The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

First, the good.

Feb. 20 the Fly Boys joined us from Florida.
Nov. 2 Pasha joined the gardens when his family moved to California
Nov. 9 Joey comes up to us on his own for ear scritches
Nov. 26 Crystalbella is back after four years in another home
Dec. 15 Cinderella arrived home from Florida

And then, the bad.

March 28 Cleo is diagnosed with lymphoma and goes to the bridge
April 9 Adam diagnosed with auto immune hemolytic anemia, and as of January 9, 2009 he will be nine months post diagnosis
July 31 Oneco goes to the bridge
Aug. 1 Clancy diagnosed with sarcoma, surgery removed the tumor with clean margins

Unfortunately, the Ugly

Vet bill for 2008 $13,717.40
Dog food 7,280 lbs.

The year of the ear

I admit it, greyhounds have greyt ears. First thing I always notice are the eyes, but then, it's the ears that draw me in.

Greyhounds do amazing things with their ears and you can almost tell what they are thinking.

We have the...

I just got outta bed and don't know what to do with my ears, better known as

A bad ear day

Moose has exceptionally greyt ears. Regularly, one flops forward and the other flops backward.

Oneco always had one ear on red alert and the other ear in a casual perky position. It was as if she was sending a message, "I know where you are and what you are doing, have fun!"

Adam demonstrates a modified perky. He knows what is going on, but really doesn't want anyone to know he knows.

Murphy has greyt, "They went thattaway" ears. His are probably the best.

Danny sports and almost modified "They went thattaway."

Manic Mondays

The Rules

Main Folder: Pick a number 5-13 • 5
Sub Folder: Pick a number 11-30 • 11
Photo: Pick a number 25-50 • 34

This is Cleo (fawn) and Blender (white and black).

Blender was our first foster dog. Needless to say, I failed miserably at fostering. She was very shy, almost frightened of her shadow. My youngest daughter spent hours and hours reading to her and talking to her just to become her friend. Seven years later, she is a happy outgoing crazy girl.

Cleo had been in her family for eight years. Shortly after she turned ten, they moved into a new home and decided to give her back to the adoption group. Cleo was one classy dog. We were a very lucky family to have adopted her. She was with us for almost two years before we lost her to cancer.

Yes, yes

This is the life I deserve.

I am a cookie jar

And this is what I see.

Cinderella, new to home life is gentle, plus her underbite helps her to take the cookies carefully.

Buddy is completely toothless and his bite is ever so gentle by default.

Crystal came from a home with small kids. I'd almost bet she was taught to have a very soft mouth when she took her cookies.

Minnie is pretty gentle, she is such a munch mouth though, she's rather get her own cookies out of the cookie jar.

Not pictured is Flo. She prefers three or four fingers with her cookies.

Do not disturb

As I look around the room of wall to wall, floor to ceiling dog beds, I seriously have to wonder how they earned the nick-name

45 mile-per-hour couch potatoes?

Crystal and Adam

Minnie

Pasha

Cinderella

Buddy

Roxy

Pasha and Talley

Minnie and Crystal

Tundra three - Humor one • It's melting

This is the face of a very happy camper! It is finally starting to thaw out around this frozen tundra. I have been in Oregon for nine days, 17 hours and 12 minutes. The clock on the back patio is finally registering above freezing.

The icicles are dripping and getting smaller.

And here is my proof, the thermometer says it is finally above 32°.

So here are the very last of the snow dog pictures. At least for another 40 years.

Crystal, Adam and Maddie checking out the scents on one of the beaten down pathes.

Crystal and Minnie.

Jori, Crystal and Minnie. Ice was falling off of the trees and definitely caught every one's attention.

Moose listening to the noises in the trees.

Crystal, Jori, Cinderella and Minnie. None of us four girls wanted to venture off of the beaten path, even if it is starting to melt.

Moose and Mickey. Both lightweights. This is as far as they would go in the snow.

Still the bravest of them all.

Flocko wandering out and looking forward to warmth of his cushion inside.

Maddie, another one of those seniors not intimidated at all by the snow.

Minnie and Roxy all nestled in on their cushions.

Flocko, playing with a stuffie after braving the snow in the backyard.

Everyone is looking forward to the mudd that will follow the meltdown. Stay tuned for the muddy paw posts.

Happy Howlidays

Wishing you a Happy Howladay and a Rooing New Year

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a greyhound was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
Hoping for adoption everywhere.

Minnie and Maddie were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of dog bones danced in their heads.
Flocko and Crystal ran through the snow,
While Lucee the basset was moving so slow.

When all of sudden Skirvee sprang from his bed,
Ready to roo he lifted his head.
A howl here and a howl there,
All of the howling filled the air.

Pasha was bowing and claiming his turf,
While Cinderella, at the counter she did surf.
Talley showed off her cute little prance,
and Moose backed up for his famous butt dance.

Oh Bentley, Edie, Phoebe and Oneco,
Yes Picker, Gracie, Barbie and Cleo
You remain in our hearts, your stars all aglow,
As you race at the rainbow, we miss you so.

Then Blender and Clancy, Jori and Fonzi
Murphy and Duncan, they started to race,
Must have been out in the field
That silly squirrel they wanted to chase.

Emma had her tennis ball
Joey got his scritches,
But it was Adam's vet bill
that gave us the twitches.

Flo was always in her zone,
Mickey flew by her alone.
Roxy has her toofers,
But Buddy could only lick his bone.

And the beautiful, beautiful Danny Bleu
Wishes Happy Howlidays to all of you.

December 23

It was time to go off to school and Cinderella wanted nothing to do with it.

I found myself crawling through a blackberry bush tunnel to catch her. Karen took one look and said, she'll be a garden hound.

Off to the races she went, but she really was only interested in playing and charming the socks off of everyone who stopped by to greet her. She retired and Karen flew down to sunny Florida to play in the kennels and bring her back to the frozen tundra of Oregon.

Welcome home Miss Cinderella.

Tundra three - Humor zero

Just a few scenes around the garden. All dresses in their wintery best.

The official garden greyhound.

The blue spruce out front.

The water bottles.

The old water pump.

The lantern.

The garden clock.

The birdhouses.

Happy Birthday, we miss you sweetie

Cleo's Cameo Dec. 22, 1995–March 28, 2008

Happy, Happy Birthday Flocko

KNT A Blazin • December 22, 2003

December 22

It was a phone call. We're moving to California and we don't think our 12.5 year old greyhound is strong enough to make the move. If we can't find a home for him...

'Nuff said, Pasha came to the gardens and he is such a delight. We really were the lucky ones to have him adopt us. He's not an old man, he just got a new lease on life.



She's back! Crystal started out in the gardens as a foster in 2004. When she was listed on Craigslist looking for a home, we stopped at nothing until we got her back. She's our 47 lb. bundle of joy.

Tundra two - Humor zero

Everyday in Oregon makes me long for Florida. Over and over again.

This morning when we woke up, we woke up to snow, lots of snow on the ground. And it was coming out of the skies like if it didn't all hit the ground at once, we might not have any snow.

Now I ask you, what is the point of having an acre if you can't use all of it?

This is the heat wave we were promised today. Oops Mr. Weatherman, missed that one didn't you?

Pasha, the 12 1/2 year old man is not about to miss anything. He was ready to go out and explore the entire acre. Cold and snowy or not, he still wants to see and smell it all.

Crystal loves to run and play in the snow with the best of them, but even she had the good sense to stay out of the snow flurry.

Now you would think a big brave boy like Flocko would be the one blazing the trail for me, but nope, he followed my around while I searched out the trails in the snow.

And just for reference, here is the greyhound spinner one day later.