EMPS: Pepper's Earth Tones

When Carly asked to see Earth Tones for the Ellipsis Monday Photo Shoot, I immediately thought of my dog Pepper. Here's why:



Pepper is a digger, especially when she's got a bone or rawhide she can bury, or when she's just been groomed. And there's nothing more earth toned than dirt! Above is John's attempt at a flowerbed. He's added bricks to discourage Pepper's digging and protect the flowers, but that doesn't stop her. At all.



See what I mean? She's incorrigible!



This is the fence between us and one of our neighbors. John added the rattan or whatever it is to help hold back the dust Pepper kicks up when the dogs are running back and forth, barking wildly. This happens pretty much every night and every morning, and who knows how many times during the day when we're not here. There! I just heard Pepper out there howling!



Here's the Trouble Dog herself, considering her options. Notice the cement blocks John has placed next to the rattan. I'm not sure whether that's to hold the rattan up or fill in holes that Pepper dug. Probably both!

We have a few theories. One is that Pepper is trying to keep bones and such away from Cayenne, so she can have them later. She's been known to carry the things around for days on end, and even try to bury them in the couch or the bedclothes. Sometimes she gets so anxious about the buried treasure that he asks to go out in the middle of the night to guard it.

The other theory is that, as a furry dog intended to herd reindeer, she likes to make a nest of cool dirt. Both are true, I think.

Karen

Queen of the Yard of the Weird

Tuffy welcomes me to her domain.

It's Round Robin time! This week's topic, "Backyard Photgraphy," was suggested by Tammie Jean of Long Drives To Nowhere. She reminds us that "you don't have to go very far to get great shots - there are plenty of opportunities right there in front of you."

Looking through our fence, at an alley and another fence!

Well, maybe. The sad truth (for me anyway) is that the Back Yard of the Museum of the Weird (let's just call it the Yard of the Weird) is an unsightly mess. Thick, weedy grass grows quickly back there, pushing up through dirt and concrete. The swimming pool is empty (long story), the only tree fell down two years ago and was carted away in pieces, and hardly any wildlife ever turns up inside the fenced enclosure.

Our view of the neighbors' back yard.

No trees, no flowers (most of the time), no birds but the occasional dove, and not much of a view (fences and houses obstruct the mountains). Basically what we have is dirt, grass, weeds, and various structures that need repair or replacement - oh, and a slab of turquoise colored concrete. In fact, John (who does all the yard work, and home improvements generally) would prefer that I not photograph the back yard at all. But here we go anyway!

A single feather says that a bird visited the yard. Maybe.

Elderly, lopsided electrical boxes, plus cable and phone lines.

Tuffy likes the yard much better than we do.

Really, there's only one photogenic feature in the Yard of the Weird - and here she is now. Tuffy spends far more time back there than John and I do combined.

Tuffy loves it when I visit her yard.

Those of you who only check this blog every couple of weeks may be unaware that Tuffy has had two operations in the past 15 days. On September 20th, the day I was hired by Famous Vehicle Dealer, she had three benign cysts removed from her head, shoulder and side. The biopsy they took of her tongue that day turned out to be cancer, a squamous cell carcinoma. On Monday, October 1st, she visited the animal oncologist and had cancer surgery the same day. She was miserable for a few days, but is recovering nicely, and happily frisked about the yard as I took these photos after work this evening.

Yard of the Weird - threat or menace? Tuffy is oblivious.

From what I've read, all the time Tuffy spends in the yard may be a contributing factor in her health issues. All that Arizona sunshine is probably why her eyes are a little milky these days with cataracts, and may even have been a cause of her carcinoma. But you can't explain such things to a dog. All we can do is take her to the vet when she needs it, and let her enjoy the Yard of the Weird.

After all, somebody should.

Now go see everyone else's back yard photography. I bet the other Robins have much prettier sights to show you! And remember, you are invited to join in as well, and to suggest a future Round Robin topic. See the Round Robin blog for details!

Karen


Challenge Linking List

Tammie - Posted!
Long Drives to Nowhere
http://tammiejean.blogspot.com

Steven - Posted!
(sometimes)photoblog
http://sepintx.blogspot.com

Carly - Posted!
Ellipsis
http://ellipsissuddenlycarly.blogspot.com

Tara - Posted!
A Long Walk Home
http://journals.aol.com/tarastomsgirl/LifeisWonderful

Janet - Posted!
fond of photography
http://fondofphotography.blogspot.com

Suzanne R - Posted!
New Suzanne R's Life
http://newsuzannerslife.blogspot.com

Vick - Posted!
Maraca
http://mymaracas.blogspot.com

Gattina - Posted!
Keyhole Pictures
http://gattina-keyholepictures.blogspot.com

Karen - Posted!
Outpost Mâvarin
http://outmavarin.blogspot.com

Julie - Posted!
Julie's Web Journal
http://www.barrettmanor.com/julie/journal.aspx

Teena - Posted!
It's all about me!
http://purple4mee.blogspot.com

Barren, Boring Pre-Monsoon Yard

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Take a picture of something interesting in your yard (or take a picture of some fun happening). Front yard, back yard, side yards, it's all good. If you live in an apartment or otherwise don't have access to a yard, something at a local park or garden works well (or just take a picture of your windowsill garden).

Fortunately for this shoot, John just did a bunch of yard work. But that only makes the yard neat, not interesting. Still, let's take a look anyway:

Front Yard:

The bougainvillea that was snowed on in January, looked completely dead in March and April and started to revive in May and June, has one flower as July begins.

Not so this not so green evergreen. It's been failing for years.

Back Yard:

I seldom miss a chance to photograph Tuffy in the back yard, easily its most photogenic feature when she's there.

John recently lined up all our back yard furniture and other stuff on its way out of our lives, the better to get the rest of the yard under control.

You may have noticed that the grass and trees are dry, dry, dry, despite John's watering. But July is here, and the monsoon will start soon. When that happens, the desert will be greener.

Karen