fun stuff | Change Is Hard

February 9, 2026
by dawnkinster 29 Comments

Cold birds

It’s been cold here. Really cold. Mornings are often close to 0F if not below. (-17C)

My backyard birds need extra food to survive, and they’re eating about 40 pounds of oiler seeds a week. Not to mention the big bag of peanuts in the shell, and the 10 pounds of shelled peanuts and the 20 pound of niger seed.

I don’t think they travel far from my yard. When I’m out there filling the 6 feeders and one suet cage they chirp and flutter in nearby shrubs and trees. Maybe they’re discussing the menu. Probably more likely they’re wondering why I’m so slow.

*Waiting impatiently for his favorite feeder to be filled.*

Before I’m even back in the house they’re already swooping down to see what fresh treats I’ve left them. Sometimes I stand against the house, under the eves, and wait to see who shows up. I’ sure they know I’m there, but they can’t wait to grab a snack. If it’s not to windy and cold I’ll stand there awhile, enjoying the sound of their wings and their gentle chirping to each other.

*A titmouse on alert, looking for the biggest peanut to snag.*

During the winter months, when they’re so hungry and not busy raising a family, they seem to all get along. I have 5 pair of cardinals that will eat side by side on the railing where I spread seed in the worst weather, so that everyone can eat at the same time and no one has to wait.

In the spring and summer the cardinals will chase each other out of what they seem to feel is their own territory. You won’t find them eating together when they’re setting up households and struggling under new parent responsibilities.

The titmouse is the bravest of the birds. They’re usually the first to arrive when the feeders are newly filled. They’ll even come hop around the shrub nearest me as I pour seed on the railing. They are not afraid and they pick the biggest peanuts in shells every time. The peanuts are almost as big as their heads. They are very proud to get the prize seed before the big bluejays show up.

*A puffed up shy junco waiting for the lady to go inside.*

The chickadees are right behind the titmice, making a lot of noise to announce their arrival. They like a particular feeder and often flit back and forth between the shelter of the shrubs and the safe, caged, feeder.

*A fat little goldfinch getting frustrated at the wait for lunch.*

And I have a band of 7 bluejays that send a scout first who will announce when it’s safe. Then the rest of them swoop in, scaring, for a moment, the little birds. But soon they and the littles are all eating together.

*Mourning doves taking an apres meal nap in the empty, heated, birdbath.*

But if, suddenly, all the birds disappear it’s important to look around. Because sometimes the reason they’ve all hidden is this guy.

*Standing on one foot while warming the other on a cold morning.*

I’ve seen him attack a huge thorny barberry bush where the little birds like to hide, trying to get lunch. So far I haven’t seen him suceed at that. The little birds fly out and he’s tangled up in the thorns.

On the day I shot his image last week, it was close to zero out. He was, at first, standing on one foot and keeping the other warm up under his feathers. But he eventually put two feet firmly on the feeder hook and surveyed the yard for quite awhile before he flew off into the woods to look for an easier meal.

So there you go, some of my cold birds, most puffed up to conserve heat. This week it might get up into the 40s (4 C)…for one day anyway. I expect the birds will be sunbathing in relief.

February 6, 2026
by dawnkinster 25 Comments

Hey! Does anyone remember ME?

I think it’s been about a thousand weeks in dog years since you’ve seen anything written by me! Mom keeps saying the world is bigger than me. But seriously. Does anyone believe that?

Anyway I thought I’d bring you up to date on what I’ve been doing. Which is pretty much always the same. Beg for supper beginning at 3:00 p.m. (sooner if I think my parents aren’t wearing watches).

Continue to beg until Mom gives in at 3:50.

Ask to go out. Eat snow instead of doing my job. Ask to go in.

Ask to go out to inspect my yard. Or bark at the neighbors. Whichever comes first.

*Initiating my early morning alarm in case anyone isn’t up yet.*

Sometimes I ask to go out very early in the morning. Sometimes mom is glad because she would have missed the sunrise.

Mostly she is not glad. Did I mention barking?

*Mom calls this her artsy image, titled “Dog in Snow.”*

She also has been taking me to school. She seems to need the stimulation and mind expanding exercise. I go along to supervise.

*I got extra treats to sit on this little stool that matched my leash.*

We took a short little class where I got lots of treats. I liked the treats part.

*I can do this, mom, if you just stay out of the way.*

We are back to doing Rally classes now that the holidays are over. Mom forgot to go the first week. She turned into a slacker without a schedule while we were out of school.

While we were there mom noticed the pretty photo opportunity, left from the last trial the week before. I wasn’t entered because mom says we are not ready.

