Is It or Isn't it?

Carnage Question....

Hello G-Fans!

Here is a puzzle for you.  Who knows what this is a picture of?  And if you know, is it the natural process of things or is it carnage?  Personally, I know the answer.  My nose tells me so much about the world and the way it works.  The concierge is always so amazed.  In any event, the concierge has been keeping an eye out and we have been keeping more of a nose out at the bog for just this event.  The areas we were focused on haven't erupted yet.  This one occurred on the other side of the bog adjacent to the one we had been monitoring.  Nature, it is ever so unpredictable.  Like the thunder storm that I know is coming, but isn't being predicted.  The weather apps on the concierge's phone say lovely weather for the entire holiday weekend.  I don't know much about how those meteorologists get to their conclusions... but let me tell you.... a dog knows.  And a dog knows ahead of time.  So I am urging the concierge to wrap this up and get going on the walk for this evening before we get stuck in some really nasty stuff.   

I hope all you G-Fans have a fantastic night and you all do something delightful that tickles your nose.

TTFN!  

-G

PS - I will tell you tomorrow about  the picture along with whatever else I need to share.

A beautiful red Dragonfly hanging out with some growing tomato plants.

It is always about HOPE.

Once in a Blue Moon

Unfortunately, the incredible beauty of tonight's Blue Moon is lost in this picture.  It  doesn't do it justice :(

Hi Grace-Fans!

Well, it is finally "once in a blue moon".  Tonight is the second full moon in August, which makes it a "Blue Moon".  Since this happens only once every 30 months, we have the expression "once in a blue moon" to indicate in a colorful way that something occurs infrequently. Like a good old fashioned hike in the woods.  The concierge would rather go on a boat than get us into the woods!  Priorities!  They seem to be seriously lacking around here!

Well, I hope you do something truly lovely each day and not wait for a blue moon.

Maybe this link will give you inspiration....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qXIfK4iJg8 

Enjoy!

TTFN!

-G

Even this one can't capture the captivating nature of the evening's moonrise.  Maybe the concierge can set me up with painting materials so I can get it across.  If those Elephants can do it, so can I!  I have seen artwork done by horses and raccoons too!  Everyone is jumping on the bandwagon.  If they can do it, why not me?  

Computer Bertie

 

Look closely, I have an apple in my eye.....

Hi G-fans!

Well, Bertie continues to try and help write the blog with me.  I have included some pictures.  He just can't hit one key at a time.  It usually is a whole section of keys which isn't really helpful.  Got to give him credit for trying though.

After last night's storm we really enjoyed the change in humidity.  (We did NOT, however, enjoy, the thunder and lightning. AT ALL!)  Tonight is a full moon, so it looks like a moonlight walk is on tonight's agenda.  So, we'll report back to you on that.

Til another day!  

Be well!  Be happy!  Enjoy the treats!

TTFN!

-G

Bertie's paws are just too big for these little keys.  When are they going to make a doggie-compatible computer?

He can't even look at it, He  is having writers block.

Dance of the Bumble Bee

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bumblebee

The dance of the Bumble Bee!

Hi G-Fans!

We wanted to post about Butterflies today. But, alas, it was not meant to be.   The concierge saw loads of them a few weeks ago in the butterfly garden and on the butterfly bush.  But, in the last week we have only seen one or two random butterflies.  It must be their time to move on.  Too bad, we were going to make them famous!!  It was so pretty to see them flitting in large groups from flower to flower gathering their nectar.  So, since the b-flies are out, we focused on another creature who likes to feast on the flowers.  Bees. The video above is one of a few that we recorded today.  The other ones were from the clover bush that blossoms in August.  They love that bush.  Every year it is a foot or two taller.  It is getting quite huge.  It used to be a little 2'-3' shrub when I was a youngster.  Now it is at least 7' tall.   It is really something.  And it buzzes with bees.  Bumble bees, small light colored bees, all sorts of bees that I don't know.  So I hope you enjoy the video and you find the wikipedia link interesting.  

 BEE GOOD, BEE HAPPY,  BEE SAFE!

TTFN!

G

PS- I think Winnie-the-Pooh would love today's topic :)

It's a Wonderful Life :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2RbFVRRtqI

It really is a wonderful life.

