
Something about this picture reminds me of the cover of “Abbey Road.”
Here are Bert and Zippy at El Rancho Deluxe, the Faster family country seat. Bert and Zippy are pictured enjoying their second-favorite activity, which is running like hell. Their first-favorite activity is sniffing crotches.
Bert has his hole-digging thing, of course, but that’s more of a sideline. My brilliant hypothesis is that the oftener I take him out to El Rancho Deluxe, the oftener he doesn’t dig another ankle-spraining hole in my back yard.
Normally, where you see Bert poised in mid-gallop, there would be a swift and cheerfully burbling river, up to about his neck. But thanks to global warming or Monsanto or pornography or whatever, there’s a huge drought in Texas, and the river is down to a dribble.

At least what’s left of it is a nice color.
Computer-generated list of quasi-related posts:
- Dig My Dog Bert contemplates recent modifications to Hole #8 This is my puppy Bert. Bert is a...
- Friday Bert Report Bert Those of your plaintive cries emoting “Enough patriarchy-blaming, already! Show us the dog!” have...
- Thirst For Knowledge Zippy scrams right over the dam at El Rancho Deluxe Our little wedge of the...
- Fuck Cute Dogs My recent canine-related orthopedic trauma timeline: Left knee, sprained, 6 weeks ago: Am sideswiped by...
- Gracias. Now With Zippy. Much has been made of my golden retriever Bert, but for the last 12 years...

13 comments
MzNicky
February 18, 2007 at 6:49 pm (UTC -6)
Twisty: Bert would be John, much-photographed, light of hue and striding ahead. Zippy would be the lesser-heard-from George, bringing up the rear. Paul and Ringo, still being of this earthly sphere, are nowhere to be found. It makes sense if you think about it.
TP
February 18, 2007 at 7:12 pm (UTC -6)
There’s something about the color palette if you ask me, that reminds me of Abbey Road. I always blame the weather on George Bush.
I think I’ll be done reading Shulamith Firestone just in time for the commentary. Did you ever get that 30 Rock episode I sent you via iTunes?
Pony
February 18, 2007 at 7:46 pm (UTC -6)
Awwhhh. We hear so little (nothing) about Zippy. I thought maybe she was just a memory. She’s not doing badly there. Bert, the show-off, will get to *it* (?) first, but be too slobber-ly exhausted and demanding of you to notice how boyishly terrific he is, so *it* will be left for Zippy.
kiki
February 18, 2007 at 7:56 pm (UTC -6)
You should see how sad the Rio Grande is here in NM…We’ve had snow this season, but not nearly enough. The cottonwoods are really hurting after so many years of drought.
roamaround
February 18, 2007 at 8:17 pm (UTC -6)
That rio looks exactly like the Chicago on Saint Patty’s Day. What’s really going on? And Zippy ain’t no retriever neither.
Scratchy888
February 18, 2007 at 9:39 pm (UTC -6)
Reminds me of my gran’s hobby farm in rural Zimbabwe.
Sara
February 19, 2007 at 6:56 am (UTC -6)
Hee.
Thank you. I needed that.
Cass
February 19, 2007 at 7:44 am (UTC -6)
Didn’t Homer describe the river Styx as having a greenish tint? Oh my God…
BERT IS DEAD!!!
B. Dagger Lee
February 19, 2007 at 9:50 am (UTC -6)
The Patriarchy is Maxwell’s silver hammer!
yrs, BDL
Sam Jackson
February 20, 2007 at 6:56 pm (UTC -6)
Gorgeous golden retriever! I found your blog through Wired, too, and I think I will stay (or rather, add it to my RSS). Good, sharp writing about things that are important to me–how could I not? The information addiction? Well, but of course.
Twisty
February 20, 2007 at 7:01 pm (UTC -6)
Sam, your excellent taste in field dogs makes you a welcome addition to the commentariat.
Antoinette Niebieszczanski
February 21, 2007 at 8:33 am (UTC -6)
Sorry for your dry spell. We were clobbered with 18.5 inches of snow a week ago, which is now melting, transforming my backyard into Lake Niebieszczanski. Would that I could pack it off to your Rio.
Last week my dog, a 125-lb. German shepherd mix, looked like a leaping dolphin in the snowdrifts. This week we’re just dealing with mud up to her hocks which must be removed before it festoons the rest of the house.
Mau
February 21, 2007 at 8:50 pm (UTC -6)
Gahh… that river! Was there a copper mine in the area at one time?