*It’s a winter wonderland! Just like our backyard!*

I don’t know, mom, when are we going to be ready? I ask to go down to my basement every day and sometimes we do, just to practice our obedience. And get treats.

*This one is easy, mom, just don’t turn too close to the cone. Leave room for me!*

Mom says sometimes she thinks we’re ready and then I do something silly and she rethinks. There’s another trial in March. She thinks maybe she should try again.

*I think I’ve got it mom. You just have to trust me.*

But…will I be willing to work without treats in the ring? Mom’s been working on that…but she says I’m not reliable yet. Geeze mom, I’m only 3. Have you ever met a reliable 3 year old anything?

Other than school we’ve been playing in the snow. It snows all the time. The snow banks are bigger than me! Even the snow in my back yard is up to my shoulders.

I told mom I wasn’t going to run around and chase snowballs when the snow was that deep. Other dogs’ parents dig them a trail in the backyard to run around on. I suggested that to my mom. She looked at me and then we went inside.

I guess that’s not happening.

So let’s see…school….snow….supper. Yep, those are the three most important things going on in my life right now. The 3 S’s.

*And naps. Sleep, starting with S of course, is important!*

I hope you are all enjoying your winter. Mom says we could do with some sunshine so I reminded her of this day when the sun came out. She had forgotten. Sometimes the sun comes out here.

*I remember there was this one day when the sun came out…*

Hey! That’s another important S!

Talk later,

Your snow-girl, supper-hog and super all around ray of sunshine, Penny.

January 26, 2026
by dawnkinster 24 Comments

The magic watering can

Once upon a time, when I was 14 which was many decades ago, my brother gave me a watering can for my birthday. I kept it through all my moves, college, 8 apartments, my first house, and finally to the home we live in now. Years of moving around and the watering can always moved with me. It lived in the cabinet below my kitchen sink.

These days I only have one plant, but it’s hard to water, because it’s years old and very dense. The long spout of my watering can helped me get water to the roots. I water it every Sunday.

Then, one Sunday I couldn’t find it. In fact there was nothing below the sink. We’d had to empty most of the cabinets to get some work done in the kitchen the week before. I didn’t know which box, out in the garage, held my watering can. I used a glass to water the plant, most of the water ran down the leaves to the floor.

When we put everything back into the cabinets in the kitchen I couldn’t find the watering can anywhere. I asked my husband if he had seen it. He looked stricken, and said maybe it had accidentally been thrown out. I was heartbroken. I continued to water the plant with a glass and wipe up the spilled water. I almost asked my brother for a new one for Christmas this year. But I didn’t want to tell him we had lost it.

And then the dishwasher broke.

While my husband was installing the new one, hoses connecting under the sink, the watering can appeared. Way in the back of the cupboard, hiding in plain sight, it had been there all the time. After almost six months of being lost, of me thinking about it every Sunday, it reappeared.

Yesterday I watered the plant and smiled as the thirsty roots grabbed every drop.

January 12, 2026
by dawnkinster 32 Comments

How to know when to stop

I started messing around with watercolor when covid began. I thought I’d use the time while we were confined in our home to teach myself something I’d always wanted to do. There are a LOT of free tutorials online.

I never stopped painting even when they let us out of the house. Now I paint cards to give to Bring Smiles to Seniors, a nonprofit that organizes homemade cards to be sent to nursing homes. I’m grateful to them for giving me a place to send my stuff. I mean, the people in my address book can only take so many hand painted cards….right?

Anyway, I saw this video in 2023 and became facinated with these crazy birds. They’re easy to do, and people love them. Sometimes I get in a crazy birdy mood and that’s what I paint all day and then I ship them away before I get too attached to any of them.

This weekend I had a friend over and she painted her own version of the crazy birds.

Today I attempted to use up Saturday’s leftover paint and did these guys to go the the nursing home.

And then I decided to paint a card especially for the woman that manages all these cards and gets them shipped out to the places they need to go. I figure hardly ever does anyone actually tell HER thanks. And I appreciate her and her organization so much.

I’m writing this post while I’m waiting for her card to dry so I can add some more dark places. Or maybe not. Maybe it’s done.

This morning I painted a lot of cards really quickly. The birds have lots of doodles on them. The flowers have lots of leaves and stems and colors.

The question is….when do you know to put the brush down. When do you know when to stop?!

January 6, 2026
by dawnkinster 24 Comments

What’s new in the new year?

I have a bunch more bird pictures to edit. There are probably some good ones in there but I’m just not motivated. And if I don’t hurry up and get them done I’m pretty sure I’ll never do it. That would be bad because I have this rule that I can’t go out on a photo hunt if I haven’t even processed the ones I’ve already taken.

