The Late Late Post

Good Evening Everyone

First many apologies for missing last weeks blog. My mistress and I have been stunningly busy (she doing - me having my ears bent - I believe its part of a dogs job!) Also Mistress Winter has not been particularly well so we have had to take it easy.

Since the weather has been so strange we have had the second harvesting of the herbs already (although some wretched snail has completely desimated my sweet basil). Good thing having morrocan mint ready to hand for the mistress, well recomended for sickenss.

The other ingredient to a steady digestion has been Aloe Vera. Apparently tastes 'interesting' (in other words foul) but does give long term energy something my poor mistress needs in spades at the moment. The really ironic thing is that despite being quite unwell my mistress was being told she looked radient - and she felt like she'd been shoved through a hedge backwards.

My misterss heard a story from a local nurse who also served in the TA that Aloe had been used on very badly burned patients after a bomb attack with great effect - even though the surgons e were adement that it wouldn't work and livid that their methods and medicines were not being used. It wasn't even as if the Aloe was being used instead of.

Now we have been looking at cameras as well you know - and we still haven't decided on anything. However we have been taking photos on my phone - and we are still learning how to down load them. When we do there hopefully will be a lovely one of myself and Ringo Dosey Paws the golden lab that bounced all over me until I told him I'd bounce all over him if he didn't stop. He has been very good since then and he now great company - and distinctly less bouncey.

Well that's it for now, Heres to enjoying life!!

Samwise

Walking To The Stones

Dear All

It's been a beautiful day. Very windy but very sunny

We went up to the stones at the edge of Mixlow. It must be understood that the stones are not ancient. They were put up by the local builder and there is certainly no sacred grove leading up to them but it is a very nice quiet space and a good focal point to a walk.

We found this man - made lake on the way which I thought was rather lovely

But onwards with our walk

Ah here we are

Oooh lets have a lie down

Ok we've seen them, let's go home

Sharing the red sofa with my mistress and a cup of tea

You may remember we were going to get a camera this week. My mistress did go to the local camera shop to look at some but there was so much choice that she left without making a decision. Too much info from an over - keen sales assistant, always off putting. So we used Himself's phone Any ideas for a good,basic digital camera - that doesn't cost the earth.

It has been a busy week again and my mistress had to fight to get time to look at her herbs. Some of the mint had even wilted through need of attention, including the chocolate mint but she saved it and managed to plant new mint which she bought in Saffron Waldon while visiting a friend (sorry no pictures since her phone camera is still out of order) Having lost a previous plant,she managed to replace her morrocan mint, the best for making mint tea. Mistress Winter had found the most fantastic herb stall at the local market. It sold nothing but herbs including unusual ones such as catmint and valarian. She took the opportunity to buy sweet basil which she had not been able to plant earlier in the year. Have you ever smelt freash basil? It is sublime isn't it?. Is there any reason why anyone hasn't made soap out of it?

Also this week she harvested the first of her herbs and then was faced with the problem with what do you do with all this mint? Well make sachets (she even embroidered a couple of them) and stuff them into the pockets of every garment that is in store and shove into all the bed linen so that everywhere there is the faint smell of mint. Put velcro on the top and you can always supply fresh mint.

The other option is to make the old fashioned drink mint julip which is the perfect summer drink.

Life is sweet,friends,music and herbs and I get to hear about it all.

Well that is it until next week. You never know she might have got a new camera by then and then there will be no stopping us!

Until then TTFN and remember to look after your owners

Samwise

Music Music Music!!

Dear One and All

First off many apologies for the late blog. It's just been sooo busy with work and at last with music. We have been trying to make sure we blog on a Friday but recently we haven't always made it. Just for the moment keep an eye on the blog over the weekend, we will keep to bloging around that time

What a week at work and what a week for music. My mistress loves music and Mixlow just doesn't have enough of it but this week we have been revelling in it together.

When we were in the park earlier this week we saw this fantastic trio playing at the local park. They wer playing trad jazz. We couldn't bring you sound so you'll have to take it from me that they were great but we have brought you pictures

Here they are at the band stand

Me on the way home

And then my mistress went off to see a concert performance of Bizets Carmen at the local church. No dogs or cameras but because it took place literally at the end of our road and could hear everything. It was a stunning performance for a local choir and the soloists were spectacular. All this in the local comunity. As my mistress says Carmen can be become a little tired it is so popular, a little corney perhaps but not this time. Himself went with her having never seen it before and even he came back tapping his toes and singing the meloldies. He said how suprised he was to know so many tunes.

