THE KINGDOM OF DOGWOOD

Good Queen Lucy and Prince Charlie

Once upon a time, far up in the nether reaches of Curtis Hollow, lay the sprawling, unspoiled lands of the Kingdom of Dogwood.
In this Kingdom, there was peace, harmony, and much love. This land of good tidings existed mostly because of it's matriarch, the wise and noble Queen Lucy. 
Queen Lucy ruled the Kingdom of Dogwood and the House of L with a gentle heart, and a firm hand.
Through out her reign as glorious Queen, she had created not only a kingdom, but a loyal and loving court of subjects and consorts.
The first two souls to fall under her magic were the serfs that had raised her and catered to her every whim. It was from the bond of affection and love that the Queen's heart was shaped and molded to be the ruler she is today. She would always remember her own humble origin, and never forget that, in the Kingdom of Dogwood, these glorious tender things were to be shared with others who had not been as fortunate as she.
Through out the years of her reign, the good and noble Queen had offered sanctuary and refuge to several waifs that had crossed the plains and fields of her land.
First there was Prince Charlie, the humble and submissive creature who was her constant companion.

Princess of the Feline Fields: Pearl

Then the lost princess without a kingdom, Pearl, who was granted full stature in the House of L as the Princess of the Feline Fields.

                                         The Conquistador of Dogwood: Hines

The grounds of the kingdom shook the day that the little conquistador Hines arrived. But the strong and determined Queen soon had this little warrior under her sway and he too became part of her court.

                                                                             Duchess Daisy

The Duchess Daisy bounced into their lives quite by accident. She was young and beautiful, but lacked the graces required to become part of Queen Lucy's fold. But with time, Daisy too found refuge among the other adopted loves of the Queens entourage.
Tragedy struck the House of L, when Princess Pearl was taken by illness. No longer would she wander the Feline Fields, or sit at the Queens right hand. Princess Pearl now walked the Fields of the Lord, and Dogwood mourned that loss.

                                           Jester of the Court of the House of L : Bart

As a depression blotted the land, another small feline waif entered into the kingdom. He was a tiny little fellow, but filled with mischief and wide eyed wonder. The one who would be called Bart brought with him a new joy and happiness to the Kingdom of Dogwood. Queen Lucy and her court selected him to assume the role of Jester in their midst. It is a role Bart has played well.

                                                          Sir Sebastian the Water Wizard

Dogwood has always been a magical place. But that was never more true than when the great water wizard, Sir Sebastian, arrived in a splash of glory. Sir Sebastian was also of the feline persuasion, and found instant camaraderie with the little jester Bart.
Queen Lucy found this pleasing, as she remembered that Princess Pearl had never known such friendship with her own kind.
Therefore, it was decreed that Sir Sebastian would become the official consort of magical happenings of the House of L.
Several years passed.  The Kingdom grew larger as the Royal family acquired new lands and castles in other parts of the country.  The six members of the House of L and their two benevolent serfs lived in happiness and harmony.

Linus the Lion Heart

In the fifth month of the ninth year of Queen Lucy's rule of the Kingdom of Dogwood, a young crippled waif was brought before her by her serfs.  This small innocent had been harmed by the hand of man, and suffered the loss of the use of one paw. The little one was frightened and hurt, and this concerned the Queen greatly.  She instructed the serfs to do what they could for the small one, and granted this small bundle of humbleness the rights of oasis within the kingdom.
The Queen watched from her high perch as the small waif struggled to heal and to learn to use his paw again. She was deeply touched by his courage and the nobility of his efforts.
Therefore, the small waif was named Linus the Lion Heart of Dogwood, and granted full and forever status as a member of the House of L .
So now they are seven within the kingdom, living a happy and loved existence under the eternal care of the two serfs that cherish every moment of this existence with them.
The Kingdom of Dogwood and the rule of good Queen Lucy are now things of legend and of tales told across the land.  The House of L stands seven strong, bound together by their respect and their love for one another.  Long live the House of L.
And in the Kingdom of Dogwood, they all lived happily ever after.

LITTLE LINUS AND HIS NEW SHOE!

