Any of you in the mid-Valley should come see us at our annual Holiday Fair on Friday and Saturday (9 AM to 5 PM at the Polk County Fairgrounds in Rickreall), and help us raise funds to support 4-H in Polk County! Spread the word!

Sometimes I tell Frodo the Cat that she's a good kitty, and I immediately have to tell Lincoln that he's also a good kitty or he gets terribly upset. Conversely, when I tell Lincoln he's a good pupper, Frodo is completely unbothered by not being included.

Looked out the front window into the post-storm sunshine and saw these horse (and horse-adjacent) critters in the pasture by our garden. We do not currently own horses (or mules).

POV: you have asked your Labrador retriever to give you ‘just a little bit of space.’

It has been zero days since the furry jerkwad that lives in my house got in a tussle with several large mammals in the backyard. [He's fine, and all the deer escaped. My throat is so hoarse from screaming at him that I can't talk. He’s not even the tiniest bit sorry.]

Things my child said to me that I decided not to ask follow-up questions about to preserve my sanity (an ongoing series): "I'm actually running pretty low on googly eyes because of... the incident."

Just me, drowsily wondering who left a boot lace on the ground outside, and almost ending up with a handful of not-bootlace. Have I mentioned my vision isn’t great without my glasses in?

15 is 16 today! Anyone who wants to pass along birthday wishes, please feel free!

Invested in an automatic tennis ball thrower for Lincoln and he hasn’t yet worked out the part where he puts it back in the machine, but in general this is the Best Day Ever.

Bought 15 a Trapper Keeper for the first day of school because I am a very cool, hip parent who knows exactly what Kids These Days™ are into.

Watching Airport ‘77 and feeling like 70s disaster movies are the right genre for right now. What are everyone’s favorites?

Check out this fantastic work from my friend Brendan and his team! Full article: Late Medieval Shipboard Artillery on a Northern European Carvel: Gribshunden (1495)

Current mood:

What could POSSIBLY go wrong?!? (Did I mention that 15 has added a strobe to his lighting setup?)

It was the Best Day Ever for Lincoln though, even if it did end with a bath.

We have a new term for when Lincoln thinks he’s having the Best Day Ever but it all ends with him getting hosed down in the yard: Shampoozled.

Someone is ready for his day…

Have been watching 80s comedies with 15 and cringing about how badly some of them have aged. You know what did age well though? 9 to 5.

Update: 15 has named the snake David Boa-ie.

We have a utility room that is not well sealed off from outside (it is well sealed off from the rest of the house), and I've been battling with a mouse issue in there. 15 opened the door a couple of nights ago and discovered a snake in there. 1/2

Pictured: some jerk who pulled a Great Houndini escape act and went in a two mile romp through a bison farm (!) before the song on his GPS collar convinced him to come home. Now he’s here, panting, filthy, limping, nasty farting, and not even a little bit sorry.

I think Lincoln sprained his tail swimming yesterday because he was very whimpery last night and now he’s keeping his tail down and almost tucked at all times even when he’s otherwise acting happy, and I had not previously realized how dependent my mental health is on seeing that tail wag.

Caption this… (15 is working on his macro photography of aquatic macroinvertebrates for 4-H)

Some days I marvel at how clever Lincoln is*, and some days he commits an entire afternoon to trying to eat bugs that are on the other side of the window. *This cleverness is generally applied in service of mischief.

Have started physical therapy for sciatica issues and I know it is good for me but wow do I feel like I’ve been hit by a bus.

So at what age does a person stop having nightmares that they didn't finish high school/college/PhD? Asking for a friend.

For anyone who needs to read something nice: 15 is interning at a community youth garden. He and nine other teens each have a 10x60' plot and are learning how to grow and manage a production garden, with all of the veggies going to the food bank. He sent off his first harvest (lettuce) Tuesday.

Ok friends, 15 got this ceramic to paint. What kind of dog are we thinking it is?

Fig 1: Marita: I will take a picture of these little purple flowers to see if I can ID them. Fig 2: Lincoln: I halp.

“You are violating the social contract right now” - me to Lincoln when he continued barking at me even after I had already thrown the toy.

I know some people enjoy the excitement of close games, but as a person who is anxious in general I have to say I really appreciate what the Beavs are doing right now.

I suggested that Lincoln spend the morning in quiet contemplation, but he has instead chosen to smash into as many things as possible with his cone.

I think this the very definition of adding insult to injury.

Cynical Challenge of the Day: What's a love song (bonus points for power ballads) that you listened to growing up that's super depressing when you look up the outcome of the relationship it was written about? I'll start: www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMD8...

PUPDATE: I found hair ties (yes, plural) in Lincoln’s cone this morning, in case anyone was concerned that his injury had transformed him into something other than a giant weirdo.

Lincoln went chasing after a critter in the back yard this morning and came back needing several stitches in his lower right eyelid. So here’s a Cone of Shame selfie with what is now his good side.

Update: The owlet is hungry again.

There is a very shrill, persistent, and loud bird outside, for anyone who thinks things are quieter out in the country.

Someone is looking pretty judgmental about my laundry-folding abilities…

UPDATE: It was a two day process, but the bandage is off this chaos weasel’s paw, and he’s free to frolic in the yard again.

UPDATE: it has been a morning of churu tubes and unspeakable betrayal, and I still only have a few inches of the bandage loosened. Lincoln simultaneously won’t let me out of his sight and won’t let me near the back half of his body.

I realize I am not a very accomplished baker, so maybe someone else can help me understand why I was presented with this image and offered the chance to shop for baking essentials. Has Mrs. Lovett taken over Amazon?

UPDATE: I’m pleased (?) to report that the bandage is VERY well secured.

A few days back, Lincoln broke a nail badly enough to need vet treatment. The bandage can come off today, and as I pulled the end of the tape I asked him if he was going to cooperate, or if he was going to try turn this into an exciting new rodeo event. (1/2)

Update: we chose All My Sons. Super, umm… festive for Mother’s Day?

Happy Mother's Day Everyone! 15 is going to watch a play with me tonight on our National Theatre at Home subscription. Anyone have any suggestions/recommendations from what's currently available?

Hey all! I volunteer with the local county 4-H, and they've now got an Amazon wishlist if you want to support their efforts by donating art supplies, science stuff, books, or supplies or snacks for fair. Take a look! And share! a.co/1I5cdGP

15 has gotten really into Oingo Boingo and is asking me for other bands like them he might like. Suggestions, BlueSky friends?

Movie you've seen more than six times, no Star Wars or Trek or LOTR.

TFW you are trying to play innocent and pretend you didn’t just break into the greenhouse and go on a mini-rampage knocking over pots and equipment, but your mom is some sort of forensic expert or something and SOMEHOW managed to find that one tiny clue that gave you away..