My Bit of Earth

Ice Storm

Yesterday it was a balmy, breezy 70 degrees, today we're covered with ice (including my tiny Hens'n'Chicks pictured here).  I can't pretend I'm sad--I like Spring in Spring, not Spring in Winter and Fall.  And I'll always find some magic in dragging Sweet Husband and the pups out for a walk in a quiet, sparkling night encased in ice.

Moe Speaks: I Am Fascinated By Fire

It was icy here today--not snowy, but icy--the hard stuff that kinda hurts my toes. When Mom came home she was very chilly so she built a fire in our little fire place.

I think we might have had fires last year, but I don't remember them being this interesting. I could sit and stare at it for days and days. I'd like to nose around in it and discover its secret, but it's kind of hot and there's a screen in my way. So I'm just lying in front of it, enjoying the sparks and crackles and nice, warm glow.

Counting Down the Days

For several years I've been searching for an advent calendar.  You'd be surprised at how hard it is to find one that's appealing to people over age 8.  I really love the advent house in the movie Christmas Vacation, but I just can't see blowing my whole Christmas budget on one.  Sooo....that leaves me waiting several years until we maybe have kid and I can live vicariously through him or her or still searching.

But this year I think I've found a solution.  Inspired by this pretty countdown tree, I got a tiny fake potted tree at the craft store, a little ribbon, some tasty, all natural, apple pie flavored doggy treats (they smell incredible!), and--wahlah--a pretty and grown-up little advent tree.

Do the dogs get that we're counting down the days until Christmas?  Eh, no, but they understand treats every night, and that's perfectly wonderful to me.

(On a slightly ironic note, however, the day I made this tree for the pups was also the day we had to put our Christmas tree IN JAIL to protect the presents underneath from the very same diabolical duo--I ask you, where's the gratitude?)

Helping Those Who Help Themselves

We got our "Santa Paws" pictures back the other day.  The Humane Society had their annual animal fair--at which this picture was taken--a little early this year, methinks so people could have their pictures back in time for Holiday cards.  Aside from many ohhs and ahhs about how sweet my little darlins' look (with poor Santa holding onto Porter's leash for dear life and clinging to Moe with what looks to be a wrestling hold), the pictures got me thinking about how a lot of animal shelters could really learn a lot from the Lawrence Humane Society (LHS).

Granted, I only have knowledge of one other place to compare it to, and I know that Lawrence (dog-heaven) is a bit of an anomaly; but in the town where I grew up (not mentioning names) Humane Society fund raising consisted of coffee cans placed by cash registers of local businesses and a thrift shop that sold things for its benefit.  And (although the shelter has since raised money for a better facility) you could tell.  The few times I was there, the dogs were kept several dogs to a run in mostly outdoor runs.  They weren't necessarily kept clean.  What's more, all you had to do was show up and pay the fee to adopt a dog or a cat--no checks to make sure your landlord allowed pets, no checks to make sure you weren't going to take the dog or cat and do God-knows-what with it.  The whole place had an air of desperation about it.  Desperate animals, and people (very kind hearted people, I have to add) who were desperate to get them adopted to make room for more.

And We're Back...

...from a very full Thanksgiving with family and friends.  It was nice to have a long weekend for some extended catching up.  Usually our trips home are so busy seeing family that it's hard to find time for friends too, but this weekend we had lots of both.  And our hometown is one of those little Midwestern ones where everyone seems to come home for the holidays and you always run into people you haven't seen in forever--very nice!  Pictures are here.

Quick Quotes Quill Friday: In Celebration of MY Birthday

"[O]n Harry's birthday (which the Dursley's completely ignored) he had received four superb birthday cakes, one each from Ron, Hermione, Hagrid, and Sirius.  Harry still had two of them left, and so, looking forward to a real breakfast when he got back upstairs, he ate his grapefruit without complaint."

