Don't Tell Dad and Other Tails of the Dog Life (Cats too!)

When Angela had the Tuesday Show and Tail it made me smile. Then she had so much on her plate she gave it up! Breast cancer and the yucky stuff life throws at you! So once and a while I think about those fun posts and decided to put one here today! I am not affiliated with the Big Barker Dog Beds but I really want to find a clever way to get them for Jeremy's dog Smokey, Hannah's dog Leo and Noelle's dog Trek! This is a google images of the Orthopedic Big Barker dog bed. Does anyone have one of these beds? I notice the large breed bogs sometime struggle going up and down. The dog is the photo here looks so content and comfy! A few things I L O V E about the Big Barker is it is made in the USA! That alone is a gift! It has a ten year warranty and if your dog does not love his or her new bed you can return it postage paid by the company!

You know I babysit the dogs for Jeremy. Mr. Bandito, Bandit, the venerable old gent of the group. He was born in North Dakota over 14 years ago. He is a pure bred, a rat terrier. Do you know how I found out why they are called rat terriers? Because they can climb like a rat! When he was a brand new pup he came into our bedroom one night and he started to scurry up the bed. He is older and more mellow these days but he loves nothing more than to be on the bed snoozing. One of the big dogs stepped on his back paw and he is seeing the vet on Thursday! Rebekah was here over the weekend and she soaked his foot for him and took such great care of him. Jeremy had been in Boston on a business trip. Bandit does not see as well as he once did and can be grumpy and snappy if you come up on him too quickly. But his hearing and sense of smell is incredible! He is like a lil super dog!

If you know the story behind Smokey and Stella, you will know he is her protector. Smokey was born on the 4th of July eight years ago. He is a boxador, meaning he is half boxer and half labrador retriever. He is quite skilled at that lab business. He once snatched a goose from a field . He thinks he is a person and often will sit in a chair like one with his back legs sticking out while he balances himself with his front paws. He is smart and kind and he will protect Stella always and forever. She is a rescue, a Shepherd/Blue Heeler mix that Jeremy found tossed on the side of the road. She became Smokey's best friend and he is happiest lying at her side. Since we do not know Stella's actually birthday, the vet guesstimated her to have been born in February eight years ago. So I told Jeremy to celebrate her birthday on Valentine's Day! She is, after all,  the love of Smokey's life. Smokey once got very ill, with a viral infection. They had slept together in a very large kennel and when we took her out of there so he could heal, we thought they would both die from a broken heart. My husband's brother likes Smokey, not so much, Stella. But I have to keep Smokey close to me because my BIL does not understand their bond. He never married, never  had a phamily and he is clueless as to their love for each other. Stella does not like Smokey to go too far away from her. Thursday will be an interesting day, as I am taking Smokey and Bandit to the vet for their check ups! We usually try to take Smokey and Stella together but this time she is fine and he and Bandit are not!

Oh Leo, he is like a very bratty only child! He likes to rule the roost, so to speak! Leo think because he is so big he can boss people around. I have deemed him "Bossypants"! He also think because he weighs 100 lbs. he should be able to climb into your lap! LOL! He gets very sad when these three dogs go home at night. He follows me around during the day because like Jeremy, Hannah is at work. Leo is a Mastiff/Shepherd mix. There are so many sweet traits that he has. I bought him a tiny swimming pool, I thought, if I start small, he will learn to love the water. He started to drink from his swimming pool but only after he gets very dirty rough housing outdoors! I am forever changing that water. He will stand in the middle of it and drink! He likes to be first out the door, and first back inside! He has no manners yet but we are working hard on them. You can't give this boy a toy because he shreds them! But try to take it away from him and he will give you a look that is so sad, you will cry! LOL! Leo thinks he should be in the middle of the bed.

Dad does not like Leo climbing on the bed! But when the others are on the bed I can not be mean to Leo! I don;t want him to feel left out, so don't tell dad you saw this post here with pictures proving that I do  let Leo climb on the bed!

I am not a very materialistic girl! These furry people are my diamonds in life!

We have two cats also so I can not leave them out. I think all furry friends are as it seems!

I think they speak to us with their eyes.

 I can not forget the Chicken Rangler, Rose and her buddy

Mr. Kitty. These two make the house an exciting place to be!

I hope you will share some of your own "tails" of the furry friends with live with you. Enjoy your day!

