Snickers

 It’s been two years since my last entry…Blogging seems much less popular these days..

But still, my blog is my photo journal, a diary of sorts..

Today I want to talk about a new addition to my family :-)

Soon after a short term dog sitting gig, a friend asked me to foster her sweet girl Misty..Part Chihuahua, part Shih Tsu..I fostered Misty for 3 months, until my friend secured dog friendly housing..In that three months I began to feel that my life would be better with a dog in it ..After a 5 year period of not living with a pet..

I was interested in a permanent addition to our family..

We visited an animal shelter in Pasadena, and then other shelters in LaPorte and Baytown..Just casually looking..

A month went by..Then another..

The second time we visited the Pasadena Animal Shelter, within 5 minutes, it was love at first sight..A small tan and white dog was in the enclosure for small dogs..In a cage next to an older Chihuahua..A long haired Chihuahua resided in a cage below theirs..

Our eyes met and he squirmed in happiness and joy..I asked to meet this nameless little tan bundle of wiggliness..The info tag on his cage had not been filled out yet..

During our meeting this little doggo was somewhat shy, but friendly enough to cuddle and lick our hands..

My application for adoption was submitted within minutes..We were informed that a 7 day stray hold had to expire before we could adopt..

Adoption day quickly came..We adopted him..This tiny deer like creature jumped 3 feet, lol, to land in the passenger seat of the truck we were driving around in that day..This little guy couldn’t be away from the shelter quickly enough..In the middle of our ride home we came up with a name for this bundle of sweetness..We decided to call him Snickers..

A vet visit the same day revealed that Snickers was 12 lbs, about 2 years old, reasonably healthy,  except for a mild heartworm infection..He is roughly in the middle of treatment as we speak..So far he is doing well, except that his appetite has been dodgy on and off..

In the four months that Snickers has been with us, he’s had a chance to meet our family and friends.. He likes everybody so far..Kids, grandkids, everybody…Including Chico.

Let’s briefly discuss Chico.. I think Chico will eventually be a close important friend to Snickers..Chico is a sweet dog who lives with close human friends of mine..These friends frequently dine with us at our house..They bring Chico with them…

A friendship with Chico may help Snickers overcome his fear of large dogs..Chico, a 60 lb Beagle mix, is a charming chick magnet..He is extremely laid back and friendly..Chico’s 60 lb body is mounted atop short stout legs..It’s as if God used leftover body parts to put this cutie together..He struts from here to there with a suave lumbering gait..No matter how much Snickers puffs up and growls in Chico’s presence, Chico stays calm, doesn’t bat an eyelash, except to sniff and lick on Snickers..I see a warm friendship in their future…

All in all life with Snickers is joyful and rewarding…..

First meeting at Shelter..Snickers’s original name was Mulder..

Coping with 30 degree temperatures

Raccoon slayer

Snickers, the manly man in his walking gear

Easter

Chico in the foreground..First meeting, both dogs were pretty shy of each other..

Snickers knocked out tired, after 3rd, very recent meeting with Chico…

Spring into Summer

 It has been a long, long summer! Three months of daily actual temps up to 105-107!

Now on the 5th day of fall, the feel like temperature is still over 100..

My biggest joy this summer was having Caroline for overnights..I took her on adventures like zip lining and swimming at the local community wave pool..We also enjoyed our quiet moments of making crafts or watching funny movies..

Another big joy in my daily life, even in the heat of the summer is walking...

Long walks..

Walks are when I scratch my photography itch :-)

This photo and the several posted above it were taken in the last 6 weeks or so..We have been in an exceptionally severe drought..I still love the quiet beauty of early morning, even when the dirt and grass under my feet is dry and cracked…

Early through late spring, I tried my hand at backyard container gardening..

The bottlebrush plant seen in the corner of my yard, I bought at a nursery one day, and planted it, beginning of March 2023, on a whim..I was feeling very depressed due to an immense loss that had just taken place ..

Beginning gardening was one of my ways to stay busy and positive..

Now, as I write this, 7 months later, the bottlebrush is more than double in size…

The flat of vincas in the foreground was given to me by dear friends..I planted them around mid May..Since then, I’ve had 5 months of joy from these colorful flowers..Every time I saw them from my window, or took care of them, I smiled..These vincas grew thick and lovely, they trailed more than halfway down my raised bed..Caroline really liked them too!

