Month: April 2016

Primary Tuesday

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 24 Comments

I votedToday is Primary Tuesday in the US and although Colorado held its caucus earlier, today New York state votes.

Sam here…well your votes have been counted…and it looks like you guys think I’m a gangsta artist! Woof, what’s up with THAT?! Still can’t believe mom posted that photo of me. Doesn’t she realize I’m a certifiable doofus dignified and regal canine? But perhaps it’s a good thing I’m  a good source of amusement for her. She said something about being me being her ‘muse.’ Whatever gets you through the day, right?

Mom said it was hilarious that some of you guys thought I looked like a French artist. Why is it so hard to think of me as an artist, I asked? Most people think I’m a “French Poodle” (my breed is actually from Germany, just like my mom) and with my fluffy tail, I could easily paint amazing canvases with the best of the Dutch masters [background shrieks of laughter]. “Stop it, mom!! I absolutely could paint-it’s called contemporary art. As if she’d know anything about that. Pfft…she hasn’t picked up a brush in oh I’d say..fur-ever.” Parents…can’t live with them, can’t live with them [smirk].

finalAny who…mom and dad took me to see my grand peeps for the weekend. I love being able to check up on see my grandma and snoopervise chores around the house. My Oma needed to water plants and I went on the hunt for sun puddles helped. While she’s still recovering from pneumonia, she is doing much better. We are still blown away at her progress and general wellness given that the doctors didn’t even think she’d survive last October. Color us extremely grateful and thrilled beyond words!! It’s extremely rare that people flunk out of hospice but my grandma did!

While we were visiting the grandparents who live in bunny paradise, the whole state experienced another Snowmaggedon with nearly 4 ft. of snow falling in the mountains and foothills (mom’s daughter used to live in the foothills outside Denver before moving to Oregon and there was over 40″ of the white stuff near their old house–no wonder they moved!). It was mostly rain-mixed-with-snow where my grandma lives and my paws were crossed that her bunnies stayed warm and dry. With that kind of weather, it was difficult for my Sherlock Holmes nose to find their scent trails plus those 40 mph winds really messed up my hairs.

finalWe made the trip home safely despite the wind, snow and stupid drivers and I still HATE riding in the car. I don’t get it…it seems like a good thing to do and I love going with my peeps. I always am so excited about going but as soon as the key is turned I freak out, pant like a lion and shake like a leaf the whole way. Mom fur-got to bring the herbal calming remedy that we used on our trip to California so I made her add it to my travel bag when we got home for our next long trip. I can’t wait….gulp…I think.

So if you live in New York, don’t fur-get to vote today and celebrate…there are only 7 more months till the whole seedy thing is over. Pennsylvania, you’re on deck. Howl!

Live, love, bark! <3

Monday Musings

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 24 Comments

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We made the trip home safely and for the record “only” 6-7 inches of Spring fell in our neighborhood. Where my daughter used to live they received over 40″. Yes, that’s not a typo…f-o-r-t-y! More details tomorrow. Hope you had a marvy weekend.

 

 

 

Live, love, bark! <3

Silhouette Saturday

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 30 Comments

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Hope your weekend is sunny and mild-a major storm has been forecast for the 303 so we snuck out of town to see my parents. Sam’ll let you know just how much of the white stuff falls once the winds die down.

Live, love, bark! <3

 

Fab Friday

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 32 Comments

final So…either I’m a furry pirate or a gangsta punk. Given this crazy election campaign season, what do you think? Cast your vote now. 🙂

Here’s to the beginning of a great weekend… be it marauding or chill-axing. Let the treats start flowing.

Live, love, bark! <3

Back to the Future

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 12 Comments

150102-back-to-the-future-mn-850_6c1cc5c2a0c7767b593e1bf9054a4d0f.nbcnews-fp-1200-800We all remember Doc Brown and his pal Marty McFly with the infamous flux capacitor which allowed them to go Back to the Future. It occurred to me recently there’s a bit of that whole ‘Back to the Future” thing going on around the Ranch.

