After fifteen months of living together Ernie was bound to exhibit a dark side. This morning he snarled and took a stand that gave every indication he would bite me. Ernie: the world’s most appreciative and happy pooch? Since occasionally he startles and puts a rabbit to run I’ve often wondered what would happen if he actually caught one. Now I know.
Read more
Big Girl number two has had her calf: a bull. Like his mother, but at three days young, he stares at the photographer. My neighbor told me that the mom-to-be walked into a modest metal out-building, had the calf, went outside and not long thereafter the young’in followed: normal post-partum details are omitted. This happened about 6 a.m. on the
Read more
Well, I promised to advise when one of the pregnant “big girls” next store gave birth, and she did! It was on Wednesday, the third of February’s afternoon at about four o’clock, preceded by a good luck head butt: [The all-brown faced is the mother of the moment] She then slowly left her friends and walked alone to a section of barbed wire
Read more
Pampered. It all started with that single word. And, no, we’re not talking about adult diapers. But frequently during conversation a word will stick with me and get my thought process going into unpredictable directions. That happened when Marsha my hair stylist was trying to sell me add-on services such as a scalp massage, and I was saying no thanks.
Read more
I was in Houston and had about a half-hour before my doctor’s appointment. Where to go for breakfast? I was starving and my favorite neighborhood diner closed months ago. There wasn’t time to find another big breakfast place so I went to Panera Bread across the street from where I was parked: memories of that chain were good until the
Read more
Last spring my neighbor sent two of his heifers to another farm for a week of girls meeting guys. That’s no bull, but there were. Now – nine-months later – the ladies are due to give birth at any time. [A third joined the duo next door a few months ago. And by the looks of things she is also expecting, although I don’t know her delivery date.] Over
Read more
[This article first appeared in 2004 when my daughter and I had a website together. I hope that new desktodirt readers will enjoy it, and that long-time followers will appreciate it as a classic. This piece will appear each year at Christmas and the holiday season.] Ah, the yearly ritual! The family would pack into the sedan and off we
Read more
“Here’s another nice mess you’ve gotten me into”, said Oliver Hardy to Stan Laurel. [*] Ernie recently managed to get us into one of those situations. [Although in our case I am not always sure who is Stan and who is Oliver?] His nature is to go wherever his nose takes him: rabbits, field mice or rats, and grass hoppers
Read more
For those of you who will be getting the victuals for the upcoming holiday it is never too early to offer preparation hints and menu suggestions. The source of this knowledge and experience is a book called The American Frugal Housewife, published in 1833. Now, don’t let the relatively ancient date put you off. There are certain things in fine
Read more
Last Friday night began uneventfully. The fact that it was Friday the thirteenth had come to mind but only fleetingly. It was about ten p.m. and I had just finished washing dinner dishes. While starting my pre-sleep routine Ernie began barking towards the side door. Normally I would check outside to discover the source of his concern. This time I
Read more