Then a strong storm recently came through, the strong wind and rain ravaged and killed the entire bed of vincas..

This is one of my very favorite parks to walk..James Morgan Prairie Park..From April through June, this place is very colorful with wildflowers!

Spring Bluebonnets that appear in late March-April, and disappear around mid May..At my happy place, James Morgan Prairie Park…

Hello 2023

 It is 30 minutes away from the new year 2023…I just woke up from a two hour nap to an alarm I set on my phone…

I want to be awake to be one of the first people to wish my younger son Ben a happy birthday, he is a New Year’s baby…I am a New Year’s Eve baby, lol..I turned 66 years old 23 and a half hours ago, Ben will turn 36 at the stroke of midnight!

The last 4 years have been fascinating, puzzling, harrowing, joyful..

Mostly these were years that helped me grow..I have lots of catching up to do with you all..

Since the last time I popped in to share pleasant pieces of my  life with you, our world has become one full of instability, social unrest..

The things I share are simply my ways to stay upbeat…

I feel very very blessed!!!!

A very dear friend of mine is my inspiration to return here, because she loves to learn and try new things and write about her experiences….She has encouraged me start back up with my blogging..

Tonight I will share with you some of my favorite moments over the last year, through my photography….

My eyelids are getting droopy..

This post will be a work in progress for the next day or so, new photos will appear here and there as I relearn how to use this blogger platform…

Happy New Year to all of you…May you all have blessings that pop up everywhere when you least expect them! 

My best friend and companion

Simon, you have been my best friend for 17 years...You have witnessed my good and bad moments, you have given me unconditional love and joy! Your enthusiastic greetings the minute I walked  in the door, made me feel special..You were my happiest hello, and my hardest goodbye..My heart is broken in a million pieces...Rest in peace my little one..Until I reunite with you in heaven, run in the meadows with Oscar, free of pain......June 2003- September 23, 2020

Bits and pieces of Simon’s life with Oscar through the years...

A precious friend, my pen pal in Germany, sent me this drawing she made, in memory of Simon..

Inspiration

Ok guys and gals, it is highly unusual for me to make  two blog posts in one day, but here goes :-)
I previously mentioned that this was a good summer for making new friends..

One such friend, Marcia, I knew years ago... Sadly, we completely lost touch.. Recently we reconnected! Marcia and her husband Ricardo have a place called "Little Red Craft Cottage".. Inside this happy place are studios and shops where a small group of artists gather to hang out, make/sell their art / give lessons to others.. I have been taking pottery lessons from Marcia.. She makes and sells her pottery, her husband Ricardo paints colorful breathtaking abstracts. Both are good at sharing their talents, teaching others..Marcia wants to learn from me how to spin, weave, etc..

 I was encouraged to display/ sell my crochet work in one of the stores... I am excited and inspired !!! I have been crocheting at breakneck speed.. I will have a small batch of crochet lotus scarves ready to display/ sell very soon! I already have a crochet granny square blanket on display ..

I am so grateful and excited to have Marcia and Ricardo in my life again,they have become very dear friends!

My first granny square blanket on display/for sale

I will be offering these crochet lotus scarves in several colors for sale.. The yarn used is baby Alpaca. These scarves are very light weight,

and are great fashion accessories to wear in the late fall through early spring :-)

A  leaf I made during pottery class..

Another pottery leaf I made..I also formed some letters and wire wrapped Marcia's pottery beads to them..These charms to be part of a wall hanging I will design and make..

I will share more fun projects here as Marcia and I complete them :-)

Pottery trinket boxes.. The two in the foreground, I created...The two in back are Marcia's creations.

Me making some inside decorations for my bowl :-)

Foreground bowl my creation, background Marcia's :-)

Having the time of my life at my home away from home.. I love to spend time with Marcia and Ricardo, whether crafting or simply visiting :-)

Blessing stones ready for a clear glaze, then to be fired :-)

Blessing stones and beads..The blessing stones can be glued on wood, other pottery, be part of a mosaic piece :-)

One of my finished trinket boxes

Some examples of the woven potholders I offer for sale...I make 5 X 5 inch and 7 x 7 inch sizes :-)

Fabric is recycled 100% cotton

Little Red Craft Cottage   Click on this link for more info on this wonderful happy place for friends, artists and crafters :-)