Category Archives: dogs

Hiking in Maine

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As anyone who knows me can tell you, I am an avid hiker and one of my favorite places is Acadia Park. We visit the park as often as we can, at least several times a year.

We visited Acadia over Labor Day Weekend. I have never seen the park so busy – but I digress. This was our first time taking the new puppy on a real hike. On our past visits, we took her for several of the easier walks: Wonderland and Ship’s Harbor.

This time we hiked up Flying Mountain. Although short, and one of the easier hikes, it includes many of the things we love about this park: the rock climbing and the stunning views.

After twenty minutes going almost straight up, Cayenne was already tired. But we pressed on to the summit.

Then we began the downward climb. One’s knees really take a beating from climbing over the granite boulders on both the up and the down. Many of the trails are also treacherous with exposed roots.

We were almost to the end here, with maybe a little more than half a mile to go. Cayenne was very tired and didn’t want to walk anymore. We did not carry her and she made it to the end of the trail. When we got home, she collapsed on the floor and didn’t move for about twenty minutes.

Wolves

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When I began researching my next book, I kept running into anecdotes about wolves and wolf attacks. The stories ranged in location from New York to Maine. Now interested, I began reading up on wolves. Most of the sources claimed that there were NO documented attacks by wolves on humans in North America. One source said that any genuine attacks in North America were carried out by wolf/dog hybrids. (Not sure how they could be so certain of this.)

People have been frightened of wolves for thousands of years. Ironic, I think, considering that they are related to dogs. (In my opinion, one’s life is not complete without a dog. But I digress.)

shelby snow

A quick look at fairy tales indicates fear of wolves. And there ARE documented accounts of wolves carrying off children or attacking lone people in Europe so the fear in valid. Even now, the sound of a wolf howl sends a chill down my spine.

But memoirs from my period describe attacks in specific detail, especially during hard winters. Lone cabins situated in the woods lit bonfires to keep the wolves away. And one account described the attack of a man – a hale and hearty man in the prime of life – by a pack of wolves. They were finally driven off by his wife wielding an axe.

Wolves hunt in packs that can number as many as twelve. They are apex predators and can certainly take down cattle and other livestock. In fact, the hatred of wolves for doing just this is so great that they were almost eradicated in the west. This, of course, had an unexpected consequence: the explosion of populations of deer and other game.

Wolf un-dominated - Wolves Wallpaper (19664762) - Fanpop

Shakers andPets

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Although the simple life is certainly a draw in this hectic over-scheduled modern life, I would find living as a Shaker difficult, if not impossible. For one thing, I am not obedient. But also the shakers do not have pets.

The Milennial Laws of 1821 and then again in 1845 laid out rules governing every aspect of Shaker lives. They were not allowed pets, primarily because their focus was supposed to be upon God.

For me, this is a deal breaker. I have had a dog since I was ten, with only a few years here and there without. Plus a few cats scattered among the dogs.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Shelby is my current dog, although she actually, emotionally, belongs to my husband. I wanted a dog for my birthday. When we went to the rescue, she raced to him. Once she’d chosen him, we couldn’t leave her behind. So, I got a dog for my husband for my birthday.

But I digress. Sandy was my previous dog. She looked similar to Shelby – a little lighter in color. Sandy was my best friend. She went everywhere with me. Although a medium dog (65 pounds) she lived to be 17 1/2. The vet was astonished she lived so long. by then she was blind, deaf, and had hip displasia. I was so heart broken I did not get another dog for a few years.

So, having a dog is one thing I could not surrender.

Winter?

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We are almost into January and the warmth continues. Thus far, even in upstate New York, we have not had a killing frost. I still have beets

beets

and kale

kale

Moreover, my poor dog is suffering. She grew in her winter coat. And now it looks like her April hair; ragged as she sheds. This is her flank one day after brushing.

shelby fur

I, however, am not complaining. Maybe this year I will actually get my peas in to the ground mid-March instead of being held back by snow.

Gardening – and insects

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I spent a lot of time this past weekend working in the garden: putting in string beans as well as taking out a lot of the winter-killed plants.  (Yes, out of 12 roses, I have only 4 left.) The vegetable garden in enclosed by a fence, and most of the larger yard is fenced to keep out the deer. I coated my gardening pants with off (Deet variety) but I still got bitten by mosquitoes and black flies. Welts all over my ears and neck. But my husband, who was mowing in the front, and unfenced yard, got a tick. And the dog and my grandson (who spends hours running around the yard ‘with the doggy’) both got ticks.

It is the season. Be careful out there.

Spring Gardening

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With the arrival of the first nice weekend in months, many many months, I began setting up my garden.

spring garden

What is the hardware cloth doing around the base of the fence? Funny you should ask. Last year I got hardly any peas or broccoli because the baby rabbits got through the fence and ate the sprouts. Not this year they won’t. After this picture was taken, I put in radishes, carrots, beets and kale. All the cold hardy veggies. (I still have at least a month before tomatoes, cukes and peppers go in.) Next weekend, if it nice, I will start laying out the plastic mulch so I can get a jump on the weeds.

While I was working, my dog ran around looking for critters that might have gotten inside the fence without her knowing. She spent a lot of time inspecting the first and largest groundhog holes.

dog in groundhog hole

She goes all the way in, hoping, I think, that she will find another groundhog that moved in, and all we can see is her tail.

Although we have tried to fill in the hole, I think it goes to China. It is enormous, not just from the successive groundhogs but from Shelby digging.

Maybe I should plant a tree.

groundhog hole

Shelby – and Snow

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Snow – and Shelby

This winter has been more like living in the Arctic than the Northeast, and more like living in the Arctic than living in the Arctic. We’ve broken all kinds of records, both for cold and snow. This past week we had three storms, small ones in comparison to some of the ones we’ve had, but the snow still added up to a foot.

Even Shelby is beginning to get tired of it all. But it doesn’t stop her from going out on the trail and making sure no squirrel or rabbit has come on to her territory.

shelby snow two

 

shelby snow

Groundhog Chapter 3

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Another groundhog moved into the yard, driving the dog crazy. This time the groundhog must have been a real risk taker. He came out in the middle of the day when Shelby was running around the yard. I suppose no on is surprised to hear Shelby killed this ground hog too.

I think what astonishes me most is how Shelby can be so gentle with the babies and so ferocious with an animal.

mason and shelby

 

 

 

 

 

Shelby not only allows the children to lie on her, play with her collar and take food from her, she allows them to put their hands in her mouth. But put a groundhog in the yard and she is a different dog.

mason and shelby two

 

 

 

 

 

The dual nature of dogs, fascinating.

 

Hunting dog instincts

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Shelby is too smart for her own good. Although the yard is fenced, she spends all her time looking for a way out. When she succeeds, she does the hunting dog thing and, as we euphemistically term it, she rolls. Rolls in crap that is. That way, her prey cannot smell her coming.

However, we can’t allow her in the house without a bath.

bath one

 

 

 

 

 

Boy, does she hate it.

bath two