A while ago, I told you about a sweet little foster dog that came to Dogwood from the Waverly Animal Shelter named Tippy. Better Half changed his name to LINUS soon after his arrival.

Linus had suffered a gunshot wound that left him with nerve damage in his right hind leg. He could not feel or operate his paw, and walked on his “knuckles” or dragged it along.  This caused it to become quite a bloody mess.

Little Linus stole my heart in a photo posted on the Waverly Shelter Facebook page, and I felt that we could help this little man learn how to walk on his paw again.

For the past month, Better Half and I have nursed his little foot back to health.  Every morning and every evening, we would slather his little toes with antibiotic ointment, wrap the foot tenderly with gauze, and then slip a baby sock over the whole project. We would then place a couple of pieces of tape around his foot to hold it all in place.

Slowly, Linus began to heal. But he still wanted to drag the little foot behind him.

Everyone was ready to simply chop his little leg off. But in my soul, I really felt that this dog was not ready for amputation.  We consulted with Dr. Holly Ramey, who tested Linus’s limb to show that the leg was completely “alive” with feeling from the hip to the “ankle”. She also showed us neurological reports that show where animals with severed nerves have had regeneration where the nerve reconnects.

The nerve grows about an inch per month. It might take a few years, but there is hope!
Why cut off a healthy leg just because of a bum foot? Why not keep the leg and help the foot along?
With God’s help, a little patience, and really good catalog, we ordered a “boot” thru our beloved Dr. Ramey. It’s a simple little tennis shoe with a Velcro strip to secure it to his ankle.

Linus has made great progress.   With the form and weigh of the little shoe, he has learned to pick the foot up, place it correctly (pads down) on the floor, and step. 

We have had only one small set back. Linus had the little “floppy-flappy” dew claws on his back legs. The bandaging and the process of introducing the shoe to his little paw had cause it to rub itself raw.  But thanks to the loving folks at the Waverly Animal Shelter and the Humphreys County Humane Society, the dew claw has been removed so that it will no longer impair his stride.

So for a few more days, poor Linus is back in mummy form with a big bandage on his foot. On Saturday we have the stitches taken out, and with God’s love on his side, my little guy will have a clean slate, a new shoe, and a whole new outlook.  

I’m so proud of this little man, and so grateful that God has given him the intelligence to catch on so fast.
 I ask that all of the friends of Dogwood continue to remember little Linus in your prayers. He still has a bit of work to do, and he still needs a forever home with someone who will love him, and have the patience to put the shoe on when he is headed outside, and take it off when he comes back in.

It’s a tall order, I admit. But the Lord moves in mysterious ways, and I have faith that the outcome will be right for Linus, and that this sweet, adorable little dog will have his happily ever after.

GI JOE and the JAWS OF DOOM!!!

This is the original draft from a story that later appeared in the Leaf Chronicle.

Recently, I went back into the wilds of my hometown to visit my folks. They had just completed their dream house and, six months after moving in, were still excavating 45 years of clutter from the house that I and my two brothers grew up in. My mission on this trip--if I chose to accept it--was to clean out the closet in my old bedroom. If I failed to accept the mission--my stuff went to the dump. So I started up the old Ford and headed for home.

Upon arrival, I found what used to be my room completely empty.  It was sad to see what used to be my strong hold, my fortress from the world, reduced to a big empty shell. This was the place where 1000 dreams and wishes were launched to either take flight or crash and burn. It was here I had listened to my music, read my books, and wrote the first scrawls of what would one day become something almost intelligible.

But I had not come to mourn a bedroom--I had come here to haul away the things that had made some of the memories I had of it.  

This great scavenger hunt thru the past yielded a car load of "antiquities" that I hauled back to Clarksville.


The pile of junk sent Lucy, Charlie, Pearl, and Hines into excitement overload. They had to investigate every box and stick their noses inside to see what Daddy had brought home. To this crew, EVERYTHING new is something that is to be chewed, eaten, or urinated on.
They would never miss an opportunity to do all three.

