Missouri Earth Dogs

Taylor and her friends Max and Morgen had lots of fun on Saturday and Sunday morning.
They had a chance to hunt in the barn, go in the tunnel under ground, race for the lure on the Doggie Fun Zone, and then Sunday race in the competition on flat and over hurdles.

Taylor got so excited before the race that when it came the time for raceing she just stopped mid course and layed down to cool her tummy. She was so proud and happy to be on track she decided to stay a little bit there :-)

Of course she ended the last in her category but the first on having fun!
Even the rain stopped for the JRTs to have fun.
It really was a blast!

Taylor running - JRT trial at Purina Farm, Mo

Big love

Taylor & Morgan having fun

Chicago - AERA

This past week I was at the AERA conference in Chicago.
Tuesday afternoon when I arrived it was a nice afternoon, by Wednesday morning it was raining.






Rain quickly transformed into snow and winds were blowing ferociously so that many of the flights from Chicago O'Hare, were canceled. Since the conference was hosted in couple of different hotels (Sheraton, Hyatt, Mariott, Swissotel, Inter-continental, etc.) the walk between hotels was not pleasant at all.

Thursday the snow stopped and only some little rain sprinkled all day long. Wednesday seemed to be very long time ago when... by Friday morning the Sun was shining once again as if the winter was long time gone...
So, Friday morning on my way from the presentation to the AirportExpress shuttle I could see in plain construction on the Chicago river shore the new Trump hotel & tower .


That was it. This year AERA was extremely busy and since it was so cold and windy staying inside was the best choice.
I really have to go see Chicago another time :-)

Happy Easter!

The temperature outside is more appropriate for Christmas....
It's 35F daytime, and we just broke the cold record since 1929 with 20F nighttime.

No matter how cold is outside in our hearts is warm and light because the Lord is Risen!

Have a Happy Easter!
Kellemes Husveti Unnepeket!
Christos a inviat!

Lost in the winter

My little Fat Albert Blue Spruce did not survive the cold icy winter.
I noticed after the winter storm with the ice and freezing temperatures that the lower branches of my Fat Albert started to loose the needles, and be brownish.

I asked at Market Basket what does it mean, and was told that they hibernate, and should come back with the Spring.

But this Spring, my Fat Albert dried up and became brown not green.

They did not have Fat Alberts at Market Basket, but only Colorado Blue Spruce.
This new one is much smaller than the late Fat Albert.
I hope it will survive...

India night music & dance

India night

India night came sooner than I thought, but Spring is here, March is almost at end, and it is time for India night. Good food, music, dances, and wonderful costumes.

My friends Sunita and Siva are now graduates and with their first job. Some of their new colleagues came to the big event on SIUE Campus.
The food was great and abundant.
The girls and guys were in beautiful clothing.

with Sunita and Siva

with Sunita

with Abhi

traditional dances

...and modern music...

Vacation company :-)

Max and Morgan were our company since Thursday.
Morgan (the brown bigger one) felt like home, he and Taylor had so much fun. They played, they slept together, and guarded the yard.

Max (the small white and black) was Momma's boy. He was in my lap and did not roam around with the other two. Taylor loved the company, they are really good boys.
I discovered how bossy is little Taylor. She was on her grounds. Her house, her Mom, her toys, her yard :-)

Morgan felt like he lived here forever, he had no adjustment problems and loved playing with Taylor. Max loved sleeping in my lap :-)

Their Mom picked them up today and now Taylor is taking a good nap, kind of lonely, as usual after our company is gone. She is a little lonely, a little sad, she will miss them a day or two then she'll forget....

For Taylor was a great vacation, and I'll hopefully finish today grading my students' midterms.

MORGAN

MAX

Taylor & Morgan

...the bunny is mine! No, it's mine!

Spring break

Is not as much of a Spring (still 20F night and 37F day time), and definitely not a real break!
I am grading Midterm exams, done with the undergraduates and have all the Literature reviews to read for my graduate students. Couple of meetings at school, two papers to finish and submit, some readings to do (lots of them!), and definitely a house cleaning squeezed in.
Taylor's agility class and my riding class (one hour each) is the fun part of this break.

From Thursday to Saturday we will have company :-)
Yes, on top of all the work. But I am sure Taylor will enjoy it!

Spring break is only one week, this week, and already is Tuesday!

Winter Valentine's Day

Yesterday was raining in the morning and then by 11AM all was frozen and snow and wind were blowing almost parallel with the ground. It took me a good hour to go to school and by the time I had the evening classes school was canceled. I was glad that I won't have to drive at 9PM on those roads, and it took me another hour to get home by 5Pm.

