Holiday Hiatus

I'm hoping that everyone had a very blessed Christmas and has a wonderful New Year! As opposed to the other random times that I disappear off my blog for a bit without warning, I'm letting you know today that I'll be gone for a bit. Taking a much-needed vacation and will be back on with new pictures and stories to tell.

Meanwhile, here's a couple of pictures to leave you with:

What do you mean that's the cats' toy?

Ah, life is good!

Follow Up

So I guess I owe you guys an explanation since I left you hanging a few days ago. I mentioned Tales and Tails explanation of the Greyhound Scream of Death...the best-put explanation of the phenomenon I've read. The basic premise is that a greyhound's reaction to an injury is inversely proportional to the severity of said injury. While thankfully I did not get the GSoD  the other day...I got the toned-down version. It went something like this:

Gwyn was outside lying in her dirt pile (that's a whole other story for another day!) until the last possible second that I was forcing her to come inside so I could go to work. I was running late (as per usual..much as I will be this morning from 'goofing off' on the computer for too long...anyway....). Gwyn came dashing up the steps too fast..so fast I didn't even see exactly what happened. The end result was Gwyn on the porch pitifully holding up a back leg and whining.

Me: Oh, you poor dear, what did you do?
Gwyn: It might be broken!
Me: (palpating and gently moving leg around) It seems to still move. There's no obvious trauma.
Gwyn: I don't think I'll ever walk again!
Me: (still seeing no evidence of actual injury) Well, maybe we'll have to go let the vet check it out.
Gwyn: But I can't walk! I can't move! You'll probably have to carry me!!!
Me: Let me pick up my coat and everything else I dropped. We'll go in the house and see from there. I can call the office and tell them I'll be in after I drop you off.
Gwyn: (leaping gleefully and dancing the Happy Dance of Joy all around me...using all four legs) Oh, goody, I get to go to work with you?!?!

Several peanut butter and turkey "cookies" later and a Christmas miracle had occurred. Her leg was healed!

 I leave you with some more photos of my funny girl from our photo shoot. :D

Photo courtesy of J. Frazz Photography

Photo courtesy of J. Frazz Photography

Photo courtesy of J. Frazz Photography

Photo courtesy of J. Frazz Photography

Black & White

Did I already share this photo? I don't think so. Then again, the way my brain is these days...

Long day. Long week. Have more hound stories to tell, but they'll have to wait until Sunday. Have a little day trip tomorrow I have to do.

'Til then, I challenge you to go over to Tales and Tails, search for and read her posts on the "greyhound scream of death". It's a real phenomenon. And her description of it is the best I've ever read. Then on Sunday, I'll tell you my latest version. (For anyone not yet familiar with this, don't worry...it doesn't involve actual doggy death...you'll see...)

Random musings

Just because...

Um, can I go eat my hay now?

My "big girl"...she and her buddy go in their stalls only to eat and then are turned right back out to finish up with their hay. My girl has always inhaled her food. Well, except for the part that she spills on the ground because she's a really messy eater. Really. I'm not kidding here!

Okay, so I was in my chair & Gwyn was looking particularly cute (something she does approximately 9,873 times a day) with her head on her blanket beside the Christmas tree. I was too close and didn't have the camera on the right settings...but I kinda' like the result. Sort of abstract!

I can get this shot (and have a ton of them on my computer already!) so many times it's ridiculous. And yet, even knowing I already have a similar shot...I feel compelled to pull over on my way home, take yet another shot, breathe deeply, and be grateful for the fact that I live in such an amazing place.

And finally (today), thanks again to Lori at What Remains Now for the Liebster...which inspired me to take a closer look at some of the blogs I'd checked out before and catch up on some of their 'history' and follow them more closely. There's some terrific blogging going on out there!

You Take a Few Days Off...

Wow! I don't really know what to say. Just when I was feeling bad about not posting anything for almost two weeks, I went to catch up on What Remains Now and discovered I'd been awarded a Liebster Award!

This is me expressing my goofy side...so Mom doesn't feel so bad!

Sometimes the demands (read craziness) of my day-to-day life and full-time job get in the way of my goofing off and sharing pictures and funny critter stories. Just when I question my sanity for even trying to keep up with my blog, someone like Lori comes along and honors me and inspires me. Thanks, Lori!

