Midas

Dharma as Queen Midas.

You know the story of King Midas, don't you? He foolishly wished that everything he touched would turn to gold. That was great, until he tried to eat...and his food turned to gold, too. And his beloved daughter ran into his arms...and turned to gold.

Gold everywhere, and nothing to eat!

In some versions of the story, after he learned his lesson, the gods relented. Don't worry, Queen Midas was smart enough to ask for something slightly different: everything she pees on turns to gold.

And, yes, our model did get tasty treats. No wonder the vet told us she needs to lose about 12 oz. today. That's a lot when you weigh less than ten pounds. Poor puppy! Shots and a diet!

Next time: Pandora.

Let the series begin!

Our new series will be mythological figures!

I haven't had time for a new photo shoot, what with grading papers and writing a final, so I will offer an older picture:

Notice that the ball of yarn on the right is connected to the fractional sweater on the left by a strand of yarn that goes all the way around the couch and coffee table.

So what mythological figure is Dharma channelling? Penelope, Odysseus' wife. She put off her pushy suitors while her husband was gone by claiming she needed to weave his burial shroud before she could choose a new husband. Every day she wove the shroud, and every night she unravelled it. Apparently her suitors were not very bright, because she put them off for ten years this way.

Derek and I weren't sure how to interpret Dharma's destructive behavior. Was it saying "No, Mommy, don't make me wear a stupid sweater!" Or perhaps "I want to play with the pretty yarn just like Mommy does!"

I recently made Dharma a little sweater vest, but it is kind of homely. I'm not sure it lives up to her total cuteness.

The mythological series will continue, and we are taking suggestions!

A real dwarf?

As you can see, Dharma is well-qualified to play the Seven Dwarfs. Here she is, being "dwarfed" by the tulips. (This was taken last spring. This spring, there are tulips but Dharma would need a little raft to sit in front of them.)

Dwarf Doxie

In fact, dachshunds are dwarfs. Their little short legs are caused by a genetic mutation very similar to one that can cause dwarfism in humans. Corgis and bassets are also affected. It only affects the long bones, so the torso develops normally, only the legs (and the feet) are short and curved. It might look silly, but it is very handy for fitting down rabbit holes!

Oddly, dachshunds don't often have leg problems, but they are prone to back problems. This difficulty seems to be caused by selective breeding for the longest possible torso. The ribcage in doxies is so long that it holds most of the back rigid, protecting those vertebrae. But that leaves only a small area of flexibility in between the ribs and the pelvis. Those vertebrae take a lot of stress. I wonder if studying doxie backs could help us treat lower back pain in humans?

In case you were wondering, our hard-working model celebrated Easter by hunting plastic eggs filled with dog treats. We had to hunt in the house, since it was raining. She is very good at it, and she can pop those eggs open in nothing flat. This picture was taken last year, when it was warm and sunny.

Alas, the Snow White series is finished. What would you like to see next? The months of the year? The Seven Deadly Sins? Mythological figures? American history?