Last Gasp for Big Bertha

Well I made the call. My poor old maple, damaged last summer, is coming down next week. So we've tapped the bejeezus out of her, and hope to get the sweetest syrup before she comes down. We'll have hours of warmth from her in the next couple of years, but I'll miss her wide spreading shady arms this summer. The woodpeckers, chipmunks, great crested flycatchers, titmice, squirrels, chickadees, nuthatches, bluejays, and warblers will miss her too--no homes, no perches, and no bugs. But I'll replace her with another just as sweet--another sugar maple.

Sugaring Time Is Here!

It's one of the rites of spring, hanging the sap buckets and boiling in the garage. I get home from work and spend my evening sitting by the propane cooker, skimming the sap, waiting for the water to evaporate. Usually I take along a good book to keep me company. As the steam swirls around my head in a sweet fug, I stir the sap and read. The chilly damp air makes me hug the cooker, warming myself by the burner.

Last year, we tapped four trees and got approximately one gallon. This year, John's tapped seven trees, including Big Bertha, our aging maple that needs to come down this spring. She's giving us the last hurrah.

Dog Sense

Ok, who has more sense in this picture? The dog draped over my lap, or me for using Callie Lou as a lap rug? Note the title of the book.

Callie Goes Cross-Country Skiing

It's obvious Callie has never skied with anyone. Poles are to chase and heeding my commands go right out the window. But she did enjoy all the scents in the air. Tracking deer, coyote, other dogs, my bleeding hand (that's another story)--Callie Lou learned that staying well behind or well ahead of cross country skiers is imperative.

This was Callie's second time skiing off lead, so we headed to Wild Iris for the solitude offered in the quiet woods. Not long after we started, I had to switch to a warmer wax, and in the process, gashed my thumb which gushed blood. Of course, I'd forgotten a first aid kit, or even a bandanna to staunch the flow.

We skied for over an hour, meeting up with one other person (a 4-wheeler hunting coyotes with his dogs-grrrr). I decided it was a good turn around point and left hunter and dogs in the distance. Were the deer or coyotes watching us from the rocky ledges overhead?

Callie Lou enjoying her first Christmas with us--nothing like chewin' on a pig snout! Which outfit is more ridiculous? Dressed as Santa or Little Red Riding Hood. It was supposed to be worn around the neck, but it looks so much sillier on her head. Oh the undignified things we do to our dog!

Skip the shopping...go for a hike

Who wants to go grocery shopping when you can hike in the woods instead?

As darkness came on, we decided Callie would have more fun hiking in the woods. So we headed over to Rollinsford for a walk by the river. It appeared every other dog owner had the same idea. As soon as we came upon a side trail, we veered off into the woods and let Callie off her lead. A good gallop was what she needed, and lots of scents to track. Avoiding dog traffic makes for a much more enjoyable hike. But since it's hunting season, I didn't want to stray too far into the woods without any blaze orange!

A nice hike, a hearty dinner, and a snooze by the woodstove--ah, what could be better?

Shopping with Callie Lou

John learned a lesson with Callie today. If you're leaving her in the car while doing errands, be sure to tip the seats forward. He came out of the bank and heard someone's car horn tooting erratically. Thinking, "What's wrong with those people?", he was embarrassed to realize it was his car making the racket. There was Callie, hind end in the air, bumping the horn, with her nose to the floor mats, hoovering up crumbs. Hey, who needs to vacuum when Callie is around.

Here's Callie Carhartt, ready to go grocery shopping, anticipating another hour of cleaning the Corolla's floors.

Who stole the apples? A big dog with a big appetite

A pile of peeled and chunked apples sat on the kitchen table while I stood at the counter mixing up the rest of the ingredients for an apple crisp. I turned around to get the butter and--BUSTED--there was Callie, caught with an apple chunk in her mouth! "Callie", I yelled, "bad girl. 'Raus, 'raus!" She scooted out of the kitchen, straight to her bed, knowing I was mad at her.

Yet, I can't stay mad for long. She's been on a diet since we got her, and dutifully dropped 21 pounds (wish I could do the same). I think she misses the easy snacks she received at the day care--carrot sticks, goldfish crackers, cheerios, apple chunks. Unlike her high-strung smaller canine cousins, she's prone to laying about rather than jumping around, so watching her weight is just part of owner a larger breed.

As winter approaches, we've let her put a few pounds back on for warmth. She's much sounder at 90 lbs. than she was at 110! I'll just need to make sure temptations don't lurk at the table edge!

Get out the neon orange!

Hunting season is here! Time to pull out the neon orange vest, hat, dog collar, and doggie vest before you head for the woods. And remember, it's safe on Sunday. There's NO HUNTING on Sundays in Maine!
We took Callie for a hike last Sunday up in the Rocky Hills and saw no one. The foliage was just past peak, but Callie enjoyed her first trip off lead, galloping down the trail, sniffing for critters, and wading through mud puddles--a dog's delight!

Who really rules the house?

For those of us with big dogs and no kids, aka BDANKS, our over sized canine kids rule the roost. We spoil our pets--but they don't talk back or turn into sulky teens, although they do have occasional tantrums (eating books in my case).

What other people spend on toys, clothes, and entertainment for their kids, we spend on kibble, accessories , and VERY cheap fun. A simple ride in the car makes Callie's day. Or a walk in the woods, sniffing all those good smells, or a good belly rub. As for clothing, Callie inherited Ruby's winter booties and jacket--her winter camping supplies.

Yes we spoil them, but they repay us with welcome home wiggles, and constant companionship.