The Puppies Ate My Blog

 

It's been a long time since I've posted.  Our two puppies now own us. They are so very very time consuming, destructive in that puppy way and generally labor intensive. Some days I even resent the way they've changed my life. The husband says that I will think differently when they are a bit older and less trouble but right now all I see is undone sewing projects, rearranged furniture, house plants that are dying because they had to be moved out of their reach, early mornings and exhaustion.

So, that's where I've been...right here minding puppies, reading your blogs and missing my calm, relaxing life of a few months ago.

Wishing for Spring and grown doggies......

Puppies and Babies - Is There Any Cuter Combination?

We have been visiting our puppies twice a week at the kennel.  We've become attached to SO many of the dogs there. There's Hudson who likes to play catch with a tennis ball; Titan (one of our puppy daddies) who, though he is excited to see us, is always the gentleman; Clyde who can climb a chain link fence (really!); Lacey our baby mommy who just wants love; Meg, our other baby mommy who just loves to lick; Scarlett, another mommy who needs some serious R&R after having an active litter of 7 and on and on. We usually visit with our pockets full of Milkbones for all!

Yesterday we brought Winter, our granddaughter and her Mom with us for our puppy visit.  We figured it was time the "kids" met each other.  She looks a bit curious in this picture.  What you can't see is her other hand touching the puppy's face and the puppy tasting her fingers! I think they'll make a great pair.

This guy is Aiden.  He will come live with us November 21!  On November 22 you can probably call me Sleepless.

Two  weeks later our girl (who will maybe be named Fiona...still keeping the options open) comes home to join the fun.

Puppy Pictures

We visited the pups yesterday and got some nice pictures to share:

 

Honestly....I AM sewing.  This is just so much more interesting right now!!

 

The Scent of a Dog

This is Titan:

This is Lacy:

They got together and made two little boys puppies born October 8.  And right before Thanksgiving one of the boys will be coming to live with us.  We visit them about twice a week to give out lots of love.  Lacy is such a good mother and Titan is a total gentleman.  They live at Gap View Kennel where they are well cared for.

We are counting the days!

When Time Flies

The summer is drawing to a close and I've started to think about just what I've been doing with my time!

Much of my sewing has been occupied by a project of Son #1.  Ever since he was little he has had an entrepreneurial streak.  He would sit by the road and try to sell vegetables from our garden, jars of "hand made" sand (He would rub rocks together until they powdered into sand.), and anything else that he thought I wouldn't miss.  Now, although he has a real job, he wants to revisit the world of retail.  So, with me as his supplier he will be having a booth at a farmer's market in his area.  I've been producing a variety of small objects to compliment some quilts and larger pieces.  The shop will be set up as a fair trade store so that if there is more interest than I can supply he can draw in other crafters to work within the fair trade framework.

I also made a Dorothy costume (sorry, no picture yet) for our October trip to Autumn at Oz.   It has been a long time since I did any garment sewing and just like I remember...the hardest part is the fit.  At first I made this way too big and even now I think the skirt is too full, but I'm going with it as it is, because after all, I'm living in the "invisible years" so I don't think it will matter a whole lot.

Then....there have been many opportunities to hang with my best girl.  She is so much fun to have around and such a good, good baby.

In between all that there have been a few trips with the husband.  Recently we went to the beach to meet up with family.  It was my first trip back without Seamus and it felt a bit sad not to have him with me on the beach.  I was a little lost.  But with the passing of time we have been able to start to discuss filling our house again with furry little paws. 

Seamus: 2001-2014

Seamus, sweet beloved Golden Retriever, family member of Nina and her husband, died August 7, 2014 at the age of 13 from complications of a prostate mass, most likely, cancer.

He was born in the summer of 2001 to a family in rural Virginia, one of a very large litter.  He came to live with his busy household in the fall of that year and enjoyed the active, somewhat chaotic household of five.  He enjoyed lots of love from the entire household.  As a puppy he loved to chew T.V. remotes, eyeglasses and gloves; loved treats, roughhousing, climbing in the shower and being outside.  He tolerated the cats.  He hated crates, constraints and being alone.

As he grew older he became an avid hiker doing surrounding trails on a regular basis with Nina.  He especially was fond of hikes that ended at a waterfall and rewarded him with a swim in the cool water.  At the end of the hike he also enjoyed the traditional picnic before heading home.  They usually shared an apple and peanuts on a blanket before the drive back.

