My Grama's Soul

How could any of us live without our be-loved animals? This is Skyler....he is our joy!!!!!   Jo

Look what has just popped up again in my garden!  I am always amazed that amaryllis  bloom yet again here in AZ. These were purchased two years ago at Christmas time.  They bloomed indoors then so I put them outside in my garden just on an outside chance they might  bloom there as well.  They did......both last year and again this year.......they bloom both in November and around April.   Sweet Skyler chomped on one of them and destroyed an entire bud....but it survived in spite of him.  LOL LOL BYTW...he is currently at Boot Camp for two weeks to learn some important "doggie lessons"..  The trainer brought him by the house this morning and we got to see him put through some of his paces.  He looked so great and like he was having a ball!!!  We will have him  back  the Saturday after this one.  We miss him tons...but know this is really good for him.  Not sure if Miss Sophie misses him or not.......

UMMMM......please notice the wonderful cameo of my darling niece around my neck...oh my~~ oh my goodness.....I digress in my story.  Anyway....the reason for this little missive is due to a recent exasperating note I have received, as of late,  from Miss Sophie  You all remember her don't you....that wonderful Cavalier King Charles who had the PERFECT life.....until Little Mister..aka...Skyler came on the scene. She writes and I quote... "Oh Auntie.....I had the perfect life of a 10 year old spaniel.... Endless pampering People food on very, very many occasions Always got my own small bowl of rice when we ordered Chinese food Slept in the big bed with my humans..and I might add...had it all to myself Was coddled, caressed and loved totally and singularly for the first ten years of my life Never had to share my humans OR ANYTHING ELSE FOR THAT MATTER with anyone else AND THEN HE CAME Little Mister, Skyler..... ...

Artist:  Sharon Lynn Williams No......not that kind of hangin' out......LOL We are really not doing much of anything right now....packing up is finished, have visited with friends and most of them have headed for their respective homes for the winter.  Skyler is now in his third lesson in class. This was the sign Miss Ellie has waiting for us the first day.... We are making some progress....but he is FAR from being the teacher's pet...I might add. (O:  He does keep us busy...but..... I'm actually not very good at just hanging out....you would think by now, at my age, that I would be more comfortable with that concept.  I'm the kind of lady who always has a project, or has to be doing "something".....to waste time is very uncomfortable for me.  Guess that is a lesson I'm going to have to learn.  As I get older, I'm quite sure I'll be doing more Hangin' Out...so I best learn how, huh??  LOL Wanted to cl...

The above sign best describes our dogs to a "t"..... however....Our new puppy, Skyler, is now enrolled in school...Yep...he starts this Friday. I'm fairly certain he won't know what hit him...so to speak.  He is now seven months old and needs to be trained in walking with a loose leash.  He knows how to sit, will come when summoned (most of the time LOL LOL) and knows instinctively how to fetch....but there is much for him to learn so he can become a "great" dog.   Both of our Cavaliers are "love bugs" and like nothing better than to give us face hugs.....well maybe there is one thing they like better...... Yep, you guessed it,......being a COUCH POTATO. Will keep you posted on "little man's" progress. Have a great day, Jo

See.......I told you so! LOL LOL This is "little man" as my wonderful soul mate calls Skyler, our new puppy. Well~~~ We have finally arrived at our destination in Montana.....six days driving two to three hundred miles per day....it is good to be in our little spot.  Our dogs do really well traveling, although, I believe Skyler was a bit car sick yesterday....he wouldn't eat or drink and looked a little "green around the gills"... but he is certainly better this morning....as frisky as usual!! lol lol We are parked a little ways from our condo....our friend, Bud, lets us park in his RV Man Cave so we have the run of the place and it is great for us and great for the dogs. This year, we have rented the condo...for the first time....our neighbors from AZ will be here in a few days to stay there the first two weeks in August.....so we have to skidaddle  and meet the cleaning person and spiff up the place a little. The weather is cool, cool, cool ...

A few of you have asked about seeing a picture of our Skyler and our Miss Sophie.  This pic was taken 2 days ago....they are both sharing Sophie's bed in this photo.  He is growing like a weed...and is probably 4 times as long in length as when we brought him home. Miss Sophie is the Alpha-dog and she let's him know it....when appropriate......GOOD FOR HER....I SAY!  teehee Have a wonderful weekend. Jo  

Our Miss Sophie Those of you who follow me know we have just adopted a new puppy......Skyler. He's a little male Cavalier with the same color markings as our beautiful girl above. Sophie will soon be 10 years old...so she is getting up in years for her breed.  She also has some health issues which have been addressed with surgery...but her ability to romp and run around is no longer there. So you can only imagine how it is with this little guy's appearance in our home.... He is now 4 months old and full of it as only a puppy can be.  He chews, barks, digs, rolls over endlessly and runs around like a crazy man while playing during his day.  He so much wants to play with our older girl...but alas....it is not to be.  So like the bright girl she is Sophie has devised her own method of playing.  She simply stands still wagging her tail and barking occasionally as he runs around her in circles barking and jumping back and forth to play....it...

Well.....springtime is finally here in this part of the country....just mild days....and cool, cool nights.  Here is a shot of my first Iris of the season.  I have them in my  beds with my roses and Lavender. I am always amazed at how they spread all by themselves.  This is the kind of gardening I like "volunteer gardening" is what I call it.  I only have purple Iris....but when they all bloom...it does take your breath away. In closing today...wanted to show you a small photograph that was purchased in Ganges on Salt Spring Island...many years ago.  It is from the Lumina Gallery there....don't know if they are still around...but this piece struck me even then. Isn't it amazing how everyone sees things so differently.  I loved the treatment of this Iris...and I'm sorry can't remember the artist's name.  Do any of my Canadian followers know who this is....it was a beautiful woman with such a distinctive style all her...

I believe....nothing.....makes you see the world through new eyes like a new baby or a new puppy.  They don't miss a minute of anything and notice everything. We brought sweet Skyler home Thursday afternoon to stay.  His personality is so very different from our Miss Sophie I can't believe it.  He puts everything in his mouth....Sophie almost never explored plants and leaves that way.  He cries occasionally because he misses his litter....she never cried...not once. He comes and lays on my shoe when I am in the kitchen working....just to be close to me....Sophie never did that either.  Oh don't get me wrong....our Sophie is a real lover....but just in a different way. The breeder explains it this way....the little girls...."love you"....but the little boys...."are in love with you."  big difference..... Everything is going well so far....and boy are we busy, busy, busy....lol lol... Love it though! Just a short up date ...

Yep......another Cavalier King Charles Spaniel......meet Skyler......here he is at approximately 6 weeks. Here is a picture of him this week...  We will be picking him up by the weekend...and we are pretty excited. As you know...our Miss Sophie is getting up in years and we so love this breed....we wanted another.  We have done some test visiting at our house and it has gone fairly well.  Although...since Miss Sophie is such an adult dog she really could care less if there is a puppy to play with...but not me....Oh Boy.....I love playing with puppies and babies....not necessarily in that order..mind you.  LOL  LOL Here is Miss Sophie....she will ALWAYS be the "apple of my eye"...but we are getting ready for this new pup! Hugs from here....I'll keep you posted. Jo