Maizy True

This is the re-homing photo of Maizy. I chose another dog. I couldn't imagine loving such a "scruffy" dog! I wrote paragraphs about my lifestyle, feeding habits, trips to the beach and dog park and the owner of that dog simply replied, "No."   No explanation; just no. And I kept returning to Maizy. I wrote her pawrents on March 6 and heard nothing. I kept thinking I didn't deserve a dog. They called on March 8th. I was running laps with my boys at school and my aide answered my phone. Spying the mean principal on the yard, he ducked into a bush and told the caller all about me and just how lucky their dog would be with me! When the coast was clear, he came running, holding out my phone. "It's the DOG!!"

She wanted me to come that night. I had a root canal at 3:30! As the dentist was drilling and drilling, all I could think about was that puppy! The dentist took so long! It was after 6. I called...it was still a 75 minute drive. They said come! We met at a church; their church. Maizy leapt out of the car and into my arms!  She was hyper / crazy / insane. I was thinking it was lack of exercise but the people at the church knew her. "Do you want her?" "YES!" 

I followed them home and fed her supper. They showed me how she was trained to potty behind the bushes. I put her in the car and she jumped out and took off down the street. The neighbors all knew her and helped me catch her.  She was nervous...but she didn't seem scared. 

She got on the bed but she didn't sleep the first night. The next day, we hit the park and breakfast at Mabel's favorite spot. She jumped on the sofa next to me and looked around and smiled.  She hasn't stopped smiling. 

She reminds me of the Mabel Lou so much! Only she lets me rub her belly and she does not argue! But so smart and so fast! She's had an argument with one of the skunks that come in the yard 3 times... and never been sprayed! Mind you, that skunk has attempted to spray ME for simply walking nearby!

We've had several vet visits, including the first one above. Maizy had DEEP ears and gets infections. I can tell when it's coming on and can often avoid a vet trip with a good cleaning. But she is TERRIFIED of the vet's office. Not the vet though. 

Maizy has a wicked good sense of humor and loves game play. She is honestly the happiest dog I've ever known! 

She's a hunter! I found evidence of her playing with her prey on my bedroom floor, my bed and in the yard! She's brought me a mouse she killed in the yard! And she's gotten a few critters at the creek....but she leaves the ground squirrels alone. We really need to discuss that.

She is also the only dog I've ever had that pays attention to the tv! She barks at any and every dog on television and many other animals! It's exhausting. The other day I really wanted to watch The One and Only Ivan and to my surprise, she simply watched it. NO barking! 

She loves the creek. She explores but doesn't disappear on me. She did take off after three coyotes when I got her. I dashed into the creek right after her and she managed to get back across the creek without me seeing her. I found myself knee-deep in the river, slipping on mossy rocks with her looking at me like I'm nuts! She's has not run off since. 

This is her "I'm so patient waiting furEVER for momma to get ready" pose. 

Like all my dogs, she LOVES coffee!  She's not always patient when waiting for the dregs of my cup. 

When we are hiking in the wilds, she is most often found walking right next to me. Not in front; never behind. It's annoying when the trail is narrow. But I do love that she stays so close. As with Macy Blue, "Find a good mom!" will bring her right to me! 

She was a little terrified of the river until her pals showed her what to do. Now, she just adores the water. I really love how this just runs through the generations of our hiking pack. I still remember when we met baby Aria, the rott. Mabel Lou just looked after her and showed her how to dip in the water. Aria taught Macy and Maizy. And Maizy was trying to teach Aria's little sister Roux the other day! 

She's SUPER  fast. During the Pandemic, we do a long walk each morning. Some days we go to a little park near the house and I let her off leash on the tiny patch of green grass. She runs zoomies while I stretch. 

Maizy True loves the ocean. This was her second visit. She was a little put off by the creek that "moves at you!" But she adored it before the trip was over. 

 

She has lots of her friends but this girl is her absolute bestie. Bella is half Chihuahua and half German shepherd! They will play NON-stop if we don't give them a time out! Maizy actually sprained her tail from wagging it too much when Bella came over! Poor Bella has gone home limping from their antics!  They make each other SO happy, so we try to get them together a few times a week. 

She is so joyful, I feel so very blessed to have her! 

Maizy True Stats: 

DoB: 12/26/2018

Gotcha Day: 3/08/2019

DNA: 64% Golden Retriever / 12% Husky / 12% Poodle / 12% Berger Blanc Suisse

Best trick: holding her paws "just so" to put on her sports bra

Best unwanted trick: Closing the middle console in the jeep so she can work her way into the front seat.

