Well, I was going to write about some of the great information in Ed Young’s best-selling book, An Immense World, and then, life happened. As it does, when we have other plans. My day started at 5:30 AM (“did you know your website is down?”) and turned into (“your website got hacked”), and went down hill from there. I won’t bore you with the details, just explaining that this post isn’t what I envisioned. The good news is that thanks to David and Sid, the Princes of Cyberspace, all is well now, at least, regarding the website and blog.
I’m a bit of a puddle however, after one unrelenting piece of bad news after another, and decided to feed the dogs early, take them on a long walk, pour myself a drink, and do old people stuff like watch Jeopardy.
Apologies. I’ll write lots more about this great new book next week, promise, including the fact that electric eels first discharge pulses of electricity that causes their prey to twitch, thereby giving away their location, and then a stronger pulse that paralyzes the victim. Why I’m focusing on this particular fact, rather than all the lovely information about how other animals can see colors we can’t, might be related to my day. Or not, just saying.
MEANWHILE, back on the farm: Here’s some good things from my day: The Daylilies are in full bloom, and the color in the yard is stunning:
Best news is that Maggie gets to work sheep again! Her month of restrictions was up late last week, so I’m letting her get back into it, although a bit slowly. I did scratch her from her favorite trial this weekend; it felt just too soon. It’s a huge course, a big leap over a creek, and tough sheep, so Skip will do the honors and poor Maggie will just have to watch. Maybe we can find some easier work for her to do as volunteers.
Here she is at her first off the farm work session on Friday. She was hot, but blissfully happy after we were done. (“More, I can do more! Honest!” says Maggie. “No you won’t,” says Trisha.)
I’ll leave you with Roberta Robin, who decided on a nest that the House Finches rejected. She starting sitting on the eggs late last week, so it’ll be early August before they hatch (usually about 13 days). I know that Robins are common, and thus, less valued (in general, the more rare, the more valued), but please, next time you see a Robin, imagine you’re in a foreign country and have never seen one before. They really are striking. I watch her out the living room window every evening and have begun to think of her as a good friend. When it was so brutally hot on Saturday she was panting like an exhausted dog, so I put out the sprinkler for her. She fled down to it instantly and drank and bathed. I think I’m going to start catching some earthworms for her and setting them out.
I know. I know. Jim thinks I’m crazy. But Roberta is one of my new BFFs; why not bring her some presents?
May you be crazy too this week, in the best of all possible ways.
See you next week.
Diane says
“Do old people stuff like watch Jeopardy”. That is too funny, and too real!
Go Maggie … that IS good news.
I feel I listen to my dog too much when he wants to take a longer walk than I think is good for him, or me (too hot, too much sun, not enough time so I start to get impatient….). I need to learn to be a little stronger when he gives me those pleading eyes then moves his head toward yet another direction to extend the walk. I so want him to enjoy HIS walk but at times his judgement regarding conditions is not the best. Then again, sometimes my judgement regarding conditions is not the best. What a team we are!
Enjoy Roberta. OK.. the sprinkler I get. Earthworm presents??…..well….. never mind. Who am I to judge. 🙂
lak says
LOVE LOVE LOVE that even in a bad week you can reach out to another species and provide assistance! We need more people like you!
Meredith says
First off: Is it not a well-known truth that dogs (and all the other creatures we love…) are what keeps us sane during this journey through Reality? What would we do without them??? And, robins. Reminded me of a beautiful big orb spider who used to build a web on our front porch every late-summer/early fall — one year my ex-husband caught some of the very prevalent grasshoppers (Texas in summer–no shortage of grasshoppers) and placed them in her web. Tough on the grasshoppers, but she made 3 egg-sacs of baby spiders! that season (rather than the standard ‘one’) before she died. We all need to help each other, especially these days.
Anne Bethea says
Feed robins. Turn on sprinklers for them. Why not? Search for little joys.
Wendy S. Katz says
Technology problems are sooo stressful, and getting hacked is the worst of tech problems! I’m glad you had rescuers who were able to fix it.
I’ve long agreed with your point about rarity. Every spring, I think that if dandelions were rare and difficult to grow, we would throw a party to watch the seed head emerge.
Greetings to Roberta Robin. I love robins too, and don’t even begrudge them the raspberries they always find before I do. Before they set up housekeeping here, I used to freeze many pints every year. Now, between the robins and the dog, I’m lucky to get a taste. But they give pleasure in other ways to make up for it.
Maureen Foos says
I love that you have a nest box set up on your downspout!
MinnesotaMary says
I hope your waves of bad news are done and everything is getting back to a good place. I love your new best friend and how she appreciated your turning on the sprinklers. Keep going Trisha! You got this!
