Mylo and Me

How can it possibly be 20 days since my last post!? I had no intention of letting the blog slide that far in-the-rears, but you know that road to hell...

Mylo before grooming...

Mylo after grooming

Although you may not see much change in Mylo's look before and after, there was a huge change in the amount of fur on his body. The groomer cut it to about 1/2 all over, and then, cleaned up his face but left his ears and topknot. A week later his head is a mess, a cute puppy mess and he is just TOO cute for words. Everyone (else) says so! He's has very long legs, weights 16 lbs! I do not know where my puppy went, except he left his brain in the very big dog. A dog who is losing his baby teeth and getting new (two front) teeth. My puppy is over 4 months old! My brain is always focused on him.

I wish he would focus more on me as that part of the training eludes him. We are working hard to learn all the things a puppy brain should know and do. Focusing his attention on me is something he doesn't like to do. He'd rather be sniffing the ground, chasing moths in the grass, or looking for neighborhood dogs so he can bark, but every day I can see something new sink in and he is getting better (and so am I) at all.the.things. Learning is exhausting for us both. 

 

I ended my Bingo run with 4 full bingos. I could have gone for two more but neither the 'Graphic novel' nor the 'Banned in a country outside the US' felt enticing enough to seek out. All the other books I'd read just fell into place. All in all, I read 19 books. I think that's a good summer of reading.  There are many new books I'm dying to read, some I am waiting for publication, others I've got on my virtual bedside table, but all have been put to the side because I have fallen in love with Middlemarch by George Eliot. What an incredibly detailed portrait of the people who lived in the 1830s on the English countryside. I have become completely entranced by their story and I can't stop reading (reading and listening both). The audio is 35 hours and the book is over 700 pages. I love it.  

I've made 4 large roasting pans full of Vicki's Roasted Tomato Sauce using our own tomatoes, onions, garlic, basil, and thymegano. I always toss in several peppers (hot and mild), a zucchini and/or eggplant. Whatever comes from the garden that day goes into the pot. All winter long I use it for pasta sauce, soup, or a sauce to go over veggies. If I ate pizza it would make a good pizza sauce, too. From each large pot I get about 5 quart freezer bags of sauce. This sauce is the only reason I want to have a thriving garden. I'll be making my fifth batch today. 

There has been knitting, but it is mostly boring stockinette, in a soft periwinkle color. Soon it will be a finished sweater. But, what shows better on the blog is the beautiful sweet embroidery I just completed from Cozy Blue. It is about 6" across and wil make a cute decorative hanging for my front door. It was so much fun to stitch, to retrain my brain to work with fabric and embroidery floss, and to get my eyes to see the tiny little stitches. Stitching wasn't as easy as it once was, but I enjoyed the process and think I'll pull out my AC T-shirt and get back to stitching and beading. I'll keep my eyes open for another small project that speaks to my heart, as I enjoy this Cozy Blue kit. 

Cute big Mylo trying to figure out what that noise is I've been making with my mouth. One must be fresh and creative when trying to get a puppy brain to look at you. I swear. 

Wednesday's are for Unraveling

Around here, the puppy takes precedence, but there has been the occasional knitting and/or stitching going on. If the grocery shopping is done, the laundry is in progress (or finished), no other chores or errands have reared their heads, AND Mylo is sleeping, I'll pull out my embroidery or knitting and take a few stitches. I must be aware each time I'm interrupted and, at the drop of a hat, put it away. Puppies are wily and they will find your weak spot. 

The stitching has a lot of threads dangling from a color card and a very tiny needle is always attached to the fabric either by a thread or in the cloth. If puppy awakens, or I have reason to walk away, EVERY item must be tucked away and the carry bag put in a puppy-safe spot. One MUST think through their escape plan. If not, a puppy could end up at the emergency vet with a needle stuck in an unwanted spot or, at the very least, there could be a ruined piece of embroidery. I have learned this with my puppies of the past. Mylo is NOT an angel.

