My Tuesdays with Valla

I've been seeing more of the woodlot lately.  Valla, the new dog, is quieter when she's tired, so I make about three trips a day back to the campsite.  She was pretty well trained--when she's not chasing something, she stays right at my heels.  I'll post dog pictures later.  Meanwhile, the green ash is in leaf (before the end of May--pretty good!), and the maples are putting on real girth.  So far, Valla has bitten Frey on the foreleg (he was very downcast for a day) and Ollie on the tail (badly--Pam's been over twice).  Does not play well with others. . . .

Valla Begins

Two more years have passed with not a post--marvellous how time flies! We have a new dog, the mighty Valla, formerly Vanilla, straight from Oromocto SPCA where she languished for about a year. Not much languishing--they have some fortunate deal with a dogfood company, so Valla was fed to bursting. She hasn't lost much since arriving, in spite of Sally having taken a few good bites out of her rear. Valla started it, of course.

She is difficult to restrain; if you advance, to cut her off, she advances. The only tactic that works is running away wildly in the hope she will follow. This is not very dignified.

Moderate Winter

In spite of some ice storms, the trees have fared quite well. I was most worried about the red oak; twice, the leaves have dragged it down, bowing it to ground level. This year, it kept erect through even the worst weather. It is finally stiffening up. The snow level in the woods is very low; I can see by the stumps near the big pine that we had about 30 inches more accumulation in 2010. The spring melt should be pretty unspectacular. Note: while I was out in the woods with the dogs this Saturday morning, a man named Gullison was killed nearby while snowmobiling. He mounted a snowbank, hit a tree, and died. We do not have a real lack of snow--just not as much as we grew used to over the last five years or so. I haven't had to shovel off a roof this winter; though this suggests a change, I recall that I did not shovel a roof for the first five years or so of living in Cross Creek.

Valla in Snow

 I don't know that we can say Valla fits in well--too much biting of the other dogs for that. She is enjoying the woods, though. 

Requiescat in pace

 Today my father died.

Crick Dry, 8 July

The trees are having a good season--good, long candles, healthy needles, no mold, in spite of the rainy season. On this day, 8 July, the Crick ran dry--it's fading before it reaches the outfall. We did some transplanting this year, but no new planting. The little elm is still doing quite well, all things considered--the one against the workshop is growing like mad. I should really chop it down. We have now cut most of the "wild field" next door and at Diane's; only a few troublesome patches remain. I have hacked out most of the spruce stumps from the old tree line north of the garden.  Dogs: Frey (c. 6), Ollie (c. 3). Then there's Abbie (c. 5?).

Valhalla

 We have a new dog: Valhalla (formerly "Vanilla" and "Valla" for short). The acquisition at the SPCA was hilarious. After assuring me that she was very friendly, very good with other pets, the desk officer cleared everyone and every animal out of the lobby. Only then did Valla come forth....