The Versatile Blogger Award

Two fabulous bloggers recently nominated Talking Dogs for the Versatile Blogger Award.  

Many thanks to both The Daily Dog Blog and Pawsitively Pets.  I very much appreciate it, especially coming from two such barking good bloggers!

When I read the rules for this award, it overwhelmed me to even think about singling out 15 bloggers!   Actually, I hate to single out any, because I follow and enjoy so many.  However, in an effort to be true to the spirit of the award, you'll see below that I did name five.

According to the rules, I'm supposed to share 7 things about myself:

1. My favorite food is chocolate.
2. I grew up in: Colorado, Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota,, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wisconsin (As an adult I've lived in Virginia and Missouri.)
3. I raised my own herd of cattle from day old bottle calves.
4. When I traced one line of my genealogy I discovered that my husband and I are 6th cousins once removed.  (Oh, those colonial era Virginians!)
5. I could never have too many daylilies. (Or too much chocolate.)
6. I believe in reincarnation.
7. I listen to my favorite movies while I work in my jewelry studio and I can quote dialog line for line in many of them.

Though the rules state that I'm supposed to pass the award on to 15 blogs I've recently discovered or follow regularly, I'm going to limit myself to 5:

2 Brown Dawgs  A relatively new blog for me, I'm learning a lot about hunt test training with Chesapeake Bay Retrievers Thunder, Storm and Freighter. Great action photos, plus new puppy pictures, too!

That Dog Dancing Guy  Kevin blogs about dog dancing with his Border Collie, Cynder - including awesome videos and instruction - plus other always interesting dog stories, issues and news.  Full disclosure:  I want to adopt Kevin.  Cynder, too.  Just for fun, I've posted one of Kevin's videos below.

Oz the Terrier  Another relatively new blog for me, I enjoy all Gina's posts, but I am crazy about the limericks! 

Saved By Dogs  I know I shouldn't say this for fear of hurting feelings, but this is simply one of my favorite blogs.  I always enjoy and learn so much from Chris's dog breed profiles, plus her personal dog stories are told from the heart and are a real treat.

Dogs N Pawz  I've been promoting shelter dogs every week for years and  I love Lisa's new Tuesday's Tails Blog Hop - Opt to Adopt to help shelter animals. 

There are so many wonderful blogs out there, and so many I follow, that it is incredibly hard to mention just a few.  Please feel free to suggest a great blog in the comments, as well as check out my blogroll of favorites here (somewhere over on the left) on Talking Dogs.

Thanks again to Julie and Ann for bestowing me with this award!  

As promised, here's one of That Dog Dancing Guy's videos.  This one is Dog Dancing Basics 101: Teach your dog the Stationary Leg Weave.
 

Follow-up Friday: Coyotes, Puppy Love, Art

I'm pleased to be joining Heart Like a Dog in the Follow-up Friday blog hop this week.  This is the blog hop that lets you wrap up your week and leads you right into the weekend.  Hosted by Jodi at Heart Like A Dog, and co-hosted this week by 2 brown dawgs.  

Once again, I'm following up on a bit more than just this past week.

Coyote Update: Unexpected Help
Though this particular post is from last week, I have more to add to this coyote saga.   

First I want to clarify a few things.  We live in the country, in the middle of 45 acres, surrounded by larger farms.  Our "backyard" is about 2 acres and fenced for the dogs:  picket fence on the front and part of one side; the remainder 2"x4" field fencing with two strands of barbed wire on top.  It backs up to a creek which contains a series of spring ponds which attract a lot of wildlife, plus our horses have access to that area.

This is not our first rodeo in terms of predator encounters:  coyotes, foxes, bobcats, bears, wild hogs.  

Yes, I did go after one small pack of coyotes years ago with a baseball bat (when they were snatching our chickens and my dog was trying to fight them.)  No, I'm not "one tough lady."   I've discovered that one never really knows for sure what we're capable of, until faced with the situation.   Threaten my animals?  You and I may both be in for a surprise!

We're being very vigilant.  No dog goes outside alone.  If one of us is not out there with them, we're watching with a gun handy.

Last weekend the dogs were outside playing when a large pack of young coyotes showed up on the other side of the creek.  I called the dogs in while the dog daddy grabbed the rifle.  He shot to scare several times and the pack scattered.  Interesting that the horses were on their way to help from across the pasture.  Try to convince me that they didn't see those coyotes as a threat to their family.

We're peaceniks and non-hunters.  We'd never seen that pack of coyotes before (or since), so there was no shooting to kill.

The next day I saw what I believe are the coyote pair I photographed hunting in the snow in our "front yard."  Once again, we shot to inspire fear.  Later that day I heard shooting down in the valley and suspect a neighbor spotted coyotes.

So far, we've not seen that lone coyote who has no fear of us.  If/when we do, we will be shooting to kill.   In fact, we've had no coyote sightings this week.  We've added one of those air horns to our "arsenal" and I carry it with me when I run out to the studio.  

I also have to say that I am loving the LED collar I was sent to review!  In the pitch dark, I can locate where my little pack is with a glance, thanks to Jeffie wearing it (and the fact that they stick together so well.)

The drought here has been very severe and wildlife are definitely feeling the pinch in terms of finding food.  Put that together with their increasing adaptation to living near humans and I'm sure our coyote story will continue.

Adoration: Rudy
Loved all the comments on this post!  And, yes, there is room in Rudy's heart for both Rosie and Jeffie.  Jeffie is Rudy's best friend;  Rosie is something more.  I don't know what to call it.  If Rudy was female, I'd say there's a maternal flavor to the relationship, but it is even more than that.

Someone also asked about the relationship between Jeffie and Rosie.  I promise to blog about this, because it is sweet!

Irish Blessings and Great Jingle News
Just have to say once again how thrilled I am that senior shelter dog, Jingle, now has a forever home!

Wordless Wednesday: Rosie Does Shamrocks
Thanks for all your lovely comments!  So far, Rosie has not joined the Witness Protection Program, nor is she Amish.  She has lots of patience for photos.  Even when we dress her in very silly things! 

She and Rudy developed a new game right before these St Paddy's Day photos were taken.  Rudy finds the vole tunnels and either sees, feels, or hears them at work.  Once identified, he and Rosie snoot away, following the trail.  

Rosie is a love and what we call "an old soul."  She is, hands down, the easiest, smartest puppy.  Seriously.  And I'm trying to make sure to hold her as much as possible now, because she is GROWING! 

Urban Wanderers Art Exhibition Benefits Stray Rescue
I realize you're not going to head to St Louis to see this, but if you like dogs and you like art, then you should check this out! You can see some of the art work in the videos included in this blog post.


Before I close, I just want to let you know that we're celebrating National Puppy Day over at our Facebook page.  Post a photo of your favorite puppy and check out the cuties already posted.  I guarantee it will make you smile!   
And finally, I want to confirm that Mother Nature has a sense of humor.  On the second official day of spring, she gave us 6" of snow... with more to come over the weekend!  Happy Spring!