Edibles: Anything mom is eating... except fruit and medicine "treats"

Toys: Loves anything she can tear up! 

Macy the Blue

I promised myself that before I put up one more review, I would do the Macy update that... has been in my head for months - and months.  It's so hard to get enthused about this blog... Mabel was so damn colorful and something happened almost every single day. She was an entertainment riot!  Macy...is not. She's barely a dog!

Most of the time I don't even know she's there. She doesn't complain. Unless I'm in the kitchen, she's often not in the same room with me. (Funny, she just slipped into the office...) Her affections are few and far between...making me relish each and every one.

Macy the Badass

Macy got skunked back in March. While the chunk of flesh missing from her nose is obvious in this photo, the other damage is not.

There was a long streak cut across the other side of her nose and under her chin. And the primary smell zone (if you can call it that when you take a direct hit) was on the left side of her neck.  I'm pretty certain this means Miss Blue picked that skunk up! I thought Mabel Lou was badass... but Miss Macy has her beat....

Add in the time I rounded a bend on a mountain trail and found her PLAYING with a giant rattler! Yes, I marched her behind back for round two of rattlesnake training. Badass. Dumbass...I'm still not certain what I'm dealing with here.

Just 'cause I Let You Stand on My Tail...

Macy is constantly described as "stoic." Her vet, the rattlesnake trainers, friends, strangers use this term. Macy does not register emotion the way my previous dogs have. She limps with such a bob and weave that everyone who sees her will ask me what I'm doing hiking her. Yet on the mountain, she races with barely a limp! And she begs to go. It's the only time of day she gets excited. She doesn't get this excited over FOOD!


I knew when I picked Macy that I would have a problem with the height differential between the oh-so-super-model-tall Mabel and less than 1/2 her size Macy. I've nearly gone arse over teacups several times. But twice recently, I thought I was standing on the rubber mats in the shop only to find I was standing on Macy! Her tail once and her paw another time!

Neither time she made no effort to move, cry out or even let me know I was hurting her! Each time, as I realized it, I looked at her to find her staring at me, wide-eyed...but nothing else!

Emotions Are Not Her Forte

 Often when I have Macy out in public, people will tell me she looks sad. While she does have a worried look on her face... and her crooked eyebrows and ginormous jowls add to the perceived sadness, to me she often registers no emotion at all. Except...

The Big Boom Booms!!

The 4th of July was interesting. Terrifying for MB and blissful for me! Last year, Macy had been here barely a month. So instead of going up the hill to hang in the RottRover's front yard with creek buddies, I stayed home and swam and watched the local fireworks from the pool. Macy seemed fine.

I have no recollection of New Year's except I had the Swine Flu... I'm certain I took copious drugs and went to bed.  But this 4th... I went up the mountain to visit friends. I left Macy with the doggy door access but in the house, windows closed, a/c on and televisions in several rooms tuned to an easy listening station.

I returned home to a terrified pup. Shaking, drooling... and oh-so-affectionate!  This is the first year since I've lived in this house that the fireworks didn't start mid June. I heard the first one around 4 pm on the 3rd! But they have continued off and on. And some part of me is grateful!

Not only does she seek me out for comfort, I get cuddles and kisses and she'll nibble and play growl during the quiet times! And...she even slept with me the night of the 4th! ALL NIGHT LONG!  Happy mommy!

Play School

I read an article in Bark magazine about how beneficial play is to the relationship of dog / human (bonding/ sense of fairness / trust / shared joy) . Great. Whaddaydo when the dog doesn't know HOW to play?  Well, I'm a teacher and I'm not about allow lack of understanding in a subject stand in the way.

So, I've been giving Macy play lessons almost daily. I pick up one of her toys and race outside with it. I toss it in the air and catch it and run some more.  I roll in the grass. I pick it up and run in the house and repeat inside. And she's slowly joining me. There are days she clearly wants her toy all to herself. And I give her that. But there are days, she wants to engage me. She picked up her toy, glanced at me out of the corner of her eye and darted outside. I followed. We played.

And...the first few days we played... I got unsolicited cuddles on the sofa! Even better, it seems to carry over to how she interacts with the other dogs in the pack... Look at her chasing Wizard up there! She often got the toy that day!!

The Dog I Need

It's said you don't get the dog you want. You get the one you need. I've avoided most human relationships because I'm certain I'll be unappreciated at best and mistreated at worst. Macy seems to feel the same way about humans and not much better about most dogs. It's been thrilling to watch her choose to interact with dogs hiking or at the dog park. Recently, a stranger offered to pet her and she walked to her and stood there, getting pets and love! I just about cried!

