Winter weather on (Nearly) Wordless Wednesday

 This ...

Plus this ...

 And this ...

Equals THIS!

(Nearly) Wordless Wednesday (only not today!)

The only kind of snow day I like (and even then, it's too cold!).

While not directly pet-related, I learned my love of animals - terriers, in particular - from my parents. We had any combination of dogs growing up, a couple of stray cats, fish, gerbils.

Three weeks ago, we had a setback when the doc found my dad had a bladder tumor. Fast-forward to today, and the man who, at nearly 93, had never had anesthesia or surgery sailed through and the tumor, while cancerous, was caught early and is extremely slow-growing. And so today, I am celebrating my not-so-Wordless-Wednesday with a photo of my folks, who will celebrate another anniversary together next week. Happy day!

Baby, it's cold outside!

Much of the country has been dealing with winter storms and bitterly cold temperatures. Here in Oklahoma, the thermometer plummeted on Saturday afternoon, taking with it the ability to spend very much time outside - at all. As I hustled the dogs in and out - always a challenge since Carson gets distracted and doesn't take care of "business" - I watched the cows across the road. They huddled together, braving the elements stoically. They seem so passive, well, except for at dinner time, when Rosie the red cow always gets very vocal and moves right up to the fence!


A quick online research adventure revealed that cows in good coat and with adequate body mass can survive bitterly cold temperatures pretty easily. It is harder for calves, who haven't had the chance to fatten up. There are four calves across the way. The articles I found mentioned windbreaks and plenty of water as important to survival. Luckily we haven't had rain, as wet coats, combined with wind and cold, increase the odds of hypothermia in cattle.

The herd across the way is well-cared-for, so I am certain they will be fine during this cold spell. And I have to say I'm glad I'm not the one feeding and watering a couple of times a day. Thankfully, I can watch them from my sunroom and stay warm!

Cold weather tips from the dogs

I realized this weekend that the dogs are masters of how to be truly successful in cold weather. Here are how the dogs at my house deal with cold weather:

1.  Drink plenty of water. I tend to forget to drink anything. So, when I get up to move around (see how I remember to do that, below), I heat some water for tea. I try to make it herbal so it counts for my total glasses of water for the day. 




2.  Keep moving. It may be too cold to walk those 10,000 daily steps outside. If that's the case, get up from the desk, sofa, chair every hour or so. I have an alarm set on my FitBit (www.fitbit.com) to remind me to move around.













3.  Get outside, but don't spend a lot of time out there when it's really cold. Even in the winter, we need a certain amount of sunshine to stay healthy and keep our bones strong.













4.  Nap. Yep, that's right. If I'm tired and I have the time, I curl up for a nap - usually on the sofa with a book and a dog to provided added heat. I always say I would make a good bear when the days are short and the temperatures are in the "It's too cold for me" range!

5.  Eat lightly. I can't give in to those urges to eat lots of heavy food during the colder months. It makes me feel awful - kind of like the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man. And I dislike that feeling more than I like heavy food.

6.  Play. Even if it's only for a few minutes, I try to throw a ball for the dogs and just breathe. It elevates my heart rate just a bit and gives my soul a chance to soar.

7.  Bundle up. I have come to realize that, living in Oklahoma, we often don't have the best clothes to brave the cold weather. I'm going to try to add some thin layers to my wardrobe in the next couple of years so I can face the cold a little more positively. But, as I mentioned before, I really hate that stuffed feeling that comes with lots of bulky clothes (or too much food!), so I am going to take my time and buy carefully.

8.  Smile anyway. My Airedale, Mattie Rae, always lived her life with joy. This winter, I am going to try to channel her philosophy of appreciating the little things and remembering to smile.

Mud dogs!!!