I bought this kit from Cozyblue on Etsy. The hoop, linen with a printed design, all threads, and instructions were included. (The design is also available as a PDF download in lieu of a kit.) Instruction is minimal so it might be helpful to know a little something about embroidery, but all stitches are standard to any embroidery book. I've had fun reliving my days with sharp needle in hand, but my eyesight is not as good as it once was and I admit to struggling. If I caved and used a magnifier there would be no problem. (I have also been knitting but, at this point, it's a boring sea of blue stockinette.)

Reading has been going well. Walking puppies, knitting, stitching, doing laundry, shopping, cooking, gardening, they are all made for audio books and I am taking full advantage. I will have at least four Bingos and possibly more before the summer is over. I didn't have to work at finding books for the subjects of each square. The books I wanted to read just seemed to fit into the squares I had. It was a very lucky summer of reading, as I've only read a couple of duds, although, they were still worth the time. 

Once the Man Booker longlist came out, it filled my TBR and I have been on a reading binge. Many of the authors were known to me because I'd read their previous works. If you've given up on reading Man Booker listed titles, due to unreadable tomes, this is the list for you (and me!). I have already read a number of books and found them worthy (and readable) choices.  

I'm coming undone with Kat and Friends! 

Month of Mylo

How crazy is it that Mylo's been with us for only 50 days, only a little over a month and a half!? He's 15 weeks as of yesterday but he seems big enough to be full grown. He has gained nearly 5 lbs since his second vet visit when he weighed in at 9.6 lbs. I hope, hope, hope he is nearly full grown, although it may be wishful thinking. 

Mylo been through (and graduated from) 6 weeks of puppy training and next week he'll start another class (of 6 weeks). He's learned many of the basics, but now we'll be going into intensive training on each subject. I think I've got my work cut out for me! I know he's smart, as I can teach him a new trick in 15 minutes, but it's sustaining the behavior that takes the long haul. He is alway all about being distracted. He does not want to be in one place (or position for long). But, he can sit, stay, lay down, stand, play dead, roll over, walk on a loose leash (no pulling) and now he can jump through my arms when I hold them into a ring!  We now need to do all of the above outdoors where distractions are rife and puppy attention is short. The next year will be about sustaining attention while working with a puppy brain. 

Mylo does not like having his picture taken, nor does he like it when I'm on my phone (which isn't often). It's quite a feat to get him to look at the camera (or me) and, yes, he is a moody sort and knows his own mind. He's happy to do what you want him to do, but only if you have a "high value" treat. I KNOW! He IS the new boss in town. Mylo collects pinecones and small sticks while he's on his walks and, if it's not too far, he'll carry them home. If he doesn't find a stick or pinecone, he'll carry (part of) his leash home.

I could tell stories and facts about Mylo all day long! He's funny, cute, sweet, naughty, and happy. We're in love and while there are times we're not sure how we'll manage some of the challenges, we do not regret having a new dog, in fact, we know this is one of the best decisions we've ever made.

I added a few things to the collage that show our world is bigger than just Myl0 focused (a little), such as the new pair of socks I knit, a picture of how well the Christmas cactus is growing (look at all the tiny new leaves!), the little piece of embroidery I'm stitching (more about it later), the roma tomatoes we have growing in our garden, and the smokey skies we're dealing with, plus the big fat blueberries I add to my oatmeal every morning.

Happy Mylo Monday the 5th, everyone!

Mylo Monday IV

This Mylo dog of mine is going to be a big boy (I just know it!). When Mylo came to live with us he weighed in at 6 lbs and, a short month later, here he is at 9.6 lbs! That's apx. as he wouldn't sit still on the scale. (Black floors make him feel like he's going to fall into the abyss so he wasn't too keen on staying put.) This boy is strong, healthy, and smart as a whip. Training him is a pleasure because he IS so smart. (Yes! Proud mom!) He now can "play dead", "roll over" (with lots of prompts and treats) and "leave it" (he's got a perfect record!) along with the usual "sit", "stay", "lay down", and "follow me" (he's getting a C so far in walking beside me). He's fun, fast, cool, and cute!

