The Belles had a fine time last Monday walking in Cathedral Park, at the headwaters of the San Antonio River. The bad news is that Chica and I weren’t included, since our mistress figured dogs weren’t allowed there. No matter. We got a long walk in the 'hood that night when it was cooler.
Don’t know how much longer the ladies will keep walking, given the advancing heat (three-digit temps are predicted for next week), but they plan to go on Monday to Brackenridge Park. Chica and I look forward to it.
Good news on the car front: My master and mistress bought another Prius to replace the one that was stolen. This one, the Prius V, is a little bigger, more like a mini-station wagon. We like riding in it despite Mary’s paranoia that we will scratch the nice new leather with our toenails. She jumps on us whenever we try and climb up the back of the seats, so we’ll have to lie low until she gets over her new-car issues.
You can be sure that the next time we go to the country, my master and mistress will put the new car in the garage and if someone else has their car in it (as was the case the time of the theft) they will park it inside the fence in the back yard. Time was when Tarpey was at the end of nowhere. But now that there's enough population to warrant a cell phone tower, we dogs will have to keep our ears pricked up 24/7. Which will be a trick for Chica, given that her ears are so floppy.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
New car; continuing walks
Women are prone to change their minds. The Brackenridge Belles and Bitches have done just that re: walks in the park. After agreeing to disband for summer, the ladies have continued walking week by week, agreeing that when it gets too hot they’ll stop. So far so good…
Meanwhile on the car front, my master and mistress heard from the insurance company that their car is beyond repair. So they have bought a silver Prius V, which is a bit larger. Chica and I haven’t been in it yet but we can’t wait. There’s nothing like the smell of a new car…
Meanwhile on the car front, my master and mistress heard from the insurance company that their car is beyond repair. So they have bought a silver Prius V, which is a bit larger. Chica and I haven’t been in it yet but we can’t wait. There’s nothing like the smell of a new car…
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Dog Days of Summer Drama
With hot days on the horizon, five Brackenridge Belles met Monday for their last walk of the season. Fortuitously it was fairly cool but ever since, temperatures have approached three figures in the afternoons.
My master came to get us dogs after our walk in the park so my mistress could run up to our place in the country. Why? The story begins there Sunday morning when Mary awoke around 6:30 to what she thought was the sound of a male voice outside, followed by what sounded like a car peeling out. Turned out it was HER car.
Looks like the perp rammed it into a tree a ways down the road. After two Bandera County sheriff's deputies, a highway patrolman and a wrecker did their things, Mary and Lewis left for home in son Maverick’s car.
While Chica and I hated to miss seeing riots of wildflowers along the road to Tarpley again, we were happy to be at home in bed while Lewis organized the storeroom. With the dog days of summer upon us, sleeping is our preferred pastime.
My master came to get us dogs after our walk in the park so my mistress could run up to our place in the country. Why? The story begins there Sunday morning when Mary awoke around 6:30 to what she thought was the sound of a male voice outside, followed by what sounded like a car peeling out. Turned out it was HER car.
Looks like the perp rammed it into a tree a ways down the road. After two Bandera County sheriff's deputies, a highway patrolman and a wrecker did their things, Mary and Lewis left for home in son Maverick’s car.
While Chica and I hated to miss seeing riots of wildflowers along the road to Tarpley again, we were happy to be at home in bed while Lewis organized the storeroom. With the dog days of summer upon us, sleeping is our preferred pastime.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
From Tibet to Tarpley
Tibet. Tibet. Tibet. That’s all I’ve heard my master and mistress talk about for more than a week. Bad enough that they left me and Chica for another of their faraway trips but even worse is having to hear about it as nauseam after they get back. They have talked about prayer wheels, yak butter, bodhasattvas (new word for us dogs), yaks and who know what other outlandish things.
At least this time they didn’t leave us in cages at the vet for two weeks. Instead we stayed in the home of our housekeeper, Nina. Never had time to get lonesome there as four women clucked over us in Spanish day and night. Really we hated to leave the place, especially as we were about to learn the lingo.