Even though he’s rounding the corner quickly toward 11, Sam has suddenly readopted some definitely ‘Back to the Future’ behavior. Playtime, toys and puppy pouncing.

Sam has never been much into toys. Years ago when the sheep dogs were still with us, I collected a bunch of those Audubon stuffed birds with the realistic bird chirps and squawks. Frankly I adored them as much if not more than the dogs did; the memories from those days still elicit smiles recalling when they would proudly strut around tossing their heads with the birds in their mouths…but conveniently just out of my reach. It was as though they were taunting me to engage in a game of keep-away which I happily did. Recently I discovered the basket they have been stashed in while organizing my studio. I did a quick inventory of what still had its chirper in tact when Sam came in and promptly pulled a couple out of the room. I figured he’d probably go for the eyes and eviscerate them ASAP which has been his MO in the past. To my surprise he carried them off to the living room to toss in the air and then do a very puppy-like pounce on top of them, often making them squeak or chirp. The noise startled him and he looked quite puzzled at the noise but he’d toss it again and re-pounce and slap paws on the hardwood floors. Clearly this pup has figured out he is quite a wizard to make those long forgotten slobber-infested toys make such a strange but wonderful sound. It was hilarious particularly since he’s never expressed any interest in playing with toys before. His favorites seem to be a stuffed kitty, an adorable hedgehog and the Audubon chickadee.

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Sam has been pouncing and playing with them often during the day now so maybe…just like Doc and Marty, this pup went Back to the Future too in suddenly liking toys. Has your “one point twenty-one jigowatt” pup discovered some lost toy and taken an interest in it?

Live, love, bark! <3

Wordy Wednesday

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 15 Comments

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Because only a dog can save us from this special kind of danger. Here’s hoping your ‘Hump Day’ has no sketchy bags.

 

 

 

 

 

Live, love, bark! <3

Monday Musings – April 11, 2016

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 20 Comments

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Hope you had a terrific weekend and that any ‘shedding’ was well worth it! Happy Monday.

 

 

 

Live, love, bark! <3

Fab Friday

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 18 Comments

Do you remember Kelly LeBrock, who gave us that famous line “Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful” Pantene commercials back in the 1980s? She’d toss a glossy head of hair over her shoulder and with those pouting lips and seductive look made every junior high boy swoon and sent all the girls flocking to the store to buy the shampoo. 

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While walking Sam on a fairly windy morning this week, that commercial popped up from my memory bank (can’t remember where I placed the keys but can recall ads from 87 years ago-go figure!!) this photo reminded me of those commercials from so long ago. For a boy, I think he kind of rock’s the ‘come hither’ ears-blowing-back look, don’t you?

Here’s to a Fab Friday and an even more fab weekend!

Live, love, bark! <3

It’s just what we do…

~ Tails Around the Ranch ~ 21 Comments
  • Sam here. In addition to bringing smiles to hospital patients, we find peeps around the neighborhood who want to stop and pet me. A couple of days ago we came across these adorable kiddos (6 of them-yikes-can imagine they have some interesting days at daycare!) out for a ride in their cool “tot wagon.” Being pretty small toddlers, they mostly babbled didn’t speak much English that mom could tell, but I totally understood they wanted to “pet the puppy” for which I was more than happy to accommodate. Mom kept ooh-ing and ah-ing over the 6 passenger wagon with seats that would rotate for the best view. All of the kidlets got a chance to be sniffed by yours truly pet my nice soft furs.

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The two nice ladies who run the daycare center couldn’t believe I was so calm and patient with all of the kids. Little did they know, that’s my job…being sweet and cuddly with all uprights. The little girl on the far right kept blowing me kisses after I sniffed her face. She kept calling me “Goggy, lub you” after she blew kisses my way. What’s a Goggy anyway?

 

Live, love, bark! <3