Somehow we’re headed toward the new year already. Day after tomorrow will be the first day of 2024, and nothing I can do will stop it.
Time is moving so quickly, it’s all a blur.
It hasn’t been easy, 2023, and part of me is happy enough to see it go. But it’s all moving so fast I wonder, if in a week or so, I’ll be welcoming 2025.
We all need to spend more time sitting still and listening.
It seems I blink and whole months have evaporated. I’m almost afraid to blink again.
Here’s hoping 2024, an election year in the US, encourages us to work together rather than against each other, helps us find new ways to connect with each other, and highlights the good inside so many of us.
Santa has headed back to the North Pole, now it’s on each of us to find our own joy.
I am hoping. But maybe I should just blink us into 2025.
Boy I bet you’ve been wondering where I’ve been! I know I’m probably the most important concern on your minds all the time, and in the interest of getting you to relax, I’ll bring you up to date on my adventures.
Me in my chariot.
There have been plenty.
Since it’s the holiday season I guess I should start out with my walk a week or so ago. I got to go to a park with my friend Whisky and his mom. (And my mom came too.) There were Christmas lights everywhere!
My friend Whisky-Roo and his mom.
There were lots of people and their dogs walking around and I was a pretty good girl about not barking at stuff. Even when people came out of the dark and startled me.
Sometimes I get worried that Mom isn’t paying attention to all the people walking by when she’s taking pictures.
Mom said it was pretty hard to get pictures of me looking at her cause there was so much other stuff for me to look at!
We spend way too much time sitting in front of stuff when we should be walking, Mom!
Then this week mom took me to Davis Lake Overlook Park, which is near my house. I’ve only been there one time before, and that time we walked in a different part of the park.
I think we should go down the yellow trail, Mom.
So on this walk everything was new to me. Boy I had fun sniffing. I’d go from one side of the trail to the other, nose always to the ground.
I feel like I’m wearing camouflage, Mom!I blend right in!
Mom said I did very good not being scared of being in the woods. When I was a little girl the big trees kinda scared me, but I’m a big girl now, and a lot braver.
Mom asks me to sit in front of stuff all the time.I think she needs to have an intervention.
Then guess what? My Uncle P. came to visit us! It was his first visit since I moved in. He’s so much fun! I liked him right away. A couple days ago he and Mom took me back to Davis Lake Overlook and we walked on a completely different trail there.
My Uncle Paul.
Part of it even Mom had never been on before! Mom says she might rename this park Penny’s Park. I think that’s an excellent idea.
Istay very focused on mom. When she says “OK!” I’m going in for my treat, yes sirree!
Mom says she’s still thinking about it. She says change is hard.
I think this is an excellent park and should definitely be named for me.
Anyway, we had a great walk even though it was foggy and cold. I didn’t mind that a bit of course.
I gave her my best pose down by this little pond.It’s my Christmas present to her.
I loved walking with Mom and Uncle P. They thought they’d be wearing me out so I’d be calmer when we got home. But the joke was on them - I wanted to play, play, PLAY when we got back.
They, on the other hand, needed a nap.
Never underestimate a Penny.
Silly people. They should know by now you can’t wear an Unstoppable Pretty Penny out!
Hee, hee.
Well, I might have taken a LITTLE nap.
Talk later, it’s time for me to go open my Christmas present, your Unstoppable Girl, Penny.
Hey Peeps, Penny here. You don’t mind being called Peeps, do you, cause I think of you all as my people! Yep, every single one of you. Mom says you can never have too many Peeps, and since I’m just a baby still, I’m taking her word for it.
Speaking of baby, mom took a bunch of pictures of me a thousand weeks ago when we had lots of snow, and she’s hardly shared any of them! Mom says she doesn’t have time to sort pictures cause she’s running around making sure I’m happy.
Personally I think she needs to hone her time management skills, in fact, as I recall my sister Katie told me this very same thing. Mom gets tied up with too many things and stresses out. Katie and I both suggest she just focus on the puppy all the time. I think mom’s stress level would lower right away if she did that.
