My Reading Blog

This morning I walked outside to check the rain gauge and as I turned back toward the house, there were five different webs that the spiders created overnight.  This web was huge and if you can see the dot in the middle, the spider is resting and waiting.  I went out about half an hour later and the web was completely gone I held up a towel behind this web, so you could better see the lace work. Another web further up in the tree. Think of the hours (or perhaps only minutes) that it took to create these masterpieces for the night and then to take down and put back up tonight.  I dislike spiders, but seeing the creations they make is totally amazing.

Max has written for me a number of times over the past six years and it is with tears in my eyes and a heavy heart that I write this tribute to Max.  He left us last Wednesday and there is a great void in our lives.  Over the past few days, Hubby and I have been reminiscing about the joy and fun that Max brought to us each day for the past 15-1/2 years. We brought him home in June, 2002. He was met by the King of the House at that time, Fuzzy our cat.  They stared at each other.  As Max got closer to Fuzzy, there was a very loud hiss and then a slap on the nose.  Max jumped back and tried to decide what this creature was.  But, it became a fast and true friendship. In his early years, Max loved to run and play and of course, chase squirrels up the trees.  At first he couldn't figure out where they had gone, but when they started chattering at him, he looked up and just stared.  He became our "Arkansas purebred squirrel dog" (really part...

This morning Mom is really tired.  I had her up several times during the night.  I just haaaad to goooooo.  But then I got out the door and I kinda forgot why I came out. I'm pacing and pacing while Mom is exercising.  Dad doesn't hear me - he's still sleeping.  I keep pacing, finally Mom opens the door and encourages me to come in and then SHUTS THE DOOR.  I don't like closed doors, so I just stood there waiting for it to open.  Finally Mom is done.  She turns off the light, so we won't disturb Dad.  I'm standing in front of the door, so I back up.  My eyesight isn't what it used to be, so with the lights off and the door open, I turned into the closet, not knowing where I was.  Mom turned around and steered me in the right direction.  We went directly to the patio door and out I went.  Being an old pooch, I need to go out often. I waited patiently while Mom did her crossword puzzle, put it was getting time for breakf...

Yesterday, hubby was sitting in his chair and saw a flash go past the window and then another. He got up and yelled at me.  Come look.  There's one, two, five, seven.... ten.  Oh my gosh, do you see them?  There's fifteen, no wait eighteen and finally twenty-three.  Running, following the leader.  In a hurry to go some place.  Running away from what? They hunkered down to wait for everyone to catch up, then jump across the ditch, over the road and they were once again on the run. A herd of deer crossed our yard - 23 in all.  Running, following. An amazing sight.  We have only seen one or two deer in this area, so it was unbelievable to see so many following each other. No pictures, they were too quick and we were awe-struck.

Hi, for those of you who haven't met me yet, my name is Max and I'm 15 years old.  This picture was taken of me several years ago and since then, I've aged a lot.  Mom told me it was my turn to write, so here goes.... As with Mom and Dad, I'm getting older.  I have aches and pains and I'm slightly confused.  My hearing isn't as good as it once was (or maybe I'm like Dad and it's called "selective hearing".)  My eyesight is dimishing and I've been running into things lately (maybe Mom has just moved the furniture again). I don't do much these days - I like to sleep a lot and of course, I try never to go hungry.  My hips are giving me some problems, so we don't take very long walks and I have a hard time sitting/laying down.  I seem to go in circles more and more. Now I don't want you feeling sorry for me - it's all a part of life and I've had a great one.  Mom and Dad take good care of me and I try to make ...

When we moved into our home almost a year ago, we thoroughly enjoyed watching "our" swan float across the pond, spread his wings and flap the water practicing his take off. The girls named him "Beauty", not knowing or caring if it was male or female.  He is a handsome guy. Last summer, he hung around the pond and seemed content to be by himself.  And then we noticed that every other week, he would take off to unknown places and then return to his routine.  We figured he was off trying to find a mate, only to return by himself.  Until.... One morning earlier this spring, Max and I were walking and could hear this unbelievably loud sound.  The flapping of wings soaring through the air.  I thought that finally I would get to see Beauty land in the pond and slow to a halt just before hitting the bank. When I turned toward the noise, there was not one, but two of these beautiful creatures coming in for a landing.  Finally, Beauty had found a mate ...

While there are many things that I'll miss about living in our log home, there is one in particular that brings much enjoyment (sometimes) into our lives. We have an over abundance of wildlife in our area, especially the deer population which has grown to become a nuisance to many.  I love to: watch them grazing across the yard lolling in the grass looking at Max as if to say "Who are you and what are you doing in our yard?" snorting at us, warning us to get away posing for pictures waiting for the little ones to be born watching their antics as they play and feed seeing them grow and mature watching Mama's nurturing and guidance Yes, I'll miss seeing these creatures on a daily basis. But, then there are the times when: flowering plants have gone from beautiful blooms to nothing!