He loved all types of water from swimming pools and mountain lakes to the ocean and sound. He always stayed in control of the game of "retrieve" in the water by just not returning the stick or ball when he had enough of the game.

He loved to travel in the car.  He could tell when an adventure was forthcoming and would dance with excitement hoping that he was to be included in the ride.  He spent most of the trip with his head on the front console between his two people.

He loved Beggin' Strips and looked forward each morning to a ritual of being fed them in small pieces.  But he was always willing to share this special time with his doggie cousin, Jackie, taking turns being fed the special treat.

In his older age he became the ambassador of the neighborhood.  Daily walks were opportunities to greet two and four footed members of the area with a sniff and tail wag.  He brought a smile to the face of many people - most of whom were never known by name, but all of whom remembered him fondly.

He was a loyal and faithful companion to the very end.  While his passing has left his family with much sadness and tears, they are comforted in knowing that he lived a long and full life with them, even making them better humans along the way for having shared their lives and home.  He trusts that in time the sadness will fade and the wonderful warm memories of fun times they all shared will comfort them.

 

The Quiet Water, a Dog Party and a Lighthouse.

It's pretty clear that the ocean holds a special place in my heart.  But I'm also fond of more still water.  Our vacation place (We don't own this place.  We just think of it as ours since we go there so often.) is on a barrier island so there is a large shallow sound on one side and the Atlantic ocean on the other.  The ocean side was pretty wild during our visit and while we were on the beach everyday it wasn't they type of place where you wanted to just sit and read a book.  The wind was strong for most of the week.

But over on the sound side (and, in fact throughout the town itself) the weather was very pleasant.  So we made several visits to the sound side beach located within Jockey's Ridge State Park.  The sound is so shallow that you can walk out for at a long long way and never get in water over your thigh.  The bottom is sandy and the water clear.  Seamus likes this place a lot also since he can get wet without being ambushed by the waves.  Here he is "retrieving" a tennis ball:

 

There is a special dog store at the beach called Outer Barks.  Once a week these nice folks host a get together for vacationing dogs and their people.  They call it "Yappy Hour".  There are treats for the dogs and things for them to play in and with.  The people usually talk about the dogs and maybe the dogs are talking to each other about their people. Who knows? My favorite activity is paw painting.  The dogs are assisted by one of the owners and they "paint" a picture.  Here is Seamus' creation:

And, finally in my continuing fascination with lighthouses, we visited Bodie Island Lighthouse.  It was just opened this spring to visitors.  This lighthouse was built three times.  The first one was poorly engineered (early 1800s) and tilted beyond repair in just two years.  The second one was destroyed by Confederate troops to keep it from providing navigation aide to the Union Army.  And the third still stands and was recently renovated.

And as an added bonus, there was a bird blind near the lighthouse with quite an assortment of water birds to watch and photo: herons, a variety of ducks, geese, and more.

Next we take a special trip to the mountains for an even more special event.  The fall colors should be beautiful.  And hopefully there will be fun things to tell about.  And then, I promise, no more vacation photos for a long time!

Category: Dog Quilt

We've had a young visitor this last week so my computer time has been limited practically non existent.  But, today, after a long afternoon nap, I'm trying to catch up. 

First, because of a time limit, I want to write a post about my dog quilt.  If you've been reading here for awhile, you've already seen this quilt.  But there is a pet quilt show over at Lily Pad Quilting and I wanted to get in on the fun before the linky closed.

So, here it is:

I thought I'd put a bit of the story behind it.  This was one of my first quilts.  The husband picked out this printed panel of dog pictures.  I wasn't too keen on it, but he seemed to really like it so I agreed to try to make it into something.  Again, it was early in my quilty experience.  I did what I knew, which was to make enough blocks to have a design filling in with some other dog inspired blocks; frame them all to the same size and go with it.  So, we have paper pieced dog houses and bones, printed photos of our Golden Retriever and the blocks from the dog panel.  It's quilted with a combination of diamonds and free motion.  Here are a few close ups (again, taken before I learned a few tricks about taking photos of quilts!):

The Pet Quilt Show  is not just a show of pet themed quilts, but also of pictures of pets ON quilts.  I had hoped to snap one of those, but it's been a bit busy around here.  So, hop on over and check out the linky with some adorable photos of two things I love - pets and quilts.