What do you guys think?
Any-hoo, I’ve been bugging her (my most important job as new puppy in this household) to post my baby snow pictures before the daffodils bloom. I understand once the yellow flowers start showing up I’ll have to do a lot of modeling, and it would be embarrassing to still be working through snow pictures. Bad for my modeling career, you know, to be so far behind.
So far I’m still sleeping through the night and I’m mostly house trained. I can sit when asked but I’m not going to stay. No siree, there’s no stopping this girl when I get moving, and I’m mostly moving all the time.
Mom puts me in a timeout if I get overly excited or if I’m cranky. It’s not so bad, I have a big cushy bed in there, and some of my toys and a water bowl, so I don’t really mind going into my timeout pen. My Auntie calls it my rest stop. I do mostly fall asleep in there, so it’s a good place for me.
And when I wake up mom or daddy take me outside right away. I love my yard, but there’s a lot of presents from the resident deer out there that are apparently off limits. I don’t know why, I think they smell fabulous! Sometimes mom and daddy are no fun.
So this is my life right now. No parks quite yet, no walks with friends (I don’t even know if I have any friends!), no visits to the store, no adventures unless you call a sedate walk down the driveway and back an adventure.
WAIT! I DID have an adventure!
Mom promised me one last Friday and I was sort of excited. Not a lot excited because, never having had an adventure, I wasn’t even sure what an adventure was, but kind of excited. We ended up at the VET! And they stuck me twice!! I’m gonna check with Katie, but I’m pretty sure this is not what she was talking about when she told me about all the fun she had going on adventures.
Well, Peeps, I’ll sign off for now. Time to get a little shuteye in my rest stop. If you can, please poke mom for me (I do plenty of that but a girl can’t be poking constantly, it’s not lady-like) and see if you can prod her into taking me on a real adventure soon.
Mom says we missed Wordless Wednesday. She says it’s Thursday now and I need to move on, but seriously, I think Wednesdays are perfect days to showcase me, especially during my cute puppy days.
Cause everybody knows that puppyhood doesn’t last forever.
Mom called my name, so I turned right around.
So I have tasked mom with making sure she posts a picture of me, her Adventure Girl, every Wednesday.
I figured I better speed it up, in case there were treats.
And, because she messed up already, I am requiring additional photos today. Sort of an advance on future Wednesdays, just in case she loses track of time again.
Just the THOUGHT of treats made me leap for joy!
I’ve only lived with mom and daddy a month and I can already tell I’m going to have to keep them in line. They mumble something about being retired but that’s not going to fly with a puppy in the house!
I’m coming, mom!
I’ve got so much to tell you, but for now, over and out,
Really mom? One piece of kibble for all that?
Your feisty chewing whirlwind Adventure Girl, signing out!
It’s been a long, long time since we lived with a puppy. Some thing had to be relearned immediately. Some things are lifestyle changes that we can grow into even as she grows.
When you have a new puppy you have to look in all directions before you move your feet. She could be anywhere and most of the time she’s behind your feet, between your feet, next to your feet or chewing your feet.
When you have a new puppy you must never ignore sounds no matter how faint. She’s almost always doing something and sounds are your first hint of it all going wrong.
Tearing sounds, gnawing sounds, throw up sounds, peeing sounds, the sounds of toenails racing in places she shouldn’t be, clanging sounds of food bowls being overturned, the sounds of shoes being dropped in other rooms…the possibilities are endless.
When you have a new puppy you must give up cleaning, unless it’s cleaning up poo or pee. There’s no time to do anything but follow your adorable little puppy around, ensuring there’s less poo and pee to clean.
When you have a new puppy you give up your luxurious long morning snoozes. Little puppies have little bladders and need to go OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW! It’s OK, because being an older new puppy parent you probably need to GO RIGHT NOW too. Hopefully not outside though.