Mylo has puppy fur like nobody's business! It's black and it's beautiful and it isn't that easy to brush. I fill my hand with treats, let him go at them for all he's worth and then I comb the curls as long as he'll allow. He's good (for the most part) as long as my hand if full. 

Mylo has a busy schedule. I am the soccer mom equivalent for puppy play. We had a play date with Daisy on Tuesday, then Wednesday was Puppy Playtime at the training school. The next day we had Puppy Training where we were both put through our paces.  Calling All Dogs has been a life saver when it comes to training dogs AND humans in the art of getting puppies in line. I don't know where I'd be without their wisdom, common sense, and no nonsense training. 

Mylo needs constant stimulation and we're always looking for new ways to keep him occupied and self-entertained. Schnauzers are good at self-care and if they don't have appropriate toys for stimulation they will get into YOUR stuff. We've had 5 schnauzers, we know their tricks, and we (think we) know how to distract them away from trouble. The house is full of fun, colorful, exciting toys, made all the more exciting if a human is attached. I use the toys for (stealth) training, as well as for play. 

Mylo doesn't just have JUST a dog bowl for his food. He has an interactive dog bowl. He will inhale (as will most dogs) a bowl full of food in 30 seconds, but with the interactive bowl he has to work at getting the food, think about how to get the food, and play while getting the food. I can see him puzzling things through, figuring out ways of getting his tongue around the kibble, or popping it out of the bowl altogether. He has been learning a few tricks when it comes to kibble retrieval. I just sit back and laugh.

(Someday Smith will remember not to leave his shoes at the back door.) Having a puppy has totally changed. It's not only a LOT more expensive than last time we had a new boy, it's a lot more work, AND a ton more fun! Having Mylo in my life is not only a job, it's a lifestyle!  Who knew? 

3TT - Of This and That

For some time now I've wanted to stop by a vintage shop that's on my usual route. Their time of business and my time of leisure haven't quite coincided until last week. My main reason for stopping was to look for vintage stationary and to see if they had porcelain teacups that weren't outside my budget, as most teacups in vintage store are. I don't remember the name of the shop, but she had one box of usable stationary and the most beautiful pink teacup (Wedgewood) that was the nicely priced. Score! Exciting!

Last night the sky above the garden looked painted, so vibrant and clear. The clouds were the tail end of a cool (?) mass that just made the humidity higher (20% is high around here) and rose our hopes for rain. Rain it did not and no precipitation is in sight. We're burning up, wildfires rage, mostly man caused, but now we have new fires due to dry lightning. So far, July has been its usual dry, hot, miserable self. 

One of our gardeners has spend the last 6 years growing artichokes. No one has ever seen artichokes grown in Utah, but she's babied her plants along and now gets about 50 chokes a year. She leaves one or two to blossom which is one of the most wondrous sights. The flower looks very much like a large thistle. I love how the bees burrow down between the spikes to reach the pollen (one is in the lower right). This blossom is about 4" or so across and about as vibrant a purple as you'll ever see. 

Have you seen anything wondrous this week? 

Making lists on 3TT with Carole and the gang. 

Well, Look At That!

I've finished a pair of socks!! This pair of socks has taken the whole of 2018 to complete. I've stated my intention was to have a pair done every two months but, as it turned out, that was a pipe dream. If I'm lucky I'll have two new pair of socks by the end of the year. In any case--

They are done! AND, I'm so pleased! The yarn came from Cara (January One) in one of her destash extravaganzas. I'd never knit with, or even heard of White Birch Fiber Arts, but I enjoyed knitting with the perfectly striped yarn. The socks are very matchy, matchy, which is the point, right? The yarn is high quality and the dyeing suburb. 

The pattern I knit is the tried and true Carole's Picot Edged Sock pattern (yes, THAT Carole), which is available FOR FREE on Ravelry. The pattern is straight forward, easily understood, with perfect pictures of how to create the picot stitch cuff. You can't beat it. 

I'm pleased as punch. Here's the Ravelry link. 

My reading has been going well and I'm pages away from my second Bingo and working on my third.  I didn't have a chance to take a picture of my card, but here's a picture of what a little mazik can do when you turn your back for 30 seconds. 

