I would think that it would be really uncomfortable to lie my head on a metal thing blowing hot air. Actually, I can kind of understand the cats lying on them because they cover the grate with their whole body (especially Noel). I guess it is like a heating pad. But Sofie just sticks her head on it. I can never figure out these furballs.
Have a wonderful Sunday!
This is part of the Black and White Sunday Blog Hop. Thanks to Dachshund Nola and Sugar for hosting.
Sofie’s birthday party down by the water turned into a sniffing party. Though the sky was gray, it was kind of warm for November. Something really good must have been scenting the place over night because the girls were definitely onto something. Sofie got tired and decided she was going to take a short nap.
What mischief did you get into today?
.——————————————————–
This is a blog hop. I hopped it from MYBrownNewfies. Check them out for more mischief.
It has been an amazing 6 years with Sofie Bear. She came to us a puppy full of spit & vinegar. The rescue thought she was a Collie/Shepard mix and would be about 70 lbs. Looking back she was probably older than 12 weeks when we got her because she stayed small. I think she is a Sheltie/Mischief mix.
Sofie was a smiling, stubborn, and playful puppy. She always had an independent streak and was head strong. She and I did lots of training in the first 3 years.
It is hard to remember, because time goes so fast, but it was somewhere around 4 years old that her night terrors and separation horrors started. That changed her a lot. But this year we finally got things under control with love, medication, and more love.
Sofie is my silly, rolly-polly, best friend, bundle of fluff (who happens to have some door eating and thunder storm issues). She has taught me patience, unconditional love, and mostly to see the world through the simple heart of a trusting soul.
The wind was howling at about 50 miles per hour. We went to the park anyway. The wind is ‘nature’s rake’ when it comes to leaves – blowing them everywhere. The street in front of the house is clear now thanks to the wind (but you should see the lawn). Sofie couldn’t stop barking with all the whistling through the trees. That isn’t static in the video, it is the wind. Doesn’t it sound like the ocean? Do your animals get agitated when the wind picks up? That my friends is the negative force of POSITIVE IONS.
The force of the wind causes positive ions, which can make people feel jittery. And if people feel it, I assume the animals do too. A positive ion is a carbon dioxide molecule that has been stripped of an electron (Note: science can be fun!). There are many studies that have found that positively charged ions have a negative effect on people. It is believe that positive ions contribute to everything from asthma to anxiety and depression.
Sadly, our modern day environments (tightly sealed homes, office buildings, malls) created tons of positive ions. Fluorescent lights, electrical equipment, computers, printers, televisions, clothes dryers, and even synthetic fibers in our clothes, carpets, and furniture, all contribute to this problem. Hair dryers and electric heaters are huge emitters of positive ions! How many times have you gotten shocked when petting your animal? STATIC = positive ions.
The opposite of positive ions, as you would expect, are NEGATIVE IONS. You find negative (what I call ‘feel good”) ions in nature. Large areas of water, for example, make people feel good. I think it is because of negative ions that people flock to the ocean and places like Niagara Falls. Negative ions are attracted to airborne particles, like dust, mold, viruses even, and they make them heavy so they fall to the ground.
Now before you go out and buy one of those expensive negative ion generators**, fill your home and life with things that generate negative ions. We have a lot of fountains with running water (also known as cat watering stations) through out the house. I run humidifiers. Water water everywhere.
I think that the reason shopping malls tend to have large fountains in the center is based on my negative ion water theory (I need to ask an architect about this). The stores are giant generators of positive ions because of the lighting, synthetics, traffic, etc. I know because a million years ago, I managed a clothing store in a mall. Every winter the plastic hangers would break constantly because things were dry, full of static, and brittle. A center fountain in a mall or office building might do a little bit to make people feel better. Crazy maybe, but I believe it.
** I never used (or could afford) a Negative Ion Generating Machines, but I think it would have to be the size of a room in my house to counteract the positive ions generated by everything else. I chose the water route. Maybe you have had a ‘positive’ experience with those machines, if so, let me know.
How does the wind effect your fur babies? Did you get blown away this week?
We stumbled upon an outdoor holiday tree down by the river. What a nice place for a picture.
It’s starting to look a lot like Xmas.
DogDaz Zoo 