Behind the Lines: by David Heiller

David Heiller We’ve had a lot of wet weather lately, which has me worried about our Firewood Supply. Firewood Supply is capitalized because it is a serious subject when you heat with wood. Most people have their Firewood Supply under control at this point in the year. In fact the true old timer is working on his Firewood Supply for next year, or even 1997, right about now. Maybe someday I’ll be at that point. But things always seem to get in the way, like football games and gardening and an emergency or two. "Argg"! So I’m crossing my fingers that we’ll get a cold snap and the rain will cease and the ground will harden and everything will work out fine, like it always does. In preparation for those perfect conditions, I spent part of Saturday and Sunday in the woods wearing knee-high rubber boots, cutting and splitting several cords of basswood, maple, and red oak. Two companions helped the time go faster. On Saturday I worked with the company of our Austra...

David Heiller It finally dawned on me on Monday, and a chill went up my cliche-filled spine. This dog is too darn smart. I’m referring to our Australian Shepherd, McKenzie. We got her a month ago from Kathy Horvath. MacKenzie Kathy is the biggest animal lover this side of Cassanova. She takes in homeless animals. McKenzie had been given to her because she kept running away from her home in Duluth (McKenzie did, not Kathy). The dog had learned how to open the door, and couldn’t resist the sound of children playing down the street. Kathy and a group called Aussie Rescue in turn gave her to us. It was pretty much love at first sight, even for me. I didn’t want another dog. We already had one, a six-year-old flugel - hound named Ida. But the other three family members begged pretty shamelessly. “Let’s just try it, and if she doesn’t work out, we can take her back,” Cindy said. Yeah right. McKenzie is hard not to like. She catches Frisbees with spectacular leaps. When w...

David Heiller When I come home from work, I am always greeted by our two dogs, Ida and MacKenzie. . They have different personalities. Ida, age seven, is part collie and part flugel-hound (a little bit of everything). And she is shy. If Ida were a teenage girl at a dance, she would try to blend in with the wallpaper. She probably wouldn’t dance if you asked her. Queen Ida, David, and MacKenzie. Mack, on the other hand, would be the life of the party. She would be doing the Mack-areena. She is a three-year-old Australian shepherd, friendly and playful, with a coat like silk. Her nickname is Happy. You couldn’t find two dogs more different than Mack and Ida. But they have one thing in common. They both are fun to talk to. That’s the subject I am getting at here: talking to your dog. It’s one of life’s simplest pleasures. When I get home from work, I often drop my briefcase and camera on the grass and lie down and let the dogs crowd around me. That’s when they are mo...