Good Morning!

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I myself have known some profoundly thoughtful dogs.
– James Thurber
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The dog has got more fun out of Man than
Man has got out of the dog, for the clearly
demonstrable reason that Man is the more
laughable of the two animals.
– James Thurber
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After yet another night of fireworks going off randomly in my neighborhood,
I was too tired and stressed to do a full-length post, and hope
that something light and charming will suit you too.
I’ll be back with a full post next week.
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E.B. White born on July 11, 1899, in Mount Vernon New York; American author, contributing editor to The New Yorker, but best known for his books for young readers, including Stuart Little, Charlotte’s Web, and The Trumpet of the Swan. In 1959, White revised and updated The Elements of Style, originally written by William Strunk Jr. and published in 1920, created the classic “Strunk & White” guide to clear and stylish writing. He died at age 86 in 1985.

Dog Around the Block

by E. B. White

Dog around the block, sniff,
Hydrant sniffing, corner, grating,
Sniffing, always, starting forward,
Backward, dragging, sniffing backward,
Leash at taut, leash at dangle,
Leash in people’s feet entangle—
Sniffing dog, apprised of smellings,
Love of life, and fronts of dwellings,
Meeting enemies,
Loving old acquaintance, sniff,
Sniffing hydrant for reminders,
Leg against the wall, raise,
Leaving grating, corner greeting,
Chance for meeting, sniff, meeting,
Meeting, telling, news of smelling,
Nose to tail, tail to nose,
Rigid, careful, pose,
Liking, partly liking, hating,
Then another hydrant, grating,
Leash at taut, leash at dangle,
Tangle, sniff, untangle,
Dog around the block, sniff.

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Card of Thanks

by E. B. White

A spaniel’s ears hang low, hang low;
They mop the sidewalk as they go.
Instead of burrs and beggar’s-lice,
They pick up things not half so nice.

Spaniels deserve our special thanks
For mopping floors in shops and banks,
Resourceful, energetic, keen,
They keep the city nice and clean.

Spaniels should be exempt from tax
And be supplied with Johnson’s wax.

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“Dog Around the Block” and “Card of Thanks” are from E. B. White on Dogs, © 2013 by his granddaughter and literary executor, Martha White – Tilbury House

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