Charlie, my middle child, immediately stuck his head into a box and brought forth a prize; my bearded GI JOE with Kung Foo grip. My heart almost stopped when I saw Joe, dressed in his best camouflage, clinched in my curious mutt’s mouth. I grabbed the saliva soaked action figure from Charlie and scolded him.  He sat down heavily on the floor , a scowl of disappointment on his sweet face.

Now God knows GI JOE had been through tougher treatment in his lifetime.

In his mid 70's hey-day as the number one action doll (not one of those tiny figures that came later), he’d been buried alive, drowned, thrown from tree tops, and experienced numerous scratch and dent missions behind enemy lines.
My brother and I even tried to shave him…with a bottle of my Grandmother's NAIR, and he still survived to fight for freedom another day.

But, the rough and ready treatment of an overzealous child with an accute imagination was child play (pun intended)against Charlie's jaws of doom. 

Joe went back into the box to enjoy his retirement from active duty.

GI JOE, Johnny West, and all my other childhood valuables, went to their permanent resting place in our spare room.  It’s the one part of the house that the dogs rarely see because this room does not observe an open door policy. Basically, this is where all clunky treasures, forgotten hobbies, and boxed memories go to die.

Due to the long drive, and all the packing and unpacking, I was exhausted soon after getting everything put into the room. I put on my jammies, gathered all the babies, and went on to bed.
As sleep crept across my pillow, I dreamily noticed that the door to the front room, which always stayed shut, was still open. But before I could seriously consider the consequences, I fell asleep.

Next morning, I took the dogs out for PT (Poop Trip), made the morning coffee, filled my lunch box for the day, and then made my way to the front room to iron a shirt. All excess clothing , the ironing board, and the clothes iron were stored here.

Charlie, who usually follows me everywhere, stopped in the hallway just outside the door to the room. As I stepped into the dark , something crunched under my foot. A sick twist filled my stomach as I flipped the light switch on.

There on the floor lie the last remains of a legend.

GI JOE was a mangled mess. His face held the surprised look of sudden attack, while his torso was limb free. Next to his half bearded head, detached from the rest of his body,  lay his super dooper secret defense: his Kung Foo grip arm.

I could see that it happened so fast that he never even knew what bit him.
I gathered Joe up (or what was left of him) and thanked him for being a defender of both my country and my childhood. Little paws followed behind me and I whistled “taps”, gave a silent salute, and sent Joe on his last great adventure into the garbage can.

Charlie still sat on the bed, looking pitiful.

That's my Charlie, sorry he did it, and even sorrier he got caught.

I rubbed his ears and sighed. In the long run, it wasn’t Charlie’s fault, but mine. I had left the door open and he only did what comes naturally to a  curious "kid" with a chewing fetish.

After all, every little boy (furry or not) dreams of the day when they are old enough to play with their Daddy's toys.

MEET DOGWOOD'S NEW FOSTER: LINUS

Every once in a while, as I look thru the myriad of furry faces waiting for someone to love them, I see one image that moves my heart and settles in my mind.

Such was the case with a little one year old, black lab mix named Tippy.

Tippy’s little face was included in an album of Adoptable animals posted by the Waverly Animal Shelter.

Tippy’s story was semi-tragic. He had been found by an officer at the Wild Life Refuge in New Johnsonville, TN with a gunshot wound in his backside. The bullet had severed a nerve, leaving him unable to use his paw on his hind right leg. To further explain it, the nerve that allowed Tippy to walk on his paw and keep it flat had been severed. So when Tippy walked, he walked on his knuckles. When he became tired, he would drag the paw behind him. The paw on his right hind leg was raw from being drug across the ground. He would need time to heal, time to grow, and time to learn to accommodate his lifeless foot.

This wonderful human being brought Tippy to the shelter, and sponsored him so that he could be treated.

I looked at Tippy’s picture everyday for about a week. He would need some tender loving care to heal his little foot, and someone with time and patience to help him learn to walk without destroying the paw.

Once again, I heard the voice of the foster angels whispering in my ear. Dogwood was where Tippy needed to be.