I hear myself telling Macy, "Love doesn't have to hurt! There is someone who sees how wonderful and special you are!" And I hope it's sinking in for both of us!

Oh Just Get Over Yourself!

I've been terrified of this post. I was petrified about what to write. Yes, I've hit post number 1000. It just feels like I should write something profound or interesting. But in the end, I've decided just to get it over with!


No, I had no idea what this blog would do to me back in November of 2006 when I started this journey. I gave it very little thought. I had been reading Velvet's blog and many on her blog list back then and after cautiously commenting on some, I felt I had something to say and took the plunge. I never dreamed it would lead to 1000 posts. I never really thought I had that much to say!

Mabel Lou the Super Model (photo by Rottrover)

Knowing I would hit 1000 (I thought it would be last year), I started a page (never published so don't bother looking!) called Essential Creekhiker. It was to feature one or two of my favorite posts from each month of this blog. Which led to Essential Mabel Lou... because she is my co-star and #1 muse. I started re-reading this blog from the begining... I got bored before I finished three years! If it bores me, it probably bores you too...

But I was always a writer.

I wrote as part of my job creating bids for commercial directors. Ad agencies are incapable of understanding budgets and so a "sales" letter must accompany every bid. Often I would be sitting at my computer in some motorhome on the set of some commercial and the writers would be quibbling over dialog. I would spit out the fix over my shoulder and go on with my work. I can't tell you how many times that happened!

I remember writing an addition to Rodgers and Hammerstein's King Arthur on the fly back in high school when a temperamental make up artist caused Morgan Le Fay to miss her entrance.

When I left my "real" production job to go through surgery and run my own business, I didn't miss commuting or people. I missed writing. I joined a local writing group. It was a blast. I wrote some of my best stuff ever. But then the men in the group started fighting over every little comma  and almost came to blows. I was done.

And then came blogging. I've met a number of bloggers in person since starting this process. I was most star struck to meet Velvet... she's one of my favorite writers and I simply adore her.  And I've encouraged many others to blog.  Taking photos while hiking, I explained to my hiking buddy what "blog fodder" was and that she could see pics of her rotts on my blog.  She started reading all the dog blogs and even started her own. It still smarts that she gets so many more comments than me. But I blog about too many subjects to really worry about that.

The Unfaithful Writer Tries to Find Herself...

Yes, this may have been my first blog... but it's not my one and only. I quickly realized what a good business practice it is to have a blog. And I tired of posting beads and my sales stuff here. It felt sacrilegious!  So I started a bead blog. I soon realized that the rss feed set up of a blog and places like etsy and artfire - that allows for instantaneous sharing when a new item is listed - would be excellent for a website! So after a few feeble attempts at my own dot com for my glass beads, I restarted it using a word press template with a shopping cart built in. All because I had learned to blog! So, that gets us to three!

I manage a team blog for other bead makers. Four!

Because I am forever in search of a gig or way to make some money, I needed a place to stash some of my published work. So... writing blog! (Sorely in need of updates!) That's Five!

Along the way, another friend started learning how to actually make money blogging. Not just pennies but a living! I was already curious about some of the repeat hits I get on this blog. A post about taking the CBEST constantly gets hits. Another post on a long cancelled tv show that jumped the shark gets tons of traffic to this day. A rejected article I wrote for aol about gifts for pet lovers...tons o hits. The post I wish I had not titled "Doggie Porn" ... way too many hits (Ewwww! Creepy!!).

All of this led to my "retail adventures in blogging" trying to find a way to get a blog popular enough to make a little dough. Jump the Shark and Retail Rants and Raves were utter failures. (Six and Seven! OMG! I'm tired!)

I suddenly realized, I really "should" have a blog for my day job...food safe rubber stamps as too many bloggers were writing about the technique and leading to much misinformation that can get people sick. So... Food Safe Rubber Stamping started last year! EIGHT!

And finally... I found my niche with number nine. In March of last year, I was googling the terms "glass beads" and "lampwork" and realized that no ONE artist was EVER going to crack the "Chinese Wall" of garbage glass beads on the internet. But... if a bunch of us were to use ONE public site over and over, we could make it to the first page of Google. And Glass Beads Daily was born. It has been successful beyond my dreams!

And no, number nine won't be my last... I have at least two more up my sleeve!

I realize that blogging came along at just the right time for me. I was working alone and from home. It was a creative outlet that allowed me to promote my businesses and connect with others.

I think I only have two or three readers from the beginning and I'm happy they've stayed with considering all the changes this blog has undergone. And though my fingertips may wander... this blog is home. It's more ME than any of the others.

