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What a pleasing shock to see our shadows throughout a late afternoon stroll with our latest greatest good friend Leica the marvel canine. We marvel if she is a canine! What a bit of labor.

After our fairly old school winter and chilly, the chance to be outdoors at 6 o’clock and nonetheless have daylight is fairly particular. As I age, I’m discovering the winter 4:30 slipping away of daylight ever tougher. So, when Miss Leica and I shoved off for the again fields, I used to be pleasantly stunned to see the lengthy shadow forward of us. Leica was truly a bit of spooked by how our shadows moved as we walked.

It is at all times an attention-grabbing transition for me to really feel the altering of the seasons. As a lot as we growl about winter and its apparent annoyances, it is particularly pleasant to expertise, most notably, the elevated daylight. Things actually begin to pop right here on the farm: The grasses begin to inexperienced up, the peepers peep, new birds populate the timber, turkeys resume their strutting and courtships, new deer seem, varmints scurry about. It’s the season of regeneration and new delivery. Fun to be part of all of it and good to really feel the transition.

Over the years, we have now additionally loved the friendship of our canine friends. After we misplaced our final two pups, golden retriever Buddy and Jack Rotten Terrible Roobie, we determined to take a break from doggie world. As lots of you realize, the passing of those outdated pals is kind of traumatic. I used to be a large number after we needed to put Buddy down. Roobie, bless her coronary heart, determined she didn’t wish to share her departure with us, so someday she wandered off into the woods, by no means to be seen once more. Ugh.

Then, someday in a flash of empty nestedness, I got here throughout an advert for miniature Labradoodle pups and thought perhaps it might be good to return to the land of canine. It additionally appeared like perhaps a good suggestion to ask a brand new member of the household that wouldn’t shed in all places as did our Golden and Jack Russell. Brother, these critters unfold their hair relentlessly. Leica, the marvel canine, doesn’t shed as a lot however actually isn’t far behind. It appears that a part of the mix of Lab and Poodle nullifies the hypoallergenic issue. Oh, we have now hair Jerry!

The factor about our canine pals is their distinctive loyalty. Always pleased to see us, fully dedicated to being who they’re. Leica Byka, as our good good friend Carol Jordan used to name her, makes pals in all places, particularly you probably have a chuck-it ball or a tennis ball shut at hand. She is berserk for something that she will be able to put in her mouth. Even to exit to alleviate herself, she should have one thing in her mouth! I believe this can be a Labrador trait. The poodle half is an added journey. We didn’t understand till fairly not too long ago that poodles have been initially bred as a type of retriever and water canine, originating in Germany way back.

They are very good, in our private expertise, maybe a bit too good. The water half helps us perceive why Leica, after a superb ball romp, plows head lengthy into the pond for a bit of dip, which ends up in huge shaking and spinning and rolling, usually inappropriately in-house! 

We love our doggie pals and revel in late afternoon ball video games within the again area the place we uncover plenty of winter misplaced or uncared for objects recovered by the Leica nostril!