Now everyone knows that Dogwood has always been a haven for foster dogs. But since our move from Clarksville, my Better Half had pretty much put the kibosh on my personal foster program. Yes, in the past I had been able to twiddle the opposition down and get my way. But as we were now in an entirely new setting and situation, I wasn’t sure if I could do it this time.
But being my fathers’ son, I was bull headed about it and presented little Tippy’s picture one evening at dinner.

It didn’t exactly go as planned.

“No. No. NO.” was Better Half’s response.

Better Half did not think we could give the amount of love and attention to little Tippy that he deserved, and still keep everybody else in the house happy.
Anyone who has followed the adventures of the Dogwood pack knows that my little Brady Bunch of six is all special in their own way. We have Lucy, matriarch and alpha female. Then there’s Charlie, the second oldest and submissive prince of our pack. Then there’s Hines, the little rat terror (I mean terrier) who is a self proclaimed conquistador. And finally, there’s two year old Crazy Daisy, our second foster child who became my first foster failure when we adopted her as our own.

Then there are the two feline felons of the house, Bart and Sebastian, who each contribute their own brand of kitty mayhem to the brood.

Yes-we have a regular circus. Ok it's a zoo.  But I knew in my heart that we could make it all work.

In order to prove my point, and to make this story a tad shorter, I reminded Better Half of something that we tell our needy, jealous, spoiled rotten fur kids every day: At Dogwood, there’s always enough love to go around.

That weekend, Tippy joined our little family.

That was two weeks ago. So much has happened, and if I write it all down it’ll make a book. So let me give you the 45 version vs. the 12 inch album.

First off, Better Half refused to keep the name Tippy. The little boy now is named LINUS (another Peanuts reference-GOOD GRIEF!!!) Linus has flourished. His foot is healing, and with the aid of a boot (THANK YOU DR. BATEY), he has slowly learned to keep the pad of his paw on the ground. When he over exerts, he will drag a bit. But if I say, “Pick it up!” he does.

All the slightly irregular personalities have clashed, cooled off, and settled in. Daisy and Linus are two peas in a pod. Lucy and Charlie are passive. They have been here many times before. Hines, well, let’s just say Hines is a work in progress. Bart and Sebastian couldn’t care less. I love cats!

Linus will be a Dogwood pack member until someone VERY SPECIAL decides that they just can't live without him. For adoption info on LINUS--you can contact the WAVERLY ANIMAL SHELTER at 931-296-7319. Remember that LINUS IS A SPECIAL NEEDS ANIMAL and will require much love and attention.

So now there are SEVEN sets of paws running loose on my floors, sleeping in my bed, and driving my sanity just a tad bit closer to the edge of oblivion.

But you know what? If this little dog can heal, learn to walk right, and know that he’s loved; I’ll start sewing my own straight jacket.

Happy Birthday Little Pink Foot: We Miss you Every Day

Gone, but not forgotten.
My sweet Pearl was "born" to Dogwood on the Thursday night before Memorial Day.
She would have been seven years old.

Daddy loves you little pink foot. Happy Birthday.

DAISY'S GUARDIAN ANGEL "STRIKES" AGAIN

GOD is with us 24/7--every minute that we live--every breathe that we take.
He protects us--watches over us--and listens to our prayers.
If I hadn't known that already--I would have become a believer after what happened to us Monday evening.

