Dog Days of Summer

Shortly after leaving for college my family purchased a beagle. When I talked to my dad he said I had been replaced. Yeah, it wasn't comforting to know I could be "replaced" by a smelly, loud, annoying, four-legged creature that sniff / licks its ... well you know what dogs do - no need for me to * s * p * e * l * l * it out.

At the beginning of August I was in the house and for a moment I felt like I was "home" at my parents'. I paused, and thought that was a weird feeling. Then I heard it again and realized exactly what made me feel like I was home ... I heard howling outside. I jumped up and ran to the window I thought would show me the source of the noise -- and then I tried a different window -- and then another window after that -- and then ugh yeah, 2 more windows after that. (I'm terrible at knowing where sounds are coming from - I hear noises all the time - I just can't pinpoint which direction they're coming from!) Finally there was only the bathroom window left, and I figured if I didn't see anything there, I was going to HAVE to go outside. (I only said that half heartedly to myself b/c who was I trying to fool, there was no way on this green earth I was going to step foot outside my tin box safety zone!)

Well, here's what I saw:

And then he called a friend.

After they both "took care of business" I wasn't sure if all the sniffing and turning around in circles was b/c they had actually caught a scent of a bear, or they were just picking out the premier place to pee!! I tried telling myself - beagles just hunt rabbits!! But I know so little about the likes of huntin' dogs I couldn't quite convince myself. I was just hoping if something had been tracked they scared it out of my yard/woods and up the road. I was really hoping a flannelized creature with a gun did not show up next - I don't know what I would have done then!

Adventure, adventure!!