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Category Archives: photography

Dog Hair is a Condiment

I’ve never been the kind of girl to shy away from a bad decision. Or use her discretionary time to do useful tasks like keeping a spotless house or, let’s be honest here, even putting out an effort to clear the crap from the dining room table so we can eat like real people do and I need the family to stop yapping at me about this because I will do it. But not right now.

I’m busy here.

No, instead I’ve decided to look at pretty things on Pinterest. I really tried to hold back from finding yet another thing that will keep me from developing healthy relationships. I did. It was all  for naught, because in the end I just couldn’t resist the Siren’s song of Pinterest.

You too? Anyone? Hello?

So anyway, I got me a board, Dog Hair is a Condiment, designed to share my love of all things Dog. I’m pinning new stuff as I’m so inspired.

I’m out there pinning puppy photos so sweet it’ll burst your head into sugar cubes. And healthy homemade dog biscuit recipes when my basic knowledge of dog nutrition is in agreement with the ingredients. Some links to Canine Companions for Independence news.  And sure, some of my favorite photos from my own furry household.

Check it out. Enjoy. And Pin away, my friends.

Follow Donna Sword’s board Dog hair is a condiment on Pinterest.

I have several other boards as well, ranging from cute to useful to that’s kinda weird Donna. Feel free to follow any and all that speak to your tastes, y’all.

Wordless Wednesday: Frosty Mug o’Jager

This puts me in mind of the song lyric of Jack Frost nipping at your nose.  Then I move on to Jager Frost nipping at your … well, there’s no good way to end that sentence.

Or how ’bout this one?

How do you prefer your Jagermeister?  What’s that you say?  With a frosted mug?

One ice cold Jager comin’ up.

Wordless Wednesday: California Blonde Calendar Girl

Miss March (with sister Ella). And because there’s too much
Euka to handle, she doubles as Miss December.
Just don’t tell her.  I’m already dealing with the ‘tude.

Got a match?, she asks her friend. 

Not since Marilyn Monroe died, the friend answers.

___________________

We pause here just a moment and await the groans to subside.

I’d apologize for the poor taste except for two things.

It’s not my joke. It’s not like I can make up stuff like that on my own.

And I did snort-laugh the first time I heard it.

And, um … there’s something else.

I have to share this with you. Ok, not that it bothers me, but the Husband got a Marilyn Monroe calendar for Christmas. From his brother. A different brother received a Sunsets calendar.


Sunsets.

I’m not sure how to process this information.

But I will say this. The Man Cave concept is starting to look a little more real at our place.

Because I’m not gonna start my mornings with Marilyn’s perky face on my kitchen wall.

And yeah, there’s yet another thing.

I already have a calendar for the kitchen wall.

Every morning as I pad my way to the coffee maker, my sleep bleary eyes will come to rest upon puppy goodness.

2015 will be my calendar year, vows
 Cap’n Windy.
Yeah, good luck with that, says Euka,
tossing her blonde ears back.

Because I scored me a 2014 Limited Edition Puppy Calendar from Canine Companions for Independence and Eukanuba.

But unlike my Cap’n Windy winnings, no need to be jealous, y’all.
It’s ridiculously easy to get one of these way too cool calendars starring the extraordinary E litter for your own.

A gift of $25 to Canine Companions for Independence will net you one of these limited editions. And because CCI is a non-profit, your donation is tax deductible.

Just click on this link for the 2014 Limited Edition Puppy Calendar to be included with us beautiful people.  I feel prettier already just telling you about it.

Christmas is all around

The Christmas spirit is all around, right?  

Well, it is indeed. And quite literally for the two yeller dogs. All around their noggins.

I admit with some self admonishment that I never thought about tossing a wreath about a dog’s wither regions as a photo prop.  But once I saw Tippi’s holiday photo (a pup in training for Canine Companions for Independence), I was struck with inspiration. 
You ever get all excited and take your dog to the backyard and attempt to stuff their head through a decorated wreath?  Yeah, me neither. Turns out it’s not a natural thing that gets well processed in the dog brain.  
With a little practice, some serious what-the-heck-is-this-thing sniffing and copious dog cookies, we did it, though.  
And here’s these two beautiful creatures to wish you all a Merry Christmas season and Happy New Year. 

Gimme da cookie!   Micron at 4 years old.
Euka, 15 months

There’s snow sense in it

I’ve got my eye on you

You will regret this, hooman, says Bodine.

You know, cat o’mine, I say.  I suppose I will. But it feels good now. 

So, I continue. You’ll be keeping [snort] an eye on me, right?

Oh, purrs Bodine. Count on it, chickeroo. You’re certainly aware of the all-seeing and ever watchful eye that is kept near my Striped Tail of All Things Unholy?

The purring gets louder. You will awaken to its gaze upon you one morning. 

Roger that, I say. Like I wasn’t, in fact, just today greeted by your feline Eye of Sauron hovering above me at Food O’clock this morning. Surely you can come up with a more clever vengeance for once.

And I immediately regret saying that out loud. I just don’t learn sometimes.

A scene from the ill fated photo
shoot from
 We’ll be there with bells on

Kinda like this idea for a holiday photo shoot with the dogs. I’m not even looking for perfection here; a simple good enuf would satisfy that tingly need for a Christmas pic of our four footed family. And it was a mere week ago, as we enjoyed the temperate climes of southwestern Ohio, I went at it. Gave it one heck of a try, I did. (click here for We’ll be there with bells on).

All that work just to end up with a bunch of photos of my trio of festive dogs in front of dry brush pile. This backdrop of dead grass and bare sticks isn’t emanating the aura of holiday cheer that I’m aiming for.

Sending Merry Christmas greetings from the Depths of Despair! our holiday cards would read.

But glory be to the Ohio weather patterns. In a matter of a couple of days, we went from temps in the sixties to a finger numbing mid-twenties. Oh, but this is good news. It is.  Cuz we got us some snow along with it.

Where just last week I was looking at that looming stick pile and thinking it was something only a match could fix, today I’m trekking through the white stuff that covers all the uglies in the backyard.

Don’t let those expressions of practiced tolerance on their canine mugs sway your opinion.  These critters of ours are just dizzy with holiday spirit.

Um, Food Lady? says Micron. We can’t feel our toes anymore. 

What are you talking about? I say, refocusing the camera lens. You have feet like Hobbits don’t you?  You know, like furry on top and leathery on the bottom? You should be set for another few minutes.

Carry me, says Euka.

You might want to run back to the house
for a spatula,
says Micron.

Oh my, I say, rolling my eyes. Fine, let’s get you delicate flowers back inside then. 

Ugh. Ok, I’m feeling some guilt here. Not so much as I’ll feed them an extra meal or something. But watching the poor furries lift their cold, cold paws from the snow has tugged my maternal heartstrings. So before we wrap up to take everybody back in, I pull off Euka’s working cape and fix a scarf about her neck.

Ok dogs, I say. We’ll give you a chance to warm your toesies and maybe we can give it another …Hey! Darn it, Micron!




Because this.

mmmmm …. snow

The big dog has now become One with the snow. A private Zen moment with the white matter like he’s searching for some deeper meaning of it all.

Right.  And then this. A whole lot of this happened next.

And yep, they’ve done it again. The clever critters.

I just don’t learn sometimes.