Christmas at Beagle Manor

This is a picture taken of Ripley by our son (other son, the two legged variety) John B, of his little brother Ripley. J.B. got a new camera for Christmas, and a tri-pod and a camera case. He also got a new "hoodie" sweatshirt so he'll keep warm in this unusually cool season in Florida. He also got a book about "Weird Florida" stories. The camera was something he had expressed wanting to have, as his older camera had only about half the mega-pixels and capabilities of this newer one. J.B. had accompanied me to Orlando a few weeks ago, and was impressed by the Sony camera I had, so now we're an all Sony camera family. I'd offer that old pun, "Sony of my owny" but I'm considering giving up cheap puns for New Year's.

Ripley is pictured on his favorite rug in the living room. This is the rug that came from Badcock & More (yes, that's the name - insert your own crude humor here). We purchased a new living room furnishing with two chairs, a three person sofa, that rug and two vases in blue & brown. The rest of the living room came down from Missouri, except for the Tommy Bahama style entertainment center from the former island condo. Ripley is Sir Skids A Lot when it comes to chasing the tennis ball on the wood floors, ergo this rug is his island of tranquility.

Christmas in Florida is different, to say the least. I suppose native Floridians don't miss the snow, but instead of a white Christmas, we had to settle for a Windy Christmas. As I write this on a Sunday morning, the wind is whipping the palm fronds, and the live oaks trees are casting their acorns onto car roofs, driveways and streets. Ripley has been out with me to take his walk, and experience his first encounter (to our knowledge) with a giant Blue Heron. The bird was standing tall (he was at least 48" tall) next to some reeds near the pond, and watching Ripley as he made a half-hearted stalk. Ripley, who apparently is no fool when it comes to birds bigger than beagles, stopped a good 15 feet away and barked the bird into flight. You had to wonder what the dog was thinking, but then you realized he wasn't thinking......he's a beagle.