Pet Blogger Challenge

The very first picture I posted on this blog: Times Square at Night

I warned you with the badge! Because I thought it would be fun, I'm participating in the Third Annual Pet Blogger Challenge. What does that mean? Well, it means I needed to answer the following questions:

1. When did you begin your blog?
February 2008 (how can it be possible that it was almost 5 years ago?!?) Here's the very first post: The Inspiration

2. What was your original purpose for starting a blog?
To share pictures and thoughts about our first trip to the Westminster Kennel Club Dog show..and whatever else struck my fancy. My secret original purpose? To have a different kind of outlet for my writing.

3. Is your current purpose the same?
Yes and no...since I didn't really know where it would go even then, it's a little hard to say whether I'm getting there!

If not, what’s different?
I've become more accustomed to the blogging world. Others inspire me to try different approaches/tackle different ideas...

If so, how do you feel you’ve met your goals?
It's definitely been a good outlet for both my photography and my writing...when I blog.

4. How often do you post?
Well now, that all depends on what all's going on. I've done daily, and I've gone months without it. Even though right now my life/schedule is perhaps at an all time high level of wacky, I'm trying to post daily because it's making me happy.

5. Do you blog on a schedule or as the spirit moves you?
As the spirit moves me (but refer to #4 above).

If you publish on a schedule, why? How strict are you about your publishing deadlines? What do you do for inspiration when it feels like you’ve covered every topic?

If you don’t publish on a schedule, why?
See above!
How do you think your decision affects your audience? How do you know when a topic is “post-worthy?”
Will I lose my three readers if I say I really don't think too much about how it will affect them or whether or not something is really "post-worthy"?

6. How much time do you spend writing your blog per week? 
All depends on whether I'm in a daily posting phase or not....anywhere from a couple of minutes to maybe an hour or two?
How much time visiting other blogs? 
Wow! This is turning into a rut. When I can, I like to stay current on several of my favorite blogs, but sometimes "the real world" interferes and I just can't do it.
Share your  tips for staying on top of it all.
Lately I've discovered the "trick" of at least starting several posts that I know I want to eventually share (like different sets of pictures) and then saving them as drafts only to pull them out later and post them. That seems to be a pretty good way for me.

7. How do you measure the success of a post and of your blog in general (comments, shares, traffic)?
??? See #5 above. I just have to put it out there in the blogosphere because it makes me happy to do so and hope that someone may enjoy looking at it.

Do you look strictly at the numbers, or do you have a way of assessing the quality of those interactions?
I occasionally look at numbers, but in qualification of the above answer and in response to this one I will say that I LOVE when people comment on a post...it confirms that someone did actually see it :D

8. If you could ask the pet blogging community for help with one issue you’re having with your blog, what would it be?
Wow! Even though I've been playing with this for almost five years I still feel so new at it that I don't even know.

9. What goals do you have for your blog in 2013?
To be more committed to keeping it going and posting regularly...even if that's not every day. I know it's a good outlet for me. If I can participate in some discussions that help raise awareness/support for some good causes that benefit animals that would be awesome.

So, if you want to check out some other neat pet blogs and see what other folks are doing, hop along to some of these other sites:
 

Great video

In an effort to spread a little joy today, I share this youtube video. If this doesn't make you smile there's a serious problem!

New Collar

Besides her new coat & snood, Gwyn also got a new collar. It's black with a Celtic knot design in gold:

 It looks very nice on her!

Jet Trails

Postscript

Got distracted (imagine that!) and forgot to tell you the best part about ordering from M&M Designs: they donate 100% of their profits to canine cancer research and animal rescue organizations!!! Check 'em out.

M&M Designs Rocks!

I told you Gwyn had the best Christmas a hound ever had...but she didn't know that she was getting more presents! (Although this wasn't really a Christmas present...something I'd been wanting to get her for a while. And since she's getting ready to go stay at the nice hotel again soon [you'll hear lots about that, don't worry!] the timing was perfect.) I'd been surfing around on the net, looking at different greyhound coats and wound up on eBay. That's where I found M&M Designs This is a link to their website where you can order custom-made coats and collars and stuff. But they also have an eBay store where I found a coat and snood already made and ready to ship! (What's a "snood" you ask? You'll see.) I measured Gwyn and just knew the color would look smashing on her. I had read a review that mentioned how they put love into everything they make...I still wasn't prepared to open my mailer and find this: 

I didn't special-order the gift wrapping--what a sweet touch!

The coat has a collar that you can fold back or flip up to help cover her neck and then a separate "snood" that covers her neck for those super-cold days :D The snood even "sticks" to the collar of the coat with velcro.

