POOP EATER

Lawrence is upset with me because I periodically eat my own poops. Veterinarians call it coprophagia but he just calls me a poop eater. Veterinarians say it really isn't due to a nutritional deficiency, but that dogs are naturally scavengers and this is commonly done by many dogs. Some people theorize it might be due to boredom, but I just like them and consider them a nice treat. By the way, did I tell you that I like treats? It is particularly frustrating because when Lawrence knows I have done this he doesn't like me to kiss him on the lips. Maybe if he gave me more Milk Bone treats I wouldn't eat so many poops. He wants me to enter a twelve step program.

IT'S FINISHED

Lawrence has finished the new painting and he thanked me for all of my help. I particularly like the colors he incorporated in the sky - Naples Yellow and Cobalt Violet Light. He loves color and considers himself a colorist at heart. I really love the way the colors in the sky are reflected in the water. We have been thinking about my doing a painting with my tail. The tip of it looks just like a watercolor brush. I might be the next Bassetquiat.

NEW PAINTING

Lawrence is working on a new painting of the Rapidan River. He is about half finished. He is trying to capture the light of a bright sunny afternoon. He especially likes to paint sky and water. While he paints at his easel I lie beside him and rest my chin on his foot for moral support. He says I am a lot of help. I like to do my part. I think he has made a pretty good start.

RIDING SHOTGUN

Lawrence and I like to travel together and I ride shotgun and look at everything that passes by. I particularly like to stick my nose out of the window and smell everything that goes whizzing by. That's really how I identify things. Even though my eyesight isn't as good as humans my sense of smell is thousands times better. Lawrence went to the Virginia Museum of Art and looked at some nice paintings by the French and American impressionists. He thinks that many of the American painters are every bit as good as the French. Unfortunately the museum didn't allow dogs inside. Once again I feel discriminated against. We bassets like beautiful things too.

MIRACLE FOOD

Lawrence's friend Burly brought us a gallon of merkels, the morel mushrooms found here in the mountains, and last night we had a feast. I had my first merkel and I want MORE. Lawrence made a thin batter with pancake mix and sauteed them in canola oil and they were scrumptious. What a unique special flavor. We also had our first fresh asparagus of the season. They started popping up in our asparagus bed 2 days ago. I used to eat the asparagus when they popped up and Lawrence wasn't getting any so he had to build a fence around the asparagus patch to keep me out. Once I was able to squeeze under the fence and get into the patch and eat all of the new sprouts but I wasn't able to get back out. When Lawrence found me trapped inside of the fence I really had a guilty look on my face. I can't help it if I have human tastes !!!!

MOST BEAUTIFUL VIEW

Every day I sit on the kitchen steps and look out of the front window and see one the most beautiful views on the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains. From our front porch we look across Quaker Run Valley to a gorgeous view of Doubletop Mountain. The first blushes of green are beginning at the base of the mountain and over the next two to three weeks will march all the way up to the top. Since Lawrence is an artist he is very tuned into color and says this color is cadmium green light. All I know is that it is beautiful !!!!!!!!

VIRGINIA BLUEBELLS

Our Virginia Bluebells are blooming along the stream bed next to the house. The blood root is also blooming along with some of the violets. We have about fifteen different species of wildflowers growing in the woods. The most special are the wild orchids known as Showy Orchis. I've been sniffing the flowers but they don't have much aroma. I like things that smell. We looked for wild morel mushrooms today but didn't find any. The mountain people call them merkels. This term is probably a combination of morel and miracle because it really is a miracle when they pop up out of the soil on the mountainside.

GOBBLER SEEKS HEN

Today when I looked out of the window I saw Mr. Big - Tom Turkey, that is. He is a big gobbler with a big beard and he is looking for those hens who were here yesterday. It's turkey mating season and he is on the prowl. I woofed at him a couple of times but he didn't reply . I guess I don't talk turkey.

TURKEYS IN THE YARD

I like to sit on the steps in the kitchen and look out of the front window and keep an eye on the front yard and wildflower meadow. Today there was a flock of wild turkeys in the front yard and several of them took turns sitting up on the split rail fence. They live on the mountain behind the house and come down here to feed. I growled at them but they ignored me. I just don't get any respect !!!!!

MY FEETS TOO BIG

This blogging is a lot of fun but very difficult because of my big paws. We bassets are known for our big feet. It makes it very difficult to type on this Apple laptop. I have talked with the Apple people but they say there just isn't enough demand to make a bigger keyboard for basset hounds. Once again I'm feeling basset discrimination. And texting on my Blackberry?
Fugedaboutit !!!!!!

THE PEACHES ARE COMING !!!!! - WE HOPE

Yippee !!!! Our peach orchard is in full bloom and each of those beautiful blossoms has the potential to become a delicious peach. We can expect beautiful peaches the second week in August. Last year we had only a handful of peaches. For the first time in more than twenty years a freeze killed the fruit buds. Boy did we miss those peaches.
That's our house, Doubleview, at the top of the hill above the orchard. It's called Doubleview because from the upstairs porch you have a great view of Doubletop Mountain and Old Rag Mountain. It was originally a garrison house built by British soldiers in the famous French and Indian War fort at Upper Tract, West Virginia. In 1989 Lawrence had it disassembled and carried to Madison County, Virginia and then rebuilt. The owners were planning to burn it down so a piece of history was saved and we ended up with a unique house. The way I have taken over the place you might say it is a grand dog house.

TRIP TO LA AND VEGAS

Lawrence just finished telling me all about his trip to LA and Las Vegas with L4. He said he had a great time. While in LA he got to see Malibu, Hollywood and Laguna Beach and he loved Santa Monica where L4 lives. They went to four art museums and saw some great paintings. He was particularly excited to see some nice paintings by the California Impressionists. The above painting "Incoming Tide" is by Guy Rose who many consider the greatest of the California impressionists. He spent time in the American art colony in Giverny painting alongside Monet. Lawrence also saw paintings by Payne, Redmond, Wendt, and Braun among others. All of these artists interpreted the California light in vibrant high key colors. Now that the spring colors are just beginning to show here in Virginia ,Lawrence is hoping to get out soon to do some painting. I like to go along with him and bark encouragement while he diligently applies paint to the canvas.

MY HUMAN IS BACK !!!!!!!!!!!

My human Lawrence has returned from LA. He got back last night and I immediately returned to my nightly habit of lying on his chest and taking a nap while he rubs my ears. I never get enough of that. I REALLY missed him. Today he is going to tell me all about the trip. If there is anything interesting I'll let you know. Gotta go ask for a treat.