Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Cole's commandments... gumball removal

Cole here to discuss an important issue to dogs...
the dreaded gumball.
These are evil. That's all there is to it.
We are entering gumball season around here and these little sharp pieces of evil are scattered all along my walking paths...
on my running grounds...
and get stuck in my pads, requiring a momma TOUCH MY FEET!
Horrors!
Momma:  we'll be walking along and Cole stops.
The "check poodle" light comes on.
Being stoic, yet unwilling to suffer any discomfort at all, he stops. I begin to check his feet one by one, as he gives no hint as to which one is effected. Nope, he waits for his servant to do that.
When I find the burr, I have to disengage it from the hair and webbed pads.
All while he kicks out at me because it tickles or hurts or something.

Degree of difficulty? 8/10

Cole: People, you with money... cut down these trees. I've seen momma skitter around on these ball bearings and the curses are pretty colorful. I've heard Daddy screaming as the limbs break off and fall on cars.

In honor of Valentine's day, two...


14 comments:

Unknown said...

I've seen those somewhere before but luckily we don't have any in our area. But, we do have lots of hedgeapple trees that you don't want to be standing under in the fall, lol!

Piranha Banana said...

Uh oh - those look dangerous! Especially for those who are furry like you. I have not seen those around in my area.

Groovy Goldendoodles said...

We struggle with these at the beach! Ugh! They hurt the dog and the fingers trying to pry them off. #evil

PaintedThread said...

Those look nasty. I'm glad we don't have them around here!

Glen QuiltSwissy said...

We Bassets don't have a problem with the dreaded gumball, there certainly is enough of them in our yard though. Every once in a while, mom says the Swissy Bonnie Doon used to get one in her foot. She would take it out herself though. Uncle Dutch's feet were neat and compact for the show ring!

gayle said...

I cracked up at 'The "check poodle" light comes on.' 8)
Poor Cole - I wouldn't want those things stuck to my feet either...

Cats Herd You said...

We love the idea of a "check poodle" light! The head peep says she grew up with a neighbor who had one of those trees and she stepped on them barefoot more times than she can count, so she empathizes with Cole.

Jackie Bouchard said...

Too funny about the "check poodle light" but poor Cole. That sounds painful. Funny though, we have those here and I've never had any of our dogs have a problem with stepping on them. I love those trees - they're the only fall color we get here!

The Flynnigans said...

I've never seen these things here up in Ontario, Canada. But, we do have burrs and they are a right pain in my arse because they get so intertwined and stuck in the hair. It's a nightmare!

quiltedfabricart said...

I've seen those too but we don't have as many as you. Evil little things. My nemesis are the burrs. I swear when a dog comes within 3 feet of a bush they jump off and fly through the air like the dog fur is a magnet. Sometimes you have to cut them out they stick so bad.

DianeLoves2Quilt said...

Pardon my rant here. We had - note past tense - HAD a whole bunch of gumball trees in our front yard. Here in our area of California they call them "liquid ambers". They do change color in the fall, nothing to rival the New England displays of color but quite pretty none the less. But I agree. They are evil. I have a special needs son with some medical issues. He is now 29, but back when he was 17 and very ill he was granted the opportunity to go on a Make a Wish trip to Disney World. One week before departure he simple walked out our front door and rolled his ankle on a solitary gum that had somehow escaped being removed from the path. He was placed in a removable cast. My husband was so enraged at the unfairness of it all - yes bad things do happen to good people - but why to him who was already struggling? The very next day he and my other son cut down Every. Last. One. of those blasted trees. The ankle was sprained, not broken so my son did get to go swimming after all and our family enjoyed the trip. I know you are not afraid of color but you are right to be afraid of gumball trees, even if the nursery does try to sugar coat it by calling them liquid ambers. The gumballs do not come till the tree reaches maturity and supposedly the trees have a male and a female and only one gender gets the balls. Since you cannot tell which gender you are buying best to skip them entirely. They are indeed evil. End of rant.

linda said...

Just a little note from little feathered beings - please dont cut down my food sources. There are so many houses and lawns here that I have a hard time finding food. I am sorry that you dog is having a hard time.

paulette said...

haha My dog is a drama queen. The the littlest thing that causes her paw discomfort, she limps and drags her foot. She only does it with me as she knows that mama stops and gives her some TLC and a paw massage! Got to love them!

Claudia H. Blanton said...

ouch, glad we don't have those here - blessings!