Problem is, Gwyn didn't want to pose for pictures...she wanted to be up close and personal with me and tell me a) how much she likes her new duds and b) (and most importantly!) it's time to walk!!!

I'm ready!

LoML had to help hold her for one second but she clearly wasn't in the mood to pose for long. (No, he's not holding her by the ear!)

See my kitteh?

So that you can see how pretty it is:

There's even this beautiful little pocket, perfect for storing Greyhound Friends of NC business cards to give out  so people know how to get their very own grey:

 She *knew* she was a fashionista on our walk!!!

Ain't No Sunshine..

..when she's gone. I mentioned at least once that the 'rents (parents) rescued Buster, an English Pointer earlier this year. He's doing fabulously...has put on weight, gotten healthier, and is spoiled rotten--as he was meant to be. And he is most definitely a momma's boy! The 'rents were off visiting my bro' & his family and I was left on critter duty. One of Buster's routines includes catching a bit of winter sunshine mid-morning. His pen doesn't get winter sun and most every day Mom takes him out for a while and chains him out in another part of the yard that gets sun. He does well on a line and will follow the sun until it moves off and then bark for Mom to put him back into his pen, where he can also go in & out of his garage and dog house. (His training of Mom is coming along nicely.) Unfortunately for him, it seemed as if every day that I wasn't working was a rainy day! I've learned that this now retired hunting dog doesn't like to walk in the rain either :D Sounds like another retired hound I know! I think I did a decent job and Buster really likes me...but I'm a poor substitute for Mom! I'm sure he was ecstatic upon her return last night.

Singing for his supper (He suspects I don't know I'm supposed to feed him without him telling me!)

Watcher #1

Watcher #2

I may not have been spending 30 minutes a day walking with Gwyn so far this month, but have been with Buster (not to mention Solana). Now that Mom's back, I'll transfer that time back to my own spoiled rotten hound.

One Word 2013

It's Lori's fault :D I'm copying her. Sort of. She shares these great ideas. When I saw her post about this year's one word, I knew what mine needed to be: Simplify. I've been moving in this direction for a long time now. This is the year to act on it! If I put it out there in the blogosphere then maybe I'll be compelled to follow through. Maybe my wonderful blogging buddies like Lori will feel free to give me a gentle nudge (shove!) if I'm not...

Anyway, thanks to Melanie at Only a Breath I have my very own one word button! (She's johnny-on-the-spot with the requests too!) Go check out her introductory post about the idea behind One Word and her explanation of the button: One Word Blog Buttons What a fabulous way to spread positive energy through the web!

Happy New Year!

This is what was going on around the house yesterday afternoon:

You'd think we'd had a wild and crazy New Year's Eve party that wore everyone out! But no. Just the normal (preferred) quiet start to a new year....trying to stay awake to see the ball drop on tv...acknowledging once again that there's NO way I would ever want to be in that crowd...sharing a smooch before trundling off to bed. It's all good. No, they weren't kept up too late...they just wanted to be sure to start 2013 off on a good note. Doing what they do. Keeping up on the beauty rest!

Grace

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I have a dear friend who defines grace as "the unmerited favor of God". I don't intend to get all preachy on you or anything, but faith is a critical part of my life and while I may not talk about it a lot, and frequently struggle with it, I do know that I am truly blessed. Blessed with family (which includes human, and not human...) and friends who I treasure. And while I've never discussed it here, I had a life-threatening medical emergency some years ago which reminded me that we are not guaranteed tomorrow and that we better appreciate what we have here. And now. Carpe diem! I firmly believe that I need to focus less on myself and more on others. I want to spread joy. Pay it forward. Commit random acts of kindness (hat tip to Lori at What Remains Now for the linky on that). And I'm right there with Houndstooth at Tales and Tails about the whole resolutions thing. She's participating in the 30/30 Challenge put forward by You Did What With Your Weiner. Walk 30 minutes a day with your dog for 30 days in a row starting today. Go. Do it. Spending more time moving with the hound...that is something I can aspire to! Gwyn is serious about her morning walk. Somebody better go with her. Every day. Unless, of course, it's raining hard...and then somebody should really make it stop raining. And then walk with her. And while right now my schedule is unbelievably crazy...and I'm spending time every day walking with Solana (more on her later)...I'm totally about walking more with Gwyn too. LoML's been really good about walking Gwyn for time reasons, but I know that when I walk with her I'm rewarded in so many ways....not even so much the exercise factor, as the bonding...it's good for my soul!

So, let's be kind to each other. Spread joy. Recognize grace. Walk the hounds. (And the horses.)

Welcome to 2013.