A Four Footed House Guest

We are dog sitting for son #2's dog while he and his wife have their last big pre-baby vacation.  After a few last minute snafus including waiting until Friday to get a name change on a passport and driving to the wrong airport early this morning, the most recent text he sent me said they were boarding in Miami and would soon be at their destination.  Of course, their luggage may not arrive at the same time due to their last minute check in.

Jackie is a mixed breed 12 year old (same age as our Seamus).  Our daughter-in-law found her as a newborn pup in the woods behind her house left to die.  She brought her home, convinced her father to allow her to keep the dog (which was no small task!), bottle fed her and has had her ever since.  She looks a lot like a Shiba-inu, a Japanese breed.  And she has the best disposition.  Jackie and Seamus get along like they were raised together.  She's sort of adopted our new welcome mat as her back patio spot:

Jackie is also a bit hesitant about our stairs, but at ten pounds we can easily carry her up each evening and down each morning if needed.  I really enjoy having these two together.  In the evening she curls up next to the husband or me and Seamus lies down on the floor near us.  It's really cozy.

We had a little photo shoot in the backyard so that I could take a picture to post.  I tried to get them a bit closer together but I guess they really respect each other's "private space". 

Jackie walks with Seamus and me each morning.  I've tried several ways to walk these two together and this lead seems to work the best.  They each have some independence and they don't seem to get tangled or trip me either:

You can adjust the lead for each dog and there are appropriately placed swivels to allow them to sort of dance around each other without getting tangled.  We found it at PetSmart. 

So, for the next week and a half, we are a two dog household and loving it!




 

Life With Seamus

On the first of every month I turn my Golden Retriever calendar over to a new page and a new picture and somehow it makes me want to post about Seamus.  As I write, he is faithfully by my side wondering why I'm still awake.  You can tell that he looks a bit disgusted with me in the photo.  He wants me to go to bed so he can lay beside the bed to guard us through the night.  He used to get into the bed, but alas, those old legs don't work as well as they used to.    

I love this dog.  And all you dog owners out there know just what I mean.  Dogs have a way of getting into our hearts.  Dog love is somehow different than people love.  Not better or worse....just different.  Dogs have no pretense.  What you see is what you get.  Again...I LOVE this dog.

So let me tell you about a story from the very beginning of Seamus' life.  I had never owned a dog although I had wanted one for a long time.  My life circumstances changed such that dog ownership became possible and Seamus entered our lives. 

We had work and school during the day so for his safety and that of our home we set up a room in our basement for him to spend his alone hours.  The room didn't have a door so I used a baby gate to secure him and also closed the door to the upstairs.  Apparently he wasn't too happy with the arrangement. When I came home about four hours later I heard him at the top of the stairs!  Son #2 and I carefully opened the door to discover Seamus at the top of the stairs covered in doggie poop and very glad to see us!  He had managed to chew through the baby gate and climb to the top of the stairs.  But he hadn't yet learned how to go DOWN the stairs, so he waited there for us to come home.  You couldn't be mad at him.  He was clearly lonely and scared and looking for us to make things better.  I carried him outside and instructed Son #2 to watch him in the yard while I cleaned up the mess on the steps and then carried Seamus down to the laundry tub and cleaned him up and held him as much as he would let me to comfort him after his traumatic adventure. 

His puppy hood had many trying moments....like the time he chewed up Son #3's glasses and the TV remote.  But he clearly was loyal and loved us and our company and wanted to please us and make us happy and was counting on us to care for him.   Gradually our lives and our hearts became intertwined until we could barely imagine our life without Seamus.  I miss him when we go away.  Heck, I miss him when he's gone for a few hours to be groomed. 

He's my constant companion, my faithful walking partner; he encourages me to embrace and enjoy life and to see the wonder in the everyday. 

I LOVE THIS DOG.

P.S.  We're linking up with Lily's Quilts so Seamus can meet more of you in blogland.

The Richness of Dogs

For the last few years my husband has given me a calendar adorned with pictures of Golden Retrievers for Christmas. We own a dear 11 year old male Golden named Seamus.  He is the first and only dog I've ever owned and I don't know how I survived without him.  My calendar this year has a quote about dogs on each month.  I flipped over to February today to read:

"No matter how little money and how few possessions you own, having a dog makes you rich."  Louis Sabin, author.

How true.

I'm linking up today with the Small Blog Meet at Lily's Quilts.

