OK, this is getting ridiculous! I can blog from the browser but that’s a PITA. I can blog from my blackberry for simple text stuff. I really want a good tool for the majority of my writing.
In my “thunderbird” attempt, I was trying to include a picture. Here goes again …
Beyond the basics, this [...]

Last summer, my town tried to do the right thing and fix a potential flooding problem with a brook that runs behind my house (and the houses along my street). They did a nice job. Unfortunately, someone in town called the state who made a quick visit to the site and decided the correct [...]

The saga continues …
They have now filled in nearly all of my little pond. They needed to make the ramp and add all of the rock to get more equipment in to clear a blockage. What I don’t know is if the rocks get removed. I think they intend to leave them there and [...]

This past week we finally got a cold spell … really cold. On Wednesday we had a high temp of about 12 !
I have a friend who has three golden retrievers. The youngest really likes it cool. His ears perk up when he hears the AC kick on and you can usually find him [...]

I was on the phone this morning with family down in Virginia. We were all commenting that it’s ben a strange winter and we still see grass here in Northern Massachusetts. Well, the phone conversation wasn’t even over when the snow kicked up and it looked like it could get heavy.

It turned out to [...]

It’s a little bit of a blessing that we have not had as much snow this year as in years past. You see, I tell friends, “I hate snow - but I tolerate it because Zen loves it so much.” To make my point, here are two pictures … from Zen’s first and second winter, [...]

It’s past time for bed and Zen knows it. My house has automatic thermostats that set back to 55 at night. The only problem is when I stay up past the usual bed time. Not only does it mess up Zen’s sleeping habit a bit, but she gets cold and needs to get creative [...]

I’m traveling today (daytrip between Boston and DC) and the weather in the northeast is not cooperating. Thus, I have *lots* of airport time.
When I took this job, they told me to “get a Blackberry” because it’s what most of the team uses. Get lots of minutes and while you are at it, add the [...]

It’s now been 3 months since Zen injured her right rear leg. It’s been a bit frustrating, not knowing the exact nature of the injury, but all signs pointed to a deep muscle / soft tissue injury.We had a follow exam with Dr. Schulz at the end of January. I even brought a video of [...]

I was about to call it a night but decided to do one last task at the computer. For grins and giggles I decided to Google “+Zen +Pug” to see if there were any pictures of my dog. (It’s a bit like Googling your own name to see what you find.) Well, I did [...]

The snow may be gone soon but I managed to capture a few “Zen moments” on the snow this past week. She loves the snow so I tolerate the cold to see her so happy. This year, the Valentines Day snow left a crust just hard enough for her to run on top … most [...]

This will be the last “health related” post for Zen - at least I truly hope so. In a couple of weeks we will start agility training again and see how much she (and I remember).
As I mentioned in my last update on Zen (about a month ago), we’ve been trail walking. With the [...]

April 5th. 6″ of snow. Need we say more ?

I am so happy spring weather has finally arrived. I’m sure Zen (my dog) is equally happy. While our hikes in the woods have been enjoyable, Zen and I like the challenge and discipline of Agility training. This year the backyard will get some new equipment - we need a high walk and an a-frame [...]

I took a couple of days off to get some work done on the farm. The progress is slow but that’s attributed to the housing market more than anything else.
This trip had just one goal - to lay the boundary of the building site. Everything is a mater of scale on the farm and [...]

For the record, this is what 45 acres of tilled land looks like …

If you look really close, the little white dot (middle left) is Zen <grin>.

I should be moving soon so I am enjoying what will likely be some of my last walks in the woods near my home. I usually take my lunch break, a few days a week, to walk Zen on some wooded paths. It helps clear my head and keep work in perspective.
Today I notices some wildflowers [...]

I did a mad dash to the Eastern Shore to find a place to rent for a while (as I’m hoping to build a new home in the area). I say “Mad” because I am discovering the 9-11hr drive takes a lot out of me and to do it as “extra” on top of a [...]

When Zen was very young, I started socializing her - with other dogs, people, places - you name it ! Somewhere along the way, I got connected with a group of Pug owners who got together every few weeks on a Sunday to let them all play together for an hour or so. This [...]

It’s 5:30 *AM* and I’ve already been up for half an hour …
.. the move .. packing .. stressing if it will actually all fit in the truck and trailer .. the heat (which fortunately broke last night) .. Zen’s unrest because she knows something is up .. the ’should it stay or should it [...]

Zen has taken to the new training grounds with glee. Today she managed some structure training, followed by swimming, and washing up. The requisite nap was squeezed in before heading out to the pitch for a pick-up game of ball. It was all Zen all the time. The other players didn’t have a chance …

She [...]

Zen and I took a road trip to Maine to visit some friends of mine who own a small farm. They have an annual weekend get together for family and friends and this year they wanted to add a little something different - an authentic tipi (and for the record, this one is *not* made [...]

