Sunday, August 1, 2010

What Benny Wants

Benny doesn't always get what he wants but that never stops him from trying.



Benny is watching baby Lily very intently. What could he possibly want?




He thinks that unopened freezie is some sort of stick and he'd like to fetch it. Never mind that she's already gnawing on it to ease her gums while teething. Benny thinks that it's his turn to chew it to bits.




What could possibly cause Benny to make this ferocious face? I mean, aside from his crazy Jack Russell Terrier brain?




He likes to bite the bubbles. The previous photo was taken in mid bite. The bubble had already disappeared but his mouth was still open.




What do you suppose it is that Benny wants in this photo? He's in the back seat of the car, inside his crate. His eyes are on Frank, who is driving to the cottage.




He wants the drive to be over so that he can get on with his summer activities - like surfing.




What does Benny think he'll get by jumping up at the cottage screen door like that? Look up at the top left corner of the doorway to get an idea.




Never mind, it's come down into full view. Yup, Bayley* the raccoon kit. Benny figures it would be fun to have just a little nip at his tail. By the way, that duct tape you see is not covering a hole made by raccoons. I know you were thinking that but you were wrong. Raccoons have not done any damage to this screen - yet. It was actually caused by a red squirrel. Bayley* just wanted to come in out of the rain and sat there crying for Theresa.




What does Benny believe he's missing out on as he looks into the camera from the dock?




He wanted to come along on this fishing trip but we knew better. Benny spends his time on the boat running back and forth from stern to bow, jumping on laps, biting rods, narrowly escaping hooks and going into manic mode if we catch a fish. So he waits impatiently on the shore until we get back.

And finally, what does this crazy dog think he's doing in this short video (just over a minute)? He actually spent about five minutes working at splashing the water out of the container. There really was a method to his madness though. Watch and find out.



He simply wanted to play with the empty container and it was just too heavy to lift with all that water in it. He's crazy, yes. Crazy like a fox.


* Sadly as of this post, sweet Bayley has been missing for five days. He and Bubbles escaped their overnight crate and though Bubs came home the next evening, Bayley never did. He has the sweetest character and Theresa is quite in love with him (as am I). Best thoughts for wee banana-loving Bayley, please?

Bayley, come home. Your Mama misses you.

58 comments:

tattytiara said...

Aw Benny, this grin's gonna be on my face for hours. Thank you for the fun, wonderful photos, and every best wish for Bayley's safe return!

ethelmaepotter! said...

Well, my vote goes to Lily's pudgy little toes for cutest pic, Benny jumping at the door for funniest, and the bubbles for the most mesmerizing.

And, OMG, look at that old ROTARY DIAL PHONE on the wall - do y'all still use that?

Marlene said...

Oh Benny sure reminds me of my Jujube...those terriers are such a joy to have as a companion..so many laughs and love in such a tiny package! I will be sending positive thoughts for Bayleys safe return... xoxo Marlene

Dawning Inspiration said...

What a cute, creative and smart little Benny!!! Hoping and praying Bayley comes home soon!!

Dave said...

More great photos Hilary. I hope Bayley comes home, or is at least happy with his freedom. - Dave

Sueann said...

Benny is a hoot!!! Love the pics! And the video is priceless!!
Hope Bayley comes home soon!! That is very distressing.
Hugs
SueAnn

Tabor said...

That is a very smart dog and I'll bet he keeps you just on the edge of crazy! I thought it was time for the raccoons to move on, so hopefully they are returning to the wild. Sweet at they might be, they can be much worse at getting into stuff than Benny ever dreamed.

Brian Miller said...

perhaps he has found his way home...some beauts for pics...i think the first i my fav with the baby foot...

Zuzana said...

Benny is one hilarious dog, that clip is fantastic! I think he is trying to be a raccoon, they tend to wash their food in water.;))
Sorry about the missing raccoon, I hope he will come home soon...
Beautiful shots as always Hilary.;)
xoxo

Hilary said...

Loved this post.......Benny is a hoot and a half.

Anonymous said...

What an adorable post! All smiles except for the end....sure do hope Bayley is safe and sound and will return soon.

And you have a dial phone!!!! Does it work?

June said...

I love Benny, but I couldn't own his breed. He'd wear me down he would.

ds said...

Love this--oh, those pudgy baby toes & that sweet baby face. As for Himself, he is priceless: Benny, the Surfer Dog!
Hope Bayley returns safely and soon.

ds said...

