Some things around here have been chugging along nicely. For instance, the ghosts and the kitchen calamus from last year's herbology class. Can you grow calamus root in a glass? Yes you can.

 

Other things have required patience, focus, and quite a bit of tending. Blog meet Pearl. Pearl, blog.

Pearl will be one year old in mid March. Her paws are not yet in proportion. We've got more growing to do, eh, Pearl? I bought her on Mother's Day last year. But it really had nothing to do with the holiday and everything to do with the yawning chasm of loss in my heart. I looked in the chasm and thought, hum, a puppy should fix this right up. Well, we ALL have more growing to do, eh, Pearl?

She is a sweet dog. She is also the strongest, most driven dog I've ever raised. Physically I can't comfortably walk her on a leash without what I'll call "use of gear." (The leash trick.) I understand that pulling is mostly a training issue, but I prefer to tackle that problem on the oblique. (Of course I do.) I want a dog with reliable recall and intelligence and a solid sense of herself as a citizen. More than I need a dog who will walk at my pace on a leash. And what a lie that is anyhow -- as if I could ever walk far or long enough to keep Pearl mentally and physically healthy.  To accomplish citizenship she needs a lot of practice off leash and out in the world. Just like kids... Anyway, she's getting there.

She is so strong and so enthusiastic you can't normally praise or pet her unless she is sitting down. She. just. gets. too. INTO. IT. But she's figured out that if she sits on the stairs she'll get petted. I think she wants to be. face. to. FACE! And since she's not allowed to jump she figured out to use the stairs. She pokes her head through the banister and looks around like Snoopy. And waits for any of us to walk by and stroke her face. She looks and feels like a seal. Like all dogs, her heart is gold.

 ps. also, I like this dog trainer.