--Goblet of Fire

Moe Speaks: I Found a Mouse

When it gets cold outside, sometimes brave little field mice decide to come into our house. Dad sets the springy peanut buttery things, but I'm also always on the prowl. One time I even caught one--it was great fun to play with!

And yesterday, I smelled another one. I looked into the little space between the fridge and the cabinet, and I saw him laying on top of one of the springy peanut buttery things. I barked and scratched like mad, trying to get to him. Mom heard me and she came running in to see what was the matter.

When she saw what I had found, she started laughing. She told me, "Good boy, Moe-moe! But next time find me one that's a little more lively." 

Yup, it's true, centuries of terrier instinct and I found one already dead mouse.

It Keeps Getting Better

I'm running out of cute "oh look, it's more great stuff promoting the movie" headlines, but TLC now has the HBO special "first look" at OOP up.  It gives away a lot more than even the teaser so be warned if this is something you don't want to know.

I think the villains in this one are going to be completely delicious (Umbridge and Bella both!).  There are some parts that I envisioned differently, like Grawp and the Hall of Prophecy, but in this case I think different might not be bad for me. 

I really love the scene where Snape is teaching Harry Occlumency--Harry: "I'm not weak"; Snape "Then prove it!"--I think it might really end up helping out some of the Snape-is-not-a-death-eater people.  It's all in the look on Alan Rickman's face--like he needs Harry to get Occlumency, needs it so desperately that he's beyond the point of pussy-footing around or being sarcastic even.  Yes, yes, I know--the movies don't "prove" anything, but Rickman has to have discussed his character with Jo, and I think that makes him as good a person as any to watch for clues.

And Dumbledore.  I make no secret of the fact that I'm not a fan of Michael Gambon's Dumbledore.  I thought he was doddering in PoA, and borderline abusive in GoF.  I know he's not really that bad, it's just that he's not Richard Harris.  *Sigh*  But despite my anti-Gambon leanings I think that all of the anxiousness/fear/even anger that I thought was inappropriate for Dumbledore in GoF is probably right on course for OOP, so maybe Gambon will be better this time around.

The Teaser Trailer Is Up!

And it's got me all a dither--I had to watch it 3 times!

Maybe it's because Phoenix isn't my favorite of the books (i.e. I'm not fearing they'll leave out some minor point that I adore, but isn't necessary to advance the plot) but I'm really excited for this one, and the trailer has only made me more so.  It looks like they've really taken some of the darkness from the book (remember that this is the one with the misty blue cover, and the angry, angry Harry) and translated it beautifully.  Only 234 long, agonizing days!

Oh, yeah, and (the important part) you can watch the trailer here.

Moe Speaks: I Did Not Eat Matches

As soon as she came in the door this evening, I could tell Mom had a long day--she looked just plain crashed out. I was trying to be comforting (jumping, wagging, licking) when she walked into the living room and let out a big "ARRGH!" It was the kind of sound that I knew meant trouble.

See there's a little vase by our fireplace that has lots of seashells and stuff in it, and I had accidently knocked it over earlier. But that wasn't really what Mom was upset about, as I quickly found out.

"Where are the rest of the matches Moe?" she kept saying, as she frantically looked around, holding a single match in her hand. 

What I knew and Mom didn't, was that this was not the first time I had knocked over the vase today. The first time, the little box of matches that Mom keeps there to light fires came tumbling out. I nosed at the box enough to spill the matches everywhere--I even licked one a little--but I quickly learned that matches don't taste or smell good, so I left them alone. When Dad came home for lunch he picked up the matches and threw them away, but he accidently missed just one.

I tried to communicate all of this to Mom--I didn't want her to worry that I was poisoned--but she just wasn't getting the message. Thankfully, just then Dad came home and told her what really happened. 

I'll admit, I 've had a few "culinary adventures" but matches? Yuck!

Moe Speaks: Porter is Mean

She keeps stealing the squeaky toy that I got at my T-Test, and when I try and steal it back she gets all snarky. I keep trying to sneak up on her, or to get it back when she's not looking, but she's been taking it to bed with her and sleeping on it even. It's not fair!

