Creature(s) of Habit

To say that Maddie, our 3-year-old Irish Setter is a creature of habit, is to understate. To say the Maddie is positively anal about some things – might still be to understate. Maddie needs to do certain things, and she seems to need to do some things with me and some with my wife, at certain times, or else the world is not right.

It also seems that, in her little red head, all that matters is her world.

I’m not going to describe or enumerate Maddie’s habits, but I want to mention one, because it leads to some very nice photo opportunities. It can be summed up by the statement my wife and I often say to each other:

“Apparently, I have to go out.”

And no, I do not pee in the backyard. Maddie does, but very often, after she has gone out with one of us, she will focus her stare, stance and voice on the other one of us and talk us into taking her back out.

We know that she doesn’t need to go out. We know that she doesn’t really want to play. It is as if she thinks we need to go out. In the summer, we have to sit. In the winter, when she takes me out, we walk the perimeter of the yard. We stop a few times and sniff. Well, she sniffs. We might say hi to the neighbor’s dogs, and then we come back to the porch. Usually, Maddie then plops on the couch and goes to sleep.

The photos in the gallery today are from my most recent morning, late afternoon, and evening walks around the yard. I can report that all is well, and the perimeter is secure.

Sometimes, Maddie takes me out at sunset.

Clear days. Maddie has to sniff.

Clear and cold. “Why re we out here?”

I do get to see some nice sunsets

The squirrels appear to be sleeping.

These guys didn’t want to move as we walked by.

The moon and Venus. Good timing, Maddie

The moon and Venus. Good timing, Maddie

And, sometimes, I have to see the sunrise.

This post is part of Linda G. Hill’s fun weekly series One-Liner Wednesday.