We had crazy wind yesterday. I like a windy day, normally, with the trees blowing and the air freshened. But at some point windiness crosses a line and starts feeling threatening -- and that's how yesterday felt. I was lying in bed reading, and the house was rumbling and thumping, furniture being blown over on the patio, stuff flying off our neighbor's terrace upstairs -- and I kept hearing sirens as (I assume) emergency services were called to wind-related mishaps.
I stayed in all morning, as did Dave and Olga. I did housework and read quite a bit of my latest book, "The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle," and it felt good to be able to focus on it for a sustained period of time. The squirrels are up to their old shenanigans in the garden, so I also put some screening over a few plants that they can't seem to resist digging up and/or gnawing (the sea kale and the lupine). Our lupine is barely with us at this point. The roots are pretty much gone -- there are just a few stubs of rhizome left with tiny, struggling leaves on them. Its pot sat for several months in a plastic saucer that was often full of water, and I think it got too wet. Anyway, the jury's out on whether it will pull through.
I finally took Olga to the cemetery in the afternoon, where she embarrassed me by growling and charging at another dog -- which she never does. I don't know why this other dog pushed her buttons -- maybe she was also freaked out by the wind -- but the owner gave me grief about it. What am I supposed to do? Dogs are dogs.
Anyway, everything was fine and it's not like she bit the other dog (which was roughly her size). I think part of the problem was that we didn't take her Kong with us -- I didn't notice she'd left it at home until well into the walk and I didn't want to turn around to go back for it, but the fact is, Olga is better behaved when she's carrying something in her mouth. It's like a pacifier (or a "dummy," as they say in Britain).
Moral of the story: Always remember the Kong. The Kong is king.
(Photo: A tree shadow on a building near our flat. Even with all the wind, the sun was bright yesterday.)
Perhaps the wind was simply blowing against windows and doors - setting off motion activated alarms. I know that can also happen with stationary cars. Strangely, it was very calm here in Sheffield yesterday as the early snow quickly melted away.
ReplyDeleteLove the shadows on the building!
ReplyDeleteThe wind can make everyone go a little nuts. Even dogs, I think.
ReplyDeleteIn some ways I like wind. I don't like wind in the trees. Wind in the open is fine. As a little kid I liked to lay in tall grass and let the wind blow.
ReplyDeleteI do not understand people who get angry when dogs act like dogs. my son-in-law is like that. it can get very windy here, pushing you around windy as my sister says which makes it unpleasant to be outside. I can't imagine how people lived on the Great Plains. and our bluebonnets aren't doing well this year and I think it's because it's just been so damn wet.
ReplyDeleteWe had a windy day just like you described one day last week. I have two sliding glass doors at my place and they rattle and bang with the wind. So when it's windy, I'm always worried there will be a gust strong enough to break one of them. I love your photo today. There is something about it that is very comforting.
ReplyDeleteKong is King....love that! When I took that walk with you and Olga, I was impressed by how she pretty much ignored other dogs. The one she growled at must have said something in that silent dog language that offended her.
After living in Xenia (known for tornadoes that destroyed the town in 1974), I always get nervous when it gets too windy. Fortunately we don't have that big of a problem with it here in NC.
ReplyDeleteOlga and her kong; me & my audiobooks in the car - both designed to keep us calm & not attack people!
Love that shadow photo. Beautiful. We've had a lot of windy days lately. It takes some of the fun out of a long walk.
ReplyDeleteDogs being dogs...maybe it was because they were unleashed? A woman in the good ol USA called the police because some dog was humping her dog at the dog park! There are crazies out there, poor dogs.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering if that place with the vivid blue door was yours. "Kong is king": good one, Steve.
ReplyDeleteIt's fascinating (to me at least) that Olga is more content and not aggressive when she has something in her mouth. It's a good thing to know/realize. Maybe she thought that dog had her Kong, because she sure as heck didn't have it :)
ReplyDeleteYou have such a great eye! I love the shadow of the tree on the building, but something about that entryway also just makes me want to see what's inside.
ReplyDeleteI love the blue of that door.
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