Something Fishy

If this sounds like a crazy lady fish story....it is. I've trained the little gold fishes in our back yard pond to come when I call. (Here fishy fishy.) They are so friendly and not at all afraid when I put my hand in the water to pet them. Yes, I literally pet my fishes....AND talk to them. They like me.

Naturally, since the fish are so tame, if anyone (or anything) comes to say "hi" the fish gather at the surface to pass along greetings as well. Lately, the neighborhood cats have discovered the fish pond. The fish population has dwindled in the last few months from 15 healthy fish to five fish in various states of health. Some of the fish have completely disappeared (been eaten) and others been swatted by fish predators (cats) and now feebly drift along the bottom of the pond. It's so sad.

The Amazing Reese knew how distressed I've been about the poor fishes. For Valentine's Day, gave me a dozen little goldfish. I couldn't have been happier. He looked at me very seriously and said, "Now, please let me know how your new pet fish are getting along in the pond." Bless his heart. He KNOWS.

Poodles were originally bred to be water dogs, and when trained are highly efficient water retrievers. The day before yesterday, Tilly started noticing the goldfish in the pond. She's endlessly fascinated by them, and has spent hours watching them and running around the pond. She sticks the length of her nose in the water and blows bubbles at the fish. It's adorable. Because she's a water dog -- and honestly at this point I'm surprised that she hasn't jumped in the pond -- Tilly started playfully pawing at them. Uh oh. To the newly injured little gold fish limping at the bottom of the pond, I'm guessing that it wasn't so playful. But, at a dollar or so a dozen, we can keep the pond stocked with fish out the wazoo and Tilly can be the water dog she was created to be. Only, I guess these new fish recruits might not become my pets....oh well.


The weather was perfect yesterday for plein air painting. After working on the painting in the studio one day last week it was nice to be outside again. The painting is very incomplete -- not even close to being finished -- but since this was originally designed to be an art blog and not a Tilly blog, I thought that it best to throw in some art references.


Weekly chore update : replace outlet covers in living room and study -- done.