Hello everyone; yes, once again it is I, Mani the extremely small purebred border collie, here to tell you all about my day. There really isn’t any gardening happening because there’s snow on the ground, and it’s snowing, and the guy I live with, who feels a lot differently about snow from the way I do, says it will be snowing for ever, which sounds completely excellent to me. So I guess this post will have to be almost totally about me. I think I can deal with that.
Here I am in a characteristic pose. Not only can I get up on the couch, I can get up on the chairs. They’re rattan, too; old and creaky. 
I hear that most of the decorating, and books and stuff, was done by the guy I live with’s companion, who is no longer here. He tells me about her from time to time. I got a lecture for chewing on the spines of the books, but he said that the very first border collie who lived here did the same thing.
I had a pretty good day, even with the lecture. (I pretended to listen carefully.) Some seeds from Mesa Garden came in the mail yesterday
and so there was a lot of activity related to that, which was extremely boring to me, but the rest of the day was pretty good.
I got to go out into the snow and survey stuff. There’s a lot of stuff that needs surveying, and a lot of snow to run in. 
There were some birds out in the back yard, and they were scary.
I had to go into the house after that.
We took a nap for over three hours today. That was really good. It turns out that the guy I live with is very good at napping. After that, we played together. That’s him on the left, if you couldn’t tell. 
Then I noticed that I could see myself in the camera lens, and that was pretty interesting. I started to sneak up on it. This is me sneaking up. 
I got “too close to the camera”, because it looked like it was trying to get me.
I keep thinking that I’m going to wear out the guy I live with, so I can do whatever I want in the house, but he seems to be able to keep on going. He spent hours looking for my rawhide chew sticks that I cleverly hid, and he still hasn’t found them. Maybe I can tire him out that way.
I can spend a lot of time just waiting for him to get tired. 
Until next tine, then.
the miserable gardener 
Good luck little one but I don’t think you can ever wear out the guy you live with, never stop trying though. I love that you love the snow, I wish I got snow where I live, I’d love to bounce in it too. Birds are cool. Where I lived for the first 5 years of my being there were so many birds from minuscule to large king parrot size and I never chased them and they never chased me, so be cool. Even Magpies which are known to be agro around nesting/mating time where I live down under weren’t bothered with me. My mum did have to watch me like a hawk in Summer because I didn’t like the cicadas before they came out of their shell and she had to watch them carefully to make sure I didn’t get them. See you next time…
Thanks; I might be able to wear him out, but he found both rawhide chew sticks, hidden in the same place, so I’ll have to figure out something new. Birds are pretty scary here. When I walk close to them, they all fly into the air.
Pretty scary cartoon Mani
Pretty scary, indeed. And old, too.
Hilarious camera pouncing! You were very brave to stay out in the yard for almost a whole 18 seconds after those birds got scary!
Thanks; I am indeed extremely brave. That’s why the door of my fort faces the sliding glass door, so I can be brave.
That bird movie was very good, but even better is the picture of your cautious little self watching from the door. That flapping was very loud and startling and you are wise beyond your weeks to be careful.
Thanks; the guy I live with says that my motto can be found here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iaOlMcJvyU at 5:10. Pretty old Disney cartoon.
A great motto, made even greater by the voice of Goofy.
Uh huh. It is a great motto. (The reason the guy I live with knew about this cartoon was that his companion was an artist, and loved cartoons, especially ones with Donald Duck in them.)
Only 9 weeks old and you have discovered camera lens. You are a very smart tiny border collie. I love your joy in the snow.
Thanks; the guy I live with was not hugely happy when I licked the lens, but it looked dirty to me. There was a nose print on it.
You shouldn’t be nervous about those birds with that big owl watching over you on that chair. 🙂 oh and I’d be curious too if someone kept poking a funny looking thing with a lens in my face. Keep smiling tho…we are all enjoying seeing you grow.
Thanks; the owl on the rug thrown over the chair isn’t so scary. The pictures of me playing tug-of-camera-strap didn’t come out, otherwise I could’ve shown what I thought of that, too.
Just when I think things couldn’t possibly get any cuter, they do … licking the camera!
Well, it needed cleaning, you know, the way things do.
Pretty scary cartoon Mani
Those birds were really scary and I know you ran back to protect the guy you live with.
Yes, that was it. Protection is my first duty.
I see there is a gate at the bottom of the stairs Mani. Did you put that there to stop the guy you live with from sneaking upstairs for a nap?
What it really is, is to keep him from going up to the “spare bedroom” and looking at seedlings, instead of playing with me. (There’s what is called a “baker’s rack” with fluorescent lights and stuff.)
Mani, I love what you’ve done to the place. You have a way with using stuffed toys as decor. It’s looks so effortless, but I know that hours of thought went into placing them juuuust riiiight.
The thing I love about dogs is that they can take a hint. Like those baby gates, simply leaning against the entrance to the No Go areas. If I tried that with my cats (and yes, I have) they would have knocked over those lean-tos in a heartbeat. ( In my house, I had to install indoor screen doors to keep the cats corralled.) But even an extremely small and energetic purebred border collie has the sense and manners not to charge through such a flimsy barrier.
And about those rawhide chew sticks: were you herding them?
Thanks; an extremely small purebred border collie has learned, with the gate blocking the upstairs, that it only leans there, and can be climbed up and over, if absolutely necessary. The guy I live with put most of the toys back in the basket, because he says he “dislikes clutter”. I can just go get them when I need them, anyway. About the chew deals, which is what they’re called around here, chew deals, I’m extremely little and have the attention span of, well, some people he knows. The fact that they were both left (I mean hidden) in the same place doesn’t mean anything.
i really enjoyed your video, mani!! i’m glad you’re getting along so well with your person.
Thanks; I wonder if I should get an agent, and sign a film contract ……
Birds flapping? Wait until you meet Earl. Tell the guy you live with, you cutester you, that meet-up is one video I would pay to watch. And perhaps he could think about reshooting pictures of you playing tug-of-camera-strap. Ooh ooh, I see a career developing here for both of you, at least in snow-ridden winter. .
That’s an excellent idea indeed. I think, though, that my very presence, teeth gnashing horribly, aggressive stance, and deep, threatening bark, will show Earl who’s who in the back yard. I’ll have to run into the house afterwards, just to check things, you know.
Mani you are cute and smart and sound funny, all these are part n parcel of growing-up. and there is no hurry, learn all the tricks to wear out the guy. Bye until next time.
Thanks; I think I have him completely worn out, now.
That spotted belly is so cute it evokes a whiff of new-puppy fragrance. Umm, um.
Thanks; I think the guy I live with is slightly jealous. I do have a nice cuddly smell.