TINKERBELL: 05/31/1997-05/26/2010

It was one year ago Thursday May 26th that we lost Tinkerbell. Her death nearly did Rebekah in! Rebekah loved that silly little dog since she wandered into our lives on Memorial Day 1997! The kids were small and they were playing in the yard but the side gate was open and Sweets and I were in the kitchen preparing for a phamily barbeque! The kids started shrieking and this skinny little dog wandered into our lives forever. She was dirty and thin and she was very timid with women. But she buttered up Sweets and by bedtime that girl was perched on his pillow like "Hello, I am living here now!" It has been a sad year without here.. Even though Hannah has "Roxie" and the other pets are still here it is sad without her. She was a loving little dog with a kind heart. Her death touched all of us in such a way. I can not even explain how we all felt losing her.
We can never replace Tink but we can all smile at the photos all around the house that show her sweet face!
Please join Angela so you can see all the fun posts everyone participating posts! You will love it!
Now I am going to put up another post! I hope you will stop by and enjoy this brainchild of Parsley.

ORNITHOLIGIST

When I was a young girl just out of high school I worked for the Pueblo County Treasurer's office. We collected property taxes. It was a good job at that junction in my life and I liked to stop and chat with  one of the County Commisioners. Mr. Giguere was an ornitholigist. It is a scientific term for a "bird watcher". He would spend weekends bird watching and he always shared his knowledge with me. I never took it as seriously as he did but whenever I see a different or interesting bird I fondly remember this man who helped me learn about this wonderful art.
Now I will be totally honest with you! I am not a fan of birds in mass quantities (remember the Hitchcock flick "The Birds"????) In fact, many years ago at the Denver Zoo I stood in line for hours, literally, with my oldest daughter who was a small child and my late Aunt Ang. We thought we were going to see the koala bear that was on loan from the San Diego zoo. When we got to the front of the line we were led into an atrium where there were birds flying everywhere! My Aunt mumbling "Heck no" and we turned and fled! I laugh out loud thinking of that moment! It was a July day and the temperatures were soaring into the double digits! None of us wanted to be hanging out with all those crazy birds!
 Another story I want to share is that I  was getting a fancy hairdo for a big dance I was attending in high school. My sister Mary, who attended beauty college and kept her beauticians license up all these years was doing my hair in an up swept hairdo with french curls! She had a little parakeet and that bird flew into my hair. He apparently thought I was a nest! That was a terrifying moment! I laugh now but feeling that bird scratch his little bird legs into my head! Oh! It stills sends a chill down my spine!
So before I get anymore long winded I want to ask you to stop by Angela's and join us for Tuesday's Show and Tail!
Please enjoy my google images of birds too!

ORANGUTAN

If you have a moment stop by The Denver Zoo athttp://www.denverzoo.org/
I am very fond of the big mammals! I love the great apes and the orangutans are no exception. But I am sad for them. If something is not done soon  in the wild they will become extinct within a decade.  Part of the reason they are becoming endangered is habitat loss due to logging, forest fires and timber clearing for agriculture.
Orangutans are solitary creatures except for females with offsprings. Their favorite food is fruit! These creatures are the largest tree living mammals in the world. In the Malay language orangutan means "person of the forest". Orangutans have the most mobile lips and mouths of all great apes. They have the capability of making many facial expressions There are two distinct species of orangutans,  Sumatran (only 9200 left in the wild) and Bornean.  They live on separate islands in the South Pacific and are very different looking.
Orangutans are hunted and killed for bush meat and  captured for the pet trade. They can live in the wild 35-45 years and up to 50 years in captivity.
I wanted to share a few facts about these highly intelligent primates with you. I hope you enjoyed it and you will stop by Angela's and join us for Tuesday Show and Tail! Enjoy your week!

"God made the beast of the earth according to its kind." Genesis 1:25

Please pray for Nick. He runs the two mile Wedesday and it looks like it could run late in the evening due to the weather and the fact that this is the regional championship. He is doing well with his new meds to contain the rabid cough he had.

