Too Cold For Me?

Alice left me for many, many hours. She said I would be too cold. There would not be enough time for walks. Too risky with too much paint to stain my fur coat. Not a place me? So I waited. And waited. Now I can see ..... perhaps..... she was right. Much too much paint. No good places to curl up and get warm there.

Apricots and a BIG Zuke

I watched Alice wash and chop apricots on Sunday. Some baked to eat now, lots more frozen with lime juice for later. Plenty for Thanksgiving chutney, she says.
Roger's first zuke is a big one. It's as wide as my noggin! I hope the people don;t try to make me eat it.

Needles the Wonder Dog

Alice was away for a bit earlier this month. She has been slowly telling me what she did. I think the first most important thing she did was to think of me when she saw Burden's Urban Light at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Scores of real and old lightposts. What fun for us dogs! How truly beautiful for the people to look at all times of the day and night! Easy to see from a very busy street. Not hidden like that expensive 2% "public (ha!) art" in our town at the pumping station...
Alice then spent some time in a sunken garden with a lawn and hollyhocks. Tucked behind some flowers was this little cross.


It has a picture for Needles the Wonder Dog, a doberman who used to spend lots of time in that garden. Here is another picture of Needles.
I think Needles spent a lot of time at the old El Garces Hotel in Needles, California. One day I expect I will go to Needles and to that sunken garden, too, to sniff the hollyhocks and commune in a sunspot with all the happy dogs who have sniffed there.

More for May 27

After baseball viewing, Alice took me to see the latest "public art" project in our town. Here I am in front of it - the first photo Alice FINALLY has been able to download direct from her phone to computer once she bought a new cable, downloaded a driver, read the FAQs.....
Guess what the "art" it is!
Hints: You have to drive along a frontage road of a big highway, pull in an unmarked driveway, park and walk behind a building to see it. "Storm Water Pump" page 3. Rumor is the artist got thousands of dollars (10K+?) and this is her second or third city commission.
Alice told me yesterday she herself would like to buy several spray paint cans and go paint similar squiggles on the side of the building facing the big highway so that at least some people could see a "work of art". She offers here and now to do it for the cost of the paint cans if her city would deign to have art visible to the highway drivers instead of for just those who love scavenger hunts and similar Milard Filmore Trivia Hunts.
I, however, would prefer any paint used to be the scratch and sniff variety. Smelling like all my favorite neighbor dogs.... and a nice patch of real grass with wonderful smells to lawn dive into.....hmmmm.... THAT would really be Great Art, no?!

Games

I saw baseball for the first time this past weekend. Not totally sure what it is all about. Alice says it's like T-ball and Whiffle Ball - which I have seen. Pika's Big Guy likes the game as does Roger. Maybe I will see one of them play one day at this field?
Here I am thinking. Is baseball a big metaphor for life?

Snow Lions

Last night, Alice went to inspect the many embroidered and painted snow lions at the Bhutan art exhibit in San Francisco for another week. She is wondering if I ever dream of having a Snow Lion's white fur body with my tail, mane and leg fringes all blue. Maybe my distant relative Sophie does? If I were to be embroidered I think I should like to be relaxed like Sophie.

Aggie and Maggie's New Lambs

Yesterday, Alice came home with the smell of a brand new lamb in her arms. She held a Cheviot lamb born just a week ago and patted another born early Saturday morning. The mommas Aggie and Maggie were not pleased their lambs were being held. They walked around the people bleating "Give it back! Put it down!!" But, it's important for the lambs to be used to being held and being close to people.
Yesterday, the ram, the two lambs born last year and the momma who gave birth last week all were sheared. The young stood shivering afterwards sticking close to their father. Here's what young Annee looked like last year with her momma, Aggie.
Lots of dogs got to see the lambs from a safe distance: Swiss dogs Zen and Geiger, a golden lab search dog, a beagle named Errol... Maybe I will get to see them this week.
In the late afternoon the newest lamb was sitting down facing the setting sun. Alice thought how it would soon be facing its first night, snuggled close to its still fleecy momma. Listening just a few feet away to one of its people inside a house spinning orange wool from its relatives while its momma and aunt had their evening snack of pineapple rinds, chard and other lettuce leaves.
It's amazing to think of that littlest lamb, brand new, trotting up and down all over its paddock, chasing its cousin, spinning and wagging its tail in joy while sucking milk from its momma.
I'm sure it's momma said the Sun would come up this morning and many other things a lamb must know.

Conmael and the Windsor Greys

Last week was all about Irish moss and spring bulbs with halibut or beef plus rhubarb shortcake for some of my human family celebrating something or other in California, while in London, Conmael, the Irish Wolfhound; and Daniel, Stevenson, McCarthy and San Anton, all Windsor Greys, got to meet Laster's people, Felipe and Margarita. The people in London got to eat halibut or beef, too, plus a charlotte with "Balmoral" redcurrants that evening. I hope Conmael and the Greys got something extra tasty, too.

Not sure if Pika's Big Guy got to meet last week any of that pack of corgis who all know well the Windsor Greys. I offered to send through him to that pack some tiny Greenies plus a large size one for Comnal, but he was traveling light and fast dashing from continent to continent. Maybe Felipe and Margarita brought something for the dogs and their human hosts? I know Felipe works for all us dogs and all of nature, too!
Or perhaps they got something from the driver of this car in their backyard last week?
I think Pika's Guy was very sorry not to meet Daniel and his team. They are indeed something special in the horse world. Still..... which would you rather do? Get stuck in a closed coach in chilly weather or have a picnic - with dogs aboard! - in Baja California?
Here is Alice earlier this year working on learning how to drive a pair of Mexican Azteca horses named Palmero and Forestero. A fox terrier is ready to jump aboard. We dogs really like open carriages and buggies low enough to jump on and off. When Alice drives in Baja she gets to take along *all* the local dogs: fox terriers, a doberman named Sprago (who is always aboard first as the top dog), a shepard, and others who take turns getting aboard. The terriers, especially Mara, love to play chicken with the horses by laying down in their trotting paths! If I had been there, I would have sat next to Alice on the bench where the other dogs are not allowed to go.

