Author: Bitey Dog

Landscapes and Memories

Hillside landscape in Autumn colors

As a painter it is my nature is to create pictures that are meticulous and  exact.  While studying the works of artists such as Van Gogh and Chagall though, I found myself swept away by the freedom expressiveness of their artwork, and I loved it.  I want some of those feelings for myself!

I decided to explore the area around me and see what I could find to inspire me.  Then I want to see what I can create – more creating a mood than a replica of the place, however. This was my first attempt at quickly capturing a scene from the neighborhood.

This particular location holds a special memory for me.  When Geordie was a tiny pup, only a few months old, we were sitting at this same place.  Suddenly Geordie jumped up and began growling and pulling as if he wanted to catch something.  I checked all around and couldn’t find any rabbit or deer or anything.  When I followed where his nose was pointing, I found a car driving on one of the roads on the facing hillside.  From where we were sitting, it looked no larger than a beetle.

I hadn’t realized until then that my puppy didn’t understand perspective.  The only way I could think to explain it to him was to pick him up and reach one arm out as far as I could toward the car.  When he saw that even I couldn’t touch it, he finally settled down.

 I still have a lot of work to do before I am comfortable with a more abstract style of painting.  This one is driving me batty because I want to go back and make it right.  Except, I don’t want “right” I want “mood”.

It’s a good thing I have a lot of paper because I’m pretty sure I am going to need it!

Oil painting of male Goldfinch
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Flashback Friday

Can you find the puppy hidden in this picture?

Carn terrier puppy hiding under a chair.

When Bitey was little, this was his favorite hiding space…until he got too big and needed help getting back out.  Wasn’t he an adorable itty bitty beast?

In instances like these, I try to envision non-linear time.  What might it be like to have your little dog with you as a puppy and a senior and every step in between simultaneously?  I suppose we have that with memory, but to us the points of time don’t fall together but are strung apart.  I imagine that in the world beyond this one, time is non-linear.

I guess we won’t need Flashback Fridays then!   : – )

 

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Guess Where I Went?

To the museum!

Friends will know that I have been wanting to visit the museum for a very long time, and yesterday I finally did.  I wanted something by which to remember my trip, and I picked this little guy to come home with me.

Triceratops pendats from a visit to the museum.

A lot of the gifts in the gift shop were handmade by crafts persons in countries with struggling economies.  I thought this was a great partnership.  When I found this tiny hand carved triceratops made of tiger’s eye, I simply had to have him (or her).

Foolish me, I didn’t realize that there were different types of triceratops.  In movies, they always seem to look the same.  In reality the horns weren’t always spaced the same, and some had curved horns or narrow faces.  It was interesting to see the different types of skulls side by side.

I was only gone for a few hours, and when I got home I immediately grabbed my pups’ leashes and let them out of their kennels for a potty break.  Geordie refused to come and yelled at me that he was very angry at my stupidity!  Stupidity?  What did I do wrong?  Well, it turns out that the first thing he wanted was a drink, not to go outside.  Toby would simply have walked to the water bowl and had a drink before heading outside, but Geordie had to make a point of telling me how stupid I was.

I am glad terriers don’t come with horns.

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Watch Out, Peppermint!

 

Toby and new stuffed girlfriend looking off into the distance.Isn’t this cute?  The two of them are even starting to look like each other!

Watch out, Peppermint.  Someone new is after your man.

This is Toby’s new “girlfriend”.  You may recall from Poopiter that my boy has a particular fondness for his toy peppermint.  Now, though, there is a new lady in his life.  This little gal doesn’t have a name yet, but I think she needs one.  Any suggestions?

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I Got No Boots

Oh wait, yes I do!

Pair of boots sitting on grass.

I hope this picture looks decent.  I am using new photo editing, and the colors seem off on my monitor.

The first time I heard that Mini Cooper commercial, I mistakenly heard the singer say “I got no boots!”.  That prompted me to wonder if that was why she was driving all the time.  Later the song was on the radio and heard that she was really saying “I got no roots” and realized that I am now officially an old person with bad hearing.

I now got new boots because thanks to my awful beasties I wore out the soles on my last pair.  Thanks guys.  I hope that you both realize that these are sh** kickers, and they can be used to “motivate” recalcitrant pups on walks!  (JK)

 

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The Trash Man Cometh Not

Cairn terrier turns his head away from the camera.

Phew!  I am turning my head away from that smell.

It seems that every day there is another story on the news about bear sightings.  At the close of each one, the helpful reporter reminds people not to leave food outdoors and to keep their trash cans secured.

Last year a new sanitation company put in a bid to take over services for our area.   The municipality declared that all residents now must use this particular company.  They provide recycling and trash collection for a good price, so it seemed like a win/win situation….except for holidays as it turns out.

For some reason, this company cannot keep to its schedule if there is a holiday.  If they know they cannot pick up on trash day during a holiday week, you would think they would notify everyone of a policy of putting their cans out X number of days later.  Instead we have tons of cans and trash bags sitting on the curb for four to five days until the collection company comes around. It was over 90 degrees last week.  You can imagine how ripe that smell must be for animals with acute senses of smell.

In the mornings now, I am worried about walking my dogs.  I don’t know if I am going to find a bear going through the trash or coyotes or raccoons or any one of a number of other dangerous animals.

Notice I didn’t name any names or call anyone out.  I don’t want to find a horse’s head in my bed.  However, if you run a sanitation company, please set a schedule and keep to it.  It will keep everyone safer including your employees.

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No Dignity When It’s Hot

Cairn terrier sleeping upside down in undignified pose.

I have seen pictures of “cat thermometers” where the more the kitty is stretched out, the hotter the temperature.  If you have a pup, the more absurd the sleeping position, the hotter it is.  As you can see, we clearly were having unreasonably warm weather this day.

The mercury in the window thermometer reached over 120 in the sun.  It is rare even in August for that to happen.

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Peek-a-Boo!

 

Peek-a-boo!

Aah, this is such a rare moment – Toby looking at the camera instead of away from it.  I must have taken a dozen shots with my uncooperative little guy beating the shutter every time.   I am thinking of starting a folder with just blurry, back of head shots.

Toby got shortchanged on baby pictures since things were so chaotic when he was young.  (It is nearly impossible to take pictures when you have a puppy with a UTI.) I am trying to make up for that a little by getting some nice photos now.

 

Boy's Navy and Copper Suspenders, handmade.

June brings with it a variety of formal events.  Make sure your young man is prepared to look his best with something from the Boys’ Shop at Needful Things of Salem.  With these Navy and Copper Brocade Silk Suspenders your youngster will be ready to conquer any social occasion.

 

 

 

 

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Good News: Follow Up Visit at the Vet

Happy smiling Cairn terrier sitting next to flowers.

Today was Geordie’s first follow up visit after getting his C diagnoses a couple of months ago.  He had a new vet this time because his long-time doctor recently left for an other practice.

The news the new doctor gave us was just what I had been hoping for.  She said that despite the cancer, he is in excellent health!  I was afraid it was wishful thinking on my part and that I was only seeing what I wanted to, but no, Geordie is strong and “healthy” and happy.  She said that whatever we’ve been doing, keep it up.  And, not to get our hopes up, but…if he keeps up the way that he is, Geordie could live one to two more years.

On top of the good news, today was a beautiful, warm, sunny day.  It was perfect for lifting one’s spirits.  I hope everyone reading this had something equally wonderful happen for them too.

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