Girl in the Red Dress

Sometimes I just have to get my inks, watercolors and paper out and have some play time. Actually, almost everything that I do can count as play time...except for dishes, of course, and vaccuuming. I just spent about 20 minutes trying to catch a dove that flew into the house. Success! First I had to get the dogs outside...the other day (thank goodness John was at home) three doves (yes 3) all flew into or were chased into the house through the open patio door. Dogs + birds = chaos. We herded the dogs into our bedroom and went about trying to collect the panicy doves. Found one in the living room trying to catch its breath on the ottoman. Towels are indispensible for bird catching. We breathed a sigh of relief when we released it into the wild...and it flew away as fast as its little wings could flap. #2 wasn't as fortunate. We found it...behind the couch...and minus a tail. (The tail feathers were in the kitchen where the excited pack-o-dogs had plucked them)....another maneuver with a towel and that one was given it's freedom. Surprisingly, it too flew off into the wild blue yonder and out of our yard. The third wasn't as lucky. At first we couldn't find it. Then we heard a commotion in our bedroom. John and I looked at each other with horror and just about bashed in the door while yelling NO!!! during the entire run down the hall. We went in....and there was Kujo and company surrounding an almost dead dove...feathers all over the place. It was a sad and sorry sight. John had to dispatch the poor dove to end its suffering as quickly as possible....and I spent the next half hour picking up bird feathers. The dogs looked quite proud of themselves for the rest of the day. We were sad...the dogs were happy....and such is life, I guess