A House Full of Bitches, A Monkey, and One Crab

Let me introduce the brilliantly talented cast of "Prairie Gumbo".

First, there is Chloe Ann, a border collie mix whom we rescued days before she was to be euthanized. One day, when I am on the subject of phobias, I will tell more of her story. For now, it is enough for you to know that she is very sweet and sensitive. She is also Responsible and Conscientious about her duties which include herding the cats (yes, it can be done), guarding the house, and worrying about her people. Oh yes, did I mention that she is quite Intelligent and Talented? And I'm not just saying that because I'm her mom, either. (She is modelling the second scarf I knitted)

Next up is Abbie, aka "Bad Beagle". She is a beagle/Jack Russell/bird dog mix. ADHD poster dog. Abbie, like her mom, has her own little obsessions. These include tracking, hunting, and digging for killer bunnies; tracking, hunting and lunging for killer birdies; and escaping from a multitude of situations in order to hunt bunnies and birdies. She is the only dog I know who must be dressed in a Hannibal Lector-style getup in order to prevent her from escaping on our walks. Do not let the innocent face fool you.



Below you will see Bitsy BonTon (on the left), who is determined to live down her two names as she is rather plump and rarely has a good time doing anything. We actually drove 7 hours round trip to rescue her from a shelter in southwestern Missouri. She was grateful for about 11 seconds and has spent the last 3 1/2 years grumbling and complaining about everything. Although she is not a female dog, she comes by the title of bitch honestly.


Meet the monkey of the house, Miss Criquette. Jumper extrodinaire, avid hunter of all things furry and feathered, Criquette is yet another rescued bundle of love (see a pattern here?). She is soon to become the recipient of my first non-scarf knitting project, a Kitty Pi. Only 3 rows, a bind off, and a long, hot bath away from being hers. She has already claimed possesion by trying to crawl into it while I am knitting! More pics in the days to follow!

Finally, there is the hubber. He is a man of many nicknames, depending on the day (or my hormones). Sometimes he is "HoneyBunny" (stop gagging), "Number Boy" (when he is in work mode), "Caulk Man" (when he is in fix-it mode", or "Mr. Right-Brained Guy" (when he is in creative mode). Today, however, we shall call him "Mr. Crabby Pants" because SOMEBODY went weekend fishing and didn't get enough sleep. See Exhibit A.

You may have noticed there is one member of this household who has not been mentioned - the Mother of the Bitches, so to speak. Here is a picture of me in full ceremonial regalia (one must look one's best when the hormones are raging).

Her Majesty invites you to join her tomorrow for another exciting tale of the prairie - with lots of knitting action!