Happy Nature Friday friends!
This week's offering is the birch tree we pass on the way to Duthie Park each day. It has just burst into leaf and in the early morning, if the skies are clear and a breeze blowing, the leaves sparkle and dance in the sunlight, a quietly lovely spectacle set against the austere grey of the granite buildings.
You might be interested to know that the building just beyond the tree is the 'Inn at the Park', the place where Gail and I attend the fortnightly pub quiz, along with our friends Kirsty and Cathy (aka 'Team Indecisives').
I appreciate this off topic for the LLB Gang's Nature Friday blog hop, but I want to talk to you today about an ethical dilemma prompted by one of the quiz questions this week.
You will remember that my role in the quiz team is as their much-valued mascot.
And you will know that, obviously, consulting eternal sources of information such as Google and Wikipedia is strictly forbidden during a pub quiz.
So what do you think about this? When asked "how many teeth does a dog have?", Gail decided to try and open my mouth to check that her team had the right answer.
Yes, I know, shocking behaviour, utterly shocking.
Rest assured friends, I was resolved to protect the integrity of the competition and totally refused to unclench my jaw (even when offered a treat). It is surely incumbent upon any respectable mascot to ensure his team does not cheat, don't you agree?
I am relieved to tell you that 'Team Indecisives' answered correctly - us dogs do have 42 teeth. It would have been embarrassing for them to get this one wrong, as Kirsty is a vet.
Now veering even further off topic, Gail is insisting I tell everyone how her team of three late middle aged(?) ladies scored a record breaking (for them) 8/10 on the sports round on Wednesday, helped by Gail knowing that renowned 1970s and 80s football manager Brian Clough played for both Middlesborough and Sunderland in his professional career before he became a coach.
And no, I have no idea either why Gail seems so ridiculously proud of knowing this piece of esoteric sports trivia.
Sometimes one just has to humour one's humans, I find....
I like your moral stand, Nobbie. Apart from anything else, who wants to have their teeth examined in public?
ReplyDeleteI thought you were going to mention 'birch sugar,' the deceptive name for xylitol. I'm sure many will think it harmless, but it's toxic to dogs, and found in some brands of peanut butter.
Hari OM
ReplyDeleteWell, Nobby, go with the flow on that one, as you say! As for that lovely tree... what a delight to see leaf at last! Everything does feel like it is a bit late peeping out, don't you think? Hugs and wags, YAM-aunty xxx (Back in Dunoon this morning...)
We are not picky about Mom looking at our teeth, after all, she brushes them every night, but if she wants to just open our mouths and look in there, then we too protest a bit. Glad she got the count right. Happy Friday!
ReplyDeleteNobby I really admire your ethical stand during the quiz! How embarrassing our humans can be at times, not to mention dishonest! However I'm glad they got the number right. That's something new that we've both learned today - we didn't know I had 42 teeth. I just hope Carol doesn't decide she wants to count them - unless there's a really superior treat involved!
ReplyDeleteLove,
Paca xx
I am always impressed by the knowledge in Gails head. No one would allow me on their team because I never know the trivia questions. I had no idea how many teeth a dog has and by the time I close this post and leave I will not remember that I know it right now. also do not know the number of teeth in humans or any other thing on the planet that has teeth. I do know birds don't have teeth. ha ha
ReplyDeletelove the trees and blooms and buildings and Beau and I would like to wander down that sidewalk. there is a tree across the street out our window that sometimes the wind makes it look like sparkling diamonds
forgot to say, Wow, Nobby look how tall your shadow is in the header. Impressive
DeleteMorning Nobby and Gail
ReplyDeleteI'm sneaking in for a few comments while I wait for Bryan to get ready for our road trip. What a lovely view down your street. WOW and blue skies!!
OMDs Gail tried to pry your WFT mouth opend hilarious!!
42 teeth now this crazy way past middle aged lady wonders if big dogs with bigger mouths have more teeth?
Congrats to Team Indecisives
Hugs Cecilia
We love seeing all our trees starting to spring to life here too. Team Indecisives is lucky to have you as their mascot even if you wouldn't let them count your teeth. BOL!
ReplyDeleteThank goodness your moral compass was steady, Nobby, unlike your teammate Gail. We have birch trees, too; they have a delicate beauty.
ReplyDeleteBirch trees are so lovely and especially in the sprig with their light green leaves. I would have never guessed the how many teeth does a dog have. Now to remember! I love your blog header with the beautiful green grass and the monument and that is one very tall Nobby shadow!
ReplyDeleteWow Nobby, the sun twinkling through those beautiful leaves must have been a wonderful sight!!
ReplyDeleteWe agree, sometimes its best just to humour the humans...
xoxo,
Rosy & Sunny
Well whatever the occasion ~ i am always glad to see you sweet Nobby ~ you are a special mascot and letting them count your teeth ~ humans sometimes want stange things ~ ya think? lol ~ hugs to you sweet Nobby ~
ReplyDeleteWishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Good for Gail and good for the team!!! Our Mom would be clueless on most anything related to sports.
ReplyDeleteOur neighbors have three birch trees in their yard. Although they are very pretty, they drive our peeps nuts because they lose too many branches in windy Kansas, and they seem to all fall on our property. Mom is tired of bending up and down to pick them all up
Woos - Misty and Timber
That is a majestic tree. It is hard whem they produce so many things we shouldn't ear
ReplyDeleteThe green that is sprouting is lovely Nobby. The mistreatment you took as a mascot. We would recommend re-negotiation your contract. Lady gets really excited when she knows random pieces of information too. Lee and Phod who think they may be glad to know be mascots.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good thing you have your teeth
ReplyDeleteNobby, you might have at least smiled at them to show you still have all your pearly whites. Perhaps you could have evened the playing field by showing off your teeth to all the teams. No ethical dilemma there. I love the new leaves on the birches. Congratulate Gail on her sports trivia expertise will you.
ReplyDelete42 Teeth! Wow, who knew! And what a pretty Tree!
ReplyDelete