Pumpkin Beard

You wouldn't hae this problem if you didn't fight me so hard about washing your face. But I was saving this for later!

Based on actual events.

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On Wednesday mom had to turn the compost. She let me in the garden with her but told me not to pee on the cabbages. I didn’t. I was a good boy. Instead I peed on my leash. Then while she tried to grab a non-peey part of my leash, I ran over and stuck my head in compost juice. (Her mix is too green and not enough brown so it smells very, very nasty…just the way we puppies like it.)

This day was so perfect! Nothing could possibly spoil it.

Oh, wait. Something can.

I told you stories about me were more interesting!

Come and read more stories about my boys’ adventures in Dream Our World. Inside my two little monsters view the world of art from a canine perspective and enjoy a day of unsupervised fun.

Dream Our World is available from my shop and from Amazon.

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Further Down the Rabbit Hole

Now the doctor thinks I might have Bell's Palsy on top of everything. Oh gosh, I think I just peed myself! Sanctuary! Sanctuary!

Yes, while my head was still grotesquely swollen from bee stings, I woke up to my right eye drooping half-way down my face like a stroke victim.

Young cairn terrier looking over his shoulder.

Seriously, you’re not going to make me walk with her in public, are you?

At my follow up eye appointment I had to discuss with the doctor whether or not I had had a stroke. That’s always fun. The doctor suggested my condition might be Bell’s Palsy. I had disregarded that thought initially because the symptoms weren’t constant. I guess they don’t have to be.

Hey guys, I'll be trying my new sleep goggles tonight. By the way,could someone help me to bed?

My mom took pity on me and my homemade eye aids and got me a pair of sleep goggles. They are supposed to create a seal to protect your eyes from air and to lock in moisture. Unfortunately I am not a adult-sized human so they are too large to fit inside of my orbital bones, and they gap. They do block out the light nicely.

Both Bell’s Palsy and logopthalmos (sleeping with your eyes open) have to do with damage to a nerve. Out of curiosity I googled whether chiropractics might help Bell’s Palsy, and the answer was yes. The doctor said that Bell’s Palsy usually only lasts a year or two, but if I could shorten that, I would be happy. Happy enough to cry? We’ll see. (Ha ha)

Toby doesn’t care about my eye situation – unless I step on him when they covered. He prefers to concentrate on his “Sexy Parties”. (Note how one of Toby’s may female admirers is giving him a kiss at this get together.)

Toby is the only boy on our walks, and he loves the attention of so many ladies.

More stories about me, and less about your crap!

For more of Geordie and Toby’s stories, pick up a copy of Dream Our World. Inside, the two boys visit the museum of their dreams and enjoy a day of unsupervised fun!

Dream Our World is available from my shop and from Amazon.

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Qap

What happened? I got stung by a bee. Yikes. You sure can't cover that with a mask. Aagh! Call Patrick Stewart! The Klingons are coming!

I’ve been getting a lot of “Third Eye” comments lately too.

Don’t try to kid yourself. You always look like that.

In case you were wondering, “Qap” is Klingon for “The Bee Sting”. Believe it or not, if you go to Google Translate, you can translate words into Klingon.

For an adventure that needs no translation, pick up a copy of Dream Our World. Inside, my two boys go on an adventure of the imagination in the art museum of their dreams.

Dream Our World is available both from my shop and from Amazon.

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Blue and Yellow

Based on actual events.

Dog: OK, the blue I understand. We've been eating blueberries. But what about the yellow?
Woman: Toby ate a banana peel.

Dog: A banana peel? So what did you think of it?

I wouldn't kick it out of bed for eating kibble!

Guess how I found out Toby could jump high enough to reach the counter?

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On the recommendation of our dear friend Max, I did check out the AKC’s Museum of the Dog. Oh my gosh, I had no idea such a place existed! It is located in New York City, but I think there should be branches in cities all over the world.

Unfortunately I missed the deadline for submitting a work to be considered for their Dog Days of Summer exhibit which started yesterday. I doubt I would have been chosen, but it would have been a hoot to try. Instead I have been trying to contact the museum to see if a book about a couple of familiar terriers might be a good fit with their gift shop. So far just voice mail messages and email forms but no replies. Toby says he is very much interested in getting into this museum so he can play like Ben Stiller when everyone goes home.

If you would like to see what my boys like to do when they are alone in a museum, pick up a copy of Dream Our World. Dream Our World is available both from my shop and from Amazon.

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What’s Going On In The Garden?

Beets me!

Really, this is how large it was. Not a record-breaker, but still pretty good sized.

Believe it or not, these are both cucumbers.

The cucumber on the left was 18″ long and nearly 3 lbs. The one on the right was even bigger. (I have a friend with some funny tales about a neighbor who accidentally made cucumber bread instead of zucchini bread.) The yellow one was as sour as a lemon. Interesting…a self-pickling cucumber!

Okra – still pretty tasty despite being large.

Thankfully the watermelon was regular sized.

This year was the shortest garden season we’ve ever had. It lasted less than three weeks. The the beginning of the month we had slightly cooler temperatures and a little rain, and everything exploded. After that we were back to high heat and drought. I couldn’t believe that I actually had to buy a zucchini from the store this summer. Normally I find myself tricking the neighbors saying things like “This one would be perfect for zucchini bread!’ then foisting off a green baseball bat on them. This afternoon I finished pulling up about half of my plants. It is too hot and too late in the season for them to produce more. It is sad to know that the garden is basically done.