And just for the record:

This is actually my 1006th post...if you count drafts. There is a post for Mr. Chewy pending. A post about my New Year's Resolution which is starting to bore me. Both of those will see the light of day.

But I have others I'm not sure why I started:

• A post about things I've had to rent. From the mundane helicopters, private jets, cranes and gorilla suits to the far more interesting submarines, reindeer and a working prison. 
• A post titled What Not to do to the Dying - my way of lashing out at some of the stupid things people said and did while my sister was sick. I may never have the guts to share that. 
• A Things that Make you go Hmmm... too short to bother
• A post about the best day of my life... that has no point

So it's really post 1006...No big deal

But then if you count those others:
Fire Divas - 142
Holly's Folly Beads  - 681
Writer Holly Dare - 28
Retail Rants n Raves - 7
Jump The Shark - 4
Food Safe Rubber Stamping - 26
Glass Beads Daily - 278

This post is actually my 2,172nd post... I don't know what I was so afraid of. No big deal, really.

Thoughts on the Trip

The three of us are Home! Mabel Lou, Baby and I made it home. We are thrilled and happy despite a rude little flight attendant that didn't like big dogs and the fact that our flight was originally headed to San Francisco and we had some unhappy co-passengers!

This is Mabel Lou's first creek hike last night. I was pointing the camera at her and asked, "Mabel, are you HAPPY?" and this is what I got:

It was such a lovely night with friends... until Hank and Sue took off and met a skunk! I spent the evening taking supplies to their Mom. Poor babies!

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I haven't spent much time in Louisiana in the summer in such a long time and I was struck by so many contrasts between my two homes...


Ripoff Report:
It's odd to me what items are expensive in one place vs. the other. In Louisiana, milk and produce are much more expensive... and there's a dairy just outside Baton Rouge. But milk is about a $1.25 more in most stores! And produce prices are terribly high there...is it because more people garden and there is less demand?

I had to buy some of these for a friend in CA recently.

They were a buck a piece! Really??? What mom would buy pre-made frozen sandwiches for a buck each! That tag is from Louisiana and that price would make them .598 cents each! Why such a big price difference???

Gasoline is nearly a buck more a gallon here. Our government claims it's the "expensive" detergents required to meet California summer emissions...  Excuse me while I laugh.

I know housing is so pricey here but many other things are the same or even less...

DUCK Goose!

The first day I visited my Mom at rehab, I was over the moon to see this goose family a few feet from my car:

I'm kinda terrified of geese...I was attacked by them once on a film location!  But the bird babies got me. By the time Mom left, one of the babies was MIA. One evening as I was driving home, I stopped my car in the middle of the street because the family was passing. I was honked at and given the middle finger salute and not one vehicle stopped for the family! OK, we're talking a grand total of three cars on this remote street but still!

Cut to my trip to the thrift store this morning: I see a local peacock family crossing my street. I stopped. Mom looked beat to bits...like a coyote got a hold of her. I was most surprised to see a big male helping her tend the two chicks.

And the three other cars that I encountered??? They all stopped and watched! There's something to be said for us nutty Californians!

God is Everywhere
Funny but that sort of sums up my religious philosophy but, in the case of the South, I mean it literally! It was to the point where it was starting to offend me and I'm a very spiritual person who also believes in leaving others to make their own dang minds up. If you ask me, I'll tell you what I believe and why but I don't go around trying to lead a flock anywhere. Heck, there as days I feel I've done a good job and if me and dog are still alive at the end of it!

But there are NUMEROUS religious television channels on 24/7! My personal favorite was a charlatan who insisted God would bless me if I only sowed a "thousand dollar favor" to plant a "triple favor seed" with the Lord....(That's ONLY 84 dollar a month!)  By "the Lord" he meant his ministry.   When I think of some of the dim witted, but kind-hearted folks I know that would fall for this crap, it gives me greater understanding of the old Southern phrase "he needed killin!" I really don't understand how the FCC can allow such cons on the air!

And then with the 4th of July even the local yokel news anchors were throwing around "God Bless America and God Bless YOU" at the end of their commercials advertising their fireworks spectacular. I only ate out in a restaurant a total of three times but one of them was selling little crosses and stitched pillows reminding me that Jesus is Lord. If you want to find the Lord, I'm certain He's in the South. Or you could at least find a replica to purchase!

But all of this made me wonder... WHY go to church? You can preached at endlessly, tithe and order religious ephemera all from the comfort of your air conditioned home!

Patience for Patients

Taking care of my strong and willful mom was an eye opening experience. So many issues of my own inadequacy from the constant criticism are way too near the surface. I couldn't help but think of taking care of my sister just six months before.