Silly rule.

Meanwhile, Penny and I have started back to school. It’s been almost a month since we’ve been in a class. I was concerned that she’d forgotten everything I’ve learned (she says she hasn’t learned anything other than how to manipulate me) and that I would have a wild child on my hands.

Turns out she was very happy to go do some Rally with me last Saturday morning at a scheduled fun match.

She got to see other dogs and do some fun stuff (her favorite thing is to fly over the jumps) and get treats and she especially likes it when people come by and tell her she’s beautiful.

I guess mom and dad don’t do that enough.

She did four runs on Saturday, 2 of them off leash. We’re still working on specific stuff, especially the no treats in the ring thing, but we both had fun. It felt good to get out together.

Monday night we started back at our regular Rally class. Two runs, both off leash, and she was a very good girl. She mostly focused on me instead of what was going on in the ring next to us, or within our own class members at the gate or coming or going out the back door.

And there was that jump she REALLY wanted to take, and we had to heel right past it. SO HARD!! But she did it both times. I was proud of her.

Today she did the cutest thing. I realized during school that I hadn’t worked with her in our basement at all during the weeks long holiday and that we could have been even better in class if I had spent that time with her. So this afternoon while I was out in the kitchen and noticed her treats, I asked her if she wanted to work.

She immediately grinned and ran to the top of the basement stairs, looking over her shoulder at me. We haven’t worked down there in over a month but she knew exactly what she wanted to do. So down the stairs we bounced and we worked on heeling and figure 8s and waiting and sitting and staying and coming and some other stuff. She’s very focused until she figures out mom doesn’t carry any treats.

The hardest thing for her was when we were heeling back toward the jackpot treats sitting up on a cabinet. I hadn’t intended to jackpot her then, we just happened to be going that way, and she broke heel to run to the jackpot and I said “no, come here” and she reluctantly did. And then we turned around and heeled away from the jackpot! OH NO!!!! But she stuck with me and at the other end of the room I released her and we both went back to get her jackpot.

*Yesterday’s walk at Katie’s park – with SUN!*

That was really hard for her. I told her she was a good girl. I should probably tell her she’s beautiful while I’m at it too.

December 28, 2025
by dawnkinster 19 Comments

Send me some Christmas!

Penny here. I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell you all Happy Holidays! And I would have done that sooner except my mom holds the keys to this blog and she’s pretty stingy with them.

And it’s not just the laptop she’s stingy with. I noticed a pile of Christmas presents over by the fireplace last week. I just knew they were for me. After all, who else in this household deserves presents more than me?

So I was very excited as we approached the magic day to find out what was inside all those boxes.

And do you know what? Not one, not ONE was for me! They were all for mom and daddy. Can you believe that?

Mom said I didn’t need anything, that whenever I did need something they went right out and got it for me so I didn’t have to wait. Well, she’s not wrong about that.

Still….

Mom did take me to Katie’s park on the one day that the weather was nice and she and I had a wonderful time. Most of these images are from that walk.

Don’t tell mom, but that was a pretty good present, all in itself. I’m ready for another walk at one of my parks, but mom says we have to wait until the sun comes out to melt all the ice around here. She says she’s afraid of falling, and she’s not sure I’d do a Lassie and go for help.

Well. If I got Christmas presents I might. Mom doesn’t always think about the larger picture.

Anyway, I hope you had a wonderful time and lots and lots of presents from the people and pets you love. And I hope you have a wonderful New Year too!

I don’t suppose I can expect presents for New Years Eve…

December 5, 2025
by dawnkinster 42 Comments

It’s my birthday and I’ll nap if I want to

Penny here, Happy Birthday to me! Today I turn the big THREE, and mom says she doesn’t know how that could have happened already. She says I don’t act a day over one. Maybe one and a half.

I like to keep my girlish ways, you know?

Mom says now that I’m beyond my terrible twos I’m supposed to settle down. Don’t tell her but I’m planning on going into my tasmanian threes.

Starting today.

Anyway, I had a very good year, and I can’t wait to find out what I’m going to do next!

Meanwhile today I will be expecting cake and ice cream with candles and gifts wrapped in pretty paper.

Or extra kibble for dinner. I’m good either way.

See you all later, your birthday girl, Penny.

November 9, 2025
by dawnkinster 29 Comments

You know you’re from Michigan if…

This weekend, I guess that means yesterday, I was busy taking pictures of my backyard birds as they bounced around in the beech tree near our feeders.

*This is a very polular location. You have to wait in line to get the best stuff.*

I loved the colors, the tree still hanging onto her leaves even though we are well into November now.

