Category: Pets

Sam Gets a Boo Box Lesson

Our cats Sam and Boo in cardboard boxes

“I don’t know Boo, this seems kind of boring.”

“Get in a tall, narrow box like this one! You can pretend you’re in a submarine!. ‘Give me a ping Trixie. One ping only please.’ ”

“There’s no room for belly rubs?”

“Or you can be a Formula One racer, barreling into Eau Rouge at legendary Spa-Francorchamps!”

“Maybe there’s a big box where dad can snuggle with me?”

“Or an X-wing fighter, preparing for the trench run with TIE fighters hot on your tail! Not today fellas, the Force is strong with this one!”

“I think I’m going to curl up with dad on the couch.”

“NOT EVERYONE IS MEANT FOR BOO BOX! You can curl up with your head on the side like this, or stick your arms way over the side, or sink down completely inside the box, or …”

“Some of us have bones, Boo. Some of us have bones.”

“Commander Boo, you are go for liftoff! Godspeed to the moon!”

Spring Comes to Irving Park

Our dog Ellie sits in front of blossoming trees in the dog park section of Irving Park in the Irvington neighborhood of Portland, Oregon in April 2017

A picture of Ellie from April in front of blossoming trees at the edge of the dog park section of Irving Park. As much as I love the rain even I was ready for such a glorious sunny day after a wet winter and a wet start to the spring. But then the spring got unusually hot and dry for a while and I was longing for the rain again. I was standing in line at the cafeteria the other day when we had a lovely warm day after a stretch of miserable hot days, and the cashier asked me if this weather was more to my liking since he knows I hate the heat. I said it was just about perfect but I’d love some rain and a colleague in line looked like she was about to have a heart attack and made me repeat what I had just said, her eyes wide in disbelief.

I post this as evidence that I do like the sun in addition to the rain, just give me the warm days, you can keep the hot ones.

Insert Food Here

Our dog Ellie yawns in front of a blossoming tree

After studying the feeding techniques of the alligator snapping turtle, a large turtle that often sits and waits with its mouth open, using its tongue to lure in prey, Ellie decided to give it a go on our walks. She can charm treats out of just about anyone. She’s been on a bland diet for a while after some brief digestive issues but started normal food yesterday and, much to her great relief, was given her white dental bone treat this morning.

Summer & Winter

Our dog Ellie stands next to a tree in Irving Park in the morning light of summer

I got up early this morning to walk Ellie as we are in the midst of a heat wave with back-to-back days near or over 100˚, and it only cooled off to 70˚ overnight (and even then only for a short while), so I wanted to get her out before sun and temperature rose high. The early light was beautiful and since I had my camera with me I made Ellie pose in front of the same tree near the dog park as the picture below (which I’ve posted before). The two pictures are taken in the same spot and the same year, separated by six months, one on one of our hottest days, the other on our snowiest. Two different cameras too. Same great pup.

On that winter day she gave me an epic walk but a rather short one this morning, although she cut it short because of hunger not heat. Her stomach was upset overnight so she’s on a bland diet of chicken and rice for a few days until we’re sure she’s feeling well again, and she hadn’t had even that for breakfast yet. She kept reminding me all day that I ‘forgot’ to give her a dental bone this morning, her favorite treat. My pup keeps careful track of her treats. It’s going to be a long few days, but thankfully at least cooler weather returns tomorrow.

Black in White