Today all was white and the snow is frozen and sand like. The wind blows and makes the air feel very cold. We have 14F but feels like 3F. Tonight is supposed to be the coldest of this season.
We had snow at the door...



...and the sign on our door... believe me it does not tell our truth!
I am ready for Spring!

But Taylor loved her Valentine's Day! Did not get chocolate but loved the treats...

Shelties are our friends also

Over the last weekend we kept company at the house of Saranac Shelties
They are sensitive and good dogs, but extremely talkative. They bark with no reason. Yes, they bark more than JRTs! At least the Jacks bark for something they see or hear, but the Shelties bark all the time just to talk with you.
They are more handler oriented of course since they are herding dogs, who must look at you for commands. JRTs go under ground and work alone chasing the quarry they cannot see you so they must make decisions alone.
Taylor tried to boss them around when they were barking but they seemed to not mind Taylor at all. Of course Taylor was jealous when they all climbed in my lap and wanted all my attention. Taylor was like saying "Hey, guys, this is MY mommy!"
She learns pack behavior, I was surprised to see how good she was this time. It seems she slowly gets used to them and to pack behavior. She is a single child, but she does well with them. Definitely she still favors Trevor (the black and white in the below pictures).

Trevor, Kerry, Rachel, Jonie
& Taylor

Rayan

Old Grover is still hanging on very well.....

Geese on the frozen lake

Bitter cold

The maximum today is 25F and tomorrow will be a max of 18F. With the wind shield it feels like 1F! The lake is frozen, only at the Marina where is deep and the geese hibernate there is still open water. Last year we had ice on the shores but it was not completely frozen. Taylor and I took a very short walk. When I took these pictures I had to enter three times back in my car and take out the batteries and warm them up, they were just not working because of very cold weather.

This is the first real very cold winter I had since 2000. God how I wish I am in Tucson now, they have a warm 66F. I thought I will get used to the cold in one round year of living in Midwest, but it seems it takes a little longer...

It would be cool if Google would make possible to post the winds also with the pictures. Till they manage that just look at the pictures below and imagine is so cold your nose is freezing and the wind blows in your face and you feel it cuts your cheeks!

War - do you support them?

My friend Jo Ann wanted to celebrate in a special way my 45th birthday and gave a delicious dinner the other night. Sandy and Jerry with Snikers, Larry with Garry, along with Taylor and I were invited.
Larry (Jo Ann's son) is a columnist for Edwardsville Journal, and when you have a news person in the group inevitable the discussions will take a different turn. So instead of our regular fun and games, and goofing off the discussions turned to politics, global warming, and of course... the war in Iraq.

Is it good or bad, are you pro or against the fact that US Army is in Iraq?
In general everyone was against in a way or other, even came up the comment that US shouldn't have go there in the first place!

I did not get on the floor my comment till the very end when I felt I have to stand up for those who die out there. We cannot be against the war or support the army but be against what they do. They, those men and women, are the army, they are the war.

I am against violence of all kind and hate war, but I really support the US troops with all my heart.
I know it is bad, I know many died and will more... I know this war is so much about politics and religion. That the Shia and Sunnis are fighting, and from that many of Iraqi and many from world wide troops die. I know it is bad.... but I remember all my childhood and especially when the communist regime started to be worse and worse, how in my family and some of our friends' as well; we were listening to the Voice of America, and Europe Free radio stations and were hoping in the bottom of our hearts that one day the Americans will come to free us. That was the dream of my grandparents and many of the old ones who died under the communist regime.
I think there are among those in Iraq and Afghanistan who have the same hopes.

I know it is death, destruction, and lot of pain there. But I really hope and believe that the war will bring the democracy, freedom, and hope to the people there. I hope one day they will live in peace and that women will have equal rights to men in schooling and work.

Now the only thing is to let them do their own peace and democracy. Otherwise all good deed will turn and look like the Soviets in Hungary....

I believe that all those who died and those who fight do it for the better good.
I really pray that they are safe and am proud for each courageous woman and men who gives her or his life for the FREEDOM in this world.

May God bless them all and keep them safe!

Happy Birthday, Taylor!

Today is Taylor's Birthday!
She will get from Petsmart a new ID tag with her name and our phone on it.
Sunita gave Taylor a new dress :-) Little tight dress, Taylor is kind of stiff in it...

Then she got a little from a cup with chocolate pudding....


After finishing it she took a short nap....
But once the Sun shined between the flurry snow flakes and outside dogs barked, and squirrels jumped on top of tree branches, Taylor was ready at her post... What is going on?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAYLOR!!!! - only 3 years old.