taking a nap is

soooo

good for you!

My dog, Misty, knows how to take care of herself.

She gets a good night's sleep,

enjoys tiny little snacks,

eats a light supper,

and takes a nice nap every afternoon.

she's always

so sweet, gentle and adorable!

Misty is a good example ♥

When I come home from work these days,
I'm finding that I could use a nice little nap.

 ~   ~   ~

"Think what a better world it would be if we all
-the whole world-
had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon
and then lay down with our blankies for a nap."
— Robert Fulghum

(All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten) 

~
"True silence is the rest of the mind;

it is to the spirit what sleep is to the body,

nourishment and refreshment."

 ~   ~   ~

Wishing you a quiet, restful weekend!

{I know I need one ♥}

A Best Friend

Savannah is Devon and Everett's beautiful golden retriever.

{my sister in law & brother in law}.

Savannah was a therapy dog for years.

Look at that face ~ who wouldn't want a visit from Savannah !?!

She had to retire this winter due to her own health problems.

She has been a good and faithful servant

with a

heart and smile of gold.

♥

~ As Robert Brault so wonderfully writes ~

 . . .

"If animals could talk, the world would lose its best listeners."
 . . .
Sometimes my dog looks at me as if to say,
"Did you know that petting an animal is a wonderful way to relieve stress?"
 . . .
"Ever wonder where you'd end up if you took your dog for a walk
and never once pulled back on the leash?
 . . .
"My dog and I have enjoyed many a silence together,

a conversation always resumed exactly where left off."
 . . .
"If you don't feel a bond with the animals who share with us
this moment in eternity, you don't comprehend eternity."

 . . .

Wishing Savannah a gentle retirement and a return to good health.

God bless Dev and Ev for letting Savannah bring JOY to so many.

a gift of love ♥

 . . .

A warm welcome to my dear sweet family and friends!

Have a Sweet Sunday everyone!

Missing Muffin so Much

I will miss you so much Muffin. 

You brought us so much laughter and so many funny stories.
I miss your silly grin when I made a favorite treat for you.
I miss you biting my toes at the bottom of the bed.
I miss your perseverance and determination to really live life.
I miss your white blaze atop your head.
...I miss the way you stayed by my feet when I was sewing or grading papers late into the night.
I miss your waddle when you walk.
I miss you licking me to say your sorry after biting me for trying to take knots out of your hair or clean your eyes.
I miss your love of pizza, pasta, meatballs and anything that wasn't dog food.
I miss your beautiful coat...and when you used to have little ponytails with bows.
I miss how smart you were ~ you knew so many tricks and did them faithfully to win a "piece of cheesies."

 ~ I miss you so much Muffin ~ 

I know are free. 

Pictures from way, way back

We brought muffin home when Amanda was 11, Rachael was 9 and Jason was 7.

The last few days have been difficult to say the least.

Those of you with dogs in your lives will know.

My very old friend, Muffin, needed to be put to rest last night.

At age 16, she had so many problems.

Sunday night, she could no longer walk.

Herniated discs ~ meds not working.

The xrays also showed a tumor and other suspicious nodes.

She was suffering.

All her life she was a fighter, a strong "woman" that never gave up on life.

She enjoyed her food right up to the last day...
She had ground meat and brown rice Sunday night

and would've eaten two bowls... regardless of her pain.

I prayed so hard for God to take her before we had to decide.

I prayed for Him to show me what a good steward of His creatures meant.

My heart broke into a million tears when the answer came.

The highest heavens belong to the LORD,
but the earth he has given to man.

God created the earth and He has graciously given

this incredible gift to man as a dwelling place.

We are to be good stewards of the earth and it's resources;

not because it is ours, but because it is HIS.

...Muffin's last breath was a sigh of relief... 

I love you ♥ Muffin 
Thank you for all you gave to us... for we learned much. 
~

A sincere Thank You to the wonderful staff at Latham Animal Hospital.

Dr. Tim and the technician, Siobhain, were so gentle and gracious.
After we left, Siobhain emailed me this sweet poem.
Rainbows Bridge
~

{Thank you dear friends for listening}

From New York to Verona

Letters to Juliet

We were entertained from beginning to end.

What a charming film

...a great girls night movie...

Amanda, Rachael and I loved it

♥

I also discovered "Red Box"

Rent a movie right in my grocery store...for $1 a day.
So EASY!



What a fun weekend we had.
Now it's back to work tomorrow...
and oh yes,
We wake up with four dogs in the house!
Muffin and Misty
and
Mr. Darcy and Chino.
{the two bad boys in the middle}

 We're doggie sitting for Amanda.
My old girls will have a long week!

Have a GREAT week dear friends,

A Rose-breasted Grosbeak Visits *a video treat*

A visit by a sweet sounding Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

The song of this bird is so calming to me. I hope
you enjoy this little video -44seconds. I produced
it using a few photos of the grosbeak
at our feeders and included
its beautiful song.

Me -- Pack leader to Big Dogs?

Who would have ever thought ! ? !Big Dogs ~ I used to be afraid of them ~

When I was little I was terrified of them ... Except for my aunt's dog, Rocky, an old beagle mix, who ate Zia's delicious pasta on a paper plate.
Bear is a neighbor's dog; I'm just getting to know this big, beautiful Akita.
When I first met her, she was over-anxious to greet me... "excited-dominant" as they say...So, I used The Dog Whisperer's suggestion: no touch, no talk, no eye contact.
I carried on a conversation with my neighbor as if his dog were not really there... (This wasn't easy since Bear kept putting her nose in my hand for me to pet her... She is almost waist high *difficult to tell from this picture*
Now, she approaches me calmly, with her head bowed low, offers me her paw and rolls over *in the middle of the road* to show me her tummy.
I love being a pack leader ; )

A Shih Tzu gets a Bath

This is Misty. She is our 13 year old Shih Tzu.
She played outdoors, took long walks and tried very hard

to keep up with my daughter's two young and frisky dogs!
She REALLY needed a bath and a lil' pampering.

 

Am I done yet?

After almost two hours of grooming...
I'm all done and so proud!

Dog Whisperer, Cesar Milan says,
if I'm holding my head up, I'm proud!

Making the world more beautiful, one pooch at a time!
Okay, Muffin ~ You're next!

 Hi, Mom

Mom told me to stay off of the computer, because apparently dogs aren't allowed online, woof! Can you believe her? I was only trying to blog. Especially on the family sight, since I'm learning how to have calm energy myself. I guess all of those tapes of "The Dog Whisperer" have really helped me, mom's been letting me sleep on the bed lately. I don't even bother Mr. Darcy, but that might have something to do with the extra big bone I got the other day! Mr. Darcy's hind leg is bothering him again today. He's been holding it up in the air since mom got home from work. He doesn't seem to be in any pain, but I'm not trying to play with him anyway. I don't want to hurt him when he's the three-legged wonder. Mom thinks it might be a luxating patella, which I guess is like a dislocated kneecap. Apparently, this is really common in toy dog breeds and usually rights itself. I don't know how this could have happened, Mr. Darcy is very careful about not jumping off of things without help. Mom lifts him off of the bed every morning, so that he wont jump. I hope he feels better soon. Lastly, I wanted to say that I really miss you. You are my first pack leader, and I am grateful for getting whispered. I also miss Misty, you can tell her this yourself although I'll bet she puts in a little growl for me. ;)
Alrighty, Citu it's nearly time to be walked before bed. I love you. <3
~Chino Sanchez