P.S. Video is great! Made my weekend!

L. D. said...

Benny is doing such a great job of being a great dog. He is fantastic. The little raccoons are sweet. We have a mother raccoons in town here that raises a brood every year.

ellen abbott said...

What a kooky dog. And so sad Bayley has gone missing.

Mental P Mama said...

Benny makes my day complete. And Bayley is a close second;)

CiCi said...

I like how high Benny can jump.

The Merry said...

Yes! Pictures of Benny! Life is good.

I remember the first time my dog saw someone smoking a cigarette. She sat down in front of him and watched intently. He's putting it in his mouth, so it must be some kind of food. But that smell? What is the human thinking of?

Daryl said...

Benny is as cute as Kate's George ... but Lily and 2 kits, oh my

Teri said...

Benny would probably love a small kiddie wading pool. Our greyhound loved his.

And OH MY! Does that fish have TEETH??

Cricket said...

Another commenter mentioned it, but I too love that old phone. Remember when that was it? Either one of those, or the desk version? Heh, heh. And numbers with letter prefixes? Though I don't know if that's a Canadian thing...

That "surfboard" shot looks ripe for photoshopping. Crank up Misirlou. Or maybe Walk, Don't Run.

I'm sure you'll keep us posted on Bayley :-( Down here they may be pests but I have no problem with a raccoon living where he belongs, which is not in my garbage barrels.

Travis Erwin said...

I do not know what is more amazing, Benny or your photography talents. Both are wonderful.

Bossy Betty said...

Benny! You tend to want the same things I do!!

I'll send good wishes for Bayley's return!!

imbeingheldhostage said...

I was grinning all through this post and thinking how in love I am with this little character I've never even met (Benny is amazing) and then OH! I am so sad about Bayley's disappearance.
I hope you're reunited soon!!

Karen said...

Awww, Benny, Benny, Benny, his name does fit him! He's too cute. Love your pics of the baby. What a character of a dog! :)

Paul C said...

Endearing shots of Bayley. Best wishes for his return.

Joanna Jenkins said...

Benny's escapades are too darn cute! Love he way you unfolded the story.

And Bayley! I'm holding good thought.

Have a great week,
jj

Pauline said...

Benny is just too cute. So is Lily. The fish, not so much ;) Hope Bayley returns.

the Bag Lady said...

Hoping Bayley comes home safely! ("Won't you come home Bill Bailey, Won't you come home?
I cried the whole night long")

Benny's antics are hysterical, as always! Thanks, HIlary.

Hilary said...

• Tattytiara, thank you. I'm glad Benny could share his silliness and make you grin. :)

• EthelMae, thanks. Yes, that rotary phone is still in use up at the cottage. Fun, huh? :)

• Marlene, you've nailed it with your description of their personalities. Thanks for the visit and for the positive thoughts. :)

• Thanks kindly, SD. Much appreciated. :)

• Thank you, Dave. I don't think he's found freedom unfortunately. He's too young to be on his own. Thanks for stopping by with kind comments. :)

• SueAnn, thank you. It is indeed distressing. He's such a sweet thing. I'm glad you enjoyed Benny. :)

• Tabor, you're totally right about Benny keeping us on the edge of crazy. No, it's nowhere near time for the raccoon kits to move on. They're much too young still.. especially Bayley who is a month younger than Bubbles. He wouldn't be able to care for himself until autumn. And yes, we're well aware of what they get into, and previous rescues have proven that but he's still just a baby and needs his human mama to look after him.

• Brian, he's just too young to be on his own and he would return to Theresa if he could.. sigh. I'm glad you enjoyed the photos though. :)

• Zuzana, Benny is nuts - in a good way. You might be right about him imitating the raccoon but really I think he just wanted the container and it was too heavy with water in it. Thanks always for your warm words, my friend. :)

• Thanks, Hilary. He is indeed. :)

• Jillsy, thank you so kindly. Yes, the rotary phone does work. Since the cottage is in a rather remote area, phone calls are still operator-generated. So you press that white button on the side, dial your number and then the operator comes on to ask what number you're dialing from. After providing that information, they put the call through. It's quite archaic but fun. :)

• June, believe it. He does wear us down. He's such a high energy dog in need of a lot of exercise. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• DS, thanks so much for your very kind words all around. :)

• Larry, Benny does indeed do his job well. I'm glad you have raccoons to enjoy .. they sure are a treat, aren't they?

