Ever Vigilant

     The change in seasons brings new sights and sounds to the lives of the pups.  Our log home has a metal roof and the ice and snow sliding off and crashing to the ground made them jumpy and constantly on guard for the first couple of snows we had.  Now they glance up and ignore it.
     The end of hunting season has brought the deer back out to graze and as the grass is browned and often covered with snow, they come closer to the house where the rain runoff areas that are sheltered from the worst of the winds, often have more grass or clover still available.  Their scent and occasional glimpse of them make the dogs crazy.
     Ranger, the mastiff, takes offense at the vacuum, barking at it like it is going to eat me, brooms and mops are potential toys, to chase.  This makes cleaning up the constant coating of dog hair a bit of a challenge and I have learned to do it when they are outside chasing each other or to our dismay, exploring the creeks that are flowing freely with the rain and snow melt.
     The newest item of their concern, however are two tiny Tufted Titmice that discovered a dried sunflower that I hung last fall from the eaves of the front porch.  They have been flitting in and out grabbing seeds for the past several days.  At first the dogs barked, scaring the little birds away.  Now they sit, vigilant. . .

Ranger, bone in mouth, watching them from the living room windows.

Shadow, alert and probably wondering if she could catch one, she is the stink bug annihilator, chasing them down and eating them.  She also brought me a dead, half eaten squirrel a few day ago.  Only she know where she got that one, but it was still flexible.

The source of their attentiveness.  Our guard dogs.