I read somewhere that Basenjis are difficult to train because they need to repeat an action or hear a command FORTY times before they learn it. This is complete hogwash. Basenjis only need to experience something ONCE for it to become a habit, provided it is a habit they enjoy doing. The video below is proof.

Here’s the story…bedtime is usually a very calm and quiet routine at my house. The dogs are always sacked-out by 8pm, and when I’m ready for bed I take their collars and turn off the lights in the house. Then they follow me into my bedroom to continue sleeping. Calm.

I made a mistake last week that upset this applecart. Abe was being silly at bedtime, and he tried to get Tippy to play with him. I thought it was cute and funny, so I very foolishly encouraged the behavior by roughhousing a bit with Abe. Tippy and Ike joined in, and it became a complete circus. A totally fun circus, yes, but a very bad idea at bedtime.

So this is what I’m left with. Three dogs that have adopted a new bedtime routine that includes behaving like crazed monkeys. Enjoy my pain in HD quality.

Back on December 14, 2007, I started a photography project. One self-portrait a day, posted to flickr, for one year. I decided to do it for two reasons. First, as a diary. I took the photos I wanted to show myself when I’m older. Second, to get better at photography. On December 14, 2008 I completed the project.

I gave myself a couple of weeks without taking photos, then on December 31, 2008 I started a new project. I still took a photo everyday and posted it to flickr, but they didn’t have to be selfies this time. Any ol’ photo would do.

I did well on this project for a while, then I lost my mojo. I would miss days at a time, then post photos I wasn’t really proud of. On December 6th of last year, 324 days into the project, I hit ‘Pause’. I didn’t give up on the project, but I decided to allow myself some time to get my mojo back.

Tick-tock, tick-tock, time passed. I didn’t think much about photos at all, and I even found it difficult to remember to pull out my camera for important things! How easy it was to get out of the habit. Then, a few weeks ago, I found myself sort of sad that I didn’t take many photos anymore. I actually caught myself thinking this: I wish I had a reason to MAKE myself take photos again.

DUH, Staci! Dummy! You paused your photo project! Hit ‘PLAY’!

So I did. I’m only a few days into resuming the project, but the mojo is there. I’m enjoying it again, and even working to understand more elements of photography and light. Someday I might make the brave move to change my camera settings to something other than “auto”.

*I just had to use some lyrics from the song “Whiskey River” for the title, even though I don’t know the song.

Sunday was a big day around here…Whiskey, the foster puppy, went off to his new home.

Whiskey’s rescue, foster, and adoption were all coordinated through Basenji Rescue. After getting to know him a bit, I wrote his bio, which was posted on the website for potential adopters to see.

Anyone who is interested in adopting from Basenji Rescue fills out an adoption form, then receives a home visit from a Basenji Rescue volunteer.

While reviewing the adoption forms, I was particularly interested in finding a family that already had another dog (Whiskey has never been left on his own, and he gets lonely easily), and had the time and dedication to put toward loving and training this little guy.

That’s how I found Todd and Laurie. On Sunday, they spent all day driving to Austin to pick up their new puppy. (See there? Dedication.)

Bonus! Todd and Laurie are photographers, and they’ve promised to keep me updated with emails and photos as Whiskey grows up. Here is Whiskey with his new sister, Zea. Zea was adopted through Basenji Rescue last year.
photo by Todd

So far, they’re making good on their promise, and I get to see sweet photos like this.
photo by Todd

More than with any other foster, I was asked this question, “How do you do it?” I suppose it’s because everyone in the world knows how easy it is to get attached to a puppy, and people wonder how I was able to keep him for three weeks, then hand him off to someone else.

There are two things that help. I received some good advice several months ago from another Rescue volunteer. She told me to always remember that the dog is a foster. Even though they live in your home and you love them as one of your own, remember that they are not yours. Surprisingly, this really helps.

The other thing that makes me able to foster is this – four dogs is really too many for me. As long as the foster is the fourth dog in the house, I am somewhat overwhelmed. Giving the foster to his new family ends up being a bit of a relief. Of course I miss the dog, but I remind myself how nice it is to have time to shave my legs and do laundry.

Whiskey has an exciting future ahead of him. I am lucky to have been a part of his life, and I’m going to love watching him grow up. Congratulations, Todd and Laurie!

A few weeks ago I started my first-ever vegetable garden. In fact, it’s my first-ever garden ever. In Seattle, I had roses and dahlias in my yard, but they were planted by the previous home owners, so I was just the new babysitter. This garden is mine, all mine.

I had to start by cleaning out the garden bed. There was an 8′ cactus there that had fallen over last fall, and two tons of aloe vera. (Seriously. There was enough aloe vera there to soothe the sunburns of a thousand redheads.)

Once that was all cleared out, I got on with the fun part. However, I realize there are limits as to what I can do.

Here’s the thing with my garden.
I have X amount of knowledge about gardens. If it requires X + 1, the garden will fail.
I have Y amount of patience with a garden. If it requires Y + 1, the garden will fail.
I have Z amount of time for a garden. If it requires Z + 1, the garden will fail.

So far, the garden has only required X, Y, and Z to thrive! Take a look…

Grape tomato flowers.

Happy little tomato plant.

Cucumbers that continue to grow, even though a neighbor’s cat crushed them.

Basil, loved by me and the snails.

Green beans. String beans? I don’t know if there is a difference.

Strawberries.

(I also have onions…but, wow. They don’t photograph well.)

So far, so good. I water every morning, and pull the weeds as I see them. If this is all it takes, we’re good. I’m really enjoying it, and I haven’t even picked anything yet.

In case you were wondering about what the dogs are doing this very minute, here you go. We just got back from our morning walk. Whiskey is still such a baby that our walks totally wipe him out, which is very nice. He’s teething, so it’s good when the little land shark sleeps.