Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

I don't know if our little bitty snow storm made news outside the area, but in Georgia 2 - 3 inches is a huge deal. I was sent home from work at 1:45 and partner couldn't finish his business out there and ended up taking two hours to drive seven miles! This is what it looked like near the woods behind the house. Not too shabby, but still...not exactly epic, right?

Gracie loved it! She had never seen more than a few errant flakes before. She totally digs the snow, despite greeting it with a warning growl at first. Plus the cold doesn't seem to phase her at all, but then, she was bred for the weather of central Europe, including some of its more elevated areas. 

She especially enjoyed rolling in the snow and then shaking it off her coat. I wish she had held still a bit more, so I could get some cute greeting card shots for next Christmas, but she's a puppy and never holds still for anything. Ever.

I'm so glad she got to have this experience. Not every dog lives long enough to see this sort of snowfall in our part of Georgia.

Lucky girl.

Out in Nature - Trip to Morgan Grove

Despite the high today only reaching about 47F, we ventured out to give the dog some outdoor time and made our first trip to one of the newest parks around here - Morgan Grove. It's located just south of Fayetteville. The site is actually very primitive - gravel entrance and parking, unimproved trails, etc. - but really neat too.



The picture to the left and below here are of the meadow, taken from the trail, which is only about a mile, round trip, including the loop down to the creek and back up. Today, it was cold enough for the creek to have a skin of ice on it (not pictured), but with the sun and the native plants blocking the wind, it wasn't too bad.

I'm certain I'm allergic to everything in these fields, but the pines.





 The trail itself was a mixture of sand, mud, rocks, moss, and low grass/weeds, making it a little treacherous because of muddy and slippery areas, but still easier walking by far than Line Creek Nature Area. Hint: no exposed roots.

 At a couple points, the trail had been blocked by fallen limbs and an actual fallen pine tree of some significant size and dimension that hopefully the Rec Department will move soon, unless they're leaving it for Southern Conservation Trust to handle.

I would like to post some images of spring in a couple months, but I might need a nudge to remember to do that.

Gracie had an especially nice time, although she did attract the attention of two gigantic dogs who apparently live at the house adjacent the park. One looked to be an American Bulldog mix. The other was partly shepherd, but with a friendly-tipped left ear. They didn't come after her or us, but they made us think.

Good times!

Media Consumption Post

I had the opportunity to see the movie Captain Phillips Tuesday night. Slow starter, no mistake there, but the ending was some of the best acting I've seen in recent memory. Seriously, it's a movie worth seeing. I know Tom Hanks won't win an Academy Award for it because the competition is so tough this year, but...you know? I think I'll pick him on my Oscar ballot anyway.

Moving on...

I'm listening to Lord of the Rings on audio in my car, courtesy of Amazon and Audible. I read the books possibly twenty times in high school and college and when I die, I hope my afterlife is reliving the years of the ring war...forever. Not that I believe in an afterlife, but for me, nice thought.

Anyway, the reason I started the listen was because it's been a few years and I missed the characters and also because I feel a relentless tug urging me to have an adventure (or something like one). I have to say, this helps...a lot.

After being away so long, I find myself noticing things that I never noticed before.

Like how weird the distances are. I sort of wonder if coming from a smallish island warped Tolkien's sense of proportion and distance a bit. Everything is...closer together than in more modern knock-offs of the genre he created.

Also, my dislike of Aragorn has faded a bit since my younger days and my deep-sucking-chest-wound for Boromir and his fate are not as keen. Well...no one is thirteen forever, right? Still, in my fantasy afterlife, I think I would expend considerable energy trying to save his unworthy ass.

I find myself gravitating more toward Gimli the dwarf than the human characters.

I myself am now and shall always be a hobbit.

Georgia Climate - Rainy Winters

This is what Line Creek looked like on Sunday after some really serious rainfall on Saturday. Yes, those are tiny white caps in the flow, which covered 100% of the shoal areas of the nature area. The creek overflowed the banks in many places, washed out the trail in a couple more, and generally made a lot of noise as it rushed toward Lake Mac.

