Cats, Fall, and Obedience Trials

Sometimes I am still amazed we are totally in fall again. This summer was so unforgiving it is weird to be back to dark and cooler nights.

We are still getting some nice weather in-between the rain and apparently I am growing a single strawberry at a time.

Leela is totally getting into winter. I constantly catch her snuggled up in bizarre places and then she gets mad I found her. I am really impressed by this one.

She also doesn't like sharing her stove (still). 

Fall has brought dog obedience trials and some really great experiences for Nim and I. The following photos are from the WSOTC trial in Kent, Sept 5 & 6th.

We entered both days and had good runs on both days. Now yawning is generally a bit of stress, but who cares, it is a cute photo.

And after that photo I got to recall him and he was happy. :)

I never stop being amazed how far we have come in obedience. He is a good dog and enjoys the work, but getting MY brain and body to be consistent and accurate...the learning curve has been steep. It is good for both of us.

Labor Day Sewing

I hope at least some of you had a restful labor day. I know a lot of people still had to work. I had the day off, so Tuesday felt like a double Monday.

Still, Monday was perfect. After days of rain, we got some sun, and I surveyed the garden to see how things were doing. I have grown one perfect strawberry. It was very good.

Nim spent quality time in his beloved dirt troughs.

I got to sew! I finished all the pieces for a scrappy quilt I am working on. Ultimately I will sew everything in a chain, but I wanted to do one block just to see how it is coming together.

I love it! Somehow mine are slightly different than the pattern, but I don't have the patience to figure out why. Knowing my luck when I chain sew the rest of it I will do one minor thing differently and this block will be the odd one out.

It was just nice to sew a little again.

Leaving August

Well. We are solid into September already, but there are some August memories I would like to record.

In addition to some decent veggie growing (ignoring my squash failure) my Mother-in-law plant also had a great summer. I have only recently learned to put this plant outside in our summers, and it does well. This was an exceptionally good summer probably with all the heat. Now to just keep Emile from chewing it back down during the winter when it has to be in the house. :|

This is my oldest plant (15 - 20 years). I would like to keep it alive.

In August there was lots of sun bathing...

And way too much studying...

And not enough elk.

They came through the yard very loudly on August 29th. I couldn't figure out what their deal was. The youths are sassy and I wish I had got better video of their play, but the larger issue seemed to be the Civil War reenactment going on a good couple of miles away. Even I could hear the cannons.

But at least I got to see them even if they didn't stay long. The videos aren't great, but I posted for your enjoyment. I wish I could have caught the audio of the young elk pawing in the creek. They were making a huge racket and taking turns challenging each other (although one in particular seemed to be starting most of it).

Young elk playing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_GCjIpGk34

Young elk playing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzZtd3X_sRI

Running elk after cannon fire:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qvCBPqTOAM


I am really looking forward to Labor Day tomorrow. I need to study, but I hope maybe to do a little sewing, and more importantly...not work. Nim and I spent this weekend at the WSOTC Fall Obedience Trials and had a great experience. I will probably write more about that later. Time for a down day!