And speaking of snoozes, when you have a new puppy you learn to nap when she naps. Which, if you’re perfectly honest, is quite often. And you’re probably sleepy (see early morning observations above) so take that nap!
When you have a new puppy your vocabulary is reduced to “Awwwww” and “NO!”
When you have a new puppy you must remember she’s not the dog you had before and will probably react differently to things like opening the oven door or blowing your nose or using tinfoil. Or she might react exactly the same, crazy way.
When you have a new puppy you have to learn to manage the leash with a twirling, dancing whirlwind on the other end.
When you have a new puppy you spend more time down on the floor than you have in years, playing ball, tossing chicken toys, tickling tummies, and laughing.
When you have a new puppy you need to stop wearing earrings because little squirming puppy kisses turn to chewing on hair, noses, chins and ears. And earrings are irresistible.
When you have a new puppy that has fallen into a happy, exhausted puddle of puppy nap right in the middle of the living room floor, you tiptoe around her and settle in a nearby chair to watch her sleep.
Because she’s so cute. And because everyone knows to let a sleeping dog lie.
Happy 3 month birthday, little Penny. Welcome home sweetheart.
Wednesday afternoon the sun came out and temperatures rose into the 50s F (10s C). The snow began to melt, birds were singing, and spring felt within reach.
“Can we please go outside, mom?”
Little Penny, experiencing her first spring day, was ecstatic. And, because she wanted to be outside exploring her yard, she began to ask to go outside.
Our first picture together.
And just like that a corner has been rounded in our potty training effort.
Wednesday afternoon she began going to the back door and whining softly. Once, when I didn’t move fast enough to suit her, she pawed at the door.
Trying to engage the puppy in the reflection.
I’m pretty ecstatic too.
We’ve gone a whole day without a potty accident in the house. She’s napping at the moment, exhausted by all the tours of the yard, the grasses pulled, the gardens explored.
“Hey mom! This grass smells great!”
I’m grinning as I type, because I can tell she’s going to be an awesome dog.
Oh, I still miss my Katie-girl. I will always miss her, and Bonnie before her, and Daisy before Bonnie. As I walk around the yard, little Penny dancing on the end of her leash I talk to Katie.
She sits when she’s interested in something. We didn’t train her to do this. I spent years trying to get Katie to sit when a car drove by.
“See your little sister, baby-girl? See how she’s running and grinning and having the best time in your yard? Isn’t she cute? She’s got so many adventures in front of her, doesn’t she, sweetie. You keep watch over us, Katie-girl, and thanks for guiding us to this little one. She’s going to be special, just like you.”
“I think this piece of grass needs to be pulled up, mom. Don’t worry, I’ll handle it.“
Yep, this one’s a fire cracker, all bundled up energy, bursting into zoomies at the slightest instigation, never complaining, always happy, and definitely smart.
“Can we please go out again, mom?”
There’s going to be some stories to tell, no doubt about it. I can’t wait to get started. I think she’s pretty amped up too.
You may have been wondering when I’d get on my mom’s blog and introduce myself. You probably thought I was shy, after all that’s a sheltie trait, being shy until we get comfortable with stuff.
What’s that over there?
Well. That’s not me.
Let me get something straight right from the start. I’m not shy about anything. And I’m not afraid of anything either.
My first day at my forever home.
I am a very confident and smart sheltie-girl. My mom said my sister Daisy (who lived until age 10 and died in 1990) was the sweet girl, and my sister Bonnie (who lived almost 15 years and died in 2006) was the good girl, and my sister Katie (who you all knew and loved) was the pretty girl, but I’m the smart girl.
I think I’m going to grow up to be an excellent shredder.
I’m also a very busy little girl, I want to know what’s going on all the time. I’m supposed to be a cuddle bug but frankly I’m far too busy to be cuddling on the sofa. Maybe later after I get this house and my folks in shape I’ll have time to cuddle. Right now I need things to be just the way I like them, and frankly my folks have been slacking.
I expect more adventures and I’m going to make sure I get them!