I think Conmaeal deserves to come to Baja with the Windsor Greys for some driving in the hot sun. I'll dream of him onboard a well-sprung buggy with me, Pika, Laster, Sprago and Mara instead of him just sitting on the cold pavement in London town. If I dream it hard enough, he and Pika will feel the Baja Sun on their fur.

Tulips and More Tulips

Got to sniff around the Gamble Garden today with my good walking friends, Karen and Gay. They know about dogs! But today, I think they preferred paying more attention to flowers while on some walks to see tulips and cherry blossoms then concentraing on me. I still don't understand why people care so much about flowers when plants and lawns with p-mail are so much more interesting. Still... have had lots of nice lap sitting with my people family and friends today! Life is good!!
I feel Summer is coming. Soon the tulips will fade and the hot times will come. Backyard BBQ. T-ball games on the lawn. People eating on the back porches instead of inside after long, long days.
Spring is nice... but I prefer Summer even though Alice tell me she likes Fall and Spring the best. And blue sky and fluffy snow days, too, she says.

While I Doze in the Sun....

I'm recovering from a nasty infection. Flattened me for a week. Only starting to trot on walks again today...
Alice spied an ad for an art auction about dogs. Here are some she liked. I wonder if this means I might one day have another picture painted of me? I like this one of a serious English Pointer. Focused on something interesting off to one side. A bird? A person? A dog peeking out of a window?
And this one of a little puppy. Makes me think of my puppyhood when my feet seemed too big and too awkward.
Finally, an Irish setter with something appropriate in the mouth instead of those moogy tennis balls. That's what those setters should be doing - dashing around fields flushing birds and bringing them back for their person to cook into tasty treats for the people.... and the dogs, too, of course! I'd be glad to try some perfectly cooked game bird with a bit of cooked barley one day.... hopefully.... maybe.....

Curling Things

A big package arrived from LL Bean a couple of weeks ago. This bag was inside. Alice said it's meant to look like the Golden Gate Bridge. Jacquie who made Pika's person's wedding dress sewed on a patch. Then, Alice put her curling shoes, kneepad, gloves and some other things inside. (I wish she would put me inside when she takes it to the ice rink....)
This week lots of curlers are in upstate New York for the Club Nationals. A ladies team from the Hollywood Club is representing California. They have the best uniform so far. The pink and black Bond Girls! They get a lot of nice comments about their kilts. They make Alice think the NorCal ladies should get some kilts too..... Hmmmm...what tartan to pick? How about the official California State tartan? One can get dog leashes in that.....hint, hint, Alice!

First Hanami of 2009 - for Patsy

A walk in a park while out with Alice. Blue skies, warm sun, snow covered mountain tops in the distance, and slightly damp grass. Perfect for walking. I could stretch out for hours while Alice enjoys the blossoms.
I heard from Pele today about his loss of Patsy. She's off on her next life. I am sure she will be a human, perhaps a monk in a warm and peaceful clime? Yes, she deserves that. Farewell Patsy, my big and gentle friend. May you be showered with cherry blossoms every year until you find your own Nirvana.

Gabrielle Goes to Olympic Trials!

Alice was out very late last night curling. She came back smelling of ice and fleece. I don't know why she doesn't take me to see curling. There is a nice lounge overlooking the sheet of ice with a fire, carpet and lounge chairs. Here is the view!

.

Hmmmm. Maybe she is afraid I would make silly faces or be bored? I promise, no funny faces if someone could hold me in their lap with a blanket to stay warm.... But honestly, when Alice does something I don't like (aka too cold, too wet, not enough chicken to eat...) I just sulk and wait...no silly faces.
Last night one of Alice's hands smelled of Barry Ivy since she shook his hand after curling to recognize his success at coaching the first California Lady, Gabrielle, to the Olympic Trials this month. I doubt Gabrielle will be silly at the Trials. Maybe she will see my silly face photo and laugh. When one has "trials" it's always good to laugh no matter what.

Chocolate Curling Stones

Pika's people went to Davos, Switzerland and got Alice some chocolate curling stones. This picture makes it seem I like chocolate but really I was just savoring some kibble flavor in my mouth when Alice interrupted my afternoon kibble snack to show me these fancy chocolates. One of Pika's people says things are very expensive there. A cup of coffee is about $30US. I doubt that. But if so, they should stick to cheap fun like dog walking.... and curling!, says, Alice. I bet she'll save those chocolate stones for a special occasion which ought to be just a cold day, a warm blanket and a cozy with me!!

2009 and The Rag Carpet

Here I am yesterday on my old kitchen carpet. I helped Alice guard a big house high in the hills where this carpet is for the moment. A rainy day. I just wanted to stay warm, keep my paws dry and have holdings with Alice.
I'd not seen that carpet in many years. It's funny how things and people come in and out of one's life. I walked into the room with it. Stopped dead in my tracks. Sniffed an edge of it. Alice told me, yes, it was my carpet, but it took me away to feel cmfortable to sit on it.
Here I am with the carpet when I was just about a year old. I was watching my Ellie do something while Dan took this picture.
Alice remembers helping Ellie pick out the colors of that carpet to match the Lady Bird Johnson wildflower wallpaper in the kitchen years before I was born.
I wonder where that carpet will be in another ten years? And if anyone will remember it was was mine and Ellie's? And that the colors were so carefully picked?