One sign of spring is that I sit at the computer writing progress reports for hours at time. Chev, Finley and Xupe hang nearby, napping in their favorite places, waiting for me to take the next break and go out in the yard with them.  (They have access to the yard through the doggy flap but they seem to prefer that one of us is with them outside.)  When they read the cues that I’m going out, they go racing down and out, pausing to make sure that I’m really heading that way with them.  We meander around for a while, simply for the pleasure of moving outside.   If the time between my work breaks is too long, Finley starts “talking” to me as a reminder.

Today I spotted wildflowers (along with blooming buckthorn, dandelions and creeping charlie) while the three of them chased each other, chewed on sticks and sniffed around. They follow me back inside when I come in, although I never call them in.  And back to napping it goes.

And so have some of the season’s least welcome critters, ticks!!!   We have had very few on our land (to date) but the dogs pick them up when they’re hunting in the fall, even when they’ve been treated with tick preventatives.

I found a wood tick on Finley last night, happing snuggling in behind one of her ears.  I’m tick-phobic but do not hesitate to use the tick key to slide those nasty creatures right off her.

They’re easy to find on-line and I imagine that good pet stores also carry them.  Just google “tick key.” We highly recommend this little device and keep it in a specific place so we know we can get to it quickly.

Griz (last summer’s puppy number 4) has been with us for about a week as his family travels.  He’s joyful, loving, playful and became just one of the “pack” within a day and a half of arriving.  It’s like having a grandchild come to visit.  His half-brother, Xupe and he have wrestled, chased and chewed on each other.  Chev’s even gotten into the chase a few times.