It’s been a wet summer here, which is somewhat unusual in the high,
often dry Rocky Mountains. Other places in the country easily get
2, even 4 inches of rain regularly, but around here, that’s a BIG
deal. Last week, for the first time in our nearly 6 years in this
house, we had a full-blown flash flood in the creek that cuts
through our property. My husband was gone and had the camera at the
time, but I went out after the storm passed and recorded this.

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Last week, Lilly went to the doctor for a major blood draw in
preparation for our experiments with anti-depressants for her. Even
though there are no indications (other than behavior challenges) of
illness, we wanted to be extra sure. So, we ran about $150 worth of
blood tests. All is well, but after Lilly went back with the
veterinary nurses, she came back with a classic case of Stink Eye.

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Lilly and I ventured to a high-use public park in Denver over the
weekend to visit some friends from out of town. Since I often
lament Lilly’s reactions to various stimuli, I must say that she
took the park and all its hubbub in stride. Imagine a dog who lives
in a pretty quiet rural community going to the big city. If she
were typing today, I suspect she’d have amusing thoughts on the
things she saw. What might a smart, sensitive dog like Lilly
believe when she sees a group of grown people bashing an
alligator-shaped pinata with a …

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I allow my dogs up on the furniture. I know some people don’t, but
I do. Strategies for preventing too much dogification include
putting comforters bought at garage sales on the sofas and using
extra flat sheets as a top sheet over the duvet on the bed. Still,
I buy dog beds. I cannot help myself. …

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Just as certain people instantly make my blood boil, certain dogs
simply get Lilly’s goat. And, not to put too fine a point on it, I
think their handlers know it. So that’s part of it. The second
part, however, comes when handlers behave as if Lilly is the only
dog with a problem. …

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Once upon a time, when Lilly was still an evasive pup, she got lost right here at home. We looked high and low but did not see her smiling face anywhere. We checked all over but saw no tiny black butt sticking up from an under-construction hole. We drove the neighborhood, calling her name, to no avail. …

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Now that the wild meadow grasses have gone to seed, it’s time to trim the pastures. It’s both a fire mitigation as well as a see-the-snakes-better tactic. This year, Tom decided to do reverse crop circles. The strategy lets us keep areas natural with wildflowers and so that the wildlife have a place to bed down come winter. But, it’s apparently causing quite a stir in our rural valley. …

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I’ve given up taking Lilly for long walks in our rural neighborhood. It’s a safety issue, and I simply cannot take it anymore. Too many unsocialized, untrained, territorial dogs wander unsupervised from nearby homes. Then again, there’s wandering and pursuing. …

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