“…. since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.” Hebrews 12:1-3

GUIDE DOGS

I have written a post about the guide dogs previously but we have a patient at the office where I work who has the sweetest yellow lab guide dog. I always have the urge to reach out and pet this precious pooch but I know I can not. This sweetie pie sits at her mistresses feet while the doctor examines her and is the perfect little lady! I am always amazed that one can be so courageous and trust a dog to lead them on the right path. I think these dogs provide much more than being a helpmate. I think they are lifelong friends who always know exactly how to comfort you. I also think the person who handles their guide dog are so blessed because  they get to have such a wonderful and intimate relationship with an amazing and loving creature who wants nothing material from the handler. Pets are so different from people and these wonderful help mates are no exception. Their generous hearts and kind and caring mannerisms are something a lot of folks won't experience in their lives.
My maternal grandmother and my best friend forever was blind. She lost her sight to cataracts when I was 8. My grandmother was a strong and wonderful woman. She had only herself and her Creator to reply on for support with the sudden loss of her vision. She made the most wonderful homemade noddles. Actually my mom made the dough and rolled it and my grandmother cut those noddles paper thin and then the two of them made the most delicious homemade soup. My grandmother learned how to move about her home as well as our home when I was a kid and she never was bitter or tragic about the loss of her sight. After all, many years early she had lost two infant daughters. Then her husband and 17 year old son died in a tragic mining accident . So she was use to adversity and lived her life in such a wonderful,good and godly manner. I often ponder how different her life might have been had she had the opportunity to have such a partner to help her the way these guide pets help their charges these days.
I hope you will stop by Angela's and join the fun  with this weekly fun meme. Thanks for stopping by and thanks for letting me ponder my grandmother for a while.

PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE THEIR PETS!

I had a neat post to put up for the Tuesday Show and Tail but blogger was not allowing me to upload my pictures! So I enlisted the aid of google images and found some folks who look like their pets! I think these photos are terrific!  I am particularly fond of the Gene Simmons and Cat photo! Ha Ha Ha!
Now please come join Angela for this fun meme. I love seeing all the great animals. pets and such that people come up with! This is so much fun and it will certainly put a big smile on your face!

Note: Please pray today for baby Ellianna, her button is on my sidebar. Remember this verse while praying. "I prayed for this child and the Lord has granted me what I asked of Him. So now I give him to the Lord." 1 Samuel 1:27-28

You may read her story at Linda's

Pets: Friends We Will Always Love

I was checking some blogs tonight and chuckling at some of the cute stories about pets I was seeing. Then I started to think about Tinkerbell. That sweet little "Tink" will be gone a whole year on May 26th. It made me sad and I know that Springtime is always tough for me. My late sisters birthday (March27), the day they also told me my unborn daughter was gone. My late niece Sarah's birthday, the loss of my dad on Good Friday 1985. But when I see the plants start to peek through the soil and when I read stories of the love of other peoples pets I start to smile. So I was going to share a favorite story of one of our pets  here.

This is Spats. He was my Sweets favorite pet. This little fellow lived on Grandma and Grandpa Balckwell's farm. His mother had been a show dog and she retired to the farm . She had a tryst with an unsavory character and produced Spats and his brother. He had some sisters but they all died at birth and his brother "Bubba" lived a short life. This sweet part black lab lived 4 months shy of 17! He was an incredible friend to the entire phamily and when grandpa B gave him to my Sweets it was heaven. We were newly married and I must tell you this dog rode shotgun while I sat behind him! This is my favorite photo of him. He was a tried and true Denver Bronco fan and he passed away after they won their first Super Bowl! He was very kind to the children when they were small and he was always just a terrific pal to hang out with. We still miss him terribly after all these years. He was a joy to know.
Angela is our hostess with the mostest for Tuesday Show and Tail. Please come join the fun.

Cat Versuses Dog!

Roxie was taking a nap and snoring away when Boots walked up to her and swiped at her! We had a near dog vs. cat fight! Boots is a big ole cat weighing about 25 lbs. Roxie is a svelte 5 pound Chihuahua. I think Boot is just getting on in years and has little tolerance for anyone and anything! He is a strange cat. Rose, on the othr hand think she is the sister of Roxie!

Come join Tuesday's Show and Tail! Come join Angela and all of us over at Tuesday Show and Tail! Let's see if blogger posts my photos!