We had just gotten home and my four canine convicts had been released out into the back yard for the evening constitutional (AKA-poop time).
We had been out on the back patio/carport for about ten minutes, playing fetch and letting everyone stretch their legs. We were all preoccupied with having fun and playing catch up after being away from each other all day.  Daisy had already had her turn with the rope, and had walked behind me, kindda nosing around the ground where the concrete of the patio meets the brick of the house.
Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Daisy jump back about a foot. I turned to look, wondering if she had found another intruder grasshopper to play with.
At first, I didn't see anything but a few leaves that had blown up against the house.
But then I saw it--a copper head snake --alittle over a foot long--coiled up, head pulled back and ready to strike my curious Daisy dog. 
Of course, seeing the life threatening danger she was in, Daisy did what any normal dog would do.
 WHAT AM I SAYING? This is Daisy we are talking about.
She practically laid down IN FRONT OF IT.
But lucky for us--God loves dumb dogs---and the idiots that own them.
I reached down, snatched Daisy up from the ground, and screamed for Better Half to grab Charlie.  My special big boy was just a few steps away from discovering what Daisy had found.
I knew if Charlie saw the snake move, we were in BIG TROUBLE.
He would be right on top of it, and would more than likely be bitten by the viper.
Luckily, when all this happened, Hines and Lucy had already been pawing at the  backdoor, ready to go back inside.
Before the true panic and realization of what was goin on hit everybody else, we piled all four mutts thru the door and closed it. My heart was beating 90 miles a minute as I reached for the shovel I use to keep the yard cleaned up and poop free.
I was shaking so bad I couldn't hold onto the thing, so Better Half chopped the copper head into mulch, and threw it off into the woods.
I immediately grabbed Daisy and flipped her every way I could think of to see if she had actually been bitten.
Do you know how hard it is to examine a dog for snake bite while she is trying to chew on your ear off?????
It took an hour or so, and some medication, for my heart to stop beating out of my chest and get back to normal. I laid on the couch ,Daisy and Charlie laid out on either side of me.
With a little bit of LUBBINS, I was fine.
I praise God for answering a prayer that I say every day: Lord put angels by my babies and keep them safe.
We had all walked past that coiled snake several times as it lie on that hand full of leaves. It could have easily struck at any of us.
But God kept it at bay.
Even when Crazy Daisy discovered it, her guardian angel kept her back far enough to not be bitten, while another one whispered in my ear to turn around and see what it was that made her jump back so.
I thank the Lord for our safety and for being with us.
Now I know God made the snakes too. When you get right down to it-one of the best stories in the bible would be lost without the presense of a slithering serpent.
But brothers and sister, I am here to tell you that just because I know God made them, doesn't mean I have to like them. 
So remember boy and girls out there in Pet Lover Land--SNAKE SEASON is upon us.
MAKE SURE to keep an eye on all your pets when they are outside.
 If you see that someone is spending just a bit too much time sticking their nose to something, or pawing just a bit too long, GO SEE WHAT IT IS THEY ARE SO INTERESTED IN!!!
AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION FOLKS!!!!
 YOUR ATTENTION to their movements could SAVE YOUR BEST PAL from suffering a POISONOUS BITE, AND CAN SAVE THEIR LIFE!!!!
Be safe my friends!

Friends Lost--But Always Remembered

There is nothing harder in life than facing the death of a loved one. We try to find comfort through prayer and through solice from our family and friends--but nothing ever takes the sting out of the loss you feel. It's a kick to the gutt: an empty place that will never truly be full again, the place where your loved one once sat.
It's no different when a pet that you have loved for years crosses over the Rainbow Bridge and into the fields of God. It's the same situation--an empty place in your home and in your heart where that furry four legged family member once played, loved, and existed.
Today, my good friends, the Lewis family, handed one of their beloved animals over to God. Sadie was diagnosed with cancer this week. It was already too late to treat, and because of the amount of suffering she was experiencing, the family did the best thing they could for her--they let her go.
Though I cannot go to their sides to offer comfort, I write this in effort to reach out to them in words--to give them a big old Dogwood hug--and say, "I love you guys. I know what your going thru."
It's horrible today--it'll be bad tomorrow--it'll be crappy for quite some time.  But I encourage you to lean on the Lord, and don't let the dark times of the past few weeks ever over shadow the light of a wonderful life that you were given the priviledge of sharing and being part of. The rest of your pack needs you to be strong, and to help them deal with being smaller in number, and to begin learning to live in a restructured household.
Sadie lives forever--in your memories--in your hearts. As long as one of you is left to tell the tale of her lifetime, she is still here. Reflect on the things she taught you, and the laughs she gave you, and what a truly marvelous life that you enjoyed together.
On another plain of existence, in a place where no one ever suffers, ever hurts, or ever, ever dies, Sadie runs free and happy from all the trappings of this world. You can't touch her, you can't see her, but you will ALWAYS feel her in your heart.
My deepest sympathies, and prayers for strength to you all.
Love--The pack at Dogwood