No matter what I did for my sis, there was that kind, sweet little voice ALWAYS... "Thank youuuu! Thank YOU!" for everything. She knew she was hard to please but she always said it. I remember trying to move her. I couldn't lift her but I knew she could hold onto my neck. I would tell her we were dancing. "Take a step right, take a step back." She listened and I could maneuver her where I needed her to go, cheek to cheek. She would kiss me and thank me.

I would change her diapers and she would look up at me and apologize over and over. My response was always the same, "Hey, you changed mine! Now it's my turn!"

And while it's natural for my mother to long for her lost child gazing through the perfection colored glasses of loss, I wish, just once, I could feel like the good daughter I know I am. One who is not always wrong in everything she does.

Frosty Paws National Adopt a Shelter Dog Giveaway

October is National Adopt a Shelter Dog Month. Miss Mabel Lou was adopted from our local East Valley Shelter 10 1/2 years ago! Bart and my previous baby, Maggie May did time there too and Milly did time in a Ventura County Shelter. I often go to the shelter to pay registration fees and I'm always dumbstruck by how many pups and kittehs need homes.

I was just thrilled to be asked to help Frosty Paws help promote National Adopt a Shelter Dog Month! Mabel Lou did her part to help "snoopervise."

Our box of goodies arrived today in the mail and Mabel had to know what was in there! I think I'll just let her take over:

Mabel Lou here. I just love when good stuff comes in the mail! 

 

I couldn't wait for Mom to open it and let me see what's inside...My GOODNESS! L@@k at all those stuffies!!! And coupons for FREE FROSTY PAWS!! OH MY DOG!!!!

 Mom says they aren't all for me... but that we get to keep a stuffie and a couple of coupons! Since mom buys me Frosty Paws all the time, I'm sure she appreciates it!! I know I do!!! 

But Mom? What are we gonna do with all the rest?

We get to give them away??? OMD!!!

The nice folks at Frosty Paws sent along prepaid mailer boxes for all those stuffies and coupons - enough for 10 winners!!! Isn't that nice! 

Momma has put a rafflercopter thingy below with all the ways you can win. Be sure to leave a comment here telling us about your passion for Frosty Paws or about your beloved shelter pet. And Momma says you can tweet every day for more entries!!! Whooo Hoo...

But Mom??? All this talk of Frosty Paws is making me want a little snacky. And it IS over 80 degrees today... hint hint????


Allrighty Miss Mabel! Good job on telling the folks about the giveaway! Here's your reward:

See??? I really do love my Frosty Paws! 

Momma just HAD to get a picture of me with that stuffie which I'm supposed to tell you is for the humans. It is NOT for the animals! Geesh! Now Momma will you put away that flashy beast and let me eat my Frosty Paws in peace???

 Mabel and I both want to remind you, if you have room in your home, your heart will not regret the love you find at a shelter! Please adopt!

Please click the rafflecopter widget to comment to enter the drawing!!

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mischief on the Back Porch

A few years ago, I awoke  from a lovely spring or fall nap in time to feed Miss Mabel. I went to the back porch and was shocked to find that something had eaten through the handle in the lid of the trashcan where her food was stored! It was even more disturbing to me that the can was stored under a bathroom window mere feet from my bed. The gnawing never woke either one of us!

I repaired the handle with lots of duct tape and moved the can across the porch and rarely thought about it. When I did, I often wondered what type of creature could do that. I knew it wasn't a coon... they actually try to open the lid and even turn the can over. I finally decided it must be a rat but I thought it odd that with all the rats that can come in off the canal, none had tried it again.

And then yesterday, I got my answer! About 5:30, I went out to get Mabel's bowl and found a mess on the porch! The duct tape had been eaten away and an even larger hole was now in the can! Knowing that I had a hungry pooch waiting, I reached in the bag to scoop out some food and... IT MOVED!  I looked down into the trash can and found a squirrel! I had seen a squirrel earlier in the week at the fountain by the shop. Now that I have that working again... the fences being fixed have inspired me a bit...I guess the water sound is attracting critters.

Since the squirrel was behind the food bag, I quickly scooped some kibble and placed the lid back on the can. I just love that the little guy didn't really plan his meal out; he got a way in but with the slick, straight sides, he couldn't get out. I occupied Mabel by feeding her dinner inside the house. I took the lid off the can and tilted it over. Even though I had my camera at the ready... he was gone in a flash.

I taped an old credit card over the opening and decided to add a layer of aluminum foil. As cute as he is, I hope he finds another buffet!

