Happy Birthday, Moses!

In the first year of my life, lots of amazing things have happened, just a few of them are worth setting down for biographical posterity!
Let's see now, I think we'll start with those things which I wish had been mastered, and yet look forward to this coming year when they will be, for sure:
1. Swimming. I'm not 100% sure that this is an enjoyable passtime. Last year the river was so high and raging from all the rain, that it took all my courage to follow Sadie in to retrieve various sticks, and each time I ventured forth, my life (short, as it was) flashed before me. Mama Sally tried her level best to convince me that this was what I was supposed to love by going in with all her clothes on, but the resulting image was so alarming, that all of my worst fears were confirmed, and I ran from the river with my tail firmly tucked!
2. Come! Yes, well, there's a very good reason why this command hasn't yet been mastered. First of all, when I was little, we went to Obedience School. I loved it! I made lots of friends and was rewarded with delicious bits of something or other every time I did whatever it was that was asked of me. Later, we'd practice, and again the treats were forth-coming. Now, when I Sit!, Stay!, or Come!, okay, there's a pat on the head, or a 'Good boy!', but hey, where are the treats? I mean! So now, when Mama Sally calls me, I look at her and then sit down! I'm trying to teach her to remember the treats, and I believe she is beginning to understand! Boys, some humans are really hard to train!
Let's look at some things that have transpired in this first year: some good, some not so good (apparently!):
1. I'm a great retriever.
2. I like to nose around in the waste-paper baskets.
3. My favourite things to chew are loo-paper holders, gloves, socks, fat-wood, and paper towels with bacon drippings on them.
4. I do have a basket full of toys. These keep me occupied when the above aren't around.
5. I just adore to eat Sadie's poos! Mama Sally says O God and walks away, but Papa runs at me screaming, which only makes the game more fun! Sometimes, I'll run away, and he thinks he's fixed it, but then I sneak back and get the rest when he's far away!
6. It rarely happens, but when Mama Sally is sick, Sadie and I are allowed to lie on the bed and make her feel better. We get lots of treats during these times.
7. Sometimes, Sadie and I get to go to the Oasis Pet Resort and Spa. We get to play with lots of friends and get our pedicures, groomings and shampooings done. We like to spend a little time here, yet sometimes, we've had to stay a bit too long, and we miss our walks in the woods.
8. A rare treat is when Cooper and Cabot come to visit. They're urbanites and live in Burlington, but you'd never know it. They fall right into place up here in the Northeast Kingdom, especially when Cabot wears his orange collar!
All in all, it's been a pretty fantastic first year, and I think I shall go outside and chase a red squirrel to celebrate birthday #1!

A Lullaby For Sapphie

Lulla, lulla, lulla, lulla-bysie,

Do you want the moon to play with?

Or the stars to run away with?

They will come if you don't cry.

Lulla, lulla, lulla, lulla-bysie,

In Mama's arms a-keeping,

And soon you'll be a-sleeping,

Sing lulla, lulla, lulla, lulla-by.

Two Weeks Old!

Sapphie my little one! My own and my dear!

Today is your birthday! Two weeks, to be clear!

I wish we could snuggle, I wish we were near,

To celebrate this milestone in your very first year!

Feeding Our Furry and Feathered Friends

We are extraordinary! Human beings, that is. Case in point: there is a multi-billion dollar business out there, which creates contraptions which prevent squirrels from raiding the bird-feeders. Poor little things! Thank goodness that in the Book of Genesis, the Almighty didn't tell us to "have dominion over all that creepeth on the earth, and make sure those pesky squirrels don't steal the sunflower hearts!" In response to the growing need for a separate squirrel feeding station, where none could possibly be accused of 'stealing' anybody's hearts, my beloved husband has spent a large portion of his annual income on setting up such a place. First of all, he had to make sure that this sanctuary, for so it is, was in close proximity to the red squirrels' winter establishment: the rock wall in our back garden. He hauled in a huge stump on which to plonk the block of 'squirrel candy': at $24.95, quite the deal! The next step was to attach to the huge pine tree the greatly 'engaging' Squirrel Spinner, which, he was assured, would capture the squirrels' attention in their relentless pursuit of corn on the cob for heaven's sake! All for the very affordable price of $47.95! Now for the chefs d'oeuvre! A rust-resistant/weather-resistant/bird-resistant little house, the roof of which is raised by the hungry squirrels in order to retrieve the tasty snack inside. To further enhance his purchase, he opted for the bargain kit of house and 5lb. of this tasty snack for the amazing price of $52.95!! It took the squirrels a few weeks to get the picture, but O the joy when we watched squirrel #1 raise the roof of the snack shack, to be followed a few days later by his cousin having a twirl on the corn-spinner! Last week a family of 9 wild turkeys, a Tom and his 8 wives, discovered the block of candied corn on the stump! What a sight for sore eyes. They were later joined by a pileated woodpecker, who was tired of looking for slumbering bugs. For the vastly extravagant amount of $125.85 we have, in our backyard, entertainment of the finest kind. We still feed the birds, but I'm so pleased that there is no sign warning: NO SQUIRRELS ALLOWED!

Sapphire Elizabeth Kouri

This is the whole reason for living...