As to Feathers and Acorns
From: Mia Cope
Diet and nutrition are important. With the exception of the quantity of fur I shed, nothing is discussed more at Casa de Togo than what I have eaten, what I will eat, and what I ought to eat. I have more than a passing interest in that, as well.
One of the big problems in today’s world is supplying sufficient amounts of nutritious food for everyone. Daddy has heard that if people work together, that goal could be met rather easily. It would also require an intentional sharing of food and the upending of many of our economic models. That’s difficult. Yet, it could happen.
I am a fortunate and privileged dog. Good food is made available to me. In fact, I can even make choices about what I eat and when I eat. Many people in this world are not as fortunate and privileged. I’m sad about that.
I’ve been doing some research on Duck-Duck-Go and it seems that both people and dogs are often distracted by eating things that aren’t good for them. Momma is always on the lookout for such items and does her best to rescue me and Daddy from peril.
I asked Daddy what he would really like to have for breakfast. He didn’t hesitate . . . biscuits and gravy. When I asked him why he doesn’t eat biscuits and gravy for breakfast, he very reasonably explained how that was really not good for him over an extended period of time. In addition to the health implications, he went off on a sidetrack about increased clothing costs and something about how hard it would be to bend over and tie his shoes.
He also noted that there were other things that really weren’t good for him either — like chewing on ice and too much coffee. I’m not sure that he has conquered munching on ice cubes, but he is down to only one or two cups of coffee a day. I’m actually in favor of Daddy drinking a little more coffee. He has a tendency to take a lot of naps and I really need him available to go outside and play when Mom is running errands.
I have a few habits that could possibly affect my health. Well, one for sure and then a questionable practice.
Let’s talk acorns. Momma and Daddy have a big, triple-trunked red oak in the backyard. And it produces thousands of acorns.1 They fall almost year round into our flowerbeds and lawn. Frankly, I enjoy looking for them and the satisfying feel of cracking them.2
Unfortunately, acorns contain a lot of acid that isn’t good for dogs. So, I really shouldn’t eat them. But they are so tempting. Momma and Daddy are participating in a bilevel program to eliminate acorns from the yard with daily patrols and then strict oversight of what I’m chewing on. It’s helping. I just need a little more self discipline.
I do like crunching on ice cubes, so I may be able to channel my energies elsewhere.
But feathers. We have a bunch of them, too. I like to chew on them. I don’t eat them. I consider them my natural toothpicks with the added pleasure of authentic bird smells.
I also like the feeling of adventure I get when I’m reclining in the shade with a handsome feather between my lips. I admire birds. Well, that’s not totally accurate. I think they’re messy and noisy. But it’s cool that they can fly. Sometimes I’ll wiggle a feather between my teeth and pretend I can take off sailing around the neighborhood.
I like to think that the feather I’m enjoying in the picture above was dropped by one of our neighborhood Mississippi Kites, like this guy.
Daddy says that it looks more like a dove feather to him, but he’s admittedly clueless when it comes to birds. Although, he and Togo did have a good friendship with Doug, the Dove a few years back.
Alas, Momma has convinced me that no good will come from chewing on feathers. We’re not sure that I could get bird flu. But, is it really worth the risk?
So, I’m working on good habits with Momma and Daddy’s help. And I’m encouraging you and your friends to figure out how to end world hunger. Both initiatives are doable.
Momma would insist that there are millions, but since I can’t count past 100,000 with ease, I’ll never know.
Not unlike Momma’s Grape Nuts cereal. Daddy says that an old guy named Euell Gibbons used to be in commercials and said that they reminded him of wild hickory nuts. I’ve put a hickory tree on my Christmas list. But not before I find out more about this Gibbons fellow. He might be wrong.
Mia, you’d be ruined if you were in our orchard. The pecans are crunchy like acorns, but the meat of the nut you’d find delicious. You’d also find yourself getting fat as a toad. Mommy and Daddy would then have to do what they call an intervention. Keep crunching down on those acorns, but try to do so only when they are not looking.