Scintillating Dog Videos

Just because I can, I made some videos of everyone's favorite chocolate lab at his preferred swimming spot. The first two are of Zeke trying to encourage me to WALK FASTER AND GET THERE ALREADY (PREFERABLY WITH A STICK OR TWO). The second two are, unfortunately, totally backlit, but you'll get the general idea of dog + sticks + water. Oh, and you'll get to hear me yammering at him (and breathing and grunting--sorry!), as I generally do. See if you can hear the cute wheezing noise Zeke makes while doing the doggie paddle.

Falling Slowly

It has begun, folks. The the slow fade, the turning inward. We've already had two light frosts. I'm relishing the smaller moments, a bee on the echinacea, a frog in the grass. Here's what it looks like around these parts right now.



On my fall garden to-do list:

* dig up the dahlias, let them dry out, then put the tubers in paper bags for winter storage
* mulch the beds (I'll admit, this is the one I'm least likely to get to)
* finally plant the Montauk Daisies I got weeks ago
* plant my new spring bulbs
* dig up and re-plant 2 lilacs that I accidentally planted in an ant-infested hell-patch

what's on your fall garden to-do list?

Breaking Through

Everyone's favorite chocolate lab, Zeke, had a little setback a few weeks ago—in the form of a huge, tennis-ball-sized abscess on his chin. Ewww. He had surgery and required plastic drains for a few days: even more Ewww! That meant steroids, antibiotics, and strict instructions not to go in any water. None. Zip. Zilch. Zeke rode it all out like a champ, but I knew he was yearning for a swim.

So yesterday, after we went to get his stitches out, we went down to Wilcox Hollow, a little flat-water oasis between two dams on the Deerfield River in Shelburne, Ma. Zeke was so happy. The sun was making its best attempt to break out, and the hazy cloud cover made for the coolest reflections in the water. All in all, a great little break for a person and a pup.

barnyard

Well, they're not puppies, but they're still pretty cool.


I love a good, old barn, full of cobwebs, slanted rays of sun, and young, spindly-legged hens.

don't look now.

Seriously. Sit down first.
Then look.

Because, well........




PUPPIES.

They're five weeks old. There are 7 of them, all black labs bred by Laurie and Joe Frye in Goshen, MA.



I hope your Labor Day looks a lot like this—limbs akimbo, eyes half-closed.
Happy Labor Day :)

Meet me at the midway

Join me at what might just be the nation's most adorable summertime ritual: the country fair. There are lots of fairs in Western Mass, including the Tri-County Fair in Greenfield, the 3-county Fair in Northampton (where do they come up with these names?) and the mother of them all, The Big E in Springfield. But my favorite is and always has been the little Cummington Fair. This year was the 141st Annual Cummington Fair. This fair has been happening every year since 1868—amazing, right? It's primarily a livestock and agricultural fair, with a midway thrown in for fun. So come, take a stroll, here's what we'll see:

Antique tractors!

Sheep!

(Why are these girls wearing red t-shirts? I have no idea.)

Poultry!

Agricultural delights!


Cows!
Food!


And everyone's favorite:
the Midway!

There was also a fantastic Demolition Derby on Friday night, but it was too dark and rainy for photos. Next year!