And when I go tell Mom (or give her sad looks with my pretty brown eyes) Mom just says, "Sorry, little man, I don't mess with the pecking order around here, I only try to stay at the top of it."

(But, Mom did tell Porter that the toy wasn't allowed to go outside, so I did get to play for a few minutes while Port was pottying.)

And Pours S'more

New websites are up for the OOP movie.  The UK version is here, and the US version is here (although I really can't tell the difference between the two).  My thoughts?  They're both way cooler than this site, but well, they're Warner Brothers and I'm, um, me.  But really, they're beautiful, go check them out.

A New TT In the Family

For the second weekend in a row, the Moe-man and I got up early for some dog related activity.  Thankfully, this morning we only had to go to the far side of Kansas City (that's KC MO, for us) so Moe could take an ATTS temperament test.

What is this temperament-test-thingy, you ask?  Well, it's kind of a walk in the park, or at least that's what it's set up to simulate.  You and your dog go through 10 different stations involving all kinds of stimuli like different sorts of footing, meeting a friendly (and later a not-so-friendly) stranger, hearing a gun shot.  Your dog's reactions are judged based on its breed, age, and the kinds of training it has had.  If your dog shows undue aggression, panic without recovery, or extreme avoidance, the dog fails.  If not the dog passes and earns its TT (that's Temperament Title).  (For further example, there's a video of Porter's T-Test here, although it's not the greatest.)

Moe Speaks: My TT Test

Mom and I got up early this morning and drove to Kansas City for something called a Temperament Test. Porter took hers last summer (and just barely passed, I might add) so Mom decided that, since the test was close, I should try it too.

I did very well. I investigated everything I was supposed to investigate, was friendly when I was supposed to be, and I went after that funny guy that was walking towards Mom. The judge said that I was a "very confident little dog" and I passed with flying colors.

Mom seemed pretty happy. And I got a new squeaky toy out of the deal, so that was cool.

When It Rains It Pours

Here are s'more wonderful pictures from the movie!  They were just posted, so I'm having trouble getting a look at the full size images (everyone else is trying to look too, I guess), but from the thumbnails they look great.

Our Little Harry Is All Grown Up

I don't think I was quite ready for it, but along with an article discussing it, here is a picture of Harry kissing Cho.  TLC also has some other pictures from the movie that are well worth checking out.

Quick Quotes Quill Friday: The Smartest Witch of Her Age

"[I]f we can't trust Dumbledore, we can't trust anyone."

--Hermione Granger, Order of the Phoenix

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

And perhaps we'll be getting a Christmas present from a certain wonderful author soon?  The official word from Jo is that she's still "happily writing" Book 7, but this is definitely (figuratively and literally) a positive sign.

At Last! Some News Worth Newsing About

I was slightly dreading preparing my weekly quote for QQQ Friday this week.  Why?  Because that would have made it the 3rd QQQ without even a smidgen of news in between.

But really it's not that I've been a sluggish blogger, it's just that HP news lately has, for all practical purposes, completely flat-lined.  Sure the teaser trailer for the Order of the Phoenix movie is coming out in a few days (and from early reports it sounds great), but no point writing about that until I've seen it so...there I was back with no news.

Until today!  Because today the Order of the Phoenix teaser poster was released.  And although the poster doesn't impress me all that much--I was thinking of something more along the lines of the corridor at the Ministry of Magic--it is something to blog about, for which I am grateful.

Bad, Bad, Bad

It all started with me sitting on the couch being bored.  There was nothing on TV, no new books around the house to read, it was too dark and cold to take the dogs for a walk, and Sweet Husband was at the Studio working away.  The boxes of Christmas decorations in our storage cubby--taking advantage of my moment of weakness--began calling to me.  "It's only a week before Thanksgiving...it's not too early...c'mon just come open us up and see what's here."  And then, despite a solemn vow that I was going to wait until at least next weekend, before I knew it....