Especially since my world has been righted.  I slept at a full stretch on my royal bedding in my royal chambers.  Life has been restored.to its proper balance.

What a wonderful life it is :)

Ciou!

-G

The silent treatment

Yes, even I can have an off-day for photos!  I am tired!!  My nose looks good though!

Well Hello Grace-fans!

I know, I know, it is late.  It has been a busy day around here.

Not for me so much, but for the concierge....

So, now I am tired and not very interested in writing much, but I will say this....

If I could have had Tess and Bertie help me with writing this today, I would have.  We are just all paws at the keyboard and can't get a decent word written between us... so even though I am not speaking to the concierge right now, I had to interact with her to get this written.  But I am hoping she gets the point sooner than last time.   It took the concierge two years the last time my privileges were ignored before she got the point and started giving me the proper royal treatment.  At which point, because I am so gracious, I started letting her kiss me and talk to me again only after a few days.  But this time she has the audacity to bring Raphael into the inner sanctum to sleep.... TWO NIGHTS IN A ROW!  Now, I am just as compassionate as the next dog, but that is just ridiculous.  He is just a little itchy.  It isn't cause for him to crash my scene.  It gets worse too.  The first night I had to share.... last night I didn't even get escorted to the royal chambers at all and that that is reserved for myself and Snagglepus ONLY!  I was left to the commoners area all night and I am NOT HAPPY! It took for her two years to get the point last time.  TWO YEARS!!  Let's hope she learned from her mistakes and we can have a quick turn around!  I can't go another two years hobnobbing with the riff-raff.  (Or would that be just "Raph"?) 

 Anyway....

The concierge wanted to get a video of Bertie playing with me this morning for the blog, but as soon as she started trying to record, we were done.  So sad.  And now the video she does have isn't loading for her.  So I hope you enjoy whatever we have chosen and are able to share.

TTFN G-Fans!

-G

Not exactly the video the concierge would like to show you, but it shows you my prowess in the death-shake maneuvers.  And there is a little bit of Bertie at the end...

Snagglepus was thinking about tuna and roasted turkey when this picture was taken!   MMMmmmmm!  Yum!

What a Turkey!

A Tom Turkey we watched this spring on the way home from the beach.


Hi Grace-Fans!
Just remembering a turkey mating dance we witnessed on our way home from a beach walk this spring.  It was quite a display and event, as you'll see from the pictures.  He probably paraded about for five minutes as the ladies continued to walk onward up and over the wooden fence to the backyard of this house.  One "lady" lagged behind and she got the "full" display as you can see.  We enjoyed the show and then had dinner at home afterwards.  So, dinner and a show that day:)
I am looking forward to another great walk and sunset today.  We should be getting ready shortly.  I love taking walks.  Bertie really is a butthead when we are being leashed.  He needs to take a chill pill!
Anyway, have a fabulous day and evening and remember to take the moments as they come!
TTFN!
-G

They are on their way to join the rest of the band.... who have already hopped over the fence.

A little bird...

Hi Grace-fans!

The concierge asked me put in a short video of a downtown bird from DC.  It would not have been busy jumping from leaf to leaf had I been there!!  Or if any of us non-humans had been there.... pounce we would have on that oblivious bird.  The concierge thinks the bird is interesting for a different reason than I/we (us dogs and the cat too) find it interesting!  You should have seen Raphael yesterday when there was a bold bird on our walk out of the neighborhood!!  OMD! (Oh My Dog!)  I thought there was a pterodactyl swooping in on us the way he went bezerko!  Sometimes he is more over the top than I am!  And that is saying something!

Oh, btw (by the way), the "pups' " birthday is coming up.... It is hard to believe another year has gone by!!  I miss some of their puppy antics, but for the most part, I really prefer them more now than before.  They have a little more self-control and a little more insight.  They are much more interesting to converse with than before.

ok, that's it for today.

I think the concierge is anxious to use the computer for something else now.  She is still trying to divert unwanted attention from my blog and attract like-minded readers who will appreciate reading about the life of a princess.  Good luck to her on that.... I can't help her with that one.

TTFN

(TTFN = Ta Ta For Now... for all you non-Winnie-the-Pooh Fans!)

-G

Another video highlighting yours truly with Schubert and Riley.  Same day as the other two posted earlier.

