SCHLITZ AUDUBON NATURE CENTER

This week we visited the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center near Lake Michigan. It was an overcast morning which gave us the opportunity to listen to the birds, see misty spider webs, and enjoy the scent of roses that hung thickly in the air. I love these old fashioned shrub roses, their foliage thickly spreading across the ground.

The dew hung heavily on the leaves and flower petals, making the scent hang in the air so thick you could swim through it.

This peaceful walk was far from quiet. Life was all around me. At times I stood, closed my eyes and listened to the blackbirds, robins and chickadees. Squirrels called out their warnings to each other, spiders captured dinner in their webs and beetles happily munched on moist leaves.

HERB GARDEN

Snickers wants to show you her new herb garden. Besides tasting good, it's so much fun to look at and enjoy.

Last year Snickers and I built the frame for an herb garden in the back yard. We filled it with dirt and fertilizer so this year we were able to plant the herbs.

One of our friends gave us the little garden angel and some of the herbs. Isn't it pretty?

Wehr Nature Center

This month we visited the Wehr Nature Center. It was a rainy day, but we decided we wouldn't melt and braved the raindrops. It turned out to be a good decision. We discovered many spring flowers popping their blossoms. The center was in the midst of a sale of local perennials. Snickers helped plant these when I got home. Won't it be fun to see them bloom?

Hey Ralphie! You didn't do any work! Stay off my pillow!

Fox River Park

Snickers has decided to go for Saturday mornings walks at some of the local parks. She still is limited to 2 mile walks, but that's a lot better than most people do who have all their legs. Snickers' friend Deb joined us. Snickers had lots of fun marking as many places as she could. It's important to make sure you spread your scent so everyone knows you are around. There sure are lots of funny smells around here. The is the Fox River Park in Waukesha Wisconsin. We had a nice trail to walk on, lots of trees, and a nice view of the river.

Snickers never seems tired, but when I try to give her a rest so her legs don't get tired, she is all terrier! Even though Snickers only has three legs, she does not know she is any different than any other dog. It's her goal to keep on going. There are trees to mark, smells to sniff, and critters to growl at! Put me down!

Snickers is Back!

It's been a busy three years. I finished my MBA and Snickers moved the family to a new house. Snickers never left my side. The first thing we decided to do was take a road trip. Snickers thought it would be fun to visit the farm so she invited her pal Toby to come along.

It sure was a warm day! We helped to warm things up by cooking supper over the fire. It was worth the heat and we enjoyed a great dinner of stuffed peppers, rib eye and corn on the cob. Yummy!

Don't worry Snickers! We have food and water for all good little dogs.

Toby thought it would be better to look for people scraps. Hey, save some for Snickers!

After dinner, it's time for a little exercise. Hey, who put a mule in with the horses? Never fear, Snickers will take care of that! Uh oh. I didn't know the mule was in charge of the horses! Look out, Snickers!

Can you see the little white spot between the legs of the mule on the left?

Toby has seen enough. Time to dig a hole under the car and cool off a little bit. I'll bet a mule won't fit under here! Did you ever see a dirtier white dog?

Time to go home. Snickers is helping Uncle John with directions. No, not straight. Go left!

It sure is nice to see everyone again!!

Snickers Burns Her Bra

Snickers is confused. She doesn't know where to turn. How could it be? A woman finally wins enough votes to be a presidential nominee, but behind closed doors, the guys say, "Not so fast!"

Aren't we always being told every vote counts? Then let them count! We should not go back to the days of suffrage!

Snickers has decided she will burn her bra in protest. Let's count all votes, not just the ones they tell us should count. The Democrats sure don't sound very democratic!

Protect your vote. Ask to have it counted.

Don't let your vote go up in smoke.

Snickers is Home Again

We're back home and here to stay. At least until the next vacation.

We had a very busy month in April. Snickers spent more than half the month visiting Toby while we were jetting from one end of the country to another. We had the chance to visit the Master's Tournament in Augusta, Georgia and couldn't pass that up. We golfed four times while we had the chance. When we left Wisconsin it was raining and when we came home, it was sleeting. Today, it's sunny and will be 69 degrees. Hooray!! My spring flowers are in bloom and I can hear Robins warbling outside my window.

