoon. This was somewhat necessary with Zeke’s anxiety issues.

Here are Shelby, Cassius, and Zeke supervising the peeling of the potatoes.

Even Nikki came along with the rest of the crew.

And of course Baxter Puppers!

After a busy day of begging and supervising…

everyone was worn out.

We wish your family a happy and healthy New Year in 2019!

Advice From the Cat

Country Life, Dogs & Other Animals,

Stay in your house and be safe.

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!

That Face

Country Life, Dogs & Other Animals, ,

The face of innocence. Don’t you believe it for a second. This does capture a peaceful moment though.

This is how Zekie waits for me to go to work once I start heating up and loading the car. He has given up following me from room to room and just lays in a chair where he can monitor my movements.

If I were the only one home, he would be laying on the back of the couch, frantically watching out the window. But daddy is still home so all is not lost. Living with a dog with separation anxiety is not easy.

Charge ‘em Up!

Country Life, Dogs & Other Animals,

Doggie charging stations. 😉

Zekie’s New Bedroom

Country Life, Dogs & Other Animals,

When you live in a house built in 1830, every remodel is an accomplishment. This is my newly re-done closet nook off the master bedroom. Uneven ceilings and floors make it harder every step of the way. My husband did a fantastic job and it is even insulated now!

I’m very happy with the way the green paint turned out. My walls are now “lime granita”. In the foreground you can see Zekie’s crate. We joke that Zekie likes his new bedroom. I’m not totally sure it’s a joke though!

Spoiled much? You bet!

Donkeys Make Me Happy

Country Life, Dogs & Other Animals, ,

Look at this adorable miniature donkey!

On a mini-farm near us, are several miniature donkeys, a couple of burros, and a horse or two. We frequently drive by on our way to walk the dogs.

I would love to have a couple of miniature donkeys but it is unlikely and probably not a good idea for a whole host of reasons. So every time we drive past I say something to the effect of Oh look, my donkeys are outside or I’m glad these people are taking such good care of my donkeys.

I have done this so many times that my husband even humors me and plays along now. He probably figures it is easier than having a discussion about why I can’t actually have donkeys.

Does anybody else do this? Hey, don’t judge, it makes me happy.

Sunday Evening

Country Life, Dogs & Other Animals, ,

Sunday evenings are for relaxing. Shelby is a good relaxer.

Yesterday she went along to visit the grand pups and kitties. Just as at home, she appointed herself as Sherriff Shelby and ran interference, and kept the other animals under control. They were actually just playing but she doesn’t like too much rowdiness under her patrol.

The grand pups are Milo and Coco, two corgis who are full brother and sister although from different litters. So Shelby is resting up from her busy day yesterday.

Cassius is also resting. He stayed home yesterday but being a good hound, he knows that Sundays (or any day) are a good day to rest.

Slice of Life With Dogs

Country Life, Dogs & Other Animals,

This is what your hall closet looks like when you have a house full of dogs. There is the “anti-parasite” shelf. This holds a plethora of heartworm pills, flea and tick medicines, and perhaps a random wormer. And let’s not forget the disinfectant wipes.

Another shelf holds various dog shampoos and more types of disinfectants. And then there’s “the antibiotic shelf”. This does not include all the overflow medications and ointments that aren’t currently in use but I may have a need for someday. But hopefully not. Those have their own separate drawer!

This is what it takes to keep my pups healthy and happy. A small price to pay.

The Last Hurrah

Country Life, Gardens, ,

Our garden is having a last hurrah before the snow arrives this weekend. The flowers amaze me with their tenacity.

They keep producing a nice display for us even during the cool fall temperatures.

I found a few poor, confused rhododendron blooms that I snipped and brought inside so we can enjoy them all evening.

The garden is still a beautiful and relaxing place to pass some time. If you wear a coat!