Re-viewing Goodbyes

Hi Grace-fans!

Because the concierge is reading this book by a fellow dog author, she is feeling a little melancholy.  My fellow author is recounting his family life that is full of struggle, death and misguided communication.

If we would all listen more, and that goes for a lot of dogs I know too.... things might be a little different.  A little better.  A little kinder.

So, anyway, the concierge asked to include some pictures of departed family members she holds in her heart.   She has seen a lot of traffic in that heart of hers.  Sometimes I can hear her heart stretch so it can hold more.  I think it is a pretty big heart already.....

Well, the captions are included with the pictures so I will sign off for today.

Ciou!

-G

Sheba came from NY.  I hear she was pretty terrific.  She did a lot of Nursing Home visits in her life.  She liked it even more than Schubert did.  Everyone felt very loved by Sheba.  Newt loved her best as they would sunbathe together on the rug as the sun beams streamed through a door or window.  Newt would curl into Sheba's belly or front legs and they would have lovely naps together.

Dodger, Linus and Newt are looking at something very interesting.  They were  originally feral, which means not tamed by humans.  Even though they were only seven weeks old when they were brought into the lives of the concierge, Tennessee and Hitchcock... they always had a bit of the fearful wild in them.  Most people never even met them because they would run and hide from anyone they didn't know or who were too loud or boisterous.  They were very relaxed and playful and sweet with the concierge, however.  Unless a routine was changed, then they scattered.  They never let go of the high alert status.

Dewey came into the concierge's life because the previous owners were too freaked out to deal with a bird with cancer and an amputated wing.  He did well with only one wing, but the cancer returned two more times and by the third occurrence nothing could be done to relieve him.  It was very sad, but he had a lot of quality time he wouldn't have had otherwise.

This is Eddy (AKA: Wally Gator Dundee).  He came as a package deal with Stufflebeam (a lovebird).  Stufflebeam is sill going strong :)  Eddy, towards the end, endured lots of treatments for a mystery disease.  The concierge usually required assistance to perform these treatments.  It made his life as comfortable as possible until he was ready to fly to the great beyond.

This is Rutherford (AKA:  Alfred E. Newman).  He was a bunny of many talents and a little too smart for the three amigos good (Dodger, Linus and Newt are the three amigos).  He bossed them around relentlessly and they were scared of him!  He was a character.

Tennessee and Schubert.  Two very sick dogs who had a pretty great life.  Their problems were medically managed fairly well so they could do all sorts of fun things.  These two guys were great at visiting Nursing Homes just like Sheba.   Sweet boys they were.  I knew Schubert, of course, I never met Tennessee, but Schubert and the cats (particularly Dodger) would tell me how sweet he was.

This was a Christmas Collage sent out for a card to friends and family of the concierge.  Years and years ago.  Some of those pictured were already gone when this was made... noted by the halos.  Hitchcock (by the igloo, next to Tennessee), Sheba, Dewey, and some of the more personable fish.  Sheba, Schubert, Tennessee, Rutherford,and Ellie (ornate box turtle a college student was done with as a pet), and Eddie are also pictured.  Aside from the humans, Stufflebeam is the only other creature still living.  WOW.  Time is a killer!

Late day post

Hi Grace Fans!

I am writing late because the concierge was struggling with disturbing revelations.  I don't get the whole thing when it comes to technology, but she found out that some of the folks going on my blog were expecting something way different than what it is all about.  I mean, it is a dog blog, what were they expecting?  And why, pray tell, did they expect it?  And who was telling them to expect it?  Anyway, she has finally recovered sufficiently allow me a few minutes to get something out for tonight.  Then she is going to try to fix the problem so that it doesn't keep happening.  Good thinking.

The concierge has been reading a book written by a dog the last week.  She isn't finished with it yet, but I don't think the writer is still alive.  If he was I would want to meet him.  I think we would have a lot to talk about.  Although, I think he might be a little cruder than I am.  Just sayin'.  The concierge has been telling me about it and giving me updates.  She keeps getting choked up, even in the first few pages she was bawling her eyes out.  Dogs cry, but not the same way humans do.  It isn't quite as obvious.  Unless we vocalize.  Then it is pretty hard to miss....

Anyway... 

Tonight I decided to have a nautical/water theme.  