This weekend we got a break from both Spanish and Tibet talk when we went to our country place in Tarpley for the first time in six weeks. There the conversation centered around rainfall (some but not enough) wildflowers (lots) and a couple of amazing insects around the house. First there was a gigantic walking stick. Then there was a huge green caterpillar with multicolored projections.
Thank goodness there were no scorpions this trip but my mistress did find a very large tick with a white spot in its underside on her scalp, which freaked her out. Well how did she think I felt when she found one in my ear a few days ago?
At least this time they didn’t leave us in cages at the vet for two weeks. Instead we stayed in the home of our housekeeper, Nina. Never had time to get lonesome there as four women clucked over us in Spanish day and night. Really we hated to leave the place, especially as we were about to learn the lingo.
This weekend we got a break from both Spanish and Tibet talk when we went to our country place in Tarpley for the first time in six weeks. There the conversation centered around rainfall (some but not enough) wildflowers (lots) and a couple of amazing insects around the house. First there was a gigantic walking stick. Then there was a huge green caterpillar with multicolored projections.
Thank goodness there were no scorpions this trip but my mistress did find a very large tick with a white spot in its underside on her scalp, which freaked her out. Well how did she think I felt when she found one in my ear a few days ago?
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Mother Nature in all her Glory
This week Chica and I struck out again walk-wise, given that Mary and five other ladies toured the Botanical Garden instead of walking in Brackenridge Park. (Dogs only get to go to the Garden four weekends a year. Why not make it EVERY day?).
Staff member Scott Litsche took them to see the native area, where blooming plants like guajillo, white brush, huisache and sundry wildflowers such as salvias were in full bloom. The walkers were particularly taken with the bird watch, where 211 species have been spotted.
Turns out the ladies could have seen nearly as much nature in the raw in Mary’s yard this week. For starters a green chrysalis hanging on the porch rail became translucent yesterday with a rolled-up monarch butterfly clearly visible inside.
Since Mary had never seen the emergence before, she didn’t know how imminent it was. While she was indoors briefly, the butterfly exited its cramped quarters. When she and Lewis stepped outside they saw it hanging upside down next to the chrysalis husk. Since Chica and I were on the front porch, we had a front row seat during the entire drama.
Later that same day, Lewis encountered a tiny wren’s nest with six speckled eggs when he went to move a stack of boxes in the corner of the carport. He hated to move it but workmen were preparing to pour cement for a new driveway.
So he placed the nest as close as he could, on top of the adjoining fence. We all have our fingers crossed (though that is definitely a metaphorical expression for us dogs.)
Next Monday, the ladies will return to Brackenridge Park where no doubt we will witness more of Mother Nature’s wonders. In spring it seems, they never cease.
Staff member Scott Litsche took them to see the native area, where blooming plants like guajillo, white brush, huisache and sundry wildflowers such as salvias were in full bloom. The walkers were particularly taken with the bird watch, where 211 species have been spotted.
Turns out the ladies could have seen nearly as much nature in the raw in Mary’s yard this week. For starters a green chrysalis hanging on the porch rail became translucent yesterday with a rolled-up monarch butterfly clearly visible inside.
Since Mary had never seen the emergence before, she didn’t know how imminent it was. While she was indoors briefly, the butterfly exited its cramped quarters. When she and Lewis stepped outside they saw it hanging upside down next to the chrysalis husk. Since Chica and I were on the front porch, we had a front row seat during the entire drama.
Later that same day, Lewis encountered a tiny wren’s nest with six speckled eggs when he went to move a stack of boxes in the corner of the carport. He hated to move it but workmen were preparing to pour cement for a new driveway.
So he placed the nest as close as he could, on top of the adjoining fence. We all have our fingers crossed (though that is definitely a metaphorical expression for us dogs.)