During this vacation, we visited my daughter Adriane in Pasadena for her birthday. It was mostly warm and sunny. We visited Wilson Mountain, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the Huntington Gardens. One day we went to Universal Studios and spent time in the recording studio where my son in law works. All in all, it's a great vacation when you can spend time with the ones you love.

But for Snickers, she was home for only four days to rest, then back to Toby's house. My brother said that they played so hard, they were standing on their hind legs and wrestling like grizzly bears. Imagine that for a three legged dog! Small wonder she slept for two days solid when she got home.

Snickers says, "There's no place like home, especially if there is a spot of sun and a good rawhide to chew! Hey, don't forget to scratch my ears!"

Spring is a Long Time Coming

Snickers and Toby got together for a nice walk to celebrate the snow FINALLY starting to melt. They are finding lots to sniff at. Toby is a little smaller, but Snickers keeps up while hopping on her remaining rear leg. She is a remarkable hunter. Even in the middle of the latest snow storm, she spotted a robin and took off through the latest fourteen inches of snow! Look at what good pals Toby and Snickers are!













Even the sparrows are finding time to snuggle. They were busy collecting dry grass to line their nests. It took them a while to push all the snow out of their holes. We were worried that they wouldn't find enough to eat so I put out some peanut butter. They seem to be doing just fine.

Snow for Snickers

We have enough snow! Please, no more snow! This is a winter like we used to get when I was a little girl. It looks like the weather is definately beginning to cycle back to the days when we were worried about a new ice age. Can you believe this is what we were taught in grade school? I have heard rumblings from a some climatologists that this may actually be happening. Who knows? That's for somebody else to battle.

All Snickers and I know, this is too much snow for a three legged dog to handle! Today it is below zero and now it is a battle to get Snickers to go outside to do her business. It doesn't take long for her to get the job done and run right back inside! No chasing ground squirrels or bunnies through the snow today.

Snickers' Best Friend

Snickers has been very busy over the last couple of months. She helped me get an "A" on my final accounting class, and worked with me on my first marketing class. I finished the class today! Poor Snickers is getting tired of all this schoolwork.

We are having a beautiful snowy Christmas season. Snickers' friend Toby is visiting while his humans are off to sunny Florida. They don't know what they are missing.

Snickers and Toby are working hard to get to know each other. There is a lot of playing and fussing and snuggling. Snickers is definitely the boss of the show. She has been very busy teaching Toby the house rules, especially the one about the new guy not being allowed to eat anything. The humans have had to step in to be sure that Toby gets his fair share. Just to make up for it, Toby makes sure he gets lots of hugs and pats from those same humans.

Sometimes Toby thinks he is still at home and pretends he is the Prince of the household. Snickers lets him think that, because while he is busy playing Prince, Snickers is able to steal off with some of Toby's chew toys. So many chew toys, so little time!

Sometimes, after going for walks with the humans, there just needs to be a little quiet time before the chasing and "All-Dog Wrestling" begins again. After seven inches of snow, it takes a lot of energy for those little legs to make it through.

Toby's legs are a little shorter than Snickers and so he is able to sneak under the bed faster than Snickers. Snickers follows Toby, but gets stuck because it takes her longer to get out with only one rear leg for traction. In the meantime, Toby jumps on the bed to get a prime sleeping spot. After a few nips and a little scolding, all is forgiven. Best Friends Forever!

We hope everyone has a very Joyous New Year!!

My Dog, the Angel

Happy Halloween to all our friends! We are still out here mired in Financial Management. So far, so good. Two and a half weeks to go and we'll be done with the financial classes. Hooray!

Adriane and her husband Matt are visiting this week. Snickers got dressed to celebrate Halloween this year. She didn't like it very much, but the kids had fun giggling at her.

Dog Food, Chicken

Snickers has been eating home made dog food for about two months now. The vet was concerned that Snickers not become overweight and that the food be cooked completely. So far, so good. Snickers seems to be thriving. In the past, she would skip meals. I don't blame her. I wouldn't want to eat the same thing all the time, especially if it came from a bag.











Now Snickers gets fresh food mixed with kibble for crunch. She dances and begs for her meals, and licks her bowl clean. I have noticed that her fur is no longer course, but has become soft with a decrease in shedding. We give her a multivitamin once a day to replace the supplements contained in the dry dog food. This batch is a mix of chicken, sweet potatoes, and apples.











Just take a look at this happy dog!!