The dog enjoyed drinking from it, despite the turbidity - note the color. The creek is pretty clean in this area with nothing being dumped into it until you get more than ten miles upstream to Fulton County.

The high for the day was a pleasant 67-degrees, a welcome change from the cold weather from last week, that closed schools in spite of the lack of snow.

A Quick Letter

Dear nineteen-year-old church elder,

Your creepy unblinking-ness did not bother me. It takes all kinds. Your wing-man, yeah, you got me. He's creep-tastic, standing right there behind you, watching, vacantly smiling. Your matching clothes...I'm used to that.

Oh, but your haughty-ass smugness...mmmph, that's where we run into some trouble, son, sonny boy, little mister sunshine.

No, I have not in fact read the book of Moron. I only read quality science-fiction from modern-era authors. And that tone? Really? You-should-read-it, in that tone??

Child, I'm not old enough to be your mother unless she was a fourteen-year-old girl...

Oh. Snap.

You're a mormon. I bet she was actually.

But either way...respect, you little drone. Respect. I did you a solid not questioning your ID when I issued you a guest pass for the match-set of computers you and your wing-man used together, creepily side-by-side. I know...I know...that ID was probably expired.

So next time you ask, I'm remembering that head-toss that accompanied your unblinking, creep-o you-should-read-it, and I'm checking the expiration date...because, yeah, sorry, we need a valid ID here.

Hint: if you MUST proselytize, especially to people who are forced to serve you or starve, try not to be SUCH horrible twat about it, okay? It goes over better.

No love,

Happy Birthday, Gracie

This really squidgy pic is of Gracie with her new toy.

My puppy turned two years old today, according to her AKC papers. Technically, she's an adult dog, but she's still so funny and puppy-ish. When I got her, she was a bit larger than a football and cried all the time. Now, she's the size of a small wolf and only cries in the car.

For her birthday, Gracie got the following:

• A stuffed doggy from Goodwill (pictured)
• Salmon flavored treats
• A long visit to the dog park
• The middle spot on the couch

I think she did okay, all things considered. Partner also gave her extra food at dinner time, which she does not really need because of her alarming weight gain, but I'm not saying anything. I just don't have it in me right now. She has some cantaloupe in the fridge that we forgot about. I think it will keep until tomorrow or so.

As I've said, Gracie is my first dog. Every milestone is completely new to me and I love them. She is the best dog.

Pudgy Puppy

I think most people have seen pictures of Gracie and realize she's slightly chunky for a two-year-old purebred German Shepherd Dog.

Her second birthday is Friday, btw.

I want to go on the record about this.

When I was her primary caregiver, she ate measured kibble in a bowl with clean water on the side. She got a dental bone one per week for her teeth, weight appropriate size. She received training treats during training. Once or twice per week she got a little cheese, meat, or a couple almonds to taste.

Now that partner feeds her, she gets...

• Kibble
• Cooked chicken
• Cooked liver
• Cooked pork shoulder
• Leftover meat
• Crab
• Cheese
• Salami
• Doggy ice cream
• At least five raw hide sticks
• Dog treats
• Butcher's bone

Yes, she can get all of that in a single day, except usually it's only two of the cooked meats, not all three.

This is why she's getting too fat. Plus, I'm having trouble taking her walking as much as I did because of the weather/season. She's over fed, over loved, sedentary dog!

Part of me wants to be in charge of her feeding again, but partner would not be amenable to kibble-only for our precious dog-daughter.

Our fat dog-daughter.

Indoor weather

Today, it is extremely cold outside here in Georgia. I should be able to put on a nice sweater or long-sleeve shirt and vest. I should be able to wear woolly socks and boots.

Alas...I work with women.

So while the outdoors may require one form of dress (warm...hello) the interior of the building with be so freaking hot that I'll need short sleeves, light-weight pants, and ankle socks just to do my job without being uncomfortable and potentially dehydrated.

Then, when I step out of the building to get to my car, I'll bundle up in a jacket and still freeze.

Nice. Thanks for that, ladies. Thanks a lot.