Huck at three months

Changing every day!
 

Huck at 11 weeks

Sweet and wild.
 

Huck at 10 weeks

He's getting "leggy"; he's getting a "waist"; his muzzle is longer; the set of his ears is changing. He can now trot in a straight line. He's growing up. But look at that face! Yeah, for the moment, still a puppy. 

Dog-day afternoon

Huck whiles away a rainy fall afternoon in the time-honored puppy fashion.

Huck meets the Queen

Mia, my 2-year-old black cat who rules the household, was not amused when Huck first appeared in our house. For the first day, she made sure she was in whatever room Huck was not. By Sunday morning, however, she was tired of that, and sauntered, oh so casually, into the living room while Huck was out of his crate. My friend Nancy Wyman captured the moment of their first encounter. Thanks, Buster!

Note the different markings on Huck's left side. 

Huck's markings

Huck's markings on his right side. That black patch on his right hip is one of the reasons I picked him out of the litter! His markings are completely different on his left side, as can be seen in the photo of his first meeting with Mia.

Practicing to be a Border Collie

Here, Huck is practicing the famous Border Collie "eye" -- head low, eyes intensely focused on their "target." This is the Border Collie's most-used herding skill: intimidation.

Huck will get better.

Meet Huck!

Huck is a blue merle, rough-coated Border Collie, who came into my life on Friday, September 9, at age 9 weeks. His full name, of course, is Huckleberry Finn.

He's sweet, funny, hyper-alert, and a bundle of energy. Like all puppies, he investigates the world via his mouth. Although he's getting better, I spend much of my time on our walks taking things out of his mouth: rocks and gravel, chunks of brick, toadstools, mats of dead grass, leaves, flowers, pinecones, acorns, walnuts, bottlecaps, plastic of all kinds.

Winter in Quakertown

The Tohickon in winter, taken from the bridge on N. Ambler, on February 5, 2005. 

Mia 1

Kitten in a tree.

Mia wandered into my life on September 21, 2004. This was taken 2 months later, on November 21. Unlike all other photos on this blog, this was taken with a Kodak instamatic. 

Mia 2

"You mean, you didn't leave the drawer open for me??" Taken January 15, 2005. 

Mia 3

My favorite picture of Mia, thus far. Taken February 15, 2005.

Mia 4

Evening nap. On the desk. Taken February 15, 2005.

Mia 5

Summertime snooze. When it's a hot July, an open window's the only place to be! Taken July 16, 2005.

Mia 6

"Yeah?" I rudely awaken Mia. Taken July 16, 2005.

Squirrel 1

"Hi, there! Thanks for the peanut!" I have many gray squirrels in my yard. But this one is clever, determined, and fearless. It will come to the porch door, looking for peanuts, and follow me about the yard, begging for same. The photos that follow are of the same squirrel. Taken February 16, 2005. 

Squirrel 2

"Mmm, mmm, good!" Taken February 17, 2005. 

Squirrel 3

"Don't my paws look like hands?"

Taken February 17, 2005.

Squirrel 4

"Yum!" Taken October 2, 2005. 

Squirrel 5

"Got more???" Taken October 2, 2005.

Robin in Nest 1

She spent a long time building this nest in my neighbor's magnolia. If you look closely you can see the open beak of her begging nestling. Apparently only one hatched. I happened to be watching the day the fledgling flew to the ground - and she brought it immediately the few yards to the bowl of grapes I put out during the summer. Taken July 30, 2005. 

Robin in Nest 2

Here she looks down at me quite warily. Taken August 2, 2005. 

Male House Finch

Sitting on the stump beneath the rhododendron - a favorite spot for these birds. Taken February 15, 2005.