SunDogs, IceBows & Puppies

While playing water volleyball recently, as I threw up the ball to serve, I was distracted by a halo around the sun. We called the halo a sun-dog, but I recently learned that isn't what it was. A sun-dog is a bright spot on the halo; this was more aptly called an icebow.

What could it mean?

**1. A new age is dawning.
**2. Dust from the Sahara.
**3. Means a new pope has been elected.
**4. A hurricane will be here within 48 hours.

Maybe instead, this explanation for the ring, from Nasa: "... thin cirrus clouds plus bright sunlight almost guarantee seeing something wonderful. Cirrus clouds are made of millions of hexagonal ice crystals 3 to 6 miles up in the troposphere where jet airplanes fly--each crystal acting as a tiny prism refracting (bending) the sun's light and throwing it elsewhere into the sky."
So...off to the on-line encyclopedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo_(optical_phenomenon)


Now dogs on the other hand need no explanation. We love them, they love us. Unconditional love. (You are either a dog person, or not...if not, well, my sympathies).

There are several dogs in the park worth a mention. Because I live so close to them, my next door neighbors in fact, my favorite dogs are Xena & Kalie. They love to come over and search out crumbs from Jim's potato chip obsession. I call them my merry maids. Xena loves to hunt for lizards, Kalie loves to chase tennis balls. Both carry their favorite "baby" (dog language for cuddly stuffed toy) everywhere.

One of the best times was when the pool was drained for repair work a few years ago. Right before draining it was open for all park dogs to go swimming. Bob & Ann's little black poodle swam his little heart out, but was really impressive were those two water dogs, Kalie & Xena endlessly jumping in one end of the pool after a tennis ball, swimming the length, then running around the pool to do it again, and again, and again. They finally collapsed in doggie ecstasy.

Right across the street from us are now two more big dogs, Asia and Koda. Huge rotties. Scary looking, mean, dangerous...right?

Wrong! These are the sweetest dogs. The little one, Asia, (relatively speaking) is mama. Her son, Koda, is huge with LONG legs. Koda was attacked once by Abby, Chic & Don's teeny tiny Yorkie. Abby weighs about 4 ounces. Koda weighs about a thousand pounds. Abby launched herself at Koda and latched onto his neck, dangling her little legs several feet from the ground, growling and shaking him....she thought. Actually she just waved back and forth in the breeze. Koda looked to the left, looked to the right, trying to puzzle out just what was happening to him. When he figured it out he just collapsed in shock, rolled over and gave up. Some killer, that Abby.


Koda & Asia


Stretch & Kate, our other next door neighbors are down to one little Chihuahua now. Fenn went to doggie heaven a little while back so it's just Lucy now. Lucy has her own story. Kate was on her motorcycle when she noticed a tiny dog in the street, trying to get back into his fenced puppy farm yard, but the other dogs kept her out. So she scooped Lucy up and gave her a home full of love. It took awhile for Lucy to trust, but now she is affectionate and sweet as can be.

Do me a favor!? Click on the comment right below this entry and tell about your favorite dog, or cat. Is anyone out there?