We have had a couple of days of rain here in northeastern Oklahoma. The moisture is very welcome, what with a couple of years of drought and all. It will take a good amount of time and rain for the water tables to refill, even though the past few months have been "wetter" than normal AND the Farmer's Almanac is calling for a wet winter:

          "Winter temperatures will be slightly colder than normal, on average, 
          with precipitation and snowfall a bit above normal in Oklahoma and 
          north of the (D/FW) Metroplex." 
          (www.almanac.com/weather/longrange/zipcode/74010)

So it's all good, right? Mostly. Rainy weather means the dogs can't (or won't, in Blue's case) spend as much time outside, getting fresh air and exercise. It also means the one who adores the rain (Carson) spends more time in her crate drying off. I was thinking about all that in the morning when I decided the terriers needed some running around time in the yard as I got dressed for work. Moments later, I began to hear the banging noises. Getting closer to the back door, the noise seemed to be shaking the entire sunroom. Open the door, call the dogs. Nothing. Nada. Grab a jacket and head out: There they are, in all their glory. Up to their eyeballs - no exaggeration - in heavy, wet, Oklahoma red clay with a bunch of torn-up grass thrown in for good measure. Trying their best to dig under the lattice surrounding the sunroom. Their goal (prey)? Probably toads or field mice. They tend to ignore the toads who perch on the steps on late summer evenings but maybe the allure of digging for them is just too much to resist.

By afternoon, when these photos were taken,
the sunshine made them a little less "huge."

 Of course, all this happens when I need to leave for work in, oh, say, five minutes!



Race inside, grab a towel and slip into garden clogs. Hope the jacket will somewhat protect my clothes.

Evidence of Marley's participation
in the digging!

Marley is easy. Offer him a treat and he's willing to give up on the digging. I wrap him in a towel and hold him - feet facing out - as far from my clothes as I can. Bonus: let's consider this a workout for my biceps! 

Carson, of course, isn't so easily swayed. Her entire nose is covered in clay. It's hanging from her ears, her furnishings, her tail (how did that happen?). And it's a game. Get within two inches and she takes off at a full run. I remind myself I adore her, keep from looking at my watch to see how late I now am, consider my wet hair will only get more curly standing in the rain, and take a deep breath. Several minutes later, she is mine. Yay! Sorta ... My black and tan terrier is now a definite shade of barn red and smelly - wet dog, wet earth, WET. I carry her the same way as Marley and toss her into her crate, hoping she keeps at least some of the drying clay inside the crate during the day. I close the back door and head to school.

A little aside about Carson: She tends to get distracted and forget what is important (to me, obviously, not to her). When I return home after work, her crate not only has dried clay, is also has a little gift since she forgot to "take care of business" while she was busy digging to the other side of the county. Sigh ...

The next half hour was spent cleaning crates. This is the view from inside Marley's crate, as I was wiping up dirt. On a positive note, dirt doesn't usually "stick" to hard terrier coats; it tends to dry and end up on the floor. I'll spare you a glimpse at Carson's crate, however!








In the afternoon sun, the culprits were happy and playful. I filled in the holes as best I could (what, exactly happens to dirt that there is never as much to put back in a hole? I will never understand that!).

You can see from this photo that Marley is just happy to have me home, to be out in the sun and is secure in the knowledge that the treat wagon will soon visit. The ringleader, on the other hand, wouldn't stay away from her beautiful creations, so she was relegated to "hard time" in the run. I don't know about you, but I honestly don't see one smidgen of remorse on her face!

The next few days are supposed to be dry and sunny, which will give the ground a chance to dry out. I can only hope we won't repeat this scenario too many times during the months ahead. Happy Friday and a wonderful weekend to all.

Whether the weather ...

I don't know about where you live, but the weather in Oklahoma has been especially finicky in recent days. Cold and coldish for the past few weeks, some sleet, some snow-type substance (nothing major). Then, last week, it became nearly spring-like. By Monday, it was in the mid-70s and the dogs were tearing around the back yard full of glee. I couldn't blame them; it was warmer in the yard than in the house!

