Summertime

It's summer in Missouri, hot and dry with occasional thundering cloudbursts. All last week the weatherman promised rain, but it didn't happen.


When it's 90+ degrees outside, the dogs don't want to move around much. When I can coax them out they find ways to stay cool. Morgan finds a place under a tree to enjoy a stick.


Bailey takes a stroll in the shade with her favorite toy, her stuffed monkey. She carries it everywhere with her. Usually I don't allow stuffies outdoors, but Bailey always brings hers back inside with her.


Yesterday afternoon the sky got dark and the clouds opened up. It rained so hard that for a few minutes we couldn't see the house across the street. The wildflowers in the yard appreciated the cool rain and presented us with these this morning.


I like keeping a little piece of the yard wild. It looks like a tiny meadow with lots of different flowers planted by the birds.


Nature's colors look so pretty together.


In Pennsylvania we lived next door to a young lady who was four years old. She and I would take walks down a farm road and she would point out the flowers to me. These she called 'Queens and Lace'.


When my little friend saw these growing along the road she told me they were 'Tiggey Liggies'. I liked her names for them and always think of them that way.


It seems early, but the farmers have been cutting hay already. The fields around our place have these hay rolls standing in the fields waiting to be carted away.


They go on and on. It should be good eating and nesting this winter for the livestock.


The Fleur-de-Lis is on my family coat of arms and I'm quite fond of it. I have a necklace and bracelet with the symbol. Last night I took the dogs out for their last call around 11 PM. The rain had stopped and it was slightly cooler than it has been. When I opened the back door out of the garage, look what I saw.


This fellow was resting on the door staying out of the rain dripping from the trees. I raced for my camera, but he was quite content to sit there and was still there when I took the dogs back inside and turned off the lights. He's a Clymene Moth aka the Fleur-de-Lis Moth.

Now just in case some of you are also suffering from temperatures in the 90s and above, I thought I'd show you this photo taken by my cousin.


The house on the right is hers and this is the street where I lived when I was in highschool. We usually had winters like this, though in recent years they've been milder. This was taken in February of 2007. I remember walking to school thru snow tunnels just like this and sometimes higher. Feel cooler now?

The Portuguese Team

UNITY IN DIVERSITY


This is the Portuguese soccer team that is in South Africa competing for the World Cup.

There is another Portuguese soccer team in Springfield that is playing for a handful of treats.


This is how we start the game. The referee tosses out the ball.


Then the team takes over, chasing the ball and trying to keep it from the opponents.


After each goal, the referee gets their attention for another round of play.


The competition is strong and sometimes a player goes down while handling the ball.


How satisfying to score.


Are we ready?


This is a very intense game for these Portuguese players.


The girls are in position.


Samba has control of the ball.


Norma Jean is ready.


She has it and she's not giving it up.


Morgan may not be Portuguese, but she's certainly a tough competitor.


Hands aren't allowed, but can you carry the ball in your mouth? Who has a rule book handy?


Samba performs some fancy footwork. She's really into this game. It must be in her genes.


Tess steals the ball and is trying to score with it.


Samba gets it back.


Game over. Bailey, the goalie is resting in the shade with the ball and the mascot, her monkey by her side.

Samba was definitely the MVP, most valuable Portie, in the game. She played well for a dog with paralysis in her face. She even managed to carry the ball around a few times.


Our team had fun and were all winners. We wish the very best of luck to the other Portuguese soccer team.

The Dogs Of Portugal

Our theme is Unity in Diversity.



One area in which there is plenty of diversity is in the dog breeds of Portugal.


Portugal has mountains, plains and a coastline. They need different types of dogs to work in each area.


The most popular breed in Portugal is the Portuguese Podengo known as the Portuguese Warren Dog.


The Podengo is the National Dog of Portugal and is featured as the logo of the Portuguese Kennel Club.


The Podengo comes in three sizes and two coat types, so there's something to please everyone.


The pequeno or small size comes in a smooth or wire haired coat.


The Podengo Pequeno is used for hunting rabbits. They grow to about 11 pounds.


The medium size or Podengo Medio is used for hunting rabbits and wild boar.


They also come in both coat types and they can reach 45 pounds.


The Podengo Grande or large size hunts deer and wild boar.


The Grande size gets to be about 65 pounds.

***********************


In the south central region a large dog is needed to guard livestock.


Rafeiro do Alentejo or the Portuguese Mastiff fits the bill.


The Mastiff weighs in around 100 pounds and has a short to medium length coat. He is a sober breed, independent and territorial.

******************************


The Cao da Serra de Aires or the Portuguese Sheepdog is a medium sized dog weighing about 40 pounds. His coat is long with no undercoat.


This breed was used to herd cattle, sheep, goats, horses and even pigs.


The Sheepdog is an intelligent and very lively breed. I see a strong resemblance to my own breed in this dog and think there were probably some common ancestors.

**************************************


The Perdigueiro Portugues or Portuguese Pointer is used for hunting, especially partridge.


His coat is short and he weighs in around 60 pounds for adult males. This breed almost became extinct until a few breeders worked together to bring it back.

************************************


In the mountainous areas, a large athletic dog was needed to guard the flocks and to act as a watch dog. The Cao da Serra da Estrela is perfect.


This large (110pound) dog also known as the Estrela Mountain Dog or the Portuguese Shepherd has two coat types. The long or short coats are both thick with a dense undercoat.


This is an intelligent, calm but fearless dog and an instinctive protector of it's family.

****************************************


Portugal's southernmost region, the Algarve, has a rocky coastline.


This is the area where the Cao de Agua Portugues, or Portuguese Water Dog worked alongside the fishermen on the boats. The dog is designed for swimming with a strong bone structure, is well muscled and has webbed feet.


This breed was used to pull nets, herd fish, retrieve objects that fell overboard, rescue people who fell overboard and to carry messages between boats and from boats to shore and back. They are strong swimmers.


The Portuguese Water Dog weighs between 50 and 65 pounds, though individuals may be larger or smaller. Their coats may be curly or wavy and there is no undercoat.


The Portie may be black, black and white, brown, brown and white or all white. All white dogs are not acceptable in Portugal or other parts of Europe.


In the USA the Portie is often seen in a short retriever cut, one length all over. In Europe only the lion cut, with shaved hind quarters is accepted.


This breed came close to extinction in the 1970's. Only 27 dogs were known to be in existence at that time. The breed has made an extraordinary comeback and is now perhaps the best know Portuguese breed worldwide.


The Portuguese Water Dog is an intelligent and tireless breed. They are decision makers, though you may not always agree with their decisions and they need to keep busy. They are extremely loyal and the happiest dogs I've ever known. They seldom have a bad day. I adore this breed.