*Sometimes the little bird feeder is especially busy and the wait is long.*

It wasn’t warm outside, not like it had been through most of October, but it was still a nice, if slightly dreary, day.

*I was shooting the goldfinch, but look who dropped in below.* *(White-striped sparrow)*

I spent some of the day on Saturday painting Christmas cards to be sent to folks in nursing homes. Nothing too complicated, just simple cards painted in the hope they made someone smile.

The goal was to get 10 painted over the weekend and mailed on Monday. Christmas comes so early when you have to get your stuff off to folks who have to do their thing to get the cards to seniors in a timely manner.

*Folded, I’ll write a little note inside each of them and then send them off to the card coordinator on Monday.*

I haven’t felt very Christmas-y this fall. I procrastinated on painting the cards until it was almost too late. I thought maybe I’d skip the whole Christmas card thing this time.

*People ignore us little brown birds all the time too.*

I haven’t put the lights up outside either. I usually put lights on one tree, the smallest of the spruce trees we planted so many years ago, at the corner of our lot.

*This chunky little woodpecker had a hard time fitting through the feeder cage.*

I use the smallest tree so that I can get lights clear up to the top if I stand on a ladder and use a long pole. It’s a lot of work and I don’t know if I’m up to it anymore.

*But eventually he got his lunch. Might want to consider a smaller portion than usual though.*

Still, the neighbors tell me how much they enjoy that tree when it’s lit on our dark winter nights. I enjoy it too. Somehow it makes the winter go by a little faster, or at least be a little brighter. So maybe I’ll get the lights up the next nice day we have around here.

Probably not today though. This morning I woke to our first snow of the season. Penny is not at all sure she was good with this new development.

*Hey lady! I’d like a berry special please. Pronto!*

But I am happy to see the trees and shrubs begin to be covered by this new white blanket. Pen and I might even go out and play in it when I finish this post.

*The cardinal was unflappable by the robin’s flight.*

Some of the birds are not as happy as I am to see the change in weather. But the snow makes me think that maybe I can put the lights up. Maybe I can paint a few cards for the season. Maybe I can get into the Christmas mood.

*A festive red and green image in my own back yard.*

Maybe I can.

You know you’re in Michigan when one day you’re working in the garden and the next you’re laughing over bird antics in the snow.

*You can do it lady, I have faith in you.*

Happy holidays, everybody. They are upon us.

Wordless Wednesday – Robin in November

November 4, 2025 by dawnkinster 24 Comments

November 1, 2025
by dawnkinster 25 Comments

An update from Ms. Penny

Hello world!

As you read before Mom scheduled us to participate in rally trials (dog stuff) for two consecutive Fridays in a row! Oh wait. Mom says “consecutive” means the same as “in a row.” Whatever, mom.

Anyway, last week I got two legs (I need 3 to title) with a couple of sloppy runs. Mom was hoping a week off from training would help me settle down. That maybe I was just overtired last week.

Hmmmmm. Interesting theory.

Waiting in my crate for another rally trial!

So yesterday, October 31st, we went to the place I go to school to do 2 runs. Mom thought I’d be more comfortable there and hopfully earn one run and thus my Intermediate Rally Trial title. Mom had high hopes when I seemed happy and bouncy as we were waiting.

And she was happy that the course for the first run didn’t look too difficult.

What could go wrong?

We warmed up in a little room off to the side. I sat and downed and fronted perfectly. At the end of the warmup mom gave me one measly treat.

Then it was our turn.

We walked into the ring and I refused to sit next to mom. She walked me around in a little circle and tried again and I sat. Reluctantly. Mom knew right then she was in for trouble.

So around the ring we went, I’d do any sign that didn’t include sitting or going into a down. There were a LOT of signs that asked me to sit. Eventually I would concede and sit, but mom would have to ask me multiple times. And the down? Not happening, nope, not at all. There were supposed to be two of those.

The lady following behind with the clipboard kept making notes and mom got increasingly sad.

*Mom says this quote was at the park just for her.*

When we got out of the ring mom gave me my jackpot because, she said, I had done the best I could. We ended up with a 79 (you need 70 to qualify) which is my lowest score ever.

But we got my title, even though mom said she wasn’t proud of the way we did it. Then she elected not to do the second run cause I always do worse on my second run, and besides she was exhausted and sad.

So she took me to a park on our way home and we walked around a loop to remember that we loved each other and tomorrow will be another day and we’re going to keep working on stuff together.

Cause we’re a team.

Most of the pictures here were from our post-trial walk at the park.

Change Is Hard

…but change is certain.

Tag Archives: fun stuff