Farmers tan

When I was a child my father always had a farmers tan.  The dark leathery neck above the neck line of his shirt and the dark arms starting at the biceps down.  His farmers tan was so dark that it lasted his entire life.  He was so scorched that his pigment was permanently tattooing is arms and neck.  As I look back it was so natural for him I really never noticed him when he took off his shirt, but the contrast was so strong between his little skinny white body and neck, head and arms that looked like cow hide in texture and color.  The dogs being hairless will get the same farmers tan even in the winter from sitting in the sun filled windows. The odd body part that also tans is the butt.  So when the jammies come off the lower part of the legs, the head, neck and the butt/tail that sticks out are tanned and the rest of them look pasty and gray. It’s not noticeable because you don’t see the whole dog but bath times you can see just how much time they spend in the sun filled windows and floor;  then they start to even out as the first weeks of warm weather start. This year the jammies came off early as the weather has gotten warm earlier than usual. Julie the foster dog's tail is low on her butt and hags down, she swishes her tale a lot I guess I really don’t pay attention to it but she is tanning up everywhere  except for the butt under the tail.  It looks like a upside down rain soaked windshield that has just been cleared by the wiper. I had another dogs whose butt looked the same in the first weeks of sunny warm weather. Marley's tail is higher on the butt and stands straight up and curls over his back; he has just the cutest brown cheeks and his exit shoot is the same color.  I just love to watch them tan up, each one tanning just a little different color and way. They are all sun/heat seeking little creatures.  They will sit in the sun and fry with out a care in the world. They can be close to heat exhaustion tongs hanging out and skin sizzling and will not move from the window.  The skin over the years will start to freckle as the pigment starts to pile up with all the sun exposure.  The older they are the more freckles they have.  Mine do not stay out side for long periods of time but they will lay in a window all day long if the sun is coming in the one they're in. The freckles are less noticeable in the summer and in the winter the spots over lay on each other making the older dogs have a tan looking skin of many colors and the younger dogs I always want to connect the dots to see what shape I can come up with.This year the jammies are off, farmers tans have evened out and they are all sporting a nice tan and its only April.