Duckpdate 8/14

This is the last picture I was able to get of the ducks. Mabel and Bart are such brats... they give me no peace and not enough quiet when I try to visit the ducks. Normally, the two fur-brats would veer downstream and disappear for 10 - 20 minutes! But now they know my wishes so well, they roll around in the duck pond instead! They scare the team into hiding and they won't leave my side while the ducks are around.

Just after this shot was snapped, we headed on over to to the river and the two promptly disappeared! They can't give me five minutes with my ducks but they disappear as soon as they think I've lost interest! ARGH!

So... I now avoid the duckpond altogether. But the other night, I saw 10 ducks flying in formation... and my heart leaped! I still miss them. I still worry about them!

Moo Cards

I have long wanted Moo cards - little mini business cards - for this blog for a long time. Why?? I'm out shooting pictures and someone always asks what I'm doing. Or I meet a nice dog to hike with (a la Mr. Freckles) and I tell the dog's human to see the pics on CreekHiker and ... the tell me point blank, "Oh, I'll never remember that!"

[You would be AMAZED at how many hikers I meet in the creek who claim they cannot remember CreekHiker!]

Once I saw the mini Moos... I knew I wanted them. But... I thought they were a bit pricey at 20 bucks for a hundred. (I buy my real business cards at GotPrint and paid around 48 bucks for 5000!)

They are finally here:

That's just a few of the images! On the back, I designed a quick little gif file with the address: 

They are pretty nifty but - I found Moo's shipping charges to be crazy high. I'm writing a Pros and Cons on the whole process on the business / bead blog today. 

I did get two 15% off coupon codes for NEW Moo customers so...if you are interested, email me. (Offer good to the first two emails ONLY.) OR... I posted another alternative to Moo on the bead blog as well which is an excellent choice for folks with some photoshop skills!

Skunked!

Mabel Lou here. Oh boy has it been CRAZY around here! My mom has been having a case of the mental fits again.

It alls started last week when for some reason, Mom decides it's backwards hiking day. She just does this from time to time... it's our usual hike but go in the way we usually come out. No biggie, Bart and I can adapt.

I rubbed my nose so hard, I took the skin off!

But near the end, Barticus the Farticus and I were snooping around the pond and Mom was much further down, near where we turn around. All of a sudden she comes hot footing out there. Honestly, she was moving so fast, legs flying everywhere. She was calling us to her and Bart went to see about her but I went to inspect what made her so scared. I mean...she's come out of there fast before but she's usually all baby talk and trying to get us to move on to the Big Creek but I knew, this time, Mom was scared!

I get down there and all I can see is the dumb looking black and white kitty. I tried to put her in her place for scaring my mom and she lifted her tail and sprayed some awful smelling stuff on my face! I turned around and started rubbing my face on my butt. I've never encountered a kitty quite like this one!

Just SOME of Mom's potions!

I finally caught up to Mom and Bart and suddenly Mom thinks someone has dumped a car in the creek cause all she smells is burnt rubber and metal. It took a while to make her understand...that was ME she was smelling! (Apparently Mom thinks black and white kitty spray smells like something different than it DOES!) Mom actually drove us to Bart's with her head out the window!

I heard her telling Auntie to come to the car and something about "skunked." Before Auntie came near the car, she made a stinky face and said, "Oh Mabel Lou! You did get skunked."

More of her potions! That red bottle is the Hairy Beast Professional shampoo that Mom thinks stinks so good... whatever!

Mom explained that the black and white kitty was really a creature called a skunk and that spray was telling me to back off! We later learned from our friend 'tilla's dad that the skunk kitty has SEVEN babies!!! So that's what had her so upset!

Anyway, back to Mom and her mental fits. We got home and she locked me outside and made a bunch of phone calls. The whole time she kept putting jars of all kinds of stuffs on the patio. And then, she turned on the water! Now, I love a good dip in the creek, but a bath is a whole other Oprah! I hate hate HATE them!

Me...tied to the Arbor. COULD YOU PUT THAT DANG CAMERA DOWN AND DRY ME OFF MOM???

Mom tied me up to the arbor and she washed me. And then she did it again and again and again and AGAIN! EIGHT FREAKING TIMES she washed me. And to add insult to injury, she did again the NEXT day. EIGHT MORE BATHS!!!!!!!!! And now, daily, she washes my FACE! I think she's just gone nuts! All because I played with a skunk kitty!

Me hiding in the dirt...hoping to get some of that shampoo off me.

Mom's got some more pictures and some recipe she's determined to share so I'm signing off (and going to see if I can hide the shampoo!).

