Sheltering in our Golden Retriever Bubble

Hello, there!  Staying safe and sheltered here on the southern Oregon coast, we stick mostly to our comfortable home and yard/garden where we stay plenty busy, but that doesn't mean we can't also get out for some fresh air and exercise and a friendly visit with the neighbors (at a safe distance).  Today's pictures are from our Monday evening walk.  We ran into one of our favorite four-legged neighbors and her humans.

Here's Rich and -- left to right -- LuLu, Wally, and neighbor Lilo:

Those faces, their smiles, all that fluff... it's hard to not feel happy in their presence.

One of Lilo's humans took the pics with her phone and sent them to me.  The first pic was clear, but the next two were a bit blurry by the time they got to my computer, so I doctored them up with a painterly effect.  Pictured below is me, Rich, and LuLu.  Always when we turn the corner onto our street we let them off the leash and LuLu is very proud to carry hers the rest of the way home.

And then there's Wally:

I have to say I really do love this photo.   Believe it or not, it actually was too out of focus to keep before I went to work on it.

Well, folks, I hope you and your loved ones are okay and will remain so.  If you smiled for even a minute here, then Wally and LuLu would be very happy.  Sending love and hugs to all!

The Greatest Love Story Ever Told

The Labor Day weekend which just passed marked 42 years with the love of my life.

 

Brace yourself for a real blast from the past.

 

Consider the times – early ‘70s -- and the fact that we had a very casual Reno wedding after driving all night to get there.

 

*****

 

 

In 1975 we made a brand new person.

 

 

1979

1997

And the story continues with more souls to love. . .

2014

We just keep writing new chapters.

 

Have a beautiful day!

 

Photo Shoot Rejects

I recently asked Rich to take some pictures of me with Wally and LuLu.  I knew we’d have to shoot a lot of photos to get one good one out of the bunch, but 99 photos later. . . really???

Okay, in the first one I’m grimacing and I’ve got the dogs in a headlock, and who is this chubby-cheeked old lady, anyway?



Now you can see why I had them in a headlock.  A little too much love going on here.

 

Rich liked this next one, and it would be pretty cute except my mouth is screwed up and my eyes are nearly closed.  I know I’m not photogenic, but, do I really look like that?  Seriously??



This last one is my favorite, but where’s Wally?  Oh, and, by the way, I guess Rich doesn’t believe in zoom so these were all big scenic pictures with me and the dogs as tiny, distant subjects.  I had to crop them down to bring us into closer view, which made the photos very small.

 

Since I’m always the one behind the camera, I very seldom have my picture taken anymore, but for the photo books and posterity it needs to be recorded that I was actually a part of our lives.  I guess more photo shoots are in order.  Take care, and enjoy your day!

Thought I’d Let You Know…

I’ve made yet another change to my blogging practices.  I’ve decided to resume posting cards and crafty things on my previous TypePad blog, Running With Scissors…, and reserve this blog for Wally, LuLu, and the garden.  I’ve never really liked mixing the subject matter and I found I didn’t want to give up posting cards.  I won’t be sacrificing any of my precious home and family time, I’ll just be posting one place or the other.  You’ve all been incredibly patient with me and I’m amazed you’re still here.  You must think me the Queen of Indecision.

If you’re of a mind, I’ve published my first stamping post, Tea and Roses, here ----->  Running With Scissors…

We’re off and running!



Have a super day, and thank you again so much!

Merry Day After Christmas!

I hope you all had the most beautiful Christmas ever and will continue to enjoy the season at a more relaxed pace for a few days yet.  The days leading up to our Christmas were full of the usual – shopping, wrapping, cleaning, decorating, baking, a potluck and gift exchange at work, visiting friends and family to spread Christmas cheer and deliver gifts, making more long distance phone calls than usual – it’s all fun and all part of the season.  In the photo above Rich and I were visiting the spectacular light display at our local Shore Acres Botanical Garden.  If only I had a photo that did it justice, but you’d really have to be there…







Wally and LuLu opened presents on Christmas Eve, just like the rest of us.  Here’s LuLu…



And Wally…



They loved their new squeaky toys, and Christmas Eve got a little noisy for a while there.



I’m looking forward to the rest of my (much needed) post-Christmas vacation.  I plan to spend some quality time in my stamp room when I’m not out having fun with the doggies.  Wishing all of you merry days as we count down to the new year.  See you again soon!

Rootin’ Tootin’ Magnum

I just had to share this photo of Wally’s buddy, Magnum.




