�Yesterday after we got home from dropping the kids off after church I downloaded the picture from my camera that I thought was the first fledgling out of the nest. But when I enlarged it, it was obvious it was not an Eastern Bluebird, just some other small bird hoping around trying to learn to fly! So, I was just getting a glass of water at the kitchen sink and was telling Michelle how I was fixing to write you that I was wrong and that none of the birds had left yet, when LO AND BEHOLD the first fledgling had flown to the rail on our back porch and was staring at me in the kitchen window!! See the attached picture of the very first fledgling! I grabbed the camera and went outside and plopped a chair and tripod down in front of the box and sat there for about 3 hours and watched the mommy and daddy flying in circles showing the new baby how to fly. Every hour or so the mom or dad would fly by the box and "sing" something to the ones still in the box stirring them up and getting them to think about leaving. I have probably 100 pictures of babies stepping up to the slit looking at the big bad world and screaming for their mommy, but then dropping back into the nest!�
�Attached is a DANDY of a solar eclipse picture... and I ain't lyin'! This dandelion did, in fact, pass in front of the sun... for this picture! With such beautiful weather lately I got in the mood for some artsy fartsy nature shots, so I got down on my belly and eclipsed the sun with this dandelion and snapped this BEAUTIFUL shot. Thought I'd share!!! If you look close you can even see the white strands at the tips refracting a rainbow inside of them!�
�Well Miss Brenna has had quite a weekend! Yesterday we went for an afternoon walk since it has been so mild and we decided to go by the billy goats. It turns out I found out that one of the ladies I walk with owned most of those goats we see when we walk. But they also just sold all but 5 of them. So as we were walking by the lady and her husband were out loading up another goat they had sold. So we walked over to say hi. They said we should go in the fence and pet "Sweetie Pie". This momma goat they have had for 10 years now and it is apparently very affectionate. So Michelle went in to pet her and Brenna had a fit to go in also. I asked them if they would attack Brenna if she went inside their fence. They said it was not very likely, however goats consider dogs natural enemies (because of their kids). So I carefully went in and wouldn't let Brenna run up to any of them. I made her sit and wait, and it turns out two of them wanted to come over to her be social! They never got close enough to touch, but they all stared at each other, and Brenna was SOOOO good that she didn't bark at all and scare them! Of course, where's my camera when I need it... back at home!
And here's another kodak moment I missed. Brenna has a new game she plays with the horses. We went to feed the horses apples like we do about every day. After we were done the horses followed us along the fence as we walked back to our house. Brenna got excited and started barking and prancing and the horses just took off running. And Brenna ran with them! I mean to tell you, I don't know how many miles per hour a horse can run flat out, but Brenna not only could keep up with them, but at one point she actually caught up with them when she was behind!!! They ran the FULL length of the neighbor to our right, our yard, and the neighbor to our left's fence THREE TIMES! The horses would run, spin around and run the other way, slam on the brakes and run the other way, all the while Brenna was running with them FULL GALLOP!
I am sure they will do this again because the horses LOVED the run and Brenna had a HUGE smile on her face afterwards. So I expect to snap that picture in the next few days and I will share.�
This weekend, Brenna and her parents are driving up north to see relatives in Chicago and then attend a family wedding in Wisconsin. On their way back, they are going to visit Buddy (Briar) and his family in Ohio. A note from Buddy�s parents, �Buddy has been loaded for bear lately, so I'm sure that he will be full of play. He and the Bichon (Penny) still get in their share of trouble, which upsets the Boston Terrier (Peggy), the law bidding citizen that she is. You will probably still rate Budd's energy level a "12." Buddy and Penny got into trouble again today for walking on the pool cover numerous times after the repairman was here. They are partners in crime.�
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
�Just a quick note from Chicago, Brenna has won EVERYONE'S heart her in the big city!! She just loves ALL people! We had a gathering of about 10 people last night, all first and second cousins and my uncle and Brenna never even ate her dinner (after a 10 hour drive!), but instead went round and round "working" the room and sitting in everyone's lap, pawing and kissing them, and by the end of the evening she had EVERYONE under her paw.
This morning when I let her out in their fenced back yard there was a bunny trapped in the fence and she tore out after that fuzzy bunny foo foo and ACTUALLY at one point had it trapped.... except that she was so excited she wiped out and stumbled, and during that split second the bunny found a hole in the fence and got away!�
�(The trip was) A mixed bag of great family time with traumatic travel experiences. We drove 1617 miles, so we have just been out of it yesterday and today I had to go to work in Nashville.�
�What a ham Buddy is still is!! He has just the sweeeeeetest personality's (for a boy dog, Brenna has ALL the girl dogs beat on that!)! I would have to say that this part of the trip was the most relaxing, and we are very glad we made the effort to go so far out of our way back home. Brenna and Buddy are simply put, soulmates! They just love each other in a very unique way.
Also attached is a picture of Danny's cat (in Chicago) that Brenna won over. This cat doesn't get along with dogs, OR people, except for its owner, and Brenna won it over as well!!! All that time with Anastasia has made Brenna quite a "Cat Whisperer".�
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
�Phyllis, Did you ever play frisbee with Brenna? Michelle's sister bought her one a year ago and JUST NOW found it when doing Spring cleaning! We got it in the mail today, and boy did Brenna take to that quick! She would chase it down and bring it back and (most of the time) drop it, and I would throw it again. She REALLY enjoyed it! She once tried to catch it, but with her body and front legs, not her mouth. But I don't think it will take her long to try to catch it with her mouth. It is a real nice frisbee designed for dogs, rubberized for chewing, and has a raised lip around the back so that when it lands flat on the ground she can bite it to pick it up. I'll try to get some pictures of Brenna with her new frisbee soon! Glad you enjoyed the bird pics as much as me. I miss them already, BUT... I was just sitting outside for a bit and I saw three of the babies go by. I can hear all of them calling to each other in the tree line in the back yard!�
Friday, June 1, 2007
�Phyllis, Do you remeber this June 1st of 2005? You had to do one of the hardest things! That was the day you brought Brenna to us! I still don't know how you were able to separate from this sweet little girl dog, and we can't imagine a day without her. We only had Buddy Briar two weeks each time and we were all depressed after losing him. (But we will be seeing him in just about a week again!)
We're going to do something special for her today. She started the day by chasing a turkey out of our front yard! She gets to do that about every day now and LOVES it! Just wanted to drop a not of THANKS from Michelle and I... and BRENNA!
From all of us