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Mabel's mom here. Yes, I did bathe her eight times two days in a row. And I thought I would share what I learned.

Mabel allowing the baking soda / peroxide to soak. (It's been raining so much here, the grass and weeds are taller than Mabel!)

The skunk spray is oil based so normal shampooing does not work. Skin So Soft by Avon really seemed to help break some of the oil down, followed by a good shampoo with Dawn (no bleach!) dishwashing soap.

The other recipe I found through my dog - trainer brother in law was actually featured on Myth Busters. This actually chemically breaks down the skunk spray allowing it to be washed off:

• 1 bottle 3% peroxide
• 1/4 cup baking soda
• 1 -2 T Dawn

Mix into a slurry, lather and let set, then rinse.

The peroxide soda mix makes some pretty suds on the concrete!

But she still smells faintly of skunk and it reactivates when Mabel dips in the creek daily! We've tried other things to help with the smell:

• tomato juice
• lemon juice
• mouthwash (I worried about the alcohol hurting her skin but she didn't seem to mind)
• vinegar (Ditto on the skin irritation... she took it in stride)
• Dawn (alone)
• T-gel shampoo - blends well with skunk smell
• Hairy Beast shampoo - covers odors fairly well

I'm still amazed this happened but...we do hike in the wild! I just wish it was not on her face. Every time I go to kiss her...SKUNK!

Still Sleeping with a Killer

It happened AGAIN yesterday. Mabel killed again. We were at the creek, midday - between doctor visits for me.

Mabel had been on alert. The ground squirrels were running and squealing all the way from the car into Dirty Creek. We've had a number of trees fall over the winter and then the floods washed out a lot of the ground around the trees. I have to hop over branches while watching where I step to avoid holes and stay on the trail.

I was mid hop when I heard screaming to my left. In the water, a mere 10 feet away, was a ground squirrel  - which looked a lot like a rat - running straight for me. Mabel was hot on his heels. I squealed and dance -hopped further downstream and turned around to see where they went.

Mabel - I kid you not - was doing a headstand!!! For like 10 seconds!!! I counted! The squirrel had headed under the branches of a fallen tree. With limbs everywhere and nowhere to really stand, Mabel was on her front paws and digging for the squirrel with her nose while kicking her hind legs in the air to stay upside down!!! She finally came down and bounced a bit to gain a foothold. And within seconds, she had the squirrel in her jaws.

I ran to them screaming at Mabel. "NO NO NO NO NO DROP IT NO!"

And then I heard bones crunching. Only then did she drop it. She picked it up and crunched some more.

Mabel dropped him again and ...pranced around all proud of herself. She bowed up and went looking for more!

And this is what bugs me about the killer I share my bed with. I can't pretend her killing is just a goofy dog who doesn't know her own strength...which is what I've told myself about incident #1. Nor can I say she does it for food.

'tila Boy, our hiking buddy, killed his first rabbit a few weeks ago. He ate every last bit including big ears and fuzzy wuzzy tail!  That, I can forgive. But not Mabel. She left it there as if to warn the other ground squirrels: Mabel Lou was here!

That was just the beginning of a brutal day for me.  I got some earth shattering news...bad, bad news. And nothing I want to share here yet. I finally crawled in bed exhausted at 1 am this morning and Mabel was being her usual bed hog self. I asked her to move several times and she refused. Finally I got out of bed to spin her around to her side and she snarled at me - certainly still feeling her oats. And I snarled right back! It takes a certain top dog mentality to live with a rottweiler. They test you.

I know she's "just being a dog" but it's hard to reconcile the creature I've seen kill two helpless animals with the one who cries and curls in my lap when she has a tummy ache.

Creekhiker - Global Animal Blogging Event

Hello Animal Lovers! I'm inviting you to go on a fantastic tour with me through some of the best animal blogs on the net! Mabel Lou's beloved pal Twinkie is hosting this event, nicknamed "GABE," over on her blog and you will find links to all the participating sites there. Not only will you meet lots of other animal lovers along the way, there are PRIZES involved!!! Whooo Hooo!

UPDATE 4/1: Here is the page with all the other blog links on it!!!

To win a prize, all you have to do is comment and BE SURE to leave me a way to contact you. Either leave your email or have an "email me" button on your blog... NO exceptions!

Now, here's what you are playing for on the Creekhiker site:


I am a glass artist, working mostly in torched beads (oops! We are moving servers and that site is down!) and memorial beads containing the ashes of loved ones, however, I fuse from time to time. These art glass pendants were made with actual photos! That's family up on the left. The top right is one of our hiking buddies, Sue. And below... my regulars will recognize as the first Creekhiker logo. The winner of my drawing will receive a custom glass piece with their critter's photo fused in. Please know that this is a custom piece and will take a little time to finish and YOU will have to send me a high quality, high contrast photo of your pet.