Funny Story

 These are five of the six suspects. I just re potted a houseplant. When I stopped by my house today from work at lunch my plant was stripped and shredded and littered throughout the upper level of the house! The weird thing is no one is sick and the plant had a thick stem on it! The roots were huge and it had been in the new pot for  four days! Now I can not get all my photos to load on blogger so I can not find a new photo of Roxie. You all know her with her cute chihuahua self! All five pounds of her and she seems like the most unlikely candidate to commit this wicked crime! My money is on Smokey and Stella. They are the largest of the six offenders. Rose could be a contender. She once undid a bag full of fried chicken and opened the box and fled with the contents! So never underestimate the power of a furry kitty! Boot appears to the least suspect. He is lazy and getting on in years. He is easily bored with the rest of the pets yet he is wicked in his own way. He is a cat to be contended with! Bandit is far too nervous and probably served as their lookout! So while we undo this crime let me make you smile. Last night as we were getting ready for bed my Sweets went to get a glass of water. He saw Rose sashaying down the stairs and Smokey, Stella and Bandit nipping her heels! Apparently she swiped at one of them and they banded together to corner her. She was lucky my Sweets came along. They may have worked her over without any witnesses!
I hope you will visit Angela and join her pet parade. Thanks for stopping by.

CATS

I was trying to get some great shots of the cats for my very late Tuesday Show and Tails. But every time I clicked the camera their eyes were shut! So here is Rose (grey tabby) and Boots (b/w). I wanted to show them off  and share a sweet pet prayer I found. I have the sweetest little book called  "Paws for a Moment with God" They are devotions best enjoyed in the company of cats! So here is the prayer:

"Bless Them All Dear Lord"
Hear our prayers Lord, for all animals
May they be well fed
and well treated and happy,
Protect them from hunger
and fear and suffering.
And, we pray protect especially dear Lord,
the Little Cat who is the companion in our home -
Keep her safe when she goes out,
And bring her back to comfort us.
Amen

I hope you will stop by and visit Angela who normally hosts this Tuesday fun. I know many parts of our country are being hammered by these terrible storms. Let's pray that Angela is safe and well.
Come join this furry fun!

At Last A Photo Shoot of Roxie!

Finally photos of Roxie! Hannah and Rebekah were on the town for Valentine's Day and they took the first and last photo. Photo one is Hannah with Roxie. Photo two is Roxie showing off her pink sweater. Photo three is Roxie modeling her fashionable warm sweater. Photo four is Rebekah with Roxie.
Now that you have seen this pampered princess at our house come join Angela at Tuesday Show and Tail. It is a fun meme sharing our feathered friends, furry friends and talkative fun friends. Come join us soon.

The Gang is all Here

Hi everyone! With temps dropping to ten below zero tomorrow I am snuggled into my electric blanket early. I am just learning the new laptop, a pretty HP and I am getting around it easily. I just have not had time to load pictures so if you follow me you can get a mental image of the pets here.
Boots has been here the longest. This "fat" cat was born on our wedding anniversary and he is getting to be an old fellow. He will turn 11 this year.He has a "Got Milk" moustache on his black and white body. Bandit is the black and white rat terrier that our son Jeremy bought when our black lab Shadow died tragically in a hit and run accident in 1999. The little odd fellow Bandit is getting gray but he still delights us with his kind heart and endless love he shares. He often hobbles about, rather well, on three legs. His right back leg may be getting a bit stiff with old age but he is remarkable. Here comes Rose. This pert gray tabby turns 6 years old in March. She was going to be destroyed and our son Nick begged us to take her in. This silly kitty thinks Roxie the chihuahua is her sister! More about Rox later. Rose acts like a dog and comes when you call her name and whistle for her. She is a classic beggar too. Smokey in an American patriot. Born on the Fourth of July he turns three this year. He is a "Scobby Doo" sort of guy but super smart and kind hearted. He watches over Stella. She is about three too, in August. A former abused girl we gave a home to. Stella loves stealing treats from the others and she is always watching Smokey to make sure he is watching her. Roxie is Hannah's little chihuahua. She is a spoiled princess wearing a wardrobe to rival a real princess. She and Rose often hang out thinking they are sisters!
I will keep you posted and get photos up this weekend. Meanwhile visit Angela our hostess for Tuesday's Show and Tail. She is wonderful to share all her own stories with us too.