Tails Around the Ranch says
Very thrilled to hear the news on Maggie! Well done you two. I’ll be curious to see how ‘easing back into it’ works out with a trooper of a working dog. 😉
Hacks get me all worked up. I cannot wish enough bad things to befall every hacker/mischief maker in their lifetimes. Good thing there is Jeopardy. Especially the reruns with Dom Deluise and Paul Lynde. They stamped more smiles in my heart than anyone else on that show. Here’s hoping life gets back to the plus column. Good luck at the trials this weekend.
Judy says
‘decided to feed the dogs early, take them on a long walk, pour myself a drink, and do old people stuff like watch Jeopardy’ – the best self care is the self care we do in my opinion. Glad that problem sorted and Maggie better. I find nothing takes it out of me more than ailing/suffering loved ones. Glad Roberta Robin came to cheer you and thanks for this and all your posts which always cheer me xx
Alice R. says
Good news about Miss Maggie, and even better that your week is moving on to a better place. I too love all the birds except maybe the crows who arrived this year and seem to be chasing most of my other birds away. And so noisy! So much for relaxing in nature!
Love robbins! I still laugh about last year when we had a nest under the deck, and the babies were relentless. Both Mom and Dad seemed to be parenting it. I don’t know if that’s usual or not. My across the street neighbor told me about a robin that arrived in their birdbath and then didn’t leave. It was so still for so long that she went out to see if it had died, and it flew quickly away. I laughed and assured her that I thought it was my exhausted Robin mommy who probably did indeed go to sleep. Although I too have a birdbath, I’m convinced she went over there to get away from her demanding babies.
Amanda says
I agree with Anne B. It’s wonderful to care for the creatures around us, no matter how “common” or less prized than showier or rarer ones. I alter my methods thru the year to help even the woolybear caterpillars we have here in spring and fall in OR.
Maureen Finn says
I hear you! I’ve been having a month or two like this, and while I’m normally fairly resilient, I find I’m not any more. I had to make the worst decision for a beloved dog, suddenly and without warning, back in early June, and I’ve been a mess ever since. I still can’t think of her without weeping, her absence has left a crater in my heart and my life. Then, the new guy (an epileptic I adopted back in February) blew his cruciate somehow, and surgery for that was last week. I have money woes, time woes (work has been so, so busy) and all I want to do is watch Jeopardy! But this too shall pass. And, lucky me, I can work from home (a HUGE blessing) for the initial recuperation of my boy’s knee repair surgery. It’s been tough though.
And YES to Robins. I agree – we tend to discount them because they’re somewhat ubiquitous (sp?), but they’re the first glimmer of spring after a long winter (as early as February here!) and oh, what a beautiful song. Yes, some of the other thrushes (Veery, Swainson’s, Hermit) have songs that are perhaps more beautiful, but the Robins are robust and start belting them out early and for a long time. I am so grateful to them, and their smart attire and neat habits. May they flourish and prosper always! I saw mama feeding a pair of fledglings on my red huckleberry bush the other day and it warmed my heart. Those insistent, noisy babies and that patient, attentive mama. It gives one hope, and solace, when going through rough times emotionally.
Kay Havens says
I am so glad you will be talking about Ed Yong’s (correct spelling) An Immense World. The section on how the shape of a dog’s nose allows them to continue inhaling WHILE exhaling is a must for scenting folks… and that is just one of thousands of amazing senses going on all around us that were revealed in the book. Do cats listen with their stomachs? What do birds see compared to us? How does a wolf spiders eyes work? This read is best take like rich chocolate cake one bite at a time. Be prepared to say WOW over and over again! Can’t wait for your review.
Gayla says
That the world would be a kinder place with “more people like Trisha” is the understatement of the year…
Trisha says
What? Tails Around the Ranch has clued me into Paul Lynde on Jeopardy? Be still my heart, I can’t wait…
Ellen Frigo says
I like robins just fine, but in the UK they have a bird they call a robin, and I think it’s almost better. When we lived there I would be pottering about in the garden and the robins, which are sparrow-sized, would hop up right next to me and watch. I think they were waiting for bugs and such, but absolutely fearless and charming.
Debby Gray says
Well there is some good news; Maggie’s up and at’em, you have a lovely entertaining new BFF. May you have more good news to share with us next week!
And I am so very sorry about the IT issues with your website.
People all over this town are having difficulty with our internet provider so I can really empathize. Here’s to a better week!
Linda H says
I love robins! They are the harbinger of Spring…which I remind my husband EVERY time I see one. Drives him crazy (so you aren’t the only crazy one!) LOL
Karen Ogden says
when life hands you lemons, sit back, pet the dogs and look at flowers 🙂 a nice drink is ok too.
Glad things are back up and running on a more or less even keel.
