A Root and Two Radishes

While I was away at Pennsic, a lot of changes happened...

Dexter only gained about 2 lb during his two weeks at Grandma's, instead of the 4-5 I expected. But... he was noticeably bigger. Probably lengthened, which would make him seem taller when he jumped on me.

Dexter and I get reacquainted after Pennsic...

Dexter shows off 7 tricks for Daddy - 6 of them correctly!

He's better at jumping up, too. Now he is pretty confident standing up onto my lap while I sit at the computer, something he really never did before. He has "come into" his adult run; I think his running gait improved slightly while he was away.

And, as the title suggests, something else has changed about him, as well. It will be is (1) time to schedule The Big Snip, soon. (Update: Dexter will get pity-ice cream and kisses on Monday, after surgery...)

(1) I just checked the web. Although Dex' doc said "after 6 months of age", apparently the trend is to get them earlier these days. Anyway, he's about 6.

In other news, my dog has the cutest
butt-pattern ever.

Dexter's last two milk teeth on top, two behind
the "canines" - the long, thin, broken ones.

He's lost his milk teeth, too. In the picture at right, he's still got two - the broken, super-thin & long ones near the front of his uppers. They're gone now! Weird to come back and see this full set of real teeth in his mouth... My boy is growing up.

As for the real roots & radishes, my garden took off. Three lettuce plants bolted, so I will have seed at least, I guess. Two tomato plants have red ones (thanks, Gudrid - at least one of yours survived the transplanting). And I have both yellow summer squash, and some big, round, green winter squash.

Cilantro has bolted, but I can make pesto from the plants once the seeds set (I rarely use coriander; it's for next year's crop). Swiss chard still isn't ready, alas, and my green onions still look like slightly-fat grass...  :\

Bolting lettuce front-left; squash, tomatoes
& cilantro behind; and a dog rump (for
scale) sniffing the potatoes.

Unfortunately, the yellow squash have the toughest skins I've ever seen on a squash. More like plastic than paper, even after being pan-fried!


As for me, I didn't change much in weight this year (actually gained a couple pounds); I guess the heat kept me from walking the weight off, for once. Came back with a 14th-c farmer's tan: brown forearms, brown knees, brown head & neck; everything else covered in linen or hosen.