My Very Favorite "Dog Day"

I posted about this last year, but another Dog Swim Day has come and gone.  Once a year our town pool allows dogs and their owners to swim.  It's always on Labor Day weekend just before they drain the pool and winterize it.  Seamus LOVES to swim and being able to join him in the water is a real treat for me.  He likes to retrieve but he is just as happy to swim out to me and swim back to the edge even without a toy to grab.  I was afraid the event would be cancelled this year since the day started off very rainy.  But we were told that absent any lightening or thunder we were welcomed to swim. 

Although this picture looks almost exactly like the one I posted last year, it is a new one.  I can see just how much he has greyed in the last year.  But he swam and swam and swam seemingly without tiring; although he did sleep pretty soundly that night!  He was awarded a coupon for a doggie ice cream bowl at our local ice cream stand.  Perhaps tonight we will make use of it.

The admission cost (just $2.00) for the event is donated this year to a group called Happy Dogs Unleashed.  They are trying to raise money for a local dog park where friendly dogs can play without being on a lead.  Apparently most of the cost is for fencing in the area.  Petsmart was also on hand providing tennis balls and general support.

We always enjoy watching the other dogs and their owners interact.  Our favorite this year was a little girl about seven years old.  She had a small fluffy dog (couldn't identify the breed...especially soaking wet) that she was determined was going to swim with her.  The dog wanted NO part of the water.  She would try to lead him in as he pulled the other way on the lead.  Then she would finally pick him up and carry him into the pool.  He would scramble until he was again on dry land and then she would start the process all over again.  That was one determined little miss!  The dogs tolerance to the whole situation is also a testament to his good nature.

I wish we could do this more often but for now I'll just have to wait until next year.

A Vacation to Share With Your Dog

I always enjoy vacations that we take with our Golden Retriever, Seamus.  Usually our beach vacations and some trips to a cabin in the woods are our best adventures.  I would love to include him more but the logistics of traveling with a large dog are often difficult.  Even places that claim to be dog friendly often have a weight limit much lower than Seamus' 92 pounds!  And when the weather is warm, leaving him in the car while we shop or visit somewhere is not an option. 

This Sunday in the Washington Post there was an article about a place called Dog Mountain in Vermont.  Their web site (link above) explains all about the place, but basically it is a great park for pets and their owners to enjoy together.  It is owned privately but open to the public.  The founder was an artist and when you look at the site you will probably recognize his artwork from items you have seen for sale in several popular catalogs.  He built a chapel on the property which has become a sort of memorial for pets no longer with us.  But apart from that bit of somberness, the place is made for action.  There are hiking trails and a nice pond for dogs to swim, agility equipment and NO leash laws.  Several times a year they have a party for people and their pets and encourage canine and human interaction.  There is also a gift shop and an online store selling the artists products.  I'm so thrilled with this whole concept that I want to buy something just to support the endeavor!

There is also a list of dog friendly accommodations in the area - mostly private bed and breakfasts that not only allow dogs, but embrace them.  So, we haven't visited here yet, but I would love to make this an outing this fall or spring.  I've wanted to go to Maine, but maybe Vermont is close enough and even a better dog experience all around.  I think Seamus is voting "yes".  When I was playing a short video posted on the site that included dogs barking while enjoying the pond - he started barking back!

Dog Swim Day

Once a year my town hosts a swim day for dogs at the local pool.  It's always during Labor Day weekend and the end of the swimming season.  After the canine party they drain the pool for the season.  We went last year and had a blast!  Owners are allowed in the pool with their dogs and that's what makes it so special for me.  We let our Golden Retriever swim in local lakes but they're not places that I would get into myself.  He also likes the ocean but only ventures past the surf when one of us is in the water.  We tend to visit beaches with rather strong undertows and rough surf and as I've gotten older I've decided that I'm no longer a match for the strength of the Atlantic Ocean.  But the pool.....that's another story.  I love the opportunity to be in the water with my best companion.

Last year I learned that not all dogs naturally can swim.  This year I learned that my dog will not only swim out to retrieve a favorite toy, but will swim just to be with me.  He will swim out to me or just swim with me across the pool.  Apparently he loves being in the water also and the experience is enhanced by being able to share it... a sentiment I have expressed about many of lives experiences.  He swam and swam until his body was tiring but I'm sure that if I had suggested another go at the water he would be right beside me.

This year I took a few underwater pictures just for fun.  I love the color of his coat as he swims under the water.

I wish there was a place to swim with him regularly and (I think I've blogged this before - but since I have no readership I'm not too worried about repeating myself)  my dream would be a doggie wellness center where you could join your favorite companion for a swim whenever you please.