Gallery o’ Weird Vegetables

(from years gone by)

Get your mind out of the gutter. Those are sweet potatoes.

Somehow I seem to end up with mostly oddly shaped food. Perhaps that is why nobody want to come over for dinner.

I’ll have dinner with you…as long as it’s beans!

(Max, don’t look)

Boy's Black Shirt with Copper Paisley Vest

Boy's Long Sleeved Shirt shown with optional Red Silk Tie

If your young man will be starting back to in-class school soon, it might be hard to find clothes since most stores and malls are closed. Stop by my store to see what is available to help your child make those important first impressions.

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Bagpipes

Drawing of man playing bagpipes

Hronk! Hwee! Would you guys like some Benedryl?

I wasn’t sure I would ever be able to post this story. I drew it several years ago when Geordie was hronking and Toby was reverse sneezing. They made such a cacophony together! I figured it was allergies and gave them some medicine so they could rest.

Not long after, I found out that lung cancer was the real reason behind Geordie’s funny noises. I felt awful that I made fun of my poor puppy when he was seriously sick.

Geordie assuaged my guilt somewhat by living far beyond what the vet predicted. When he finally left, he went on his own terms – old age. He never did succumb to the cancer.

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Oil painting of Westie puppy.

Capture a memory of your own amazing furbeast with a pet portrait from L Bowman Studios. Visit my site for more information on sizes and pricing.

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Terrier Attire

Terrier wearing a kilt.

How ’bout this outfit?

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For more fun with us wee bitey terriers, read Dream Our World! Inside Bitey and Toby visit the museum of their dreams and have a day of unsupervised fun.

Dream Our World is available from my shop and from Amazon

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Bedtime: Not As Much Fun As It Used To Be

The prolonged heat of this summer has left me with another case of eyes so swollen and sore that I can barely see. Having the air of fans or AC blowing across them – even while I sleep – has caused a serious enough situation that I needed to take action.

Oh no! Mommy is being kidnapped! No, I am just covering my eyes to help keep them protected from the fan while I sleep. Hey, someone help me to bed, will ya?

I tried a bandana, but that didn’t work.

Not my image

If your eyes are bad enough, there are sleep goggles to keep your eyes hydrated at night. They also make you look a bit like Carrie-Anne Moss in The Matrix. The catch? They are around $60+ shipping, and they only last a few months.

The blindfold didn't work, but I read that wrapping your eyes with plastic wrap might keep them protected during the night. Could one of you help me to bed? Hey, you're covering the wrong part of your face.

As an alternative, I found someone’s more economical suggestion of using clingy plastic wrap to cover your eyes. I don’t have plastic wrap, so I borrowed some for my nocturnal experiment. That night I put a big blob of what amounts to ophthalmic petroleum jelly in my eyes, wrapped them up and tried to sleep.

The plastic wrap was hot and crackly, but it did clue in to something I hadn’t known before. I had never realized that I open my eyes even before I fall asleep. The plastic crackled every time I did, and I would force myself to close them again. Sadly, the gel and the plastic wrap still did not solve my problem.

I think I've got it this time. Now I am using tape to keep my eyes clsoed! Boys? cCould someone help me to bed?

Yup, the next step was taping my eyes closed.

I am one of those lucky individuals who has a negative reaction to the adhesive on surgical tape and Band Aids. This led me on a hunt for hypoallergenic tape that wouldn’t cause my eyes to swell shut. (Although that probably would have solved my problem.)

Interestingly, while searching to tape, I found out that the latest fad is “mouth taping”. Seriously. It promotes breathing through your nose while you sleep, and it is supposed to cause you to sleep more deeply and wake more refreshed. Imagine all those logopthalmic mouth breathers all taped up like mummies at night!

I still haven’t discovered a proper solution to my problem, but I’ve found that using tape and plastic wrap over my eyes gives the most comfortable results. (My mom cringed when I told her that. “Comfortable?” she asked. Oddly enough, yes.)

hello, Canine Protective Services? HELP!!!

Toby innocently stands there, wondering what mommy is looking at.

Isn’t there someone out there who would like to adopt a little terrier? I am a good boy, and I don’t bark too much. Please?

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Oil painting of Westie puppy.

Capture memories of your own furry companion with a pet portrait from L Bowman Studios. Pet portraits make great gifts for birthdays or Christmas. You can also order one as a loving tribute for a friend or family member who has lost someone dear to them.

Information about sizes and pricing are available at my website: L Bowman Studios.

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Encounter With a Bug

Recently the question was asked if we’ve ever had an encounter with a bug. Well, here is mine:

Bee Sting Eye

I am aesthetically challenged under the best of circumstances, so the bee who stung my eye did not do me any favors. (This has happened to me twice, but I guess I only took a picture of one.)

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Real museums still aren’t open, so if you would like to experience the world of art, come with my boys to the Museum of the Imagination! Inside Dream Our World, Bitey and Toby explore to their hearts’ content while enjoying a day of unsupervised fun.

Dream Our World is available form my shop, L Bowman Studios.

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Eenie Meenie

Terrier looking up at basket of green beans.

…greenie beany!

Yes, most of the beans ended up in the puppy. I eventually had to hide them on top of the fridge while I washed my hands. Toby can turn into a mountain goat when he wants something.