Then as if this wasn't enough my Mistress was off again but this time to play music with friends. Four of them are learning to play the guitar including Himself who hasn't played in years. Again I couldn't go becuase I don't travel well and my mistress couldn't bring photos since her phone has packed up (we are definately going to get a proper camera this week). But I heard from the friends dog Henry on the twilight bark, that it was a great evening sitting in a fabulous garden (he has definately promised pictures in a month or so's time when they visit again) four guitars and a violin having a whale of a time in the evening sun playing such songs as Hey Mr Tambourne Man and Leaving On A Jet Plane eating good food.I just wish I had been there

You must be thinking that I have missed out an awful lot this weekend but it was made up for by a truely sublime dog and mistress moment. The late great Humphrey Littleton was on radio playing Big Band and Swing Jazz, My mistress and I were in the bedroom putting away the washing in the bedroom when all of a sudden a Count Bassey came on with one hell of a beat. We were off my mistress and I dancing and swinging about, Big Bernie my friend from the other side keeping time with his tail. It was a perfect moment which we both loved.

Well that's it for this week

Keep well and look after your owners.

TTFN

Samwise

Dog Roses!!

Hello Everyone

Sorry for the late blog. My mistress has been so busy - both at work and play.

This was me this morning. I just couldn't resist putting it at the top of today's blog. I was just so happy to be out in the sunlight!

We were out early this morning due to the hot weather. Usually I don't get up until nine but this morning Bernard, my friend from the other side was pushing me out of bed reminding me that the heat is not good for my heart.

When we went to down load today's pictures we found the pictures we took last week with my friend Digger. Digger is rather a handsome fellow so I thought you might like to see him. He is a bit of a pin up boy among the lady dogs round here but he's a good mate to me

Here is Digger greeting us and telling me about the dog roses

This is me inspecting the roses

Here's one happy Digger

These next pictures are of the roses we found this morning. We were out early this morning due to the fact that we knew it was going to be a very hot day. The sun was absolutely fantastic Normally I don't get up until about nine but Bernard (my friend who went to the bridge) was with me pushing me out of bed,reminding me that the heat is not good for my heart. We went to the fields at the back of our house and found these lovely flowers.

It's hard to believe that such beautiful flowers should be at the entrance to an ugly electrical power station and yet that is exactly where they are

The rest of the day my mistress and I spent in the yard as she planted out yet more herbs. She has found a passion for mint. Apparently you can get mint in may different guises and she has managed to collect no less than seven. They are apple mint, garden mint, cologne mint (which smells exquisite) black spear mint pine apple mint, lavender mint, basil mint and chocolate mint. Yes ladies a growing chocolate mint. On visiting friends yesterday I heard that she had been discussing a new recipe which involved purifying this mint to add to ice cream.

We now have a very scented corner of the yard to sit in. There are other herbs in the garden such as lavender and rosemary,lemon balm, thyme and sage but the sweet smell of mint is like nothing else.(Mint is very good for the digestion and for travel sickness as well as cleansing the pallet). When things have grown on a bit I will put up a photo. I have suggested to my mistress that the next project we try is to grow a chamomile seat.

To finish with, I thought I would leave you with this quote I found on the bags of our local book store

'Outside a dog a book is a man's best friend - inside it's too dark to read!!'

We think it is by T S Elliot

Until next week, look after yourselves and your owners

TTFN

Samwise

Pictures At Last

Dear All

We have it! At last we have photo's. Just the one tonight and one from my photo album. It is me enjoying the afternoon sun. I am in the field just at the back of where I live and it was taken by Himself a few days ago. Not bad even if I do say so myself . Keep watching this space for our next step will be learning to down load our pictures from our cameras and we have gathered quite a lot. My mistress and I are both excited since neither of us are really computer buffs and this is a great achievement. Archie, Agatha I have the pictures of the dog roses I told you about stored up I will put them into the next blog for you and the story that goes with them. Anyway that's all tonight folks, we're off to celebrate our success

TTFN to everyone

Samwise

May Blog Part One

Good Evening One and All

It's a short blog tonight but one of two so watch this space. My mistress and I have been looking at putting pictures on the blog and have got so far but now have run out of steam. We hope to have pictures on Sunday

Its been an interesting week though. At the begining we all watched a drama documentary discussing what would happen if the human race disappeared off the face of the earth. Dogs apparently would be the first to suffer. It was so depressing that my mistress and I left Himself to watch it. Crashed out on our respective beds we had a long chat about the awfulness of humans to animals. Since the credit crunch more and more domestic pets are being got rid of. It is hard to understand logically and almost impossible emotionally. (Bernie came to join us - he was able to get onto my mistresses bed. Because he is of a different world now, he doesn't leave dog hair anywhere!!)

After asurring me yet again she would never leave me we turned onto more general things such as my new bed, one we could fit in the washing machine more easily. My diet is getting better with her cooking although the real problem is - I don't like the medicine she and Himself put into it. My mistress said what was I complaining about, she had to drink aloe vera to make sure she stayed well and that was truely foul. (It works well though, she takes it for migrains and has only had one in the last three months -truely a record). We have come to a compromise though - meidcine with a prime bit of beef cooked to my taste.