I absolutely love retrieving my ball!
Mom says we’re staying in right now cause I don’t have all my shots yet. She says we’re going to visit the vet soon and get some more shots taken care of. I don’t know. Katie told me sometimes the folks take us places that are not adventures and try to pass them off as fun.
Ahem. Let me remind them, I’m the smart girl.
I love chewing on stuff too.
I can tell you right now that they won’t get away with that! No siree! I can smell a con a mile away. Though Katie told me that the vet is really nice, and helped her feel lots better for a long time. So maybe the vet “adventure” will be fine. I’ll reserve judgement.
Sometimes I get a little excited.
Anyway, I’m settling in here with mom and dad. I’ve been here almost two weeks. Yesterday I sat on my sister’s rug and watched the birds, and mom smiled when I put the first nose prints on the sliding door. And she got kind of teary when I found a stick on the deck and broke it up into tiny pieces. I guess I remind her of someone.
How come you get teary eyed, mom?
I’m a happy, talkative little girl who’s not shy about telling my folks off if they don’t attend to my needs fast enough. I love my mom and dad, my toys, my (numerous) beds, my Mama S (my breeder mom) and my supper.
Not necessarily in that order.
I tell my folks off regularly.
And I like going outside to pee, preferably every 30 minutes. And today I didn’t have one single accident in the house! Mom says she’s very proud of me. I’m sort of proud of me too.
I like to sleep with my duck, cause sometimes I miss my sisters.
That reminds me, I need to go tell mom I need to go out. I don’t really need to go out, I just like watching her put on her shoes and coat and stuff. And I like to be carried outside, cause I get to kiss her and get kisses back while we’re walking down the deck stairs.
Kisses and eating snow are the best parts about going outside.
A week ago yesterday the sun finally came out. We’d had weeks on end, it seemed, of nothing but cloudy skies, cold wind, and sleeting rain.
A pretty day for a run. Or a walk if you’re not a runner.
It is, after all, Michigan in February.
This week’s artsy-fartsy image.
But when the sun broke through all the grey I couldn’t help but want to get out and see if I could find any color.
There was still ice back in the wetlands.
I went to my local Metropark, Indian Springs, because it’s close to home and the bike trail meanders through wetlands, hills and woods. Perfect for testing my spring thesis.
Red twigged dogwood
What spring thesis you ask? Well…I think about February around here Spring starts flexing her muscles and if you look and listen carefully you’ll know she’s right around the corner, just waiting to burst through the last bits of winter.
Light shone through last year’s beech leaves
My husband saw a red-winged blackbird this week, though we haven’t heard them yet. If they’re here, than it’s officially spring, no matter what the skies drop on us.
Flying free in the sun.
Oh, to be sure, I know this winter has not slunk off into history yet. There will be more snow. More cold. More windy sleet. But on that Saturday, just eight days ago the sky was a brilliant blue, and it was warm enough take pictures without wearing gloves.
You can’t beat sunshine and woods to lift the winter doldrums.
I thought you’d want to know, especially those of you even further north than me, that it won’t be long now. Nope, check your gardens, especially those near your house. You might find some hope poking up, reaching for the sun, ready to put a smile on your face.
Skunk cabbage poking up, a first sign of spring around here.
And if not, go for a walk in woods near you and keep a sharp eye out for hints that we’re almost out of the deep freeze.
I know, I know. Every year, every single year, I go on and on about spring being near, that we’ve almost outrun the cold, and then we get slammed with a blizzard.
Last year’s teasel.
I know I’m being foolish (again) by believing that this year will be different.
These leaf buds are bound to pop soon!
This year we won’t have those last winter storms, when buds are opening and fruit trees are vulnerable. This year we’ll head straight into warm summer afternoons, we’ll bypass the last salt trucks and snow plows.
That blue sky just has to be a hopeful sign!
Yep. This is the year we jump straight into spring. I’m sure of it.
Aren’t you?
Head on out for a walk, you never know what you’ll see!
Change Is Hard 