Cute or..?

Little Blossom the recently rescued pug had NINETEEN TEETH removed yesterday. Her poor little mouth was riddled with infection, (hence the paint peeling breath!) In this photo she is still under the influence of excellent pain killing drugs. With so few teeth her little tongue seems to have some trouble staying where it belongs. And we find that oddly adorable. Cute enough to mimic.

Blossom...

Last week a couple of very nice professional photographers stopped by the shop and asked if they could take some film for a documentary they were putting together about grooming. They were from the Maine Photographic Workshop. They spent the entire morning shooting film and asking questions. Later they came back and asked if they brought a dog from the local shelter, would I groom it start to finish while they filmed. I had two no-shows that day which left some space in my schedule, so I happily agreed. Our shop, Yankee Clipper Pet Grooming and Supplies (http://www.yankeeclipperpetgrooming.com/) grooms shelter animals at no charge upon request.

A bit later the two photographers came back with, of all things, a PUG! She is 6 years old, named Blossom, and was displaced from her home when her elderly owner developed some health problems and was unable to care for her. A perfect angel, she seemed to enjoy a spa experience. I can't tell you how much I hated to see her go back to the shelter. So, today she came to my house for a 7 day visit to see how she does. So far she does just FINE. She met the sheep and the chickens. She met the other dogs and all was well. She explored the yard, explored the house and then explored the closest dog bed. She is still there.

Highly suspicious yard art...

My friend Liz gave me these funny yard art chickens. Smooch the Pooch found them highly suspicious. He gave them the once over more than once. There was a lot of muttering and grumbling under his puggy breath. The chickens remained calm.

Smooch still doesn't trust them.

Getting along...

People are suprised when I tell them I have five dogs. And though living with this many dogs seems normal and fine to me, I do realize that FIVE is a lot.

Many years ago, when I was in high school, I read a book about a woman who took care of dogs in her home. She had dogs herself, and brought the new dogs in and integrated them into her "pack." No cages, no leashes, no fences. I didn't think all of what she did was a great idea, but one thing she said made a big impression upon me. She said that she believed animals would live up to our expectations to a large degree. It was her belief that if she expected the dogs to all get along, they would.

I tell people that we have a rule at our house that everyone gets along. People think I am kidding, but really, I am not. My husband and I have never had a fight. My dogs live side by side with the chickens, the rabbit, the sheep. I expect that everyone will get along, and they do.

One day our (then) teen aged daughter threw a fit about something. My calm, patient husband said to her, "Your mother and I CHOOSE to keep a peaceful home. You will not change that." I was moved to hear him say those words. It is a choice, I think, to have a peaceful home. Even the pets feel it.

Big snow...

Big, deep, it snowed for three days snow. High as my knees snow. Deeper than a pug snow! Blowing, windy, wild snow.

Seasonal Harmony....

Poppy pug loves her bed in front of the fire. In the interest of seasonal harmony, she shared her bed yesterday with Clara bunny and a stuffed white toy. It was cute overload, for sure.

Making changes...

A woman on a radio show I listen to often says something to the effect of,
"If you want chocolate cake, but you keep buying vanilla cake mix, you will be disappointed every time."

I rather like this saying. It makes me think of the things in my life that I perpetually get results I am not happy with, and reminds me that oh-so-much of that is firmly within my control.
Now I just have to figure out how to convince myself to use the control I have.

(Smooch says he likes both vanilla and chocolate. He also says, "Let me eat cake! Please??")

And the weather forcast is...

MORE SNOW!

The Muse...

I am a journalist. I get paid and everything, so that makes it real. I have a nice little "office" to write in, but sometimes I work at the cozy kitchen table. Poppy likes to help me write, no matter where I am. She will snooze endlessly by me while I research and type and revise. I cannot tell you how many hundreds of thousands of words I have put to paper with the soft, rhythmical sound of her muffled snoring urging me on. She never seems to tire of being by my side. The other dogs are content to lounge around the house, or on the floor near me. Poppy wants to be next to the computer. She is a funny little dog, a sweet muse, a constant companion. Who says money can't buy love? She is the best $50. I ever spent.