About the Creekhiker blog: Creekhiker is my blog about life with my "rotten-weiler," Mabel Lou, in the foothills of Southern California. The people we meet and the beauty we encounter on our daily hikes are often featured here. I hope you'll come back and visit again.

Don't forget to check out Twinkie's blog on April 1 and meet some new animal lovers and good luck with all those fabulous prizes!

Gift Ideas for Pet Lovers

[Note: This article was written for an online magazine. They didn't have the good sense to buy it but you still get to read it.]

If you are shopping for a pet lover, ideas for unique and interesting gifts are limitless. From hamsters to hounds, Persians to pigs, there is a gift to suit everyone and every budget.

A terrific gift for any animal lover is high quality treats. Heidi’s Homemade Bakery offers organic treats for dogs, cats and horses. Treats start at 6.50 and they even have a do it yourself birthday cake kit with organic mix and bone shaped pans.

If the pet lover in your life has a “furiend” that is a specific breed, Drs Foster and Smith has some excellent choices. Travel mugs with a favorite cat or dog breed are available for 13.99. They also have customizable place mats to keep the pet’s dining area tidy for 7.99 and up.

But that’s not all. This site has all kinds of items for every pet lover, whether you are shopping for a fish collector or reptile lover. You can find pony pops for 12.99 or a ferret play mat with tunnels for exploration for $40.For people with unusual pets, you can find or even make customized gifts at Zazzle. A quick search on the site reveals all kinds of products featuring pets such as mugs, key chains and even pet clothing. If you are handy with a camera or graphics, you can upload your own artwork to the site and print customized items such as postage stamps, mouse pads or posters.

And let’s not forget those folks who dress up their dogs. Spoiled Bratzwear sells unique collars and coats for pups and will even custom make clothing for canines with a colder constitution. A custom knit coat for a Chihuahua runs $18.00 and prices go up depending on size and fabric.


If you have a pet lover that loves to dress themselves up, lampwork artist Lauren May Mazursky ofMaybeads will turn a photo of a pet into a gorgeous glass bead! Certain “hair styles” don’t always work in glass but she can capture vaious breeds of dogs, cats, turtles, pigs and sheep in a keepsake bead for around $16.00 - $25.00.

One of the nicest gifts for a pet lover is a customized portrait of their pet. Arizona graphic artist Cindy Vandiver will create a pop art style portrait from any pet photograph for between $45 and $100 depending on size of the finished art.

No matter what breed or even species, you can find a fantastic gift your animal loving friend is sure to adore.

(photo by Maybeads, used by permission)

Sneaky Sad Adventure

Yesterday, I was overcome with the feeling I HAD to see the arroyo that I fell so in love with this time last year... the one that burned in the Station Fire. Kat and I have hiked up the trail a few times since the fire but the trail has "no entry" signs posted just where the trail gets good and interesting. From that vantage, we knew the ranger homes had been saved but that meant the trail with it's rocky vantage points along the stream bed had surely burned.

I left Mabel Lou at home thinking that if I were alone, maybe I could slip past the ranger homes and onto the trail. I planned to ask Kat and Linguini to wait there for me to slip in and take some photos. But, as we approached the trail closure, we encountered a quarter of caballeros coming out of the trail and we could see more hikers up ahead.

So off we all went. We barely made it to the ranger houses before we found fire damage. Downstream, we had noticed flood damage - sections of fence missing; the creek bed moved - but we didn't give it much thought.

Upstream, it was clear that all the flood damage had been caused by the fire. There is a ravine just before the ranger homes that, prior to the fire, was barely noticeable. But now with the mountain up above burned, there was nothing left to prevent dirt and debris from washing down, completely washing out the ravine and revealing the underground pipes put in place to prevent just such a flood. And just as quickly, a new trail, trod by many was revealed and on we went.

The road beside the homes was covered in debris and just beyond, the road WAS the stream. The stream bed had shifted at good 30 feet to the east, probably due to all the ash, soot and burnt logs that had settled in the original stream. We had to hug the mountain base to maneuver around the new stream.


And finally we were at our destination. It was almost like attending a funeral for an old friend. While it only burnt in spots, so much junk has washed down from the fire raped mountains that all our lovely rocks were buried. Many of the trees that rested across the stream were...gone. And the canyon, so dark, it was hard to imagine it will ever be the same.