• Ellen, his is entirely kooky. Thanks for stopping by. :)

Hilary said...

• MPM, I feel the same way. I am missing sweet Bayley so much. I feel so sad for him and for Theresa.

• TechnoBabe, he can jump/pronk crazy high. He's a hoot. Thanks for the visit. :)

• Merry, good to see you. Yes, it's fun to watch a dog think, isn't it? Even more so watching cats. I'm glad you enjoyed the pics of Benny. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Daryl, I'm surrounded with cuteness! Thanks for the visit. :)

• Teri, that's a good idea but it would probably have to be rigid plastic. He'd destroy the inflatable kind in three seconds flat. Yes, those are indeed teeth, which is (partly) why Frank usually unhooks them for me. ;) Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Cricket, yes I remember them well. And sure, we had the letter prefix phone numbers. Ours was HU(nter)4-4185. I can also remember Regent and Victor. I bet you could have fun with Photoshop ideas for that shot... Great music choices as always. With raccoons, you're looking at it backwards. Our homes are in their territory. They usually stay out of well-sealed trash cans unless they're REALLY hungry. And then, who could begrudge them a snack? ;) I know they can be pests but they really are wonderful creatures. I hate the thought that wee Bayley is truly gone. He's such a sweet soul.

• Travis, thanks very much for such kind words. Much appreciated. :)

• Betty, thank you. And yes, Benny has a way of liking what we like. :)

• IBHH, Benny seems to have a lot of fans. I'm glad to know that you're one of them. Thanks for the kind thoughts for Bayley. :)

• Karen, I'm glad that you get a kick out of Benny. He has a way of charming folks. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Paul, thanks very kindly. Much appreciated. :)

• Thanks very much, Joanna. I appreciate that very much. :)

• Pauline the fish may not be cute (though Frank would probably disagree with us) but it sure was delicious. Thanks for the kind thoughts for Bayley. :)

• Baggie, sing it! You can be sure that there have been tears shed for that sweet angel. I'm glad you enjoyed Benny. :)

LadyFi said...

Oh no, so sorry to hear about Bayley.

And Benny - such a crazy wonderful dog!

messymimi said...

I will pray for Bayley's safe return.

Your dog is the best!

Anonymous said...

Hilary,

As a avid fan of your blog, I can't get over Benny the surfer, which is too cute. Now today after reading this post, I see a new website page advertised in my local Petco ad circular for entries of pets in H2O. Now who came to mind? Benny, and with your amazing camera work he is a shoe in! Here is the link;

http://petco.com/water

Take Care,

Kate

Unknown said...

I'm praying for Benny's safe return and will continue to do so. Let's hope he's just out investigating the nearby environs.

Gary's third pottery blog said...

BAYLEY baby come home for bananas and be a pest to BENNY! Man, Benny surfs too? He is such a cute little guy :)

abb said...

What a goofy guy your Benny is. That video was the best.
Has your raccoon come back?

Reb said...

Great shots of a dogs life. Love the bubbles and the video. I hope Bayley has just figured out how to deal on his own and will come back and visit soon.

Grayquill said...

The picture of Benny eyeing Frank - I think Frank better be watching his back. Does Benny have a jealous streak?
Nice pictures - I see you have read Frank's book - What Fish Don't Want You to Know.

Linda said...

Ah, more fodder for the Benny fan club. He is just too precious, and I guess mischievous. Love the video of him kicking the water out of the pan. So funny! He may be crazy, but he is also very smart. He knows how to get what he wants.

Cheryl Kohan said...

Hilary, this was a really FUN post. That Benny is something else, isn't he? I laughed when he tried to SLURP the water out of the container as well as splash it out!

So sorry about Bayley...sure hope he's okay.

Suldog said...

As always, Benny is a hoot-and-a-half. You've got another book here, by the way - "What Does Benny Want?"

Prayer said for the kit.

Cloudia said...

OMG!

Amazing post, wonderful Benny!!!

YOU are the best of the web, Hill...


as per usual


Aloha from Honolulu :)

Comfort Spiral

SandyCarlson said...

I love Benny. Still want to be him when I grow up some day. He is da man. Thanks for making me smile with this one!

beth said...

wow...the banana eating raccoon is the sweetest photo ever !

Don said...

Benny has a busy life! I'm exhausted!

Slamdunk said...

Surfing Benny is my hero.

Sorry to here about Bayley--hoping for a safe return.

