The Tornado Dogs are our June 2, 2013 Pups of the Week

Meika

Friday night I sat in front of the computer scared to death.  I wasn’t watching a frightening video or watching stories about how the humans are messing up the world, I was reading post after post from my beloved friends who were living in the path of killer tornadoes.  

Thankfully all have checked in and were spared from the storm’s wrath, but it made me realize just how fragile our hold on life, and our friendships, are.  One horrible storm can cause so much havoc and devastation it is unimaginable.  The names of towns become synonomous with destruction, Moore, Joplin, Oklahoma City, Rainsville, like the towns that became famous for Civil War battles:  Fredricksburgh, Antetiem, Shiloh, Gettysburgh.

Practically every day we bark with our good friends Reese and Mieka from Missouri.  Reese is very proud that he can howl just as loud as the tornado sirens.  But his talent scares us.  We never want him to use his howler because that means danger is coming.  On Friday night they were excitedly waiting on word of twin family members being born in Michigan.  But they couldn’t contact their family, and they couldn’t contact us, so there was a big circle of worry going on.  We were happy to hear from them yesterday, but their human twin cousin is in a hospital and in need of prayers.

Then there are our very good friend Koda, Josie, Wills and Emme.  They all had to pack up and leave their farm Friday night as tornadoes were headed right for it.  Thankfully the twisters spared their homestead and by the next morning they were back at the farm, but for one night there were lots of prayers said in their name.

Chey’s and Kaizer’s Mom had to ride out the storm in their basement.  They lost contact when the tornadoes grazed their neighborhood and all us friends held our breath. They came through the storms in one piece but the hotel where many friends stayed during last year’s Baronfest was hit.  Chey’s and Kaizer’s Mom made a wise choice pushing this year’s Baronfest until after tornado season.

On Wednesday Chelsea and Junior Johnson’s family got a warning about a major tornado and had to hunker down in their bedroom.  Two nights later they had to go through the same hell and then again on the 30th.  Their Mom’s Facebook page became tornado central, as did many other peep’s pages.

Shakira, Napa, and tiny Travis had to go into the storm cave to wait out the tornadoes that swirled around them.  It was Travis first storm but he came out fine  thanks to his Mom being so calm and Angel Apollo watching out from overhead.

There were lots of other pups in the path of these terrible storms like Summer Grace whose stories we have not told.  But we want them all to know we prayed very hard for them and are so happy they came through the darkness OK and pray it is a long time until they face another week like this.

For now we give you and your parents a big tip of the tail for being calmer and braver dogs then either us or our parents could ever be.

May you have nothing but sunny days for the rest of the summer. 

Cheyenne, Baron and the Baronfest participants are our pups of the week

As all of you know I am a very impressive dog. But I have never had a fest before. I think Foleyfest would be a grand time. But I don’t think I could top a Baronfest.

We all remember Baron (AKA Bear.) If you never had the pleasure then I am sorry, because Bear was a dog’s dog, loyal, true, joyful. His passing shook the dog world like few others. So it is fitting that dogs should trek down to Missouri to celebrate one of the best dogs we have ever met.

Now with Baron at the Bridge he couldn’t host this event. Hosting duties were passed on to his little sister Cheyenne. Cheyenne is very yo,ung, younger than even Pocket so this was a big test for a little girl. But she was like Dick Clark on New Year’s Eve, this weekend it was like she was born to host.

As great a job as Cheyenne did we have to give a shout out to her Mom Monica. She had to do all the organizing and contacting humans. I am sure the dogs could have sniffed out Cheyenne but rarely do humans trust their pups’ sniffers, and, as a decision, that is not very scientifically sound, sniffing out is what we do. So they used the unconventional mail, e-mail, and those GPS things which are nowhere near as good as a warm sniffer and a cool breeze.

But somehow the humans made it to Missouri on Friday for the kick off of Baron Fest. The first to arrive was Rocky and he was given the honor of throwing out the first tennis ball to Cheyenne. Hannah soon joined them and the party had started with lots of butt sniffs and licks. Plus it was time to sniff and give licks to all the wonderful Moms who did the driving to bring everyone together.

Summer, Kady and Sandy soon joined the band. Oh how I wish I had been there, what fun they had. The dogs took joy in romping and playing and the Moms watching couldn’t help but smile. It was the biggest gathering of cyber friends I have ever heard about.

By this time there were so many pups I lost count. I know Ruger went and Daddy stayed home, not sure about Taser. Friday night the Moms were enjoying a wonderful meal prepared by Miss Monica while the dogs romped in the yard. When they went back to their hotels Moms and pups fell into a deep sleep.

While they all slept Baron and his friends at the Bridge planned some fun of their own. Knowing that all German Shepards love tennis balls they planned the biggest tennis ball assault of all. But having no tennis balls they turned to the next best thing. Tennis ball sized hail rained down from the heavens in tribute to Bear’ for what would a Baronfest be without tennis balls?

In their over exuberance with the tennis hail they almost killed all the participants of Baronfest but they meant well. And folks from other parts of the country, who were not used to tornado alley, got a little keepsake to take with them showing off their tennis hail from Rainbow Bridge. Miss Monica swears that she will not hold Baronfest in April again but no matter what I bet the Bear will let his presence be known again. So this is for Baron, Cheyenne and their Mom and for all the wonderful dogs who traveled to Baronfest.

Hopefully more of us will be able to get together near one another. I wonder if I can talk Mom into a Foleyfest?

(And while we are on the subject of German Shepards wanted everyone to know that Pokey’s and Maggie’s Mom, and our Mom, had a brief Human Space exchange of comments with Erin’s Mom Donna.
She is still going through hard times but she is physically well.
Maybe next year she will be at Baronfest too.)