Pea Bane

Very small pea plant breaking ground

See my little pea? I went out super early in the mud and the cold to plant him and his kin so that they would have lots of time to grow big and strong before the heat arrived.

What arrived instead? The bunny brothers!!!

Seriously, what kind of an idiot would lovingly portray vermin such as this?!? Oh, wait…

Thanks to those two idiot rabbits, my plants never got any larger than in the picture. If they dared grow over 1″ high, they were chomped off.

Garden snake

I tried inviting a snake into the garden, but it turned its head away and lithped thomething about being thcared of bunnies. I guess this one wasn’t a self-motivated hard worker like that Garden of Eden snake.

Bunny hole dug into garden

Although I have a fence, it didn’t keep the bunny brothers out. They tunneled in under the tomato plants. Their tunnel was big enough that it eventually caused the tomato plants to fall over.

Snake and dead toad

(Hey snake, why don’t you crawl down that hole? Snake: “No thankth. I think I will justh keep eating thith dead toad.”)

I tried using spray made of rotten eggs and garlic and a host of foul things. The label said that it was supposed to repel all different sorts of animals. Oh gross! The wind shifted!

I guess in the manufacturer’s world, “repel” means “come hither”. Not only did the bunnies like it but so did my dogs.

Mmm...Mummy. What IS that intoxicating scent you're wearing?!?

Cairn terrier stalking prey

Come on Ma, just let me off this leash, and your bunny problem will be history!

Bunny Bane

Why doesn’t the governor force the bunnies wear masks? It would make it a lot harder for them to eat my vegetables.

If you would like to send pictures of vermin (bunnies) to friends and family, then come visit my store at L Bowman Studios. I have several styles of note cards to fit your correspondence needs.

(Oh, and if you haven’t been to the Post Office lately, they have some interesting holographic dinosaur stamps for sale!)

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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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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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Lagophthalmos – Why Toby Sometimes 吠

Guys, I did not forget to feed you. Remember, I'm blind, not senile.

Many moons ago, I developed an eye problem so severe that I could barely see at all. It were as if I had a sheet of waxed paper held right next to my eye. I was able to see light and a little color but precious little else. A visit to an eye specialist yielded the diagnosis of “We’re not sure what’s wrong, but here are some drops. Maybe your eyes will get better.” It took many long months, but eventually my eyes healed and my vision returned to what it usually is.

For six months or so, though, I was at a total loss what to do with myself. I couldn’t watch TV. I couldn’t read or use nascent computer technology. (This happened decades ago.) I couldn’t go for a walk or even read a book.

In desperation, I scoured my bookshelf for something that I might be able to read. What I came up with was a Chinese textbook that I always meant to study but never got around to.

New characters were a full inch tall, and if I leaned close, I could make them out. Out of desperation because I had nothing else to read, I learned to read Chinese.

I really enjoyed what I was doing and kept it up for three additional textbooks. Based on the series I used, though, my vocabulary mostly consists of knowing how to talk about students studying literature at such-and-such university.

Anyway, that is why Toby sometimes barks in Chinese.

And as for the eye problem? Years later the same thing happened again. After three visits and two specialists they figured out that I sleep with my eyes open. Uni 1

My boys were embarrassed to be seen with me while I was dealing with this problem. They claimed I looked like the Unibomber.

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Don’t forget to place your orders for Christmas pet pictures early. (It will give me plenty of time to work and to allow the paint to dry.) For more information about ordering, visit L Bowmn Studios.

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A Wedding

Are we really going to a wedding? Yes, we've been invited.

What if when they ask if anyone objects, someone does? I don't know. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

All of us at Bitey Dog are anxious for the wedding.

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Of Clowns and Purslane

Picture of clown

Ecch! What happened to you? I think I'm allergic to purslane.

Little dog sits on chair and writes in his diary.

Dear Diary, It would appear that purslane turns humans into clowns. Perhaps a more aggressive program of weed eradication may have saved the children of Derry from being pulled into the sewers.

Dear Diary,

It would appear that purslane turns humans into clowns. Perhaps a more aggressive program of weed eradication might have saved the children of Derry from being pulled into the sewers…

See the source image

Purslane. (Not my image.)

An innocent afternoon of pulling weeds has left me with eyes itchy and swollen shut. This weed is still a mystery to me. It doesn’t flower, so pollen isn’t the problem. It seems that if it touches my skin, my face swells. I wear gloves to weed, but the coating on the gloves cracked, and I guess I got a dose of plant ichor.

For the next few days I had best not carry balloons lest the children of the neighborhood run in terror from me.

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Memory quilt near window

close up of memory quilt

Speaking of quilts…

After my grandmother passed away, I asked for her nightgowns. I used them to make the hearts on a series of Memory Quilts that I shared with various family members.

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If you would like to have a quilt that I have made – this one perhaps? – I now have checkout at my website!

This Madison House Quilt is 41″ square. It is made of three layers of 100% cotton with the quilting and binding done by hand. You can see more by clicking here.

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Kick Your Butt

By the time this knee heals, I am going to need a waleker. Aren't you that old already?

You are lucky I can't balance on one leg or I'd kick your butt!

Bad news, Toby. I can balance on one leg now!

Go away. I'm sleeping.

We both know you’d never kick my butt.

I can get away with anything.

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Governor Groundhog stuck his head out of his den and declared that our quarantine will continue for another three months. That means Bitey and Toby will have free rein at the museum for the whole summer!

If you would like to see what they have been up to there, pick up a copy of Dream Our World. In Dream Our World, Bitey and Toby visit the Museum of the Imagination and view the world of art from a canine perspective.

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National Doughnut Day

You know how salad gets all brown and slimy after a couple of days? Yes...

You know what doesn't? What?

Doughnuts!!!

But I thought you liked salad. NOT for breakfast!

Happy National Doughnut Day!

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Now is a perfect time to order a custom pet portrait for someone you love.

The gift of a pet portrait can be very touching to someone who has recently lost a companion. It is also a fun way to celebrate a new addition to the family.

Stop by my website for more information: L Bowman Studios.

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Friends and Family Helping Out

At our age, we have to be careful about not breaking a hip.

You are healing pretty fast for someone as old as you are.

Sad woman staands alone.

Is she going to start crying like Lucy again? It's best to be prepared just in case.

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Come see what the boys have been up to at The Museum of the Imagination! They have been running loose for months, looking at artwork and having a grand time in Dream Our World (and in a real museum).

Dream Our World is available from Amazon.

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My Boys Help Out

Wow, look at you! We decidded to help you while you're hurt. See? I brought you a bowl of kibble.

And I am going to fix your hair for you.

Punk is still "in", isn't it?

I have found that invalid hair and Covid hair are pretty much the same thing. A wreck. So happy to get to look bad two years running!