Yesterday morning brought a typical Oklahoma day, where the weather makes several major changes in the course of 24 hours. The day dawned dark and cloudy, storm clouds rolled in and we managed to get a fair amount of rain. Well, it's all relative, and we have had so much drought than anything more than a light mist is greatly appreciated. Tornado watches until midday, wind, driving rain - you get the picture. I walked outside from work late yesterday afternoon and it was cooler, but not bad for a January day.

THIS morning it was in the low 30s (F) when I left home. What?! Oh, and with a brisk wind. Last night and this morning, the dogs "did their business" quickly. They don't really like the cold and they definitely don't like it when it's cold and windy in the yard - which happens a lot in our yard, as there is no protection. It's been windy all day, but the sun in shining so I will try not to complain too much. However, I can guarantee those wimpy four-legged furries I live with will make short work in the yard this evening. They much prefer a lap or a cozy spot on the couch to chasing one another in the yard.

All the weather changes seem to confuse them, though. They will pop up to go outside, make a beeline for the back door and then put on the brakes if the weather they encounter isn't to their liking or what they expect. Marley seems to have mastered the art of going out in the rain and never getting particularly wet - even his feet! Blue is done and back at the door before it's barely closed. Carson - naturally - is the most oblivious and usually is up to her elbows in red clay mud. And that's even when the weather is dry!

I think we are all fair-weather lovers at our house. We love having the doors and windows open to a soft breeze and temperatures in the mid-60s to about 80F. Anything either side of that just doesn't work for us. This, of course, begs the question of why we live in Oklahoma, known for temperature extremes (sometimes within the same 24 hour period) and not particularly known for a great amount of temperate weather.

What do you - and your animals - think is perfect weather, perfect temperature? Do you have it where you live? If not, where can you find it (yes, this time of year I'm always convinced I'm going to move before the next sunrise!)?

Are your pets prepared for severe weather? Are you?

It's hard to believe but today - on January 29 - we have our first tornado warning of 2013. Just the other night, my daughter and I were discussing our "hidey holes" and the challenges of fitting three dogs in them with us. You can bet that if and when I am able to have a different house, I will make darned sure there is either a storm room or a space large enough for everyone, including crates!

In our current home, the most logical spots are the closet in my son's room (provided we can throw all of his junk out of the way) or the bottom of the linen closet in the main hallway. Our bathrooms/bathtubs are both on outside walls, so those wouldn't work in a storm. Our house sits on top of a small rise, with major west-southwest exposure - not good given most of our storms move southwest to northeast. Neither "safe" spot (and that's a relative term) we have now can accommodate the dogs and their crates, so we have to put the dogs in the crates - with leashes on, just in case - and have them shelter in place. It isn't perfect, but it the best we can do at this time.

Some significant weather events are easier to plan for, animal-wise. Tornadoes and severe storms, not so much. They come quickly and then are gone, making it somewhat difficult to rearrange closets and such. But it is important to consider and just as important to make whatever advance plans are possible to ensure everyone's safety.

When I was leaving home this morning, the thunder had started and the western sky was dark with clouds, although we are only supposed to catch the very tail end of the severe thunderstorm headed our way. The tornado watch lasts until noon. I am looking out my library windows as I write this post. What I see is gray and windy but, then again, my windows face northeast! I told the dogs storms are expected. I left lights and music on and blinds drawn so any lightning wouldn't be quite so bright. Blue is the only one who frets and worries during storms. I hope he will hunker down and ride out any flashes and rumbles without too much trouble. But I know I will worry about them - more than usual - today. And I will continue to send them love and prayers for safekeeping.

If you live in a part of the country where severe weather makes shelter important, is yours big enough for your animals (and their crates)? If not, what do you do when faced with bad weather? And what else do you think is important to have at hand? For me, it's flashlight, phone, shoes. And pillows to cover our heads. You?

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(As I finished writing, the rain started down  in sheets. I can hear it on the roof of the school. The wind is picking up. We could be in for a bit of a siege - and if this is the "tail end" of the storm system, well, geez!)