Good dog.

This is Ellis. We'll confuse their baby pictures one day.

So the thick, crisp June/July issue of Garden & Gun arrives in the Stallings house mailbox yesterday. With hungry eyes and rush of anticipation (I'm a journalism major, hence glossy magazines = crack-cocaine. And this magazine is definitely top shelf. Or whatever the druggie equivalent of top shelf is.), myeyes lilt from teaser to teaser: Alabama's New Quail Trail, Athens, Ga., beaches...

"A Letter from Harper Lee"

My eyes land on this line. First thought? "My DOGGIE! Wait, why is she in the magazi...? Huh?" Yes. For about .2 seconds, that was my unfortunate, idiotic train of thought. Granted I am the family ditz, I'm still not okay with this.

This is a travesty.

The dogs have innundated my psyche. I'm a card-carrying member of the Nerd Club and my book-strewn, "oh, I'll take that class for fun" world has tumbled. I thought of MY DOG before I thought of the world-famous Southern novelist.

Anyway, check it. A little while ago, y'all were so sweet to help in the naming of our new pup. And here she is! A super accurate pedigree would boast her six name changes on Day 1, but we ended up sending in "Ellis" to the Boykin Spaniel Society registration.

So here's Ellis. And Harper Lee Stallings, of course.

Here, Harper explains the basics of bird retrieving to our young friend.

When training sessions get too intense, Harper moves on to explaining basketball/frisbee/etc.

Harpie loves life. Ellis still doesn't get life, hence we get this weird blank stare a lot.

Obsession? Maybe. But then again I am the type that will hang oil paintings of my bird dog in my house one day. I'm a hopeless case.