Category: Beagle

Posted on in Beagle, Faith, Moving

Our New House

A few weeks ago I saw the bathroom design in the master bedroom and questioned what was installed in ours. Guess I did not question it enough! Last week we went in the model and I saw what I thought it should look like. Yep, I was right. The wrong bathroom was installed. Turns out after the search of how that happened somehow the actual workers were given the wrong blueprints of what we requested. For now we do not know if other items were ordered wrong or not, (things like flooring).

Here are some photos. WE HAVE WALLS NOW!

  • No driveway or yard, but soon to be ours!
  • From kitchen, looking into great room.
  • From great room looking towards dining area and sliding door.
  • The office location I will be writing from.

Now, about writing. One estimate was we would close early May. Since they have to tear out the bathroom and start over, I have no idea how far closing will be set back. I’m thinking that there will likely be a few weeks I do not post anything. Than again, if I get really cracking I might be able to create enough entries to not miss a week!

After 15 years in one location, there is lots to pack and plan. We have been at it for months now. When we actually have the movers come to pack, move (and unpack at least the kitchen) I realized the other day, we will still not know WHERE most of our things are. Tried to label boxes as we went along on things we packed. So yes, life will be somewhat of a mess. Who knows when I will write? Or, just maybe, writing will be a great diversion once the computers are set up!

Lucky will be kenneled for 3-4 days during the initial chaos. We took her to the house the other day after walls we installed. She was not delighted as huge propane dryer and fans were blasting away. She could no longer walk between the studs, but had to go room to room with us. Here, she has taken to sleeping on a ‘blankey’ in our closet during the couple thunderstorms we have had so far. She is in for a neat surprise! The new master closet in 12 feet long! Sure, it will be filled with clothes and storage tubs, but it is massive compared to the one here.

Will try to keep you updated on the bathroom fiasco!

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Beagle, Just do it, Nature, Poetry, Thanks

Swinburne Who?

According to https://www.best-poems.net/algernon_charles_swinburne/index.html he was a popular English poet and writer. His life was 5 April 1837 – 10 April 1909 and evidently he wrote about many off color topics, but I like his phrase about spring. Wikipedia says: “Swinburne was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature every year from 1903 to 1907 and again in 1909.”

For winter’s rains and ruins are over,

And all the season of snows and sins;

The days dividing lover and lover,

The light that loses, the night that wins;

And time remembered is grief forgotten,

And frosts are slain and flowers begotten,

And in green underwood and cover

Blossom by blossom the spring begins.

Chorus
by Algernon Charles Swinburne

Here are some of the images of ‘blossom by blossom’ from our neighborhood!

Certainly a favorite of early pollinators!
I thought it was barberry, but it is not. Neighbor’s shrub. He is Nepal, so I do not know identification.

Old, untended crab apple.
Oh, so fragrant in the evening especially!

Thanks, Lucky, for continuing to get me outside and looking for those treasures in plain sight!

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Beagle, Faith, Nature

Miracle of Melting

Have you ever watched autumn leaves falling? Didn’t it seem rather miraculous that one week they were offering you shade and the next they were colored as if by crayon and tumbling through the breeze? The February snow reminded me of the leaves.

I had been complaining about snow that fell and melted in just a few hours. Once in Wisconsin it had been a delight to watch snow fall at the rate of an inch an hour.  Then we had snow in Ohio, upon older snow upon piling snow until there was an accumulation of about 14 inches that did not melt but stayed!

After two weeks of constant snow cover, birds that do not usually come to the feeder were suddenly eating the seed we put out. There was nothing else available except for a few bugs under tree bark.

Fourteen days in I was more than weary of wading into deep snowbanks. Sinking into deep snow while walking this dog who still refuses to ‘do her business’ in our yard was giving me a workout. Irritability was growing. At least I had long zip up boots instead of having to lace up ankle bracers!

My husband and I had been daydreaming about not having to bundle up against the arctic cold to walk the dog. We even mused about the time we could just grab her leash, hook her on and head out the door!

And then there began a slow but gradual thaw. At first there was only a tiny border around the base of the trees. Then on the hill patches of brown leaf detritus with birds hopping around, turning over leaves looking for lunch.

This miracle of melting snow, the return of rocks, grass, and soil – a marvelous discovery. Today I walked the dog amongst snow banked on the sides of the road. The melting was a constant sound as the water flowed out of the yards, across the seams in the sidewalk and down into the storm sewers. Gurgling water, not created by a man made fountain!

It was as if I was watching a holy transformation. Suddenly we do not require boots, scarf, hat, and gloves. Today it was 50 degrees! Tomorrow’s forecast is 51 degrees. Then almost every trace of snow will have vanished.  One more of the many miracles of our God.

By the breath of God ice is given, and the broad waters are frozen fast.

Job 37:10 ESV

Out walking on 2/27/21 there were still patches of snow!

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Beagle, Poetry

Exceeding Expectations

 Exceeding Expectations © Molly Lin Dutina  21-2-9 
 
 As forecast
 the snow fell in the night
 surpassing the expectations 
 of excited meteorologists
  
 There are no rough edges on our 
 world this morn
 only smooth brush strokes
 from the palate of Jack Frost
 he was heavy handed with his snow
 flat surfaces are now domed
 the squirrel baffle on the suet post 
 resembles the Pope’s miter cap
 the dog labors to walk at all
  
 Finally we let her off leash and she ran 
 in laps like a maniac
 leaving few traces of her joyful gallop
 when we got the bird feeder filled
 the chirpers seemed delighted
 all other foods were buried 
  
 Soon leaf blowers, shovelers, plow trucks
 snow blowers all joined the chorus of removal
 It will be days before the entire pavement is seen again
 unless some winter exceeds
 Expectations once again!