I took the opportunity to ask why she was so nutty about quite ordinary things such as birds herbs and flowers. She explained that as a child and young adult life had been so fast and complicated she had not had the time or encouragement to notice more simple things in life. In her family city life was much more exciting and really anything to do with nature was pushed aside. Now she is just getting used to the excitement of watching such things as ants at work carrying a leaf home and like all converts - she wants to share it - with everyone

She's off again. Hopefully we will be bringing you pictures of the dog roses that have burst out everywhere locally. They are absolutely exquisit being creamy white with a hint of pale pink on the petals

Ah excuse me, dinner time and I'm starving -as usual

TTFN

Samwise

The Wise Woman Of the Town, The Wise Man of the Woods And Gentle Mistress Blue

Hello, Hello, Hello

Well we have just come back from a damp walk in the local field. I had to push my Mistress off the sofa for a trot after hearing of the terrible events that happened to Mistress Blue. I find walking a good way of getting my Mistress to settle her thoughts. In many aspects it is a scrub land out there but with the steady tread of our feet and the constant chorus of bird song to accompany them it makes thinking much easier in such circumstances

We were going to try for pictures on the blog today but in light of what has happened these seem minor things that can wait. Since this evening Mistress Blue and my mistress have decided to have a telephone one to one in a little while in the meantime my mistress and I will be practicing taking photo's for you all to see. While I think about it, our greetings to Archie and Agather. Archie is working on smell o vision a fine cause for a blog - and a dog!

Mistress Winter and I have been sitting quietly thinking of Mistress Blue hardly knowing how to express our feelings of horror at the events and sympathy to our dear friend. Like many of you Mistress Winter and I have known such a dark side of life. Some like me were born into it others fall into it.Most of us manage to get out of such times and places but others never do and they are the ones who often attach themselves in one way or another to such gentle souls as my Mistress Blue. There are few things sensible that one can say at such times but only extend our affection to help and protect Mistress Blue as much as possible.

Photo's have made an interesting dimension to our walks these days. Until now my mistress has never been that interested in taking pictures. Unless of people or events, my mistress finds that scenic pictures quite often only interests those who have taken them for they have particular memories of such places.In the last week though we have been out taking photos and learning lessons about such matters. The first of these is, if you are going to take photos for others to see then you need an actual camera, not as in my mistress's case a phone. She managed to take some photos of the secret bit of herb bed in the park and some of the park itself and some of me but a phone doth not a camera make!. The second lesson we found was that taking photos actually make you look at what you are taking. When Mistress Winter described the herb bed to me, such was her excitement that it seemed much fuller than it was. Looking at the photos of it, it was not half as impressive. My mistress was tempted to do a little furtive gardening of her own there - I would help with the digging of course. We'll have these pictures with you soon.

Our walks this week have been most helpful for calming my Mistress's mind in such busy times -and make my life calmer too for like all dogs I pick up on my Mistress's worry in a way only animals can. You will remember last weeks Friday walk, I forgot to tell you the fascination of watching a thrush bashing seven bells out of a snail that my Mistress found which was only tinged a little with some regret for the snail. The relief of mind just watching this tiny bird so intent on his meal was something new to my Mistress. It made her more awhere of birds than she had ever been before. So much so that for a few minutes standing somewhere, so mundane as a bus que in town, she watched a pigeon pecking away on a dropped cookie. The biscuit was too big for the bird to fly away with but so sure he was to make the best of this excellent meal that he went at it again and again, strutting away when people dashed by disturbing his work and then darting back to peck at it again. For a few minutes my mistress told me that she was completely fixed by this birds absolute determination to get this food. When she looked up again for her bus she felt that she had actually rested.

Something else to think of. Where my mistress works she meets many many people,.Most good and ordinary, some difficult and demanding others just plain bonkers, it's the way of the job but just occasionally she meets someone who is truly magical. This was so with a young man who walked in with a calm all of his own. He asked for some herbs that my mistress served him and as she did so he spoke of the neckless that she was wearing. My mistress often wears a little pendent of The White Horse of Uffington, a great carving made thousands of years ago into the chalk hillside of, I think Wiltshire. Such a place is older than old with a wisdom that cannot be described only felt when there. The writer Terry Pratchet sums up the carving beautifully by describing it as the movement of a horse rather than the physical accuracy of a picture of a horse. While looking at this pendant the man suggested that she was a wise woman and seemed surprised to find such in the city. My mistress smiled and said you could find such folk everywhere if you looked hard enough. The man said that he lived near the great horse in the woods there and could never live in the town. I know that my mistress has always been a towns woman but for one brief moment something far older in her soul that had walked the hills and wood of her land looked out at the wise man of the woods and the soul of the woods man nodded back in acknowledgement - for one perfect moment there was understanding. Then he smiled, paid his monies and left. No romance, no flirtation just that split moment of encounter that leaves one quiet for a while. Please note, all those who are reaching for matches as I tell you this that my Mistress has only one god and that is God.

Well that is it for this week. I am off for my usual pre sleep nap for this evening

TTFN


Samwise