He spent the day recently with his young friends while his people were at work, and I do believe he had himself a pretty good time.  I’m sorry that I had to crop out the beautiful little girls who dressed him up, but I didn’t have permission to share their photo.  I can just imagine the fun they had.  This is only one of several outfits they posed him in.

Magnum’s Pa doesn’t like to see Magnum dressed up, feeling it’s an insult to his doggie manhood.

Really?



I guess I could name this photo “Tippy Toe Magnum”.

Seriously, I do respect Magnum’s Pa’s feelings on the issue, but I believe it is a mark of Magnum’s manhood that he could so willingly submit to this treatment for the sake of these little girls’ happiness.  I’ll bet he got lots of hugs and kisses that day.

Enjoy!
 

Friends, Fun, and Fruit

I had the pleasure of meeting up with my online stamping and blogging friend, Sue Berker, last Tuesday.  We’ve been acquainted for years through SCS and our blogs, and it was wonderful to finally meet face to face.  Perhaps you’ve visited Sue at her blog, Sharing What I Love.  I’ve always enjoyed not only Sue’s stamp art, but her positive outlook on life  Here we are in my yard with LuLu looking up at us.



I took them to dinner at my favorite local restaurant – The Coach House.  The food is great but the real attraction for me is the garden room.  The dining area is enclosed and covered and open year ‘round.  It’s heated if necessary, and there’s less flowers in winter, but the atmosphere is very cozy.  I wish I could say this next photo is my garden, but, in fact, it’s just outside the garden room.  This is Sue and her husband, John.



I don’t think Sue ever visits anyone without taking a gift.  She’s a real sweetheart.  She came with a little bag of stamping goodies for me so, of course, I had to play the first chance I got.



The Hero Arts Designer Fruit stamp set (rhinestones included) and the ribbon are from Sue.  I colored very simply with Copic markers.  The designer paper is BasicGrey Lemonade, and the embossing was done with a Sizzix folder from Stampin’ Up!.  I believe it’s called Elegant Bouquet.

That’s it from me today.  I’m heading back to work tomorrow after a week at home.  It’s been a very pleasant week, with the highlight, of course, being my time spent with Sue and John.  Enjoy your day!

A Happy Ending

This is a story about my Godson, Nando.  As a puppy, Nando was living in squalor, left to run loose in the street, and given a good kick now and then “just because”.  He was timid of most everyone, and thoroughly afraid of men, yet longing and hungry for any crumb of affection that might come his way.  When another friend and I learned of his story we set ourselves on a mission to rescue this sad, sweet, gentle, loving, and forgiving soul.  It wasn’t long before we had delivered him into the hands of his new Mom and Dad who would nurture away all his fears and bad memories.  Nando’s a young adult now, living a happy, well-adjusted life.  He’s pictured here with my friend, Kathy, the Mom every puppy dreams about.



No longer does he run loose in the street.



He’s living in the lap of luxury now.



He has toys to play with.



Friends to hang out with.







Fun adventures and activities.





He’s learned that not all men are bad.



He watches for his people with happy anticipation rather than fear.



He will live happily ever after.



Bless his sweet little huge heart.  Love you, Nando.

A Tribute to Mom

Today being Mother’s Day, I think it’s high time my own mom got a little recognition.  She lived a quiet and selfless life and endured much hardship – oh, I could go on about the hardship, but I won’t.  It was enough to produce a broken and sad woman, but Mom had a different way of dealing with all that – her children, her art, her love of all things alive and growing.  She passed away some years ago, but her essence lives in me.  I don’t think a person realizes how possible that is until they’ve cast off all the layers Life piles on and gotten down to the nitty gritty of who they really are, and in my case – yup, there’s Mom.  Hi, Mom!  Glad to have you with me today!

It was such a beautiful day I thought I’d take Mom out to the garden to photograph her.  She’d like that.  She always had a beautiful garden and loved color.  Can you tell by looking at the photograph?  She sewed her smock and crocheted the afghan behind her.   She’s pictured with a ball of yarn in one hand and her sweet Collie, Lady, in the other.  This is how I grew up – gardens, color, art, and a sublime affection for large, fluffy dogs.



Mom was a true artist.  She had a gift.  The photo below is one of Mom’s paintings – acrylics on myrtlewood.  Her work was quite in demand and sold all over the world.  She supplied artwork to several myrtlewood shops in the area and was paid a pittance.  The money wasn’t as important to her as the art.



I could never aspire to this, but she’s always been my inspiration.



I wish she were here so I could thank her for giving me everything I value most highly.  You did a good job, Mom.  It took 58 years, but I think I might finally be on the right track.




Happy Mother’s Day!