The Chicken of the Corn!

This is what you get if you let your fowl run free.  Looking for a handout.  Scared the hell out of me.  Perfect for Halloween.

Of course it doesn't scare my little country cousin Violet.  Nor my beloved HuggaMutt, either.  This is no mean rooster, either:  just one of the several hens that provide MammaDog and her family with eggs.  Notice how Ellie doesn't begin to frighten the darned thing.

When Ellie is running free, they know enough to get out of her way.  I have no doubt she'd like to catch them, if only for the sport of it. 

Remember Lady and the Tramp?  Just tear 'em up a bit.

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Little Pond

Making Murphy Tough

Violet is a child who really should have a dog.  Unfortunately, that dog would be Ellie, the HuggaMutt.  Our Ellie is middle aged--nine--and just not up to the rigors of a rambunctious, to say the very least, toddler.

Right now, the focus of her aggressions and impulses is Little Brother Murphy.  Violet throws herself at and onto Murphy any chance she gets. 

Interestingly enough, Murphy doesn't mind.  He just sucks it all up.

On the other hand, when Ellie wants to "kiss" Murphy, usually when the little guy is sticky from a recent meal or snack, the little rug-rat often gets a very unhappy look on his face.  We usually rescue him before he dissolves in tears.

Not so with Big Sister.  We all know from past experience that Big Sisters have a job to do; they must toughen up their little sibling.

So far, all is well with the world.

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Little Pond

Don't even ask!

The hot and cold, but very wet summer is giving way to a cool, rather wet fall.

This makes for breezy, comfortable days and cool, just-made-for-sleeping nights.

This does not make for pretty, multi-colored foliage.  Green or brown, or, if we are lucky, yellow leaves are falling.  Everything else is still green.

I even go out without my camera.  Just can't remember to bring it, somehow.  This is from my cellphone.

Pooh.

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Little Pond