We said goodbye to our beautiful Beorn on Columbus Day, 2023. The hole in our hearts is massive, but we remember Beorn with great fondness, and are pleased to have loved such a gentle giant.
Beorn Is Dying
We’ve been on a pseudo-vacation for a couple weeks with the dogs (more on that later). When we came home we took Beorn to the vet for some tests, as he’s been having trouble breathing. The tests showed that Beorn has a cancerous tumor in his lung(s). We’re meeting with the vet today to sort things out, including possible treatments. This is sad news. We love Beorn tremendously, as we do all our dogs, and …
Welcome to Lovely Smokane!
After a relatively calm summer for this region, the wildfires finally struck last Friday. Dry late-summer conditions and high winds combined to form the perfect combination for wildly destructive firestorms. All that was required was a spark. Which – I assume – some people helpfully supplied. I “assume” because the fires are still being fought and the causes have not been determined. However, there were no obvious natural causes; no thunderstorms; no volcanic eruptions; no …
A Special Environmental Message
I don’t know how you plan on observing Earth Day, but this my traditional way to celebrate. It turns out that on average, the middle of April is a great time to burn slash.About the Author Topdog is Steve Merryman, a retired graphic designer, illustrator, and unrepentant asshole. Steve can usually be found working on a portrait commission or some other artwork. Steve fills his days by painting, writing, shootin’ guns, cuttin’ trees, hiking with …
Forestry Project Update
We’re closing in on the last few days of thinning our forest. We can finally see the trees for the forest, and it looks like we’ll meet our deadline!
Spring time is tree-cutting time
Our five-month winter has finally packed up and moved out. Talk about over-staying your welcome. It started the first week of November. The snow fell, and it still hasn’t completely left. In fact just a couple weeks ago it added another foot and a half. Personally, I think a nice white Christmas is nostalgic and pleasant enough. Heck, even a snowy New Year is fine with me since we usually stay home anyway. And I …
Seasonal Changes
The cold grip of winter is slowly giving way to spring, and myself and the dogs are very happy about it.
On Tractor Chains, Snowstorms, and a Thorny Question of Time
Time is different when you’re retired. It slows down. But you know what doesn’t slow down? Snowstorms.
I Never Knew I Could Run So Fast In My Underwear
About 1:30 in the morning I’m awakened to the sound of big floppy ears swatting the side of my dog’s head. Even asleep, my ears are finely tuned to certain sounds, like gunshots, thunder, puking dogs, Salma Hayek’s sultry voice (never happened, but I’m ready if it does) and, in this case, Hudson’s shaking head. It’s HudsonSpeak for “Take me out to pee, Hooman.” Being well into my sixty-first year, and possessing a prostate of …
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