Taz's First Snow

This morning when Taz and I went out for our morning constitutional, we were greeted by an inch of fresh snowfall. The same thought occurred to both of us as we stepped out onto the clean, white lawn. Let's write our names in the snow! Unfortunately I hadn't taken my daily Saw Palmetto pill yet, so I could only manage my initials.

Taz needs writing and spelling lessons but he certainly wrote for a while, possibly his name, address, phone number and zip code. He's got to learn how to spread his writing out though, so it's more readable.

At first he wasn't too sure about that cold white stuff on the ground, but when he realized it was fun to play in, he spent the rest of the morning either running and playing outside or begging to go back out for some more.

Carol's been sick with a bad cold and is just now starting to recover. She's been pretty much down and out for 3 days, coughing, with a headache, sore throat and dizziness. So far I'm OK, but I usually get any bug that comes anywhere near me, so I'm just waiting for it to hit.

The Barclay Baths

The other day we were reminiscing about the stained glass window and marble coffee tables we had that came from the the depths of Larimer street in the 1960's. It was along time ago and it took us a while to remember the details, but here is the story.

Cold enough to freeze the eyeballs off a brass frog!

Compared to most places we haven't had it too bad, but it still has been one of the coldest winters I can remember on the coast. This morning it's 29 degrees, which is the coldest it's been all winter; the problem is that it's been in the mid 30's almost every night for months, and the days have been cold even if the sun does peek out, which has been seldom. It's just been downright uncomfortable unless you're standing in front of the fireplace.
We've been lighting a fire every morning and keeping it going most of the day. We're going through the woodpile way too fast and we'll have to buy some more wood if we can find anyone to get it from.
I sure hope we have an early spring.

Mole Killer

We've found a new, unexpected ally in our constant war against the local Moles. Trapping has been a slow, but sometimes effective way to keep them from their goal, which is undermining the whole backyard until it becomes a miniature Carlsbad Caverns. Lately the mounds have been reappearing and it's too darn rainy and muddy to set a trap.

This morning looking out through the kitchen window, Carol noticed Taz acting strangely. He was attacking, pouncing, grabbing, shaking and throwing something, acting like a wild Fox or a Coyote.

She went out to see what was going on and was amazed to see that he had killed a Mole! It wasn't a very big one, but Taz isn't very big, either. The rain had probably flooded it out of its burrow. Taz was still growling and shaking it when I went out to take his picture.

I guess this makes up for the other night when the Coyotes were yapping and howling; he got so scared he wouldn't even go outside alone. Then he had bad dreams that made him shake and quiver like he was on a vibrating bed.

Maybe the odd combination of breeds in his parentage make him a Mole Hound!