News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
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It’s been a few years since I had Scotties who wanted to help me clean the house. The old pack helped with the vacuuming. This bunch, being five-months young, are loaded with energy, and they want to help with the floor mopping after vacuuming. Now, it’s a lot harder mopping with their help than vacuuming with their aid. All they do with the vacuum is bite at the vacuum head and bark. The mop is a whole new opportunity. I have to push hard on the mop handle to keep them from s... Full story
November and December of 2023 felt like April, warm, lots of sun, and all the plants were turning green. But January 2024 quickly blew in like a lion charging a mule deer buck. It could have taken us all down but for one important thing. Difficult times usually bring out the best in people, and Sisters Country people are the best ever. My husband and I contracted a very nasty cold around the first of January. It still had us in its grip when this bitter cold and snow came to... Full story
Truly, Scotties and all dogs are the best friends we have. Yes, we have loyal families and spouses. But as some find out, even family members and spouses have been known to desert us. But a well-loved dog is devoted to its keeper for life. It may sound silly to some, but it seems that the many thousands of years that humans and dogs have spent together has made the once mighty wolf into a reflection of the very best that humans can be. Unless trained otherwise, a dog is... Full story
The legend behind the development of the Scottish Terrier breed is that an English lord, living in Scotland in the 1800s, evaluated his new breed of dogs by saying, “These dogs act just like the people I live around here in Scotland. They are tough, smart, and stubborn as the devil himself. We’ll call them Scottish Terriers.” Well, they are all of that, especially stubborn! Like any particularly smart child, the Scotties want to be able to make choices for themselves. And,... Full story
I’ve lived all my life with cats and dogs. If you read this column regularly, you know I love dogs. I like cats. Some I’ve lived with were truly wonderful. Smoki, who became the Magical Cat in my six-book children’s series, “Harry and Lola Adventures,” was sweet, intelligent, and just plain wonderful. Which is why he became a magical hero in the book series. Smoki was an exception to what I’m about to say. It has been observed that attitude is the major difference between cat... Full story
During our four decades of marriage, my husband and I have loved and entertained nine Scotties and other pets. I look forward to seeing all of the Scotties and the many other horses and pets I have loved and enjoyed throughout my entire life. I am confident that we will meet again. Why do I have such confidence? There are a number of reasons, but I’ll only explore two of them in this column. The first reason is a huge one. Do you remember your eighth-grade general science c... Full story
Many dogs exhibit separation anxiety. Our rescued twelve-year-old Scottie, Piper, having lost 75 percent of her hearing, is now very dependent upon her care-giver. In the past she stayed in the car for an hour without getting upset. Now she howls the minute the car door closes. Bernie, the other Scottie, is with her for company, but that isn’t enough. She wants me with her. Her first five years were spent in a happy home. Then her caregiver passed away. The next two years w... Full story
As spring finally clawed its way into Central Oregon, early mornings brought wonderful peace and quiet. The Scotties love the quiet, enjoying it in the backyard. They lie down and survey the acres of green vistas in front of them, seeing the morning dew glistening upon the grass. I would love to know what they are thinking about. They look like contentment itself. Maybe they hear from God, the same way we can when we seek and find silence. Mastering and enjoying silence is... Full story
Our little Scottie girl, Piper, is sweetness on four feet. Not all Scotties are anywhere near as sweet as her. She loves all people and kids and lets them know that she loves them. She lovingly greets everyone. The people she loves the most hear a little squeaky extra greeting and sometimes she’ll run around expressing her joy. Where does all that bubbling love come from? The first part of the answer really is that she was born with love in her heart like all living things. Th... Full story
Whether it is about treats, car rides, catching balls, or taking walks, my Scotties are the more-more-kids. They never have enough of what they want. When someone can’t ever get enough of something — anything — it will deprive that person of inner peace. This is the big trap for people who are heavily mixed up with today’s politics. When I was young most people didn’t pay much attention to politics except during elections. But today it has become much more commo... Full story
