Never been so glad to have a dog....

This is Happy. We got her about 4 years ago after our precious middle daughter Milly died. I thought that we needed a reason to say the word "Happy" over and over each day. Little did I know how often we would be saying to the puppy "No! Happy No!" Honestly, Happy was an ok part of the family-- but too big for our little yard, lots and lots of hair in the house, too wild to take to the playground with the kids, bit the nice neighbor lady etc...

I am so very very happy to have this dog today. She was born to guard our farm-- to bark wildly at the bus absconding our little children-- and to run with me through the prairie in the morning. I am not alone on this big lonely prairie. I have a good companion along side of me every mile I run. She doesn't chase the deer or the pheasants, but she does have a thing for rabbits.

I've been having a lot of Little House on the Prairie flashbacks. I read all the Laura Ingalls books to Alma a couple years ago. There was a scene where the Ingalls in their covered wagon come across a man and woman stranded along the trail-- their horses stolen while they slept. The Ingalls offered to take them to the next stop, but they declined to leave their lives' belongings. As the Ingalls ride away, Pa says something to the effect of "what are they thinking to be out here without a dog." Remember the Ingalls have the faithful Jack.

And now I can finally say after all these years. I am really happy to have Happy. She is living up to her name in our lives and our family. We got Happy a dog house-- it has lichen growing on the top-- I'll get a picture. When we put it in the yard facing the house she refused to sleep in it. I moved it around so the back is to the house and the front looks down the driveway and she is in there all the time. She wants to guard us. She is guarding us out on the prairie.