My Muses

This past Summer 2012, I moved my office ostensibly into my kitchen dining room, after getting a small grant which permitted me to buy a new iPad and a MacAir.  And sure enough, my muses thought it was a good idea.  They liked to snuggle right behind my MacAir, so I could feel their presence as I worked.  I'm writing this entry on January 1st, and my pets took a journey to my parents home for winter break.  I had four cat carriers in the back and Zelia rode shotgun.  Jackass was so happy to return to his summer vacation home and all the pets were wonderful travelers.  I am determined to enjoy every moment I have with these creatures.  Jackass is at his most thin now.  He still is lively and bossy and interested and in charge, but both he and Zelia are frail and brittle.  They deserve lots and lots and lots of love!

My Political Yard in Fall

I was very excited to get my Angela Zimmann yard sign and almost immediately after, Kelly Wicks brought me one of his.  And then, of course, the moment they were available, I got President Obama's sign!  I felt very proud of my political signs.  And I was also proud that Zelia helped me yet again with keeping a nice clean well-raked yard!  She's such a good puppy!

Zelia Bedelia

I'm writing this entry on Sunday, October 14th and these photos were taken this past winter.  Zelia is finally really slowing down and showing her age.  For the past week, she's had trouble negotiating stairs and she's not comfortable using the stairs in the garage anymore.  I've increased her pain medication and have a doctor's appointment.  She's still doing great on her walks, so I know she's happy with her life. But I want to make sure that she's comfortable and getting the best treatment she can for her various lumps, bumps, and arthritises!  

My Beloved Snow Dog!

I'm writing this entry on Sunday, September 16th, after a gorgeaus cool sunlit day that I spent with my chickens, walking this beautiful dog, eating breakfast with the New York Times, riding Violet, canoodling with Renny, napping, and working in the yard!  Today was the first official day that I started Fall yard work to prepare for winter.  So, why not use a little photo from this past winter of a snowy morning with my beautiful beautiful girl!

Some of My Pets

 Namaste.

Snow Dog

I'm writing this entry on a beautiful cool sunlit August morning and I can hear my very happy very fat puppy snoring beside me.  Here she is on a winter morning!  

My Beloved Zelia, the Snow Dog!

Here are a few early morning winter photos of Zelia standing in front of our garden, our sleeping winter garden.  I'm writing this entry on Monday, July 2nd right now, and that garden space is neat, tidy and vibrantly filled with lush green life.  So, these photos are really odd and eerie.  But anyway, here you have my beloved sweet dog.  I am so lucky.

Lots of Beautiful Quiet Snow!

On Friday, January 20th, I was running errands and it started to snow -- a light persistent snow.  I drove to the stable and rode my darling Violet and then drove home in the heavy falling snow.  I was the only one on the roads going home and I stopped and got some Chinese food.  And Baker and Cheri texted me with a wonderful martini recipe named after my beautiful Velvet Tenderness.  And I slept so well, so deeply, but I dreamed long about shoveling!  But that's okay because here are the photos!  I got up super early to shovel out, so I could make it to lessons.  I shoveled while listening to an interview with Jacinto Vazquez, the jockey who rode Ruffian.  It was an amazing Friday night.  And when I got to the barn, Renny gave me a great Saturday morning ride!

Winter Storms!

I'm writing this entry on Saturday, January 14th, 2012, and this photo is from March, 2011.  I love this photo because my beautiful little Zelia is enjoying a winter snow storm and this morning we had our first storm of 2012!  Today was pretty bitterly cold though, so we had a fun morning walk, but then just took a good strong sunlit nap!

Aging Beauties

This photo was taken on March 9, 2011 and I'm writing this entry on January 13, 2012.  This photo shows Jackass and Arcangelo.  And as I write, I'm sitting in bed with my darling Zelia snoring next to me.  This year, I can really see the age on my beautiful Jack and Z.  My dog is more likely to be picky about food, feel vulnerable, and sleep more.  She also has more days of difficulty getting up stairs or jumping on beds And it's harder and harder to keep weight on my cat. But that said, we are doing pretty well.  We are enjoying each day and we love each other well and we remember to say it to each other all the time in every way with lots of pets and cuddles.  Plus we get lots of treats!  We treat each other to yummy stuff as much as possible!  In fact, Jackass will just stand in the kitchen and meow until I hand him over his treats!   

Fresh Garden in May

Here's a photo of Zelia in my garden in very early May, soon after we got the soil ready.  I'm writing this on Halloween and the garden is absolutely a chaos of plants, weeds, and the detritus of an active summer!  I'm so glad I got to pass another wonderful gardening season with Zelia Bedelia!

My Peaceful Place

Namaste.

My Jackass, My Zelia

Jackass and Zelia are 15 years old, so this summer I decided that I would take a family photo every Sunday.  Well, that lasted two Sundays!  Lol!  They were definitely not into posing for the camera.  In the first photo, we are struggling with family togetherness and I ended up yelling at them.  And in the second, we had just come into the house and they are hanging together, probably gossiping about how weird mom is!!!

A Full Happy Home!

Rock on.  Namaste.

My Comfortable Nest

Here is a photo and video taken in late summer 2011.  I love my happy little nest and the darling creature who share this space.  And I love it even more now that I worked two extra jobs this summer to earn money to buy an iPad, Macbook Pro, and iPhone.  The nest is feathered!

New Orleans Krewe, Again!

Namaste!

More Awkward Jumping

Here's a May photo of my critters in the walkway and a video of Violet and I trying to learn the half halt!

Zelia in the Garden

Here's a May 2nd photo of Zelia helping me clear out and prepare the garden by tilling and putting down new compost!  We had fun that day!

New Orleans Krewe

Rock on.  Namaste.

Special Creatures

I have two beautiful catnip bushes -- one in the front walkway and one in the backyard.  You need beautiful catnip bushes when you have adorable creatures.  Here are photos of Jackass and Zelia, my elderly wonderful companions.  Jack is having great difficulty as of my writing this entry on June 9th.  He's lost a record amount of weight and I've made an appointment for him with his physician. He's still lively and vigorous and comes to his meals, so I believe that while his health is worsening, he is still richly enjoying ruling our world.  And then there's my beautiful Zelia.  She got a bath yesterday and once the cool water got her clean and sweet smelling, she turned into a happy joyful puppy.  I was so happy to go for a walk with her and enjoy her puppy self!!  I love both these New Orleans creatures!