Gone girl; new girls; knits/purls

Gracie in the arms of her adoptive "aunt" (sister of new "mom")

After some final time together with us and Leo this morning, Gracie left for her new home today. The new owner (and her sister) were thrilled, and all the text reports I've gotten so far have been glowing. Leo is doing fine at home with Poppy; the only one struggling is Rick, who is feeling bad that brother and sister had to be parted. He still hasn't stated definitively that we are keeping Leo, but I can tell he's leaning that way. My main objection is the adoption cost; people, it is a LOT. I would rather get this little munchkin, a half-sister of Poppy's, next month when she is old enough:

But for now, at least, this is Poppy's playmate, now wearing a collar we had on hand that fits him instead of the harness:

Our new hens from the neighbors came in two trips. I only intended to get three of their six mixed-breed pullets hatched out this year, but when I happened to net one of their year-and-a-half Easter Egger hens first, I decided to keep her, too. I do love Easter Eggers!

This is Lady E, the Easter Egger

This is Ash, a crossbred pullet

The white splash pullet in front is Puff

The bigger white splash pullet behind is Pearl

Ash and Pearl look to be part Easter Egger; Puff looks quite different even though she has cheek tufts. Supposedly all three were sired by a Crévecoeur rooster; I think Puff takes after him. One of the white girls gave me a blue egg today, so that's fun!

I've managed a little knitting this month, making these mitts and hat with some stashed commercial yarn. They ended up man-sized and I don't know any men who would wear fingerless mitts, so into the gift stash they went.

Caught up for today at least at . . .

Maybe it's the rain

Feeling overwhelming pressure from the number of photos in my "blog photos" file, I am forcing myself to do a blog post, when all I really want to do right now is escape. Escape what, exactly? I'm not sure, but I suspect it is like Julie says in her latest post:

It is a surreal feeling, to know that all this space is ours to inhabit, knowing how many people are confined to small apartments, even to cruise ship berths akkkkk!  afraid to leave for the contagion all around. Knowing this, and empathizing with people all around the globe, makes for a very unsettled state of mind, an agitation that never leaves you. I can feel the disturbance in the force. I can feel the panic, the unhappiness, the deprivation, the fear. It's a drumbeat under every breath we draw.

That makes trying to keep an active, intelligent, 15-week-old (as of today!) Decker rat terrier pup exercised and entertained, especially when it is raining outside and nothing I have to protect her splint from getting wet and dirty that lasts longer than a minute, particularly exhausting. She is understandably needy, and sometimes I have nothing left to give. Today she's spent waaaay too much time locked in the laundry room, first while I was gone to work (Brian was home but otherwise occupied), then after I got home with a headache and a short fuse (to keep her from igniting said fuse).

This (mood), too, shall pass. Yesterday was actually great. We expected rain, but got a one-day break. Rick and I took Poppy for a walk while Brian slept in; her joy in the little journey was infectious. She desperately wanted to play with the "neighbor boy" on the way home, but we didn't want another broken splint so had to disappoint her. (When we got back, we changed her bandaging.)

I turned Stella out to play, and got some great photos when Brian decided to interact with her.

Then I rode Lance up the hill. There were lots of blooming things to see, and a great view from the top.

When I got back, Brian helped me grade the arena, which it's needed for a very long time. But that means not using it until the rain stops and it dries out some, or it will be wasted effort.

Other accomplishments: Rick got all the caneberries and grapevines in our garden pruned, Brian did a little more weeding, I did laundry and made bread, brownies and supper.

So good riddance to today and here's to tomorrow at . . .

How to tame your dragon

Give her an all-day playdate with another dragon! I was called in to serve on the grand jury yesterday (I'm an alternate), so Poppy got to go to her sister Penny's (bless our friends' hearts) while I was gone most of the day. I heard the action was non-stop, and it was still going on when I arrived to pick up my pup (Poppy is on the left).

I really wanted to get a still photo of the girls together, and lucked out when something caught their attention.

Penny's mom also picked her up so I could get a head shot; they may look alike at first glance, but they are quite different in a lot of ways. Poppy is taller and narrower, with bigger ears. Penny has a lot more brown on her head and ears and a lot less spotting on her legs and belly.

Once we got home, Poppy was pretty much out for the evening and night, only getting up a few times for a potty break and then going back to sleep.

Today she's back to normal. This week she has stayed at home in the laundry room instead of going to work with me. Last Thursday when I took her, she wasn't letting me get my work done and I ended up putting her in her crate in the car (it was cool outside). Now I wait until she's ready for a good morning nap, put her in the laundry room where her food, water and crate are, and leave. When I return several hours later, she is sleeping in her crate with no messes in the room; such a good puppy!

Today I ran a couple quick errands after work and came home with a new toy to replace one that is in tatters. She fell asleep with it in my lap this afternoon.

Not that I need to spend a dime on toys. Last weekend Rick brought in a big box. Poppy was wary of the box, but the flat piece of cardboard that had been inside it has been a great source of entertainment ever since (and keeps mommy limber picking up after her 🙄). She even fell asleep with a piece of it on Monday....

This was after she begged to get up ON the hearth. I obliged her, but was worried she would relax, stretch out, and fall off, so I put the pink bed below to cushion her should she fall.

Another free toy came from the neighbors to our east. They found a soccer ball in their undergrowth and offered it to us for Poppy.

Getting bored by puppy prattle and pics? (Heh; if you did, you probably pooped out on this post long ago!)

Because I do have photos of other things. 😉

A commercial break for The Chuckie Channel

Western bluebirds!

Red-tailed hawks!

Blacktail deer and green grass!

A gift of Bette's roving from the sweet person who bought her 2019 fleece!

Finally, food. The other day in a grocery store's check-out stand magazine rack, I was surprised to see this magazine:

I've seen the movie by this name (highly recommend!), but didn't know there was a magazine – and wouldn't have expected to see it in a Winco Foods. But then again, the West Coast has always been an easier place to find healthier food options, whether in a grocery store, deli, or restaurant. For instance, Rick and I have enjoyed this Zoodles Primavera that Olive Garden is now offering:

But mostly, I cook at home. Tonight's supper was this delicious Pumpkin Black Bean Soup:

With pumpkin (actually sweetmeat) purée, black beans, and greens from my freezer, it came together pretty quickly.

That's it for now from . . .