So, enjoy the pictures and dream dreams of happy places:)

TTFN

-G

Bye Bye!

A Little of Raphael

Raphael taking a minute with his hula hoop.

Hi G-Fans!

Grace here to share some Raphael moments.  Right now he has the summer "itchies" which is the first this year, so we are happy that his food and supplements are doing the trick.  We are sorry he is itchy at all though.  Tess gets it too.  They both got itchy yesterday so we are wondering what the heck they did yesterday that maybe they should not have?!?!?  The concierge did have to escort them from the enclosed overgrown garden.  We think they were after the brazen bunnies in the area.  They aren't talking so we don't know for sure.  We wonder if that had anything to do with their new outbreak?  Anyway, I have pulled some pictures.
Enjoy!
Ciou!
-G

Here he is getting the hoop in position.  I hate these pictures.  Have I ever confided in you that I have a morbid fear of hula hoops!  They are terrifying!  Truly.  I don't see how anyone could think they are fun.

It is looking pretty beat up at this point.

Harry and Bertie are taking a secret peak while no one is looking.

Ahhh, isn't that sweet?

Don't worry, I let him keep his face, but he probably didn't deserve to keep it!

Bertie, Tess and Raphael all fell in the pond off this really high rock.  The water was COLD!   But they were fine.

Can you  believe I was cut from this photo?  Wicked Rude!

Bertie and Raphael hanging out.

He is pretty happy about something here!

Here is part of a Raphael dance.  Silly boy!

isn't he sweet?

Awwww.

OOOhhhh, that might be a tree frog, but not the kind we have around here!!  Scary!

Walking down summer memories

A Bald Eagle

Hi G-Fans!
I've been thinking as I doze on a lazy summer day... reminiscing on walks we have had this summer.  The things we've smelled, seen, sensed and heard.  Just never touched.  Unless we count the tree frogs we pounce on in the dusk on the dusty paths still radiating the summer warmth before the evening breezes turn them cool.  If those count, then we touched too.  Some of more memorable events would be when we would spot the bald eagles who we finally determined are nesting on a little island with no name in the middle of a pond next to the bogs.  One day the concierge stopped dead in her tracks looked up, and according to her, expected to see a heron taking wing closely overhead (she had seen one take flight two days earlier from the center of a nearby bog and she heard the air press against the wings overhead).  Instead of seeing a heron, she saw a bald eagle!  Imagine her surprise!  It was two human heights above her head, two and a half over mine.  (The concierge says that it was 10-15 feet over her head, add to that three or so feet for mine.)  Anyway, she swears she could count the frayed barbs on the eagle's wings it was so close.  She looked that eagle right in the eye as it flew over our heads towards the pond and the island.  For some reason it was roosted two bogs away from the pond itself in a low overhang branch amongst the pines and scrub oak.  It really was magnificent.  We didn't get a picture, just the one in our memories.  So we included a visual aid of an eagle from a rescued raptors educational live program that the concierge attended in St. Louis, MO a few years ago.  The pictures following are other creatures we've seen on our walks this summer.....
Enjoy!
Ciou!
-G

Well, maybe we didn't really see one of these, but wouldn't that have been exciting!?  I wouldn't have missed on that!!

Oh, wait a minute, we didn't see any of these either.  But I did have  a picture in a recent blog.  Here are some swimming hippo pictures.

For being so cantankerous, they certainly are cute behind several inches of plexiglass!

This one just kept swimming and swimming and swimming.  We have LOTS of pictures of this one.

  

Nice tiger!  I can move slinky like a tiger.  And be pretty ferocious like one too!
Again, we didn't see these either on any of our walks, which is just as well.

Oh, I guess we didn't see any of these either... But how cute are baby elephants?  I really wanted to know that answer so I held a poll recently... they were voted the CUTEST of ALL baby animals.  I may have had a *narrow sampling on that poll, but I don't think many could disagree with it....( *I am a dog you know, I don't get a chance for many people to answer my questions or take me seriously!)

See, the baby elephants really are the cutest!

Adult elephants are ok too.

This one was showing off.

Again, wicked cute, right?

This one is even playing peek-a-boo with its trunk and the even littler one looks like he or she is laughing.
SO CUTE!  So Stinkin' cute!!!