Next Monday, the ladies will return to Brackenridge Park where no doubt we will witness more of Mother Nature’s wonders. In spring it seems, they never cease.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Unsung Heroine among the Belles
Monday was a perfect day for walking. So much so that the ladies kept moving for almost two and a half hours—twice the usual run. At Pam’s suggestion, they first headed to the Trinity University track. Unfortunately there was a pack of barking dogs hanging around there.
Ever since I was attacked by a stray lab, my mistress had always carried pepper spray. But would it work with five dogs? We didn’t stick around to find out. Instead, the ladies struck out for the campus and exited at the other end near the Landa Library. When they got to the library, they learned something they had not known-- both about the library and one of the Brackenridge Belles.
After Harry Landa bequeathed his handsome home and grounds to the city in memory of his wife in 1946, a plaque was put at the entrance announcing it as the “Hannah Landa Memorial Library and Children’s Playground.”
Decades later, when Pam Howard and a friend brought their young children to the Landa, there was no playground. A law student, Pam did some research and found that the will stipulated a playground. She and friends approached the city and formed a group to erect a playground. It is now the jewel of Monte Vista—a shady oasis for parents and children to swing, climb, picnic and simply enjoy the outdoors.
Best of all, dogs are welcome, too.
Ever since I was attacked by a stray lab, my mistress had always carried pepper spray. But would it work with five dogs? We didn’t stick around to find out. Instead, the ladies struck out for the campus and exited at the other end near the Landa Library. When they got to the library, they learned something they had not known-- both about the library and one of the Brackenridge Belles.
After Harry Landa bequeathed his handsome home and grounds to the city in memory of his wife in 1946, a plaque was put at the entrance announcing it as the “Hannah Landa Memorial Library and Children’s Playground.”
Decades later, when Pam Howard and a friend brought their young children to the Landa, there was no playground. A law student, Pam did some research and found that the will stipulated a playground. She and friends approached the city and formed a group to erect a playground. It is now the jewel of Monte Vista—a shady oasis for parents and children to swing, climb, picnic and simply enjoy the outdoors.
Best of all, dogs are welcome, too.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Stepping out in the Swamp
You win some you lose some. Yesterday Chica and I lost, when our master and mistress opted not to take us with them to Palmetto State Park, named for the dwarf palmettos that inhabit its swampy self. Perhaps it’s for the best as the place is alive with reptiles, some being of the poisonous persuasion.
Today Chica and I won, when Mary took us to Brackenridge Park for our weekly walk with the ladies. There were seven again this week and they covered a lot of territory—and subjects—over an hour and a half. Topics ranged from the Pam's daughter’s graduation on skis at Middlebury College to the number of Phd candidates at Renee's nursing school graduation at the University of Texas (a lot—this is UT, right?). There was also talk of tributaries of the San Antonio River, which runs through the park, thanks to River Authority member Sally.
When it was over, Mary Lil checked her pedometer and announced that we had taken 6,199 steps, totaling 2,333 miles. Because less than a sixth of the steps were in the moderate range, indicating more energy expended, the calorie count was a mere 159 burned. As she put it: “have a blast with a piece of bread.”
In Mary's case, it was some flaming hot chips leftover from the park outing. In Chica's and mine, it was a couple of extra doggie treats.
Today Chica and I won, when Mary took us to Brackenridge Park for our weekly walk with the ladies. There were seven again this week and they covered a lot of territory—and subjects—over an hour and a half. Topics ranged from the Pam's daughter’s graduation on skis at Middlebury College to the number of Phd candidates at Renee's nursing school graduation at the University of Texas (a lot—this is UT, right?). There was also talk of tributaries of the San Antonio River, which runs through the park, thanks to River Authority member Sally.
When it was over, Mary Lil checked her pedometer and announced that we had taken 6,199 steps, totaling 2,333 miles. Because less than a sixth of the steps were in the moderate range, indicating more energy expended, the calorie count was a mere 159 burned. As she put it: “have a blast with a piece of bread.”
In Mary's case, it was some flaming hot chips leftover from the park outing. In Chica's and mine, it was a couple of extra doggie treats.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