Kat says
I’m sorry you had to deal with hackers but pleased it was successfully dealt with and that there are a number of good things to compensate. Hooray for Maggie recovery and getting to do what she loves again. I love all your flower photos. What a stunning riot of color. I need to add some summer blooming plants. I have lots of green but no color except my school of goldfish in my little pond. They’ve learned to come now when I go out to feed them and I love watching them darting about. I also get a big kick out of how much they appreciate their ‘viewing tower.’ We have an inverted aquarium in the middle of the pond. It is balanced on cinder blocks and bricks. We use a wet/dry vac to suck out all the air so the aquarium fills with water. This creates a part of the pond that is above water level. As soon as they discover it’s back for the summer there are almost always fish in there. I keep wondering how much fish can see looking out and if they enjoy the view, like it because it is a safe place where predators can’t get to them, or enjoy it because the water in there is a bit warmer. Whatever the reason it’s a lot of fun to see them hanging out in there.
Marty K says
Nothing crazy about loving robins and other plentiful species (I’m lookin’ at you, LBJ sparrows and finches ❤️). I may or may not put out treats for the ravens occasionally too. 😉
Orchid says
Trisha, I can’t tell you how happy and excited I am to find your website!
I read two of your books, The Other End of The Leash and For The Love of a Dog, early this year since I adopted my first puppy at three months old, and I just can not appreciate any more of your books!
I didn’t realize you actually have a website and a blog until recently!
You can’t imagine how my heart just jumped rapidly when I first found it, and I can actually leave a message here! This just made my day!
But for days I have been thinking how and what to write to tell you all about how much I appreciate your books and how in the whole world that you, a stranger to me, is the only person I can relate to when it comes to dogs.
So the puppy I adopted is fearful to strangers, I beg and beg my friends or strangers on the street not to try to pet him, 80% of them wouldn’t listen, and the 20% of them who listen, half of them still can’t help themselves…. Thus, it’s been a difficult life for my puppy when it comes to strangers.
I would send paragraphs from The Other End of the Leash to friends and begging them not to try to pet him —- because he is very fearful of strangers. And in your book, you are so kind to those who wouldn’t listen and just go ahead to pet the fearful dog, and I was hoping that it would help them to feel better even they did something harmful to my dog.
Yet, because of this, there are some friends just cut me off, it hurts my feeling at first, but then it is so much better for my dog!
I’m sorry I had to write all about this that is unrelated to this blog of yours. From what I read here, I can’t remember much of the bad news, but the loveliness you have with your surroundings. And, I have never seen a robins in my life, not that I know of, so if I see one, it’d be very rare for me! —- I’m from Xiamen, a medium sized city in south China, it’s 1 pm my time now, and my 9 months old puppy is sleeping on my bed after a short section of desensitization for his fear of people visiting me, we are going to have another two sections later today —- I beg everyone I know to help me out with this 🙂 And I have so much hope…
Thank you so much Trisha! I’ll be reading the rest of your posts!
By the way, I couldn’t find The Education of Will here in China, so I have found someone who’s in the USA now, and is coming to China in two weeks time, so I will make a purchase of this book on your website now, and have it deliver to her so she can bring it to China for me! I can’t wait to read it!
Solveig says
This is my first time commenting here, after a long time lurking.
I’m not sure if you’ll ever see this, Patricia, but I want to say thank you.
I started studying canine behaviour 13 years ago, (I always wanted to be a behaviourist), but dropped out just before finishing when I had my eldest daughter and life became far too busy for me to think about dogs.
My interest in behaviour got put on the backburner as I was raising my daughter and then a year later, her sister too, but then I happened to find your website a while back and it rekindled everything.
I went back to school, this time finishing and passing(!) my studies in canine behaviour, and as of two weeks ago I decided to be brave and start my own small business. I’m helping dogs and their people every week. It’s one of the most fulfilling, exciting, rewarding things I have ever done in my life, and I really feel if I didn’t discover your website (and since, your book The Other End of the Leash), this would never have happened.
Thank you.
Trisha says
Solveig, thank you so much. I read and savor every comment, and it makes my day to hear that I have had some small part in your career. Good for you for being brave and helping this amazing relationship we have with dogs!
Trisha says
Orchid, your kind words made my day! I love hearing from you, as a dog lover and someone in China. Good for you for advocating for your dog!
Abby L says
Ed Yong’s book is miraculous! I’m fully immersed in it, too. I just found your blog and as a gal with a couple of big non-working herding dogs (and a bunch of horses who will not suffer to be herded), I just know I’m going to love hearing what you have to say each week.
Trisha says
Welcome Abby L!
Solveig says
I’m definitely feeling starstruck now!
Your reply made my week.