Dashing Through the Snow

I love the contrast that Kate's puppy, Harriet, makes against the white snow. Last weekend she had her first romp off-leash at the dog park in Hartland. After an hour of running, sniffing, chasing snowballs, and digging for mice, she was exhausted and more than a little damp! See her wrapped in a towel (below) on Kate's lap during the drive home.

Cat Nap

Now that December is here, the winter weather has followed. No major snow yet, but the windchill has settled into the teens and it can get pretty bitter when taking Nik for her final walk of the evening. Phoebe, on the other hand, has the right idea: a litter box in the basement and basking in the sun whenever possible!

Distraction

Meet the reason we've all been a little distracted around here lately: Harriet. She's my daughter Kate's new little CockaPoo, just about 15 weeks old. At 8.5 lbs, she looks a lot bigger than she is...& most of it is fluff! She lives with Kate at her apartment, but spent most of this past weekend at our house and got to know our dog, Nik (who loved her) and our cat, Phoebe (who did not!)

Walking the Dog on Lake Drive

Kate & Nik going down the steps to the walking path next to Lake Michigan in downtown Milwaukee.

Scoff-Law

I think the picture says it all. Oh, the dejection!....perhaps this is where the expression "hang-dog" look comes from?

Nik and I often walk up to Balmer Park, and if no one is around, we'll stroll the perimeter. The majority of space is given to playground equipment, tennis & basketball courts, a soccer field, and a softball field, but we avoid those areas and stick next to the woods along the road. (And I am very diligent about picking up after her.) After all, as she says, dogs are people, too.

California Dreamin'

After yet another dusting of snow, the cat looks out the patio window with disappointment. I feel her pain.

Wake Me When Dinner's Ready

No need for sleep-aids for this dog. When Nik's out, she's OUT like a light! Although her little dog bed is comfy, she prefers to curl up on the sofa now and then & I don't have the heart to disturb her. She could probably sleep through an earthquake. However, if she hears the faint rustle from a bag of chips, she's out to the kitchen like a shot!

Dogs & Cats Living Together

Both Nik and Phoebe have a little touch of cabin fever. Usually, they give each other a wide berth but lately they've been waiting in ambush for each other or jockeying for position over the few spots of sun in the house. Recently, while I was playing ball with the dog, Phoebe surprised us all by chasing it, too. I just had to share the "best butts" shot!

Eventually, they both just looked at the ball - and then at each other - and then walked away. Not worth the effort when there are beams of sun to absorb...(see below.)

Stretch....

When the sun finally came out the other day, our cat Phoebe found a warm, sunny place in our front foyer to relax. After a good stretch, she rubbed her face against the corner to claim the spot [photo below.]

Snow Day!

We had another 8 inches of snow here yesterday and so Nik and I took a walk in the tree line behind our house. Following the path through these Colorado Spruce trees felt like being in a Christmas card!

Waiting for Spring

Nik sits quietly in her favorite spot, watching out our patio door windows. Often just after dark or right before dawn she will give several warning barks and we'll see that deer have wandered right up to the patio crabapple tree. Their tracks indicate the back tree line is a well-trodden path.

After last weekend's February thaw (we made it up into the 50's!) much of the snow has melted. However, reality has set in the past few days and we have gone back down into the 20's. Plus, the weathermen are predicting 2 or 3 more inches of snow tomorrow for Valentine's Day.

Sunbathing

After our walk the other day, Nik, our 5 yr. old black & tan Shiba Inu, still wanted to stay outside. She promptly plopped herself down on the front yard - right in the snow! - and basked in the "balmy" 30+ degree weather. Even a pup has to take every chance she can to enjoy the sunshine!