Grace Likes .....

Every day we are learning more about who Grace is and what she likes. So far we've figured out that she likes ....

The Yard

She lays in it

Relaxes in it

Plays in it

She finally figured out what to do with the basketball

Ready? Set? Paws On? .... Play!!!

She hides in it

Guess it is a good thing I never got around to trimming the weeds, errrr I mean 'wild flowers' last summer

To chew things ......

Notice the ripped up box under her feet and the "What??!! I wasn't doing anything - I'm just standing here being cute" look on her face?!!

She thinks no on sees her walking away with a part of a plastic cat house.

"What this?  I have this in my mouth all the time.  I'm just carrying it."

I can almost hear her logic:  "If I can't see you, you can't see me .... so I think I'm good and safe to chew on this piece of screen I rescued from the recycle bin.  Thank goodness I rescued it -- what are they thinking recycling a perfectly good piece of screen." 

Note:  She didn't get to keep the screen, it was successfully recycled before it was shredded and/or eaten. 

Getting this newspaper was a pretty slick trick.  I had a stack of magazines with a single section of newspaper stuck in between a couple of the magazines.  Grace goes over and dainty as you please, grabs the newspaper and pulls it out from the stack of magazines - with out disturbing the stack - takes it back to her house and proceeds to start tearing it to bits.

Very 'shredding' focused

She was having so much fun, I didn't have the heart to take it away - so I let her shred to her heart's content.  Cleaned up the pieces and sent them to the compost pile.  AND made a mental note - any papers that I want to keep need to be stored out of range of Grace's nose (and teeth).

She likes B-O-N-E-S!!!

She was very good when faced with a pan of bones.

She took one

Of course before she got her "one", she had to test sniff them all.

Snuggling with LB

Their friendship is amazing

 Could they be any cuter?!!

Hanging with her toys

in her house

outside her house

Hanging with the horses

 Hiya Miss!

Really?!!  Hank said "THAT" ??!!  Then what did you say?

Look at me Miss - when I run real fast and then stop, my butt goes up in the air .... !

I'm looking behind me and don't see anything - look on your left, do you see anything?

How about your right - see anything there?

Okay - Let's go over the plan again?

Yeah, Yeah - I think I see what you're seeing ....

Okay Nicker, you wait here and keep and eye out - I'll check down the fence and be right back.

Sleeping

Grace really likes sleeping

When Grace Met Maggie

At 13, Maggie is the oldest member of our critter family.  She is also the shyest.  And the fussiest.  And the bossiest.  And the sweetest and silliest and just the dearest cat ever.  She is also very particular, set in her ways and she doesn't make friends quickly or on a whim.  She likes what she likes (or doesn't) and that is what she likes (or not).

Maggie was rescued by our vet in San Antonio and came to live with us when she was just a little bit of a kitten.  She could sit in the palm of my hand with room to spare.  No doubt, she's got heart!   And a mind of her own. 

Anyway, Maggie lives in a house (just like Grace's) just across the room from Grace.  Maggie has her own house (she likes to think of it as her castle and she is the Queen) so that she can be a part of the family and at the same time, have her own space away from LB's antics.  She is a little old and a little too sweet and set in her ways to have to put up with LB's paw whaps and tail chasing games. 

As Grace has been coming out of her house more, she and Maggie have gone nose to nose a couple of times through the wire walls .... so they are not total strangers.  Truth be told, in spite of separate living quarters, they without question, partners.  Grace teams up with Maggie every morning to roust me out of bed.  Maggie starts every day pretty much talking as loud as she can.  I swear she has and alarm clock built in - she hits 5 am within 5 minutes every time.  Her point - she likes to start her day with a couple of treats - and since I like to sleep till 5, Maggie feels it is her duty to let me know when it is time to get up and get her treats.  Grace gives Maggie a couple of minutes and if no one has come to deliver treats or let her (Grace) out ..... she chimes in with Maggie.  Believe me when I say, there is no sleeping through a meowing yowling cat and a talking dog.

Tonight during Maggie's time out and about, I thought it might be nice for her to meet Grace in Grace's space.  Maggie didn't seem to think it was a 'bad' idea .......

First sniff

When it comes to sniffing - Grace is all business

When it comes to head rubs and pets - Maggie is all business AND never misses an opportunity

 "Hmmmm - not bad I like what you've done with the place Grace"

 

Comfy

Grace was on her best hostess behavior

Maggie was on her best guest behavior

When it was time for Maggie to go home, Grace gave her a snuggle and showed her the door.

I think a good time was had by all.

Grace Goes for a Walk to the Hay Hill

You might not think that going for a walk, especially for a dog, is an event worth noting - for Grace, it is both noteworthy and picture worthy ....

It has taken about 3 weeks for Grace to settle into having a yard, a place that she can call "all hers".  She likes to spend time outside - everything from laying on what passes for grass at the ranch (grass, alfalfa, pretty flowering weeds), to chatting with the cats, sniffing the breeze, helping aerate the yard - in general, doing what dogs do and 'hanging out in her yard'.

We found she does okay with a harness - as long as you don't leave it on her when she is locked in her house!  She chewed through the pretty pink one she was wearing when she arrived .... stinker!  Leashes however, seem to confound her.  Put a leash on and it is as if someone tied a rock to her tail.  Same thing with going outside the yard.  I have to carry her through the gate and the minute I set her down, there she stays.  That is okay - we're learning and we will figure it out .... I have a feeling that before you know it she will be taking us on walks!

In the spirit of expanding horizons, I thought last weekend would be a good time to give Grace a taste and a sniff or two, of what lies beyond her yard.  Since she is so fond of the horses, I thought that maybe a walk through the horses eating and sleeping zones might be able to tempt her. 

Off we went on our walk. We started at the upper hay hill across from the barnyard.  Grace started with her imitation of a rock.  Undaunted, I started with my best imitation of me carrying Grace pretending to be a 40 pound rock.

Sniffing one direction

Sniffing the other direction

And 'another' direction

We headed to the big hay hill behind the house. To my surprise she walked herself, leash and all, about 20 feet.  Some folks might say, 'pfftpft 20 feet, that is nothing for a dog she should have walked 10 times that'.  She will. Maybe.  Or she won't.  Right now, I don't give a hoot how far she walked .... I am pretty darn excited that she walked on her own, while wearing her harness and her leash .... Go Grace!!

Grace walking on her own - leash and all!!

Checking out the view from the big hay hill

The air must smell better when you squint your eyes .......

Ruler of all she surveys ....  Queen Grace and her kingdom!

In no way does having hay on the end of her nose interfere with her sniffing (her dignity)

 She takes surveying her kingdom very seriously

She is also very serious about belly rubs!

Could it get any better than this?!! 

Nice soft bed of hay peppered with horse manure, intriguing smells on the breeze, sunshine AND belly rubs ..... This IS the LIFE!!!

Thinking about walking and thinking "not so much so".  Happy to stand between my feet until I figured out I was supposed to pick her up if we were going to head back to the yard.

Back in her yard

We had a very good day.

It was a very good walk.