I don’t know what happened but one minute, my mild mannered little ball of fur was happily playing and the next, she was replaced with this crazy looking dog with three legs on one side and one on the other. Obviously, the resulting dog was unable to stand, and lay flopped on the floor.

The UK Press reported that Zen has been released from Manchester United after only 2 weeks on the team. Reports indicate Zen was released for to “destructive behavior”. Further investigation revealed she was destroying the balls during practice.
Fortunately, Zen’s athleticism has earned her a place with the New England Patriots pre-season squad. It has [...]

I got a note from my friends at “Paws 4 Play” - where Zen use to get daycare before we moved. They have put up a website and it’s got a great video of the dogs at play in the “dog bone” pool (yes, the doggy in-ground pool is shaped like a cartoon doggy bone. [...]

I managed to tire Zen out today - a rare success on my part. The resulting picture was so funny, I had to send it to my friends, Jen & Doug at Paws 4 Play near Newburyport, MA- where Zen use to get most of her exercise …

I told Jen that is was Zen’s way [...]

The agility equipment is out on a regular basis these days. Zen still needs a few more “contacts” - specifically a dog walk and an “A” frame. These will likely wait for me to build them this winter or be close enough to a supplier that I can pick them up.
In the mean time, Zen [...]

I realized, as I was dumping my camera data to the NAS, that these photos remind me of when I was a kid at summer camp. The days were filled with swimming, nature classes, and sports. By the end of the day,you were hungry and tired … pretty much an ideal situation for the camp [...]

Consider this a “guest blog” post for RTTC as it’s author is taking a deserved sabbatical. And for those who do not follow RTTC, just give me some slack …
On the drive home today, the sun was low and right in my eyes. Back in Boston, the traffic reports would call this a “solar slowdown”. [...]

My blogging has dropped off a bit over the past couple of months. It is mostly because I have been really interested in a few projects at work but because of the nature of the work, I can’t write publicly about it. It’s not the old “I could tell you but then I’d [...]

The picture says it all. I am not one to dress up my dog. And Zen is not one to be dressed, regardless of the significance of the occasion. We are both happy with this arrangement … for the most part. However, there are times when even the “Stoic Zen” must take one [...]

Turns out, Zen can’t read. I told her not to operate heavy machenery !  Thie picture is of a Chinese 20hp tractor. I’ve been reading about these tractors (one of those necessary farm things). There is a growing community of Chinese Tractor Owners and this brand is a common variety. They even have [...]

When Zen was just one year old, she and I went to “summer camp” together. Yes, “summer camp”. You may have thought it was only for kids. Well, it a way it still is. If you and your K-9 companion(s) still play like kids, or want to learn new stuff, or just “sit around and [...]

A picture is worth a thousands words … in this case, perhaps I only need seven -  “I let Zen have too much fun”.

This kind of says it all …
Severe Thunderstorm Warning - national weather service …
Severe thunderstorm warning for Accomack county in Eastern Virginia & Northampton county In Eastern Virginia until 745 pm EDT.
National weather service doppler radar indicated a line of severe thunderstorms capable of producing damaging winds in excess [...]

This little creature is perhaps eight inches long. It has lots and lots of relatives around the rental property. It is also the bane of Zen’s existence. They are fast - at least fast enough to dodge and weave and scurry into the shrubbery quick enough to elude Zen. When they are not sure [...]

I look forward to picking and drying figs this fall. In the meantime, I discovered a ripening crop of black raspberries.

I am not the only one who likes fresh raspberries. It seems, Zen has been sneaking off and grabbing a quick snack in the afternoon.

… no wonder I never find any ripe berries on the [...]

I headed down to the job site today and given the nearly perfect weather - amazingly 78 and dry - I figured Zen and I could get some play time around the place. Now remember, there are 91 acres of land - that’s just short of 4 million square feet of space - and Zen [...]

There is a small airfield on the Eastern Shore known as Campbell Field located in Weirwood. The have a regular even called “Soup on Sunday” and in the sumer it can be quite busy. This weekend was especially so. There were a number of Grummans, Cessnas, and Bonanzas as well a pair of Piper Cubs [...]

This post is really just a test of sorts for "blog by mail" with a different email client. the subject line is a reference that having fun outdoors with your pets during summer heat needs to bve something you do with a good deal of attention.
Today Zen and I went down to the farmhouse [...]

For the past week and likely for the next few, my days starts very early and before the sun. This morning, I went back into the bedroom to roust the sleepy head and found she had made throughly good use of the warm bed after I exited an hour earlier …

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The weather has turned notably unpleasant. The skies are gray and lifeless as is the quiet. Standing still, I can hear the faint rustling of leaves and the wind cutting through the nearly barren trees. What is noticed is the lack of anything else. The birds are no where to be seen or heard. It [...]