VM Sehy Photography said...

Sorry to hear that Bayley is missing.

Benny must be fun to photograph. He's so full of character. I had a hard time choosing a favorite photo. I'd have to say it's the photo of Benny and Bayley. Hoping for good news.

Indrani said...

Hope by now Bayley has returned back safely. Love that antique piece on your wall.

Hilary said...

* Thanks, Lady Fi. It's not looking too promising for beatiful Bayley. It's a heartbreaker for sure. Thanks for stopping by.

* Thanks kindly, Messymimi. I fear too much time has passed for Bayley's survival.

* Welcome, Kate and thank you so much for your kind words, and for thinking of Benny for the Petco contest. I so appreciate it. I'm not likely to participate because I have been spendng little time at home lately and am always in catch up mode but truly, I appreciate your thoughtfulness and hope you'll be by often to visit. :)

* Thanks kindly, Jane. It's Bayley (the raccoon kit) and not Benny (the JRT) who is missing and presumed gone, unfortunately. He was much too young to look out for himself. Thank you for your kindness, my friend. :)

* Thanks, Gary. Yes, Benny the wonderdog does it all. ;)

* TSannie, thank you. He's a goof, alright. Sadly, no. There's been no sign of sweet Bayley. My heart aches for this little angel.

* Thanks kindly, Reb. I'm glad you enjoyed the post. Bayley is too young for life on his own but I appreciate your good wishes.

* Grayquill, Benny only has a jealous streak with other dogs. I'm not too worried. ;) Yes, I vaguely remember skimming Frank's book once about 6 or 7 years ago. Imagine how I'd do if I actually read it. ;)

* Thank you, Linda. You've pretty much defined Benny in one comment. I see you know him well. ;) Thanks for stopping by. :)

* Thanks, Cheryl. You would be surprise at just how much water Benny can actually slurp. He slurps non-stop at every wave, every splash, every ripple. He's really crazy that way. Luckily for him, he discovered that paddling the water out was faster. He's made himself very sick with over drinking of plain H2O - crazy beast. Thanks for stopping by. :)

* Thanks very kindly, Suldog. Your caring means a lot to me. I love that you think I could publish a kids' book with What Benny Wants and of an earlier racoon kit post but have to wonder if that means that my blog reads as childish. I suppose it does sometimes and I guess there's nothing all that wrong with that. Thanks always for your kindness. :)

* Thanks so much, Cloudia. Your kind words are very much appreciated. :)

* Sandy, thanks very much. We could all stand to have a bit of Benny in us.. for energy if nothing esle. ;)

* Thanks, Beth. Bayley was the sweetest raccoon kit ever. He's very much missed.

* Don, YOU're exhausted? Try living with the little beast! ;)

* Slamdunk, thanks kindly. Very much appreciated. :)

* Thanks, VM. I appreciate your very kind words. It's not looking hopeful for Bayley, unfortunately.

* Thanks, Indrani. That wall is at the cottage and I assume was the original - 40+ years ago. Thanks for stopping by. :)

Nancy said...

This post was so cute - it made me laugh! I just love Benny and I hope Bayle comes home soon!

dave hambidge said...

Directed here from Jillsy Girl's blog. Enjoyed the sequence of photos of (mostly) Benny. I had a Jack Russell in my first marriage, it slept on the lounge floor with me for 6 months when the relationship went wrong and before I moved out. She was killed by a car a few weeks later...

Hilary said...

* Thank you, Nancy. It's good to see you, friend. :)

* Welcome, Gallowaygrave and thanks for stopping by via Jillsy. I'm sorry that you lost your JRT, particularly at such a time in your life. That's a heartbreaker. Sometimes, when it rains, it pours. I appreciate your visit and hope you'll be back again soon. :)

Tom said...

Benny is one very intelligent dog. You see all that stuff about rats in mazes etc., but this is a dog that has worked out a physics problem. I'm very impressed!

OK, all he wanted to do is go play with the bowl which is a minus point for intelligence, but he clearly thought this through!

Tom

MaggieGem said...

I just love Benny, he's so full of life! Hope Bayley returns safely.

Hilary said...

• Tom, your comment made me laugh.. thanks for that. Benny is indeed a clever little thing. Thanks for the visit.

• Thanks kindly, Maggie Gem. :)

abb said...

You really need to take issue with Target! I do believe they stole Benny's idea!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex0g5ekG9vE&feature=share