  
Posted on in Beagle, Family, Humor, Memories

Language Humor

Learning to speak well is sometimes nurture and sometimes nature. When I was growing up one of Mom’s favorite TV shows was “Kids say the Darndest Things,” hosted by Art Linkletter. I can remember my sister coming home from Nancy’s house once. Nancy had a brother quite a bit younger than the girls. Paula quoted him as rushing in his parents dinner party shouting, “Mom! I’m blooding! I’m blooding! I can see the bleed!!” He eventually grew up to play professional baseball.

When our kids were young I used to write the funny things they said on pieces of paper and slip it in a drawer. It was so much fun to find those papers later and reminisce.

Emily was introduced to bagels when Great Grandma Pat and Aunt Ra came to visit from Queens. She was also learning that dogs differ in kind and have various names. For a while she referred to beagles as bagels.

Adults can speak silliness, too, me included! When the kids were young we often crossed the Little Miami River over a bridge with steel grating on the deck. It made a racket when we drove over it. At ages 4 and 1 year I did not want the kids to be startled, so I would always warn them, “We are going over the Woo-Ba, Woo-Ba bridge!” That was the sound of the car traversing the grating. As they got a little bit older I added the fact we were crossing the Little Miami River. Once right after crossing the bridge, Jeff asked, “Where’s my bridge?” Many times in his life this child has given me pause. It took me a bit to realize he often called his sister, “My Emmie.” Yep, he wanted the location of the “My Jeffie” bridge! No competition there!

We went to the beach with Grandgirl Lizzie when she was very young. As usual the typical beach town had flamingo signs here and there (although there were never any flamingos in that part of the USA). Lizzie decided they were better named “Falingos.” Sort of make you want to dance, doesn’t it?

Posted on in Beagle, Family, Humor, Nature

Dark Walks & Dog Laugh

As I was walking Lucky about 8 PM and shining the flash light noticed there was dew on the grass. No rain today, just evening dew.

Next night about 8 PM, walking Lucky again, it was even colder.

 21-1-10 © Molly Lin Dutina 
 Crunch of lawn, chill of air
 Even the dog hurries
 Back into the house
 Refreshed by venture out of doors
 Glad the door is closed now against the cold.

The daylight is lasting longer each day now. I noticed I no longer need a flashlight or iPhone light for the dinner walk. Our dog is so goofy. She will not do her business in our yard, day or night. We must walk her each time. It is not all bad. I have been outside more than ever during this wintry weather. Sure hoping in new house she will just go in the yard. Maybe she will not recognize it as home at first and we can break this habit?

She is still a shrinking violet. Maybe I did name her wrong. She is timid even around us and we have lived with her since June! When we started wrapping the china in newspaper and bubble wrap she hid for the entire experience. My sister gave us some herbal aids. Guess I should have dosed her for that episode. It did not occur to me until the next day 😦

So one day Jeff and Rowan were coming over for Rowan’s birthday. She sometimes wants to nip company. I decided to give her some hemp drops for dogs from my sister. Not certain they helped as she started to get anxious at pizza time so I put her on a leash. Here was a laugh though. When I went to feed her dinner she actually drooled on my hand. That NEVER happens. As I walked to the sink to wash my hands I had to wonder, “Did she have the ‘munchies’ “?

Says 1/4 dropper full for her weight, but no markings on dropper!

Keep laughing out there!

Posted on in Beagle, Family

Nervous Nellie

If our dog could smoke cigarettes she would likely be a chain smoker!

One time Bob held a newspaper over her head and she about had a heart attack. We assumed she had been beaten with a newspaper previous to us housing her?

We did not remember that incident when we began wrapping china and breakables in newspaper then bubble wrap.

My sister gave us some calming drugs for dogs. One is a heart shaped treat. I cut one in half yesterday. Not certain it worked. The first time we gave her one her bowels were extremely loose the next day. Paula also gave us some hemp drops for dogs. I think we will try those next.

This poor animal. She runs behind furniture most of the time when we enter the room. What’s up with that? She has lived here since June? She will eat treats out of our hand. Loves to be petted or massaged. And then timid and frightened the next moment. Don’t think I will ever get her trained to ring the bell when she needs to go out. Right now we just try to remember on a regular schedule to take her out. She still insists on being WALKED before she will go. How i would love to pick up her mess in OUR yard!

Sometimes when the family is here she nips at the back of their calves. When the animal shelter received her they had to pull 13 teeth where she had tried to chew her way out of her cage. So when she nips, there is not much impact. We do not want her nipping at anyone though. Yesterday the ladies who help me clean were here. We did not do the usual routine. One was running the sweeper, as usual. The other was helping me get items off a partial wall and tops of kitchen cabinets. Lucky nipped at the one running the sweeper. I put her in the kennel. I forgot to move her until after the lady had begun sweeping in that room. At which point I put her on a leash and locked her in the office with Bob. She likes these gals!! All I could think was she got nervous and acted out.

We do not understand and have slowly realized we might never get it. Please, if you adopt a dog that has been abused know you will have your patience tried again and again. Can only imagine what she has been through.

Poor Lucky!

Lucky and Bob watching TV

And then, like the image above she is ready to cuddle.