WELCOME

 Here is Stella to welcoming you to our home! She was a sweet lost soul when Jeremy found her in October 2008. Someone dumped her, no tags, no micro chip, nothing. Even the police told us to get her chipped and if someone came looking for her to say this was our dog and we had her chipped! She was badly beaten and her right eye shows some signs of the abuse still. It is now after a few years that she is comfortable with all of us. She rarely leaves Smokey side as he is the protector of her. He is always looking over his shoulder to make sure Stella is safe. She is a greedy little girl. She likes to push the others out of the way when it comes to treat time. She is a snapper too. You have to warn her a few times not to snap and be gentle. The others all understand that simple command. We think someone taunted her and kept her in her kennel her for days and weeks on end! She is very docile most times but often you can see the signs of abuse in simple daily fare.
We have felt very blessed to have Stella. She will lie next to you on the bed and as long as you stay close she is fine. She becomes very calm and easy going. She has some difficulty making friends with other dogs. In fact the barkers next door run along the fence and she stops and does her bathroom business so she makes sure they see! They usually run away! It is very funny.
I hope you visit Angela and join this fun Tuesday fare, Tuesday Show and Tails.http://wvtreasures.blogspot.com/. This is a fun fare!

Guide Dogs

If you go here you can read about guide dogs and how a wonderful service was started on the West coast back in 1947 to service military personnel returning from World war II without their sight. The dream of many volunteers came true and this guide dog school thrives today. Many magnificent animals who would otherwise be sent to animal control agencies and eventually be "put down" are often used to provide a wonderful service for many folks. I hope you will take a moment and visit this site and read in detail the wonderful service this agency provides. Then stop by Angela's and thank her for hosting this Tuesday meme.
I hope you all have a wonderful week.

Meet Roxie with Google Images!

I wanted to introduce you to Roxanne or Roxie as we call her! She is the sweet little chihuahua that Hannah has adopted! This girl has her own outwear including a pink parka with faux fur trim and a lavender sweather with tassels. She also has a beige sweather with a pink houndstooth pattern and heart shaped rhinestone buttons! Her name tag is bright pink and lettered in white is her name and Hannah and Bonnie's phone numbers. Bonnie is Markus's mom. They share caring for little Roxie.
This little scamp jumps to the front of the line when it is treat time at the house! She scares poor Smokey and she and Stella snarl at each other. But Boots our cat and Bandit the rat terrier mainly ignore Roxie. Rose the other cat thinks Roxie is her sister and hangs out with her. It is quite amusing.
Since my pictures are stuck inside the camera I borrowed a  google image to give you an idea of Roxie. She is a little dynamo and we love her dearly.
Please come join the Tuesday Show and Tail Visit Angela and join this fun!

HEY SCOOBY DOO!

It is Thursday and I am finally getting around to posting a pic of Smokey and Jeremy. On Christmas Day our goofy son said he wanted to pose with Smokey like Scooby Doo! So Scooby Doo where are you? This is my contribution to Angela's Tuesday's Show and Tail! Blogger has been giving me a fit! So please try to link with Angela at http://wvtreasures.blogspot.com/

MOOSE

It is hard not to think about Christmas so I want to talk for a moment about another favorite holiday animal! The Moose. Do you remember "Bullwinkle and Rocky"? Bullwinkle was the moose and Rocky his faithful squirrel friend. It was a wonderful childhood memory because it was a cartoon show I rarely missed.
But I like the live version of Bullwinkle too.  This magnificent creature always reminds me of the faithfulness of God because this is such an unusual animal. The moose is the largest extant of the deer family. This magnificent creature is noted for the palmate antlers the male wears. Moose eat a diet of fruits and vegetables and they are very good swimmers and can wade into the water to retrieve plants for munching!
I just wanted to share this with you today for Tuesday's Show and Tail!I hope you enjoyed it and you will visit Angela and all the participates in this weekly fun meme!
Have a blessed and happy New Year!
I hope you enjoy the google images too.

PENGUINS

Hi everyone! I have missed several Tuesday Show and Tails and want to mention Sandie. Make sure you send her some warm wishes for a speedy recovery with her surgery, which my sweet friend Linda says went very well! Sandie is such a sweetheart and consistently participates in this fun meme. Next thank Angela for hosting this fun Tuesday time! Check out her cute pooch romping in the snowy fields of West Virginia!
I just wanted to post a chilly willy penguin from my childhood. He was an awesome little friendly guy who went ice fishing and generally enjoyed life in the icy tundra where he lived. He is such a cute reminder of CHRISTmas time fun. Come say hello.