Tika Congrats Us

Tika was right there barking her congratulations to me when Handy Man gave me my 51st Anniversary present....... a brand new shovel! And it was what I needed and what I wanted and what I requested. Tika barked, "well done!"  over and over. And then we went out for an anniversary dinner........... and brought home Prime Rib scraps to our Tika.

There was another Momentous Occasion this last week........... Tika had her 4th birthday and it went pretty much unheralded. We got her a brand new collar, does that count?

With fall knocking on the door, Tika is hearing the owls hoo-hooing in the pre-dawn darkness and never fails to bark at them. We both wonder why they are hoo-hooing at this time of year? Also we had a deer jump over our fence and knock loose the top rail and it happened when Tika was outside and did she ever bark then! I think both Tika and I are ready for fall and working on indoor projects. I have a huge dishtub of genealogy notes and it's my goal to get those notes into the family files where they belong. Tika is a big help; she snoozes right near my feet and we both listen to public radio as I work. So fall? Bring it on!

Tika & The Wolf

I've read that even the tiniest dog is a wolf at heart and I do believe it.

Humm, do you see any resemblance?  But Tika surely acts the part! Let her catch a whiff of an elephant, a garden snake or some coyote poop and she's instantly on Guard Dog mode, barking enough to scare the critter into the next county.  And if larger-sister-dog Dolly attempts to reach for a treat before Tika is handed hers, Tika will growl her into backing off right smartly.  

The "genealogy point" here is that even you and I, "little genealogy people," can have great knowledge and great insight and solve tough genealogy problems just like the "big genealogy people."  What's the difference between us?  We certainly can do what they do with enough time and effort and knowledge (and money). Except easily read Norwegian or Chinese! 

By the by, Tika has her fourth birthday next Tuesday;  Happy Birthday little Tika. I've saved a special treat for you for that day.

Tika & Twilight & Forks

Tika did not accompany me to Port Angeles last weekend where I attended the annual conference of the Washington State Genealogical Society. It was a double-whammy visit for me as my son and family live there. After the conference we drove out to Forks, Washington........... ring a bell? That's where the Twilight stories are based, although there is little actually in the town that really appeared in the movies. But knowing vampires and wolves could be abounding, I left Tika safely home!  We went through the Quileute Reservation to get to the beaches (our destination) and I took these photos to show Tika why she was left safely at home..... doesn't this just look like vampire and/or wolf territory???

The beaches.... Rialto, First, Second and Third Beach....... are all fantastic even on a typical drizzly, wet, cold, rainy Forks day.  (You know the story; that's why the Cullens settled in Forks....vampires do not like the sun.) Yes, Tika would have loved to run on this beach but the misty dark woods were just too close.

One last note, if you were to Google vampire genealogy you would be amazed, astonished and flabbergasted at the vampire family trees posted online.............. "a list of 2615 known vampires." Scary.

Tika & Morning Moon

Tika is always eager to get up and get out and get going first thing in the morning....... in fact I've told lots of friends that get a dog if you need to be motivated to take a morning walk........... as we walk out to fetch the morning paper, we talk about what needs doing that day. Tika is a great sounding board and she listens intently....... when she's not sniffing something.

When I walk in the early, beautiful, mornings, I do not need earbuds and a gizmo and the news from public radio or even music.  I like that quiet time to talk to Tika, talk  to God, and ponder my genealogical problems as well as to plan my day. Tika nods in agreement to that sentiment.

My photo this morning is titled, Dahlia Moon Setting To The West. Does it make you smile?