I Could Only Hold her and Listen to her Cry

I had never experienced such a reaction to vaccinations with Sili. She was a couch potato to begin with. If she napped more than usual on the day of her shots i didn’t notice, but it was never like this. We went back for puppy shots 5 times before she made it through the series …

The Laundry Line

When i first moved out to the homestead i did not bring my washer and dryer. I left them back at the apartment for a few months. When my friend and her husband could help me move the units with their trailer, they joined me. Only problem? The tiny house had a stacked unit in …

Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Too.

Cashew was separated from her mom when she was 6 or 7 weeks old, so she didn’t really get a chance to learn from her mom how to be a dog. Instead, she started mimicking Sili. If Sili peed, Cashew peed. If Sili ate grass, Cashew ate grass too. If Sili scratched her ear, Cashew …

Cashew Learns Stairs

When i first brought Cashew home she was pretty little. Fearless as she was, the porch steps were too tall for her little legs and she couldn’t make it no matter how hard she tried. So i carried her up and down them each time. However, one day i noticed her reach for the next …

Sili and Patience

My dog Sili had the patience of a saint. She never complained. She never lost her cool. She never turned on Cashew, though i myself was ready to pull my hair out 80 percent of the time. Sili had infinite forgiveness for Cashew. She seemed more amused by her behavior than threatened or upset. There …

My Escape Artist

Australian Shepherds are known for being smart. Nobody ever said those smarts had to be used for good. They just said the dogs were smart. I started noticing things while i was working on projects or cooking in the kitchen. I would turn around and Cashew’s crate would be closer to me than i remembered …

A Pink Surprise

When i moved into the tiny house i noticed a bare-branched bush right off the stairs of the porch underneath the cedar tree that would one day hold an end of the laundry line. I wondered what it was but there were no leaves to identify it by. As spring awoke many other things, even …

Teething Troubles

Just like a baby, a young dog goes through a totally natural phase of drool and destruction called teething, in which you have to safe guard everything you own, including their siblings and/or their collars and identification tags. She was like one of those automatic vacuum bot commercials gone wrong. She would follow us all …

Cashew’s Puppy Pics

Photo 1 is a picture of one of Cashew’s famous 30 minute naps. As soon as she was out i would snap a picture and then lay down wherever i was; usually on the floor. She could wake up at any minute and it was best to sleep while one could. Sili would follow my …

Love at First Sight

I was terrified that Sili would reject Cashew. She’s super picky about other dogs. She doesn’t usually like them. After Cashew was given the all clear by the veterinarian i decided it was time for Sili and Cashew to meet. I set them both down in the same room and quietly melted into the walls. …