So, what, you say, is a Liebster Award? Well, here are the rules: 

Liebster means “dearest” in German, and the award is intended to help up-and-coming blogs get the attention they deserve.  As with any award, there is a bit of ceremony involved. In order to accept the award, you must do the following:

1. Copy and paste the award on your blog.

2. Link back to the blogger who gave you the award.

3. Pick your five favorite blogs with less than 200 followers and leave a comment on their blog to let them know they have received the award.

4. Hope that the five blogs chosen will keep spreading the love and pass it on to five more blogs.

So here goes...in no particular order, five of my current faves (but gosh there are so many fabulous blogs out there!):

BZ Training 

Wonderful, fabulous pictures...inspires my photography while I enjoy Henry and Zachary the beautiful golden retrievers.

Mayzie's Dog Blog

The most glorious adventures of one brindle dog...indeed! Mayzie inspired us through her Rescue Me Week project and I hope we continue to try to do our part to help animals in need throughout the year (and I'm not just sayin' that 'coz we won, Mayzie!).

Cult of the Greyhound

Photography and greyhounds. Two of my favorite things!

Never Say Never Greyhounds

Jennifer shares about working with greyhounds in agility and obedience and has lots of interesting tips to share.

House of Carnivores

Mel the law librarian shares about her life with her husband, three cats, two greyhounds and the occasional foster. Good stuff.

Thank you so much, Lori, for my Liebster Award. I hope some of you have fun checking out my awardees. I know I"ve enjoyed discovering lots of great blogs out there just from clicking on other peoples' links. You all inspire me to be more creative! And, who knows...maybe I'll just manage to keep up with this thing on a regular basis.

Mmmmmm....bread!

Think I mentioned that I scored a mini bread maker at a church yard sale the other day. Believe I may be in danger of gaining 50 pounds if I keep making this:

It's so yummy it makes you want to just roll around on the carpet like this:

Why aren't you sharin your noms with me?

A Gwyntastic Thanksgiving

We took a road trip this year over the river and through the woods...to my sister-in-law's house for Thanksgiving. Happily, thankfully, Gwyn got to go! This is the same sis-n-law who let Gwyn & I stay when we took our road trip for the Frazz photo shoot. Gwyn thinks her house is fabulous. (And it is.) Her cousin, Lady (a border collie rescued as a pup from a shelter) is a most gracious hostess. And there are stairs! And a cat to search for! And wonderful places to hike.

A tired hound is a good hound.

Babies are a necessary travel accessory for any girl. Gwyn worshiping her new penguin

I know if I stay near the luggage I won't be left behind!

Did I hear "go"?!

Here's my silly face!

Black Cat in Black & White

You're interfering with my hunting!

If you insist, I'll come down to be admired

I am feline, hear me roar! Or...purr...

There is something about shooting my friends' black cat in black and white that really appeals to me.

She's a great hunter. She'd been watching birds and squirrels from the woodpile for a while before I interrupted her.

She's also very sweet, and not opposed to coming down to be fawned over.

Wayward Hound - Homeward Bound

It may be ironic that What Remains Now started a discussion earlier this week about what kind of identification your dogs wear in case they get lost...We had quite the scare last night when Gwyn decided to go on a walkabout...or runabout (the greyhound version)! Don't worry, she's home safe & sound. We're very grateful to have wonderful family & friends who immediately helped form a search party. We also had Home Again (the company who made the microchip she has) send out alerts to members, vets & shelters in the area. Fortunately for my cardiac health she wasn't gone too long. As I've often tried to explain to people who aren't familiar with greyhounds, it's not that they won't come home (she did), it's what can happen before they have a chance to! LoML was out first thing this morning fixing the gate that had gotten messed up and come open that allowed her escape. While the rest of us were out looking (some walking, some driving slowly around the neighborhood) my Mom had volunteered to be the one to stay at the house in case the wayward child returned home on her own. Which she did. Mom says she came running up, grinning her big grey grin...delighted to see that her grandmommy had come for a visit!!

photo courtesy of J Frazz Photography

I don't think my heart could have taken her being gone any longer than she was!
We’re participating in this Saturday’s Pet Blog Hop, hosted by Life With Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume.  If you’d like to participate, please follow the rules and follow your three hosts, add your blog to the Linky and copy and paste the html code into your html editor.  Thanks again to our hosts for putting on the hop!