Mylo pulled the bookmark out of my current read, The Light of the World by Elizabeth Alexander, and chewed up the end. I am very grateful he only wanted the free bookstore bookmark. The coaster was a casualty of the same variety a few hours later. Puppies will be puppies, do not take your eyes off him or you'll be paying for it. Next week I'll give you the lowdown on the books I've read this week.

 

And, just so you know, Mylo does not like to be taken for a walk when it is near 100 degrees, nor does he like to be told to "sit" and "look at me" while on said walk. (Training never ends around here.) As you can tell by his look, he was less than thrilled to "performing" in the heat of the day. Poor Mylo. (Poor me.)

I'm Unraveling with Kat and friends! 

Mylo Monday The Third

Because of the excessive heat Mylo and I didn't get out much this week. Temperatures of 100 or more do not make a comfortable situation when you have black curls. Mylo gave up after walking about 30 yards. He was done in. I believe there was a little backtalk as I told him we needed to finish his walk before we could go in, which he did, in his own good time. 

Mylo and I went to a concert in the park Saturday night. I had hoped being in the open air, sitting in the cool grass, listening to fun movie tunes, would cool us down, but sadly, it only made the heat feel more oppressive. Mylo dropped and didn't move the whole 30 minutes we were there, then finally, (to his mind) we left for home. 

Mornings and evenings we enjoy long walks in the outdoors. In the first 5 minutes or so he sniffs EVERYTHING, does his business, and then we're off, getting on our walking legs and walking without stopping around the half mile of our circle. We love the feeling of the cooling air on our faces and walking side by side. A walk with Mylo is one of life's "good things". 

Watching Mylo discover the world, bit by bit, step by step, can be a truly hilarious and wondrous thing. As he learns about something new, or spots an item he hasn't seen before, I can see the understanding and enlightenment slowly cross his being. He will some times growl, maybe a short high yip to get its attention, and then a sniff around or touch his nose to it to see what said thing smells like. Slowly there is realization that this is just one more new part in this larger world of many new things.

Smith and I watched when Mylo found the Japanese lantern on our patio. We think he thought it an alien (it has a pointed top and one hole that could be eye, you know) and he jumped back, studied its features, growled and gave his warning yip, and then, after a minute or so, decided it was a benign alien. (If only I'd had my camera!) He hasn't looked at it since.

This weekend it was the water in the hose that caught his eye. He saw stuff pouring from the hose and after sniffing a bit, jumping back when it hit him, he realized it was water. Of course, he wanted a drink, which took a little doing, as well as a wet head, but he got his drink. Discovering the world through the eyes of a baby, is so much fun. Mylo the silly has my heart. 

July 4th Unraveled - Just Another Day

You may have noticed this picture in my June collage amidst all the Mylo pictures. This is Cyd, a new needlepoint student who finished her first needlepoint piece (a small crow) and had it finished by the shop into an ornament. The look on her face when the shop owner handed her the finished piece was just priceless. I enjoy teaching people so enthused with the process, the project, and the social interaction of a class. Cyd's delight makes my heart happy. 

There has been considerable knitting and reading going on and I am nearly finished with my socks! This is quite an achievement after  six months of work! After missing my goal of a pair every two months, I had hoped for a finished pair the end of June. I'm only off by a few days, but should finish today, July 4th! I am listening to "The Cross" by Sigrid Undset, the third book in the Kristin Lavransdattor series. Over the last few months I have enjoyed this trilogy and hate to see it end. This book will give me my first Bingo! I lucked out with the books I wanted to read and found 5 places in a row which comprised the Bingo. There wasn't a bad book in the lot. In fact, all the books I've read for Book Bingo have been topnotch. 

Mylo and I will spend the day alone, but in the evening Smith and I will be playing and distracting Mylo from the exuberant number of fireworks in our neighborhood. He isn't too bothered by most of the noise, but the occasional loud boomers disturb us all! Pretty as they are, fireworks are not good for dogs. 

Speaking of Mylo...can you stand the cute!!?