A week ago, we were experiencing some beautiful weather - cooler temps, low humidity, a slight breeze.  The windows and doors were open, the breeze was blowing thru the house.  Max and I were sitting and reading.  And then.... I heard a clomp, clomp and then silence.  I went back to my book.  Again, I heard the noise.  I turned in my chair toward the front door and there staring at me with those big brown eyes was a deer.  She was munching away at the few flowers that had graced my petunia basket. I jumped up. Yelled.  Max barked.  We headed to the door.  She stood on the stairs, just looking at us and continuing to munch on those tasty morsels.  As we got to the door, she backed down the stairs and stood along side of another doe.  Both of them just staring at us, as if asking "what's going on, we just came to visit?"  Max barked one last time before they both turned slowly and headed out to the front yard to see w...

We've been waiting and watching.  But they didn't appear.  We'd see a lot of does grazing across the yard, but no babies.   Usually by mid May we see some little ones with spots, but not this year.  Maybe it was because of the cold, long winter.  Maybe they delayed their mating season.  We don't know, but finally when we got back from vacation, there they were.  Not one, not two, but three little ones.  We're not sure if they're triplets or twins and a single.  Some times they appear all together and other times just two and occasionally only one grazes.  We love to watch their antics as they eat and play and romp across the yard.     These two little ones were munching outside of the garage.  I quietly went out and they posed for me.  I inched closer, but they got nervous and off they went to find Mama.

I had seen them briefly a couple of weeks ago and thought to myself that I needed to get the feeders out.  But it turned cooler and I forgot.  Last week I was sitting on the front porch reading and first one went buzzing by and then another hovered directly in front of me, as if to say, "Where's our juice?  Did you forget about us?"  Off they flew.  Back and forth several more times.  I got the hint.  I went inside, got the feeders, filled them and hung them.  They seemed to sense that I had done what they asked. Trying to get pictures of them feeding or hovering is quite a fete.  I did manage to get one as he briefly took a sip and them zoom, he was off. Another came by and was ready to land.  They have been giving me a show all day long.  Two of them swooping, chasing, playing, sipping and off again. To sit on the tree branch. And then along came the woodpecker to pose for me.  He, at least, sat still lo...

Mom and Dad went away this past weekend.  Usually they take me to C & J's house - I really like it there - but this time we drove past their street and kept going. Hey, where are we going?   I was getting a little anxious - I just got a hair cut, so I wasn't going there.  Maybe to the vet, but no this isn't the way either.  They drove a little further thru town (Dad takes a different way than Mom).  Oh, now I know where we're going.  To my 3rd home - I'm so lucky.  When C & J are going someplace with Mom & Dad, I get to go to Ray & Kathy's house. They're just like C & J - they treat me like royalty.  Kathy met us at the door and welcomed me with a fresh bowl of water and lots of sweet talk and back rubs.  Ray wasn't there - I had to wait till later in the day when he'd come home.  After Mom & Dad left, Kathy played with me, I followed her around the house, checked everything out (just to make sure there weren'...

 Mom was tired last night and decided that it was time for me to write a slice.  A lot of you already know me, but for those who don't, here's some special tidbits that you should know. I was born 11/11/2001, so I'll be 13 years old this year.  My mom was a Cocker Spaniel and my dad, well, they never told me.  I'm a medium sized dog weighing about 45 pounds.  My fur is mainly white with some kinky light brown fur down my back and on my ears.  Here's a picture of me with my winter coat.  I'm in need of a hair cut. I have dark brown eyes that seem to draw everyone in.  My disposition is pretty laid back, in fact sometimes I don't react to anything or anybody! I have some hip problems that bother me sometimes, but Mom & Dad give me my pills every day and that helps. I really like to sleep a lot and have some special places to take my snoozes. I like to walk and run and sniff and lift my leg.  I've got a couple of friends tha...

We are blessed to live in the woods and have an abundance of wildlife that like to visit us daily and they give us reason to laugh and smile each time they venture through our yard. There has been an overwhelming quantity of deer for the past couple of years.  In fact, last year there were two sets of twins and one set of triplets born.  We have watched them grow and mature and yet, they still love to romp and play as they graze across the yard. Last week we had several loads of mulch delivered and because the weather has been so difficult, it has not gotten spread yet.  The other morning when Max and I were going for our walk, there were several deer on the top of the mulch pile, munching away at whatever they could find.  They stood their ground and just watched us walk past and promptly went back to see what else they could forage. Several days later, I looked out the window to discover this little one munching away on the cedar tree.  The tree ...

 As y'all know, we live in the country in the Ozarks and we have an abundance of wildlife, but this year we've been blessed (until they eat my flowers) with a virtual herd of deer.  They love to graze across our front yard, thru the woods, around the back, down the drive, across the road and back again (all in the matter of a couple of hours!) This year we have seen two sets of twins and a single.  We generally only see the babies and Mommas, but this year we've have up to three button bucks.  The other days, hubby was at the computer and looked out and three of the bucks were playing games, rubbing their heads on the ground, charging, backing up and charging again.  It was fun to watch their antics.  Here's Momma feeding her babies with another looking. The other day when Max and I took a walk, the babies were in the driveway, they stood their ground as Max sniffed in the air.  We walked closer and closer, until they decided it was time t...