So used to us (by Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau)
Tag Archives: nature
A Society Grows Great When …
(Source: listbutnotleast, via couldeverdreamof)
Thank you to my daughter C (couldeverdreamof) for some of her wonderful philosophical finds.
After my big walk in the woods last weekend with the dogs, this seemed very apropos. – DogDaz
Saturday’s Wearing Green
Black-cheek Lizard (by Dhammika Heenpella / Images of Sri Lanka)
3.17.12 Sleeping With The Toys
I think I am noticing a pattern with Louise. She likes to sleep on her toys,
She seems to always have her paw on something or it is under her, Sometimes, multiple toys are under her at the same time, Is this a ‘This is mine so leave it alone’ thing, or is it just that she feels secure touching something when she goes to sleep. I never had a dog that actually lied on the toys this way. I originally thought that it was to keep Sofie away from them (which it could be), but, as you can see in the first shot, she even likes to just stretch out and touch a toy and then fall asleep.
This week Louise was really in love with this frog that I got at the grocery store for St. Patrick’s Day, but tonight Sofie got it from her and they ripped it in half. The usual stuffing everywhere, quick find the squeaker before they swallow it,,,, you know the drill kind of toy. Well it did last almost 3 days, which is kind of a record around here. It was funny because Lulu was squeaking the frog during business calls this week and I had to apologize to people because I did not want to stop her she was having so much fun. We did not even have him long enough for me to get him in a picture.
I do think that animals like to cuddle with their toys like we humans do (well some of us). Sofie always carries around Beaver (her lovey), so maybe, Lulu finds comfort in knowing that one of her many play things is near by.
3.15.12 Remembering Balto
Balto
March 14, 1933
For those fans of poorly made animated movies of the 1990s, the name Balto will be familiar. For those who aren’t, Balto was an Alaskan sled dog who was famous for running the last two legs of a miles-long journey in a blizzard to bring diptheria serum to Nome to end a fast-moving epidemic. Balto was the lead dog for Gunnar Kaasen who risked his own life and suffered frostbite running his dogs for over 24 straight hours (missing a pass off point) and collapsing upon arriving in Nome. His words as he fell were “damn fine dog.” Balto became a national hero, although he and Kaasen were only one of twenty teams to complete the journey. Balto’s fame led to the commission of a bronze likeness by the city of New York in Central Park (near the Children’s Zoo) even though the city had no direct connection to the dog or Kaasen. When Balto died on March 14, 1933 his body was donated to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History where it was preserved (ok, stuffed) and put on display, and remains so to this day. (See above)
Balto’s heroics are not without some controversy. Although Balto led the last team, many historians believe that the true heroes of the run were Leonhard Seppala and his pack leader, Togo who covered 84 miles in a single day and a total of 250 miles, including the “commute” from their home to their pick-up point. Unfortunately for Togo, it was the dog that finished the journey who received all the accolades…and a 1995 animated film with voice by Kevin Bacon. (Comment by DogDaz – I love that movie!)
(Image of Balto in the Cleveland Museum of Natural History is courtesy of fortunecity.com)












