Another Devine Baby Due...

Yahoo!! Kevin just informed me that he and Toy are expecting their first!!! Gonna be a Grandma again! Jeff must be jumping for joy - or, if he can do anything he wants in heaven, I'm sure he's kicked back at a poker table, smoking a cigar, drinking Scotch, and saying..."Yep; that's my boy!"

Doe at Alleyne Lake

Exploring the Yard at Topaz

After having a canine play-date in the backyard, and then having returned the Irish kids to their home, I opened the sliding glass door to my sister's backyard and let Lovey and Banichi explore their one acre backyard. It took them about 5 minutes to decide it was OK to walk onto the patio, and that was with me sitting on the far side, giving verbal encouragement the entire time. They both stepped out into the grass and then immediately hopped back up onto the patio; then they parted ways - Banichi went to the west, exploring the rear side of the house, along with the apple trees and wild roses; Lovey headed north across the backyard, straight at the tool shed and garden. Banichi explored silently, stepping carefully; Lovey kept up a loud conversation with me, except when she climbed a willow, chasing a squirrel. Banichi slowly drifted over to join Lovey, and we proceeded along the line of the Silver Lake irrigation ditch, which runs through the backyard. Seeing two does by the back fence, I stopped at the corner of the shed to watch the cats. Lovey scented them first, crouching into the grass, and moving slowly forward; Banichi just walked on towards the two mule deer. The closest deer was about a yard away from Lovey's nose, when it pulled up it's head and snorted and stamped a front hoof. I have never seen Lovey so fluffed up; I have never before seen the two of them run so fast; and they made a bee-line straight for the door and ran inside and upstairs to be certain they were safe. It was a fun experience. Dogs, and cats, and deer; oh, my!!

A Devine Grandson

Isaiah Christopher Burroughs, born 6 April 2009 - a new sprig on the Devine family tree!

Rachel Alexandra; New Grandson

Well, I found out this afternoon that I have a new grandson; and his name is Isaiah Christopher Burroughs - he's Jeff's first grandson, joining a sister (Addison) and cousin (Madelyn). I hadn't known that Krissy was expecting - but, then, neither did a lot of the family, so I don't feel too bad.

Rachel Alexandra, the filly who won the Kentucky Oaks by 20+ lengths, will be ridden by Calvin Borel on Saturday in the Preakness. She will be breaking from the outside post, 13, and has already been made the betting favorite at 8 to 5. Carrying 121 pounds to the colts' 126, I feel she has a good chance to beat the boys. Unless there is a late scratch, her opponents from post 1 to 12 will be: Big Drama, Mine That Bird (ridden by Mike Smith, odds of 6 to 1), Musket Man, Luv Gov, Friesan Fire, Terrain, Papa Clem, General Quarters, Pioneerof the Nile (odds of 5 to 1), Flying Private (who ran last in the Derby), Take the Points, and Tone It Down.

Aspens at the foot of the Maroon Bells

Short Blogs at Odd Times Thru Friday

The computer at Kathy and Jim's house will currently only allow me to (sometimes) check my e-mail, and look something up on the Google search engine, but as soon as I try to go to an URL other than google, the PC shuts down... go figure.

So I've made a quick trip home - The kits are really enjoying the larger house and all the different views at Kathy and Jim's; and I think that even Lovey rather enjoys being the center of the dogs' attention. I'll try to drop by both tomorrow and Friday to put a few words in, but don't know when it will be each day. Thank goodness I'm back home with the kits on Friday evening! I took the red kids over t o Suki and Boo's and we had a party in the back yard yesterday - I filled a large tub with water and also cleaned out and filled the bird bath (which sits on the ground), so the dogs had plenty of places to drink from. Rosie would go and drop her bone in the tub, step in with both front feet, and proceed to make a whirlpool with her paws. The other three drank genteely and didn't play in the water. It was 85 yesterday; today the high might be 67, and it's very windy out.